The Energized Leader

What if the fastest way to become a stronger leader is not doing more, but stepping away?

In this episode of The Energized Leader Podcast, host Desi Payne sits down with Linda Daugherty, Chief Operating Officer of the Academy of Hair Design in Springfield, Missouri, to talk about burnout recovery, leadership sabbaticals, and how to recharge your energy after tough seasons like COVID. Linda shares her real story of hitting a brick wall after years of carrying responsibility in both education and business, then becoming the first person at her company to take a 30 day sabbatical in New Zealand.

You will hear practical leadership strategies for preventing burnout, how to unplug without abandoning your team, and why slowing down can improve decision making, health, and workplace culture. Linda also explains how her organization builds an energized culture through core values you can feel: FUN, Excellence, Love, and Transformation. Plus, she shares how community service, like providing haircuts and wellness services at the Springfield Dream Center and Harmony House, boosts morale and reinforces purpose for employees.

If you are a leader, educator, or business owner feeling exhausted, this conversation will help you reset, reconnect to your purpose, and build a healthier, more energized workplace.

Connect with Linda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-daugherty-mba-a9456810b/

CONNECT WITH DESI:

https://www.desipayne.com/

www.linkedin.com/in/desipaynemotivationalspeaker

www.youtube.com/c/desipayne

Instagram: @Desi.Payne

Facebook: @DesiPayneMotivationalSpeaker

Recognition is not fluff. It is fuel for performance, retention, and workplace culture.

In this episode of The Energized Leader Podcast, Desi Payne interviews Dr. Bob Nelson, a world-renowned expert on employee recognition and appreciation and the bestselling author behind 1,001 Ways to Reward Employees. With 30 plus books to his name, Dr. Nelson shares practical, real-world strategies leaders can use to energize employees, boost engagement, and build a culture where people feel valued, respected, and motivated.

You will hear why positive reinforcement works, what gets in the way for busy managers, and how to recognize employees without spending money. Dr. Nelson shares powerful stories from organizations like the IRS and Disney, plus simple leadership habits like asking “Are you okay?” and inviting employees to share ideas that improve results. If you want to improve morale, reduce burnout, and create a workplace where people want to do their best work, this conversation is for you.

Connect with Dr. Bob Nelson:

www.drbobnelson.com

https://www.nelson-motivation.com/

CONNECT WITH DESI:

https://www.desipayne.com/

www.linkedin.com/in/desipaynemotivationalspeaker

www.youtube.com/c/desipayne

Instagram: @Desi.Payne

Facebook: @DesiPayneMotivationalSpeaker

Desi Payne is an international keynote speaker who helps overwhelmed employees overcome and prevent burnout—so they can experience renewed energy and motivation to work, boosted morale, happier employees, and a positive workplace culture.

With experience as a business owner, a 25-year hospital career, a family legacy of owning 35 restaurants, and the lived perspective of a breast cancer survivor, Desi knows resilience firsthand and delivers practical tools audiences can use immediately. She has inspired thousands of leaders and partnered with hundreds of organizations.

Desi is a regular guest on the lifestyle show Hello Iowa! and the host of The Energized Leader podcast, where she shares practical strategies to manage stress, boost energy, and lead with positivity—at work and in life. She is the author of Manage Stress Without Losing Your Mind, Give Me Some Chocolate...I’m Stressed!, and Do You Work with the Living Dead? and is a John Maxwell Leadership Trainer.

What does Olympic level resilience look like in real life leadership? In this episode of The Energized Leader Podcast, host Desi Payne sits down with Nikki Stone, Olympic gold medalist and motivational speaker, for a powerful conversation about mental toughness, resilience, and leading under pressure.

Nikki shares the moment 10 doctors told her she would never return to aerial skiing and how she rebuilt her body and mindset to come back and win Olympic gold. You will hear practical strategies leaders can use to stay focused in high pressure environments, including thought stopping, preparing for worst case conditions, and focusing on the next step instead of the applause.

You will also learn Nikki’s “turtle effect” for success, why clarity and trust create a positive workplace culture, and how energized leaders instill energy in others to drive performance. If you are leading a team, building culture, or pushing through obstacles, this episode will help you bounce back stronger and lead with confidence.

