The Leadership Vision Blog & Podcast Archive
Creating a Sense of Home at Work: Building Trust and Belonging in Teams
When one person grows, the entire team is invited to change. In this episode of The Leadership Vision Podcast, Dr. Linda and Brian Schubring explore what it means to create a sense of “home” at work—a place of safety, belonging, and transformation. Drawing from Chapter 5 of Unfolded: Lessons in Transformation from an Origami Crane, they unpack how leaders can build spaces that nurture both comfort and courage.
Home Is Where Transformation Takes Root: Integrating Growth as a Leader
What happens when you’ve experienced deep transformation—personally or professionally—and then return to the same place, people, or team you left behind? In this episode of The Leadership Vision Podcast, Nathan Freeburg talks with Dr. Linda and Brian Schubring about Chapter 5 of Unfolded: Lessons in Transformation from an Origami Crane. Together, they explore the leadership challenge of integrating who you’ve become with the world that hasn’t changed yet. You’ll hear insights about navigating criticism after growth, finding peace through self-acceptance, and recognizing that everything you need to move forward was already within you. This conversation invites leaders to see “home” not as the end of transformation, but as the place where renewal, reflection, and the next season of impact truly begin.
Fail Faster, Grow Stronger: Deb Dixson’s Playbook for Teams that Thrive Without You
Pioneering technology executive Deb Dixson brings more than 30 years of experience leading teams at the intersection of technology, business, and humanity—including serving as Best Buy’s first Chief Information Security Officer and later as CIO for Delhaize America. Today, she advises leaders and organizations around the world through DJ Dixson Consulting and serves as an Advisor to Leadership Vision Consulting, helping teams strengthen trust, collaboration, and clarity.
In this episode of The Leadership Vision Podcast, Deb joins host Nathan Freeburg to explore how leaders can build teams that thrive without them—moving from dependence on one leader to true interdependence. She shares insights from her own leadership evolution, the power of Strengths-based development, and how creating safety to fail fast helps teams grow faster. Whether you’re leading a team of five or five hundred, this conversation will challenge how you think about mission, empowerment, and success.
Listen in for practical lessons on trust, growth, and how to “work yourself out of a job”—the ultimate sign of great leadership.
How Leaders Help Their Teams Fly: Trust, Transformation, and the Courage to Let Go
In this episode of The Leadership Vision Podcast, Dr. Linda and Brian Schubring unpack the Fly stage from Unfolded—when the playground gets bigger, the stakes rise, and trust becomes the air teams breathe. We explore how leaders recognize they’ve entered this moment, empower people to lead, and prevent a “supportive” culture from becoming a comfort zone. You’ll hear a lively debate—Is it always time to fly?—plus practical ways to match your team’s flight environment (paper planes to NASA) with the right expectations, courage, and safeguards. We also dig into how to celebrate progress (and crashes), the leader’s “Eagle” role of naming growth and offering perspective, and three reflection questions to help your team take off together. Read the full post for key takeaways and pull quotes, then listen to the episode for the stories, nuance, and tools you can use this week.
Why Every Transformation Needs a Little Courage to Take Flight
Every transformation comes with moments of resistance — the point where self-doubt, fear, and exhaustion whisper, “You can’t do this.” In our continuing series of the book Unfolded: Lessons in Transformation from an Origami Crane, with Dr. Linda and Brian Schubring, we explore what it takes to keep going when things get hard. Inspired by Chapter 4, Fly, this episode invites leaders to trust their preparation, lean on their community, and take one more step of belief — even when they’re scared. Together we talk about how courage builds slowly, through practice, vulnerability, and the people who remind us of our strength when we forget. If you’ve ever stood at the edge of something new and hesitated, this episode will help you find the courage to keep unfolding — and to fly.
Alignment Without Conformity: How Teams Can Fly in the Same Direction
In this episode of The Leadership Vision Podcast, Nathan Freeburg, Dr. Linda Schubring, and Brian Schubring explore what alignment truly means in team settings—dispelling the myth that alignment requires conformity. Using metaphors from nature, like the organized flight patterns of geese and the dynamic, colorful movement of flamingos, we delve into the complexities of alignment. We discuss why it’s essential for effective teamwork, and how it often looks messier than we might expect. Our conversation highlights that alignment isn’t about uniformity; rather, it’s a shared commitment to move in the same direction while also leveraging each person’s unique Strengths. Enjoy!
Embracing Resilience: Insights from Russell Harvey on Thriving, Not Just Surviving
In this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Russell Harvey, known as “The Resilience Coach.” Russell brings over 20 years of experience in leadership, resilience, and organizational development to the table. His mission is to positively impact 100,000 people by 2025. In our conversation, we explore his key insights on building resilience and how leaders can foster this invaluable quality within their teams. Enjoy!
