Reflect Forward

Kerry Siggins
  • 5.0 (36)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Reflect Forward isn’t your everyday leadership podcast. This show is about exceptional leadership. Game-changing leadership. Learn from peers, experts, authors, and more on how to be an uber successful leader…one that stands out from the rest. One that inspires others to do great things. One that others want to follow. How does Reflecting Forward fit into exceptional leadership? You can only become great at what you do by deliberately creating your future by reflecting on the past and present…what you did well, mistakes you’ve made, and lessons you’ve learned. Kerry Siggins is the CEO of StoneAge, the global leader in the manufacturing and distribution of high pressure waterjetting tooling and automated equipment. Kerry is also a member of Young President's Organization (YPO) and sits on several boards. She is a sought-after speaker, thought leader, leadership blogger and podcast host.

  1. The Expectations That Are Quietly Making You Miserable as a Leader

    5D AGO

    The Expectations That Are Quietly Making You Miserable as a Leader

    Most leadership frustration begins with expectations we carry silently. Expectations that people will call us back, take initiative, own things the way we would, or move at our pace. When those expectations are not met, we often experience irritation or disappointment without stopping to examine their origins or whether they were ever articulated. In this episode of Reflect Forward, I unpack why psychology describes unspoken expectations as premeditated resentments and how confusing expectations with standards creates unnecessary strain in leadership. I explore the difference between clear, negotiated expectations that create accountability and internal assumptions that quietly turn into control. I share a simple yet powerful exercise that helped me separate reality from the stories I was telling myself about others. Writing down everything I expected from someone and then crossing out what they actually did forced me to confront how much of my frustration was directed at a version of the person that only existed in my head. This episode also draws from my own leadership missteps. I discuss the desire for growth in people who did not want it for themselves, and how that dynamic failed every time. I reflect on the impact of expecting others to move at my pace and how dropping that expectation fundamentally changed our culture, improved retention, and allowed me to lead with greater clarity and intention. Throughout the episode, I return to a core distinction in leadership. Unspoken expectations create resentment. Clear expectations create accountability. Reality creates choice. Letting go of unexamined expectations is not about lowering standards or tolerating misalignment. It is about reclaiming agency, seeing people as they are, and making grounded decisions without bitterness. If you find yourself frustrated with individuals who are not meeting your expectations, this episode offers an alternative perspective. Not to excuse performance, but to clarify responsibility and help you lead from reality rather than resentment. Key Takeaways • Most leadership frustration comes from expectations that were never articulated, not from people intentionally falling short. • Unspoken expectations are a hidden form of control, not accountability. • You cannot want growth, ambition, or pace for someone more than they want it themselves. • Clear expectations create accountability. Reality creates choice. • Seeing people as they are, not as you wish they would be, restores agency and reduces resentment. Mic-Drop Moments from the Episode • “Unspoken expectations are premeditated resentments.” • “Expecting someone to live by your internal rules is not accountability. It is fantasy.” • “If someone gives you less than you need, it is not betrayal. It is information.” • “You cannot want it for someone more than they want it for themselves.” • “When you stop managing invisible contracts, leadership gets lighter.” Connect with Kerry Visit my website, kerrysiggins.com, to explore my book, The Ownership Mindset, and get more leadership resources. Let’s connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok! Find Reflect Forward on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kerrysiggins-reflectforward Find out more about my book here: https://kerrysiggins.com/the-ownership-mindset/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-siggins/