What does it take to build an award-winning workplace culture that earns Best Places to Work 2025 for the third year in a row?

In this episode of The Energized Leader Podcast, Desi Payne sits down with Richard Ollis, CEO of Ollis/Akers/Arney Insurance & Business Advisors, an employee-owned company in Springfield, Missouri, known for exceptional culture, transparency, and people-first leadership.

Richard shares how he evolved from a “command and control” leadership style into service-oriented leadership, and why that shift transformed everything. You will learn the culture strategies that drive real engagement, including inclusive decision making, company-wide transparency, equity ownership, top-tier benefits, and how benchmarking helps organizations become an employer of choice.

You will also hear how Richard creates a standout employee experience through a purposeful onboarding process, including his “first hour, first day, first week” approach and why meeting new hires personally matters. Plus, Richard explains how humor, curiosity, routines during tough seasons, and personal development create momentum, retention, and team pride.

If you want practical leadership ideas to energize your team, strengthen culture, and build a workplace people truly love, this episode is packed with strategies you can use right now.

Ollis/Akers/Arney Insurance & Business Advisors: https://ollisakersarney.com/

Richard Ollis LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-ollis-325a417/

CONNECT WITH DESI:

https://www.desipayne.com/

www.linkedin.com/in/desipaynemotivationalspeaker

www.youtube.com/c/desipayne

Instagram: @Desi.Payne

Facebook: @DesiPayneMotivationalSpeaker

In this episode of The Energized Leader Podcast, Desi Payne sits down with Tom Douglas of JMARK, a recognized voice in AI, business strategy, and workplace culture. Tom shares insights from his economic forecasting, the changing workforce, and the mind blowing technology that is shaping the next decade. He also reveals why leadership development is more important than ever, especially as middle managers are stretched thin and many employees feel disconnected at work.

You will hear what Tom believes defines an energized leader, why vision creates momentum, and how leaders can build a culture where people feel safe, celebrated, and appreciated. Tom explains how JMARK earned recognition as a top workplace by being intentional about employee experience, including appreciation days, hiring based on core values, and prioritizing employee health and wellbeing.

Plus, Tom shares his personal strategies for staying energized, the leadership lesson he would change if he could go back in time, and a powerful gadget recommendation that helps leaders stay organized in conversations.

If you want to strengthen workplace culture, boost employee retention, and lead with clarity through uncertainty, this episode is full of practical insights and inspiration.

Tom Douglas Website:  https://www.adaptordie.com/

Tom's Favorite Gadget:  Plaud AI Voice Note Pro Recorder: https://a.co/d/ihRQLFX

Tom's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashdouglas/

CONNECT WITH DESI:

https://www.desipayne.com/

www.linkedin.com/in/desipaynemotivationalspeaker

www.youtube.com/c/desipayne

Instagram: @Desi.Payne

Facebook: @DesiPayneMotivationalSpeaker

In this powerful episode of The Energized Leader Podcast, Desi Payne sits down with David Cameron, City Manager of Springfield, Missouri, to talk about a topic leaders cannot afford to ignore: mental health.

David shares the real story behind his high-performance leadership journey, including what he learned from growing up in a small Missouri town, leading city growth and development, and helping secure major projects like Amazon’s million-square-foot facility during the height of COVID. But beyond the achievements, David gets honest about the hidden weight many leaders carry, and why success at work can sometimes mask pain, burnout, and trauma.

You will hear how David discovered the importance of counseling, emotional awareness, and taking intentional time away from work to reset his mind and reconnect with life. He explains his groundbreaking leadership practice called Freedom Leave, a bold approach that requires leaders to take extended time off with no email, no calls, and no work contact, so they can truly disconnect, reflect, and return healthier.

This episode is packed with practical takeaways for leaders, managers, HR professionals, and anyone who wants to create a workplace culture where people feel supported, valued, and cared for both on and off the clock. If you want to lead with energy, courage, and authenticity, this conversation will challenge you, inspire you, and remind you that your mental health matters.

