Next Wave Leadership Podcast – Page 2 – Dov Pollack Executive Coaching

April 11, 2022April 11, 2022

Neeraj Mehta, the CEO of DigniFi, On: Humility in Leadership, Making Yourself Available and Vulnerable, and the Lost Art of the Handwritten Note

Neeraj Mehta

Neeraj Mehta is the CEO at DigniFi, which offers quick and flexible financing for all kinds of vehicles. As an incredibly experienced leader, he has served at an executive level for multiple global brands such as GE and Synchrony. He was also the interim President and CEO for United Way.

Neeraj is an expert in finance, operations, risk, and sales performance, just to name a few. He is a member of the Advisory Board at Teach for America and an active partner of the Acumen Fund.

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

Neeraj Mehta’s decision to step back after business school and what it taught him
How Neeraj’s childhood as an immigrant shaped him
The lessons Neeraj learned from his two mentors
How curiosity and a thirst for knowledge drove Neeraj’s career
What does a more holistic approach to diversity look like?
Why Neeraj left Synchrony to lead something smaller
The ways that Neeraj is intentional with his employees
Taking the interim CEO role at United Way and what Neeraj learned

In this episode…

To the average person, some leaders can feel unapproachable. There can exist a certain illusion that makes them seem above ordinary people. Much of this is driven by the pressure not to show any vulnerability or accept any setbacks. But, this is a dishonest view of leadership. Instead, Neeraj Mehta believes a true leader prioritizes serving over ruling.

Facing multiple problems and challenges in his career, Neeraj has continued to find success as an executive at accomplished organizations like GE and United Way. He has developed his own style over a long and fruitful career, finding new ways to connect with his employees and build a thriving culture. His approach has proven itself time and time again, and now, he’s here to explain it in detail.

In this episode of Next Wave Leadership, Dov Pollack speaks with Neeraj Mehta, the CEO of DigniFi, to go over his career and his approach to leadership. They start with his own background and the challenges he faced early on in his work. They then discuss the importance of diversity, humility, and curiosity in the workplace. The two even take some time to go over Neeraj’s own methods of being intentional. Check out the full episode to hear all of this and more!

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.

April 4, 2022April 3, 2022

Jennifer Paxton, the VP of People at Smile.io, On: The HR Hero Complex, How to Build Culture Remotely, and the Fear of Not Being Liked

Jennifer Paxton

Jennifer Paxton is the VP of People at Smile.io, a company that creates effective loyalty programs for smaller businesses. With an extensive background in tech startups, she is a prominent leader in the world of HR and recruiting. Alongside her position at Smile.io, she sits on the board for the Cultural Alliance of Medfield. She has previously worked as a director of talent for other leading companies such as Privy, LevelUp, and TrueMotion. She is a proponent of direct sourcing and employment branding, having developed her unique style of recruitment.

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

Why culture is so important and what good culture looks like
The right way to approach a problematic employee
Jennifer Paxton talks about understanding the role of a great HR manager
What a bad culture and poor workplace look like in practice
How do you build a great culture remotely?
Synthesizing and communicating your company culture to new employees
The best leader that Jennifer has met and what she learned from them

In this episode…

How do you consciously build a great work culture?

Almost every business has a mission statement and some ideals, but what does that look like in action? Building a culture is a thorough and intensive process, touching every aspect of your business. It starts from the ground up and requires proper leadership to see it cultivated. With the rise in remote work, it’s become more difficult than ever to keep your employees unified. Fortunately, Jennifer Paxton has learned how to do it.

Dov Pollack has an in-depth conversation with Jennifer Paxton, the VP of People at Smile.io, to talk about company culture and the role that HR plays. They go over the common problems in the workplace, including addressing conflict and overcoming the challenge of remote work. They then discuss Jennifer’s own experiences and how she was influenced by the leaders in her life. Find out the rest by tuning into 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.

March 28, 2022March 28, 2022

Cara Shortsleeve, CEO of The Leadership Consortium, On: Why It Is Ok to Really Want To Win, Learning To Be Comfortable in Rooms That Weren’t Built for You, and Why There Can Be No Diversity Without Inclusion

Cara Shortsleeve

Cara Shortsleeve is an accomplished leader and the CEO of The Leadership Consortium. The organization works with some of the world’s leading brands to help develop and cultivate the next generation of leaders. She has personally worked for multiple renowned brands herself, spending over a decade at Google and YouTube before taking on her current role. Throughout her career, she’s developed her specializations in strategy and operational leadership with positions at Morgan Stanley and New Balance.

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

Why Cara Shortsleeve left her dream job at Google
Helping women and people of color have more access to the right opportunities
How athletics has factored into Cara’s career and view on leadership
The importance of feeling like you belong in business
Serving in leadership instead of reaching for power
Cara’s greatest lesson in leadership she’s taken from her career
Goals for new and experienced leaders alike
Creating learning opportunities for students at The Leadership Consortium

In this episode…

So much of leadership comes from personal experience. Lessons can be learned from trial and error in one’s career, but many mistakes can be picked up from those who’ve come before. There are a few notable leadership organizations that offer educational and networking opportunities, but few have the pedigree that The Leadership Consortium has earned. And leading those leaders is Cara Shortsleeve.

