Leadership Secrets

Hosted by Barry Moline

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Sep 2025

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About the show

Leadership Secrets is the place where leaders discuss the actions they take and the characteristics they have to lead at every level in their organization. We learn how leaders become leaders, and the path they've taken on their leadership journey. Each episode provides actionable insights you can immediately use to grow your leadership skills. The Leadership Secrets podcast talks about what you need to do to become the leader you are meant to be.

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27 recent

September 16, 2024Episode 2435 min

Dr. Karen Koepp on the Becoming a Thought Leader

Dr. Karen Koepp explores the intricacies of thought leadership. Dr. Koepp highlights the role of thought leadership in shaping narratives, building trust, and influencing decision-makers. They discuss the challenges of measuring its impact, especially in advocacy, and emphasize the importance of qualitative indicators like engagement and resonance. They also touch on the use of AI and storytelling in thought leadership. Dr. Koepp advises leaders to embrace their unique perspectives. The episode underscores thought leadership as a long-term strategy with significant influence. Contact Dr. Karen Koepp at: karen@koeppcorp.com . Unique Perspective (00:00:44) Dr. Koepp discusses the importance of integrating personal and professional perspectives to create unique thought leadership. Standing Out (00:01:31) The discussion focuses on helping CEOs and executives stand apart from others in their industry by developing a unique voice and building trust. Challenges of Influence (00:02:59) Barry Moline, as a CEO, shares the challenges his organization faces in gaining trust and influencing decision-makers and the public. Identifying Impacts (00:09:24) Dr. Koepp delves into understanding the impacts desired and the pain points related to making connections with stakeholders. Building Trust (00:11:14) The conversation explores the need to elevate the importance of impacts and balance advocacy efforts while increasing trust with legislators and regulators. Strategy for Influence (00:13:18) Dr. Koepp outlines a strategy for building relationships, creating key messages, and aligning with influencers to influence decision-makers effectively. Role of AI in Thought Leadership (00:17:16) Barry discusses the use of AI in initiating thought leadership and its limitations in capturing the personal touch necessary for effective thought leadership. Measuring Thought Leadership (00:21:36) The episode concludes with a discussion on the challenges of measuring the impact of thought leadership in advocacy and influence efforts. Measuring thought leadership impact (00:22:11) Ways to measure thought leadership impact, including website traffic, social media impressions, comments, and business growth. Long-term strategy (00:24:27) Discussion on the long-term nature of thought leadership, its impact on sales, and the multiplying effect over time. Immediate sales impact (00:25:33) The sales impact of thought leadership, the timeline for seeing its effect, and the importance of building trust with audiences. Santa as a thought leader (00:28:14) The example of Santa in "Miracle on 34th Street" as a thought leader and the importance of being prominent in engaging with stakeholders. Building personal brand (00:29:31) The significance of engaging with stakeholders, caring about them, and using personal stories to connect with the work and organization's mission. Storytelling for thought leadership (00:30:11) The importance of knowing personal stories to connect with the work and organization and the impact of better storytelling in conveying a strong desire for progress. Unique legacy and impact (00:33:18) Emphasizing the uniqueness of individuals, the importance of knowing oneself, and communicating personal passions to leave a lasting legacy.

March 12, 2023Episode 1535 min

Beth Hassett on Showing Up as Your Whole Self

Listen in to a great conversation with Beth Hassett, CEO of WEAVE. Beth shares her journey to become the CEO, and how her priority has always been being open, engaging with others, and showing up as her whole self.

December 10, 2022Episode 1449 min

Lou Bernardi on Helping People Find the True Cost of Healthcare to Benefit Their Lives

Lou Bernardi is the Chief Benefit Optimization Officer for BritePath, an employee benefits agent for companies with healthcare plans. They help employees optimize their benefits. Lou is passionate about his work and loves helping people learn about the true cost of healthcare so they can make wise decisions about their medical care. Our conversation was filled with great ideas and learnings about the healthcare system. Here’s some of what we discussed: Why consumers need to ask doctors and their officers about the cost of care, procedures, and expect transparency about their care. Why it’s so important to lead by example. Others are always watching. Employees need persistence and see projects through to the end. Brand yourself. He’s the Chief BOO, the Benefit Optimization Officer. People can remember he’s the BOO. A few tidbits of advice he’s received: Don’t take yourself too seriously, put your phone down and experience the world, and find a mentor.

June 12, 2022Episode 953 min

Jared Yellin on Thinking Big and Moving Fast

The great, accidental lesson Jared learned in his college summer job about the high value of being authentic. How he takes time for himself every morning to exercise, and shuts off his phone each evening to spend time with his family. He puts confidence in his colleagues to make decisions. He doesn’t worry about making wrong decisions; he makes decisions and moves on. If it’s not right, the next decision will fix the last one. Everyone in the company knows and lives by the meaning of the word T.O.G.E.T.H.E.R. Listen in to learn more.