    12 min
  2. Automate or Fall Behind w/ Nadav Wilf

    JAN 13

    Automate or Fall Behind w/ Nadav Wilf

    "Automate or Fall Behind" sounds dramatic, but it points to a quieter question leaders are facing in 2026: are our systems designed for how we want to lead? In this episode of Reflect Forward, I sit down with Nadav Wilf, founder and CEO of Align Coach, to explore how AI and automation can either amplify leadership clarity or reveal where teams still rely on outdated structures. This is not a conversation about chasing the latest tools. It is about building a strategic AI vision, addressing resistance to change, and creating the training cadence required for new ways of working to actually stick. Most leaders are already experimenting with AI in some form. They have a ChatGPT subscription. They use AI to draft emails or summarize notes. Nadav draws a critical distinction between manual AI and automated AI. Manual AI creates speed in isolated moments. Automated AI creates leverage across the organization. Without that shift, companies remain stuck in fragmented experimentation rather than building scalable systems. A central theme of this conversation is that AI adoption fails more often due to leadership behavior than to technical complexity. Leaders underestimate the importance of vision, overestimate how quickly habits change, and stop training too soon. Nadav breaks down why consistency is the determining factor. When training stops, people revert to old workflows, and leaders walk away with false proof that AI does not work. I grounded the conversation with a real-world example from StoneAge. Instead of purchasing expensive accounts payable automation software, we built a custom GPT layered on top of our existing ERP system. In a matter of weeks, we automated manual work, accelerated internal learning, improved job satisfaction, and avoided a six-figure software spend. The win was not just technical. It was cultural. The team experienced firsthand how AI could remove low-value work and free them to focus on higher-impact responsibilities. The episode also explores the human dynamics that quietly shape change efforts. Nadav introduces the concept of elevators, resistors, and supporters. Elevators lean in and move change forward. Supporters follow the dominant energy. Resistors, often unintentionally, can stall progress by clinging to familiar systems. Leaders who fail to name these dynamics allow resistance to run the strategy by default. Throughout the conversation, one message becomes clear. You do not need to understand every detail of AI to lead effectively in this era. You need to take responsibility for the direction, cadence, and mindset your organization brings to it. AI is not a side project. It is an operating decision. Automate or Fall Behind is an invitation to reflect on what you have been carrying that technology can now handle, and to move forward with intention rather than urgency. Leaders who do this well will not just be more efficient. They will create calmer teams, better work, and organizations designed for how people actually want to lead and contribute in 2026. Connect with Nadav Leading AI Enhanced Teams: Download our step by step guide for leaders ready to embed AI into their core operations. Complimentary AI Strategy Session: For those with a desire for efficiency through AI implementation book your 30-minute Align AI Strategy Session to assess ROI for becoming an AI Intelligent Company. For AI and Automation latest news and implementation, connect with Nadav on LinkedIn Connect with Kerry Visit my website, kerrysiggins.com, to explore my book, The Ownership Mindset, and get more leadership resources. Let’s connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok! Find Reflect Forward on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kerrysiggins-reflectforward Find out more about my book here: https://kerrysiggins.com/the-ownership-mindset/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-siggins/

    29 min
  3. Architect Your 2026

    JAN 6

    Architect Your 2026

    Most leaders don’t fail because they lack clarity. They fail because their life is not built to support who they are trying to become. In this final episode of the Design Yourself series, I focus on the piece most leaders overlook when trying to change their leadership or their life: structure. You can have deep self-awareness and a clear leadership identity, but if your calendar, systems, and environment are misaligned, old patterns will resurface under pressure. 2026 will not test your intentions. It will test your structure. Why Willpower Breaks Down Under Pressure Many leaders rely on discipline and motivation to create change. The problem is that leadership rarely happens under ideal conditions. Stress, uncertainty, emotional load, and constant disruption are part of the job. Research from Stanford University shows that environmental and structural cues drive nearly 45 percent of daily behavior, far more than conscious intention. Under pressure, leaders don’t revert to goals. They revert to structure. Your leadership is perfectly designed for the results you are currently getting. The Invisible Leadership Load Decision overload, emotional labor, unresolved tension, and constant context switching create an invisible leadership load that pushes leaders back into urgency and control. The problem is not the leader. It is the load. Architecting your 2026 means identifying what you are carrying that you were never meant to hold alone and redesigning your life so leadership does not require constant force. The Three Areas That Matter Most This episode focuses on three essential design domains. Energy design How your day drains or restores you matters more than productivity. Leaders must protect recovery, thinking time, and white space in order to lead effectively. Decision design Reducing decision fatigue requires clear ownership, strong filters tied to values and strategy, and pushing decisions down instead of pulling everything up. Relationship design Leadership is relational. Access boundaries, feedback flow, and proximity shape how you lead and how others experience you. Your Calendar Tells the Truth Your calendar is not a scheduling tool. It is a leadership tool. If your calendar does not reflect your priorities, neither will your leadership. If it doesn’t change in 2026, neither will your results. Key Takeaways • Willpower fades, structure holds • Stress reveals the quality of your design • Energy, decisions, and relationships must be intentional • One structural shift can change everything Mic Drop Moments • You don’t need more discipline. You need better design. • Stress doesn’t test your intentions. It exposes your structure. • Build the structure, and the behavior will follow. This episode completes the Design Yourself series by showing how to build a life and leadership that actually support who you are becoming. Listen or watch the full episode of Reflect Forward on your favorite podcast platform or on YouTube. Connect with Kerry Visit my website, kerrysiggins.com, to explore my book, The Ownership Mindset, and get more leadership resources. Let’s connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok! Find Reflect Forward on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kerrysiggins-reflectforward Find out more about my book here: https://kerrysiggins.com/the-ownership-mindset/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-siggins/

