In this second conversation with Dr. Ian Slater, we go deeper into what it means to lead with care and why doing the foundational work early matters so much. Dr. Slater shares how intentionally investing in relationships and trust on the front end equips leaders to navigate the harder, more honest conversations that inevitably come.

We explore:

• Building Trust Before It’s Tested — why investing in authentic relationships creates space for healthy dialogue when challenges arise.

• Inviting Truth Into Our Leadership — how asking trusted colleagues to speak honestly into your leadership helps you see blind spots and grow.

• Courageous Vulnerability — why leaders must be willing to truly hear hard feedback and embrace the discomfort that leads to real transformation.

This episode is a reminder that caring leadership isn’t soft; it’s intentional, relational, and courageous. When we prepare the ground with trust and openness, we create space for meaningful growth and stronger teams.

💡 Reflection Prompt:

• Who do you trust to speak truth into your leadership?

• How can you strengthen relationships now so that hard conversations later feel safe and productive?

In this episode of Leadership & Learning, Dr. Ian Slater shares his perspective on caring leadership—a style of leading that is deeply relational, self-aware, and committed to the growth of others. He reminds us that leadership is not static; it is dynamic, evolving, and episodic, shaped by seasons of life and the contexts in which we serve.

Dr. Slater emphasizes the importance of inner leadership, knowing both our strengths and our challenge areas—so that we can lead authentically and bring others to the table. As he puts it, “our leadership should cast more light than shadows,” a reminder that while all leaders influence in both directions, the goal is to shine light that helps others thrive.

At its core, leadership is about inviting others into the journey: recognizing their giftedness, creating space for their contributions, and helping them learn and grow. Titles may provide authority, but true leadership is earned through care, humility, and the ability to help others flourish.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why leadership is dynamic, evolving, and shaped by context

• The role of inner leadership in knowing your strengths and growth areas

• How to cast more light than shadows through authentic influence

• Why caring leadership is about bringing others along, not leading from title alone

About Dr. Ian Slater Dr. Ian Slater is a thoughtful leader, educator, and mentor with deep experience in guiding individuals and organizations through growth and transformation. His insights challenge us to lead with care, authenticity, and a commitment to helping others thrive.

Episode Summary In this second part of my conversation with Dr. Ava Jones, we dive deep into the heart of leading change. Dr. Jones reminds us that effective change leadership isn’t about systems, strategies, or checklists first; it’s about people. At the foundation of it all is trust: leaders must genuinely care for their people if they expect them to step into change with confidence and commitment.

Dr. Jones challenges us to consider three critical practices that make change not only possible but sustainable:

1. Highlighting What is Not Changing – Amid uncertainty, teams need anchors. Dr. Jones calls this focusing on “what endures.” By naming the values, mission, or cultural commitments that remain steady, leaders create security and stability during transitions.

2. Inviting Co-Creation – Change is most successful when it is not dictated to people but developed with them. Dr. Jones shares how leaders can invite their teams to become co-creators of the change process, sparking ownership, innovation, and shared accountability.

3. Building Trust through Care – Trust isn’t built in a single conversation; it’s earned through consistent actions that show people they are valued. Dr. Jones emphasizes that when leaders demonstrate care, they create the conditions where teams will follow them, even through uncertainty.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why clarity about “what endures” provides stability during times of change

• Practical ways to communicate both continuity and transformation

• How to move from top-down mandates to shared co-creation with your team

• Why trust and genuine care are non-negotiable for lasting change

About Dr. Ava Jones Dr. Ava Jones is a respected leader and voice in organizational transformation. With years of experience guiding institutions through growth and transition, she offers practical wisdom for leaders navigating complexity while keeping people at the core.

Welcome back to Leadership and Learning with Dr. JBT.

In today’s episode, I sit down with Dr. Ava Jones, a Senior Workforce Transformation Consultant whose career spans over 25 years of leading large-scale change across healthcare, higher education, banking, non-profits, and federal systems—including the Department of Defense, Navy Medicine, and the Veterans Health Administration.

Dr. Jones holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership, along with deep expertise in culture, leadership, and organizational effectiveness. She is widely recognized for her ability to translate workforce data into decisions that drive performance and long-term transformation. She designs and facilitates executive workshops, authors thought leadership, and delivers keynote presentations that define best practices in leadership and employee experience.

In this first part of our conversation, Dr. Jones shares powerful insights on authentic leadership, with a focus on:

• Moral Courage — making decisions based on values, not convenience.

• People First Leadership — why caring for people is the cornerstone of authentic leadership.

• Authenticity in Action — how leaders can align values, behavior, and culture to create trust and transformation.

Her perspective is both practical and inspiring, reminding us that leadership is less about position and more about character and consistency.

🔗 Tune in now to hear Part 1 of this conversation with Dr. Jones, and discover what it means to lead with courage, authenticity, and a people-first mindset.

💭 Question for you: How do you ensure your leadership decisions are driven by values rather than convenience?

In this episode of Leadership and Learning with Dr. JBT, we dig into one of the trickiest skills for leaders to master: delegation.

Handing off tasks isn’t enough. True delegation is about empowering people with clarity, structure, and trust. But as I learned the hard way, how we provide feedback after delegating can make or break the process.

I share a personal story about what one of my team members called my “seagull effect," swooping in on a project mid-flight, leaving untimely feedback, and flying away. It was a wake-up call that shifted how I approach delegation.

