Leading Up, Across & Down: Mastering Leadership at Every Level - and How to Work with Mike Simmons
Release Date: 02/24/2025
DeShawn Wynn - Events, Planning, Execution, and the Power of Retreats
Find My Catalyst Podcast
DeShawn Wynn is a veteran event strategist, entrepreneur, and transformational retreat leader. With nearly 30 years of event planning experience and 15 years as the founder of Winning Touch Event Design, she blends logistics and heart-centered transformation. Her mission? To help people pause, ask deeper questions, and reconnect with the why behind their actions. “An event is supposed to cause change — people should leave different than when they came in.” “Don’t wait for a tragedy to be your catalyst. Let a luxurious retreat be your wake-up call.” “Value means putting...
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Relationship Currency - with Author Ravi Rajani
Find My Catalyst Podcast
Ravi Rajani is a master of impactful communication, storytelling, and leadership development. He is the author of Relationship Currency and helps professionals unlock their influence through the power of intentional storytelling. From theater and investment banking to keynote stages and coaching rooms, Ravi's journey is a testament to finding alignment and embracing authenticity. "Charisma is an innate superpower we all possess, which allows others to feel significant in our presence." "Your daughters will marry your example. Your sons will follow it." "The more you do the inner...
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DevLearn Prep - with Brent and Mike
Find My Catalyst Podcast
Mike Simmons and Brent Schlenker are learning and enablement veterans with a deep passion for helping professionals connect, prepare, and get the most out of events. Mike brings expertise in sales enablement and field learning, while Brent is a long-time learning and development (L&D) leader known for building communities and driving conversation in the L&D space. Together, they dive into how to make the most of DevLearn 2025 — from tactical planning to real-time strategies for networking, booth visits, and personal performance at large conferences. "Go in with a plan. Take a...
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Custom-Fit with Author Kate Morgan
Find My Catalyst Podcast
Kate Morgan is the author of Custom-Fit, and the founder of BostonHCP. She is a no-nonsense, passionate voice in the world of HR, culture, and team development. With a background in scaling teams, Kate focuses on helping small business owners build thriving organizations from the inside out. She’s a Forbes-published author, EO Accelerator Chair, and a firm believer in people as the ultimate competitive advantage. “A core value isn't a value unless you can say…you'll be fired if you don't live up to it.” “Execution rests with your people. Get that right and you're going to be head...
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From Parks to Boardrooms: Leadership Lessons from Nature with Donald Forgione and Mike Simmons
Find My Catalyst Podcast
Donald Forgione — Former Director of 175 Florida State Parks, with 40+ years in ecotourism, leadership, and public service. Now a business owner, speaker, and coach, Donald connects leadership lessons from nature to business. Mike Simmons — Founder of Find My Catalyst, leadership coach, and sales strategist, helping people identify and act on their catalyst for change. Three Key Quotes Donald Forgione: “Trust is the key to absolutely everything… If they’re not feeling what I’m saying, I might as well throw it out the window.” Mike Simmons: “A revenue challenge is often a...
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Fidel Cache Flow on Anonymity, Job Stacking, and Leadership in Tech Sales
Find My Catalyst Podcast
Fidel Cache Flow is an account executive at a public company and an influential voice in the "burner verse" – the world of anonymous social media accounts. Through his Twitter profile, he openly shares unfiltered takes on tech sales, job stacking, leadership, and career strategies, while also building a thriving community that helps others grow in tech sales. Follow Fidel here: "There’s freedom in being anonymous. It lets me speak truthfully without fear." "Job stacking isn’t about cheating. It’s about working smarter, not harder." "Leadership starts with yourself—even if...
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Why Accurate Sales Forecasts Are Overrated with Bill Kantor
Find My Catalyst Podcast
Bill Kantor is the co-founder of Funnelcast, a forecasting platform designed to help businesses understand, optimize, and act on their sales pipelines. With decades of experience in sales operations and revenue analytics, Bill is on a mission to shift how companies use forecasting — from chasing accuracy to driving meaningful change. 💬 3 Key Quotes from Bill Kantor: "The job of the forecast is to tell you what to change in order to make the outcome better." "People think the job of the forecast is to tell you what you're going to close. But your sales are not like the weather. You...