    22 min
  4. Choose The Leader You Are Beco,ming

    12/30/2025

    Choose The Leader You Are Beco,ming

    Choose the leader you are becoming, or default to the leader you have been. That is the real decision in front of you as you head into a new year. Most leaders believe change starts with better goals. New priorities. New plans. But if you keep showing up with the same identity, the same emotional patterns, and the same nervous system responses, you will recreate the same year with different tasks. This episode is about breaking that cycle. Episode overview This is Episode 2 of my three-part Design Yourself series on creating the life and leadership you want in 2026. In Episode 1, we focused on self-awareness and uncovering the default stories running your leadership. In this episode, we move from awareness to choice. Because you cannot design a different year if you show up as the same version of yourself. In this conversation, I break down why goals do not create lasting change and why identity does. We explore how identity is formed, how it drives behavior under pressure, and why many high-performing leaders stay stuck by clinging to versions of themselves that once worked but no longer fit. I also share personal stories about releasing old identities and what shifted when I consciously chose who I wanted to become, not someday, but now. Research highlight According to research from the University of Scranton, ninety-two percent of people fail to achieve their goals. One major reason is that they focus on outcomes instead of the identity and systems required to sustain change. Key takeaways • You cannot design a different year if you show up as the same version of yourself. • Identity is not fixed. It is practiced. • Your identity drives your behavior, not the other way around. • Leadership friction is often an identity problem, not a performance problem. • You are designing the experience of you every day. Mic drop moments • Choose the leader you are becoming, or default to the leader you have been. • Goals do not create change. Identity does. • If you do not upgrade your identity, your life will keep bumping up against the same edges. • You are not designing a to-do list for 2026. You are designing the experience of you. If you haven’t listened to Episode 1 yet, start there. In Episode 3, we’ll talk about how to design a 2026 structure that supports the leader you are becoming, because you don’t need a better plan. You need a better practice. If this episode resonated, share it with someone who’s ready to stop repeating the same year with different tasks, and subscribe to Reflect Forward wherever you listen. Connect with Kerry Visit my website, kerrysiggins.com, to explore my book, The Ownership Mindset, and get more leadership resources. Let’s connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok! Find Reflect Forward on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kerrysiggins-reflectforward Find out more about my book here: https://kerrysiggins.com/the-ownership-mindset/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-siggins/

    25 min
  5. Stop Living by Default

    12/23/2025

    Stop Living by Default

    Most leaders are not intentionally designing their lives or their leadership. They are repeating patterns they have never questioned. It’s time to stop living by default. As a new year approaches, it is easy to jump straight into goals, plans, and resolutions. But when those goals are created by the same unconscious patterns that shaped the year before, you do not get a new year. You get a repeat. This episode is about interrupting that cycle. Episode overview This is Episode 1 of my three-part Design Yourself series on creating the life and leadership you want in 2026. This episode focuses entirely on self-awareness. Not the kind that feels good, but the kind that is accurate. Because you cannot change what you cannot see. We explore why self-awareness is one of the rarest leadership skills, why most leaders overestimate how self-aware they actually are, and how default stories quietly shape how we lead, decide, and show up under pressure. I also share my own default story, the belief that I was not enough as I was and had to constantly prove myself, drive outcomes, and earn my seat at the table. That story fueled success, but it also created exhaustion, pressure, and a leadership style that no longer reflected who I truly am. This episode will help you recognize the unconscious stories running your leadership, understand the cost of living and leading by default, and begin seeing yourself clearly enough to create real change. Research highlight Research published in Harvard Business Review shows that while ninety-five percent of people believe they are self-aware, only ten to fifteen percent actually are. That gap matters, especially for leaders. Key takeaways • Self-awareness is not insight. It is accuracy. • You cannot change what you cannot see. • Default stories often masquerade as strengths. • Unexamined patterns quietly shape culture, trust, and performance. • Self-awareness allows you to respond instead of react. Mic drop moments • Self-awareness is the ability to separate who you are from how you learned to survive and succeed. • If you do not examine your patterns, you will repeat the same year with different tasks. • What you do not see in yourself becomes the environment others have to work in. • Self-awareness says, “That’s interesting,” instead of “That’s wrong.” • Awareness is where ownership begins. In Episode 2, we will move from awareness to identity and talk about how to consciously choose the leader you are becoming instead of defaulting to the one you have been rewarded for in the past. If this episode resonated, share it with someone who is ready to stop living and leading by default, and subscribe to Reflect Forward wherever you listen.

