Innovating Leadership: Co-Creating Our Future

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About Our Guest:

Mike McLellan is the Chief Operating Officer for DHL Supply Chain (NORAM).

How Purpose-Driven Women Redefine What It Means to Lead Jun 03, 2025

Show notes

Guest: Dr. Karen Longman, Professor Emerita, Azusa Pacific University

Why do so many capable, driven women still get overlooked for top leadership roles—and what can we do about it?

In this powerful episode, host Maureen Metcalf sits down with Dr. Karen Longman, a global scholar on leadership and gender equity, to unpack the deep-rooted biases that shape how we define (and reward) leadership. There are clear differences in how men and women lead: men tend to lead for power and hierarchy, while women tend to be purpose-driven.

With insights from cutting-edge research, real-world data, and a global lens, this conversation challenges assumptions and provides actionable steps for anyone on a leadership journey, especially those ready to build a more inclusive, performance-driven future.

Here's what Karen and Maureen cover:

The internal and external barriers women still face on their career path;
What research says about how women lead differently, and why it matters; and
What companies can do to unlock this untapped leadership potential.

Produced in conjunction with the International Leadership Association: https://ilaglobalnetwork.org/.

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

Lessons on Growing Women Leaders with Dr. Susan Madsen
The Leadership Balancing Act: A Woman CEO on Work, Life, & Leading Inclusively with Michelle Harrison
WE Empower – The Women Winning the SDG Goals Challenge with Hadeel Anabtawi & Habiba Ali with Amanda Ellise

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. We’re onTikTok, Threads, and Twitter, too!

RESOURCES:

Karen’s books in the women in leadership series include:

Women and Leadership in Higher Education (available at https://amzn.to/4dQ9fxu)
Women and Leadership Around the World (https://amzn.to/4mKC02w)

The book on women’s opportunities worldwide is Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Sheryl WuDunn & Nicholas Kristoff. It’s on Amazon at https://amzn.to/45oreJd.

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

Booking Producer: Jenna Reik

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About Our Guest:

Karen A. Longman, PhD, joined the Azusa Pacific University faculty in 2006. Prior to coming to APU, Longman served for six years as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty at Greenville College (IL) and for 19 years as Vice President for Professional Development and Research at the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, based in Washington, D.C. She continues to serve as a Senior Fellow with the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities and has coordinated Leadership Development Institutes for emerging leaders within the CCCU since 1998. She served as an editorial board member and reviewer for Research on Christian Higher Education and has been a Staley Distinguished Lecturer at numerous colleges and universities.

Why Principle Beats Process: Inside the Koch Leadership Framework May 27, 2025

Show notes

Guest: Steve Daley, Koch President of Principle Based Management

What does it take to build a resilient, innovation-driven culture—without relying on rigid rules or micromanagement?

In this episode, Steve Daley shares how Koch reimagines work through Principle Based Management. Hosted by Maureen Metcalf, this conversation dives into how Koch empowers employees by trusting them with responsibility, rewarding contribution, and fostering leadership at every level.

Here's what Steve and Maureen cover:

Why Koch abandoned traditional job descriptions;
Why even Charles Koch receives a formal performance review; and
Why leaders are expected to not be bureaucrats!

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

- How Missing Ethics Makes a Mess of Organizations with Greg Moran

- Addressing Values Conflicts with John Heiser

- Non-Traditional Leadership Models for Our New Era with Nathan Eva & Nicole Ferry

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. We’re onTikTok, Threads, and Twitter, too!

RESOURCES:

The website about Koch’s principles-based system is https://principlebasedmanagement.com/en.

Chase Koch’s blog is on Medium at https://chasekoch.medium.com/.

Charles Koch’s book is Believe in People: Bottom-Up Solutions for a Top-Down World. It’s on Amazon at https://amzn.to/43PgKBa.

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

Booking Producer: Jenna Reik

Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.

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Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!

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About Our Guest:

Steve Daley is president of Principle Based Management, which provides training and development services to Koch companies.
Mr. Daley joined Koch in 2005. He was director of the MBM® Capability prior to his current role.
In the United States, he has worked as a consultant to USAID and as a research fellow for the Mercatus Center. He has had several opportunities to present his work on microfinance to congressional audiences.
Mr. Daley has a Ph.D. in Economics from George Mason University and has worked in both the business and policy fields. He was raised in Australia where he was a partner in a tax and business strategy firm for more than five years.

Lessons from Governors, Athletes, & Activists on Growing Women Leaders May 20, 2025

Show notes

Guest: Dr. Susan Madsen, Professor of Leadership, Utah State University

How did ten female governors become powerful, authentic woman leaders? What can you learn from them for your own leadership path?

