High Octane Leadership

Growing up as a son of a college football coach, Don learned some valuable life lessons from his dad. Some were lessons on what to do, and others lessons on what NOT to do. But in the end, Don realized that he had a dad and mom who love him - and that's why he feels privileged.

High Octane Leadership is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson and is a production of Earfluence.

Order UNDERESTIMATED: A CEO’S UNLIKELY PATH TO SUCCESS, by Donald Thompson.

Being a high-octane leader doesn't mean you have all the answers. It doesn't mean you don't have fear, uncertainty, and doubt.  It doesn't mean you are confident that you belong in every room.  But what can we do when we feel inadequate?

Today, Donald Thompson shares his feelings on imposter syndrome, and specifically on the book "Find Your Fierce: Interrupt Imposter Syndrome and Own Your Success", by Teresa Sande.

High Octane Leadership is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson and is a production of Earfluence.

Order UNDERESTIMATED: A CEO’S UNLIKELY PATH TO SUCCESS, by Donald Thompson.

Get ready for a JOLT of transformational motivation.  Larry Long Jr, the man with the memorable acronyms and boundless energy, is back on the podcast!  Today he talks about the FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) that he had when trying to decide whether to leave his safe job, how coaching from Kristin Frade helped him get past some of his mindset inhibitors, and his new book, Jolt!: Get Zapped into Intentionality: Rediscover and Believe in Your Inner Greatness.

High Octane Leadership is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson and is a production of Earfluence.

Order UNDERESTIMATED: A CEO’S UNLIKELY PATH TO SUCCESS, by Donald Thompson.

You've probably heard of "Quiet Quitting" by now. If not, it's an employee's opting out of tasks beyond assigned duties and/or becoming less psychologically invested in work.  It's certainly media trendy, but is it a real concern for employers?

High Octane Leadership is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson and is a production of Earfluence.

Order UNDERESTIMATED: A CEO’S UNLIKELY PATH TO SUCCESS, by Donald Thompson.

After starring at UNC's legendary women's soccer program, Brianna Pinto was drafted 3rd in the 2021 NWSL draft. She's a young soccer star for the NC Courage,  and yet she's so much more than an athlete. Today, Brianna talks about the mental health work of Soccer Resilience, representation on and off the field, and why she chose to partner with Adidas.

High Octane Leadership is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson and is a production of Earfluence.

Order UNDERESTIMATED: A CEO’S UNLIKELY PATH TO SUCCESS, by Donald Thompson.

We have a phenomenal slate of guests, business leaders, entrepreneurs, professional athletes, global HR executives coming up on High Octane Leadership, and we'll intertwine some solo episodes to share what I'm seeing as I work with global executives on building a better workplace and creating high impact team leadership.

Typically when we think about diversity equity and inclusion, we look at what’s going on in our companies and in our communities - and that’s usually just within the United States. But what happens when our business expands internationally? What happens when we need to communicate effectively with someone from a different country who speaks a different first language? Today in this mini-episode, Don shares his experiences and perspectives on global DEI.
 
The Donald Thompson Podcast is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson, and is a production of Earfluence. 

High Octane Leadership is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson and is a production of Earfluence.

Order UNDERESTIMATED: A CEO’S UNLIKELY PATH TO SUCCESS, by Donald Thompson.

When Angela Franco was a growing up in Columbia, her father would tell her, "Don't think that you're better than anybody else. If you want to go someplace, you're going to have to work for it."  That made her upset at the time, but it turned out to be a gift - to keep her grounded and treat others with respect. Now as the DC Chamber of Commerce President & CEO, Angela works with companies of all sizes and leaders of all backgrounds to grow the Washington DC business and entrepreneurship community.

The Donald Thompson Podcast is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson, and is a production of Earfluence. 

High Octane Leadership is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson and is a production of Earfluence.

Order UNDERESTIMATED: A CEO’S UNLIKELY PATH TO SUCCESS, by Donald Thompson.

Today Don chats with two dynamic leaders from Charlotte NC. Dr. Brandon Wolfe, Chief Diversity Officer at the University of North Carolina Charlotte, talks about his role, diversity equity and inclusion in higher ed, and what his work means for the greater Charlotte community. Then later, Greg Brown from the Charlotte Angel Fund comes on to share some of the successes they've had on the Charlotte startup scene, the importance of making diverse connections, and  what types of pitches he sees that truly grab his attention.

The Donald Thompson Podcast is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson, and is a production of Earfluence. 

High Octane Leadership is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson and is a production of Earfluence.

Order UNDERESTIMATED: A CEO’S UNLIKELY PATH TO SUCCESS, by Donald Thompson.

An award-winning startup CEO and founder of Millennial Ventures Holdings, Brandi Baldwin is shaking up the future of business by helping launch social impact brands. In this episode, learn what motivates her and how you can follow in her footsteps to shake up and invigorate your own organization.

The Donald Thompson Podcast is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson, and is a production of Earfluence. 

High Octane Leadership is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson and is a production of Earfluence.

Order UNDERESTIMATED: A CEO’S UNLIKELY PATH TO SUCCESS, by Donald Thompson.