Leadovation

Dean Newlund, Mission Facilitators International
Leadovation

Transform leadership success with 'LEADOVATION: Reimagine. Facilitate. Flourish.' This podcast, ideal for executives and HR professionals, offers a unique blend of innovative leadership strategies and practical insights. Dive into a world where reimagining traditional approaches, facilitating effective solutions, and flourishing in a dynamic business environment are key. Each episode is packed with real-world examples and actionable advice, addressing challenges like employee engagement, workload management, and rapid organizational growth. Whether you're advancing your career or driving company success, 'LEADOVATION' is your guide to sustainable leadership excellence.

  1. Philippe Johnson: Practicing Principled, Ethical, Competent, and Courageously Selfless Leadership

    2D AGO

    Philippe Johnson: Practicing Principled, Ethical, Competent, and Courageously Selfless Leadership

    About Philippe Johnson: Philippe Johnson is a retired United States Air Force officer and advocate for principled and ethical leadership in public service. The son of a language teacher and career United States Army officer, he was raised in the United States, France, and Germany. During his 24 years on active duty, Lieutenant Colonel Johnson served as a fixed- and rotary-wing pilot, intelligence officer, and diplomat (military attaché), and was honored with the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and the Air Medal with one oak leaf cluster. He also served on the staffs of two Air Force major commands as his final two assignments. Philippe received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Florida and earned his master’s degree in public policy from the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy.   In this episode, Dean Newlund and Philippe Johnson discuss: Defining ethical leadership across diverse perspectivesNavigating unprincipled loyalty in power dynamicsRebuilding trust in a post-COVID, virtual workplaceCombating disinformation and the collapse of shared factsAligning values and ethics within polarized environments  Key Takeaways: Ethical leadership must be embedded in leadership training from the start of one’s career, or organizations risk producing senior leaders who cause significant harm.Self-interest and personality disorders (e.g., narcissism) are major contributors to non-compliance with ethical standards, both in military and corporate settings.Philippe’s book uses recent political leadership as a case study to highlight the consequences of unethical, incompetent, and self-serving leadership behaviors.The normalization of disinformation undermines democracy, as without agreed-upon facts, there’s no foundation for holding power accountable.  "If you're lacking that ethical foundation from the very beginning… you're going to end up with senior leaders who, unfortunately, are not setting the example.” — Philippe Johnson   Connect with Philippe Johnson:   Website: http://www.philippejohnson.com/ Book: What Hangs in the Balance: The Case for Principled, Ethical, Competent, and Courageously Selfless Leadership: https://www.amazon.com/What-Hangs-Balance-Principled-Courageously/dp/1637633491 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/formulaphil/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/philippe.johnson.52     See Dean’s TedTalk “Why Business Needs Intuition” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEq9IYvgV7I   Connect with Dean: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqRK8GC8jBIFYPmECUCMkw Website: https://www.mfileadership.com/ The Mission Statement E-Newsletter: https://www.mfileadership.com/blog/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannewlund/ X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/deannewlund Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionFacilitators/ Email: dean.newlund@mfileadership.com Phone: 1-800-926-7370   Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel Alvarez Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    45 min
  2. Hugh Massie: Behavior Before Balance Sheets: The Hidden Code Behind Financial Outcomes

    JUL 1

    Hugh Massie: Behavior Before Balance Sheets: The Hidden Code Behind Financial Outcomes

