In this heartfelt episode of Third Fork, Tansley and Ryan explore the bittersweet reality of saying goodbye to a beloved leader when they move on to a new opportunity.

Tansley reflects on the importance of celebrating a colleague’s departure as a graduation, a recognition that their growth and success are something to cheer for. She reflects on a quote from the movie Elizabethtown to cope, embrace, and look forward to what's next: "You have five minutes to wallow in the delicious misery. Enjoy it. Embrace it. Discard it. Then proceed." 

Ryan adds perspective on how teams can process these transitions in healthy ways: acknowledging the grief of change, finding gratitude for what was learned, and practicing openness to whoever steps into the role next, or preparing oneself to take on more responsibility while work is being restructured, temporarily or permanently. 

Whether you’ve recently said goodbye to a mentor or you’re preparing to lead through a transition, this episode offers tools for navigating the mix of celebration, loss, and hope that comes with every leadership change.

Today’s guest is Kelley Cusmano. Kelley is a charismatic educator, energetic, outgoing, a mother of two fantastic children, and a twin sister. Kelley is also the 2025 Michigan Teacher of the Year, an ELA and Leadership teacher who believes all students can achieve their potential. She is skilled in bridging the gap between teacher voice, curriculum design, and state education policy. This is Kelley’s story.

Today’s guest is Dr. Amy Hillman, a giver, a lifelong learner, someone who is never afraid of trying new things, resilient, and a human capable of redrawing her future. She is also the Rusty Lyon Chair of Strategy, former Dean of the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, and the fellow leading Filene’s Center of Excellence for Leadership, Strategy, and Governance. This is Amy’s story.

In this episode of Third Fork, Tansley and Ryan dive into the all-too-familiar feeling of vacation guilt. That anxious voice that whispers you’re falling behind, even when you’re supposed to be resting.

Tansley opens up with a personal story from her childhood, recalling how she could feel the tension and guilt building at home in the days leading up to family vacations, and how that same mindset can follow us into adulthood. She shares what it’s taken to quiet those feelings and fully unplug, especially during the first couple of days away.

Ryan reflects on his own recharge moments, like returning from a week volunteering as a counselor for his kids’ scout troops. Together, they explore practical ways to reduce the pull back into work:

• Delay sending emails so they don’t re-open your inbox floodgates.
• Set “micro check-in” windows to glance at your inbox without falling down the rabbit hole.
• Empower your team to step in during your absence confidently, both planned and unexpected.

Whether you struggle to silence your work brain or want to help your team unplug without guilt, this episode offers both empathy and actionable tips to make your time away truly restorative.

The Gift of Experience: Five Ways Credit Unions Can Leverage the Post-Service Era

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Today’s guest is Lamont Black. He is an educator, thinker, dreamer, speaker, an author with a focus on financial innovation, and a futurist. He’s inspiring our credit union movement to test, invest, and strategize to embrace Artificial Intelligence. Lamont is also the Associate Professor of Finance at DePaul University in Chicago and a former economist at the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C. This is Lamont’s story.

We’re rewinding one of our most popular and insightful episodes from the Third Fork archive: Curiosity Over Criticism. 

In this conversation, Tansley Stearns and Ryan Brown explore the delicate art of navigating unsolicited advice. Tansley shares how leading with questions rather than statements fosters openness and curiosity, while Ryan encourages listeners to assume positive intent, creating space for healthier dialogue. Together, they offer practical strategies for receiving, processing, and growing from feedback. Whether it’s your first time tuning in or you’re revisiting this one, you’ll walk away with tools to transform feedback, wanted or not, into meaningful growth.

Our Future's Playlist: Your Strategy Plays Here (Tansley Stearns originally published this article on December 6, 2024)

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Today’s guest is Christopher Veal. He is a great listener, someone who’s warm, thoughtful, challenging the traditional definitions of masculinity, and he’s known to be silly. He’s also a dad. Christopher is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, and faculty for the Co-Active Training Institute and ACT Leadership & Performance Coaching, a former Marine Officer, and the author of The Whole Man: Evolving Masculinity. This is Christopher’s story.

Four Strategy Lessons from Ms. Pac-Man (Tansley Stearns originally published this article on December 6, 2024)

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