Your Authentic Executive Podcast

Heart racing. Short of breath. Trying to calm down and feeling it slip away like sand. Robert Vause got tired of walking into hard rooms that way. So he took up freediving. 

In this Favorites Replay, Robert shares what holding his breath underwater taught him about leading under pressure. The urge to breathe, it turns out, isn't really about oxygen. Once he understood that, he could train his brain to bring everything back down when every signal said bring it up.

Meet Robert Vause: Robert started leading adults in his family's agricultural equipment dealership at sixteen. He set out to become a Navy pilot, spent 39 months pursuing acting in Los Angeles, came home to help the family business grow, and moved into corporate leadership in the ag equipment industry. He now leads a region, and he's an avid reader, a learner, a husband, and a dad.

In this episode, Robert and Janyne explore:

- What freediving taught him about the stress response - and how he uses it in the boardroom

- Why he says trust is built "against your self-interest"

- Starting a new job one week before the world shut down, and meeting his team in a parking lot

- The interview question that let him say, "You would have never seen the fight in me"

- Going from a family business to a large corporation - from flying a fighter plane to flying a jet

---

Take the FREE 5R Edge™ Diagnostic and discover your resilience edge.

https://tinyurl.com/5R-Podcast

---

Action4Traction™ - Take one this week:

1. Before your next hard meeting, take five slow breaths with a long exhale.

2. Walk in with Robert's line: "It's not going to be that bad. It's okay."

3. Own one mistake out loud before anyone else points it out.

Talk4Traction™ - Bring one to your next team meeting to elevate the dialogue:

1. When pressure hits, do we bring everything up - or back down?

2. Where are we protecting ourselves at the expense of trust?

3. What's our "rocket" right now - the thing we prepared for as a jet?

---

Together, we've got this!

Janyne

Connect:  https://tinyurl.com/JPE-LinkedIn 

Subscribe: 

• YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YAE-Youtube
• Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/YAE-Apple-Podcast
• Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/YAE-Spotify

The Executive Edge Newsletter

• Subscribe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=6903082941388587009

#YourAuthenticExecutive #5REdge #ExecutiveLeadership #MindsetUnderPressure #Freediving

ENDNOTES:

[1] James Nestor, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art (New York: Riverhead Books, 2020).

Your Authentic Executive Podcast

Authentic Leadership | Profound Stories | Proven Lessons

Hosted by Janyne Peek Emsick, Ph.D.

For SPARKS! sneak peeks of each full episode, follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janynepeekemsick/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janyneyourexecutivecoach/

You can also listen to our podcast on-the-go now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Hf8dKgOS9jniNdmfg1i8q?si=4ded7c1ab5c0440a

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-authentic-executive-podcast/id1794646555

Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more Your Authentic Executive Podcast content every month! 

You have run the offsite. The values are on the wall. You still have silos. Dan Schmidt did not train his way out of that problem. He designed his way out.  

North Star Elementary opened in 2022 with six learning studios, a two-story Learning Commons, and one rule that changed everything: no teacher gets a permanent desk. Dan and I trace the whole arc, vision to building to culture, and the evidence five years on.  

Meet Dan Schmidt: Dan Schmidt is the founding principal of North Star Elementary School in Hugo, Minnesota, a 720-student building in the White Bear Lake Area School District that he helped envision before a single wall went up. He was one of roughly 30 people in the room for the dreaming phase, and then he did the harder part: he recruited the staff, built the teams, and turned renderings into a culture now in its fifth year.  

In this episode, Dan and Janyne explore: 

• Why removing permanent desks did what a culture initiative could not 
• How to staff a transformation without turning the people who opt out into your resistance 
• What a school built for self-regulation reveals about what your organization is missing 
• Why the fix for a conflict that keeps recurring is a decision made before it, not during it  

Two-thirds of senior leaders say their organizations are overly complex, and structural redesigns are producing diminishing returns. [1] Dan's worked, and the reason matters. Most restructures move boxes on a chart. His changed who is in the room with whom, every day. The same logic runs through the regulation architecture: every studio has two reset rooms, one for five minutes and one for thirty, so a child sliding out of an executive state can find the way back without a public walk down a hallway. [2] 

