Make My People Better

Kerry Jones is the Service Projects Manager at freije engineered solutions company where he specializes in design, build, and installation work. As a child, Kerry learned to do everything with excellence. This mindset has carried him throughout his career.

In this episode, Kerry discusses the importance of vouching for others and encouraging them to succeed. He also addresses the difficulties minority businesses face and the hopes he has for improving their experiences.

In this episode, Gretchen and Kyle sit down with two leaders who keep servant leadership at the heart of all they do. Allen Southerland is the Chief Partnership and Leadership Pipeline Officer at Shepherd Community Center, and Derrin Slack is the Founder and Chief Program Officer at ProAct Indy. While they have different missions, both organizations focus on better serving those in the community.

In this conversation, Derrin and Allen break down what servant leadership means to them and dive into the best ways to effectively serve.

Maxine Thomas is a SNAP Outreach Specialist at Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana where she takes joy in seeing how she impacts the lives of others. She is continually driven to find new ways to serve, and she spends her free time volunteering at her church, homeless shelters, and elsewhere in her community. 

In this episode, you will hear how Maxine was humbled by the faith others put in her as a leader, and how it inspired her to intentionally build other leaders. Listen in to hear her story. 

Ashley Scruggs, an HR Training and Development Specialist at Elements Financial, knows the importance of valuing others’ experiences and creating a safe space for employees to be heard. Being “the only” in many settings, Ashley has recognized what she values in a workplace environment and strives to replicate those aspects in her company. In this episode you will hear how Ashley endeavors to lead by example and support others, even if it’s through a simple email or passing conversation.

Why are you a leader? Is it because it was the next career move? Or because you really want to make an impact on people? For Chad Peterman, President of Peterman Heating Cooling and Plumbing, the answer was clear. He is passionate about growing people and helping them chase their dreams, and he joins the Make My People Better Podcast to share how his company is working to create an environment where growth is unstoppable.

As a leader, building relationships isn’t always a top priority. For Jarrad Rankin, Vice President of Operations at Rehab Medical, taking the time to purposefully establish relationships outside of the work environment has had a tremendous impact on him and his approach to leadership. 

In the conversation, Jarrad recalls memories of his grandfather and the impact he had on the community through the relationships he built. As a growing leader, Jarrad realized this also holds the key to improving inclusion and diversity in the workplace.

What led him to this revelation? Listen in.

As a leader having difficult conversations doesn’t always come naturally. For Demetrius Warren, Branch Manager at Star Bank, this uncomfortability is something he’s learned to embrace. Throughout his career, sage advice from his dad has allowed him to maintain a learner’s mentality. The advice? Listen. 

In the conversation with Demetrius, he identifies others who have made an impact on his life while reflecting on what challenges he faced as a Black leader in a predominantly white work culture.

In this second episode of our new series, Invitations to Listen, we’re using our monthly Leadership Series event as an opportunity to check in with leaders from the trueU community. 

This series focuses on exploring leadership to understand the journeys people take to become their best selves. Our goal in this series is to connect businesses that are working towards diversity, racial equality, and inclusion with leaders who have experienced bias, discrimination, and injustice.

Today we’ve asked three members of the trueU community to share their stories and experiences with us. Ashley Scruggs, HR Training & Employee Development Specialist at Elements Financial,

Carlonda Davis, HR manager & VP at Community First Bank of Indiana, Phil Edwards, Chief Volunteer Engagement Officer at Shepherd Community Center.

Listen in as they vulnerably share how recent events have impacted their professional and personal lives.

What does it mean to have a better digital workplace? In today’s rapidly evolving environment it can often feel like leaders are mental health first responders. Neil Miller joins Gretchen Schott and Kyle DeFur in the trueU studio to share what he calls the five levels of a digital workforce. 

In the conversation, Neil also sheds light on how communication and technology play a key role in creating a thriving culture no matter where your employees are located. 

Resources Mentioned: 

• The Digital Workplace Podcast

This episode introduces our new series, Invitations to Listen. This series focuses on exploring leadership to understand the journeys people take to become their best selves. Our goal in this series is to connect businesses that are working towards diversity, racial equality, and inclusion with leaders who have experienced bias, discrimination, and injustice. 

We feel that these conversations are needed. They are stories of leaders, and it is how as a community, we all become better. In our first episode, we are featuring Tony Sanders. 

As a young professional at the time, Tony Sanders quickly learned how impactful failure is in developing as a leader. Looking back on lessons learned from running his own business and playing a pivotal role at Medxcel, Tony shares how important it is for leaders to gain the perspectives of their employees. 

When it comes to being a minority in the workplace, Tony highlights his journey and what our listeners can think about differently to create a more inclusive environment.