What if the secret to a high-performance team isn't working harder as the leader, but getting your team to actually care? Laura Martin, co-founder and CEO of The Glinda Group, shares the foundational steps every leader should take when joining a new team, plus the crucial mistake that taught her when to stop seeking consensus and start making decisions.

You'll discover practical strategies for creating team accountability, establishing norms that stick, and addressing behavioral issues most leaders avoid. Laura explains how to delegate ownership (not just tasks) and why "clear is kind" when building team performance.

Follow The Made Leader for more leadership insights and strategies.

For links mentioned, visit growthsignals.co

Connect with Laura on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraemartin1/

Connect with Jen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenparnold/

You’re already a leader but your career feels stalled. In this episode, Jen Arnold and Karen Suchsland unpack the real reasons you might not be getting promoted. From misaligned roles and unclear visibility to lack of strategic impact, they break down what holds leaders back after they’ve landed their first role - and how to move forward. 

If you’re doing the work but not getting ahead, this conversation will help you assess your current state, take meaningful action, and regain control of your leadership growth.

Download the Promotion Troubleshooting Guide referenced in this podcast at: https://bit.ly/MadeLeaderGuide

For links mentioned, visit www.growthsignals.co

Follow The Made Leader for more leadership insights and strategies.

Think hospitality leadership is just about customer service? Think again. In this episode, HR leader Junid Sanchez reveals why hospitality is like boot camp for leadership skills - and what every middle manager can learn from an industry that forces you to think fast, connect authentically, and lead when everything keeps moving.

In this episode, you'll discover why "marinating" on decisions beats rushing to judgment, how one piece of direct feedback transformed Junid's leadership approach, and why sometimes missing out on a promotion is exactly what your career needs. 

Plus, hear the ice cream cart story that perfectly captures what happens when leaders have autonomy to show employee appreciation.

Whether you're in hospitality or any other industry, Junid's insights will help you build the kind of leadership presence that makes people actually want to work for you.

Follow The Made Leader for more leadership insights and strategies.

For links mentioned, visit www.growthsignals.co

Join The Made Leader Community by May 30th at https://bit.ly/MadeLeaderCommunity

Are you and your team ready for AI, or are you still hoping it's just another business fad that will fade away? While executives debate high-level AI strategies, middle managers are caught in the trenches, needing practical approaches that balance real-world implementation with their team's day-to-day responsibilities.

In this episode, AI-HR strategist Theresa Fesinstine cuts through the noise with practical advice on leading teams through the AI revolution. You'll discover how to move beyond just polishing emails, have tough conversations about automation, and implement AI tools your team will actually use.

No technical jargon or unrealistic strategies—just straightforward guidance on balancing people and technology in your leadership approach. Whether you're AI-curious or AI-anxious, you'll walk away with action steps you can start tomorrow.

Follow The Made Leader for more leadership insights and strategies.

For links mentioned, visit www.growthsignals.co 

Join The Made Leader Community by May 30th at https://bit.ly/MadeLeaderCommunity

Are your employees just collecting paychecks, or are they giving you their best work? In this episode, authors Tamara Myles and Wes Adams reveal the science behind meaningful work through their powerful "Three C's" framework: Community, Contribution, and Challenge. 

You'll discover why purpose alone isn't enough, how one simple thank-you per week can cut employee burnout in half, and practical strategies any middle manager can implement—even without organizational support. 

Whether you're leading a team of two or twenty, the strategies in this episode will help you create an environment where employees bring their best selves to work. By focusing on community, contribution, and challenge, you'll not only boost performance metrics but transform your leadership impact.

Follow The Made Leader for more leadership insights and strategies.

For links mentioned, visit www.growthsignals.co 

Frustrated by endless status updates and feeling stuck in the details? Project management expert Paul Koetke reveals practical strategies for middle managers drowning in deliverables. 

With the right project management approach, you can transform chaos into clarity and make better decisions with less effort. Paul's down-to-earth strategies will help you master practical project management techniques to streamline your workload, boost team communication, and transform your leadership approach.

Learn how to create systems that actually reduce your workload, transform boring update meetings into action sessions, and communicate effectively up and down the organization. Stop wasting time collecting data nobody uses and start leading instead of just managing.

Links Mentioned:

Website: koetkeconsulting.com

Connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulkoetke/

The Made Leader Community: https://growthsignals.co/leadership-training/

The conversation every manager dreads: "I want to move into leadership." How do you know if they truly understand what they're asking for? After all, the skills that make someone excel at their job are often completely different from what makes them effective at leading others.

In this coaching episode, host, Jen Arnold is joined by leadership coach Julie Binter, 

Founder of Clear The Way Coaching & Consulting, to break down why identifying leadership potential goes far deeper than performance metrics, and how to know whether someone is truly ready to lead.

Learn the subtle signs of leadership potential, the red flags to watch for, and why someone's motivation for wanting to lead reveals more than any performance review. Whether you're considering promoting someone or already have, this conversation delivers practical insights on identifying who's truly ready for the challenge. 

In your first 3 years of management? Join The Made Leader Community for continuous support for 3 months. Learn more here: https://growthsignals.co/leadership-training/

Connect with Julie – 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliebinter/

Website: https://www.clearthewaycoach.com/

Connect with Jen- 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenparnold/ 

Website: https://growthsignals.co/

Is showing empathy a leadership weakness? Podcast guest, Chrystal Morris Harry shatters this myth by revealing how the most effective leaders balance compassion with accountability. Drawing from her 20+ years of HR expertise and current role as Organizational Development Manager at the City of Las Vegas, Chrystal shares practical wisdom that middle managers can implement immediately. 

You'll discover how authenticity creates psychological safety, why admitting mistakes strengthens your leadership, and strategies for encouraging reluctant team members to grow. Chrystal's refreshing candor about her own leadership journey—from hourly employee to award-winning manager—offers a roadmap for anyone looking to lead with both heart and effectiveness. 

If you're tired of leadership advice that feels disconnected from real-world challenges, Chrystal's down-to-earth wisdom and willingness to share her own missteps offer the perfect antidote. Her practical insights will help you unlock your team's potential while staying true to yourself.

Connect with Chrystal – 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrystal-morris-harry-mba-sphr-jctc-jcdc-63350a13/

Business LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbm-strategic-partners/

Connect with Jen- 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenparnold/ 

Website: https://growthsignals.co/

The Made Leader Community is kicking off in June to help transform early managers into confident leaders: https://growthsignals.co/leadership-training/

Ever feel like your leadership failures are holding you back? Think again.

In this episode, Anne Turchi reveals how the best leaders don't avoid mistakes—they transform them into growth opportunities. 

Anne Turchi, Director of Organizational Effectiveness and Transformation at Columbia Sportswear, shares her leadership journey from managing a tennis camp to leading a team of internal consultants in a large corporation.

With over 20 years of experience driving organizational change across for-profit, higher education, and non-profit institutions, Anne brings a wealth of insights about creating cultures where growth and learning thrive.

In this episode, Anne reveals how her biggest leadership lessons came from everyday challenges and failures. She explores the critical importance of having safe spaces to process mistakes and reflects on how her approach to leadership has evolved over time.

Discover practical strategies to create environments where both you and your team can fail forward, learn continuously, and develop stronger leadership skills through honest reflection. Stop dreading missteps and start leveraging them for your leadership journey.

Connect with Anne on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/anneturchi/

That feeling when someone calls your workplace a "family"? It doesn’t feel right for a reason. Real workplace community is something entirely different—and much more valuable for your team's success.

In this episode, community expert DeMario Bell reveals what actually creates belonging at work (hint: it's not happy hours or pizza parties). Learn the trust equation that builds genuine connections, simple ways to foster psychological safety on your team, and why those little moments in one-on-ones matter more than grand team-building events.

Whether you're leading a small team or an entire department, this conversation offers practical steps to build workplace communities that support both personal growth and business results—no forced "family" dynamics required.

Connect with DeMario – 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/demario-bell-7a510994/

Website: https://www.gatherfulconsulting.com/

Connect with Jen- 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenparnold/ 

Website: https://growthsignals.co/