---  Take the FREE 5R Edge™ Diagnostic and discover your resilience edge. https://yourexecutivecoach.com/5R?utm_source=podcast

Ready to go deeper? Book a complimentary Discovery Call: https://yourexecutivecoach.com/discovery  

---  Action4Traction™ - Take one this week: 

1. Name one behavior you keep asking for that your structure quietly punishes. 

2. Find where someone here can go to reset. If there is nowhere, that is the finding. 

3. Before your next hard meeting, write down how you want to behave in it.  

Talk4Traction™ - Bring one to your next team meeting to elevate the dialogue: 

1. Where does our setup reward working alone, no matter what we say about collaboration? 

2. What would it take for someone here to opt out of a change without it costing them? 

3. When one of us gets triggered in a meeting, what do we do about the next twenty minutes?  

---  

Together, we've got this! 

Janyne  

Connect with Dan: https://northstar.isd624.org/ 

Connect with Janyne: https://tinyurl.com/JPE-LinkedIn | https://tinyurl.com/JPE-Facebook 

Listen: https://tinyurl.com/YAE-Apple-Podcast | https://tinyurl.com/YAE-Spotify | 

https://tinyurl.com/YAE-Youtube 

About Your Authentic Executive: 

Authentic Leadership | Profound Stories | Proven Lessons. 

A monthly podcast hosted by Janyne Peek Emsick, Ph.D. Full episodes drop the first Tuesday of each month; 

Janyne Peek Emsick, Ph.D. has coached executives on six continents for 35+ years. Her clients document a 70% Improvement in Resilience Under Pressure. Founder, 5R Edge™. Pronounced jah-neen'. 

#YourAuthenticExecutive #5REdge #ExecutiveLeadership #Silos #TeamCulture #Collaboration #SchoolDesign  

ENDNOTES: [1] McKinsey & Company, "The State of Organizations 2026," 2026. [2] Matthew D. Lieberman et al., "Putting Feelings into Words: Affect Labeling Disrupts Amygdala Activity in Response to Affective Stimuli," Psychological Science 18, no. 5 (2007): 421-28, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01916.x. [3] Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith, The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-Performance Organization (Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1993).

Your Authentic Executive Podcast

Authentic Leadership | Profound Stories | Proven Lessons

Hosted by Janyne Peek Emsick, Ph.D.

For SPARKS! sneak peeks of each full episode, follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janynepeekemsick/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janyneyourexecutivecoach/

You can also listen to our podcast on-the-go now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Hf8dKgOS9jniNdmfg1i8q?si=4ded7c1ab5c0440a

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-authentic-executive-podcast/id1794646555

Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more Your Authentic Executive Podcast content every month! 

Gratitude and forgiveness sound like soft topics. In the brain, they're two of the hardest-working tools a leader has.

In this episode, neuropsychologist Dr. Jeff Snell and Janyne sit with the brain science of both — and why a team's energy either compounds or quietly corrodes depending on which one is being practiced. Gratitude is a gift you give someone else. Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself. Both are learnable routines that physically rewire the brain, and both start smaller than you'd think.

Meet Dr. Jeff Snell: Director of Psychology and Neuropsychology at QLI, a post-hospital rehabilitation center in Omaha for people recovering from brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, chronic pain, and degenerative neurological conditions. For decades he has helped patients rebuild what injury took from them — and he translates that same brain science into how healthy leaders and cultures are built.

In this episode, Jeff and Janyne explore:

- Why "good job" falls flat — and what specific gratitude does to trust and belonging

- The reason a grudge feels as good as gratitude, and spreads just as fast

- Forgiveness as a deliberate decision, not a feeling you wait for

- The stream-and-leaves practice for the thoughts you can't stop

- Legacy resentments — how old conflicts keep running a culture, and how to release them

Take the FREE 5R Edge™ Diagnostic and discover your resilience edge.

https://tinyurl.com/5R-Podcast

Ready to go deeper? Book a complimentary Discovery Call:

https://yourexecutivecoach.com/discovery

--- 

Action4Traction™ — Take one this week:

1. Write one thank-you this week naming exactly what they did and the impact.

2. Name one grudge you're carrying and make the conscious choice to set it down.

3. When resentment surfaces, notice the thought and choose not to pick it up.

Talk4Traction™ — Bring one to your next team meeting to elevate the dialogue:

1. Where is our team's energy going to resentment that belongs to our real work?

2. What would specific, regular gratitude look like here — beyond "good job"?

3. Is there a legacy conflict we've inherited that we've never named or released?

---

Together, we've got this!

