In this episode of the Voice of Influence podcast, host Andrea invites Daniele Moomey, Director of Client Success, to delve into her extensive experience leading remote and global teams. Danielle discusses the nuances of managing remote teams, including the importance of building relationships, understanding cultural differences, and ensuring constant communication. She shares insights on how empathy and personal connections can enhance team engagement and productivity, and recounts specific strategies she used to motivate and connect with team members across different countries.

In this episode of the Voice of Influence podcast, Andrea interviews Heath Mello, former state senator and current President and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce. Heath discusses his journey into public service, starting from his aspirations in elementary school through various roles in higher education and government. He emphasizes the importance of civic engagement and consensus-building, shares his thoughts on the impact of social media on public service, and describes the challenges and rewards of his current role. Additionally, Heath provides insights on the economic and workforce development efforts in the Omaha area, and offers advice on facilitating difficult conversations and building consensus.

Heath Mello, former state senator and higher education executive, assumed the role of President & CEO at the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce in August 2023. In this capacity, he oversees day-to-day operations, emphasizing economic development, public policy, and workforce partnerships across an eight-county region. Additionally, Mello serves on the Nebraska Highway Commission and various committees, leveraging his extensive legislative experience. Previously, he held leadership roles at the University of Nebraska System and Metropolitan Community College. Mello, a native of Omaha, holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Angela Healy is the CEO and Co-Owner of AvenueWest Managed Corporate Housing. Angela has a strong record of leadership in real estate investment, real estate management and franchise ownership, business development and commercial banking with more than 25 years of industry experience. She is the co-owner of multiple AvenueWest Managed Corporate Housing Franchises and AvenueWest Global Franchise, LLC. Angela guides the real estate franchise’s strategies for growth and ensures that AvenueWest’s core philosophy of investor-centric decision making is reflected throughout the company. During her tenure, AvenueWest has grown exponentially from a small real estate brokerage to a national, award-winning franchise organization.

Deana Rich is a highly respected payments industry professional with unparalleled risk, operations and compliance experience. She is the Co-CEO & Co-Founder of Infinicept (2014), combining her consulting experience with SaaS based software that allows payment facilitators to get up and running in weeks – not years. And she is that Co-Founder and Publisher of PaymentFacilitator.com (2012), a publication that delivers the latest news, analysis and insights about the payment facilitator community.

Todd Ablowitz is a globally acknowledged authority on payment technology, mobile payments and emerging payments trends. Todd spent a dozen years working in the industry before founding Double Diamond consulting in 2008 to help payments industry clients – from the industry’s top brands to up-and-coming technology innovators – solve their most critical business challenges. Investors, media, analysts, and industry watchers rely on Todd for expert advice, trend insights, and consulting. Todd is a member, former Board Member, and former Member of the Year at the ETA.

Learn about how our Team Performance System and Personal Brand Strategy can Help You Serve Well and Sell More at 

It’s the Voice of Influence Five Year Anniversary! In this Episode Andrea shares what she’s learned on the journey. We would also love to have you listen to her interview with Paul Casey on the Grow Forward Today Podcast. Here are the links and notes for that interview. Apple Podcast

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Paul and Andrea discuss some of her roots and education, along with her business Voice of Influence. Then they dive into what makes a difficult conversation, why we must engage in them from time to time, and lots of ways to get to win-win when confrontation happens (when giving or receiving that feedback). Andrea shares her core message of voice = choice, and her memoir Unfrozen: Stop Holding Back and Release the Real You, along with her podcast Voice of Influence.

Obviously, there’s still a lot going on that we need to endure through. Even if you don’t have a business yourself and you’re listening as a leader who wants to have influence, there’s a lot in this episode for you.

In this conversation, Bill and I discussed his book, how to go from being sucked into those moments where you’re constantly putting out fires to being able to relax and plan for the future, how leading as a human being creates trust, how your response as a leader right now can impact your future success, and more! 

