In S3, Ep. 2, innovator and social entrepreneur Jessica O. Matthews, the self proclaimed "love child" of Bill Nye the Science Guy and Beyoncé, explores the power of innovation as a lifestyle, emphasizing how embracing creativity and a growth mindset can lead to personal and professional transformation. She shares stories from her journey, including challenges faced while developing innovative solutions and lessons learned from overcoming obstacles. Through candid discussions on topics like imposter syndrome, leading through uncertainty, and the importance of radical transparency, Jessica encourages listeners to take bold action, believe in their abilities, and create lasting impact by continuously innovating in all aspects of life.  

Welcome to Season 3 of the Better Understanding podcast!

This season, we’re sharing inspiring stories from remarkable leaders who combine intellectual humility and compassion with a strong focus on results. Together, we’ll explore new ways to live, lead, and collaborate more effectively.

Our featured guest, Lindsey Otradovec, is an esteemed leader making a significant impact at Intuitive, a leading robotic surgery and biotechnology company. As the Regional Vice President of Sales, she leads a $3 billion business with a diverse team of over 500 employees.

In this episode, Lindsey opens up about her journey of courageous leadership, sharing how she has led authentically during one of the most challenging times in her career and personal life. She reflects on leading by example from a place of humanity, embracing vulnerability, and the importance of celebrating both wins and our shared human experiences.

In the final episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, Tiffany Dufu, founder and CEO of The Cru and the author of the best-selling Drop the Ball, joins host Susan MacKenty Brady for a compelling conversation about what employers need to do to retain women in their organization and make them feel valued, how to boldly inspire a vision, and what it means to thrive. Don't miss Tiffany's epiphanies!

In the 11th episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, Sally Helgesen, a renowned expert on women’s leadership, shares insights on how the landscape for women leaders has changed since the 1990 publication of her seminal book, The Female Advantage: Women’s Ways of Leadership. She and host Susan MacKenty Brady discuss leadership challenges in new normal of the peri-pandemic world and how leaders need to be curious and imaginative as they work to build inclusive relationships, teams, and workplaces and navigate the intricacies of language.

Sally is the author of the internationally best-selling How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job and her recent follow up, Rising Together: How We Can Bridge Divides and Create a More Inclusive Workplace.

Dr. Richard Safeer, Chief Medical Director, Employee Health and Well-being, at Johns Hopkins Medicine, and the author of A Cure for the Common Company: A Well-Being Prescription for a Healthier, Happier, and More Resilient Workforce, shares his six building blocks that help leaders create a well-being culture in their organization.

Amy Purdy is a 3-time Paralympic medalist and trailblazer in Paralympic Snowboarding, a New York Times best-selling author, and the host of a critically-acclaimed podcast about resilience called “Bouncing Forward.” She and host Susan MacKenty Brady discuss her remarkable journey, grit, and courage that has propelled her to success in every aspect of her multifaceted career.

Masih Alinejad, the Iranian-born activist, journalist, and author, shares her extraordinary story of advocating for women’s rights, freedom, and political change in Iran—at great personal risk.

In the seventh episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, Dorie Clark, Wall Street Journal best-selling author and expert at self-reinvention, and host Susan MacKenty Brady discuss how thriving in leadership shifted during the pandemic — and in the post-pandemic world. Dorie encourages listeners to flex their muscles of reinvention to remain fresh and innovative and avoid stagnation.

Whitney Johnson shares how she made the leap from surviving in leadership to thriving — with resilience and support. She also brilliantly explains how the S Curve of learning allows people to continually experience personal growth. Learning, she says, is the "oxygen of human growth," and if "you're not learning, you're dying." Listen and learn!

In the fifth episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, guest Natalie Martinez, CEO of Strong Women, Strong Girls, a non-profit organization that champions the next generation of female leaders through innovative, multi-generational mentoring programs, shares how she defines courage, the strategies she draws on to thrive in leadership, and the importance of helping girls to build confidence from a young age and encouraging them to lean into their greatness.