We’ll unpack three key practices to avoid the seagull effect and delegate with impact:

1. Give Clear Direction Upfront – Define the “why,” clarify expectations, and outline decision-making authority.

2. Agree on Checkpoints – Build intentional touchpoints that provide support without micromanaging.

3. Provide Confidence-Building Feedback – Refine work with encouragement that strengthens trust and ownership.

Key Takeaway: Great leaders don’t swoop in to critique; they delegate with clarity, support, and feedback that empowers their teams to soar.

🎧 Listen in to learn how you can turn delegation into a tool for growth, not frustration.

In this episode of Leadership and Learning with Dr. JBT, we explore one of the most overlooked but critical parts of leadership: how to manage participation in meetings.

Too often, leaders walk away from meetings wondering:

• Why did only a few people speak?

• Were others disengaged?

• Did the louder voices dominate while others stayed silent?

Here’s the truth: people want to participate. But not everyone knows how, and it’s the leader’s role to create the conditions where every voice can be heard.

In this episode, Dr. JBT breaks down four common reasons people don’t participate in meetings:

1. The same person always talks first.

2. Some people need processing time before they’re ready to share.

3. Others hesitate because they’re not sure their ideas are “good enough.”

4. Someone dominates the discussion and takes up all the oxygen in the room.

You’ll hear practical strategies to address each of these barriers, from setting expectations and allowing silence, to modeling vulnerability, and even interrupting respectfully when necessary. Dr. JBT also speaks directly to the “offenders” in the room with simple reminders that can transform the way meetings run.

“What’s one change I can make to draw out more voices in the room?”

In this episode of Leadership and Learning, I explore a challenge every leader faces: balancing the urgent demands of working in the business with the strategic responsibility of working on the business.

Too often, leaders get caught in “firefighter mode”, constantly putting out emergencies, solving day-to-day problems, and reacting to what’s right in front of them. While necessary at times, this approach can leave little space for vision, prevention, and long-term growth.

That’s where the mindset of the fire marshal comes in. Instead of reacting to every blaze, the fire marshal anticipates risks, puts systems in place, and creates the conditions that reduce the number of fires in the first place.

In this conversation, I unpack how leaders can:

• Recognize when they’re stuck in firefighting

• Create space to think strategically and proactively

• Build systems that prevent issues before they arise

• Lead their teams with a balance of responsiveness and foresight

Whether you’re leading a team, a division, or an entire organization, learning when to be the firefighter and when to be the fire marshal can transform how you lead and how your organization thrives.

In Part 2 of my conversation with Alby Salsa, Founder & CEO of Raven Eye Consulting, we dive deeper into what it means to lead boldly in today’s world of higher education and beyond.

Alby challenges us to embrace unconstrained thinking by breaking free from self-imposed limits and imagining what’s truly possible when we remove the barriers we place on ourselves and our teams. He also unpacks the dangers of leading from the shadows, reminding us that effective leadership requires courage, visibility, and intentional presence.

We also discuss the importance of personal branding. Why putting yourself out there isn’t just about self-promotion, but about owning your story, amplifying your values, and modeling authenticity for others.

Whether you’re an emerging leader or a seasoned executive, this episode will push you to think bigger, step into the light, and lead with confidence.

Failing Fast, Putting People First, and Unlocking Hidden Strengths with Alby Salsa

In this episode of Leadership and Learning, I sit down with Alby Salsa, Founder and CEO of Raven Eye, and a thought leader in higher education enrollment and student success.

Alby brings more than 20 years of experience guiding institutions in building enrollment teams, designing large-scale student coaching programs, and strengthening retention. His leadership journey has included roles as Regional Vice President at InsideTrack, Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Operations at Brandman University, and Senior Director of Enrollment and Retention at Blackboard. Today, through Raven Eye and his podcast Going the Distance, he continues to shape best practices that impact learners nationwide.

Our conversation explores:

• Failing Fast: Why speed and learning matter more than perfection.

• People First Leadership: Start with your people.

• Overcoming Self-Doubt: How to unlock what's already within you.

• The Row Team Analogy: What rowing teaches us about team placement, alignment, and the difference between winning and losing.

Whether you’re leading a team, navigating higher education, or simply seeking ways to bring out the best in people, Alby’s insights will challenge and inspire you.

🔗 Listen now and join the conversation on how we can lead with care, confidence, and strategy.

In this episode of Leadership and Learning with Dr. JBT, I sit down with Tyler Maskiewicz, a leader who thrives in a matrix structure where influence, collaboration, and vision are essential. Unlike traditional vertical leadership, Tyler leads horizontally, working across teams and functions to align people toward shared goals.

Tyler shares how he:

• Builds rapport and trust to gain momentum when he doesn’t hold direct authority.

• Uses stakeholder mapping and a deep understanding of his audience to move projects forward.

• Casts a compelling vision of what’s possible to inspire others to invest time and energy.

• Approaches conversations with intentionality, knowing that when he shows up, he’s often asking people to take on more work.

This conversation is a masterclass in the power of influence over authority. Tyler reminds us that in complex organizations, leadership isn’t about titles; it’s about relationships, strategy, and the ability to move people toward a shared future.

Tune in to learn practical ways to strengthen your influence, especially if you lead across functions, roles, and priorities.