Land and Lead

In this episode of Land and Lead, Dr. Josh Elmore speaks with Dr. Todd Grindal, President of SRI Education, about stepping into a high-stakes leadership role during a period of major disruption as federal funding priorities were shifting. Drawing on his progression through SRI and his background as a researcher, teacher, and administrator, Todd reflects on the importance of humility, listening, strategic clarity, and decision-making amid uncertainty. He shares how he led through crisis by focusing the organization on excellence, unique value, mission, and impact. Todd also offers a powerful lesson on looking for what is missing—the “white space”—when interpreting data and leading change.

In this episode of Land and Lead, Dr. Josh Elmore speaks with Dave Kehr on his transition into leading Schaeffler’s humanoid robotics startup after more than two decades in engineering, manufacturing, and global business roles. He reflects on moving from structured business units into a fast-moving internal startup, where speed, uncertainty, and quick decision-making define the work. Dave discusses the value of technical competence, global experience, executive access, and learning to stay effective while testing his comfort zone. His advice for leaders entering high-stakes roles: trust yourself, avoid the pressure to be perfect, rely on your team, and seek outside perspective.

In this episode of Land and Lead, Dr. Josh Elmore speaks with Reggie Newson, President and CEO of Wellpoint Care Network, about leading a 175-year-old nonprofit through alignment, culture-building, and renewed strategic focus. Reggie shares how he entered the role with deep listening, using rounding, stakeholder conversations, and direct engagement with associates to understand the organization’s strengths and opportunities. He discusses building a culture of accountability and care, breaking down silos, strengthening financial sustainability, and keeping Wellpoint’s mission connected to expectations. For leaders entering high-stakes roles, Reggie emphasizes clarity, alignment, culture, and decisive action grounded in learning.

In this episode of Land and Lead, Dr. Josh Elmore speaks with Prasanna Rajendran, President and CEO of Transentric Inc., about stepping into a newly created leadership role inside Union Pacific’s rail ecosystem. Prasanna reflects on moving from product and technology leadership into enterprise leadership, and shares how he approached his first 90 days by listening closely to customers and teams, setting a clear strategic direction, and building an empowered leadership team. He also discusses product-led transformation, platform strategy, the role of AI in operational industries, and why strong transitions require curiosity, prioritization, adaptability, and a relentless focus on solving real business problems.

In this episode of Land and Lead, Dr. Josh Elmore speaks with Charles Newnam, Vice President and General Manager of Leadership and Learning Strategy at Perceptyx, about entering a newly created executive role during a pivotal moment for the company. Charles reflects on how his Navy, consulting, and organization development experiences shaped his approach to leadership, behavior change, and systems thinking. He shares what it takes to guide organizational transformation while navigating his own transition, including staying disciplined, prioritizing what matters most, building belief, and remaining grounded in purpose. The episode offers practical insight for leaders stepping into complex new mandates.

In this episode of Land and Lead, Dr. Josh Elmore speaks with Kurtis Krentz, President of ALLO Fiber, about transitioning into a leadership role within a high-growth, founder-led organization. Kurtis shares how his move from a large firm to an entrepreneurial company required adapting his leadership approach, learning a new operating environment, and building credibility over time. He reflects on the shift from founder-driven leadership to a performance-driven model, and the importance of complementing, not replacing, the founder’s strengths. The conversation highlights the value of patience, listening, and earning trust. Kurtis offers practical advice for leaders entering new roles: stay grounded, resist the urge to pursue big acts quickly, and focus on enabling others to succeed.

In this episode of the Land and Lead Podcast, Dr. Josh Elmore speaks with Robert Robinson, President of Laboratory Equipment at Thermo Fisher Scientific, about navigating his first year in a new executive role. Robinson explains why he spent his early months learning the organization, its people, history, and culture, before setting humble but ambitious goals. He shares how building trust, clarifying goals, and fostering accountability helped strengthen his team, and how embracing innovation, including AI, is shaping the organization’s future direction.

In this episode of Land and Lead, Dr. Josh Elmore speaks with Paari Gopalakrishnan, President and CEO of GBMC HealthCare, about entering a high-stakes leadership role. Paari reflects on his transition from physician to system leader and shares how preparation, structured listening, and early stakeholder engagement accelerated his onboarding. He discusses aligning with the board, earning organizational trust through transparency, and balancing immediate pressures with long-term strategy. The conversation explores intentional leadership, navigating uncertainty, and why new leaders must prepare deeply, listen broadly, and continuously learn as they take charge of complex organizations.

In this episode of the Land and Lead podcast, Dr. Josh Elmore interviews Ben Banks, the President and CEO of BNSF Logistics. Ben shares his extensive journey within the transportation industry, detailing his rise from a terminal train master to CEO. He discusses the challenges and opportunities he faced while transitioning into leadership at BNSF Logistics, particularly the need to realign the company’s vision with that of its sister company, BNSF Railway. Ben emphasizes the importance of understanding the organization’s core capabilities and the necessity of fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement among his team.

In this episode of the Land and Lead podcast, Dr. Josh Elmore sits down with Carlos Ayala, founder of Mentora and former Chief Workplace Connection Officer at NiSource. Carlos reflects on his leadership journey and shares lessons on navigating transitions, culture change, and people-centered leadership. The conversation explores humility, emotional intelligence, psychological safety, and Carlos’s “observe, listen, ask, and act” philosophy. Leaders entering high-stakes roles will gain practical insight into aligning strategy, culture, and people while building trust and momentum during change.