Ryan Vescio, as a state attorney for 15 years, managed criminal matters ranging from high-profile murders to heart-wrenching child abuse and sex trafficking cases. This daily experience of handling a wide variety of complex cases required him to be a quick study and exposed him to a vast network of attorneys, judges, and experts providing technical and detailed testimony. Intensive on-the-job training equipped Ryan with the ability to effectively navigate the complexities of the court system, while boldly representing his litigation clients on the grounds of what is fair, just, right, and good.

Chuck Whittington has over 30 years of experience as a business leader in the food packaging industry, holding roles in sales, marketing, and national-level leadership. He currently serves as the senior executive leading the Business Transformation Office (BTO) and advises the company’s President and CEO on transformation and integration strategies. In addition to his business career, Chuck served for over 32 years in the U.S. Army, most recently as Deputy Director of the Army National Guard, where he led strategy, policy, and budgeting efforts in partnership with state and territory Adjutants General. He also served as Acting Director of the Army National Guard, working closely with the Chief of Staff of the Army and the Chief of the National Guard Bureau.

In this episode, Wendi, Ryan, and Chuck discuss:

• Evolution of leadership skills through self-awareness, humility, and teamwork
• Challenges of volunteer leadership
• Traits of a leader include empathy, accountability, followership, and more
• Balancing humility with authority in leadership to drive change effectively
• Power of vulnerability in leadership to create meaningful human connections

Key Takeaways:

• Leadership development hinges on self-awareness, humility, and teamwork, with continuous learning being a key driver of growth and effectiveness.
• A successful leader empowers their team, recognizing and coaching individual strengths and weaknesses, which fosters a culture of mentorship and support.
• Followership requires active listening, constructive feedback, and accountability, making it essential for organizational success.
• Leaders are encouraged to cultivate sound decision-making, resilience, and perspective, with failure embraced as a powerful opportunity for personal growth.
• Volunteerism and unexpected opportunities provide rich learning experiences, helping develop leadership skills beyond formal roles. 

“What reinforces being human, real, and vulnerable is that when you resonate with someone beneath you, they build a connection. And to me, that connection pushes things forward—it drives people to raise extra money for philanthropy or put in two extra hours off the clock because you’re in the same fight, even though you're in different places.” 

- Ryan Vescio

“Understand that the crucible that you're going to move through to become a young leader will have the highs and lows. If you surround yourself with good, capable people, if you're honest, if you have integrity, if you're a communicator, and if you can prove yourself to be resilient over time, stick to it.”

- Chuck Whittington

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/85fWUIjbA88?si=h6-nHE-IvqNLyJE_

Connect with Ryan Vescio and Chuck Whittington:

Websites: https://shuffieldlowman.com/ / https://pactivevergreen.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-james-vescio-11a30740/ 

                https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuck-whittington-688b2256/              

Emails: [email protected]  / [email protected] 

Connect with Wendi Swanson:

Website: etymongroup.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/wendiswanson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557265653368 

Email: [email protected]

Show notes by Podcastologist: Angelo Paul Tagama

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it