About This Episode In this episode, I interview Dr. Paul Napper, author of The Power of Agency. We have an amazing conversation about how this one important element of the way we process experience can better our life trajectory.   About Our Guest  From Paul’s Website: Dr. Paul Napper helps business leaders increase their effectiveness through focusing and strengthening their agency as leaders. His professional background includes extensive experience in assessment and the application of psychological principles to improve the performance of people and organizations. His client list includes Fortune 500 companies, financial firms, non-profit organizations, universities, as well as start-ups.​Dr. Napper launched his career as a Wall Street analyst, first with J.P. Morgan Investment Management in New York and, following that, with Crowell, Weedon and Company in Los Angeles. During his tenure as a securities analyst, he was responsible for research and investment strategy for several major industries. He subsequently launched Performance Psychology, a management psychology consultancy to a wide range of organizations and industries. Dr. Napper earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Pennsylvania in International Relations and pursued his master’s degree in the same field at the University of Chicago. He received his doctorate in psychology from William James College in Boston, one of the country’s premier schools of professional psychology. As part of his training he was selected for an advanced fellowship in psychological testing and assessment during a three-year academic appointment at Harvard Medical School.

About This Episode In this episode, I interview Drew Dyck, author of the book “Your Future Self Will Thank You.” Drew is highly respected in the Christian publishing industry, not only for his literary skills, but also for his ability to make complex ideas easy to understand.   About Our Guest Taken from Drew’s Online Bio: I am an acquisitions editor at Moody Publishers and a contributing editor at CTPastors.com, a Christianity Today publication for church leaders. While I’m not wrestling other people’s words into submission, I’m busy doing battle with my own. I’m the author of Your Future Self Will Thank You: Secrets to Self-Control from the Bible and Brain Science (Moody, 2019), Yawning at Tigers: You Can’t Tame God, So Stop Trying (Thomas Nelson, 2014), and Generation Ex-Christian: Why Young Adults Are Leaving the Church…and how to Bring Them Back (Moody, 2010) My work has appeared in numerous publications, including USA Today, CNN.com, The Huffington Post, Christianity Today, Books & Culture, and Relevant Magazine.

About This Episode In this episode, I interview former FBI agent and respected psychologist, Dr. Jack Schafer. We talk about the signals of friendship that encourage others to see you as approachable, and other non-verbal cues every leader should know about.   About Our Guest From Jack’s online bio: Jack Schafer,Ph.D. is a retired FBI Special Agent who is currently employed as an Assistant Professor at Western Illinois University. Dr. Schafer served as behavioral analyst assigned to FBI’s National Security Behavioral Analysis Program. Author, with Marvin Karlins, of the newly released, The Like Switch. Dr. Schafer has also authored a book titled, Psychological Narrative Analysis: A Professional Method to Detect Deception in Written and Oral Communications.He co-authored a book titled, Advanced Interviewing Techniques: Proven strategies for Law Enforcement, Military, and security Personnel. He has published numerous articles on a wide range of topics including the psychopathology of hate, ethics in law enforcement, detecting deception, and the universal principles of criminal behavior. Dr. Schafer earned a Ph.D. in psychology from Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, California. Dr. Schafer owns his own consulting company and lectures and consults in the United States and abroad.

About this Episode In this episode, I talk with Dr. Bob Lee, whose amazing research shows the importance of being trustworthy as a leader.  Bob shares some of the most profound (and sometimes surprising) findings about how trust is a crucial factor in keeping workplaces happy and healthy. About Our Guest (from Bob’s website) My area of expertise is in how and why the world’s best employers use great workplace cultures to drive competitive advantage. I’ve held various senior leadership positions with Great Place to Work Institute including four years as chairman of its Global Advisory Board, and I continue to support global multinational clients in my role as a senior consultant with Great Place to Work USA. I hold an MBA from the University College Dublin Smurfit Business School, and I live in Dublin, Ireland with my wife and family. Trust Rules is my first book, and I’ve recently started working on ‘the difficult second album’. Considering that it took me six years to research and write Trust Rules, the second book should hit the shelves sometime in 2023! As a professional public speaker, I deliver customized presentations for business leaders and their teams on topics related to how and why to create great workplaces. I’ve developed a number of talks that focus on the practical ways that managers build trust, with the scope to focus in on particular rules when that’s helpful. If you’re interested in exploring how I can help your organization to improve its performance by cultivating a high-trust workplace culture, let’s chat. Please get in touch.

About This Episode In this episode, I interview the world’s leading expert on the topic of building brands, Marty Neumeier. Marty has written multiple books on this topic, and his talent and skill in this area has distinguished him as a top consultant for leading companies. Marty talks with me about the top five mistakes people make when building a brand, and shares powerful insights about how companies can avoid these pitfalls.   About Our Guest (Taken From Marty’s Website) I started as a graphic designer and copywriter in the 1970s. In 1984, when the Macintosh launched, I moved to Silicon Valley to help companies like Apple, Netscape, HP, Adobe, and Google build their brands. In 1996 I started Critique, the first magazine about design thinking. After five years it failed. I then launched Neutron, a design think tank focused on brand-building processes that drive organizational change. It succeeded. I later merged Neutron with Liquid Agency, and here I am. As Director of CEO Branding at Liquid, I consult with leaders and execs of some of the world’s most exciting companies, while writing and speaking on the topics of business strategy, design, and innovation. When I’m not traveling for business, I spend my time in California and France. My wife and I have a 400-year-old stone cottage in the Dordogne, where we go in hopes of someday speaking French. You can read about our misadventures in Beginning French, written under the pen name les Américains. I won’t be quitting my day job anytime soon.

