What if true recognition at work wasn’t about awards or bonuses, but about helping people feel they genuinely matter every single day? 

In this episode, Dr. Zach Mercurio joins Teri Schmidt to reveal why small, everyday interactions, not flashy programs, are the secret sauce behind thriving, high-performing teams. 

Together, they unpack the science of “mattering,” practical leadership skills you can use today, and why AI will never replace the power of human connection at work. 

Resources:

• Zach's website (with free resources, including a self-assessment)
• Connect with Zach on LinkedIn

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If you're tired of avoiding tough conversations or regretting how you handled them, the Courageous Conversations Leadership Sprint is for you. This four-week, small-group coaching experience starting in October uses LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, unlocking creative new perspectives and approaches to difficult conversations.

Learn more and reserve your spot at https://www.strongleadersserve.com/build

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/

Get 1-on-1 leadership support from Teri here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

Set up an intro call with Teri: https://calendly.com/terischmidt/discoverycall

Avoiding difficult conversations, or softening them so much they lose their meaning, can damage trust, confuse your team, and hurt your credibility. In this episode, Teri shares a personal story of how avoiding inside a conversation backfired, and explores how leaders can break the cycle of avoidance with mindset shifts, clarity, and courage. If you've ever lost sleep over a difficult conversation, this one’s for you. 

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If you're tired of avoiding tough conversations or regretting how you handled them, the Courageous Conversations Leadership Sprint is for you. This four-week, small-group coaching experience starting in October uses LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, unlocking creative new perspectives and approaches to difficult conversations.

Learn more and reserve your spot at https://www.strongleadersserve.com/build

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/

Get 1-on-1 leadership support from Teri here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

Set up an intro call with Teri: https://calendly.com/terischmidt/discoverycall

Welcome to a new season of Strong Leaders Serve—where we’re going beneath the buzzwords. This season, we’re moving past surface-level leadership advice to explore the mindset shifts, self-awareness, and practices that fuel real, lasting impact. 

In this kickoff episode, Tamara Myles and Wes Adams—co-authors of Meaningful Work—join me to unpack what actually drives motivation and performance. 

We dig into their research-backed framework, the Three Cs (community, contribution, and challenge), and explore the powerful concept of balanced autonomy—a practical way leaders can support growth without micromanaging, even in our ever evolving work environment.

Resources:

• Tamara and Wes's website: https://www.makeworkmeaningful.com
• Connect with Tamara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamaramyles
• Connect with Wes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesadams1

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If you're tired of avoiding tough conversations or regretting how you handled them, the Courageous Conversations Leadership Sprint is for you. This four-week, small-group coaching experience starting in October uses LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, unlocking creative new perspectives and approaches to difficult conversations.

Learn more and reserve your spot at https://www.strongleadersserve.com/build

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/

Get 1-on-1 leadership support from Teri here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

Set up an intro call with Teri: https://calendly.com/terischmidt/discoverycall

Struggling to get buy-in from senior leaders—or move things forward across departments when you have no formal authority? This episode is for you. We're diving into the science and strategy of influencing without power, with research-backed techniques from psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral economics.

You’ll walk away with practical ways to manage up and influence across. And if you're ready to put these ideas into action, listen through to the end for a special podcast-only deal on our upcoming Leadership Build series: 25% off plus a free one-on-one coaching session (must sign up by July 31, 2025).  Visit https://www.strongleadersserve.com/build for more info and to reserve your spot.

If you're tired of avoiding tough conversations or regretting how you handled them, the Courageous Conversations Leadership Sprint is for you. This four-week, small-group coaching experience starting in October uses LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, unlocking creative new perspectives and approaches to difficult conversations.

Learn more and reserve your spot at https://www.strongleadersserve.com/build

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/

Get 1-on-1 leadership support from Teri here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

Set up an intro call with Teri: https://calendly.com/terischmidt/discoverycall

Feeling like your team is exhausted by constant change? You're not alone. 

In this episode of the Strong Leader Serve podcast, we delve into strategies for leading through change with empathy and clarity. 

Learn five practical ways to help your team navigate change fatigue, from maintaining clarity to managing energy and fostering connections. This episode draws on insights from psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral economics, offering actionable tips for mid-level and senior leaders. 

Get ready to lead your team through transitions more effectively and renew their motivation as you prepare for another season of leadership challenges.

If you're tired of avoiding tough conversations or regretting how you handled them, the Courageous Conversations Leadership Sprint is for you. This four-week, small-group coaching experience starting in October uses LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, unlocking creative new perspectives and approaches to difficult conversations.