    About Hugh Massie: Hugh Massie is the Executive Chairman and Founder of DNA Behavior International – the Behavior and Money Insights Company. As a Titan 100 CEO and renowned Behavioral Solutions Architect, he approaches every opportunity with the proven perspective that “behavior makes money.” Through his analytical approach and AI-driven technologies, Hugh helps growth-minded leaders build “category king” people-centric businesses that enhance decision-making, culture, and performance. His purpose is to empower people to align their natural, hard-wired talents and financial behaviors to create an Exponential Future with reduced stress. Hugh’s moonshot is to scale DNA Behavior’s AI-powered BeSci Tech Platform to inform over 1 billion people annually by 2030, increasing life, financial, and business longevity by 30+ years.   In this episode, Dean Newlund and Hugh Massie discuss: Predictive insights from human behavior in leadership and business strategySelf-awareness and hardwired traits as drivers of leadership effectivenessGovernance dynamics in enabling or constraining powerful executivesOrganizational resilience in the face of AI disruption and rapid innovationBehavioral economics as a tool for sustainable financial performance  Key Takeaways: Behavior serves as a powerful leading indicator of future financial and cultural performance, allowing organizations to anticipate outcomes before they materialize in traditional reports.Digitally scanning leadership behavior using publicly available data enables predictive profiling at scale, offering strategic insights into executive decision-making styles without requiring formal assessments.Sustained business success is often linked to a balanced presence of six core behavioral traits, including results-driven, innovation-focused, fiscal control, financial prudence, and relationship engagement.When leadership strengths such as vision, influence, or risk-taking are left unchecked—particularly in environments with weak governance—they can backfire and lead to long-term brand erosion and internal dysfunction.  "Your strengths, overplayed, can be a struggle and, if not attended to, become a weakness.” — Hugh Massie   Connect with Hugh Massie:   Website: https://dnabehavior.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dnabehavior LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hughmassie/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/HughMassie Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hugh.massie/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hughmassie/   See Dean’s TedTalk “Why Business Needs Intuition” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEq9IYvgV7I   Connect with Dean: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqRK8GC8jBIFYPmECUCMkw Website: https://www.mfileadership.com/ The Mission Statement E-Newsletter: https://www.mfileadership.com/blog/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannewlund/ X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/deannewlund Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionFacilitators/ Email: dean.newlund@mfileadership.com Phone: 1-800-926-7370   Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel Alvarez Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    44 min
  3. David Hirschfeld: How to Digitally Transform Your Business Leveraging AI

    JUN 24

    David Hirschfeld: How to Digitally Transform Your Business Leveraging AI

    About David Hirschfeld: David Hirschfeld is a 35-year veteran of the software startup world whose journey began as a physics student at UCLA. He spent his early career at Computer Associates and Texas Instruments, then led software projects at Intel and Motorola. He launched his first successful startup software company, which grew to 800 customers in 22 countries, and sold it in 2000. David founded Tekyz Inc. in 2007 and spent 17 years working with over 70 startups, leading to his breakthrough insight into what makes software companies succeed or fail and inspiring the Launch 1st Method. This systematic approach reduces risks, costs, and time while minimizing investor dependence. When he's not transforming startups, David is a golfer, a woodworker, and a proud father of four successful sons who taught him his most valuable lesson: success follows patterns, but they're not always the ones you expect.   In this episode, Dean Newlund and David Hirschfeld explore: Speed and implications of AI innovationWorkflow automation and process redesignModern approaches to product innovation and validationThe future impact of autonomous vehiclesUser empowerment through advanced AI tools  Key Takeaways: Automating outdated workflows without reevaluating their relevance can lead to inefficiency—some processes should be reinvented, not just automated.Instead of building products based on assumptions, companies should test the market through pre-sales to validate real demand before development.AI tools like ChatGPT's voice and vision modes can now provide real-time visual navigation, product identification, and contextual support in everyday situations.The rise of autonomous vehicles like Waymo may render parking structures and personal car ownership obsolete within five years, fundamentally shifting urban infrastructure needs.  "You have to channel your inner five-year-old when you're thinking about what's possible.” — David Hirschfeld   Connect with David Hirschfeld:   Website: https://www.tekyz.com & https://launch1st.tekyz.com Email: david@tekyz.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhirschfeld/ X (Twitter): https://www.x.com/tekyzinc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tekyzinc     See Dean’s TedTalk “Why Business Needs Intuition” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEq9IYvgV7I   Connect with Dean: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqRK8GC8jBIFYPmECUCMkw Website: https://www.mfileadership.com/ The Mission Statement E-Newsletter: https://www.mfileadership.com/blog/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannewlund/ X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/deannewlund Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionFacilitators/ Email: dean.newlund@mfileadership.com Phone: 1-800-926-7370   Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel Alvarez Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    45 min
  4. Michael Barbarita: Powerful Business Strategies

