Show Up as a Leader with Dr. Rosie Ward

PeopleForward Network

Show Up as a Leader helps you lead authentically, break barriers, and make a positive impact, no matter your role. Dr. Rosie Ward leverages experience, stories, books, ideas, and insights to help further our understanding of ourselves.

  1. 5D AGO

    Cones, Community & Culture with Meggan Kerkenbush

    What if investing in first-time employees could shape the future of work? 🍦 Rosie sits down with Meggan Kerkenbush, co-owner of the iconic Bridgeman's Ice Cream brand, to explore how a 90-year-old company is thriving by leading with heart, purpose, and people-first practices. From serving up sundaes to teaching life skills, Meggan shares how their small business is building future-ready leaders, one scoop at a time. They discuss the value of community partnerships, supporting team members through personal adversity, and why flexibility and intentionality are non-negotiable in modern leadership. Meggan opens up about navigating her husband's ALS diagnosis while running a seasonal business and why showing up as your full, human self is the most important leadership trait of all. Whether you're leading a multigenerational team, managing part-timers, or just needing a reminder that your work matters beyond the bottom line, this one's for you.   Additional Resources: Connect with Meggan on LinkedIn Learn more about Bridgeman's Follow Bridgeman's on Instragram Follow Bridgeman's on TikTok Connect with Rosie on LinkedIn Learn more about Salveo Partners Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network   Key Takeaways: Pivoting is essential for sustainable, human-centered leadership. Invest in youth employees, even if temporary. Life challenges require leadership rooted in flexibility. Strong communities start with intentional business involvement. Showing up imperfectly is still leadership.

    39 min
  2. Rosie in My Pocket: Endurance

    FEB 3

    Rosie in My Pocket: Endurance

    What if endurance isn't about pushing through, but tuning in? Rosie revisits her days teaching endurance spin classes to reflect on what true endurance means in our lives today. She invites us to rethink our relationship with hard moments: not as something to get through, but something to be present in. From savoring a rainy walk to being truly moved by the presence of loved ones, Rosie challenges us to stop just enduring life and start deeply experiencing it. Through personal stories and heartfelt reflection, she offers a compelling invitation to reconnect with the beauty, even in the mundane. Because when we stop enduring and start engaging, we unlock our true sparkle. ✨   Additional Resources: Connect with Rosie on LinkedIn Learn more about Salveo Partners Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network   Key Takeaways: Endurance challenges us mentally, not just physically Life is more than pushing through to the next thing Presence turns ordinary moments into extraordinary ones We often endure instead of embracing the journey Let go of autopilot and rediscover your sparkle

    4 min
  3. Introducing The Better Boss with Gregg Ward

    JAN 28

    Introducing The Better Boss with Gregg Ward

    What if the first step to better leadership isn't strategy, but respect? Rosie officially welcomes Gregg Ward to the Show Up As a Leader family with a bold new series: The Better Boss. In this intro episode, they explore the urgent need for human-centric leadership in today's VUCA world. Gregg shares how his unconventional path, from theater to training NYPD officers in de-escalation, shaped his life's mission: helping leaders communicate with compassion and lead with respect. Together, they dive into why managers at every level feel overwhelmed, how stress fuels disrespect, and why "just give me the tool" isn't just a cry for help, but a call for practicality. You'll get a sneak peek at what to expect from this powerful monthly series, including short-burst learning and real-world demos of proven techniques like Respectful Listening. Whether you're a new manager, seasoned exec, or someone who's tired of the command-and-control playbook, this is your invite to show up differently. Don't be a butthead… be a better boss!   Additional Resources: Connect with Gregg on LinkedIn Learn more about The Center for Respectful Leadership Invest in Manager Skills with the R-Factor Workshop Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network   Key Takeaways: Respect starts with you, don't wait for others first Stress is the root of most disrespectful behavior One practical skill at a time makes change stick People don't need fluff, they need useful tools Listening to understand calms conflict and builds trust

    34 min

  4. JAN 22

    Make Monday Mornings Not Suck: Eric Harkins on Real Leadership

    What if the secret to transforming workplace culture is simply refusing to tolerate bad leadership? Rosie sits down with Eric Harkins, leadership consultant, keynote speaker, and author of "Great Leaders Make Sure Monday Mornings Don't Suck." With over 25 years of experience reshaping how leaders lead, Eric shares the two critical things that keep organizations from being great, and what to do about them. Together, they unpack why underperformance and toxic leadership persist, even in companies striving for people-first cultures. From the importance of courageous conversations to building a leadership model rooted in self-awareness, Eric lays out his practical LEAD framework to create workplaces people actually want to show up for. If you've ever rolled your eyes on a Monday morning or felt stuck working with someone who drains your energy, this episode is your call to action. Get ready to laugh, learn, and rethink what it really means to show up as a leader.   Additional Resources: Get Eric's book - "Great Leaders Make Sure Monday Mornings Don't Suck" Connect with Eric on LinkedIn Check out Eric's website for more! Connect with Rosie on LinkedIn Learn more about Salveo Partners Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network   Key Takeaways: Leadership starts with self-awareness and accountability Under-performers destroy culture faster than anything Courageous conversations are non-negotiable for real leadership Subject matter experts don't equal good people leaders Build teams where Monday mornings don't suck