In this inspiring conversation, host Maureen Metcalf sits down with Dr. Susan Madsen, founder of the Women and Leadership Project, to explore how women grow into their leadership identities—not just in the boardroom, but over a lifetime. Leadership development begins in childhood, with fathers playing a critical role. Decades later, midlife becomes a perfect time to develop and grow your leadership to new heights.

Here's what Susan and Maureen cover:

How to look back and reflect on your own journey to unlock your untapped leadership potential;
Why women often wait for permission (and how to reclaim their voice and courage); and
The overlooked childhood experiences that shape confident, resilient leaders in adulthood.

Other episodes on women in leadership you'll enjoy:

- The Bonobo Sisterhood with Diane Rosenfeld

- Empowering Women for the Prosperity of Nations with Amanda Ellis & Augusto Lopez-Claros

- Winning in the Face of Adversity: The Next Gen of Women Leaders with Congresswoman Joyce Beatty

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.

RESOURCES:

Susan’s website is https://www.susanrmadsen.com/.

The books she mentioned include On Becoming a Woman Leader: Learning from the Experiences of University Presidents and Developing Leadership: Learning from the Experiences of Women Governors.

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

Booking producer: Jenna Reik

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TikTok: @innovativeleadership

- Three Steps for Successful Negotiation

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About Our Guest:

Professor Susan R. Madsen is considered one of the top global thought leaders on the topic of women and leadership. Her research has been featured in the News and World Report, The Atlantic, The New York Times, Parenting Magazine, Chronicle of Higher Education, The Washington Post, and she is a regular contributor to Forbes. She has been an executive coach for over a decade and enjoys doing personal, professional, and leadership development work with her clients. She also consults with companies, educational institutions, municipalities, and other entities on how to design programs, systems, initiatives, and networks to better help women thrive and advance.

Professor Madsen is the Inaugural Karen Haight Huntsman Endowed Professor of Leadership in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. Prior to this, she spent 18 years as the Orin R. Woodbury Professor of Leadership and Ethics in the Woodbury School of Business at Utah Valley University. She is also a Visiting Fellow of the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Zagreb (Croatia), a former Fellow of The Leadership Trust Foundation in Ross-on-Wye, England, and a former Distinguished Fellow in the School of Management at Lancaster University in the UK. She was also the lead series co-editor for the Women and Leadership Book Series and co-edited the first three volumes: Women and Leadership in Higher Education (2014), Women as Global Leaders (2015), and Women and Leadership around the World (2015). Her latest book, The Handbook of Research on Gender and Leadership (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2017) is known as a seminal work on women and leadership worldwide.

AI, Agility, & the Death of Business as Usual May 13, 2025

Show notes

Guest: Greg Moran, Ford’s Former Chief Strategy Officer

The time to “wait and see” is over. Thanks to AI, no matter what your industry, you need to act now. On everything.

That’s the core message from guest Greg Moran as he surveys a behind-the-scenes revolution AI has already spawned: fast, cheap development of new ideas. New technologies drastically reduce the time and cost to develop and deploy apps, products, and services. It means leaders must now be more agile, adaptable, and willing to experiment to maintain competitiveness.

Here's what Greg and Maureen cover:

Why holding on to expensive legacy systems is holding you back;
Why standing still and waiting for the dust to settle are now lethal strategies; and
How your frontline staff are more willing and ready to change than your executive suite.

Binge listen to more wisdom from Greg:

- The 7 Leadership Mindsets You Need Right Now

- How Missing Ethics Makes a Mess of Organizations

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.

RESOURCES:

You can contact Greg for more information at https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsmoran/ .

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

Booking Producer: Jenna Reik

Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.

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- Redefining Leadership: How You Have Global Impact

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About Our Guest:

Greg Moran is a director, founder, advisor and operating executive with extensive global operations experience (U.S., Europe and Asia). He has a strong market focus with deep technology experience forged at business giants such as Ford and Chase which he now applies to organizations of all sizes - start-up, scaling, restructuring, sales, and finance/operations.

From Turbulence to Triumph: ILA’s Keys to Adapting Your Leadership May 06, 2025

Show notes

Guest: Cynthia Cherrey, President & CEO, International Leadership Association

The turbulence you see in the world now isn’t going away. Your leadership style must change to meet it.

Fortunately, guest Cynthia Cherrey sits at the very center of both the most effective real-world leadership practices and the latest cutting-edge leadership theories. In this episode, she shares the leadership development information that really works – and that you need – learned from global leaders successfully navigating and thriving in our increasingly complex world.