Janyne

Connect: YourExecutiveCoach.com · LinkedIn

Subscribe: Your Authentic Executive Podcast · The Executive Edge™ — Resilience in Action

Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/YAE-Apple-Podcast

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/YAE-Spotify

#YourAuthenticExecutive #5REdge #ExecutiveLeadership #Gratitude #Forgiveness #Resilience

Your Authentic Executive Podcast

Authentic Leadership | Profound Stories | Proven Lessons

Hosted by Janyne Peek Emsick, Ph.D.

For SPARKS! sneak peeks of each full episode, follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janynepeekemsick/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janyneyourexecutivecoach/

You can also listen to our podcast on-the-go now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Hf8dKgOS9jniNdmfg1i8q?si=4ded7c1ab5c0440a

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-authentic-executive-podcast/id1794646555

Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more Your Authentic Executive Podcast content every month! 

"More than education, more than experience, more than training — resilience determines who succeeds and who fails." Diane Coutu's 25-year-old definition opens this conversation, and Lindsey Rai Kortan lives it.

Lindsey leads Ronald McDonald House Charities of Omaha, an organization built for families fighting for their children's lives. While leading it, she privately navigated domestic violence, her husband's addiction and overdose, her mother's death, and single parenting two sons — during COVID. This is an honest look at leading through the unimaginable, and the architecture of survival: community.

Content / sensitivity note: This episode discusses domestic violence, addiction, and overdose.   If you are someone you know is strugging, contact SMHSA National Hotline, or Al-Anon. 

In this episode, Lindsey and Janyne explore:

•      Resilience as a built capacity, never achieved alone

•      Why shame — not a lack of helpers — keeps leaders isolated

•      Psychological safety that starts when the leader goes first

•      Policies that make care reliable: compassion leave, unlimited PTO, meeting check-ins

•      The brain under threat, and why empathy reopens clear thinking[1]

Diane Coutu's research names what Lindsey embodies: the most resilient people accept hard reality clearly, hold a deep belief that life is meaningful, and improvise a way through.[2]

Take the FREE 5R Edge™ Diagnostic and discover your resilience edge.

https://tinyurl.com/5R-Podcast

🎯 Action4Traction™ — Take one this week:

1.     Name one private weight to one person you trust this week.

2.     Open one meeting by saying how you're actually doing first.

3.     Remove one fear your team carries — make it a real policy.

💬 Talk4Traction™ — Bring one to your next team meeting to elevate the dialogue:

1.     What are we each carrying that we haven't said out loud?

2.     Where does shame keep us from asking each other for help?

3.     What would make it safe here to not be okay?

About our Guest: 

Lindsey Rai Kortan is the CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Omaha, where she leads an organization that stands with families fighting for their children's lives — in the cancer ward, the ICU, and the hardest moments they will ever face. What makes Lindsey rare is that she has lived the territory she leads through: while running her organization, she privately navigated domestic violence, her husband's addiction and overdose, her mother's death, and single parenting two young sons — all at once, during COVID. She is, in every sense of the word, a study in resilience.

Connect with Lindsey on LinkedIn

Together, we've got this!

Janyne

Connect with Janyne on LinkedIn 

Subscribe: Your Authentic Executive Podcast · The Executive Edge™ — Resilience in Action

#YourAuthenticExecutive #5REdge #ExecutiveLeadership #Resilience #PsychologicalSafety

[1] Matthew D. Lieberman et al., "Putting Feelings into Words: Affect Labeling Disrupts Amygdala Activity in Response to Affective Stimuli," Psychological Science 18, no. 5 (2007): 421–28, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01916.x.

[2] Diane Coutu, "How Resilience Works," Harvard Business Review, May 2002.

Your Authentic Executive Podcast

Authentic Leadership | Profound Stories | Proven Lessons

Hosted by Janyne Peek Emsick, Ph.D.

