Leadership for What Comes Next: Empowerment, Awareness, and Intentional Choice
Mindful Momentum: Leadership Podcast
Release Date: 01/07/2026
Mindful Momentum: Leadership Podcast
In this deeply impactful conversation, Anu Arora is joined by Dr. Akhtar Badshah, global thought leader, author, and former senior philanthropy executive, to explore what leadership looks like when it is grounded in purpose, service, and responsibility to community. Together they examine leadership as a moral and human practice—one that centers dignity, shared responsibility, and measurable, long-term impact. Dr. Badshah shares insights drawn from decades of work across technology, philanthropy, and global development, emphasizing that meaningful leadership begins with clarity of purpose and...
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In this thoughtful conversation, Anu is joined by leadership coach and professional speaker Ron Rael, a fellow member of the National Speakers Association, to explore what leadership really looks like. Together, they unpack the difference between loud leadership and effective leadership, the role of self-awareness and accountability, and why presence matters more than perfection in today’s complex environments. Drawing from their work with leaders, teams, and organizations, Anu and Ron reflect on the human side of leadership—how people grow, resist change, avoid responsibility, and...
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In this heartfelt conversation, Anu sits down with award-winning attorney, author, and legacy expert Catherine Hammond to explore what it truly means to move from success to significance. Drawing from her personal story of caring for a mother with early-onset Alzheimer’s and decades of estate planning experience, Catherine reveals why financial inheritance alone doesn’t help families thrive—and how “True Wealth” includes wisdom, values, emotional healing, and connection across generations. Together, Anu and Catherine unpack ideas like intergenerational wholeness, human capital, and...
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What if everything you’ve been told about resilience… is wrong? In this episode, executive coach, keynote speaker, and author Tissa Richards joins Anu Arora to redefine resilience as your greatest competitive advantage—not something you grit through in a crisis, but a daily, intentional practice that shapes how you lead, decide, and innovate. Tissa’s new book, Rethinking Resilience: Fueling Your Competitive Advantage, challenges the old “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” narrative and the pressure to always “bounce back.” Instead, she introduces intentional...
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In this episode of Mindful Momentum: Leadership Podcast, host Anu Arora reconnects with her first mentor, Patrick Copeland, now a visionary technology leader whose career spans Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Zendesk, and Moloco. Together, they explore what it means to lead with authenticity, courage, and compassion in a rapidly evolving AI-driven world. Patrick shares timeless lessons from his own leadership journey — how mentorship builds capability, why creativity fuels innovation, and how self-reflection unlocks resilience. He discusses the importance of aligning personal strengths with...
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In this powerful episode, Anu Arora speaks with Anna Liotta, keynote speaker, generational intelligence expert, and author of . Together, they explore how understanding and regulating the vagus nerve—the body’s “whisper network” between brain and being—can transform the way we lead and live. Anna shares personal stories, practical techniques like humming and the “butterfly tap,” and insights into how generational differences shape our nervous systems and leadership styles. Learn how to pause, notice, and choose—so you can move from reactivity to calm creativity. 🎁 Read...
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In this heartfelt episode, Anu Arora speaks with Diane Woodford, a retired critical care nurse, author of , and co-host of about what it means to embody love in action. Diane reveals how her husband, Charles experienced a lengthy, critical illness that became a turning point and a teacher for both of them. Together, these One Love Ambassadors learned about the power of peace, presence, and the importance of choosing joy even in chaos. In this light-hearted, mindfulness-focused conversation, Anu and Diane explore how laughter, remembrance, and resilience can help us stay afloat during life's...
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What if the path to real change requires not just allies - but adversaries too? In this episode of the Mindful Momentum: Leadership Podcast, host sits down with Heather Shafter - strategic operations leader, founder of , speaker, and co-author of Heather shares powerful lessons learned from co-writing the life story of activist Libby Frank and introduces her Sacred Framework for creating meaningful change. Together, they explore: Why both allies and adversaries are essential for progress How to move from overwhelm to strategic action The surprising power of curiosity and listening to...
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What if discomfort isn’t something to avoid -- but instead a feedback indicator? In this episode, Anu Arora speaks with , former Netflix executive, global people leader, and now coach helping leaders build resilience in uncertain times. Aaron shares how being “pushed out of the plane” from Netflix led to one of the most transformative chapters of his life. Together, they explore: Why discomfort often signals growth, not dysfunction The difference between endurance and resilience in leadership How freedom and authenticity can open doors (while closing the wrong ones) Practical...
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What does it mean to really connect -- on stage or even in the supermarket? In this episode of the Mindful Momentum: Leadership Podcast, host sits down with educator, musician, and dynamic keynote speaker to explore the art of authentic connection in a world that all too often pulls us apart. From a small act of kindness in a grocery line to the energy exchange between performer and audience, JGo shares stories that reveal how presence, curiosity, and compassion can help transform the way we lead, love, and even live with one another in community. Together, Anu and JGo unpack: ✨ Why...
info_outlineIn this thoughtful conversation, Anu is joined by leadership coach and professional speaker Ron Rael, a fellow member of the National Speakers Association, to explore what leadership really looks like.
Together, they unpack the difference between loud leadership and effective leadership, the role of self-awareness and accountability, and why presence matters more than perfection in today’s complex environments.
Drawing from their work with leaders, teams, and organizations, Anu and Ron reflect on the human side of leadership—how people grow, resist change, avoid responsibility, and ultimately choose whether or not to lead.
This episode is a reflective dialogue for developing and future leaders, empowered mentors, coaches, speakers, and anyone seeking real solutions.
Rather than offering quick fixes, this reflective conversation invites listeners to pause, notice patterns, and consider how leadership shows up in everyday choices.
Key themes include:
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Leadership without ego or performance
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Accountability versus avoidance
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The importance of presence and intentional action
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Coaching as a leadership practice
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What it really means to influence others
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Learn more about Ron Rael:
Ron Rael is a breath of fresh air in the leadership development space. He is known as the Leadership Provocateur who sparks a passion for growth in new and experienced leaders with his bold, sometimes irreverent, yet always insightful approach. With 15 acclaimed books on leadership, Ron has become one of the nation’s leading authorities on developing and nurturing emerging leaders.
With over 40 years as a professional leadership presenter and consultant, Ron has coached more than 14,000 leaders across the US and Canada. His clients range from Fortune 500 giants like Starbucks and Microsoft to innovative mid-sized companies and ambitious startups result in more than 50 years of business leadership experience.
Ron’s cutting-edge training techniques, including his use of games for leadership development, have made his teachings not just impactful, but unforgettable.
Ron is the creator of the Future Leader System™, a groundbreaking approach that provides fast-growing corporations with a competitive edge through nurturing a deep bench of capable, competent, and confident leaders. He has earned a reputation for helping organizations cultivate leaders who are not only confident and competent but also ethically and emotionally capable.
Colleagues describe him as “the leadership expert who flies under the radar,” but those who know him recognize the profound impact he has on leaders and organizations alike.
Ron says, "A presentation is a waste of time if the attendee does not get several 'AHA' moments or cannot use the information immediately. I am usually irreverent, sometimes satirical, and always insightful, and provocative! My unique presentation style reaches employees at all levels. I will deliver hands-on skills which produce immediate results for your organization. My delivery style and leading-edge content results in new-found wisdom the participants can use to become more capable leaders."
Catch up with Ron here:
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