Innovating Leadership: Co-Creating Our Future

Guest: Jack Myers, author of Your Third Brain Your AI business case measures time saved and costs reduced. Does it measure the judgment ability your organization could lose? Jack Myers joins Maureen Metcalf to explore how automation and management cuts can quietly dismantle the very human mentoring, relationships, and accountability that help organizations make sound decisions. Drawing on five decades in the media industry and his book, “Your Third Brain: Powering a Future of Unimagined Possibilities,” Jack shows the importance of putting a human case beside the financial one. What should AI strengthen…and who remains responsible when its recommendations become decisions? You’ll hear how to identify where judgment lives in your organization, preserve apprenticeship as work changes, and bring customer and employee perspectives into technology decisions. Jack also offers a practical starting point: review three consequential AI-assisted decisions and trace where human responsibility entered (or disappeared). Listen for a clearer approach to improving efficiency while developing the people who are the heart of any organization. Follow Innovating Leadership: Co-Creating Our Future for more conversations that turn leadership insight into practice.   Other episodes you'll enjoy: - Why Top Talent Says “No Thanks” to Leadership Jobs with Steve Dion - Let Others Decide: How DHL’s COO Shares Authority with Mike McLellan - Beyond Process: Developing Better Decisions with Jonathan Reams   For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. RESOURCES:   Learn more about Jack and his work at https://www.jackmyers.com/. You can check out his Myers Report at https://www.mediavillage.com/microsite/the-myers-report/?type=latest&page=1.   Jack’s books include: Your Third Brain: Powering a Future of Unimagined Possibilities; it’s available in paperback at https://amzn.to/4cFQ9e1; and The Tao of Leadership: Harmonizing Technological Innovation and Human Creativity in the AI Era; it’s in hardcover at https://amzn.to/4yoKXU6.   Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.    Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at  https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.   Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.    -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan Booking Producer: Jenna Reik ([email protected]) Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.   CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!  -----------------------   About Our Guest:   Jack Myers is the founder of The Myers Report (www.MyersReports.com) and MediaVillage Education Foundation (www.MediaVillage.org), the advertising and media industry’s premier knowledge exchange platform. Throughout his career as a senior lecturer, author, and consultant, Myers has earned numerous accolades, including a Peabody Award, International Book Awards for Women’s and Youth Issues, Excellence in Education Award from the Global Forum on Education & Learning, Crystal Heart Award, UJA Humanitarian Award, and Oscar and Emmy nominations for his contributions to media and storytelling. A graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School at Syracuse University and NYU Steinhardt, where he studied under renowned media scholar Dr. Neil Postman, Myers is uniquely prepared to support leaders of organizations and corporations as they navigate the rapid transformation brought by AI, machine intelligence, and evolving cultural dynamics

Guest: Mike Morrow-Fox You thought this made you a good boss: you hired capable people and gave them room to work. But do they experience that freedom as trust, or as being left on their own?   The answer could indicate they see you as a bad boss instead.   Maureen Metcalf and Mike Morrow-Fox examine what separates a good boss from a leader who is simply good at running operations. Mike shares the story of a manager whose hands-off approach cost an organization valuable people and the knowledge they carried with them.   They explore why employees need more than an annual development plan; they need regular conversations about their strengths, their ideas, their confidence, and the work ahead. That need does not disappear at the executive level. In fact, a senior leader who is expected to guide everyone else probably receives too little guidance herself!   The conversation closes with a practical self-check for anyone who manages people.     Other episodes with Mike you'll enjoy: - Turning Conflict from Avoidance to Advantage -  Let’s Talk: Four Steps to Bridging Workplace, Political, & Family Disagreements - Growing Up & Out: Development for Modern Leaders   For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.   RESOURCES:   You can contact Mike through LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/morrowfox/.   Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.    Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at  https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.   Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.  -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan Booking Producer: Jenna Reik Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay. CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!  -----------------------   About Our Guest:   Michael Morrow-Fox, MBA, EdS, is a consultant with the Innovative Leadership Institute experienced in health care, education, banking, government, and non-profit management.   Michael has over 20 years of experience in leading technology and human resources operations, as well as several years of full-time university teaching. Michael uses this background to blend his real-world understanding with current theoretical models helping his clients reach goals beyond their current thinking.   Michael has served as a full-time university faculty at Capital, as the Director of Technology Strategy for the OhioHealth Hospitals, as the Vice President of Operations for a technology start-up serving American Express, as the Vice President of Talent Management Training and Development for the American Heart Association, and the Manager of Organizational Education for the City of Greensboro, North Carolina.   Michael is a contributing author of Innovative Leadership for Health Care, Innovative Leadership Workbook for Emerging Leaders and Managers, and the Innovative Leader Guide to Transforming Organizations.