    12 min
  6. Why Great Leaders Stop Proving and Start Leading w/ Carrie Moore

    12/16/2025

    Why Great Leaders Stop Proving and Start Leading w/ Carrie Moore

    Why great leaders stop proving and start leading is the real conversation most leadership content avoids. Proving feels productive, but it quietly erodes trust, blocks collective intelligence, and keeps leaders trapped in fear-driven patterns. In this episode of Reflect Forward, I sit down with Carrie Moore, CEO and founder of Titan Edge Advisory, to explore what happens when leaders shift out of ego and into alignment, and why that shift changes how teams perform and cultures scale. Carrie brings more than twenty years of experience across capital markets, corporate banking, and financial services. She is a Forbes Council recognized strategist and has spent the last nine years advising fast moving companies and founders navigating growth and complexity. The Hidden Cost of Proving At the heart of this conversation is a truth many leaders miss. When fear and unworthiness drive behavior, leaders slip into proving, defending, and explaining. This erodes psychological safety and limits collective intelligence, even when intentions are good. Great leadership begins with self-awareness and accountability, not control. When Challenges Become Leverage Carrie shares how growing up dyslexic shaped her leadership, turning early fear into adaptability and resilience. I share why my own rock bottom became a turning point rather than a regret. The hardest experiences often become the source of our greatest leadership strength. The Alignment Advantage Alignment starts with the leader. The only relationship you can give to anyone else is the relationship you have with yourself. When identity, purpose, and behavior are aligned, clarity increases, trust deepens, and performance follows. Leadership In the Age of AI Rather than fearing AI, this episode reframes it as an extension of human capability. The future belongs to leaders who can simplify complexity, lead with purpose, and stay grounded in what makes us human. Mic Drop Moments 1. Proving erodes trust faster than most leaders realize. 2. Fear does not need to disappear, but it should not lead. 3. Authenticity is a leadership advantage, not a vulnerability. Key Takeaways 1. Notice when you are leading from fear rather than alignment. 2. Your past challenges are leadership training, not liabilities. 3. Alignment at the top shapes everything below it. Listen and Reflect Forward If this episode resonated, share it with a leader who could benefit from it. You can listen to Reflect Forward on your favorite podcast platform or watch it on YouTube. Connect with Kerry Visit my website, kerrysiggins.com, to explore my book, The Ownership Mindset, and get more leadership resources. Let’s connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok! Find Reflect Forward on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kerrysiggins-reflectforward Find out more about my book here: https://kerrysiggins.com/the-ownership-mindset/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-siggins/

    34 min
  7. The Mirror Test Are You the Leader You Think You Are?

    12/09/2025

    The Mirror Test Are You the Leader You Think You Are?

    The mirror test is the hardest and most revealing challenge you will ever face as a leader. It forces you to confront the gap between who you believe you are and how others actually experience you. Most leaders avoid that truth. The best ones run toward it. As leaders rise, fewer people are willing to give honest feedback. According to organizational psychologist Tasha Eurich, 95 percent of people believe they are self-aware, but only 10 to 15 percent actually are. That gap is where most leadership breakdowns begin. I share two personal stories that shaped my understanding of the mirror test. The first came through 360 feedback, when I learned that my tone sometimes made people feel unsafe speaking up. I was shocked. There is a biological reason for this. Bone conduction softens the sound of your own voice inside your head, which means you hear yourself calmer and gentler than others do. My intent and impact were misaligned, and I had to recalibrate how I communicated. The second story is about my evolution as a leader. I no longer need to win every argument. I care more about impact and alignment. But my team was still reacting to an older version of me. Internal change matters only if people can feel it or understand it. I needed to articulate what winning means for me now and how I want conversations and debates to feel going forward. I also explore the four most common leadership blind spots—ego, defensiveness, inconsistency, and avoidance—and how these patterns quietly undermine trust, influence, and team performance when left unchecked. From there, I walk through a simple four-step reflection framework that helps leaders realign their intention and impact. The Four-Step Reflection Framework 1. Name the pattern Identify exactly what you do when you are not at your best. No story. No justification. Just the behavior. 2. Look at the impact Ask who experiences the fallout and how it affects trust, performance, and culture. 3. Ask for feedback Accept that you cannot always see yourself clearly. Invite two or three people you work closely with to share how they experience your tone, energy, presence, listening, and consistency. Treat their input as data, not judgment. 4. Choose the correction Define what your highest self would do instead. Pick one specific behavior to practice for the next ten days and share your commitment with someone who can help hold you accountable. Mic Drop Moments • Growth does not matter if no one can feel the change. Leadership is defined by how people experience you, not how you think you show up. • If you refuse to look in the mirror, your team ends up carrying the weight of the truth you are unwilling to face. • You are not judged by your intentions. You are judged by your impact. Leaders who forget that slowly lose the room. • Self-awareness is not a trait. It is a choice. Every day you avoid the mirror, you choose stagnation over growth. Key Takeaways • You cannot outlead your own self-awareness. • Most leaders dramatically overestimate their level of self-awareness. • Ego, defensiveness, inconsistency, and avoidance are patterns—not flaws—and they can be changed once you see them clearly. • The four-step reflection framework gives you a discipline to correct your behavior and improve your impact. • True transformation begins when you choose to lead the person in the mirror first. Connect with Kerry Visit my website, kerrysiggins.com, to explore my book, The Ownership Mindset, and get more leadership resources. Let’s connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok! Find Reflect Forward on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kerrysiggins-reflectforward Find out more about my book here: https://kerrysiggins.com/the-ownership-mindset/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-siggins/

