Part II: Regrowth: Unlocking Human Potential to Lead Tomorrow's Organizations
Leadership Strategies for Tomorrow's Leaders Podcast with Mike Lejeune
Release Date: 04/14/2025
Building a Business in Uncertain Times: KPIs, Mindset, and Follow-Through
Leadership Strategies for Tomorrow's Leaders Podcast with Mike Lejeune
In a world where the word most leaders use is “uncertain,” what does it really take to build something that lasts? In this episode, Mike talks with Sarah Englade, Founder and CEO of Monarch Talent Solutions, about launching and growing a recruiting firm in 2020—when companies were laying people off, not hiring. Sarah shares how a COVID layoff pushed her to bet on herself, why KPIs and processes are non-negotiable, and how she built a relationship-first recruiting brand in a noisy, skeptical market. They dig into the mindset shifts that separate entrepreneurs who keep going from those who...
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Part II: From Compliance to Commitment - Leading Through Culture, Not Control
Leadership Strategies for Tomorrow's Leaders Podcast with Mike Lejeune
Making Belief Practical—From Hiring to Customer Experience Introduction: In Part 2, we get into the how. Matt walks through what belief looks like in action—from hiring people who align with your culture, to defining values in ways people can actually use, to building customer experiences that transform relationships. This is packed with real stories from Apple, Nordstrom, and other brands that got it right, plus Matt's CADET framework that changes how you think about every interaction. Summary: We tackle the practical side of building belief-driven cultures. Matt shares how to hire for...
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The Power of the Pause
Leadership Strategies for Tomorrow's Leaders Podcast with Mike Lejeune
Title: What Happens When Love Enters the Boardroom (Part 2) Guest: Kelly Hall — Author of Love Works: Transforming the Workplace with Purpose and Authenticity Intro If Part 1 asked us to bring our whole selves to work, Part 2 asks: How? Kelly Hall returns to share how she learned to lead from love — through crisis, coaching, and experience. A former finance executive turned leadership expert, Kelly discovered that love and high performance aren’t opposites — they’re fuel for each other. Together, she and Mike explore the tools that turn emotion into insight, chaos into clarity, and...
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The Word We’re Afraid to Use at Work
Leadership Strategies for Tomorrow's Leaders Podcast with Mike Lejeune
Title: What Happens When Love Enters the Boardroom (Part 1) Guest: Kelly Hall — Author of Love Works: Transforming the Workplace with Purpose and Authenticity Intro What happens when a business leader says the word “love” in a boardroom? Kelly Hall found out firsthand. After two decades leading global teams in industries where performance ruled, Kelly began exploring what happens when we let emotion — empathy, compassion, and yes, love — belong at work. In Part 1, Kelly and Mike unpack the tension between results and humanity: why we’ve been trained to separate who we are from what...
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Part I: From Compliance to Commitment - Leading Through Culture, Not Control
Leadership Strategies for Tomorrow's Leaders Podcast with Mike Lejeune
The Foundation of Belief-Driven Leadership Introduction: What is culture, really? In this conversation, Matt Marcotte—who's led teams at Apple, Salesforce, and Bergdorf Goodman—helps us move past the buzzwords. We talk about why belief is the difference between teams that comply and teams that commit, why uncertainty makes this more critical than ever, and how leaders can stop trying to be the hero and start creating environments where people bring their best. Summary: Matt introduces his new book Built on Belief and explains why he pivoted from frameworks to focus on the real competitive...
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Leading with Trust, Resilience, and Presence
Leadership Strategies for Tomorrow's Leaders Podcast with Mike Lejeune
Intro In this episode of Strategies for Tomorrow’s Leaders, I sit down with Jean Marie Callahan for a candid conversation about what it really takes to lead in uncertain times. From mindset shifts to practical tools, this episode covers the habits and practices leaders need to build trust, resilience, and engagement. Summary We start with the personal side of leadership—resilience, authenticity, and presence—before moving into practical strategies leaders can use right away. Jean Marie shares how her own experiences shaped her perspective and why presence matters more than polish. We...