About This Episode In this episode, Mark Green discusses the concept of activators, and shares ways that we can conquer the challenges that stand between us and actually doing the things we know we need to do.   About Our Guest Mark E. Green is a strategic advisor and coach to CEOs and executive teams worldwide. He has addressed, coached and advised thousands of business leaders, helping them unlock more of their potential and teaching them how to do the same for their teams. His integrity, direct style and powerful intuition accelerate team performance, distribution of decision-making, productivity, revenue and profitability. Mark’s clients report significantly lower stress, reduced time consumed by the business and vastly improved quality of life. He is a Core Advisor to Gravitas Impact Premium Coaches (formerly Gazelles International), a mentor to coaches worldwide, and an active contributor to programs and content for their global ecosystem.(Bio taken from Mark’s website)

About This Episode In this episode, I interview Scott Wintrip, one of the most skilled and sought-after hiring coaches in the U.S. Scott shares some profound insights about how to make the hiring process take less time, be more effective, and involve less hassle.   About Our Guest From Scott’s Website: I’ve been honored to help more than 23,000 organizations across the globe eliminate the stress and overwhelm of recruiting and hiring. I’ve shown them a method for creating an instantaneous job filling system that eliminates hiring delays. My career began as a recruiter, back when I still had a full head of hair. That wasn’t my original plan. In college, I was a music major who wanted to become a high school band director. I learned about recruiting when I went to an employment agency, looking to earn extra money. During the interview, the office manager asked if I’d ever considered a job in the staffing industry. I didn’t know there was such an industry. While I didn’t accept her offer, it did plant a seed. That I could earn a living matching people and jobs seemed like a meaningful career. Within a few months, I sought out and landed my first recruiting job. I discovered a common pattern as I began my career in hiring. At the employers I contacted, jobs had frequently been open for weeks, months, and sometimes years. Often, these jobs weren’t open because of a lack of candidates. The companies had already interviewed dozens of people, some of whom were well qualified. However, they weren’t hired, even though that empty seat was delaying projects, creating missed opportunities, and costing lots of overtime. These companies allowed the process to drag on and on.

About This Episode  In this episode, I interview Dr. Jeff Barnes, the only college professor in the country to teach an accredited course on the topic of Disneyland.  As an expert on the life and legacy of Walt Disney, Dr. Barnes discusses how leaders can learn from Walt’s unique life and leadership style.   About Our Guest   Jeff Barnes is the best-selling author of The Wisdom of Walt: Leadership Lessons from the Happiest Place on Earth and Beyond the Wisdom of Walt: Life Lessons from the Most Magical Place on Earth. Known as Dr. Disneyland, he teaches the only accredited college course on the History of Disneyland. He is an international Disney motivational speaker, higher education administrator, university professor, and leadership/success coach. He has more than thirty-five years of professional speaking experience and nearly twenty years’ experience leading teams in higher education and teaching more than twenty different college courses. He attributes his passion for Disney parks to his love of history, story, and success. He believes the parks teach us some of life’s greatest lessons—as long as you know their history, know what to look for, and you are willing to connect it all to your own story. Jeff lives in Riverside, California with his family. When he is not speaking, teaching or writing, Jeff enjoys spending as much time as possible in “The Happiest Place on Earth.” (bio taken from Dr. Barnes’ website)

About This Episode In this episode, I interview Dr. Paul White, co-author of The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, one of the finest books you’ll ever read on the power of authentic appreciation at work.   About Our Guest   Dr. Paul White is a psychologist, author, speaker, and consultant who “makes work relationships work”. For the past 20 years, he’s improved numerous businesses, schools, government agencies and non-profit organizations by helping them: Create positive workplace relationships and improve staff morale. Eliminate the cynicism, sarcasm and lack of trust that often is associated with traditional employee recognition programs. Overcome the obstacles to help staff communicate authentic appreciation to one another. A frequently sought after keynote speaker and leadership trainer, his speaking style has been described as “world-class expertise grounded in Midwestern practicality, with the right touch of warmth and humor”.  Dr. White has given lectures around the world, including North America, Europe, South America, Asia, and the Caribbean.  He has spoken to Microsoft managers, SHRM and association conferences across North America, at international conferences, and to numerous national organizations. Dr. White is coauthor of three books, including The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, written with Dr. Gary Chapman (author of the #1 NY Times bestseller, The 5 Love Languages) which is in 15 languages and has sold over 225,000 copies worldwide.  Based on their extensive research and expertise, Dr. White and Dr. Chapman have developed a unique way for organizations to improve staff morale, increase employee engagement, and create enhanced levels of trust.  His other two books co-authored with Dr. Chapman and Harold Myra, Rising Above a Toxic Workplace and Sync or Swim, continue to be well-received by employees, HR professionals, and organizational leaders. His most recent book, The Vibrant Workplace: Overcoming the Obstacles to Building a Culture of Appreciation, has been cited as the #1 new HR book released in 2017. Dr. White  graduated Magna Cum Laude from Wheaton College with a major in Christian Education, earned his Masters of Counseling from Arizona State University, and received his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Georgia State University. He has been married for over 30 years and is the father of four adult children. (Bio Taken From Dr. White’s Website)

About This Episode In this episode, I interview one of the world’s most sought-after experts on the topic of leadership and creativity.  Todd Henry is the author of many books on creativity, but in this episode we focus on the topic of his recent book, Herding Tigers.  Leading creatives brings unique opportunities and challenges.  Todd shares some amazing insight on how to help creatives be at their best.   About Our Guest  Todd Henry is an author, international speaker, consultant, and advisor. He is the author of four books, which have been translated into more than a dozen languages.  Todd is one of the world’s most sought-after experts on the topic of creativity in the workplace, and is known for his practical and ready-to-implement solutions.  Todd’s amazing podcast, The Accidental Creative, has generated world-wide excitement for his work, and is one of Jonathan’s favorite podcasts.