In this episode of the Voice of Influence podcast, Andrea interviews Patrick Nelson, a decorated military veteran and author of 'Frontline Leadership: How to Eliminate Complacency and Build All-in Engagement.' They discuss Patrick's extensive military background, his transition to becoming a professional speaker and trainer, and the release of his new book. Patrick shares powerful personal stories, including a harrowing incident in Afghanistan that shaped his views on leadership and safety, and offers insights on leading by example, cultivating a culture of accountability, and the importance of self-awareness in leadership. He also addresses motivating teams, especially in high-risk industries, and gives advice to young adults on finding their purpose. The conversation provides practical leadership strategies and emphasizes the impact of influence over positional authority.

Patrick has gained both local and national accolades for his military service, aca­demic career, and work as a professional speaker and trainer including being named the inaugural NFL-Tillman Military Scholar. He is an experienced leader that spent nearly seven years in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper and completed three combat deployments leading soldiers. His military awards include the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart Medal. He is the author of “Front-Line Leadership: How to Eliminate Complacency and Build All-Il Engagement.”

In this episode, I’m talking about what it looks like to help others release their voice. Some topics discussed are how my son’s cub scout troop was the perfect reminder of how amazing it feels to help someone find and use their voice, why so much of how people express themselves has to do with what’s inside their mind, why it’s important to give immediate positive feedback when someone begins to share their voice, how doing so allows you to challenge them later, and more!

Are you noticing that it's not as easy as it once was to get involved in your community or your organization's culture? Do you see a sustained drop in activity and connection?

As you consider how you want to approach your life and work in 2022, perhaps you want to think about what is most essential to you and how you can make that work more effortless. So we're re-publishing Andrea's interview with author Greg McKeown. Even if you've heard it once, it's worth another listen. Enjoy!

Many of us value hard work. But what if we’re making things harder than necessary? What if we’re carrying a burden we don’t need to carry?

Greg McKeown, author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, joins Andrea to discuss his new book Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most.

For more information about this program, reach out via the contact button on our website: https://voiceofinfluence.net/contact/

In this episode of the Voice of Influence Podcast, host Andrea reflects on watching women’s sports take off to new heights, highlighting notable stories like that of DeWanna Bonner. Andrea draws connections between women's achievements in sports and the importance of recognizing and supporting humanity in the workplace. She emphasizes the need for employers to be adaptable and supportive of their employees' personal lives, advocating for ongoing experimentation and open communication to foster a thriving, engaged, and loyal workforce. The episode underscores the value of human connection and flexibility in achieving high performance and innovation.

Jeff Hahn is a Public Relations and Crisis Management Expert based in Austin, Texas. The owner and principal of a family of integrated agency brands, he concentrates on reputation protection and restoration. Jeff recently published a book on the subject - Breaking Bad News, the definitive crisis communication guide for brands.

What can we do when we feel emotionally triggered and bumped out of our best selves by the stress of the day (or the year)? In this episode Bonnie Blueford and Andrea discuss how to improve our individual resilience and help others, as well.

Bonnie Blueford is the founder of The Blueford Group, a communications and coaching organization dedicated to helping leaders lead resiliently.

She offers a proven framework and integrates coaching into all she does. She works in defense, education, healthcare, and the pharmaceutical industries and is a contributing writer in healthcare and other industry publications.

She is a certified ICF coach and is the Communication Director for ICF Maryland. Most recently, she was certified as a teacher of the Community Resiliency Model.

What was the diversity tipping point in corporate America? In this episode we hear from Dee C. Marshall, an award winning national leader in the area of diversity and inclusion. Dee shares the evolution of her own Voice of Influence from her experience on September 11th, 2001 on Wall Street to a large ministry Girlfriends Pray, to the role she plays now as CEO of the consulting firm Diverse and Engaged. This conversation delves into important topics around the cultural context and psychological trauma involved in issues of race and diversity. 

Do you find it difficult to own who you are? In this episode of the Voice of Influence podcast, Andrea interviews Emmy Award Winning journalist and author of the book "DARE TO OWN YOU: Taking Your Authenticity and Dreams Into Your Next Chapter," Liz Brunner. A speaker who trains others in the craft of speaking, Liz shares compelling stories about covering 9/11, the Boston Marathon bombing, and what she did to get the opportunity to interview President Barack Obama as a local reporter. 