Here's what Cynthia and host Maureen Metcalf cover:

The need for adaptive leadership, or why you can’t settle in to just one leadership mode your entire career anymore;
The significance of global interconnectedness, which won’t (indeed, can’t) go away despite tariffs and isolationism in various countries; and
The importance of being conscious of your own personal and professional purpose to keep you anchored through turbulence.

For more of Cynthia’s insights and wisdom, check out these other episodes with her:

- Navigating the Global Storm: Rethinking Leadership

- Living Models for Reimagining Leadership

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. We’re onTikTok, Threads, and Twitter, too!

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Cynthia’s work with the International Leadership Association on their website at https://ilaglobalnetwork.org/.

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8 . The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

(Information requiring higher security clearance than you have): Jenna Reik

CONNECT WITH US:

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!

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About Our Guest:

Cynthia Cherrey is President and CEO of the International Leadership Association (ILA), a global community committed to increasing quality research, teaching, and practices of leadership contributing to the common good around the world. As president of a multi-sector and global professional association, she works at promoting rigor and relevance of leadership at the intersection of theory and practice. Previously, Cynthia served as Lecturer in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and Vice President for Campus Life at Princeton University.
Dr. Cherrey speaks to non-profit and for-profit organizations around the world and writes in the areas of leadership, organizational development, and higher education. Cynthia’s interests and research explore new ways to live, work, and lead in a knowledge-driven, interdependent, global culture. A sought after advisor, Cynthia serves on the editorial board of Asian Women and the President’s Advisory Group at Carnegie Mellon University. She is a Fellow at the World Business Academy, a Royal Society for the Arts Fellow, and a recipient of a J.W. Fulbright Scholarship.

Culture Change at 30,000 Feet: An Airport CEO’s Playbook Apr 29, 2025

Show notes

Guest: Joe Nardone, President & CEO, Columbus Regional Airport Authority

In this episode, Joe Nardone shares a candid, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build a $2 billion airport terminal…and a future-ready organization.

Joe dives into the true drivers of successful change: a relentless vision, a culture rooted in respect and innovation, and the hard reality that transformation often means losing good people who no longer fit the mission.

If you're navigating major change (or preparing to), this conversation offers powerful lessons in leadership grit, cultural evolution, and the courage required to build something extraordinary.

Here's what Joe and host Maureen Metcalf cover:

Why even good, talented staff can “wash out” during culture change;
How seeing your competition as Apple, LinkedIn, and other big brands outside your industry can drive better innovation; and
The importance of designing for things that don’t even exist yet, not just today’s problems.

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

- Why Your Old Leadership Style Doesn’t Work Anymore with Gill Hickman and Jorrit Volkers

- Coming Soon to a Business Climate Near You with Matthew Griffin

- Adaptive Leadership & Culture Change with Ron Heifetz

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Joe’s work – and the progress on the new airport terminal – at https://flycolumbus.com/.

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

Booking Producer: Jenna Reik

Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.

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Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!

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About Our Guest:

President & CEO, Joe Nardone oversees the strategic operation and management of Columbus Regional Airport Authority’s three airports. Leading all aspects of the organization, he is specifically tasked with advancing air service development and creating partnerships to benefit the Columbus Region. Prior to this, he was CEO of the Wayne County Airport Authority in Michigan, including Detroit Metro Airport.

Unraveling Uncertainty: Tesla's Former Interim CEO on the Real Job of Modern Leaders Apr 22, 2025

Show notes

Guest: Michael Marks, Founding Managing Partner at Celesta Capital & Former Tesla Interim CEO

Politics aside, tariffs simply can’t work without devastating business. That’s just one candid, no-nonsense point Michael Marks brings in his conversation with host Maureen Metcalf.

Marks is one of the most respected tech investors in Silicon Valley, with a four decade track record that includes high level leadership and management – including a stint as interim CEO at Tesla, and building Flex from an $8 million to $24 billion company as CEO. His unparalleled success and real-world experience offers rich leadership lessons to profit every growing leader…to profit you!

Here's what Michael and Maureen cover:

The costly impact of tariffs and impossibility of truly separating countries’ economies and supply chains;
Why every good leader needs the three Cs: Curiosity, Conscience, and Courage; and
How curiosity built his businesses, and continues to drive him.