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Part I: From Compliance to Commitment: How Leaders Win Hearts and Results
Leadership Strategies for Tomorrow's Leaders Podcast with Mike Lejeune
Intro: In Part 1, we get practical about leading with purpose, setting a clear North Star, and turning teams from “doers” into owners. We also unpack “draft-on impact”—the ripple effects leaders must see before they ship. Summary: We talk about scaling with engagement (head + heart), why great leaders set outcomes—not tasks—and how asking “why” repeatedly sharpens strategy. We explore echo chambers as an unintended consequence of product choices, and why pace without participation kills buy-in. Finally, we land on trust and psychological safety as the foundation for...
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Part II: From Compliance to Commitment: How Leaders Win Hearts and Results
Leadership Strategies for Tomorrow's Leaders Podcast with Mike Lejeune
Intro: In Part 2, we move from principles to practice—how mission guided product choices (like co-viewing), how to tell your people’s stories, and how to balance transparency with judgment so you don’t create “us vs. them.” Summary: We cover building for community (e.g., co-watching during lockdowns), using story to connect head and heart, and showing up in outages to refocus teams on the customer. We also tackle transparency: share enough signal to empower people, but curate it so it builds unity, not silos. We end on a core message: building stretches you—it’s how...
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Part II: From Change to Transformation: Coaching That Lasts
Leadership Strategies for Tomorrow's Leaders Podcast with Mike Lejeune
Intro: In this second half, the conversation turns to real-world coaching challenges, building resilience in uncertain times, and making difficult conversations productive. Summary: Mike and Dave tackle why leaders avoid tough conversations, how to reframe them as two-way dialogues, and why consistent investment in people drives performance. They share strategies for bridging the gap between “can’t” and “potential” and for creating trust when times are uncertain. Highlights: The three questions to ask before replacing a team member. Why leaders sometimes fail their people before...
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Part I: From Change to Transformation: Coaching That Lasts
Leadership Strategies for Tomorrow's Leaders Podcast with Mike Lejeune
Intro: This episode explores why transformation—not just change—should be every leader’s goal, and why coaching is the bridge to get there. You’ll hear how intentional coaching builds resilience, fuels growth, and unlocks the hidden potential in your team. Summary: Mike and Dave dig into the difference between change and transformation, the roots of Dave’s “radical growth” approach, and why leaders today must master both storytelling and coaching. They break down why questioning is more powerful than directing, how to prepare for a coaching conversation, and the 80/20 principle...
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Welcome back! In Part 2 of our conversation with Ernesto Gomez, we dive deeper into the practical aspects of fostering engaged, purpose-driven teams. Ernesto expands on his framework introduced in Part 1, focusing on the three crucial dimensions that unlock potential: talent density, culture, and mindset. Learn actionable strategies to cultivate these areas within your own organization and empower your team to reach new heights.
Summary:
Building on the foundation laid in Part 1, Ernesto Gomez elaborates on his "talent density, culture, and mindset" system for maximizing team potential. He explains how intentionally designing for the right talent mix, nurturing a supportive and growth-oriented culture, and fostering both individual and collective positive mindsets are essential. Ernesto emphasizes that creating the right "spark" of ideas and purpose can awaken dormant energy within individuals and drive collective performance. He provides a framework for leaders to think strategically about these three interconnected dimensions to cultivate an environment where people can thrive.
Highlights:
- Understand the interconnectedness of talent density, culture, and mindset in driving performance.
- Learn how fostering a "spark" of ideas and purpose can unlock dormant energy within your team.
- Explore the importance of intentionally designing for the right "talent density" within your organization.
- Gain insights into how to cultivate a company culture that supports growth and high performance.
- Discover the significance of nurturing both individual and collective mindsets to overcome limitations.
Key Takeaways:
- Unlocking team potential requires a holistic approach that considers talent, environment, and individual/collective beliefs.
- Purpose and meaningful ideas are powerful catalysts for engagement and performance.
- Strategically building teams with the right mix of skills and perspectives is crucial.
- A positive and growth-oriented culture provides the context for individuals to flourish.
- Cultivating a strong individual and collective mindset empowers teams to overcome challenges and achieve more.
Next Steps:
- Reflect on the current talent density within your teams. Are you bringing together the right mix of skills and perspectives?
- Assess your current company culture. Does it actively support growth, collaboration, and a positive mindset?
- Consider how you can foster a stronger sense of purpose and generate energizing ideas within your organization.
- Think about strategies to nurture a more resilient and growth-oriented mindset in both individuals and your team as a whole.