Learn more and reserve your spot at https://www.strongleadersserve.com/build

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/

Get 1-on-1 leadership support from Teri here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

Set up an intro call with Teri: https://calendly.com/terischmidt/discoverycall

Why is delegation so difficult—even when we know it’s essential to leadership? 

In this episode, we explore the hidden emotional and cognitive barriers that keep leaders stuck in doing instead of leading. You’ll learn why delegation isn’t just a task shift, but a mindset shift—and how redefining success can unlock growth for both you and your team. Plus, hear a real-world story that shows why the discomfort of delegating is worth it. 

If you're tired of avoiding tough conversations or regretting how you handled them, the Courageous Conversations Leadership Sprint is for you. This four-week, small-group coaching experience starting in October uses LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, unlocking creative new perspectives and approaches to difficult conversations.

Learn more and reserve your spot at https://www.strongleadersserve.com/build

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/

Get 1-on-1 leadership support from Teri here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

Set up an intro call with Teri: https://calendly.com/terischmidt/discoverycall

In this episode, we explore the leadership skill most of us avoid: difficult conversations. 

You'll learn the mindset shifts that help you move from avoidance to courage, practical techniques to navigate tough talks with clarity and care, and the ripple effect these conversations can have on trust, team culture, and your own confidence. 

This episode also kicks off a 4-part series leading into the Leadership Build Series—a hands-on group learning experience using LEGO® Serious Play®. Full details coming July 2! 

If you're tired of avoiding tough conversations or regretting how you handled them, the Courageous Conversations Leadership Sprint is for you. This four-week, small-group coaching experience starting in October uses LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, unlocking creative new perspectives and approaches to difficult conversations.

Learn more and reserve your spot at https://www.strongleadersserve.com/build

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/

Get 1-on-1 leadership support from Teri here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

Set up an intro call with Teri: https://calendly.com/terischmidt/discoverycall

Have you ever received feedback that felt like a personal attack, even when you knew it shouldn’t be? 

In this episode, Teri Schmidt shares a vulnerable story from her own life and reveals why our brains react defensively when our ideas feel tied to our identity. 

Discover the neuroscience behind this reaction, learn powerful tools to create distance between who you are and what you believe, and hear how  LEGO® Serious Play® can actually make feedback feel less threatening. Listen to unlock fresh strategies for transforming feedback from a source of stress into fuel for your leadership growth!

If you're tired of avoiding tough conversations or regretting how you handled them, the Courageous Conversations Leadership Sprint is for you. This four-week, small-group coaching experience starting in October uses LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, unlocking creative new perspectives and approaches to difficult conversations.

Learn more and reserve your spot at https://www.strongleadersserve.com/build

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/

Get 1-on-1 leadership support from Teri here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

Set up an intro call with Teri: https://calendly.com/terischmidt/discoverycall

What if leadership wasn’t about having the right answers, but about asking better questions? In this episode, Dr. Joel Pérez shares how cultural humility—not just cultural competency—can transform how we lead, build inclusive teams, and create lasting organizational change. We explore why humility is a leadership strength, how to move beyond perfectionism, and what it takes to lead with curiosity in today’s complex world. 

Resources:

• Download the first chapter  of Dear White Leader:  How to Achieve Organizational Excellence through Cultural Humility
• Connect with Dr. Joel on LinkedIn

If you're tired of avoiding tough conversations or regretting how you handled them, the Courageous Conversations Leadership Sprint is for you. This four-week, small-group coaching experience starting in October uses LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, unlocking creative new perspectives and approaches to difficult conversations.

Learn more and reserve your spot at https://www.strongleadersserve.com/build

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/

Get 1-on-1 leadership support from Teri here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

Set up an intro call with Teri: https://calendly.com/terischmidt/discoverycall

When it comes to leadership, efficiency isn’t always the goal—especially if it means leaving people out of the process. 

In this episode, CNN Hero and Sleep in Heavenly Peace founder Luke Mickelson shares how “inefficiency by design” became a powerful strategy for building both beds and belonging. We explore what it means to lead through service, why volunteer experience matters as much as the mission, and how to turn purpose into action—one meaningful step at a time.  

Resources:

• Sleep in Heavenly Peace

If you're tired of avoiding tough conversations or regretting how you handled them, the Courageous Conversations Leadership Sprint is for you. This four-week, small-group coaching experience starting in October uses LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, unlocking creative new perspectives and approaches to difficult conversations.

Learn more and reserve your spot at https://www.strongleadersserve.com/build

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/

Get 1-on-1 leadership support from Teri here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

Set up an intro call with Teri: https://calendly.com/terischmidt/discoverycall