Grow Strong Leaders Podcast

Hosted by Meredith Bell

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Episodes

380

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-US

About the show

I’m fascinated by what it takes for leaders to live their values consistently, especially when it’s hard. On the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast, I have candid conversations with senior executives who are working to sustain principled leadership at scale inside complex organizations. We talk about how values are reinforced through leadership capability, organizational systems, and the everyday decisions leaders make. Our discussions also explore what gets tested when pressure rises—and the personal guardrails leaders rely on to stay aligned. This podcast is for leaders who believe values should guide real decisions, not just appear on the wall.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 16, 2026Episode 38153 min

381: Why Marvell Employees Actually Speak Up

What makes employees feel safe enough to speak up when something feels wrong? Eva Lehman shares how ethical cultures are built through leadership behaviors, trust, consistency, and systems that reinforce integrity every day. As Vice President and Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer at Marvell Technology, Eva offers a behind-the-scenes look at how their culture shapes employee behavior far beyond policies and compliance training. You’ll hear how Marvell’s leadership team reinforces ethical decision-making across a global organization, why middle managers are critical to sustaining trust, and how employees are empowered to raise concerns without fear. Eva also shares personal reflections about the difficult moments leaders face when values are tested, and why courage, empathy, and support from leadership matter so much in those situations. You’ll discover: Why employees hesitate to speak upHow leaders reinforce ethical culture dailyWhat builds trust across global organizationsWhy managers are the ones shaping workplace microculturesHow Marvell approaches responsible AI governance Connect with Eva Lehman on Social MediaLinkedIn Website Eva’s employer, Marvell Technology Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

June 9, 2026Episode 38048 min

380: Who’s Developing Human Judgment?

AI can accelerate answers. But what happens when it weakens the development of judgment, critical thinking, and human connection? Jennifer May explores the growing pressure facing middle managers, the risks organizations face when relationship-building and professional development fall away, and why ethical culture depends on much more than policies and compliance training. Drawing on nearly 30 years in ethics and compliance leadership, Jennifer shares why she believes compliance is fundamentally a relationship business and how organizations can move from being the “office of no” to becoming strategic partners in building a healthy culture. Jennifer also shares a powerful story from her university compliance work that shaped her “yes and” philosophy, revealing how trust, collaboration, and creative problem-solving can help organizations navigate difficult tensions without losing sight of innovation or integrity. This conversation is a timely exploration of leadership, accountability, AI, and the human skills organizations cannot afford to lose. Jennifer founded May Solutions Group to help companies make ethics practical, human, and actionable. She helps organizations build systems that people actually trust by replacing complexity with clarity and making ethical decision-making easier in day-to-day work. You’ll discover:Why AI may weaken judgment development The growing squeeze on middle managers Why compliance is a relationship business How ethical cultures are strengthened over time The “yes and” mindset that builds trustConnect with on Social MediaLinkedIn Website May Consulting GroupCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

June 2, 2026Episode 37951 min

379: When Performance Replaces People

What happens when organizations become so focused on speed, efficiency, and AI that they slowly lose sight of people? In this thought-provoking conversation, Dr. Kelly Monahan shares insights from her years studying the future of work inside organizations like Deloitte, Accenture, Meta, and Upwork. Drawing from her upcoming book, Reclaim the Plot, Kelly explains how leaders and organizations gradually “drift” away from the human purpose of work, often without realizing it. We explore the pressures leaders face today, including complexity, investor expectations, technological disruption, burnout, and the temptation to prioritize performance over people. Kelly also shares a deeply personal story about recognizing her own leadership drift during the pandemic and the intentional steps she took to reconnect with her team. This conversation offers both a warning and a hopeful vision for leaders who want to strengthen human judgment, curiosity, wisdom, and principled leadership in an AI-driven world. You’ll discover:Why leadership drift happens slowly and invisibly inside organizationsHow pressure, complexity, and exhaustion can cause leaders to lose empathy and perspectiveThe difference between using AI to augment people versus replace themPractical ways leaders can rebuild trust, psychological safety, and human connectionWhy curiosity and feedback are essential for avoiding leadership driftConnect with Kelly Monahan on Social MediaLinkedInInstagramWebsites Dr. Kelly Monahan Beyond the Desk BookReclaim the Plot – (release date September 2026)Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