Chanda Smith Baker has over 20 years of experience working in, for, and with underestimated communities. In 2017, Chanda joined The Minneapolis Foundation as the Senior Vice President of Impact where she oversees the Foundation’s grantmaking programs, provides strategic direction to community initiatives and partnerships, and is the event and podcast host of the award-winning Conversations with Chanda. Previously, Chanda served at Pillsbury United Communities where she led the complex community-based nonprofit to pursue bold strategies to address systemic inequities. She spent 17 years at the organization and served in a variety of leadership positions before assuming the role of President and CEO in 2011. Under her leadership as CEO, the organization launched several impactful efforts such as the purchase and relaunch of North News and the opening of North Market, a full-service grocery store in North Minneapolis.

In addition to Chanda’s civic leadership being recognized with a variety of awards and commendations, she has served on numerous nonprofit and philanthropic boards throughout her career. Chanda is a proud native and current resident of North Minneapolis.

Aviv Shahar enables Fortune 500 companies to create purpose-inspired visions that bring out the best in their people and catalyze growth. As the President of Aviv Consulting and the author of Create New Futures, Aviv guides executive teams at companies around the world to dramatically accelerate the achievement of their business results.

In this “Greatest Hits” episode, Aviv discusses key elements of a growth mindset for forward-thinking leaders.

Claudio Toyama is committed to raising the awareness of people around the world, so they live full and fulfilled lives at work and home. He is an international bestselling author, an award-winning speaker, and the CEO of Toyama & Co., an international leadership consultancy specializing in small shifts that produce big results.

Claudio has delivered projects in over 113 countries and has lived in five countries on four continents. He is also a Forbes contributor and is a featured guest on NBC and FOX where he shares his unique experience on leadership and company culture.

In this episode of the Voice of Influence podcast, Andrea interviews Anthony Taylor, CEO of SME Strategy. Anthony, a seasoned facilitator of strategy sessions across North America, shares insights from his extensive experience. They discuss the importance of strategic planning, the difference between strategy, strategic initiatives, and strategic planning, and the critical elements of ensuring alignment within an organization. The conversation covers the impact of the pandemic on strategic planning, the common causes of resistance to strategic planning, and the elements that make vision and mission statements effective. Anthony emphasizes the importance of ongoing communication, the role of adaptability in strategic systems, and offers advice for those looking to have a voice of influence in their organization.

What’s the best way to evaluate the advice you’re receiving? And how can you be more effective at offering helpful advice to others? Andrea gives three practical considerations for assessing counsel that we receive or give so that we inspire healthy growth.

Jess Hotz is the co-founder and Director of ELEVATE, a non-profit social enterprise. ELEVATE exists to lift people up to a higher position through their small businesses development program for people around the world. The first small business initiative was an ethical leather workshop in India, where artisans handcraft full-grain leather goods sold all around the world through the ELEVATE brand. As of now, there have been 150 small businesses started in 10 different countries.

Nozomi Morgan is the CEO of Michiki Morgan Worldwide. Her passion is to develop global leaders who can lead beyond cultural differences and boundaries and do good in this world. She is known as the bridge-builder helping global leaders, teams, and corporations to overcome the tension and frustration that arise from cultural differences. Her diverse international background — having lived and worked in Asia, Europe and North America — gives her a wealth of experience and knowledge as a trusted partner to international organizations.

What does it mean to be aligned at work, and why does it matter? Thought Leader, Speaker, Author, and Transformer of people, cultures and workplaces, Laurie Battaglia is CEO of Aligned at Work® in Scottsdale, AZ. Having spent 35+ years leading people in corporate environments, Laurie discovered ways to engage team members, build trust quickly, and align them to create happy and high performing workplaces. Her life’s mission is to change the culture of workplaces into inclusive places where all people feel they belong.

Aligned at Work® provides inclusive leadership training, diversity/equity/inclusion/belonging training and consulting, executive retreats, executive coaching, team alignment, keynotes, and workshops.

With our societal experience of honesty in freefall, the close alignment of our words and actions is more necessary than ever if we want to establish ourselves as trustworthy.