    20 min
  8. Culture, Curiosity, and Becoming a Better Leader w/ Christy Pretzinger

    12/02/2025

    Culture, Curiosity, and Becoming a Better Leader w/ Christy Pretzinger

    Becoming a better leader is rarely about learning something new. It is almost always about facing something true. The moment when the tactics stop working and the truth steps in. The truth that wisdom hurts before it helps. The truth that kindness is harder than control. The truth that curiosity asks you to open your heart, not just your mind. In this conversation with Christy Pretzinger, we peel leadership back to its most human layers. The messy ones. The vulnerable ones. The ones that force you to ask, Am I showing up in a way that reflects who I want to be? If you crave leadership that feels honest and brave and deeply connected to the person you are becoming, this episode will stay with you. About My Guest Christy Pretzinger is the founder and CEO of WG Content, a nationally recognized healthcare content consultancy serving major hospital systems across the country. Her proudest accomplishment is the culture she has built on four core values: empowered, curious, kind, and fun. She is also the creator of The Better Leader Project, a cohort-based experience designed to help early-career professionals practice the power skills of leadership. Christy is the author of Your Cultural Balance Sheet, a thoughtful framework for turning cultural liabilities into assets. What We Cover • Building a business on kindness without sacrificing excellence • Why authenticity requires responsibility and emotional maturity • How simple, clear values shape decisions, behaviors, and daily interactions • Using the Enneagram to understand pace, intensity, and interpersonal impact • Curiosity as a leadership superpower that strengthens connection and innovation • The challenges and strengths of Gen Z as they enter the workforce • Why wisdom cannot be hacked, downloaded, or rushed Key Takeaways 1. Kindness is a strategy. When values are lived and reinforced, they shape culture and performance. 2. Authenticity is not an excuse. Honesty without awareness can create harm. Responsible authenticity builds trust. 3. Self-knowledge changes everything. Tools like the Enneagram help leaders moderate reactivity and create space for others to thrive. 4. Curiosity builds connection. When you ask deeper questions, you create deeper relationships and uncover better solutions. 5. Better is always available. Leadership is a practice. We improve through reflection, repetition, and the courage to face ourselves honestly. Mic Drop Moments • “There is no app for wisdom. You have to earn it over time.” • “Better, not perfect. Everyone has a better quotient they can access.” • “Authenticity without responsibility is not leadership.” • “Cultural liabilities can become assets when you pay attention and choose to change.” • “We are hardwired for community. Leadership practice needs real people, real feedback, real reps.” Connect with Christy Why This Conversation Matters Leadership is not about perfection. It is about awareness, courage, and evolution. This conversation with Christy offers a grounded and inspiring look at how to create cultures where people can thrive and how to become the kind of leader others trust, follow, and feel safe with. Connect with Kerry Visit my website, kerrysiggins.com, to explore my book, The Ownership Mindset, and get more leadership resources. Let’s connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok! Find Reflect Forward on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kerrysiggins-reflectforward Find out more about my book here: https://kerrysiggins.com/the-ownership-mindset/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-siggins/

    31 min
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5
out of 5
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About

Reflect Forward isn’t your everyday leadership podcast. This show is about exceptional leadership. Game-changing leadership. Learn from peers, experts, authors, and more on how to be an uber successful leader…one that stands out from the rest. One that inspires others to do great things. One that others want to follow. How does Reflecting Forward fit into exceptional leadership? You can only become great at what you do by deliberately creating your future by reflecting on the past and present…what you did well, mistakes you’ve made, and lessons you’ve learned. Kerry Siggins is the CEO of StoneAge, the global leader in the manufacturing and distribution of high pressure waterjetting tooling and automated equipment. Kerry is also a member of Young President's Organization (YPO) and sits on several boards. She is a sought-after speaker, thought leader, leadership blogger and podcast host.

Information

  • Creator
    Kerry Siggins
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    260
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Reflect Forward