For SPARKS! sneak peeks of each full episode, follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janynepeekemsick/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janyneyourexecutivecoach/

You can also listen to our podcast on-the-go now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Hf8dKgOS9jniNdmfg1i8q?si=4ded7c1ab5c0440a

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-authentic-executive-podcast/id1794646555

Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more Your Authentic Executive Podcast content every month! 

Bob Gerst spent weeks building one report. His managing partner kept three pages and threw the rest in the wastebasket. What Bob learned in that moment — from the man who hired him — shaped the next 50 years.

That man was my Dad, Jim Peek: Bob’s first boss and lifelong mentor.

My dad read the same poem every morning for half a century. He was passed over for partnership twice and never turned bitter. In his final days he could still recite that poem from memory. I’m releasing this episode the week before Father’s Day — and it is Bob’s tribute to the leader who taught him what resilience looks like when the work doesn’t go your way.

Today Bob is president of HR Transitions and host of the People in Transition podcast.

In this episode, Bob and I explore:

- The poem my dad read every morning — and the two instructions inside it

- “Look at what you have. Not what you don’t have.” — the wastebasket reframe

- How HR earns a strategic seat when it’s still called overhead

- Why even a VP of 10,000 can feel qualified to run a team of 5

___________________

Take the FREE 5R Edge™ Diagnostic:

https://tinyurl.com/5R-Podcast

 ---

Action4Traction™ — Take one this week:

1. Identify your “poem on the breadboard” — the belief that has carried you through your hardest seasons. Write it down and put it somewhere visible.

2. Name one person who modeled resilience under pressure for you. Send them a message naming one specific thing they showed you.

3. In transition: write down the three capabilities that made you effective in your last role. Read it before your next interview.

Talk4Traction™ — Bring one to your next team meeting:

1. Who has modeled responding to setback with forward momentum — and what did that look like?

2. When your team doesn’t get the outcome you worked toward, where does your first conversation go?

3. Where do leaders in your organization most need to understand the business from the ground up?

---

Together, we’ve got this!

Janyne

Connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janynepeekemsick/

Connect with Bob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobgerst/

About our Guest:  

Bob Gerst began his career as an auditor — until one recruiting season changed the trajectory of his life. Recognized early for his rare ability to spot, develop, and inspire talent, he made the leap into HR and never looked back.

Over the next four decades, Bob became a transformative HR leader across industries spanning national real estate, global financial services, Las Vegas hospitality, and international agriculture. He guided organizations through mergers, built HR infrastructures from the ground up, and led teams across continents — always with a people-first approach.

Today, as president of HR Transitions and host of the People in Transition podcast, the “Job Transition Professor” is dedicated to one mission: helping job changers land faster, smarter, and with greater confidence. In every sense of the word, Bob Gerst is a builder of people.

#YourAuthenticExecutive #5REdge #ExecutiveLeadership #Resilience #HRLeadership #JobTransition #DadsDay

Your Authentic Executive Podcast

Authentic Leadership | Profound Stories | Proven Lessons

Hosted by Janyne Peek Emsick, Ph.D.

For SPARKS! sneak peeks of each full episode, follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janynepeekemsick/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janyneyourexecutivecoach/

You can also listen to our podcast on-the-go now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Hf8dKgOS9jniNdmfg1i8q?si=4ded7c1ab5c0440a

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-authentic-executive-podcast/id1794646555

Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more Your Authentic Executive Podcast content every month! 

Why do 70% of transformations fail—even for well-intentioned leaders?

I sit down with Thomas Saller to explore what derails change initiatives. Thomas is partner at 5L Partners, serves senior leaders across Europe, and author of Work It Like a German. He doesn't coach clichés—he coaches complexity.

Three critical blind spots:

1. The neuroscience behind resistance – People aren't afraid of change; they're afraid of loss. We unpack the SCARF model and how brains default to threat detection 80% of the time—your team's "resistance" is neuroscience.
2. The transition timing gap – You finished the change 18 months ago; your team started yesterday. As Thomas says: "Of course the change is done for you. You had 3 years to work on it. Other people just heard of it last week."
3. The leadership-management imbalance – Why initiatives fail when they're over-led (vision without execution) or undermanaged (process without purpose).