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

- Mastercard’s Chief Innovation Officer on Fostering a Culture of Innovation with Ken Moore

- Courageous Followership with Ira Chaleff & Neil Grunberg

- Business Disruptions: Are You Disrupting or Being Disrupted? with Mark Kvamme

- How Leaders Thrive through Rapid Change with Chris Nolan & Mike Schindler

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Celesta Capital, Michael’s venture capital firm, at https://www.celesta.vc/. The TechSurge podcast is online at https://www.techsurgepodcast.com/.

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

Booking Producer: Jenna Reik

Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.

CONNECT WITH US:

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!

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About Our Guest:

Michael Marks is a Founding Managing Partner of Celesta Capital and a host of the TechSurge Podcast. For 40 years, Michael has successfully led and transformed technology companies. Prior to Celesta, Michael was a founding partner of Riverwood Capital, a Menlo Park-based private equity firm, and served as Partner and Senior Advisor at KKR. He spent 13 years as CEO and then chairman of Flex, growing its revenues from $150M to nearly $30B in that time. Michael also served as an Interim CEO at Tesla. Michael served as an Adjunct Professor at Stanford Graduate Business School from 2008 - 2017, and is currently a Board Director for over 20 companies. Michael previously served as a Director for Schlumberger Limited, GoPro, and SanDisk, among others.

How Inner Work Transforms Your Leadership: Tools for Growth from Jonathan Reams Apr 15, 2025

Show notes

Guest: Jonathan Reams, Chief Creative Officer

You’ve been through leadership training; why didn’t it work?

Because it wasn’t about you. That’s the conclusion Jonathan Reams – the CCO of Norway’s Center for Transformative Leadership – came to. You’re unique, and most off-the-shelf leadership programs don’t take the time for you to dig deep into yourself to discover what makes you tick as a leader…and as a person. He and host Maureen Metcalf discuss that, and the solutions available to you right now.

Here's what Jonathan and Maureen cover:

Why the elites reserve the best leadership training – and funding – for themselves;
How Jonathan is democratizing leadership development tools so you can use them, too; and
Why you can’t truly grow as a leader without doing deep inner work to overcome “immunity to change” and other personal factors.

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

Getting Lost in the Language of Leadership with Jonathan Reams
Growing Up and Out: Development for Modern Leaders with Mike Morrow-Fox
Working & Living in Joy with Pamela Larde, Ph.D.

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. We’re onTikTok, Threads, and Twitter, too!

RESOURCES:

You can learn more about Jonathan’s leadership initiatives on his website at https://www.jonathanreams.com/ and his democratization of leadership training at https://www.adeptify.co/.

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

Booking Producer: Jenna Reik

Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.

CONNECT WITH US:

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!

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About Our Guest:

Jonathan Reams is driven by an insatiable curiosity about the essence of human nature and how to cultivate this essence in the service of leadership. He uses various outlets for achieving this. He held a position at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology from 2007 until 2024, where he taught and did research on leadership development, coaching and counseling. He served as Editor-in Chief of Integral Review, A Transdisciplinary and Transcultural Journal for New Thought, Praxis and Researchfrom 2005 until 2023. He is also a co-founder of the Center for Transformative Leadership and the European Center for Leadership Practice. Jonathan’s Ph.D. is in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University.

Jonathan practices the cultivation of leadership through consulting and leadership development program design and delivery. He brings awareness-based technology to this work, focusing on how the inner workings of human nature can develop leadership capacities for today’s complex challenges.

The Power of Simplicity & Clarity: How a Shell Oil CEO Led through Crisis Apr 08, 2025

Show notes

Guest: Jeroen van der Veer

Crisis and scandal hit your company. The very first thing you must do: abandon your gut instincts. Blame, downplaying, and delay will all make the situation worse. Then follow the example of guest Jeroen Van der Veer; he became CEO of oil giant Royal Dutch Shell in the midst of a major scandal.

He shares what he learned about navigating through crisis in this episode.

Here's what Jeroen and Maureen cover about crisis management and more:

Why owning the situation, even if you didn’t create it, solves far more problems than playing the blame game;
How brutal honesty and absolute clarity bring faster resolution and collaboration with your stakeholders; and
Why future leaders must prioritize the organization’s needs over personal career goals…and how that benefits you much more in the long run.

Produced in conjunction with the International Leadership Association: https://ilaglobalnetwork.org/

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

- Navigating the Global Storm with Cynthia Cherrey

- How Leaders Thrive through Rapid Change with Chirs Nolan & Mike Schindler

- When Tragedy Informs Responsible Leadership with Ann Mukherjee

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Jeroen on his speaker site at https://bit.ly/JVanDerVeer.

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8 . The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

-----------------------

OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

CONNECT WITH US: