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Todd Bertsch is a dynamic entrepreneur, speaker, and life-optimization coach, best known as the host of The BOLT Podcast. His inspiring journey from overcoming early life challenges to experiencing a pivotal transformation in his 20s has established him as a respected figure in digital marketing, education, and leadership.

In 2009, Todd founded Evolve Marketing, a successful digital agency. Passionate about inspiring others, Todd's mission is to encourage individuals to embrace change, cultivate a growth mindset, and lead meaningful, fulfilling lives. He has served on numerous nonprofit boards and is currently the president of Leadership Akron Signature Class 39.

A Few Quotes From This Episode

• “It took me a long time to get to where I am—truly fulfilled and happy—and I want more people to reach that place without having to fail so many times. You can start today.”
• "When you shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset, you open yourself up to possibilities—you become more empathetic, self-aware, and ultimately a more effective leader.”
• “A lot of people love the idea of being a leader, but they don’t realize how much responsibility comes with it. It’s a privilege that shouldn’t be taken for granted.”

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk
• Optical Emotions by Dr. Laura Aldape
• Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine
• Be Water, My Friend by Shannon Lee

About The International Leadership Association (ILA)

• The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!

About Scott J. Allen

• Website
• Weekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for Leaders
• Blog

My Approach to Hosting

• The views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspective. Nothing can replace your reflection, research, and exploration of the topic.

♻️ Please share with others and follow/subscribe to the podcast!
⭐️ Please leave a review on Apple, Spotify, or your platform of choice.
➡️ Follow me on LinkedIn for more on leadership, communication, and tech.
📜 Subscribe to my weekly newsletter featuring four hand-picked articles.
🌎 You can learn more about my work on my Website.

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Dr. Flo Falayi, a Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry, leads leadership and executive development within the Advisory practice, CEO/C-Suite Accelerator, and Succession team. He focuses on executive development, coaching, team effectiveness, and inclusive leadership programs to align with strategic priorities and enhance satisfaction, motivation, and retention.

With 28 years of experience, Dr. Flo helps organizations execute strategy through effective leadership development and coaching. He has held P&L responsibilities across HR, Business Technology, L&D, and Training in global organizations.

Dr. Flo Falayi brings a global perspective from working across North America, Europe, and West Africa. He applies psychological principles to solve leadership challenges and partners with senior leaders on assessments, 360 evaluations, and succession planning.

Before Korn Ferry, he co-founded a boutique firm and was a principal at a global consultancy. A recognized thought leader, his insights appear in various publications, and he speaks frequently on inclusive leadership, hybrid leadership, and coaching strategies.

Flo is married to his college sweetheart, Lande and they have three young men, two in college and a high school junior.

Flo is a YALE scholar, holds a PhD in Organizational Leadership and an Executive MBA candidate at the University of Georgia, Terry College of Business. He holds a Master's degree and a Bachelor's degree in Computer Information Systems, and a Bachelor's degree in Architecture.

Dr. Flo is an accredited coach (ACC) certified by the International Coach Federation (ICF) and a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), Change Management Professionals (ACMP), Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Forbes Coaches Council.

A Quote From This Episode

• "Enterprise leaders have to be able to perform and transform the business at the same time."

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Article: Top 5 Leadership Trends That Will Shape 2025 (Korn Ferry)
• Book: Calling Bullshit byCalling Bullshit: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World by Carl T. Bergstrom & Jevin D. West
• Book: The Trusted Advisor byThe Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister, Robert Galford, and Charles Green
• Book: Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading by Ronald A. Heifetz & Martin Linsky

About The International Leadership Association (ILA)

• The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!

About Scott J. Allen

• Website
• Weekly Newsletter: Pra

♻️ Please share with others and follow/subscribe to the podcast!
⭐️ Please leave a review on Apple, Spotify, or your platform of choice.
➡️ Follow me on LinkedIn for more on leadership, communication, and tech.
📜 Subscribe to my weekly newsletter featuring four hand-picked articles.
🌎 You can learn more about my work on my Website.

Send us a text

Corey Crossan is a research and teaching fellow at The Oxford Character Project where she develops and facilitates character development programs for students and industry. She is also the co-founder of Virtuosity Character, a mobile software application created to support the daily, deliberate practice of character-based leadership development.