This connects to our 5R Edge™: REACH (navigating transformation), REGULATION (managing emotions), RESULTS (balancing vision with execution).

Take our FREE 5R Edge™ Diagnostic: https://tinyurl.com/5R-Podcast

Key timestamps:
[00:06:45] P&G and Gillette M&A
[00:11:12] Why executives finish before teams begin
[00:34:49] Neuroscience of competing commitments
[00:41:06] Balancing leadership and management

ABOUT YOUR HOST & GUEST

Janyne Peek Emsick, Ph.D. is an executive coach and creator of our 5R Edge™ framework. NeuroLeadership Institute certified.

Thomas Saller is executive coach, partner at 5L Partners, author of Work It Like a German.

Connect with Thomas:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-saller-82a5b479/
Book: https://a.co/d/b3jTpUp

Connect with Janyne:
Website: www.YourExecutiveCoach.com
LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/JPE-LinkedIn
Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/YAE-LinkedIn-Newsletter
Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/JPE-Facebook
YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YAE-Youtube
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/YAE-Spotify
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/YAE-Apple-Podcast

Together, we've got this!

Janyne

YourExecutiveCoach.com

Your Authentic Executive Podcast

Authentic Leadership | Profound Stories | Proven Lessons

Hosted by Janyne Peek Emsick, Ph.D.

For SPARKS! sneak peeks of each full episode, follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janynepeekemsick/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janyneyourexecutivecoach/

You can also listen to our podcast on-the-go now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Hf8dKgOS9jniNdmfg1i8q?si=4ded7c1ab5c0440a

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-authentic-executive-podcast/id1794646555

Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more Your Authentic Executive Podcast content every month! 

How Redemption, Resilience, and Brokenness Feed the Multitude 

Our newest episode is out now! 

In Episode 6 of Your Authentic Executive, we sit down with Stephen Barbee—a former All-American athlete, mentor, and founder of Passion to Purpose Ministries. Stephen transformed his life from crack addiction and incarceration to finding a meaningful purpose, developing a faith-driven life, and inspiring leadership. Stephen’s story is a raw, powerful testimony of redemption and resilience, proving that transformation is not only possible—it’s contagious.

 Key Takeaways from this Episode: 

Redemption Starts with a Choice – Stephen shares the moment he hit rock bottom, asked three hard questions, and chose to change the trajectory of his life. 

You Can’t Heal What You Won’t Face – Whether in a prison cell or a classroom, Stephen teaches that growth requires courage, accountability, and honesty.

Your Brokenness Feeds the Multitude – Stephen shows how your story—especially the hardest chapters—can be someone else’s roadmap.

Leadership is Often Planted in Crisis – From a team captain in high school to a mentor in federal prison, Stephen reflects on how his leadership took root in the most unexpected places.
 
Powerful Quotes from the Episode:

 “Changing my location didn’t change me. I brought my addiction with me.”

“It’s not because of my all-American status that people listen to me. It’s because of my brokenness.”

"I had to go inward before I could go outward."

"Pride will keep you in your addiction much longer than you desire."

Your Authentic Executive Podcast

Authentic Leadership | Profound Stories | Proven Lessons

Hosted by Janyne Peek Emsick, Ph.D.

For SPARKS! sneak peeks of each full episode, follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janynepeekemsick/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janyneyourexecutivecoach/

You can also listen to our podcast on-the-go now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Hf8dKgOS9jniNdmfg1i8q?si=4ded7c1ab5c0440a

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-authentic-executive-podcast/id1794646555

Thank you so much to Stephen Barbee for taking time to deliver such valuable insight to fellow executives!

Follow him on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/l-stephen-barbee-a3362450/

Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more Your Authentic Executive Podcast content every month! 

Your Authentic Executive Podcast

Authentic Leadership | Profound Stories | Proven Lessons

Hosted by Janyne Peek Emsick, Ph.D.

For SPARKS! sneak peeks of each full episode, follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janynepeekemsick/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janyneyourexecutivecoach/

You can also listen to our podcast on-the-go now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Hf8dKgOS9jniNdmfg1i8q?si=4ded7c1ab5c0440a

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-authentic-executive-podcast/id1794646555

Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more Your Authentic Executive Podcast content every month! 