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Selling to Farmers & Leading with Empathy: Lessons in Rural Sales from Sinjin Cramer
Find My Catalyst Podcast
St. John “Sinjin” Cramer is a dynamic sales strategist, keynote speaker, and host of the Rural Sales Success podcast. A UK native now based in New Zealand, Sinjin helps businesses understand how to sell with empathy, especially in high-stakes, rural environments. His philosophy? Stop selling. Start serving. “If you don't like where you are—move. Even a small shift can be a catalyst for growth.” “Don’t sell to farmers—or anyone. Help them make informed decisions.” “Be a buyer’s assistant. If you're not helping people feel safe in a purchase, you're not...
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Skip the Rookie Mistakes - Podcast Mastery Tips from Seth Goldstein
Find My Catalyst Podcast
Seth Goldstein is a 15-year podcast pro, coach, and former journalist. He runs “Podcast Mastery” and helps new hosts skip common mistakes. Seth’s big message: have a simple plan, keep the show real, and hit record—because action is the true catalyst. “If you have a plan and a cadence, it works. When you don’t, it usually doesn’t.” “Your first ten episodes are practice—most people won’t even know they exist.” “People listen because they want to feel part of the conversation.” Seth Goldstein and host Mike Simmons swap straight-talk tips on starting and growing...
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The ADHD Boss: Clear Communication and Why Coaching Matters
Find My Catalyst Podcast
Mike Simmons, founder of Catalyst and host of the “Find Your Catalyst” podcast, returns for a solo Q&A session. In this episode, he explores how ADHD shows up in leadership, strategies for clear communication, and why coaching is an essential part of personal and business growth. Mike shares personal experiences and systems that help him and others focus, execute, and lead effectively. 💬 3 Key Quotes "Don't diagnose people—understand behaviors and build systems that reduce chaos." "There are things that are said, things that are heard, and things that are remembered—and rarely...
info_outlineIn this episode, host Mike Simmons dives into the complexities of leadership—how to lead up to difficult leaders, work effectively across teams, and lead teams with clarity and purpose. Mike shares personal experiences, leadership philosophies, and actionable strategies to help listeners navigate leadership challenges at all levels.
Key Quotes:
- "Leadership starts with self. If you're looking for leadership, start with a mirror."
- "If you think different, you can do different. If you do different, you can be different."
- "Sometimes, the hardest part of leadership is managing the assumptions we make about others."
Episode Summary (50 Words):
Leadership isn’t just about managing others—it’s about self-awareness, clear communication, and building trust. In this episode, Mike Simmons explores how to lead up to difficult leaders, collaborate across teams, and inspire those we manage. He shares tools and insights to navigate leadership challenges with confidence, clarity, and a service-oriented mindset.
5 Key Takeaways:
1. Leading Up to Leadership Challenges
- Understand your leader’s background, concerns, and goals before making assumptions.
- Improve communication by aligning with their priorities and preferred methods.
- If a leader is ineffective, decide if you can help—or if it’s time to move on.
2. Building Strong Cross-Team Relationships
- Empathy is key: understand what other teams care about and what challenges they face.
- Transparent communication fosters collaboration, even in competitive environments.
- Align team efforts with business goals to create a unified direction.
3. Leading Your Team with Clarity
- Get to know your team’s goals, communication styles, and career aspirations.
- Provide opportunities for cross-functional learning to build leadership skills.
- Lead with transparency, trust, and a willingness to adapt.
4. The Importance of Effective Communication
- Leadership is built on clear, purposeful communication.
- Miscommunication happens—what’s said, what’s heard, and what’s remembered are rarely the same.
- Tools like structured feedback loops and regular check-ins prevent misunderstandings.
5. Leadership as an Act of Service
- Leadership isn’t about control—it’s about enabling others to succeed.
- Sometimes, leaders struggle due to insecurity; build trust to help them delegate.
- If leadership doesn’t align with your values, it’s okay to step away.
Final Thoughts:
Leadership is a journey of continuous growth. Whether leading up, across, or down, it starts with self-awareness and service. This episode provides practical insights to help you lead with confidence, no matter your position.
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