Having worked with brands such as Google and New Balance, Cara has a rich background in business development and leadership. In her role as CEO, she not only fosters great skills in her students but also promotes diversity. She is dedicated to increasing inclusion for greater opportunities, and in this episode, she wants to share those ideas with you.

Dov Pollack has an informative interview with Cara Shortsleeve, the CEO of The Leadership Consortium, to discuss leadership and diversity in the business world. They go through Cara’s own career and background, including the key lessons she learned along the way. They also dive into topics such as belonging in the corporate space, goals for leaders at all stages, and the need to serve within leadership. Hear the rest in this episode of Next Wave Leadership!

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.

March 21, 2022March 21, 2022

Monte Lee-Wen, Founder and Chairman of the Casoro Group, On: The Anatomy of an Entrepreneur, Rising Above Your Circumstances, and Developing Leaders That Inspire You

Monte Lee Wen Monte Lee-Wen is the Founder and Chairman of the Casoro Group, which is a minority-owned commercial real estate investment firm. He is a leader within the global real estate community, having sharpened his expertise in multi-family real estate throughout his career. He continues to work as the Principal of Upside Avenue and CLEAR Property Management.

Along with his work in real estate, Monte is an accomplished entrepreneur who’s founded and operated multiple companies. He also makes time to invest back into his community as one of Austin’s 40 Under 40 and a member of the World Entrepreneur’s Organization, Austin chapter.

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

How Monte Lee-Wen founded his first company at 19
Making something out of nothing when starting a business
The importance of Monte’s move to America and surviving the dot-com bust
Monte’s best lessons and how he learned them: the hard way
Planning your life with the destination in mind
Focusing on process and success over fame or awards
The art of negotiation and knowing how to read people
How Monte was able to push through a serious health issue
Learning how to rely on other people and take a step back

In this episode…

No leader makes it all on their own, but the best entrepreneurs are the ones that drive their own success. There is a certain resilience that can only be found in people who are self-motivated and endlessly hard working. While advice is valuable, the best lessons come from firsthand experience under difficulty. If they can survive those hardships, they often come out the other side stronger than ever.

Monte Lee-Wen knows this from his own career of highs and lows and self-made success. Having founded multiple companies in the real estate space, Monte has overcome a lot to become the expert he is today. Through his experiences, he has learned what it takes to be a thriving entrepreneur and leader. So what were the core lessons that led him to where he is today?

Dov Pollack takes time to interview Monte Lee-Wen, the Founder and Chairman of the Casoro Group, to go over his eventful career and what he learned as a self-made entrepreneur. They start with his first business at 19 years old and how he got into the real estate business. They also touch on how to cultivate leaders around yourself, the best way to plan your life, and how to properly negotiate. Hear the rest on 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.

March 14, 2022March 14, 2022

Kim Alexis Newton, Former SVP of Consumer Experience for the Hallmark Brand and Founder of Alexis Enterprises, On: Moving From Success to Significance, Resisting the Familiar, and the Power of the Intentional Pause

Kim Alexis Newton

Kim Alexis Newton is an entrepreneur, executive, and artist that defies simple categorization. She is a respected leader with a track record in consumer marketing, currently sitting on the Board of Directors for Big Lots and helming leadership programs for Netflix. One of her major roles was at Hallmark, spending almost two decades with the brand and working up to their Senior Vice President of Customer Experience.

Kim has brought together most of her passions in Alexis Enterprises, which features her art, quilts, and women’s resources. She is an advocate for women’s empowerment, being an in-demand speaker through her Intentional Pause Project.

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

What drew Kim Alexis Newton to marketing and leadership
The difference between how most organizations work versus how they should be working
Finding fulfillment by disrupting yourself
How the ideas of left and right brain can work together
The inspiration behind The Intentional Pause Project for women
Five steps to actualize your dreams and see progress
Why you need a strong inflection point to catalyze your vision
Trusting in the journey and taking your time in your career

In this episode…

We all know about corporate culture’s constant pressure to succeed and keep working harder. It’s become a defining characteristic in the United States and much of the western world. Success is often measured by what’s next and how much has already been accomplished. Even for experienced leaders, this feedback loop can be draining and unfulfilling. So what comes next?

Kim Alexis Newton has found success firsthand, having risen through the ranks at Hallmark to leave a lasting legacy. While she enjoyed her time there, she knew she wanted more. As she’s found her passion and her dreams, she’s dedicated herself to helping others do the same. Her process of pausing and refocusing has worked for her, and now, it might do the same for you.

Dov Pollack invites Kim Alexis Newton on to the Next Wave Leadership podcast to discuss her career, her ideas on achieving your dreams, and balancing your left and right brain. She starts with the fundamental needs in most companies and how they can make small adjustments to preserve their culture. They also talk about the need for fulfillment and the steps you can take to turn your dreams into reality.

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.