327: Leadership Lessons from the Pitch with Ciaran McArdle
Release Date: 01/11/2026
343: Discovering Joy and Autonomy in the C-Suite with Sabrina Calouri
Allyship in Action
Welcome back, everyone! I am just so thrilled to share my conversation with Sabrina Caluori, the CMO at Chief. You know, I talk a lot about capacity erosion—that feeling where your mental load is so heavy you're basically walking through quicksand while trying to run a marathon. Sabrina gets it. She’s been in those high-stakes rooms at Paramount, hitting a wall of burnout so thick she didn't even have the words to name it yet. But what I love about her perspective is how she’s flipped the script, moving from stepping off the ladder to building a community that reminds us we aren't...
info_outline
342: Finding Your Natural Allyship Rhythm with Dr. Meg Warren
Allyship in Action
I’ve always said that allyship isn’t a proclamation you make—it’s an aspiration that lives in the eye of the beholder. For a long time, we’ve been told that to be a real ally, you have to be this fearless, extroverted warrior constantly jumping into the line of fire. Let’s be real: most of us are just trying to hit our step goals and remember to eat less salt without feeling like we’re failing at life! In this episode, the brilliant Dr. Meg Warren joins me to flip the script. We’re moving away from that check the box mentality and diving into the baby pool of self-awareness to...
info_outline
341: Real Talk on Self Leadership and Shaking Off the Bullshit with Aiko Bethea
Allyship in Action
I am just vibrating with excitement after my chat with Aiko Bethea ! If you’ve followed her work as I have, you know she’s basically the gold standard for building cultures that actually mean something . We got into the nitty-gritty of her new book, Anchored, Aligned, and Accountable, and let me tell you, it is the blueprint we need right now . I even got a little unplanned coaching session myself—turns out, even after years in the DEI space, I’m still a recovery fixer trying to work my way out of every hard feeling . Aiko gently called me out on that toxic productivity narrative...
info_outline
340: How to Share Your Personal Life Without Hurting Your Career with Catherine Kleshinski
Allyship in Action
I am so excited to share this conversation with my wonderful colleague and friend, Dr. Catherine Kleshinski from Indiana University. We’ve all been there on a random Monday morning when someone asks, "How was your weekend?" and we’re dying to share a picture of our new puppy or the chaos of a first birthday party. I used to think these me-search moments were just simple trust builders—and they are! Catherine’s latest research in the Journal of Applied Psychology reveals that there is a lot of nuance behind that water cooler talk. It turns out that while sharing the non-work...
info_outline
339: How Human Skills Unleash the Real Power of Generative AI with Anthony Salcito
Allyship in Action
It is such a wild time to be in the world of training and development, isn’t it? I’ve had this persistent hunch—call it a "zag" when everyone else is "zigging"—that as much as we’re obsessing over AI, the real secret sauce is still our human intuition . I recently sat down with Anthony Salcito from Coursera, and it turns out my hypothesis wasn't just wishful thinking. We’ve all seen those robotic AI outputs that sound like they’ve never actually lived a day in their lives, and while I’ve certainly fumbled through my share of prompt engineering, the data shows that our...
info_outline
338: What Equity is and How Enable it at Your Organization with Celeste Warren
Allyship in Action
This week, Celeste Warren, a globally recognized thought leader, author, and former Fortune 100 Vice President, returns to discuss her latest book, The Truth About Equity. Celeste shares her insights on: Defining Equity: Moving beyond the buzzwords to understand equity as a pragmatic approach to meeting people where they are. The "Fence" Analogy: Exploring the systemic "isms" that create barriers and how acts of equity can help dismantle them. Equity in the Workplace: From recruitment and talent development to succession planning and performance management, Celeste identifies key...
info_outline
337: How to Use History and Personal Gifts to Rise and Resist with Dr. Janice Gassam Asare
Allyship in Action
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Janice Gassam Asare, founder of BWG Business Solutions and author of the new book, Rise and Resist: How to Reclaim Workplace Equity and Justice . Following a period of intense personal and professional backlash—including being targeted by high-profile political figures—Janice discusses why looking to historical legacies of resistance is the key to enduring today’s challenging DEI landscape. We explore how "everything is cyclical" and how we can draw strength from the stories of lesser-known figures who challenged the status quo long before...
info_outline
336: Navigating Change in the Allyship Journey with Jennifer Brown
Allyship in Action
Jennifer Brown is back to unpack her new book, The Shape of Change, the journey through allyship and change. Together, we discuss: How change can feel like being in a dark hallway and trying to find the path forward in uncertain times What inclusive leadership looks like when we are called to be brave in unprecedented times The tools to build resilience to shape the changes necessary to our important work Follow Jennifer and get her book at https://jenniferbrownspeaks.com/
info_outline
335: Leading Without Hallways, Building Culture with Teresa Johnson
Allyship in Action
Culture isn't just a poster on the wall. Culture is the heartbeat of a thriving business. This interview with Teresa Johnson, CEO of Color Me Mine, explores the incredible journey from being a single mom to purchasing a pottery studio on a credit card, leading a franchise empire of over 150 locations. Teresa shares her secret sauce for scaling businesses through intentional culture and the unique challenges of leading remote teams across the country. Key Takeaways Leading Without Hallways: Building culture in a remote or franchised environment requires a new leadership skillset. Teresa...
info_outline
334: Men at Work with Jennifer McCollum
Allyship in Action
In this episode, Julie Kratz welcomes Jennifer McCollum, President and CEO of Catalyst, a global nonprofit focused on workplace equity. They discuss the critical role of men in gender partnership and the release of Jennifer’s book, Men at Work. The conversation delves into the systemic challenges women face, the data supporting inclusive leadership, and how men can transition from passive support to active, mutually accountable leadership. Key Takeaways Mutual Accountability Over Passive Support: The concept of "men as allies" has evolved into gender partnership, emphasizing that...
info_outlineIn this episode, Ciaran McArdle, CEO of XL Sports World and author of The Soccer of Success, joins Julie Kratz to discuss how the principles of the "beautiful game" can be used to transform corporate leadership.
McArdle shares three key strategies for high-performance leadership, drawing parallels between the soccer pitch and the professional workplace:
1. Tailored Leadership: Meet Team Members Where They Are
Effective leadership requires a nuanced approach, much like a soccer captain managing a diverse squad.
-
Individualized Communication: McArdle notes that while one teammate may need direct, vocal feedback to improve performance, another might require a quieter, more supportive "arm around the shoulder".
-
Psychological Insight: Leaders must understand the unique psyche of each team member to determine the best way to motivate them and demand their best.
2. The "White Line" Concept: Establish Clear Boundaries
In soccer, crossing the white line onto the pitch signifies a complete shift in intensity and mindset.
-
Performance Intensity: While on the "field" (the workplace), teams should maintain high focus and be willing to ask tough questions to drive results.
-
Switching Off: Equally important is crossing back over that line. McArdle emphasizes that once work is done, leaders must normalize stepping away and focusing on recovery to avoid burnout.
3. The 90-Minute Mindset: Protect Deep Work
McArdle introduces a "90-minute mindset" for productivity, mirroring the length of a standard soccer match.
-
Distraction-Free Focus: He advocates for scheduling 90 minutes of uninterrupted work—phone on airplane mode and emails closed—to tackle high-impact goals.
-
The "Hattrick of Success": This focus is part of a larger cycle: Plan, Perform, and Recover/Review. Consistent execution in this format allows teams to perform at elite levels without sacrificing long-term mental health.
Follow Ciaran McArdle at https://soccerofsuccess.com/.