Send us a text

I’d like to begin this episode by acknowledging the land that I am learning and living on is the traditional un-ceded, un-surrendered territory of the Anishnaabeg Algonquin People.

Most leaders are, by their very nature, high achievers.  And this is because leaders, especially new and emerging leaders, have a tendency to see a problem or challenge and want to attack it with the ferocity of a lion hunting in the wild.


The advantage of this intense drive is that these leaders are extremely motivated, possess a high level of perseverance, have a strong personal and professional foundation, and are constantly learning from their experiences.

And it’s the highest of achievers, with years of experience, that can effectively balance performing all of these traits at the same time.

The question then becomes, “How can emerging leaders learn to simultaneously harness and use these traits?”

Well, I have good news for you, in this episode, you’ll hear from Dr. Ruth Gotian, author of “The Success Factor: Developing the Mindset and Skillset for Peak Business Performance.”  Dr. Gotian will offer insight and perspective from high achievers such as astronauts, Olympic champions, and Nobel Laureates, using their experiences to help emerging leaders operate at their peak performance level.

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been listed in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts in 2021. 

Relevant Episode Links:
1. Dr. Ruth Gotian web-site: https://www.ruthgotian.com
2. The Success Factor: Developing the Mindset and Skillset for Peak Business Performance: https://www.ruthgotian.com/book

Support the show

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been named #6 in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts for 2025.

Connect to Trench Leadership:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYnaqOp1UvqTJhATzcizowA
Trench Leadership Website: www.trenchleadership.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trench-leadership-a-podcast-from-the-front/?viewAsMember=true


Are you looking for a podcast editor/producer? Do you enjoy the quality of the show? The editor of Trench Leadership, Jennifer Lee, is taking new clients. Reach out at https://www.itsalegitbusiness.com.

Reviews are the best way for the show to know what is working, what needs improvement, and what to talk about in the future.

If you have a topic that you're passionate to hear more about, feel free to reach out at [email protected] to connect and share your ideas.

Send us a text

I’d like to begin this episode by acknowledging the land that I am learning and living on is the traditional un-ceded, un-surrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg People.

War is stupid.  

And while we all know that wars have far-reaching physical, emotional, and mental effects, it’s only until you have lived, worked, loved, fought in a war zone, can you really understand how extensive the effects of the campaign will have on yourself and everyone in the war zone.

The thing is, even without these types of experiences, leaders can, and SHOULD, be prepared to lead from the literal and figurative front lines.  But how DO we do this?  How CAN we lead if we don’t have the experiences? 

And so, in this episode, we’ll answer these questions and more.  We’ll do this by hearing from Mary Martz, a Hungry for Life International Program Manager – Ukraine region, Chad Martz, the Director of Operations at Hungry For Life International, and Annalise Schamuhn, a long-time volunteer with HFL.  This trio will talk about their experiences before and during their time as they are embedded in the Ukraine war, bringing food, water, supplies, and hope, to those who are caught in the cross-fire.

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been listed in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts in 2021.

Relevant Episode Link:
Hungry For Life International: www.hungryforlife.org/ukraine

Support the show

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been named #6 in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts for 2025.

Connect to Trench Leadership:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYnaqOp1UvqTJhATzcizowA
Trench Leadership Website: www.trenchleadership.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trench-leadership-a-podcast-from-the-front/?viewAsMember=true


Are you looking for a podcast editor/producer? Do you enjoy the quality of the show? The editor of Trench Leadership, Jennifer Lee, is taking new clients. Reach out at https://www.itsalegitbusiness.com.

Reviews are the best way for the show to know what is working, what needs improvement, and what to talk about in the future.

If you have a topic that you're passionate to hear more about, feel free to reach out at [email protected] to connect and share your ideas.

Send us a text

I’d like to begin this episode by acknowledging the land that I am learning and living on is the traditional un-ceded, un-surrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg People.

Every leader has their own vision of what the perfect leader looks like, what they sound like, how they act under pressure, or how they interact with other leaders.  We create these impressions of the ‘perfect’ leader because this is the type of leader we want to be.

The challenge comes when we take on the mantle of leadership and we begin to try and act like the leader we want to be seen as.

Here’s the thing, we can only be our authentic selves if we know how to be authentic, putting down our armour and letting our team members see the real us.  This is true leadership.

And so, in this episode, you’ll hear from Linda Basso, a business and marketing coach, who will talk about what it means to ‘be yourself’ and how to be authentic.  Once we can self-accept who we are and how we lead, our teams will see and feel our authenticity, creating an even stronger bond among all of the team members.

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been listed in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts in 2021.


Relevant Episode Link:
1. Linda Basso web-site: http://www.lindabasso.com

Support the show

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been named #6 in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts for 2025.

