Dov Pollack – Dov Pollack Executive Coaching

June 27, 2022June 27, 2022

Kat Steinmetz, a Principal at Initialized Capital, Former Head of L&D at Stitch Fix, and Global Head of Talent Success at Box, On: Building HR at Burning Man, the Art of Asking Good Questions, and How To Hold People Accountable While Exercising Compassion

Kat Steinmetz

Kat Steinmetz is a Principal of Initialized Capital, a venture capital firm for early-stage companies. Specializing in HR and leadership development, she is a trusted executive with an interest in startups. She cut her teeth as the Head of Human Resources at Burning Man, building their HR and growing their talent pool over a decade-long tenure. Today, she continues to serve as an investor and advisor for several startups.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

What Kat Steinmetz does at Initialized Capital for diversity
The lessons she learned from the software revolution
How Kat’s art has informed her career
Building the HR department at the Burning Man festival
Finding the balance between accountability and freedom
The importance of instructional designers in businesses
How to guide founders towards influencing their work culture
Why do the best leaders need coaches?
The power behind creating a great experience

In this episode…

One of the best ways to capture an audience as a business is to create an incredible experience for the customer. That initial impression is what will last — and ultimately drive people back to your product. Curating that experience is difficult and often requires a lot of creativity. Few people know this principle more than Kat Steinmetz.

Kat is an executive with an incredible and diverse career. She started as a software engineer before transitioning to music and eventually getting into HR. From there, she learned the importance of building an impactful culture. She now uses that knowledge to craft complete experiences for the startups at Initialized Capital.

Dov Pollack sits down with Kat Steinmetz, a Principal at Initialized Capital, to talk about HR and the ability to lead others through curated experiences. They start with Kat’s own winding journey before exploring topics such as accountability, instructional designers, and how to guide leaders. She also talks about her time at Burning Man and what it was like to build their HR from the ground up.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

Sponsor for this episode…

Founded by Dov Pollack, Next Wave Leadership is an executive coaching firm focused on helping CEOs, executives, and emerging leaders to deepen their executive presence, differentiate their voice, and embrace the plot and promise of their story.

To know more about what we can do to help you grow as a leader, visit our website at NextWaveLeadership.com or send us an email at dov@nextwaveleadership.com.

June 20, 2022June 23, 2022

Dr. Yasmin Davidds, CEO of the Multicultural Women Executive Leadership Foundation, On: Overcoming Our Greatest Limitations, What It Means To Build Community, and Empowering Women To Own Their Truth

Dr. Yasmin Davidds

Dr. Yasmin Davidds is an organizational psychologist, executive, leadership development expert, and the CEO of the Dr. Yasmin Davidds Leadership Institute and the Multicultural Women Executive Leadership Foundation. She has trained and advised more than 2,000 leaders across over 200 companies, compiling that experience into her leadership programs. She has worked with companies like Microsoft, KARRASS, and Verizon.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

What it means to be graciously assertive
The realization that drove Dr. Yasmin Davidds’ career
Why community is essential for mutual success
The experiences that led Dr. Davidds to write her first book
How Dr. Davidds started her leadership institute
What the institute does to shape and support minority leaders
Using vulnerability to build rapport in leadership
The importance of shaping your own narrative
Seeing what the future holds for Dr. Davidds and her institute

In this episode…

Any story of success is filled with hardships and challenges. For some, these trials are difficult but not overwhelming. For others, their lives are filled with trauma and punishing barriers, making it all the more incredible when they break through. These are the stories that truly inspire: when seemingly insurmountable odds are overcome.

Dr. Yasmin Davidds has come out the other side of her tribulations as a knowledgeable and successful leader. Now, she’s dedicated herself to helping others overcome and grow as leaders, especially among women and the Latino community. Her institute utilizes several different programs and valuable lessons to guide its members. So what are the key ideas behind these programs?

In this episode of the Next Wave Leadership podcast, Dov Pollack speaks with Dr. Yasmin Davidds, the CEO of the Dr. Yasmin Davidds Leadership Institute and the Multicultural Women Executive Leadership Foundation, to talk about her experiences and insights. They talk about her difficult upbringing, the barriers she broke through, and how she continues to give back to others. They also discuss her institute and how it empowers women. Stay tuned to hear all of this and much more!

Resources Mentioned in this episode

Sponsor for this episode…

To know more about what we can do to help you grow as a leader, visit our website at NextWaveLeadership.com or send us an email at dov@nextwaveleadership.com.

June 13, 2022June 23, 2022

Annmarie Chereso, the Founder of BringIt! Home, On: How Being in a Contracted State Limits Growth, Moving Away From Fear and Towards Curiosity, and the #1 Question Every Leader Needs To Ask Themselves

Annmarie Chereso is the Founder of BringIt! Home, which gathers, inspires, and equips students, parents, and educators to empower themselves and the next generation of conscious leaders. For almost two decades, Annmarie has taught and spoken at schools and universities, facilitated workshops and trainings for teachers, and coached adults and young people. In 2015, Annmarie co-hosted Chicago’s first Conscious Parenting Summit featuring international speaker Dr. Shefali Tsabary and Conscious Leadership Group co-founder Jim Dethmer. In 2019, Annmarie published her first children’s book and is currently working on her newest book.

