September 5, 2023

Meaningful Work (Episode # 440)

Did you know that wherever God sends you to work, there is a greater purpose than what you can now see? He gives you gifts and talents to enable you to participate in what He is doing in the present and for eternity. Even when the work is difficult or undesirable, God has a purpose. On today’s episode Dr. Karen shares five characteristics of Biblically meaningful work.

Explore your work purpose with Dr. Karen: Dr.Karen@transleadership.com

August 29, 2023

Learning from Failure (Episode # 439)

Should you create a culture that has a high tolerance for failure? What are the reasons to embrace failure? How do you best respond in a failure situation? In this episode, Dr. Karen presents research from Dr. Amy Edmondson’s book, “The Right Kind of Wrong: Learning to Fail Well.” Dr. Karen answers the proposed questions and more to strengthen your organization’s mindset about learning from failure.

Ready to learn from failure in your organization?
Contact Dr. Karen at Dr.Karen@transleadership.com

August 22, 2023

Brian Smith, Founder of UGG Boots: The Journey from Vision and Infancy to Billions (Episode # 438)

Brian Smith, The Founder of UGG Boots has charted his own course to become one of the great entrepreneurial success stories of our time. As a native Australian, his vision in 1978 was to put a pair of UGG sheepskin boots on every American. In each of the past five years, sales of UGG products have exceeded a billion dollars.

Brian calls his book, “The Birth of a Brand,” an entrepreneurial road map. Today, on The Voice of Leadership, Brian speaks with Dr. Karen about growing his company from vision to infancy, the toddler years, and beyond. In this insightful interview Brian shares important lessons on sales and marketing, raising capital, financial forecasting, manufacturing, competition, and how to ride the entrepreneurial waves to a billion dollar company. No matter where you are in your executive leadership journey, these insights are for you.

Book Brian Smith for Keynote speaking at BrianSmithSpeaker.com; Brian@BrianSmithSpeaker.com

Get his book, “The Birth of a Brand” at all major outlets

August 15, 2023

Why Every Organization Needs Troublemakers? (Episode # 437)

Did you know that “troublemakers” bring an essential decision-making ingredient to their companies? And what does that assertion have to do with blue fish and red fish? In this episode, Dr. Karen shares research based perspectives from psychologist colleague Dr. Charlan Nemeth as well as her own insights and experiences about the pitfalls of consensus thinking.

Contact Dr. Karen to take your organizational thinking and actions to new heights: Dr.Karen@transleadership.com

August 8, 2023

Peter Christian: What I Learned at Crayola and Beyond (Episode # 436)

Peter H. Christian served as an executive for Crayola Corporation. After 17 years with Crayola, he then became a founding partner of espi, Enterprise Systems Partners, Inc. The author of two Amazon best-selling books, “What About the Vermin Problem?” and “Influences and Influencers” Pete has worked with more than 300 clients to realize millions of dollars in cost reductions and profit improvements in multiple areas such as business development, operations, IS selection and implementation, supply chain, and Project Management.

Today, with unusual candor and vulnerability Pete talks to Dr. Karen about what he has learned and how his Christian values have helped him to navigate corporate culture and organizational politics. He also shares how to exit a company on the best of terms even in challenging circumstances.

Reach Pete at Petechristianbooks.com; phchristian53@gmail.com

August 1, 2023

7 Ways to Prepare Leaders for Their First Executive Roles (Episode # 435)

To learn how to operate as an executive, leaders need to be around, interact with, and build relationships with executives. “Executives in Development” also need opportunities to make strategic decisions, to “test drive” the executive role, and to get feedback on their strategic thoughts and ideas. Dr. Karen outlines 7 critical actions to successfully groom your next generation of executive leaders.

To Develop Executives in Your Company

Contact Dr. Karen at Dr.Karen@transleadership.com

July 25, 2023

Dennis Welch: If I Live to Be 100 (Episode # 434)

Songwriter, recording artist, and author Dennis Welch is a master storyteller. With over 500 songs, two books, and many concerts, Dennis creates a place to find yourself and love. Today, Wurld records released his newest recording project, “If I Live to Be a Hundred.” His previous collection, “What Love Makes Us Do” also produced by Little River Band Guitarist Rich Herring, made the first grammy ballot in five categories.

Privileged to write with some of the great songwriters: Allen Shamblin, Monte Warden, Fletch Wiley, Will Callery, and Lenny Cochrun, Dennis joins Dr. Karen today to talk about creativity, inspiration, calling, God’s blessings, and cautionary tales for executive leaders. Also hear five songs from the new release!

Contact Dennis at DennisWelch1956@gmail.com

July 18, 2023

The Denver Nuggets: Teamwork Makes the Dream Work (Episode # 433)

After 47 years, the Denver Nuggets have finally won their first NBA championship! How did they do it? Teamwork makes the dream work. In this episode, Dr. Karen reveals 7 strategies to create a winning team, the top 3 qualities of high performance teams, and how being a decent person off the court or outside of the workplace impacts team success on the job.

Contact Dr. Karen to create teamwork that makes the dream work in your company: Dr.Karen@transleadership.com

July 11, 2023

Steve McKee: How to Embrace Business Turns as Opportunities (Episode # 432)

Steve McKee is the co-founder of McKee Wallwork, a nationally recognized marketing advisory firm. McKee Wallwork specializes in turnarounds of Stalled, Stuck, and Stale companies. In today’s show Steve unveils the four factors that lead to business failure and the essential ingredients to effectively navigate business turns.

Steve is the author of the groundbreaking book on change management, “TURNS: Where Business is Won and Lost.” His company made the Inc. 500 list of the fastest growing private companies in America and twice won the prestigious Effie Award for marketing effectiveness. Listen today as Dr. Karen explores the results of Steve McKee’s Inc. 500 research project, his personal and business journey, and the implications for executives who choose to be successful today.

Contact Steve at SteveMcKee.com

July 4, 2023

The Titanic Revisited: Business Lessons Executives Need to Know (Episode # 431)

What are the lessons we can learn from the disasters of the Titanic and the recent OceanGate Titan submersible? How can an “unsinkable” vessel sink and what contributes to horrific human mistakes? In this episode, Dr. Karen dissects the errors in thinking and action that led to disaster for both vessels. After her detailed analysis, she shares seven business insights for how executives can lead with wisdom today.

To Chart Your Executive Success Path Contact Dr. Karen at Dr.Karen@transleadership.com

(Episode References: Online article by Douglas Main with contributions from Scott Dutfield on livescience.com, Live Science Titanic Project, History on the Net, BBC.com, YouTube news videos with Hollywood Director James Cameron, and Interview of former ABC Science Editor Dr. Michael Guillen by NBC news reporter Gadi Schwartz)