    JUN 17

    Michael Barbarita: Powerful Business Strategies

    About Michael Barbarita: Michael Barbarita has owned and operated retail, manufacturing, and service companies for over 30 years. One of the retail companies he operated, called “Ski Town USA,” grew from $2.5 million to $8.0 million in less than 5 years. One of the products he manufactured was “Cookies To Scoop Frozen Cookie Dough,” which was featured on the QVC Home Shopping Network and was selected as one of the top 20 products in the State of Massachusetts in 1997. He has sat on the Board of Directors of 5 different companies and was a Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer for a large specialty retailer, as well as for all of his previously owned companies. Michael has been involved in the structuring of leveraged buyouts, has experience in owning both commercial and residential investment real estate, exporting and doing business on a global scale, and is an award-winning public speaker and Published Co-author with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts.   In this episode, Dean Newlund and Michael Barbarita discuss: Strategic business and financial leadershipMarketing psychology and customer engagementSmall business growth strategiesSales conversion frameworksCash flow and profitability planning  Key Takeaways: The Conversion Formula—Captivate, Fascinate, Educate, Offer—provides a repeatable framework for connecting with prospects emotionally and logically, dramatically improving sales effectiveness when followed in the correct order.Implementing a risk reversal strategy like the “Ski Guarantee” not only eliminated customer hesitation but led to a 25% increase in sales with less than 0.2% product returns, proving that customer trust can be more profitable than tight control.Email drip campaigns that align with the buyer’s journey and apply the conversion formula to industry-specific pain points can significantly shorten the time it takes for prospects to move from awareness to purchase.A truly strategic CFO brings more than financial oversight—they integrate differentiated, actionable strategies that competitors overlook, bridging the gap between financial clarity and business innovation.  "95% of business strategies used today are identical to the competition, and quite frankly, by virtue of that, they don't work.” — Michael Barbarita   Connect with Michael Barbarita:   Website: https://www.nextstepcfo.net/ Show: Powerful Business Strategies: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/powerful-business-strategies/id1757160951 | https://www.powerfulbusinessstrategies.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelbarbarita/     See Dean’s TedTalk “Why Business Needs Intuition” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEq9IYvgV7I   Connect with Dean: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqRK8GC8jBIFYPmECUCMkw Website: https://www.mfileadership.com/ The Mission Statement E-Newsletter: https://www.mfileadership.com/blog/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannewlund/ X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/deannewlund Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionFacilitators/ Email: dean.newlund@mfileadership.com Phone: 1-800-926-7370   Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel Alvarez Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    44 min
  5. Eric Charran: How Innovative Leaders Don’t Become Agents of Chaos

    JUN 10

    Eric Charran: How Innovative Leaders Don’t Become Agents of Chaos

    About Eric Charran: Eric Charran is a visionary technology executive, thought leader, and author of Have You Ever Had a Boss That...: Succeeding in a Dysfunctional Workplace. With 25+ years at Fortune 500 firms like Microsoft and Capital One, he bridges cutting-edge technology with effective leadership. His book tackles workplace toxicity and difficult managers, offering actionable strategies for professionals at any stage. Eric empowers leaders to build healthier, more productive cultures by blending expertise in organizational dynamics and digital innovation. A frequent podcast guest and featured voice in top publications, Eric is a sought-after speaker known for his compelling storytelling. Connect with him to thrive under any boss and build a resilient, successful career.   In this episode, Dean Newlund and Eric Charran discuss: Leadership archetypes and transformationPsychological safety in modern organizationsOperationalizing visionary ideasGrowth mindset and learning organizationsTechnology adoption and strategic implementation  Key Takeaways: Visionary leaders must balance their bold ideas with the discipline of testing, iterating, and proving ROI through small, controlled experiments to avoid chaos and organizational resistance.Creating psychological safety is essential for encouraging employees to speak openly, engage with innovation, and embrace failure as a learning opportunity rather than a risk to their careers.Transformation efforts often fail not because of technology itself but due to emotional resistance, fixed mindsets, and poor organizational trust, which leaders must address through empathy and clear communication.Sustainable innovation requires both emotional intelligence and operational alignment, where even the most intuitive ideas must be translated into actionable pilots and validated before full-scale adoption.  "We learn more through failure than we do from success. That's a fact.” — Eric Charran   Connect with Eric Charran:   Website: https://www.businessexpertpress.com/eric-charran/ Book: Have You Ever Had a Boss That...: Succeeding in a Dysfunctional Workplace: https://www.amazon.com/Have-Ever-Boss-That-Dysfunctional/dp/1637427700 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericcharran/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorericcharran Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorericcharran     See Dean’s TedTalk “Why Business Needs Intuition” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEq9IYvgV7I   Connect with Dean: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqRK8GC8jBIFYPmECUCMkw Website: https://www.mfileadership.com/ The Mission Statement E-Newsletter: https://www.mfileadership.com/blog/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannewlund/ X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/deannewlund Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionFacilitators/ Email: dean.newlund@mfileadership.com Phone: 1-800-926-7370   Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel Alvarez Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    44 min
  6. Pankaj Singh: Mindful Leadership: Turning Stress into Strength