CEO Mom: Leading with Grit, Grace, and Generational Wisdom  

As we approach Mother’s Day, Episode 5 features a story that honors the profound intersection of leadership and legacy.

Meet Kim Cappellano, CEO of Private Wealth and a mother of four, in her most courageous leadership act to date: sharing her deeply personal IVF journey for the first time. A private leader by nature, Kim steps forward in this conversation—not for attention, but because she knows that sharing what’s real helps others find their way through.

Raised in a small Indiana town by a lineage of strong women, Kim’s leadership is rooted in generational wisdom, deep values, and an unwavering belief that “you create the life you want.” 

Key Takeaways from this Episode:

The Power of Quiet Strength: Kim reflects on lessons from her mom and grandmother that shaped how she leads under pressure.
IVF, NICU, and Resilience: Kim opens up about her emotional journey through infertility, loss, and hope—and how it transformed her leadership.
Boundaries as Strategic Leadership: From limiting travel to prioritizing family events, Kim demonstrates how boundaries clarify vision.
Authenticity in High-Stakes Roles: Kim models the CEO mindset that doesn't separate personal and professional—she integrates them.
The “Controllables” Mindset: She reveals how mindset, attitude, and emotional regulation helped her through the most uncertain seasons. 

Powerful Quotes from the Episode: 

“There is no balance. But there are boundaries. And when you set them with intention, they give you your life back.” 

"A system should hold the values of an organization. If it doesn’t, it won’t hold the people either.” 

"Before this, I’d never faced something where effort alone couldn’t deliver the result. IVF broke that myth for me—and built something stronger.” 

“My team knows my non-negotiables. I don’t miss my kids’ games. I don’t travel more than two nights in a row. And we’re still outperforming our goals.” 

"Do you surround yourself with great people?"

" If you're not happy with something—go change it. You create the life you want, you control your destiny" 

 “Having the right partner alongside you in your journey is really important—you need that support.” 

Actions4Traction™

1. Lead from Your Story: What part of your personal journey—painful or powerful—might serve others if you shared it with intention?
2. Redefine Success: Are your boundaries aligned with the future you’re building, or the expectations you’ve inherited?
3. Embrace the Controllables: In uncertainty, how are you managing mindset, energy, and focus?

Your Authentic Executive Podcast

Authentic Leadership | Profound Stories | Proven Lessons

Hosted by Janyne Peek Emsick, Ph.D.

For SPARKS! sneak peeks of each full episode, follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janynepeekemsick/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janyneyourexecutivecoach/

You can also listen to our podcast on-the-go now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Hf8dKgOS9jniNdmfg1i8q?si=4ded7c1ab5c0440a

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-authentic-executive-podcast/id1794646555

Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more Your Authentic Executive Podcast content every month! 

How Freediving, Failure, and a 16-Year-Old Leader Built Executive Grit 

– New Podcast Episode Out Now! What do freediving and boardroom leadership have in common? 

In Episode 4 of Your Authentic Executive, I sit down with Robert Vause, an unconventional leader whose journey began at age 16, managing a service department—and has taken him everywhere from near-military flight school to the depths of freediving and the heights of executive leadership. 

Robert’s story is a masterclass in resilience, adaptability, and self-leadership under pressure. 

Key Takeaways From This Episode: 

Leadership Begins Early – At 16, Robert was leading adults, solving real problems, and learning the value of trust and grit. 

Setbacks Aren’t Endings – A detour from his Navy pilot dream led to something even better: purpose-driven business leadership. 

Virtual Teams Need Presence – Robert shares how he leads remotely with intentional communication using the 7/38/55 Rule. 

Freediving Builds Focus – Training your body and mind to stay calm underwater is a surprising and powerful metaphor for executive presence. 

Powerful Quotes From This Episode:

"I’ve immersed my body in stress before—so when I walk into high-stakes leadership moments, I tell myself, 'It’s not going to be that bad. It’s okay.'"

"I'm glad I got the opportunity because had I not, he would have never seen the fight in me."

"There were concessions I needed to take within myself to adapt."

"55% of communication is done via talking, 38% is done via the face and how it moves, and 7% is done by the inflection of the voice."