May 26, 2026Episode 37851 min

378: The Best Boards Ask the Hardest Questions

Vera Cherepanova, Executive Director of Boards of the Future, believes the strongest boards are not the ones with the best reports, but the ones willing to ask the hardest questions. In this conversation, she explains why ethics cannot be treated as a compliance exercise or a checklist after decisions are made. True governance requires courage, dissent, and a willingness to examine what leaders may prefer not to see. We explore her concept of FOFO—fear of finding out—and how it keeps boards from asking difficult questions that could expose risk, protect reputation, and strengthen trust. Vera also shares how silence, conformity, and the absence of real challenge can quietly erode culture from the top down. If values are meant to guide decisions, then boards must create the conditions where truth can be spoken and principled leadership can thrive. Vera is the Executive Director of Boards of the Future, a nonprofit advancing ethical leadership and integrity at the highest levels of corporate power. Vera serves as a chair, director, and ethics advisor to global professional bodies, corporations, and international nonprofits. She has authored the guide, How Boards Should Oversee Ethics: A Ten-Practice Guide for Modern Boards, challenging boards to move beyond compliance checklists. Her latest work focuses on how boards oversee ethics, cultivate dissent, and create the conditions for principled leadership when pressure is highest. You’ll discover: Why compliance and ethics are not the same thingHow fear of finding out creates costly leadership blind spotsWhat makes people stay silent when they should speak upSimple ways leaders can create safer spaces for dissentHow boardroom behavior shapes culture across the organizationConnect with Vera Cherepanova on Social MediaLinkedIn Websites Vera Cherepanova Boards of the Future Guide How Boards Should Oversee Ethics: A Ten-Practice Guide for Modern Boards Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

May 19, 2026Episode 37752 min

377: How Medtronic Turns Values Into Action

What happens when doing the right thing costs money, creates tension, or slows results? Tara Shewchuk, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Privacy, Integrity, and Compliance Officer at Medtronic, pulls back the curtain on what ethical leadership actually looks like inside a global company where decisions can impact millions of lives. You’ll hear how leaders navigate pressure, disagreement, and uncertainty while staying grounded in values that guide both business and patient care. Tara shares powerful real-world examples of principled leadership in action, including Medtronic’s decision to open source ventilator technology during the pandemic, the systems they use to strengthen speak-up culture across global teams, and the daily leadership behaviors that build trust over time. This conversation goes far beyond compliance and policies. It’s about how leaders create cultures where integrity becomes part of how people think, decide, and act every day. You’ll discover:Why ethical culture must be intentionally built every day How leaders create safety for people to speak up What Medtronic did when profit conflicted with patient care How ethics circles strengthen decision-making across teams Why authenticity and vulnerability make leaders strongerConnect with Tara Shewchuk on Social MediaLinkedIn WebsiteTara’s employer, Medtronic Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

May 12, 2026Episode 37646 min

376: When Ambition Disconnects You From Life

What happens when your drive to succeed begins to disconnect you from yourself and the people who matter most? You’ll hear how Kevin Rice navigated extreme personal and professional pressure while building and scaling a company, and what it taught him about values, leadership, and the cost of staying disconnected. As Kevin reflects on leading through rapid growth, personal upheaval, and critical business decisions, you’ll see how clarity around values like integrity, resilience, and connection changed how he shows up as a leader and a father. This conversation will challenge you to examine where you may be operating on autopilot and how intentionality and presence can transform both your work and your relationships.Kevin co-founded Hathway straight out of college and grew it from a garage-stage startup into a 200+ person company before its acquisition in 2021. Today, he leads Theorem One Capital and is focused on helping leaders scale companies without losing themselves in the process. Kevin is also the host of the CEOs and ABCs Podcast, a show for ambitious professionals navigating both career and family.You’ll discover:How “robot mode” impacts your leadership and decision-making Why disconnecting from emotions weakens your intuition A defining moment that reshaped Kevin’s understanding of integrity How values guide tough decisions with clients and team members Practical ways to model values at home with your childrenConnect with Kevin Rice on Social MediaLinkedIn PodcastCEOs & ABCs Podcast Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

May 5, 2026Episode 3751 hr 1 min

375: How Cargill Turns Values Into Daily Decisions

What if your company’s stated values actually guided every decision you make? Christopher Annand, Senior Director of Ethics, Compliance, and Security, shares how Cargill brings this standard to life, where seven guiding principles shape how leaders think, act, and lead every day. As you listen, you’ll discover how those principles are reinforced from day one, how employees at every level use them to evaluate decisions, and why trust becomes a competitive advantage in uncertain times. You’ll also gain practical insight into handling difficult conversations, making values-based decisions under pressure, and understanding why at Cargill, how you achieve results matters just as much as what you achieve. Christopher leads a global team of compliance professionals across multiple regions, helping ensure that the company’s guiding principles are not only understood but also lived. He joined Cargill to help build and scale its compliance organization, and over time has played a key role in embedding those principles into how leaders operate across cultures and business units. What makes this conversation especially compelling is that at Cargill, values don’t sit on the wall. They shape decisions, they guide behavior, and they influence who gets to lead—and who doesn’t. You’ll discover:How Cargill embeds values into daily decisions Why trust is the foundation of leadership A practical framework for making tough decisions How to handle emotional employee conversations effectively Why “how you achieve results” matters as much as outcomesConnect with Christopher Social MediaLinkedIn Website Cargill Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