Guest: Mike McLellan, COO, DHL Supply Chain North America   You hired capable leaders. Can they make a decision you wouldn’t have made…and still count on your support? Mike McLellan, Chief Operating Officer of DHL Supply Chain North America, admits he likes control. But when a vice president proposed a reorganization different from his own vision, he recognized that his plan wasn’t better, dhl.comand told her to execute hers. In this conversation with Maureen Metcalf, Mike explains how distributed decision authority helps DHL navigate uncertainty and growth across more than 700 U.S. sites. He shares how experienced leaders combine trust with operational visibility, recognize the limits of their own expertise, and protect culture when rapid growth puts pressure on hiring and promotions. You’ll also hear how DHL evaluates automation before scaling it, why impressive technology isn’t always useful technology, and why respect for frontline employees remains fundamental to execution. For executives balancing accountability with the need to let others lead, this episode offers a practical look at staying informed, knowing when to intervene, and giving your team room to deliver. You can binge on all of Mike’s episodes: From Tariffs to Tempests: Strengthening Your Supply Chain Disruption No More: Future-Proofing Your Business For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. RESOURCES:   Learn more about DHL on their website: https://www.dhl.com/. You can also contact Mike directly on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-mclellan-81227a3/.   Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.    Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at  https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.   Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.    -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan Booking Producer: Jenna Reik ([email protected]) Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.   CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!  -----------------------   About Our Guest:   Mike McLellan is Chief Operating Officer of DHL Supply Chain North America, where he leads operational excellence across the region, supporting both established operations and new business. He serves on the division’s North America Board and Global Operations Board.   Mike brings extensive operational experience in big-box retail and e-commerce. Since joining DHL in 2015, he has helped expand key operations and strengthen collaboration across business functions. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisville.

Guest: Lesley Southwick-Trask You’ve earned a reputation for knowing what you’re doing. When did you last let yourself learn something you might be bad at? Cultural anthropologist, CEO, and leadership strategist Lesley Southwick-Trask joins Maureen Metcalf to explore how unfamiliar experiences can help accomplished leaders see problems differently. Through stories of a skeptical engineer in an art museum, soldiersl learning acting, and her own life-changing walk on the Camino de Santiago, Lesley examines what it takes to move beyond familiar ways of thinking. Maureen also shares how improv helped her confront a fear of public speaking—and the unexpected beauty-pageant talent that helped set that story in motion. Discover why we gravitate toward learning opportunities where we already expect to succeed, how curiosity creates room for experimentation, and why your next step in leadership may require becoming a beginner again.   Other episodes you'll enjoy: - A Dozen Lessons Learned Running Dunkin’ Donuts with Robert Rosenberg -  When Women Lead: Courage, Change, & Representation with Joyce Beatty - How Purpose-Driven Women Redefine What It Means to Lead with Karen Longman   For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.   RESOURCES:   Learn more about Lesley’s work with Bounce Beyond at https://www.bouncebeyond.global/.   Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.    Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at  https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.   Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.  -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan Booking Producer: Jenna Reik Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay. CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!  -----------------------   About Our Guest:   Lesley Southwick-Trask is a cultural anthropologist and strategist whose career spans transformation initiatives in more than 500 organizations. She is Co-Lead Steward of Bounce Beyond, where her work focuses on systemic transformation, communication, and engagement. Her approach draws on systems change and Theory U. An author of three books, she has been recognized among Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women and Atlantic Canada’s Top 50 CEOs. From 2010 to 2020, she hosted a regenerative farm and intentional community on the Portuguese Camino de Santiago,an experience that continues to inform her work.

Guest: Jonathan Reams Your leadership team identifies a recurring problem, redesigns the process, and sees improvement…temporarily. Then the same problem returns wearing slightly different clothes.   What didn’t the leaders fix? According to adult-development researcher Jonathan Reams: “Themselves.”   In this conversation with host Maureen Metcalf, Jonathan explains why a decision process can perform only as well as the people operating it. Leaders’ experience, assumptions, emotional reactions, and capacity to handle complexity shape which signals they notice, how they interpret them, and what they ultimately decide.   Jonathan and Maureen explore why intelligent executives can examine the same facts, yet see different problems behind them; how teams leave meetings with apparent agreement but take conflicting actions; and why escalation may be a rational response to cognitive overload and self-protection. They also reveal how vague directives such as “take smart risks” can slow decisions rather than accelerate them.   You’ll learn why moving faster can sometimes make an organization slower, how discomfort contributes to signal blindness, and why the next process redesign should begin with one question whose answer the leader does not already know.   Produced in partnership with the International Leadership Association. Learn about their next global conference at https://ilaglobalconference.org/.    Other insightful episodes you’ll enjoy: - Getting Lost in the Language of Leadership with Jonathan Reams - Reality Lost: How Disinformation Shapes Your World with Tara McGowan - Forecast Isn’t Fact: Building Strength from Uncertainty with Paul Gibbons   For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.   RESOURCES:   Learn more about Jonathan and his work on his website, https://jonathanreams.com/.   Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.    Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at  https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.   Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.    -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan Booking Producer: Jenna Reik ([email protected]) Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.   CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!  -----------------------   About Our Guest:   Jonathan Reams is driven by an insatiable curiosity about the essence of human nature and how to cultivate this essence in the service of leadership. He uses various outlets for achieving this. He held a position at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology from 2007 until 2024, where he taught and did research on leadership development, coaching and counseling. He served as Editor-in Chief of Integral Review from 2005 until 2023. He is also a co-founder of the Center for Transformative Leadership and the European Center for Leadership Practice. Jonathan's Ph.D. is in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University.   Jonathan practices the cultivation of leadership through consulting and leadership development program design and delivery. He brings awareness based technology to this work, focusing on how the inner workings of human nature can develop leadership capacities for today's complex challenges.