May 29, 2022Episode 830 min

Zeynep “Z” Ekemen on Trusting Your Gut

She has incredible drive and persistence, and her leadership philosophy centers around hard work. Her favorite quote is from President Calvin Coolidge, “Nothing in the world takes the place of persistence. Nothing.” Her advice to growing leaders is to be confident and know who you are. When it comes to strategic direction, it’s vital to get people on the same page. Before making tough decisions she looks at the situation in reverse. What’s the best outcome, and then move backward to what actions have to take place along the way. Her favorite book is Success Habits by Napoleon Hill, which she reads regularly.

January 17, 2022Episode 248 min

Craig Miller on Being Ready

The Leadership Secrets Podcast is dedicated to learning from leaders, their life lessons, and what they do every day to lead. I believe you can lead from anywhere in an organization… on a board, in the C-suite, as a manager, and even at the entry level. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, or know of anyone you think would be a great guest on the podcast, email Barry Moline at barry@barrymoline.com.

December 25, 2021Episode 139 min

Paul Cook of Irvine Ranch Water District on the Importance of Servant Leadership

February 4, 2022Episode 355 min

Michelle Bertolino on the Value of Resilience and Culture

Michelle Bertolino is the Electric Utility Director for the City of Roseville Electric Utility. She didn't always know that she wanted to be a leader, but pursued career options that put her in the position to move to the next level as opportunities presented themselves. As Michelle excelled, those leadership positions opened up, and she was recognized to move up the ladder. The road wasn't always smooth though, and she had to persevere and stay resilient to advance. Michelle offers great advice - and specific actions leaders can take - to develop a great corporate culture.

December 17, 2022Episode 1358 min

Judi Hays Linkedin Marketing Strategist, on How LinkedIn and Social Media can Elevate Your Company and Career

Judi Hays is the CEO of Judi Hays, Inc. She serves clients globally, helping individuals and companies elevate their brand, expand their network and engage their most powerful relationships on LinkedIn. Here’s some of what we discussed: LinkedIn is a great way to highlight your business. You want to be helpful. A few ideas for posts include providing a news roundup, becoming a go-to source for the news media, providing insight through a case study, talking about projects in the works, and having some fun, like posting a “Funfact Friday.” It’s really important to understand your audience. As a leader, hire people who can do things you can’t do or would take much longer. When there’s a problem, bring solutions, not more problems. Help others, and always be grooming future leaders. And even though she helps individuals and organizations use LinkedIn, she says don’t be too dependent on technology – be able to talk to someone and have a deep conversation.

August 5, 2024Episode 2254 min

Randy Howard on Service and Adapting to Industry Changes

Randy Howard, the general manager of the Northern California Power Agency shares his journey from an electrical engineering background and Air Force experience to leading roles at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and NCPA. He discusses the evolution of his leadership style, focusing on service and adapting to industry changes. Randy reflects on his career transition to NCPA, his personal interests, and offers awesome advice to young professionals. Randy's Journey to Becoming CEO (00:01:12) Randy discusses his educational background, military experience, and early career at LA DWP. Diverse Roles at LA DWP (00:04:11) Randy explains the various roles he held at LA DWP, including new product development and rates and contracts. Leadership Development at LA DWP (00:06:41) Randy reflects on the leadership development opportunities and the diverse roles he had at LA DWP. Adapting Leadership Style (00:13:06) Randy talks about the shift in his leadership approach from a technical focus to considering people and broader aspects. Understanding Responsibility (00:16:51) Randy discusses the multifaceted responsibilities of a utility CEO and the impact on customers and communities. Transition to CEO Role (00:26:10) Randy reflects on the transition from leading divisions at LA DWP to becoming the CEO at NCPA. The leadership roles and responsibilities (00:27:20) Randy discusses the differences in leadership roles and responsibilities between his previous and current positions. Comfort and challenges in leadership (00:28:32) Randy reflects on feeling comfortable in leadership roles and the challenges he faced in his previous position. Maintaining stability in leadership (00:32:22) Randy talks about his leadership philosophy centered around maintaining stability and being a stable force in times of crisis. Developing leadership skills (00:34:14) Randy discusses the skills needed for successful leadership development and growth. Learning and staying informed (00:40:35) Randy shares his methods for staying informed about new issues, including reading and attending conferences. Approaching challenges and tough decisions (00:43:06) Randy explains his process for approaching challenges and making tough decisions, drawing from his engineering background. Personal life and interests (00:45:14) Randy shares his hobbies and interests outside of work, including yard work and gardening. Advice and lessons learned (00:48:58) Randy reflects on advice received and lessons learned throughout his career, emphasizing the importance of patience and building a strong foundation. Career advice for young professionals (00:51:44) Randy gives advice to young professionals starting their careers, emphasizing the importance of taking advantage of opportunities and maintaining honest relationships with employers. Randy Howard's Journey (00:00:00) Randy Howard shares his journey to becoming a CEO and the challenges he faced. Lessons Learned (00:20:35) Discussion on the experiences and lessons Randy Howard learned throughout his career. Thank You and Contact Information (00:54:20) Barry Molan thanks Randy Howard and provides contact information for future guests.