Grow Strong Leaders Podcast

382: Leading with a Viewpoint and Grace

Do you need to know more than everyone else to be an effective leader? Chris Ware believes the answer is no. Throughout his career, he has repeatedly stepped into leadership roles where others had deeper expertise, yet he learned how to build trust, credibility, and engagement without relying on authority or having all the answers.  As Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary at Itron, Chris shares lessons from his experiences as a federal prosecutor, business leader, and legal executive. You'll hear memorable stories about learning from failure, making ethical decisions under pressure, understanding the "why" behind people's actions, and creating cultures where communication, trust, and speaking up are part of everyday leadership.  You’ll discover:  * Why leaders need a viewpoint early * How grace strengthens trust and credibility * What failure taught Chris about listening * Why ethical decisions rarely require speed * How simple habits build strong cultures Connect with Chris Ware on Social Media LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-e-ware-/] Website  Chris’s employer Itron [https://na.itron.com/] Check out all the episodes [https://growstrongleaders.com/podcasts/] Leave a review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grow-strong-leaders-podcast/id1469099549] Connect with Meredith on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredithmbell/]

381: Why Marvell Employees Actually Speak Up

What makes employees feel safe enough to speak up when something feels wrong? Eva Lehman shares how ethical cultures are built through leadership behaviors, trust, consistency, and systems that reinforce integrity every day. As Vice President and Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer at Marvell Technology, Eva offers a behind-the-scenes look at how their culture shapes employee behavior far beyond policies and compliance training.  You’ll hear how Marvell’s leadership team reinforces ethical decision-making across a global organization, why middle managers are critical to sustaining trust, and how employees are empowered to raise concerns without fear. Eva also shares personal reflections about the difficult moments leaders face when values are tested, and why courage, empathy, and support from leadership matter so much in those situations.  You’ll discover:  * Why employees hesitate to speak up * How leaders reinforce ethical culture daily * What builds trust across global organizations * Why managers are the ones shaping workplace microcultures * How Marvell approaches responsible AI governance  Connect with Eva Lehman on Social Media LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/evalehman/]  Website  Eva’s employer, Marvell Technology [https://www.marvell.com/]   Check out all the episodes [https://growstrongleaders.com/podcasts/] Leave a review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grow-strong-leaders-podcast/id1469099549] Connect with Meredith on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredithmbell/]

380: Who’s Developing Human Judgment?

AI can accelerate answers. But what happens when it weakens the development of judgment, critical thinking, and human connection? Jennifer May explores the growing pressure facing middle managers, the risks organizations face when relationship-building and professional development fall away, and why ethical culture depends on much more than policies and compliance training. Drawing on nearly 30 years in ethics and compliance leadership, Jennifer shares why she believes compliance is fundamentally a relationship business and how organizations can move from being the “office of no” to becoming strategic partners in building a healthy culture.  Jennifer also shares a powerful story from her university compliance work that shaped her “yes and” philosophy, revealing how trust, collaboration, and creative problem-solving can help organizations navigate difficult tensions without losing sight of innovation or integrity. This conversation is a timely exploration of leadership, accountability, AI, and the human skills organizations cannot afford to lose.  Jennifer founded May Solutions Group to help companies make ethics practical, human, and actionable. She helps organizations build systems that people actually trust by replacing complexity with clarity and making ethical decision-making easier in day-to-day work.  You’ll discover: * Why AI may weaken judgment development  * The growing squeeze on middle managers  * Why compliance is a relationship business  * How ethical cultures are strengthened over time  * The “yes and” mindset that builds trust Connect with on Social Media LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferpmay/]  Website  May Consulting Group [https://maysolutionsgroup.com/] Check out all the episodes [https://growstrongleaders.com/podcasts/] Leave a review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grow-strong-leaders-podcast/id1469099549] Connect with Meredith on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredithmbell/]

379: When Performance Replaces People

What happens when organizations become so focused on speed, efficiency, and AI that they slowly lose sight of people? In this thought-provoking conversation, Dr. Kelly Monahan shares insights from her years studying the future of work inside organizations like Deloitte, Accenture, Meta, and Upwork. Drawing from her upcoming book, Reclaim the Plot, Kelly explains how leaders and organizations gradually “drift” away from the human purpose of work, often without realizing it.  We explore the pressures leaders face today, including complexity, investor expectations, technological disruption, burnout, and the temptation to prioritize performance over people. Kelly also shares a deeply personal story about recognizing her own leadership drift during the pandemic and the intentional steps she took to reconnect with her team. This conversation offers both a warning and a hopeful vision for leaders who want to strengthen human judgment, curiosity, wisdom, and principled leadership in an AI-driven world.  You’ll discover: * Why leadership drift happens slowly and invisibly inside organizations * How pressure, complexity, and exhaustion can cause leaders to lose empathy and perspective * The difference between using AI to augment people versus replace them * Practical ways leaders can rebuild trust, psychological safety, and human connection * Why curiosity and feedback are essential for avoiding leadership drift Connect with Kelly Monahan on Social Media LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-monahan-ph-d-18879413/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/monahankelly/] Websites  Dr. Kelly Monahan [http://www.drkellymonahan.com/] Beyond the Desk [http://www.beyondthedesk.com/]  Book Reclaim the Plot [https://www.reclaimtheplotbook.com/] – (release date September 2026) Check out all the episodes [https://growstrongleaders.com/podcasts/] Leave a review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grow-strong-leaders-podcast/id1469099549] Connect with Meredith on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredithmbell/]

378: The Best Boards Ask the Hardest Questions

Vera Cherepanova, Executive Director of Boards of the Future, believes the strongest boards are not the ones with the best reports, but the ones willing to ask the hardest questions. In this conversation, she explains why ethics cannot be treated as a compliance exercise or a checklist after decisions are made. True governance requires courage, dissent, and a willingness to examine what leaders may prefer not to see.  We explore her concept of FOFO—fear of finding out—and how it keeps boards from asking difficult questions that could expose risk, protect reputation, and strengthen trust. Vera also shares how silence, conformity, and the absence of real challenge can quietly erode culture from the top down. If values are meant to guide decisions, then boards must create the conditions where truth can be spoken and principled leadership can thrive.  Vera is the Executive Director of Boards of the Future, a nonprofit advancing ethical leadership and integrity at the highest levels of corporate power. Vera serves as a chair, director, and ethics advisor to global professional bodies, corporations, and international nonprofits. She has authored the guide, How Boards Should Oversee Ethics: A Ten-Practice Guide for Modern Boards, challenging boards to move beyond compliance checklists. Her latest work focuses on how boards oversee ethics, cultivate dissent, and create the conditions for principled leadership when pressure is highest.   You’ll discover:  * Why compliance and ethics are not the same thing * How fear of finding out creates costly leadership blind spots * What makes people stay silent when they should speak up * Simple ways leaders can create safer spaces for dissent * How boardroom behavior shapes culture across the organization Connect with Vera Cherepanova on Social Media LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/follow-vera-cherepanova/]  Websites  Vera Cherepanova  [https://veracherepanova.com/] Boards of the Future [https://newboards.org/]  Guide  How Boards Should Oversee Ethics: A Ten-Practice Guide for Modern Boards [https://newboards.org/download-guide-how-boards-should-oversee-ethics]  Check out all the episodes [https://growstrongleaders.com/podcasts/] Leave a review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grow-strong-leaders-podcast/id1469099549] Connect with Meredith on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredithmbell/]