In this episode of The Energized Leader Podcast, Desi Payne sits down with Dave Hirst, a school nutrition leader who proves that the best leadership strategy is simple: empower your people. Dave shares why nearly his entire team followed him to a new district, how trust and valuing people creates loyalty, and what it looks like to decentralize leadership so teams grow with confidence and ownership.

You will also hear how Dave leads 23 school kitchens and 100 team members, serving approximately 18,000 meals a day, while building a positive workplace culture rooted in fun, laughter, and connection. He explains how school nutrition professionals influence students every day, why feeding kids impacts behavior and learning, and how his team designs menus by listening to students and reducing food waste, with one unforgettable leadership lesson: feed kids, not trash cans.

If you lead in education, school nutrition, food service, or any people focused organization, this conversation will give you practical leadership ideas to strengthen culture, increase trust, and help your team thrive.

What does energized leadership look like inside a high impact school district? In this episode of The Energized Leader Podcast, Desi Payne interviews Dr. Grenita Lathan, superintendent of the largest public school district in Missouri, and a Women Who Mean Business award recipient. 

Dr. Lathan shares practical education leadership strategies for building an energized workplace culture, increasing staff engagement, and strengthening school community connections. You will hear how she fuels enthusiasm across classrooms and departments by leading with relationships, recognition, and approachability, plus the simple ways she uses humor and connection to break down walls. 

You will also learn about her initiatives like Let’s Talk Live (bringing feedback and problem solving directly into the community), Superintendent Solutions (student voice and leadership input), and Read to Succeed (a literacy focused effort that supports student growth). If you lead a team in education, business, or any people focused organization, this conversation delivers real world takeaways to help you lead with energy, confidence, and heart.

In this episode of The Energized Leader Podcast, Desi Payne sits down with Donna Isgett, President and CEO of McLeod Health, to unpack what energized leadership looks like inside a high pressure healthcare environment. Donna shares the one word she believes defines an energized leader, enthusiastic, and explains how enthusiasm spreads when leaders connect people to purpose and consistently show up for their teams. 

You will hear practical, leader tested strategies for building a culture where people stay, serve, and truly love where they work. From “wearing sneakers and walking the halls” to asking employees what they would do differently if they were the CEO, Donna reveals how visibility, listening, and follow through create trust and momentum across seven hospitals and a workforce of about 14,000 employees.

In this episode, you will learn:

If you want to strengthen engagement, boost morale, and lead with purpose, this conversation will energize your leadership toolkit.

CONNECT WITH DESI:

https://www.desipayne.com/

www.linkedin.com/in/desipaynemotivationalspeaker

www.youtube.com/c/desipayne

Instagram: @Desi.Payne

Facebook: @DesiPayneMotivationalSpeaker

In this episode of The Energized Leader Podcast, Desi Payne welcomes Chris Robinson, Executive Vice President of Maxwell Leadership, for a powerful conversation on what it takes to lead with energy, clarity, and purpose. Chris shares insights from his USA Today bestselling book From Drift to Drive: A High Achiever’s Guide to Breaking the Chains of Complacency, including why complacency is not laziness, but “a secret place of satisfactory success.”

You will learn how energized leaders become the picture their teams can follow, why clarity creates momentum, and how to spot the subtle drift that can quietly stall growth. Chris also explains his unforgettable “rumble strips” analogy, a wake up call that helps leaders course correct before success turns into autopilot. 

Plus, Chris shares a surprising lesson behind “55 is greater than 800” and how personal growth can shift your trajectory in leadership and life. If you want to strengthen workplace culture, boost leadership development, and stay driven instead of drifting, this episode will energize you to take your next best step.

CONNECT WITH CHRIS ROBINSON:

https://www.chrisrobinsonspeaker.com/

Bible Clock: https://www.thebibleclock.com/

Book: From  Drift to Drive  https://www.amazon.com/Drift-Drive-Achievers-Breaking-Complacency/dp/B0DZDCR4BR

CONNECT WITH DESI PAYNE:

https://www.desipayne.com/

www.linkedin.com/in/desipaynemotivationalspeaker

www.youtube.com/c/desipayne

Instagram: @Desi.Payne

Facebook: @DesiPayneMotivationalSpeaker