The Step UP – Where Leaders, Talent Managers and Leadership Development pros find expert tips for Leadership excellence
The Step UP - Where Leaders, Talent Managers and Leadership Development pros find expert tips for Leadership excellence
Podcast Description
About the Podcast
The Step Up brings together experts who help leaders elevate their impact. Each 45-minute episode features conversations with thought leaders, practitioners, and innovators who are changing how we think about leadership development and helping leaders step up their game.
Why This Podcast Exists
Throughout my career—from my time at organizations like Korn Ferry, Cargill, General Mills, and Buffalo Wild Wings to my current work as an independent leadership consultant—I've witnessed firsthand how leaders struggle during moments of change and transition and when learning higher-level skills. Work never slows down, and leaders often find themselves trying to grow while in the thick of daily demands.
The Step Up is designed to provide practical wisdom and actionable strategies that busy leaders can implement immediately to enhance their effectiveness.
What to Expect
Each episode follows a two-part format:
Part One: Leadership Journeys
We explore our guest's background, expertise, and unique perspective on leadership development. You'll hear authentic stories about their experiences supporting leaders and the insights they've gained along the way.
Part Two: Actionable Strategies
Our guests share three specific, practical tools or approaches that you can apply to your leadership right away. We dig into each one, discussing how to implement it effectively in your unique context.
Your Host
Kent Kniebel brings over 20 years of experience in leadership development, talent management, and DEI consulting to each conversation. Drawing on his background in corporate HR roles and external consulting work, Kent guides discussions that bridge theory and practice, focusing on what really works in today's leadership landscape.
Connect with Kent
Have questions about the podcast or want to continue the conversation? Connect with Kent on LinkedIn or visit Kniebel Leadership Advisory to learn more about his work supporting leaders during critical transitions.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on themes of leadership development, change management, and coaching with episodes that explore various topics like how discomfort fosters growth, integrating leadership training into daily workflows, and the importance of coachability after promotions. Specific episode examples include insights on managing change with Nick Tasler and strategies for scaling leadership training with Bri Flynn.
About the Podcast
The Step Up brings together experts who help leaders elevate their impact. Each 45-minute episode features conversations with thought leaders, practitioners, and innovators who are changing how we think about leadership development and helping leaders step up their game.
Why This Podcast Exists
Throughout my career—from my time at organizations like Korn Ferry, Cargill, General Mills, and Buffalo Wild Wings to my current work as an independent leadership consultant—I’ve witnessed firsthand how leaders struggle during moments of change and transition and when learning higher-level skills. Work never slows down, and leaders often find themselves trying to grow while in the thick of daily demands.
The Step Up is designed to provide practical wisdom and actionable strategies that busy leaders can implement immediately to enhance their effectiveness.
What to Expect
Each episode follows a two-part format:
Part One: Leadership Journeys
We explore our guest’s background, expertise, and unique perspective on leadership development. You’ll hear authentic stories about their experiences supporting leaders and the insights they’ve gained along the way.
Part Two: Actionable Strategies
Our guests share three specific, practical tools or approaches that you can apply to your leadership right away. We dig into each one, discussing how to implement it effectively in your unique context.
Your Host
Kent Kniebel brings over 20 years of experience in leadership development, talent management, and DEI consulting to each conversation. Drawing on his background in corporate HR roles and external consulting work, Kent guides discussions that bridge theory and practice, focusing on what really works in today’s leadership landscape.
Connect with Kent
Have questions about the podcast or want to continue the conversation? Connect with Kent on LinkedIn or visit Kniebel Leadership Advisory to learn more about his work supporting leaders during critical transitions.
Most leaders write policies, meetings, and office norms for “the average” employee. Hailey Meyer explains why that instinct quietly costs organizations their best thinking, and what it actually takes to build a culture where neurodivergent team members, and everyone else, can do their best work.
Guest: Hailey Meyer is founder of Compassionately Transparent Coaching, a leadership development consultant, ICF-certified coach, and certified ADHD coach practitioner who helps individuals and organizations build neuro-inclusive environments.
In this episode:
- 01:50 — Kent welcomes Hailey Meyer to the show
- 02:04 — Hailey’s background and her two-part coaching practice
- 04:33 — How Hailey became passionate about neurodiversity coaching
- 09:02 — Kent’s own first exposure to neuro-inclusion during the pandemic at Cargill
- 12:00 — Defining neuro-inclusive culture and the business case behind it
- 19:33 — What gets in the way: why leaders label differences as problems
- 22:47 — A practical example: redesigning meetings so every brain can contribute
- 30:16 — Office design, open floor plans, and the case for hybrid work
- 38:52 — Two pieces of advice, one for leaders climbing and one for leaders who just arrived
Resources mentioned:
- Temple Grandin and her work on reducing animal stress (search for this)
- “Astrophysics for People in a Hurry” by Neil deGrasse Tyson
- The Neuroleadership Institute (search for this)
- Adam Grant’s research on return-to-office mandates (search for this)
- The “devil’s floor plan” concept, attributed to Carla McLaren (search for this)
Links for today’s show:
- Hailey Meyer on LinkedIn
- Compassionately Transparent Coaching
- Kent Kniebel on LinkedIn
- The Promoted Leader Toolkit
Music for this podcast comes from a live recording of the song Needle & Thread and is provided with permission by Pert’ Near Sandstone. Check them out on pertnearsandstone.com and on all major streaming platforms.
Enjoyed the episode? Leave a rating and review wherever you listen, it helps more leaders find the show.
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.