Ron A. Carucci has a 30-year track record helping CEOs and executives tackle challenges of strategy, organization and leadership in 25 countries at more than 100 companies. He is co-founder and managing partner at Navalent and is based in Seattle, Washington. He serves on the advisory board of Ethical Systems at New York University, previously served as associate professor of organizational behavior at Fordham University Graduate School and adjunct at the Center for Creative Leadership.

He is a sought after speaker, a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review and Forbes, and author/co-author of eight books, including his newest book To Be Honest: Lead With the Power of Truth, Justice and Purpose.

Naghmeh Panahi made international news when she publicly advocated for the release of her then-husband, Saeed Abedini, who was imprisoned in Iran for his work as a pastor. However, behind the scenes, her husband had a long history of domestic abuse, and Naghmeh’s journey out of oppression would eventually lead to her role today as a speaker, Bible teacher and an executive director of the Tahrir Alnisa Foundation, where she helps abused women escape and recover from domestic and religiously motivated violence.

In this episode, Naghmeh shares her story, the dynamics of domestic abuse and coercive control, the complex reasons why it’s so hard to get out, the importance of siding with the oppressed instead of staying silent, and her advice on being a voice of influence in a diverse setting.

Being a whistleblower has numerous challenges.  How do you prepare for the task of bringing difficult things to light in a way that gives the best opportunity for a positive outcome?  Andrea and Rosanne discuss positional power, factors to be considered for those hoping to influence healthy accountability, and ways to reduce risks.

Are you aware of the kinds of power that you hold in your relationships? So often we’re more aware of the times when we feel powerless, and so we don’t handle the power we possess in healthy ways. Today, psychologist and author Dr. Diane Langberg joins Andrea to discuss key elements of establishing psychological safety in relationships, what’s necessary to heal from trauma, and why exercising influence must always be a two-way street. 

Diane Langberg, Ph.D. is globally recognized for her 47 years of clinical work with trauma victims. She has trained caregivers and church leaders on six continents on how to recognize and respond to trauma and the abuse of power in a healing way. Her most recent book is Redeeming Power: Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church (Brazos).

In this episode of the Voice of Influence podcast, Andrea interviews Randy Hain, President of Servium Partners and co-founder of the Leadership Foundry. Randyboasts a 30-plus-year career in senior leadership roles, corporate talent, and executive search, and is a highly sought-after executive coach, leadership consultant, and author of 10 books. During the episode, Randy discusses his journey influenced by his mother to help people connect fully with others, work, and the world. He emphasizes the significance of authenticity, having a moral compass, and the need for substantive writing and conversations in today’s noisy world. Randy also touches on the essence of credibility, the value of failing for growth, the importance of mentoring, and the impactful role of special needs individuals in personal and professional life. The episode concludes with Randy’s advice on having a voice of influence by being authentic and staying true to one's convictions.

Randy Hain is the president of Serviam Partners and co-founder of the Leadership Foundry. With a successful 30+ year career in senior leadership roles, corporate talent, and executive search, he is a sought-after executive coach and leadership consultant for senior leaders and their teams at some of the best-known companies in the U.S. He is a devoted family man, the author of 10 books and active in serving the causes he cares about.

What does covert abuse look like? Most of the time here at Voice of Influence, we focus on the dynamics of healthy influence that makes collaborative teams more innovatively productive.  As Andrea and Rosanne discuss today, however, it’s vital to recognize the characteristics of unhealthy influence, especially in their most deceptive forms, so that we can identify elements that would harm an organization.

We’ve all crossed paths with manipulative people who seem great on the surface but who actually undermine others.  Helena Knowlton of Confusion to Clarity Now and the Arise Healing Community joins us today to talk about covert abuse, covert abusers, and how a correct understanding of trauma’s impact is vital to healing.

What’s your response to those who are marginalized? What is lost when a culture dehumanizes or disenfranchises certain groups of people? How can you be an advocate that truly lifts up someone else's voice rather than inadvertently using the vulnerable to pursue your own agenda? Dr. Marion Byrne offers wisdom about how to amplify the voices of those who have been silenced.