Embracing Strategic Resilience in Leadership
In this episode of the Leadership Vision podcast, we dive into our archives of interviews we’ve done with guests to talk about strategic resilience in leadership. We share insights from four distinguished leaders, featuring interviews with Rich Horwath, Dr. Marie-Hélène Pelletier, Martin Gonzales, and Amy Schoenthal. Our discussions cover essential topics including strategic thinking, creating resilience plans, addressing team challenges, and reframing setbacks for growth. This episode is aimed at helping leaders enhance both their personal and professional effectiveness, especially during times of crisis. Enjoy!
Embracing the Dynamic Role of Chief of Staff with Maggie Olson
In this episode of the Leadership Vision Podcast, we chat with Maggie Olsen, founder and CEO of Nova, Chief of Staff, about her dynamic role and extensive experience serving high-level leaders at Nordstrom, Starbucks, and T-Mobile. Maggie sheds light on fostering entrepreneurship, navigating feedback, maintaining consistency in leadership, and the nuances of emotional regulation for leaders. The discussion focuses on trust-building, adapting to failures, balancing flexibility, and the importance of personal well-being for professional effectiveness. Maggie also introduces Nova’s certification course and other services while highlighting the significant role of feedback culture and continual learning in leadership. Enjoy!
Exploring Themes for Effective Cultural Change in Organizations
In this episode of the Leadership Vision podcast, hosts Nathan Freeburg, Brian Schubring, and Dr. Linda Schubring discuss how recurring themes in leadership and team structures can shape cultural change within organizations. Drawing from their experience with a particular leadership team, they explore nine universal themes—climate, optimism, investment, vision, buy-in, accountability, mission, and leadership’s role. They emphasize identifying and capitalizing on positive changes to accelerate organizational transformation. The conversation also highlights the importance of understanding an organization’s climate, fostering optimism, investing in leadership at all levels, ensuring strong alignment with mission and vision, and maintaining clear accountability. The episode aims to provide listeners with insights to enhance their own team dynamics and leadership practices. ENJOY!
The Power of Compassionate Leadership with Dr. Andrea Hollingsworth
In this episode of the Leadership Vision Podcast, we have the pleasure of talking with Dr. Andrea Hollingsworth, the founder of Hollingsworth Consulting and author of ‘The Compassionate Advantage.’ She shares her journey from academia to consulting and emphasizes the growing importance of compassionate leadership in our modern world. Together, we explore crucial strategies like compassionate accountability, self-care, and the creation of healing work environments. Dr. Hollingsworth provides us with practical insights on how to integrate compassion into leadership, offering stories and actionable advice that can help foster a positive team culture. We discuss real-world applications of compassionate action in workplaces and the impact these strategies have on leadership and team dynamics. This conversation encourages us to consider how we can apply these compassionate leadership principles to improve our own team environments and navigate challenges more effectively. ENJOY!
Enhancing Team Dynamics Through Trust and Psychological Safety
In this episode of the Leadership Vision Podcast, we discuss the concepts of trust and psychological safety and their impact on team innovation and resilience. The discussion explores core ideas, practical steps, and actionable strategies for fostering an environment where team members feel safe to share ideas without fear of negative consequences. The conversation also touches on the role of Strengths in team dynamics and how leaders and team members can build trust and improve communication and collaboration. Listeners will gain valuable insights and real-world examples to implement these concepts within their teams to build a positive, high-performing team culture. Enjoy!
Building Positive Team Culture Using Agile Principles with Dennis Stevens
In this episode of the Leadership Vision podcast, we sit down with Dennis Stevens, an enterprise Agile coach and founder of OrgWright with 30 years of experience. We discuss the evolving relevance of Agile principles and practices, particularly in the context of the post-pandemic business world. The conversation explores the difference between superficial Agile practices and fostering true team coherence and adaptability.
Dennis shares insights on creating effective teamwork conditions, reflecting on his experiences and lessons from the Agile community, the military, and transformational leadership. The discussion also addresses the challenges of consistent team alignment, clarity of roles, and the significance of first principles and purposeful rhythm in organizational success. Enjoy!
Strategies for Building a Thriving Executive Environment
In this episode of the Leadership Vision Podcast, we discuss our comprehensive and customizable approach to cultivating a successful executive environment. Emphasizing the importance of investing in executive growth, we explore how personalized executive sessions, team coaching, and succession planning can address the unique challenges faced by executive leaders. The conversation dives into the necessity for culturally informed support and highlights the essential role of trust and empathy in fostering effective leadership. Whether you are an aspiring leader or an established executive, this episode offers valuable insights into building a positive team culture and navigating the complex landscape of executive leadership. Enjoy!
Learning from Leaders: Reflections on a Year of Guest Interviews
In this episode of the Leadership Vision Podcast, hosts Nathan Freeburg, Brian, and Dr. Linda Schubring reflect on their experiences interviewing guests over the past year. They share insights on team dynamics, the power of authenticity, the importance of listening, and the enrichment of open conversations. The discussion also highlights the guests’ generosity, expertise, and passion for leadership and team culture. Our team is extremely grateful for the learning opportunities these interviews provide and encourages you, listener, to reflect on any recent learning opportunities you have experienced in your own leadership.
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