Stacey Fernandes (owlhub.com, linkedin.com/in/staceyfernandes1/), a highly experienced Chief Technology Officer and advocate for diversity and inclusion in the tech sector, joins host Dan Freehling to discuss her human-first leadership approach, which prioritizes the well-being and growth of individuals within an organization. Stacey emphasizes the importance of creating a work culture that values personal growth, collaboration, and innovation. She highlights the need for a coaching culture to support diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Stacey shares her own experiences and offers advice for aspiring women technologists, including the importance of continuous learning, developing emotional intelligence, and finding a workplace culture that aligns with one's values. She also discusses the potential of AI in various industries, such as law enforcement, construction, healthcare, and organizational culture, while emphasizing the need for ethical considerations and inclusivity in AI development.

Recommended reading: "People First Leadership" by Eduardo Braun, "Radical Candor" by Kim Scott, IAPP books on data privacy law for the EU and US, and “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi.

Steve Baue (stevebaue.com, bauemg.com), CEO and owner of Wisconsin’s premier mental wellness/mental health benefit company, keynote speaker and executive coach, joins host Dan Freehling to discuss his unique approach to business and leadership. Steve emphasizes his focus on building high-quality companies that serve their clients, employees, and communities. He prioritizes employee happiness, aiming for them to be at least 51% happy with their work. Steve imagines the future of the mental health field, highlighting the potential impact of technology and increasing openness around mental health. He believes that in the future, mental health will be treated with the same urgency and importance as physical health.

Steve prepares his organizations for change by investing in employee development and ensuring that they are ready to adapt to new challenges. He also emphasizes the importance of explaining the “why” behind tasks and decisions, as it helps to motivate and engage employees. Steve draws inspiration from various sources, including books, self-care practices, and hobbies such as woodworking and meditation. He believes that taking care of oneself is crucial for effective leadership.

Recommended reading: “The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur” by Mike Michalowicz and “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek.

Amy Ruppert Donovan, co-founder of The Integreship Group (integreship.com) and a pioneer of executive coaching, joins host Dan Freehling to discuss major changes in the business world, including increased volatility, disruptions to traditional business models, and an escalation of the war for talent. Amy describes the qualities of visionary leaders, such as putting people before results, building diverse teams, and facilitating solutions rather than imposing them. Amy emphasizes the importance of self-mastery and personal integrity in leadership, as well as the need for leaders to be humble and unassuming. She also discusses the future of coaching, highlighting the importance of maintaining a focus on disruptive transformation and resisting the temptation to prioritize short-term results. Amy and Dan conclude with Amy’s vision for leadership as a standalone profession and the role of coaching in reshaping paradigms.

Recommend reading: “Rethink X” by Tony Seba and James Arbib, “Leadership BS” by Jeffrey Pfeffer, and “Thinking Body, Dancing Mind” by Chungliang Al Huang.

Organizational culture and leadership consultant Dan Bredeson joins host Dan Freehling to discuss his new book "Seeds of Culture" and the importance of cultivating, rather than attempting to construct, a culture of commitment in organizations.

Bredeson shares his observations from his career as a leader in the insurance industry, where he noticed the discrepancy between the desired culture of executives and the actual culture on the ground in client firms.

He emphasizes the need for leaders to think like farmers, nurturing and growing culture over time, rather than thinking like carpenters in trying to artificially build culture. Bredeson identifies six traits of successful culture farmers, including affinity for people, making culture a priority, bringing the right energy, being authentic, growing credibility, and demonstrating integrity.

Bredeson also discusses the importance of effective communication, ethics, psychological safety, diversity and inclusion, generosity, autonomy, and mutual accountability in building a strong culture.

Recommended reading: "Leading Change" by John Kotter, "The Four Disciplines of Execution" by Chris McChesney, and "Developing the Leader Within You" by John Maxwell.