MagnoliaTree: Inspiring Brave Leaders

Professor Eileen Botting is an American political theorist and professor of political science. She works on political thought from the 17th century to present. Botting was also the head of Notre Dame’s Hesburgh-Yusko scholarship which is a comprehensive, merit-based scholarship and leadership-development  program that seeks to attract, encourage, and equip extraordinary students who will have a transformational effect on the world. 

During this episode, Augustine and Professor Botting discuss what it means to be an ethical leader. Also discussed is the importance of seeking out mentors, applying classroom dynamics to leadership models, facilitating feedback, and creating space for oneself in a larger organization.

In this episode, Augustine Pasin is joined by David Oldfield. David is the director of The Midway Center for Creative Imagination in Washington, DC. He holds a Masters in Religion from Yale as well as a Masters in Special Education from Southern Connecticut State University. David’s passion for creativity, imagination, and innovation leads him to the “thresholds” of life, times when profound transformation is called for, and we must realign our lives, our work, and our organizations, in order for our emergent potentialities to unfold.

Throughout the episode, David and Augustine discuss imagination as an avenue through which to imbue the human spirit into any endeavor. Also discussed is patience, engaging with a company’s mission statement, and finding a vocation.

Sabine Gromer and Augustine Pasin discuss why they choose to start a podcast on ethical/dignified leadership. Topics discussed include the methods by which modern leadership is learned, the importance of mentors in an increasingly saturated field of leadership information, and the intent placed in selecting potential interviewees. If you’re interested in the podcast, or if you’ve listened to a few episodes but want to get a feel for the structure going forward, this episode is a good starting place.

In this episode, Augustine interviews Richard (Rocky) Kimball. He is the Co-Founder of FRED Leadership, a non-profit membership organization whose mission is to 'inspire the development of moral, transformative leaders who make the world a better place '. Rocky has a distinguished track record working with CEOs, senior executives, and teams-at-the-top to build strategic alignment. His work is often aimed at organizational transformation through the design and delivery of customized executive development initiatives. Kimball also teaches at major universities, including the Tuck Business School at Dartmouth.

Augustine and Rocky found themselves honing in on the importance of nurturing leaderships and finding an environment that facilitates growth and curiosity. Also discussed is the imposter syndrome, the servant nature of leadership, how to institute organizational change when you aren’t the CEO, and meditation. 

Ramaa Krishnan was born in India and raised in the city of Mumbai (Bombay), where she earned a graduate degree in accounting and economics before going ahead to become a Chartered Accountant (or a CPA, as it is called in the U.S.). It was in her twenty-first year while she was training to be an accountant, that a single meeting with the spiritual luminary, the Shankaracharya of Sringeri, India, changed the course of her journey.

This episode explores the relationship between meditation and leadership while diving into how Ramaa’s experiences with leadership in her meditation practice and the application of mindfulness to self-care and reflection.