Annmarie has received coaching certifications from Martha Beck Inc, Mindful Schools, MEI, The Conscious Leadership Group, and Positive Discipline. Over the course of her career, she has had the good fortune of training with master teachers such as Jon Kabat-Zinn, Jack Kornfield, Thich Nhat Hanh, Daniel Rechtschaffen, Susan Kaiser Greenland, and many more.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

Annmarie Chereso explains the correlation between parenting and leadership
Why people need to recognize their influence and responsibility as the leader of any team or family
Annmarie explains the value of creating a free environment where people can make mistakes, grow, and learn
Annmarie shares the common issues she finds dealing with parents that easily correlate to leadership
What are some issues that the young generation is dealing with?
What parents and leaders need to do to help others grow
Important questions you should ask yourself to become a better leader

In this episode…

Creating a space where kids or employees are free to make mistakes, grow, and learn sounds risky, but risks can lead to the greatest rewards. Parents and leaders should know this better than anyone else. So, how can you create an environment that helps you and your team grow?

Annmarie Chereso believes that parenting is leadership, leadership is influence, and the way you parent is the way you lead. Also, people operate efficiently when they are free. When people are in a contracted state, they shut down their access to creativity, intuition, innovation, and a deep curiosity about the unknown. So, as a leader, it’s not about being in control. You have to be self-aware, tap into your innate power, and move past your fears and limiting beliefs to step into your most empowered self.

Dov Pollack has an insightful conversation with Annmarie Chereso, the Founder of BringIt! Home, where they discuss effective parenting and leadership skills. Annmarie explains the correlation between parenting and leadership, the value of creating a free environment where people can make mistakes, grow, and learn, and the common mistakes parents and leaders make. Learn how to be a better leader by listening to this episode of the Next Wave Leadership podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

Sponsor for this episode…

To know more about what we can do to help you grow as a leader, visit our website at NextWaveLeadership.com or send us an email at dov@nextwaveleadership.com.

June 6, 2022June 23, 2022

Meg Brossy, VP of Enterprise Sales at Grata, On: Leading With a “Bring It On” Attitude, Avoiding Jobs That Confine You to a Box, and How To Maintain a Culture’s Essence During Rapid Growth

Meg Brossy

Meg Brossy is the VP of Enterprise Sales at Grata, a leading engine in private company intelligence. She has led a thriving career in both the technology and the sports entertainment industries.

Meg initially spent 15 years in entertainment, running the marketing departments of Philip Morris USA’s Marlboro brand and even raising $115 million for the Charlotte Hornets’ NBA franchise. Now she works with technology companies by serving as a mentor through the SAP.io program and advising for Perch.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

Why Meg Brossy is drawn to uncharted waters in business
Meg’s vibrant career in sports and entertainment
The challenges of building a new NBA franchise
Entering the burgeoning field of digital technology
How to lead effectively without a clear plan
The new generation of employees and their expectations
Why Meg is working at Grata

In this episode…

No success is found without risk. The greatest leaders are not only aware of this but often thrive in the unknown. Being measured and careful is also important in business, but leading well requires a willingness to explore uncharted waters.

Meg Brossy has always sought out the unknown in her positions, having performed well in two different industries. Now, she is an established sales leader and a mentor to many companies. Her experiences have taught her to stay adventurous in business and in life. Today, she’s here to share those same valuable experiences with you.

In this episode of Next Wave Leadership, Dov Pollack interviews Meg Brossy, the VP of Enterprise Sales at Grata, to go over her career and her singular approach to leadership. They talk about Meg’s initial jobs in entertainment and sports and how she transitioned into the technology space. They then explore further topics on mentoring the next generation, leading without a clear plan, and maintaining a culture during rapid growth.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

Sponsor for this episode…

To know more about what we can do to help you grow as a leader, visit our website at NextWaveLeadership.com or send us an email at dov@nextwaveleadership.com.

May 23, 2022June 23, 2022

Tom Rodden, Former SR. Vice President and CIO of Varian Medical Systems, On: Building and Merging Cultures, Leading a Billion-Dollar Integration From the C-Suite, and the Argument for Breadth of Knowledge Over Expertise

Tom Rodden

Tom Rodden is the former Senior Vice President and CIO of Varian Medical Systems. He has had a diverse and vast career that’s covered technology, IT leadership, and business operations. Tom spent nearly 15 years at Varian Medical Systems in various leadership positions, where he further honed his executive skills. He recently took the position of ERP Program Cutover Consultant at Seagate Technology, a global leader in mass data storage. Currently, Tom is also a Board Advisor for Cloudrek and Onymos Inc.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

Tom Rodden’s experience at Varian and how he helped grow the company
Merging two companies with different cultures
How to plan a difficult acquisition so that the process goes smoothly
Institutionalizing cultural norms at a company
The key to unifying the objectives of a business and its employees
Moments in Tom’s career that gave him his perspective
Developing an international and cultured view of the world
How Tom’s broad experiences informed his leadership

In this episode…

Merging any two companies is a monumental task. There are the technical and logistical details to be considered, along with intangible factors like the company culture. What is designed to be a strategic benefit for both entities can quickly turn into a disaster if the process isn’t handled with care. So, what does a successful merger require?

Tom Rodden is a proven executive who has worked with companies like GE, PwC, and Deloitte. He was also a major part of the Varian and Siemens merger, helping the employees adapt to new cultures and processes. His experience in technology and manufacturing has given him a unique approach to leadership — including what it takes to handle a smooth acquisition. Here’s what that approach looks like in action.

Dov Pollack has an insightful conversation with Tom Rodden, the former Senior Vice President and CIO of Varian Medical Systems, where they discuss leadership over the course of a merger. They start with the details of the two companies and how to help integrate the two different cultures. Then, the two go over the common problems that come with mergers, the importance of maintaining objectives, and more. Hear the rest by listening to this episode of the Next Wave Leadership podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

Sponsor for this episode…

To know more about what we can do to help you grow as a leader, visit our website at NextWaveLeadership.com or send us an email at dov@nextwaveleadership.com.