    JUN 3

    Pankaj Singh: Mindful Leadership: Turning Stress into Strength

    About Pankaj Singh: Pankaj Singh—"Sing"—is a visionary leader who’s spent over 20 years revolutionizing businesses and building high-performance teams. As a former C-suite executive, he's driven double-digit growth, streamlined operations, and transformed organizations worldwide. But his real power comes from something unexpected: Mindfulness. Raised in an affluent family in India, Sing mastered classical music by age 13 but was restless, and at 14, he was sent to train under a lama, where he first discovered the profound impact of mindfulness. His passion for mindful leadership was ignited during a high-pressure ransomware crisis in 2020, revealing the transformative power of presence, empathy, and emotional intelligence in leadership and inspiring his life’s mission to share these tools with others.   In this episode, Dean Newlund and Pankaj Singh discuss: The power of mindfulness in leadership and crisis managementSpiritual and meditative practices as tools for personal transformationThe use of micro-practices and breathing techniques for emotional regulationCultivating intentional presence and focus in digital and professional environmentsBuilding effective relational ecosystems through mindful leadership frameworks  Key Takeaways: In high-stress situations like cyberattacks or crisis events, practice intentional breathing and presence to regulate emotional response and make calm, strategic decisions.Use micro-practices such as pausing before meetings to ask, “What do I want from this moment?” and “What else could I be doing?” to bring focus and eliminate unnecessary distractions.Implement the “Mindful Leadership Compass” by cultivating presence, emotional agility, cognitive clarity, and compassionate action in daily leadership interactions.Establish a daily habit of micro-journaling using the CLEAR framework—Center, Locate, Expand, Align, Respond—to gain insight into emotional patterns and improve self-regulation.  "I went from a person who would start the fight to a person who would now get involved and calm everyone without even holding their hands.” — Pankaj Singh   Connect with Pankaj Singh:   Website: https://singhleadership.com/ Show: https://singhleadership.com/podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pankaj-singh-singhpowerupcoach/     See Dean’s TedTalk “Why Business Needs Intuition” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEq9IYvgV7I   Connect with Dean: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqRK8GC8jBIFYPmECUCMkw Website: https://www.mfileadership.com/ The Mission Statement E-Newsletter: https://www.mfileadership.com/blog/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannewlund/ X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/deannewlund Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionFacilitators/ Email: dean.newlund@mfileadership.com Phone: 1-800-926-7370   Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel Alvarez Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    44 min
  7. Joel Zeff: How to Bring Fun Into Work