    59 min
  5. Rosie in My Pocket: Being Our Best

    JAN 20

    Rosie in My Pocket: Being Our Best

    What if your "best" looked completely different today than it did yesterday, and that was still enough? Rosie shares a vulnerable and powerful reflection drawn from the Dare to Lead curriculum, challenging the way we judge ourselves and others. She unpacks what it really means to be our best, fully authentic selves, even when we're struggling, and why assuming others are doing their best can be a game-changer for leadership and life. With her signature mix of heart, clarity, and real talk, Rosie invites us to drop perfection, embrace boundaries, and lead from a place of grace. Whether you're supporting a struggling team member or battling your own inner critic, this short but mighty message will inspire you to lead with more empathy, impact, and authenticity. Tune in and discover the kind of leadership that meets people, yourself included, exactly where they are.   Additional Resources: Connect with Rosie on LinkedIn Learn more about Salveo Partners Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network   Key Takeaways: Your best changes with seasons. Grace is essential. Judgment blocks leadership and authentic human connection. Boundaries uphold generosity, not cancel it. Leadership is presence, not perfection. Everyone's struggling, assume best intentions.

    5 min

  6. JAN 8

    Rebuilding Respect at Work with Gregg Ward

    What if the root of today's workplace dysfunction isn't strategy or skills, but a basic human disconnect? Rosie sits down with Gregg Ward, founder of the Center for Respectful Leadership, to explore the crisis of disrespect in our workplaces and society. With a background that spans theater, journalism, and groundbreaking police training, Gregg shares how respect isn't just a nicety, it's a critical leadership skill tied to performance, connection, and healing. They dive into the neuroscience of respect, generational shifts, and how even small behaviors like interrupting can quietly erode trust. From the R Factor Workshop to little league umpiring, Gregg models what it means to lead with empathy, accountability, and courage. If you've ever felt frustrated by incivility, overwhelmed by AI-driven change, or unsure how to help your team thrive, this conversation will bring both clarity and hope. Respect is a feeling. Respect is a choice. And it's one we need now more than ever.   Additional Resources: Connect with Gregg on LinkedIn Watch Gregg's TEDx: Confessions of an Accidental Killer Learn more about The Center for Respectful Leadership Connect with Rosie on LinkedIn Learn more about Salveo Partners Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network   Key Takeaways: Respect is felt, not thought. It's deeply emotional Workplace disrespect is at a 50-year high Stress fuels most disrespectful behavior Respectful leadership can be learned and modeled One leader can shift an entire culture

    46 min
  7. Rosie in My Pocket: Intentional Resets

    JAN 6

    Rosie in My Pocket: Intentional Resets

    What if the most important thing your team needs right now isn't a new strategy, but a reset? Rosie invites us to consider the intentional, proactive resets we often overlook. While momentary resets help us realign in the middle of chaos, Rosie challenges us to go further, and to step out of the momentum and create space for reflection, realignment, and recalibration. Whether it's after a major project, a season of change, or just the end of a week, these moments are ripe for choosing how we want to move forward. Rosie leaves listeners with a clear invitation: stop riding the wave of life on autopilot. Take the wheel. Plan your resets. Drive your own growth.   Additional Resources: Connect with Rosie on LinkedIn Learn more about Salveo Partners Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network   Key Takeaways: Schedule proactive resets, not just reactive ones. Reflect weekly on what worked and didn't. Life's momentum can blur intentional living. Be the driver, not just the passenger. Resets help realign goals with current realities.

    3 min
  8. The Courageous Leadership Series: From Stuck to Sustainable: Future-Ready Leaders for Human-Centered Cultures

    12/18/2025

    The Courageous Leadership Series: From Stuck to Sustainable: Future-Ready Leaders for Human-Centered Cultures

    🚨 The leadership pipeline is crumbling. Gen Z doesn't want in. Current leaders want out. So… what now? In this episode of the Courageous Leadership Series, Dr. Rosie Ward brings it all home with urgent, research-backed insights into what it truly takes to become a future-ready, human-centered leader. This isn't just another chat. Rosie unpacks the "why" behind her years of research and gives a bold reality check: without rethinking how we lead, workplaces will continue to feel lonely, disconnected, and unsustainable With Nikki Lewallen Gregory guiding the conversation, Rosie dives into sobering data on burnout, disconnection, and the leadership pipeline crisis, but also offers a path forward. Learn about her three-pronged approach to future-proof leadership that begins with inner work, strengthens team trust, and embeds systems for real, lasting change. If you've ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or questioned your place in leadership, this episode will reignite your sense of purpose and provide practical tools to lead with courage, connection, and clarity. Let's build workplaces where people actually want to show up. 💡   Additional Resources: Get the Future Proofing Leadership White Paper! Connect with Nikki on LinkedIn Connect with Rosie on LinkedIn Learn more about Salveo Partners Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network   Key Takeaways: Human connection is irreplaceable in the AI age. Leadership must start with personal transformation and self-awareness. Current and future leaders are avoiding formal leadership roles. Culture change requires systemic, not just individual, transformation. Emotional safety and team trust are foundational for change.

    48 min
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5
out of 5
31 Ratings

About

Show Up as a Leader helps you lead authentically, break barriers, and make a positive impact, no matter your role. Dr. Rosie Ward leverages experience, stories, books, ideas, and insights to help further our understanding of ourselves.

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