"I can go further than I think I can."

This is an episode for anyone who's faced the unexpected—and come out stronger. 

Your Authentic Executive Podcast 

Authentic Leadership | Profound Stories | Proven Lessons 

Hosted by Janyne Peek Emsick, Ph.D. 

https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6903082941388587009/?displayConfirmation=true

Tune in next Tuesday, April 8th, for our first SPARK! with our next guest, Kimberly Cappellano, CEO of Private Wealth. 

For SPARKS! sneak peeks of each full episode, follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook!

 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janynepeekemsick/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janyneyourexecutivecoach/

You can also listen to our podcast on-the-go now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Hf8dKgOS9jniNdmfg1i8q?si=4ded7c1ab5c0440a

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-authentic-executive-podcast/id1794646555

Thank you again to Robert Vause for coming onto the podcast and sharing your valuable experiences! 

Follow him on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-vause/

Be sure to like and comment on the video and subscribe for more Your Authentic Executive Podcast content every month! 

Your Authentic Executive Podcast

Authentic Leadership | Profound Stories | Proven Lessons

Hosted by Janyne Peek Emsick, Ph.D.

For SPARKS! sneak peeks of each full episode, follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janynepeekemsick/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janyneyourexecutivecoach/

You can also listen to our podcast on-the-go now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Hf8dKgOS9jniNdmfg1i8q?si=4ded7c1ab5c0440a

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-authentic-executive-podcast/id1794646555

Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more Your Authentic Executive Podcast content every month! 

In this episode of Your Authentic Executive, host Dr. Janyne Peek Emsick sits down with Nash Mahupete, the newly appointed CEO of QLI (Quality Living, Inc.) in Omaha, Nebraska. Nash shares his inspiring journey from his upbringing in Zimbabwe to leading a multiple-time Best Places to Work organization.

Key Themes & Takeaways:

• A Journey of Resilience & Leadership

Nash reflects on his formative years in Zimbabwe, where he grew up in a home shaped by faith, community, and a deep sense of service. He discusses his transition to the U.S. and how QLI transformed his career and life.

• The Power of Community & Culture

Nash shares how QLI fosters a culture where every team member is valued and empowered—an ethos that reminds him of his origins, where leadership meant seeing and uplifting people.

• Ubuntu & Leadership

Exploring the African philosophy of Ubuntu—"I am because we are"—Nash unpacks how interdependence and shared success fuel QLI’s mission-driven work.

• People Will Rise to the Belief You Have in Them

Nash discusses the importance of instilling belief in people and treating everyone as a future leader. He shares how this mindset has shaped his leadership at QLI.

• Lessons in Personal Growth & Gratitude

From overcoming personal loss to navigating career transitions, Nash emphasizes the importance of leaning into community, practicing gratitude, and always being curious.

Powerful Quotes from the Episode:

• "Not one is better than you. Not a soul…but you are no better than anyone else."
• "One of the most powerful things that's really simple is for you as a leader…to sit down at the table with the folks that you don't know with the purpose of getting to know them."
• "It's not your problem, it's our problem."
• "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
• "Failure is a feeling long before it is a result." – Michelle Obama
• "Your brain is like a piggy bank, you can't get out of it what you haven't put into it."
• "Ubuntu: I am because we are."
• "People will rise to the level of belief you have in them."

For sneak peeks at each episode at the beginning of each month, follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook! You can also watch our full recording on YouTuve!
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/janynepeekemsick/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janyneyourexecutivecoach/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/jb8dshZaYQo

Special shoutout to Nash Mahupete for coming onto the podcast. 
Follow him on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahupete/

Tune in for a powerful conversation about leadership, resilience, and creating cultures where people thrive.

Your Authentic Executive Podcast

Authentic Leadership | Profound Stories | Proven Lessons

Hosted by Janyne Peek Emsick, Ph.D.

For SPARKS! sneak peeks of each full episode, follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janynepeekemsick/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janyneyourexecutivecoach/

You can also listen to our podcast on-the-go now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Hf8dKgOS9jniNdmfg1i8q?si=4ded7c1ab5c0440a

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-authentic-executive-podcast/id1794646555

Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more Your Authentic Executive Podcast content every month!