April 28, 2026Episode 37451 min

374: The Line You Never Cross

Pressure doesn’t reveal your values. It exposes whether you’ve defined them at all. In this conversation with John Castelly, you’re challenged to think about who you are as a leader before the moment arrives when everything is on the line. You’ll hear how John built and scaled ethics and compliance at ServiceNow and now navigates high-stakes decisions as General Counsel at Promise. Through real stories, you’ll discover how small compromises become major failures, why trust is the foundation of every organization, and what it takes to lead with clarity when speed, growth, and pressure collide. John is General Counsel at Promise. Before that he built and led ethics and compliance at scale as SVP, Legal – Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer at ServiceNow. He has deep knowledge and experience as a senior executive on issues concerning risk assessment, fraud prevention, compliance practices, supervision, industry rules, regulations, and policies. You’ll discover:How small “harmless” choices can lead to major ethical failures Why defining your values before a crisis is essential What it takes to build trust as the foundation of culture How to balance speed and risk in high-growth environments Practical ways to create a culture where people speak upConnect with John Castelly on Social MediaLinkedIn Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

April 21, 2026Episode 3739 min

373: When Growth Forces an Identity Shift

What happens when you set a bigger goal and it forces you to rethink who you are? In this solo episode, I share how one decision exposed gaps in my leadership approach and led to a series of identity-level shifts. Through working with AI as a strategic thinking partner, I uncovered patterns that were limiting my impact and began operating with greater clarity, precision, and intention. You’ll hear how these shifts are changing the way I lead conversations, make decisions, and show up with others. More importantly, I’ll challenge you to look at where these same patterns may be showing up in your leadership, especially under pressure. This episode will invite you to examine where you may be staying vague, avoiding direct conversations, or moving too quickly to create real impact. I’m the co-founder and president of Grow Strong Leaders. We provide assessment and development systems that help leaders strengthen their character and communication skills so they can consistently live their values and sustain strong, high-trust cultures, especially under pressure. You’ll discover:Why “generosity without clear intent” limits your impact How avoiding “the ask” weakens relationshipsThe hidden cost of moving conversations forward too quickly What strong leaders do to create clarity and real progress Three powerful questions to elevate your leadership immediatelyConnect with Meredith on Social MediaLinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Website Grow Strong Leaders BooksConnect with Your Team: Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills Grow Strong Character Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

April 10, 202643 min

372: Your Body Decides Before Your Brain Does

What happens when a high-performing leader hits a wall they never saw coming? Kimberly Arnold knows firsthand. After she spent decades leading large-scale transformations at PwC, Salesforce, and Blue Shield of California, a perfect storm of personal and professional pressures sent her on a 15-week stress-induced medical leave. That experience opened her eyes to what most leadership development overlooks: the powerful role your nervous system plays in how you show up under pressure. Now, as founder of the Pressure Ready Method™, she teaches leaders simple, body-based practices that restore composure in seconds.Kimberly reveals the neuroscience behind why your body reacts before your mind even catches up—and why that matters for every decision you make. You’ll hear how she walked into a room of 12 distraught stakeholders at Salesforce and used a quick physical reset to stay open, curious, and collaborative when blame was flying in every direction. She shares her PACE framework (Pause, Acknowledge, Center, Engage) and practical techniques you can use in minutes to interrupt stress reactions, prevent cortisol buildup, and lead from a place of clarity rather than reactivity.Kimberly helps leaders and teams build high performance under pressure without compromising their relationships or their health. As founder of the Pressure Ready Method™, she teaches repeatable tools leaders apply to interrupt reactive patterns and reset in minutes. Drawing on decades of leadership at PwC, Salesforce, and Blue Shield of California, plus 15 years as a certified somatic teacher, Kimberly brings lived experience to turning high-pressure moments into clear thinking, sound judgment, and collaborative solutions.You’ll discover: Why your body signals danger before your mind doesHow the PACE framework interrupts stress in secondsWhat pushing harder actually costs your leadership credibilityThe simple posture shift that boosts your confidenceHow a long exhale can prevent cortisol from building up Connect with Kimberly Arnold on Social MediaLinkedInYouTubeKimberly's ResourcesResilient Reset Newsletter Meet with Kimberly Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn