The Leadership Puzzle with Jeff Lupinacci

Engagement Beyond Perks: Performing Under Pressure with guest Christian "Boo" Boucousis

Engagement isn’t just about giving people what they want — it’s about accomplishing difficult things together. In this episode, we’re joined by Christian “Boo” Boucousis, bestselling author of The Afterburner Advantage and CEO of Afterburner, for a powerful conversation on performance, pressure, and leadership when the stakes are high. Drawing from his experience as a former Australian fighter pilot — and his work with leaders from corporate boardrooms to NFL locker rooms — Boo unpacks what it really takes to perform under pressure and lead through complexity. He shares how leaders can turn chaos into creativity, align teams around shared objectives, and build engagement through challenge, trust, and execution. Together, we explore: - Why real engagement is forged through shared effort, not comfort - How leaders perform when pressure is high and conditions are uncertain - What the “fighter pilot mindset” teaches us about focus, adaptability, and execution - How to transform chaos into clarity and creativity This conversation is for executives, founders, HR leaders, and managers who want to move beyond surface-level engagement and lead teams that can execute, adapt, and win together. 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, performance, culture, and what it takes to lead when it matters most. _ _ _ _ _  Our podcast is sponsored by Evolve HR Solutions, a global HR consulting, recruiting, and software company dedicated to meeting all of your HR needs. Find out more information on Evolve HR Solutions' wide range of services at: https://evolvehrs.com Jeff is the former Chief Talent and Integration Officer at Alkegen with 20+ years of experience in HR, Finance, IT, and M&A at Intel and Kimberly Clark. Jeff has lived in eight countries and is currently based in Dallas, TX. He is a published author, an Adjunct Professor at Baylor University, and is passionate about growing talent.

How HR Becomes a True Value-Adding Partner with guest Linde Grindle

Performance improvement doesn’t come from finding the perfect HR model — it comes from understanding how your people systems actually work. In this episode, we’re joined by Linde Grindle, CHRO of Spirit Airlines, for an honest conversation on performance, people strategy, and the evolving role of HR inside modern organizations. Together, we explore why there is no one-size-fits-all HR model, and why relying too heavily on frameworks alone can distract leaders from what truly drives a healthy organization. HR models can support performance — but they don’t determine culture, trust, or results on their own. This conversation dives into: - Why performance improvement requires continuous assessment, not static models - How to evaluate whether your current HR approach is helping or hindering the business - Why HR frameworks don’t automatically create healthy organizations - How HR can reinvent itself as a value-adding strategic partner, not just a compliance function This episode is for CHROs, HR leaders, executives, and people managers who want to move beyond theory and build people strategies that genuinely support performance, adaptability, and long-term organizational health. 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, culture, performance, and building organizations that actually work. _ _ _ _ _  Our podcast is sponsored by Evolve HR Solutions, a global HR consulting, recruiting, and software company dedicated to meeting all of your HR needs. Find out more information on Evolve HR Solutions' wide range of services at: https://evolvehrs.com Jeff is the former Chief Talent and Integration Officer at Alkegen with 20+ years of experience in HR, Finance, IT, and M&A at Intel and Kimberly Clark. Jeff has lived in eight countries and is currently based in Dallas, TX. He is a published author, an Adjunct Professor at Baylor University, and is passionate about growing talent.

How to Close the Gap between Vision and Execution

Vision without execution is just noise, and execution without vision is just motion. In this episode, we’re joined by Wendy Warner, a global business leader with 20+ years of driving multi-million-dollar growth across North & Latin America, Europe, and Asia, for a conversation on how organizations actually turn strategy into results. Together, we explore why bridging the gap between vision and execution is one of the most critical (and most overlooked) challenges in business today. Wendy shares how leaders can align strategy, market intelligence, and operations to create sustainable growth, not just ambitious plans that never materialize. This conversation dives into:   -  Why most growth strategies fail at the execution layer   -  How to align cross-functional teams around a clear strategic direction   -  The role of market intelligence in shaping scalable, competitive strategies   -  How leaders can build trust, accountability, and momentum across global teams This episode is for executives, operators, and HR leaders who want to move beyond strategy decks and actually drive measurable, global growth. 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, culture, performance, and building organizations that actually work. Our podcast is sponsored by Evolve HR Solutions, a global HR consulting, recruiting, and software company dedicated to meeting all of your HR needs. Find out more information on Evolve HR Solutions' wide range of services at: https://evolvehrs.com Jeff is the former Chief Talent and Integration Officer at Alkegen with 20+ years of experience in HR, Finance, IT, and M&A at Intel and Kimberly Clark. Jeff has lived in eight countries and is currently based in Dallas, TX. He is a published author, an Adjunct Professor at Baylor University, and is passionate about growing talent.

Creating the spaces of the future, with William Huston

Growth in hospitality and commercial real estate doesn’t come without pressure — and it never comes without change. In this episode, we sit down with William — NAACP Entrepreneur of the Year, Forbes-featured entrepreneur, and operator at the intersection of hospitality and commercial real estate — for a candid conversation on what it really takes to build and expand in today’s market. From the principle of “no pain, no expansion” to the realities of how capital flows into hospitality, William shares why investors are rethinking how they evaluate opportunities — and why traditional business models are being replaced with what he calls “real business” models built for resilience, execution, and long-term value. Together, we explore: - Why growth in hospitality requires discomfort, discipline, and adaptability - How capital is moving — and what investors are prioritizing now - Why legacy evaluation models are breaking down - How to evolve traditional businesses into durable, real-world operating models This conversation is for founders, investors, developers, operators, and leaders navigating hospitality, commercial real estate, or any business where expansion demands more than theory. 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, investment strategy, entrepreneurship, and building businesses that actually work in the real world. _ _ _ _ _  Our podcast is sponsored by Evolve HR Solutions, a global HR consulting, recruiting, and software company dedicated to meeting all of your HR needs. Find out more information on Evolve HR Solutions' wide range of services at: https://evolvehrs.com Jeff is the former Chief Talent and Integration Officer at Alkegen with 20+ years of experience in HR, Finance, IT, and M&A at Intel and Kimberly Clark. Jeff has lived in eight countries and is currently based in Dallas, TX. He is a published author, an Adjunct Professor at Baylor University, and is passionate about growing talent.

Your story matters, but not for the reason you think with guest Bill Blankschaen

In this episode, we explore the power of your story and why it’s never just about you. Your experiences, challenges, and perspective exist to serve, connect, and invite others forward — not to be polished for perfection. Our guest, Bill Blankschaen, is the founder and Chief Story Architect of StoryBuilders and a New York Times bestselling author. Bill has spent his career helping leaders, organizations, and individuals live a story worth telling — and build trust through authentic, human connection. Together, we talk about: - Why your story is about you — but isn’t for you - How stories create meaning, trust, and shared understanding - Why life and leadership are rarely as easy as we hope — but also not as hard as we imagine - How honest storytelling helps people move through fear, complexity, and uncertainty This conversation is a reminder that storytelling isn’t performance — it’s responsibility. When leaders learn to tell their stories with humility and purpose, they create space for others to do the same. 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, storytelling, culture, and living a story worth telling. _ _ _ _ _  Our podcast is sponsored by Evolve HR Solutions, a global HR consulting, recruiting, and software company dedicated to meeting all of your HR needs. Find out more information on Evolve HR Solutions' wide range of services at: https://evolvehrs.com Jeff is the former Chief Talent and Integration Officer at Alkegen with 20+ years of experience in HR, Finance, IT, and M&A at Intel and Kimberly Clark. Jeff has lived in eight countries and is currently based in Dallas, TX. He is a published author, an Adjunct Professor at Baylor University, and is passionate about growing talent.