Connect to Trench Leadership:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYnaqOp1UvqTJhATzcizowA
Trench Leadership Website: www.trenchleadership.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trench-leadership-a-podcast-from-the-front/?viewAsMember=true


Are you looking for a podcast editor/producer? Do you enjoy the quality of the show? The editor of Trench Leadership, Jennifer Lee, is taking new clients. Reach out at https://www.itsalegitbusiness.com.

Reviews are the best way for the show to know what is working, what needs improvement, and what to talk about in the future.

If you have a topic that you're passionate to hear more about, feel free to reach out at [email protected] to connect and share your ideas.

Send us a text

I’d like to begin this episode by acknowledging the land that I am learning and living on is the traditional un-ceded, un-surrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg People.

There is a lot of talk about what it means to be resilient and how leaders have to display a sense of resilience to achieve the desired goals.  

In this episode, you’ll hear from Mike Coyle, a former Canadian Special Operations Senior Officer and Vice-President of Reticle Ventures Canada, who will explore the impact resilient leadership can have on individuals, teams, and organizations.  We’ll talk about what resilience is and why it matters, particularly during these uncertain and complex times.  Mike will share some important insights that will help established and emerging leaders build resilience in their organizations and transform adversity into an opportunity.

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been listed in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts in 2021. 

Relevant Episode Links:
Reticle Ventures Canada Website: www.reticle.ca

Mike’s Recommended Books:
1. Antifragile - Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
2. Team of Teams - New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World by General Stanley McChrystal
3. Grit - The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth      

Support the show

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been named #6 in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts for 2025.

Connect to Trench Leadership:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYnaqOp1UvqTJhATzcizowA
Trench Leadership Website: www.trenchleadership.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trench-leadership-a-podcast-from-the-front/?viewAsMember=true


Are you looking for a podcast editor/producer? Do you enjoy the quality of the show? The editor of Trench Leadership, Jennifer Lee, is taking new clients. Reach out at https://www.itsalegitbusiness.com.

Reviews are the best way for the show to know what is working, what needs improvement, and what to talk about in the future.

If you have a topic that you're passionate to hear more about, feel free to reach out at [email protected] to connect and share your ideas.

Send us a text

I’d like to begin this episode by acknowledging the land that I am learning and living on is the traditional un-ceded, un-surrendered territory of the Anishnaabeg Algonquin People.

Welcome to this special primer podcast episode of Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front, meant to highlight the principal points of your upcoming resilient leadership workshop, brought to you by Reticle Ventures Canada. 


There is a lot of talk about what it means to be resilient and how leaders have to display a sense of resilience to achieve the desired goals.  

In this episode, you’ll hear from Mike Coyle, a former Canadian Special Operations Senior Officer and Vice-President of Reticle Ventures Canada, who will explore the impact resilient leadership can have on individuals, teams, and organizations.  We’ll talk about what resilience is and why it matters, particularly during these uncertain and complex times.  Mike will share some important insights that will help established and emerging leaders build resilience in their organizations and transform adversity into an opportunity.

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been listed in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts in 2021.

Relevant Episode Links:
1. Reticle Ventures Canada Website: www.reticle.ca

Mike’s Recommended Book List:
1. Antifragile - Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Talee
2. Team of Teams -  New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World by General Stanley McChrystal
3. Grit - The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth           

Support the show

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been named #6 in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts for 2025.

Connect to Trench Leadership:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYnaqOp1UvqTJhATzcizowA
Trench Leadership Website: www.trenchleadership.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trench-leadership-a-podcast-from-the-front/?viewAsMember=true


Are you looking for a podcast editor/producer? Do you enjoy the quality of the show? The editor of Trench Leadership, Jennifer Lee, is taking new clients. Reach out at https://www.itsalegitbusiness.com.

Reviews are the best way for the show to know what is working, what needs improvement, and what to talk about in the future.

If you have a topic that you're passionate to hear more about, feel free to reach out at [email protected] to connect and share your ideas.

Send us a text

I’d like to begin this episode by acknowledging the land that I am learning and living on is the traditional un-ceded, un-surrendered territory of the Anishnaabeg Algonquin People.

Leaders talk about wanting to make real change, to help others, their organizations, or both.  And this is good thing because leaders, followers, everyone in between, can and SHOULD try to make an impact, to make ourselves and those around us feel safer and happier.


The thing is, quite often, emerging leaders feel that they can’t make these changes early in their leadership journeys.

Well, there’s no way to sugar coat it, they’re wrong.  We can make impactful changes right away.

And so, in this episode, you’ll hear from Chad Martz, the Director of Operations at Hungry For Life International and Annalise Schamuhn, a long time Hungry For Life International volunteer, who are both embedded in the Ukraine right now, doing their part to help those in need.


You’ll hear the ways that Hungry For Life International provides care and support, why they do this, and how we can help too.  Most importantly, you’ll see, in real time, how emerging leaders can make a lifelong, lasting impact, right now.

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been listed in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts in 2021.

Relevant Episode Link:
1. Hungry For Life International website: https://www.hungryforlife.org

Support the show

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been named #6 in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts for 2025.

Connect to Trench Leadership:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYnaqOp1UvqTJhATzcizowA
Trench Leadership Website: www.trenchleadership.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trench-leadership-a-podcast-from-the-front/?viewAsMember=true


Are you looking for a podcast editor/producer? Do you enjoy the quality of the show? The editor of Trench Leadership, Jennifer Lee, is taking new clients. Reach out at https://www.itsalegitbusiness.com.

Reviews are the best way for the show to know what is working, what needs improvement, and what to talk about in the future.

If you have a topic that you're passionate to hear more about, feel free to reach out at [email protected] to connect and share your ideas.

Send us a text

I’d like to begin this episode by acknowledging the land that I am learning and living on is the traditional un-ceded, un-surrendered territory of the Anishnaabeg Algonquin People.

Guilt is a powerful emotion, one that sits inside us, stirring up emotions and feelings, often creating tense personal and professional situations for ourselves and our team members.

If guilt has such a strong grip on how we act, the questions then become, how can we recognize guilt? How do we live into our guilt, not allowing it to take over our lives?  How can emerging leaders help their team members when they are feeling guilty?

Fear not!

In this episode, you’ll hear from a group of professionals from diverse and extensive backgrounds.  You’ll hear from guests who gave it all up to follow their passions, the guilt about following their dreams, overtaking them.  You’ll hear from life and leadership coaches, and how they manage the guilt of being parents while also being professionals in their fields.  You’ll hear about how guilt can force us to work harder, work faster, work meaner, all to cover our own self-loathing at ourselves and our guilt.

And it’s their stories, their admissions of guilt and how they navigated through these feelings, coming out the other side, that will help emerging leaders see, understand, and work within their guilt.  

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been listed in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts in 2021.

Relevant Episode Links:
Due to the large size of the group, please head over to www.trenchleadership.ca for links to contact each of the guests.

Support the show

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been named #6 in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts for 2025.

Connect to Trench Leadership:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYnaqOp1UvqTJhATzcizowA
Trench Leadership Website: www.trenchleadership.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trench-leadership-a-podcast-from-the-front/?viewAsMember=true


Are you looking for a podcast editor/producer? Do you enjoy the quality of the show? The editor of Trench Leadership, Jennifer Lee, is taking new clients. Reach out at https://www.itsalegitbusiness.com.

Reviews are the best way for the show to know what is working, what needs improvement, and what to talk about in the future.

If you have a topic that you're passionate to hear more about, feel free to reach out at [email protected] to connect and share your ideas.

Send us a text

I’d like to begin this episode by acknowledging the land that I am learning and living on is the traditional un-ceded, un-surrendered territory of the Anishnaabeg Algonquin People.

Leaders tend to want to make big splashes in the change pond very early in their leadership journey.  And this makes sense, we are finally in a position to ‘right the wrongs’, and take care of our people, and be the voice we feel the company needs to go to the next level. 

The challenge with being a new leader and having all of this energy is that the practical leadership experience to know when and how to make these splashes can only be achieved with time and practice.  And most often, businesses don’t, or can’t, wait for leaders to gain this invaluable experience.

This is where Mathew Georghiou, Founder and CEO of MediaSpark comes in.  Mathew and his team have taken our love of games and blended it with experiential leadership lessons, and these games gives new leaders and entrepreneurs the experience in a safe environment where we don’t have to worry about causing real-world damage to our team or business.


Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been listed in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts in 2021.

Relevant Links:
1. Personal website — Georghiou.com 
2. MediaSpark website — MediaSpark.com
3. BusinessXP website — business-XP.com
4. GoVenture website — GoVenture.net

Mathew’s Recommended Book List:
I write books but stopped reading books years ago as I find most books to be an inefficient way to gain information (too much filler :-) — so instead I micro-read daily by following my curiosity.

Support the show

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been named #6 in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts for 2025.

Connect to Trench Leadership:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYnaqOp1UvqTJhATzcizowA
Trench Leadership Website: www.trenchleadership.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trench-leadership-a-podcast-from-the-front/?viewAsMember=true


Are you looking for a podcast editor/producer? Do you enjoy the quality of the show? The editor of Trench Leadership, Jennifer Lee, is taking new clients. Reach out at https://www.itsalegitbusiness.com.

Reviews are the best way for the show to know what is working, what needs improvement, and what to talk about in the future.

If you have a topic that you're passionate to hear more about, feel free to reach out at [email protected] to connect and share your ideas.

Send us a text

I’d like to begin this episode by acknowledging the land that I am learning and living on is the traditional un-ceded, un-surrendered territory of the Anishnaabeg Algonquin People.

Listeners have heard me talk about my personal leadership development as I discovered the power of leading with my heart, and my leadership evolution as I found a way to blend leading with my heart and mind.

The thing is, as emerging leaders, we’re often trying to figure out how we want to lead so that we can get the most out of ourselves and our team, in short, we are striving for maximum team engagement.

And so, in this episode, you’ll hear from Natalie Robinson Bruner, the founder and principal strategist for Glad ED Leadership Solutions, who will discuss how emerging leaders can get the most out of your team while trying to mold your own leadership style.  We’ll do this by discussing the leadership development principles that are near and dear to me, which are finding a blend between leading with your heart and mind.  We’ll offer some of our own employee engagement attempts and their epic failures and their wins.

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been listed in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts in 2021.

Relevant Episode Links:
1. Website: https://www.gladedsolutions.com/
2. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gladedsolutions/
3. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gladedsolutions 

Natalie’s Recommended Book List:
1. Better Allies: Everyday Actions to Create Inclusive, Engaging Workplaces Everyday Actions to Create Inclusive, Engaging Workplaces  by Catlin, Karen, McGraw, and Sally.
2. How to Be an Antiracist (Books) by Kendi, Ibram X.
3. Mayo Clinic Strategies To Reduce Burnout: 12 Actions to Create the Ideal Workplace (Mayo Clinic Scientific Press) 12 Actions to Create the Ideal Workplace Mayo Clinic Scientific Press  by Swensen MD MMM, Stephen, Shanafelt MD, and Tait.
4. Carrots and Sticks Don't Work: Build a Culture of Employee Engagement with the Principles of RESPECT Hardcover – July 5, 2010 by Paul L. Marciano.
5. Rising Above a Toxic Workplace: Taking Care of Yourself in an Unhealthy Environment by Gary

Support the show

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been named #6 in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts for 2025.

Connect to Trench Leadership:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYnaqOp1UvqTJhATzcizowA
Trench Leadership Website: www.trenchleadership.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trench-leadership-a-podcast-from-the-front/?viewAsMember=true


Are you looking for a podcast editor/producer? Do you enjoy the quality of the show? The editor of Trench Leadership, Jennifer Lee, is taking new clients. Reach out at https://www.itsalegitbusiness.com.

Reviews are the best way for the show to know what is working, what needs improvement, and what to talk about in the future.

If you have a topic that you're passionate to hear more about, feel free to reach out at [email protected] to connect and share your ideas.

Send us a text

I’d like to begin this episode by acknowledging the land that I am learning and living on is the traditional un-ceded, un-surrendered territory of the Anishnaabeg Algonquin People.

Have you ever been at work and thought, “I can do that better”, or looked around and thought, “Things need to change here”, but felt overwhelmed or powerless to effect these changes?

Here’s the thing, you’re a leader now.  You have a voice at the table now, all those times that you complained about the company, the culture, the boss, all of it.  Now, you have a chance to start making those changes.  They’ll very likely be incremental changes, but any forward change is a start to systemic and institutional change.

And so, in this episode, we’ll discuss these feelings and thoughts, and then go one step further by providing some advice and insight into ways that you might be able to make these changes, and we’ll do this by speaking with Haley Grayless, MSOD, founder and CEO of Vaxa Collective, where we’ll hear her story of how she helps change toxic cultures by revolutionizing leadership and management in the workplace.

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been listed in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts in 2021.

Relevant Episode Link:
1. Haley Grayless Website: www.vaxacollective.com 

Haley’s Recommended Book List:
1. Dare to Lead - Brené Brown, Ph.D
2. The Fearless Organization - Dr. Amy Edmondson
3. Good to Great - Jim Collins
4. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey
5. Radical Candor - Kim Scott

Support the show

Trench Leadership: A Podcast From the Front is humbled to have been named #6 in the Top 20 for Best Canadian Leadership-themed podcasts for 2025.

Connect to Trench Leadership:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYnaqOp1UvqTJhATzcizowA
Trench Leadership Website: www.trenchleadership.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trench-leadership-a-podcast-from-the-front/?viewAsMember=true


Are you looking for a podcast editor/producer? Do you enjoy the quality of the show? The editor of Trench Leadership, Jennifer Lee, is taking new clients. Reach out at https://www.itsalegitbusiness.com.

Reviews are the best way for the show to know what is working, what needs improvement, and what to talk about in the future.

If you have a topic that you're passionate to hear more about, feel free to reach out at [email protected] to connect and share your ideas.