Activating Greatness: A Leadership Podcast

In this episode of Activating Greatness, Alec McChesney sits down with Laura London, Founder of Calocedrus and former McKinsey leader, to explore the critical shift from high achievement to sustained high performance. Laura breaks down why so many driven leaders operate from urgency and fear, how that impacts decision-making, culture, and burnout, and what it takes to lead with awareness, intentional pacing, and clarity. The conversation dives into nervous system regulation, protecting attention in an AI-driven world, and creating environments where both people and performance can thrive. If you are focused on building culture, strengthening trust, and leading with greater consistency and impact, this episode offers a powerful and practical leadership framework for today’s environment.

In this episode of Activating Greatness, Alec McChesney sits down with Toni Burkard, Business Enablement Lead at Pfizer CentreOne, to explore what it truly takes to build high-performing teams through trust, mentorship, and intentional leadership. Toni shares her journey leading in a traditionally male-dominated industry and how investing in people, fostering authentic relationships, and creating environments rooted in trust drive both culture and performance. From coaching future leaders to building teams that support and elevate one another, this conversation highlights why great teams are built with purpose, not by accident. If you are focused on building culture, strengthening trust, and leading teams that consistently perform, this episode delivers actionable leadership insights.

In this episode of Activating Greatness, Alec McChesney sits down with Carolina Alarco, Co-Founder of Latinos in Bio, to explore how leadership development, representation, and intentional investment in people are shaping the future of the biotechnology industry. Carolina shares how Latinos in Bio was built to close the gap in access and advancement, and why building leadership pipelines is essential to driving better decisions, stronger culture, and long-term industry impact. This conversation highlights the importance of visibility, mentorship, and trust in creating opportunity at scale. If you are focused on building culture, developing leaders, and creating meaningful impact within your organization, this episode delivers a powerful perspective on what it takes to lead and grow in today’s environment.

In this episode of Activating Greatness, Alec McChesney sits down with Jesse Hernandez, construction leader and founder of Depth Builder, to explore what it really takes to build culture, earn trust, and drive performance in today’s workforce. Jesse shares his journey from execution-focused leadership to a people-first approach that prioritizes communication, accountability, and trust across teams. The conversation challenges traditional leadership thinking, emphasizing that sustainable results come from investing in people, not just processes. If you are looking to build stronger teams, improve culture, and create lasting impact in your organization, this episode delivers practical insights you can apply immediately.

In this episode of the Activating Greatness Podcast, host Alec McChesney sits down with Matt Taylor Head of HR at Endpoint Clinical, to explore one of the most important leadership questions of the AI era: how technology impacts people decisions. Matt explains why AI doesn’t fix weak leadership — it simply scales it — and why organizations must build clear expectations, strong judgment, and honest conversations before relying on technology. The discussion dives into leadership accountability, HR strategy, building culture and trust, and how companies can integrate AI responsibly while still prioritizing people and performance. For leaders navigating the future of work, this episode offers practical insight into why human judgment remains the most important leadership capability.

In this episode of the Activating Greatness Podcast, host Alec McChesney sits down with Terri Fleener, a senior human resources leader known for helping organizations connect people strategy to real business results. The conversation explores how HR can move beyond traditional administrative roles to become a true driver of leadership, culture, and performance. Terri shares insights on navigating instability in the workplace, understanding the “cost of the unknown” when organizations lose strong employees, and how leaders can build culture and trust while still delivering results. For executives, HR professionals, and team leaders, this episode offers a powerful perspective on how thoughtful people leadership strengthens organizations from the inside out.

In this episode of the Activating Greatness Podcast, host Alec McChesney sits down with Jeremy Maskel, APR Chief Communications Officer for Omaha Public Schools, to explore how communication shapes leadership, accountability, and execution. Jeremy explains why teams often leave the same meeting with completely different interpretations of what was said and how leaders can prevent that disconnect by communicating with clarity and intention. Drawing from concepts like the ladder of storytelling and targeted communication strategies, Jeremy shares how leaders can align diverse personalities and communication styles to build culture, strengthen trust, and ensure teams are moving toward the same goals. For leaders responsible for driving alignment across organizations, this conversation offers practical insight into why communication is one of the most powerful leadership tools.

In this episode of the Activating Greatness Podcast, host Alec McChesney sits down with former NFL quarterback Kellen Mond to explore how authenticity shapes leadership, relationships, and long-term success. Drawing from his experiences in college football, the NFL, and his transition into the art and mentorship world, Kellen shares powerful lessons about building trust, creating genuine connections, and leading through presence and character. The conversation highlights how leaders create the atmosphere around them, why authenticity is the foundation for strong teams, and how building culture and trust ultimately drives performance both on and off the field.

In this episode of Activating Greatness: A Leadership Podcast, host Alec McChesney sits down with Jason Nickles of Modern Woodmen of America to explore what it takes to lead meaningful change inside a legacy organization. Jason shares how leaders can modernize systems, culture, and operations while preserving the mission and identity that made the organization successful in the first place. The conversation dives into change management, aligning teams across the United States, and why building culture and trust are essential for organizations navigating transformation. For leaders guiding teams through modernization, this episode offers practical insight into how thoughtful leadership can drive progress without losing the values that matter most.

In this episode of Activating Greatness, host Alec McChesney sits down with Michelle Dauphinais, Vice President and Head of Distribution at John Hancock, to explore how curiosity and a deep understanding of human behavior shape effective leadership. Michelle shares how asking better questions, challenging assumptions, and meeting people where they are allows leaders to build trust, improve decision quality, and empower teams across sales, analytics, and operations. Drawing from more than three decades at John Hancock, she explains why curiosity is a leadership discipline, how healthy tension improves outcomes, and why great leaders focus on solving problems rather than controlling people. This conversation offers practical insights on building culture, strengthening accountability, and leading complex teams in high-performance organizations.