Show Up and Participate: The Mindset of an Unshakeable Leader
Release Date: 08/26/2025
Deciding How to Pivot When Life Hits
Becoming Unshakable
Have you ever wondered how some people keep standing even when life seems determined to knock them flat? That question lingered with me as I spoke with Dave Munson, the founder and CEO of Saddleback Leather Co., whose journey is marked by sharp turns, risk-taking, loss, grit, faith, and a remarkable ability to get back up again. This conversation reminded me that the path to becoming unshakable is rarely smooth. It is formed through moments that challenge our identity, stretch our resolve, and reveal what we truly rely on when everything around us feels uncertain. Dave brought stories that...
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How Our Pasts Can Propel Us Into Our Futures
Becoming Unshakable
In this solo episode of Becoming Unshakable, I invite you to join me for a quiet reflection on how our past experiences can shape and strengthen who we are becoming. I talk about my love for fall, the sound of leaves crunching underfoot, and how those simple moments remind me of the beauty of change. Each fallen leaf tells a story of what was, and each season reminds us that growth often begins with letting go. I share why I no longer believe in leaving the past behind. Our pasts are full of lessons, proof of our resilience, and reminders of how much we have already overcome. When I look back...
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Asking for Help Is Strength, Not Failure
Becoming Unshakable
In this episode of Becoming Unshakable, I had the privilege of welcoming two inspiring guests, Mary Beth Sandin and Kristina Fusella. It was my first time hosting two people at once, and the conversation felt like sitting down with old friends who have walked similar roads of challenge, growth, and self-discovery. Together, we explored what it means to stay grounded when life feels uncertain and why asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but rather an act of genuine strength. Kristina shared how her Taekwondo practice has shaped her understanding of balance, both physically and...
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When Compassion Meets Combat: A Paratrooper’s Take on Leading People Through Tough Times
Becoming Unshakable
When you’ve led people through war zones, you learn what unshakable leadership really means. In this episode of Becoming Unshakable, I sit down with retired Army officer, author, and speaker Clay Novak to explore what happens when compassion meets combat. With five tours of duty across Iraq and Afghanistan, Clay has lived the reality of leading under pressure, where calm, clarity, and connection can mean the difference between chaos and survival. Clay shares how he trained his soldiers to stay grounded when every instinct told them to panic, and how that same mindset applies to leadership in...
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Self-leadership Isn’t Selfish It’s Intelligent
Becoming Unshakable
In this episode of Becoming Unshakable, Heather reflects on a moment that reminded her what true leadership looks like from the inside out. Fresh from speaking to 13,000 nurses at the Atlanta World Congress Center, she shares how an experience that looked glamorous on the surface, with makeup, stage lights, and a long line of people waiting for hugs, became a powerful reminder that self-leadership is not selfish. It is essential. Heather unpacks what it means to prepare so thoroughly that you can show up fully. For her, deep preparation is an act of care, allowing presence to replace pressure...
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One Step That Changes Everything in Hard Times
Becoming Unshakable
Jodi O. Brown has lived the kind of story most of us hope we never face. What began as a picture-perfect life shifted overnight when she learned the symptoms she had been ignoring were signs of a brain tumor wrapped around her brainstem. One surgery became three. Five days in hospital became thirty-five in neurocritical care. The journey would grow to twenty-six surgeries, with complications that could have shattered anyone’s sense of self. Instead, Jodi found a different path. She learned to take life one minute at a time, to find meaning inside the mess, and to choose the next small step...
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Leading with Humility: The Discipline of Self-Leadership
Becoming Unshakable
In this episode of Becoming Unshakeable, I sit down with Jim Matuga, Founder of InnerAction Media, to explore a side of leadership that often goes unspoken: followership. Jim brings a refreshing perspective that challenges the assumption that leadership is the only role worth aspiring to. Instead, he makes a compelling case for the power of humility, steadfastness, and the influence that comes from being an excellent follower. For him, excellence and mediocrity cannot coexist, and creating a culture that values both leaders and followers is essential for building organizations that...
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426: Becoming Your Own Compass When the Path Isn’t Clear
Becoming Unshakable
In today’s episode of Becoming Unshakeable, I’m doing something a little different. This is one of my solo shows where I answer questions that listeners have sent directly to me. It’s my way of making sure your voice is part of this conversation, because even though I cannot see you when you listen, I want to stay connected to what matters most to you. In this episode, I respond to three powerful questions. We explore how to continue showing care when upper management pressures or restrictions get in the way, how to balance compassion with clear expectations and accountability, and what...
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Turning Fear into Fuel: The Power of Courageous Choices
Becoming Unshakable
Welcome to this episode of Becoming Unshakeable! If you’ve been a follower and fan of Leadership with Heart, you’re in exactly the right place. From here on out, Becoming Unshakeable will be the new name of my show—and I can’t wait to bring you invaluable insights on what it means to lead with clarity, compassion and courage. Ed Rahill’s story begins with a grandmother’s steady voice and a childhood that could have gone either way. He learned early that fear can freeze your future, and that believing in something bigger than ego keeps you moving when life tilts. In this...
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Overcoming Barriers, Leading with Purpose: Susan Frew’s Story
Becoming Unshakable
Welcome to this episode of Becoming Unshakeable! If you’ve been a follower and fan of Leadership with Heart, you’re in exactly the right place. From here on out, Becoming Unshakeable will be the new name of my show—and I can’t wait to bring you invaluable insights on what it means to lead with clarity, compassion and courage. In this conversation, I sat down with my friend and powerhouse leader, Susan Frew. Susan’s path runs from corporate leadership at AT&T Wireless across the Caribbean to small business ownership, reinvention, and now her work as a top AI speaker. She embodies...
info_outlineWelcome to the second episode of Becoming Unshakeable! If you’ve been a follower and fan of Leadership with Heart, you’re in exactly the right place. From here on out, Becoming Unshakeable will be the new name of my show—and I can’t wait to bring you invaluable insights on what it means to lead with clarity, compassion, and courage.
When I began planning the very first guest episode of Becoming Unshakeable, I thought carefully about who could help bridge the journey from Leadership with Heart to this new season of resilience and self-leadership. The choice came quickly. My longtime friend and inspiring leader, Rich Gassen, was the perfect person to join me.
Rich has spent more than a decade as a supervisor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and he has always impressed me with his steady commitment to growth, learning, and values-based leadership. His personal mantra, “show up and participate,” has guided him through every challenge, from a serious health scare to leading a major team relocation.
What struck me most in our conversation was how Rich has never stopped being a learner. He constantly seeks out new knowledge, applies it to his work, and shares it generously with his team and colleagues.
During our conversation, Rich opened up about what being unshakeable means to him. For him, it is about leaning on his values, staying grounded in creativity and curiosity, and never losing sight of the whole person he is leading. He reflected on how compassion and transparency shaped the way he guided his team through difficult times, and how active listening allowed him to support others in moments when life outside of work was weighing heavily. His approach to leadership is deeply human, rooted in the belief that progress matters more than perfection.
Rich also spoke about what he had to unlearn on his leadership journey. Moving from a technical role into a supervisory position meant realizing that he didn't need to have all the answers. Instead, he learned to listen more, ask better questions, and empower his team to find solutions themselves. That shift not only helped him grow but created more resilient, capable people around him.
What I love most about Rich’s story is how authentic it is. He does not pretend to be perfect. Instead, he focuses on showing up every day, aligning with his values, and creating the conditions for others to thrive. That mindset is at the heart of what it means to be unshakeable.