Strong Leaders Serve with Teri Schmidt

Hosted by Teri Schmidt | Leadership Coaching & Teambuilding | Creating More Just & Compassionate Workplaces Through Leadership

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Episodes

215

Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

For compassionate leaders who've quietly outgrown what used to work. You're not in leadership for the title. You're in it to use your strengths to make a way for others to use theirs. You've stopped waiting for a certainty that was never going to arrive. Now you're ready to lead with clarity and confidence, right in the middle of the uncertainty. This show is for you if you're looking to: ✅ Find your footing again, instead of just pushing through the overwhelm ✅ Turn the people who follow you into leaders in their own right ✅ Lead in a way that sustains you, not one that wears you down Hosted by Teri Schmidt, Executive Leadership Coach & CEO of Strong Leaders Serve. Each episode supports leaders navigating the shift into roles where success isn't just about their own performance anymore. It's about leading through complexity, ambiguity, and stakes their old playbook never had to handle. We name what's actually happening underneath the overwhelm, and find a way back to steady leadership, without pretending there's a five-step fix.

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60 recent

October 28, 202619 min

204. Steady Leadership in Unsteady Times

Ever had a leader who made you calmer just by being in the room? Most of the leaders I work with want to be that steady leader. But in a chaotic, uncertain environment, especially in a stretch moment like a promotion, RIF, or AI Implementation, it gets hard. You’re pulled in many directions, working harder than ever, and still not gaining traction. Under that kind of pressure, even capable leaders reach for old habits that feel like leadership in the moment: jumping in to solve it themselves, settling on the first explanation that fits, or looking for a sign they’re still doing a good job. This destroys calm for themselves and their team. In this episode, I walk through three thinking habits from Jennifer Garvey Berger’s book Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps: How to Thrive in Complexity that may help and leave you with one small thing to try this week. If you want to join other compassionate, driven leaders is discussing this book, join us for Read & Lead on Nov. 11, 2026. Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/ or via email teri@strongleadersserve.com. Get 1-on-1 leadership support here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

October 14, 202616 min

203. How Survival-Mode Leadership Makes Capable Leaders Feel Incompetent

Ever feel like you’re working harder than ever, but somehow feeling less competent at your job? That’s one of the most common things I see in the capable, reliable leaders I work with, especially when they’re in a stretch moment like a promotion, a reorg, or a role that suddenly looks very different. Usually it doesn’t mean they’ve lost their ability. It means the job changed around them, and they’re still leading the way the "old" job needed. In this episode, I talk about survival mode (what I call Swirl) and why it makes capable leaders feel incompetent. You'll leave you with one simple question to notice this week as you find your way back to steadier leadership even in unsteady times. Learn more about survival-mode leadership (swirl) here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/approach Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/ or via email teri@strongleadersserve.com. Get 1-on-1 leadership support here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

September 30, 202646 min

202. Stop Chasing: Justin Jones-Fosu on Leading With Alignment instead of Applause

Have you ever been the one everyone counts on, and still wondered whether anyone actually sees what you contribute? That's Tano, the tortoise at the center of Justin Jones-Fosu's new fable, Stop Chasing, Start Creating . His chase for recognition pulls him into swirl, and he quits the race before he ever sees the finish line. Justin and I talk about moving from external validation to internal alignment and what to do with the "ache" underneath our chasing. We also share simple practices, like Justin's "unseen practice," for leading with steadiness even when no one is applauding. Resources Stop Chasing, Start Creating Work Meaningful National Study on Meaningful Work leadership and executive briefs Connect with Justin on LinkedIn Justin's other appearance on Strong Leaders Serve Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/ or via email teri@strongleadersserve.com. Get 1-on-1 leadership support here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

September 16, 202613 min

201. Why I stopped talking about leadership and why I'm back

Ever feel like you're moving faster and faster but you're not sure what you're actually working toward? That's the survival mode I've been seeing in so many of the leaders I work with, and it's part of why I'm relaunching Strong Leaders Serve after a longer break than planned since Episode 200. In this personal opener, I talk about stepping away from a saturated leadership content space, the problem with recycling the same best practices instead of addressing what's underneath, and what this next chapter of the show will focus on: helping you move out of swirl and into steady, sustainable leadership. Stay tuned for Episode 2, when one of my favorite guests, Justin Jones-Fosu, is back. Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/ or via email teri@strongleadersserve.com. Get 1-on-1 leadership support here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

November 5, 202517 min

200. Best of Strong Leaders Serve

To celebrate our 200th (!) episode, we're revisiting some of our favorite conversations from the last 100 episodes. Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/ or via email teri@strongleadersserve.com. Get 1-on-1 leadership support here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

October 22, 202541 min

199. Going beneath Authenticity, Autonomy & Accountability with Andrea Wanerstrand

Have you ever wondered what truly sets great leaders apart in today’s fast-paced workplaces? In this episode, I talked with Andrea Wanerstrand, whose career spans Microsoft, Meta, T-Mobile, and more, to dig into the real meaning behind authenticity, autonomy, and accountability. Andrea shares eye-opening stories about breaking out of comfort zones, fostering trust, and the mindset shift needed to fuel powerful teams. Listen to discover practical tips you can use right away to inspire not just action, but true ownership in your organization. Resources : Website: https://a3culturelab.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreawanerstrand/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreawanerstrand/ Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/ or via email teri@strongleadersserve.com. Get 1-on-1 leadership support here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

October 8, 202512 min

198. Rethinking Imposter Syndrome

Feeling like an imposter doesn’t mean you’re broken or unqualified. It often means your world has grown faster than your sense of self. In this episode we go beneath the buzzword of imposter syndrome. We look at it in a different way, as a signal that your identity is expanding. You’ll learn why fighting it with frantic action rarely works, and what to do instead to grow into steady, grounded confidence that lasts. Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/ or via email teri@strongleadersserve.com. Get 1-on-1 leadership support here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

October 1, 202553 min

197. Two Simple Practices to Build Real Psychological Safety with Jade Garratt

What does psychological safety really mean beneath the buzzword? In this episode, Jade Garratt, co-founder of Psych Safety and colleague of past guest Tom Geraghty, shares practical ways leaders can move past misconceptions and create environments where teams feel safe to learn, speak up, and perform at their best. Resources : Psych Safety website Psychological Safety Course: Train the Trainer (highly recommend!) Connect with Jade on LinkedIn Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/ or via email teri@strongleadersserve.com. Get 1-on-1 leadership support here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

September 24, 20259 min

196. Transparency under pressure: leading with stability

What does it really mean to be transparent as a leader, especially when you can’t share everything or when you don’t agree with the direction of change? In this episode, we go beneath the buzzword of transparency. If you’ve ever struggled with how open to be with your team during times of change, this episode will give you practical ways to lead with honesty, courage, and care. Resources: Lisa Earle McLeod's post about authenticity Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/ or via email teri@strongleadersserve.com. Get 1-on-1 leadership support here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

September 17, 202545 min

195. What Leaders Can Learn from Sports Reporting with Jen Mueller

We’ve all heard the advice to “be an effective communicator.” But what does that really mean beyond the buzzword? In this episode, veteran sports reporter and Talk Sporty to Me founder Jen Mueller shares lessons from 25 years on the sidelines, where conversations happen under pressure, in the heat of wins and losses. Together, we explore how those lessons translate into clearer, more courageous communication for business leaders. Resources : Jen's website Connect with Jen: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/talksportytome Instagram https://www.instagram.com/talksportytome YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/TalkSportyToMe/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenmuellertalksporty/ Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/ or via email teri@strongleadersserve.com. Get 1-on-1 leadership support here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching