Ignitecast - Official Podcast of the Ignite Leadership Conference by CDF

Alex Lange is an executive coach and leadership development facilitator living and working in Mumbai, India, where he moved with his family right before the pandemic took off. In this episode we talk about what "coaching skills" are, why he chose to become a certified coach, and how any leader can use coaching skills to improve her leadership, communication, and organizational culture. We also talk about understanding and honoring others' values that might be different than ours, and get a firsthand look at what it's like to live in India through their very difficult and ongoing experience of the pandemic.

Matt Laubhan is the Emmy award-winning Chief Meteorologist for the WTVA Weather Authority. Thousands of people instinctively look and listen for his guidance when rough weather is on the way--which makes him a leader. Judd and Rory wanted to find out what motivates Matt. Along the way they got to geek out about tornado science, have a candid conversation about global warming, and hear Matt tell a very personal story about a recent near-death experience he had and how that's affected him.

State and federal public health officials usually find themselves working in the background. During the Covid-19 pandemic, they've been thrust into the spotlight. It's fair to say that Dr. Thomas Dobbs became a Mississippi household name as he quickly became a leading voice in livestreams and press conferences alongside Governor Tate Reeves.In this episode, Dr. Dobbs talks about his experiences working through a pandemic, other health challenges and opportunities facing Mississippi, the intersection of science and politics, how he thinks about mask wearing, and what he does to recharge in the midst of so many leadership responsibilities.Registration is now open for the 2021 Ignite Leadership Conference on April 15, 2021. Visit www.igniteleadership.com to reserve your ticket and be part of North Mississippi's premiere one-day leadership development event to ignite your leadership.

Blue Delta Jeans are some of the most coveted bespoke jeans available anywhere--and the company was founded and thrives In Tupelo, Mississippi. Josh West and Nick Weaver, Blue Delta's co-founders, join Judd and Rory to talk entrepreneurship, growth, pivoting to PPE in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, why they're happy to do business in Mississippi, and what you need to do to create a thriving culture. This is a long and multi-faceted conversation!

Rory Tyer (executive coach and co-founder of GoInnovation) gets put in the interview hot seat by Judd, and talks about the founding of the business, how he got into leadership development and coaching, and several pieces of advice for leaders on dealing with failure and empowering the people around them.

Judd Wilson is Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce in the Community Development Foundation. In this episode Rory (his co-host) interviews him about his journey to this role, what he likes most (and what's challenging), and how he maintains healthy work-life harmony in the midst of so many personal and professional commitments. Judd interviews Rory in part 2.

Can leadership development change the world? Before founding GoInnovation, CEO Steadman Harrison opened the first Africa-based office of the Center for Creative Leadership in Ethiopia 2009. As part of a movement called Leadership Beyond Boundaries, he and others scaled research-based leadership development to more than 500,000 people in five years. Today he has come full circle and leads GoInnovation's globally dispersed team from its Africa Regional Office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.In this episode (recorded in the dusty hills of Ajloun, Jordan) you'll hear about simple tools to build relationship in any project or work (and why that matters for productivity and trust), hacks for simplifying and communicating important messages, and inspiring stories of the change that's possible when you choose to pass on whatever's been placed in your hands to just one other person.

Barton Ramsey disrupted the gundog training and breeding industry by founding and flourishing Southern Oak Kennels, as well as Cornerstone Gun Dog Academy - the first fully online gun dog training program. In this episode Barton talks about growing up and being perceived as "rebellious" (which later became an entrepreneurial drive to create something new), the values that sustain him during seasons of change (and what can sustain you through change too), and what matters most in building a company you and your customers can be proud of.

Cathy Northington started as a temp, and was eventually asked to be Chief Operating Officer of the Mississippi Economic Council - the first African-American woman to hold a C-suite position in a state chamber of commerce in the United States. In this interview she tells that story and reflects on the influences, core values, and priorities that helped her get where she is today and overcome the idea that she wasn't a leader.

There are many ways to measure a person's legacy. The Reed family name is well known in northeast Mississippi; Reed's Department Store has been a Tupelo fixture for many years. Jack Reed Sr. was a deeply influential leader, and for this final episode of season 1 we gathered his grandchildren in one room (with two on the phone) to reflect on the many lessons they've learned from him, both before and after his death several years ago.

How do you sustainably and significantly raise the overall quality of life for an entire community? It takes a lot of willing hands and a long-term perspective. In this episode, David Rumbarger, President of the Community Development Foundation, talks about the leadership lessons, tough experiences, and demonstrated successes that have helped thousands in northeast Mississippi have access to higher-paying jobs and a great community.

Few industries are as challenging right now as health care. Shane Spees leads North Mississippi Health Services, which includes North Mississippi Medical Center - the largest non-metropolitan hospital in the United States. In this episode of Ignitecast, Shane shares his story, and wisdom he's learned navigating the tension between delivering excellent patient care and navigating relationships between medical providers, insurance companies, and the wider communities NMHS serves.For more information about CDF: cdfms.orgFor more information about GOinnovation: GO-innovation.com

Toyota's name is legendary in the leadership world, in part because of the Japanese concept of "kaizen," which roughly translates to "continuous improvement" and refers to the mindset that all members, from CEO to floor workers, are constantly working together to notice what could be better and make that happen.Sean Suggs is president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi, responsible for a plant that employs about 2,000 workers and produces the Corolla. In this episode he talked with us about what it means to build a good team, what it's like working across a geographically dispersed and global brand, and how he makes himself as available as he can to everyone in the plant as part of Toyota's Start Your Impossible initiative.

When we think of "leaders," we often think first of people who have titles and positions. But sometimes the leaders with the most impact have neither of those things. You might say that a leader is anyone who can inspire positive change in someone else.In the inaugural episode of Ignitecast, we interview Juanita Floyd. She tells the story of thriving through adversity, largely crediting her mother for teaching and modeling important lessons about the power of relationships, how to prepare for and thrive through change, and the restorative power of forgiveness--lessons that are applicable to any personal or professional context. Juanita was the first and only African-American student in her second grade class when public schools were integrated in 1969. Later, she became the first black employee of the CREATE Foundation (Tupelo, MS), a nonprofit with broad regional impact at which she still works today.Ignitecast is the leadership podcast of the Ignite Leadership Conference, hosted by the Community Development Foundation of Tupelo, MS. Ignitecast is sponsored by CDF and GOinnovation, and co-hosted by Judd Wilson (Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce) and Rory Tyer (Co-founder, Facilitator, and Coach with GOinnovation). Ignitecast is recorded, edited, and produced by Rory Tyer.

The pandemic presented one of the most pressing leadership challenges in recent memory. In this interview, Pastor Jeffrey Daniel reflects on lessons he's learned leading a congregation through an especially challenging season. He gives an inside perspective to how he thinks about empowering others toward greater vision, leading teams of volunteers (where you can't just tell people what to do but must inspire them), and shepherding people through difficult conversations.

Lisa Hawkins has worn many hats in her career: nurse, educator, employee, employer, mentor, business owner, and more. Her life is a testament to the power of faith, perseverance, and meaningful relationships. In this episode, Rory and Judd talk with Lisa about her career, what decisions helped her along the way, how she leads her business (Room to Room Furniture), what makes employees want to stay working there, and what has anchored her through difficult circumstances.

What's the difference between "building your kingdom" and "being a team player"? Why does it matter that the CEO should be willing to pick up the trash in the parking lot? And how do you lead a massive team through a difficult season of increased regulatory scrutiny and lower consumer confidence?BancorpSouth CEO Dan Rollins shares stories and leadership principles that have helped him navigate the challenging financial waters of post-2008 recession regional banking.