    MAY 27

    Joel Zeff: How to Bring Fun Into Work

    About Joel Zeff: Joel Zeff creates energy. His spontaneous humor and vital messages have thrilled audiences for more than 25 years. As a national speaker, work culture expert, author, and humorist, Joel captivates audiences with a unique blend of hilarious improvisational comedy and essential ideas on work and life. He has shared his experience and insight on collaboration, leadership, change, communication, innovation, fun, and passion at more than 2,500 events. His book, “Make the Right Choice: Lead with Passion, Elevate Your Team, and Unleash the Fun at Work,” is consistently listed as one of Amazon's top work/life balance books. He has appeared on CNBC and featured in the Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle, The Kansas City Star, and many other media outlets.   In this episode, Dean Newlund and Joel Zeff discuss: The transformative power of improv in personal and professional growthUsing fun as a tool to enhance workplace engagement and cultureHow authenticity and joy fuel leadership effectivenessCreating positive team dynamics through supportive communicationThe role of mindset and decision-making in navigating change and innovation  Key Takeaways: Incorporate play-based exercises like improv games in team sessions to encourage creativity, active listening, and adaptability during moments of change.Regularly express positive support and appreciation to team members to reinforce a culture of encouragement and emotional safety.Redefine “fun at work” to include activities and responsibilities that bring fulfillment, such as mentoring, achieving goals, or solving problems creatively, not just social events.Facilitate reflection after experiential activities by asking questions like “What choices led to your success?” and “How can this apply to how you lead or collaborate?”  "You gotta figure out what your fun is. Fun is making a big sale. Fun is mentoring a team member. Fun is being a great leader. Fun is creating an environment where the team is creative. There's lots of everything that is fun.” — Joel Zeff   Connect with Joel Zeff:   Website: http://www.joelzeff.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoelZeffCreative LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelzeff Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejoelzeff/     See Dean’s TedTalk “Why Business Needs Intuition” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEq9IYvgV7I   Connect with Dean: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqRK8GC8jBIFYPmECUCMkw Website: https://www.mfileadership.com/ The Mission Statement E-Newsletter: https://www.mfileadership.com/blog/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannewlund/ X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/deannewlund Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionFacilitators/ Email: dean.newlund@mfileadership.com Phone: 1-800-926-7370   Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel Alvarez Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    49 min
  8. Maurice Jenkens: Decoding Intuition™ for Business People

    MAY 20

    Maurice Jenkens: Decoding Intuition™ for Business People

    About Maurice Jenkens: Maurice Jenkens is the founder and host of The Intuitive Leader™ Podcast, where he explores the power of intuition in professional settings and equips leaders with tools to foster psychological safety and trust within teams. With over 23 years of experience in sales and leadership, he helps organizations create sustainable, positive workplace cultures that encourage risk-taking and employee appreciation. Maurice’s consultancy, The Intuitive Leader™, has worked with brands like Klarna, Tele2, and Vasakronan to improve leadership and team dynamics. He also serves as a Senior Advisory Consultant for Wisory, providing business advice and leadership support, and as a part-time consultant for AI Vision, where he helps teams with strategic decision-making.   In this episode, Dean Newlund and Maurice Jenkens discuss: The role of intuition in leadership and decision-makingThe relationship between emotional intelligence and self-awarenessBalancing data with inner knowing in professional environmentsPersonal transformation through adversity and burnoutHuman connection and authenticity in the age of AI  Key Takeaways: Developing self-trust by identifying the unique internal resonance of intuition allows for better decisions that align with one's deeper values and insights.Daily journaling practices and mindful self-check-ins can calm the nervous system and enhance clarity, especially during times of stress or uncertainty.The inability to process emotions impairs decision-making, as feelings provide essential context that raw data alone cannot offer.Intuition often manifests as subtle emotional cues or gut feelings, and acting on them, rather than waiting for external validation, can prevent missteps and missed opportunities.  "Why intuition? Well, it has always been there. It has not left me alone, except for the years when I was so deeply in my logical mind that I crashed, as my whole nervous system was objecting. I had sort of tucked myself away. Except for those years, intuition has been pulling on me constantly.” — Maurice Jenkens   Connect with Maurice Jenkens:   Website: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/ Show: The Intuitive Leader™: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-intuitive-leader/id1807787102 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauricejenkens/   See Dean’s TedTalk “Why Business Needs Intuition” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEq9IYvgV7I   Connect with Dean: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqRK8GC8jBIFYPmECUCMkw Website: https://www.mfileadership.com/ The Mission Statement E-Newsletter: https://www.mfileadership.com/blog/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannewlund/ X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/deannewlund Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionFacilitators/ Email: dean.newlund@mfileadership.com Phone: 1-800-926-7370   Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel Alvarez Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    47 min

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64 Ratings

About

Transform leadership success with 'LEADOVATION: Reimagine. Facilitate. Flourish.' This podcast, ideal for executives and HR professionals, offers a unique blend of innovative leadership strategies and practical insights. Dive into a world where reimagining traditional approaches, facilitating effective solutions, and flourishing in a dynamic business environment are key. Each episode is packed with real-world examples and actionable advice, addressing challenges like employee engagement, workload management, and rapid organizational growth. Whether you're advancing your career or driving company success, 'LEADOVATION' is your guide to sustainable leadership excellence.

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