Dr. Mary Crossan is a Distinguished University Professor and Professor of Strategic Leadership at the Ivey Business School at Western University, Ontario. She is also a co-founder of Virtuosity Character and co-host of the “Question of Character” podcast.

A Quote From This Episode

• "We discovered that it wasn’t a failure of competence, but largely this failure of character.”

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• App: Virtuosity Character
• Mary Crossan on Google Scholar
• Movie: Freud's Last Lessons
• Book: The Science of Motivating Young People by Yeager

About The International Leadership Association (ILA)

• The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!

About Scott J. Allen

• Website
• Weekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for Leaders
• Blog

My Approach to Hosting

• The views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspective. Nothing can replace your reflection, research, and exploration of the topic.

♻️ Please share with others and follow/subscribe to the podcast!
⭐️ Please leave a review on Apple, Spotify, or your platform of choice.
➡️ Follow me on LinkedIn for more on leadership, communication, and tech.
📜 Subscribe to my weekly newsletter featuring four hand-picked articles.
🌎 You can learn more about my work on my Website.

Send us a text

Jeffrey Beeson has a dual MBA in finance from the Wharton School of Business and an MA in international business from the Lauder Institute. They set the foundation for Jeffrey's interest in business strategy, culture, and leadership.

During his work in the European offices of Bain and McKinsey, he led projects in a broad spectrum of industries on a pan-European and worldwide basis. During his collaboration with clients, Jeffrey experienced firsthand that culture eats strategy for breakfast. Jeffrey expanded his expertise in culture transformation by joining Senn Delaney, the first firm to foster thriving organizational cultures worldwide. At Senn Delaney, he headed culture rollout initiatives for multinational corporations throughout Europe.

Jeffrey continued his personal learning journey at the European Office of
the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), a prestigious worldwide leadership
development practice. During his tenure at CCL he touched the lives of
thousands of leaders throughout Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region and worldwide.

From 2003 to 2011, Jeffrey served on the board of the International Leadership Association, the largest member-based organization dedicated to advancing leadership worldwide.

A Quote From Beeson

• "The newly emerging science of networks opens an entirely new horizon on how to lead people, design organizations, and make sense of complex social environments."

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Network Leadership: Promoting a Healthier World through the Power of Networks by Jeffrey Beeson
• Jeffrey's Blog
• Jeffrey's Newsletter
• Book: No Fit - My 1,700-Mile Walk from Apartheid by Nico de Klerk

About The International Leadership Association (ILA)

• The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!

About Scott J. Allen

• Website
• Weekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for Leaders
• Blog

My Approach to Hosting

• The views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspective. Nothing can replace your reflection, research, and exploration of the topic.

♻️ Please share with others and follow/subscribe to the podcast!
⭐️ Please leave a review on Apple, Spotify, or your platform of choice.
➡️ Follow me on LinkedIn for more on leadership, communication, and tech.
📜 Subscribe to my weekly newsletter featuring four hand-picked articles.
🌎 You can learn more about my work on my Website.

Send us a text

Ira Chaleff is an author, speaker, and executive coach in the greater Washington, DC, area. His extensive experience with the US federal government includes directing and chairing the nonpartisan Congressional Management Foundation, where he is now Chair Emeritus.

Ira co-authored the original handbook for newly elected Members of Congress, now in its fifteenth edition, and has facilitated over a hundred retreats for congressional offices. He has led and participated in Democracy strengthening programs in Asia and West Africa and consulted for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Eastern Europe.

He has been an adjunct faculty member at the Federal Executive Institute and a visiting leadership scholar at Churchill College, Cambridge University in England. Ira served two terms on the Board of Directors of the International Leadership Association and is the founder of its Followership Community.

His previous award-winning books include The Courageous Follower: Standing Up To and For Our Leaders and Intelligent Disobedience: Doing Right When What You’re Told To Do Is Wrong which has been published in translation in Beijing and Moscow. Ira speaks on courageous followership and intelligent disobedience at a wide variety of institutions, including the US Department of State, the US Naval Academy, the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, the European Commission of the EU, and many others.

A Quote From Ira Chaleff

• "If you were a supporter of Kamala Harris, and are feeling frightened by the election results. That is how Trump supporters would be feeling if Harris had won. Each side feared tyranny if the other side won, and neither can imagine how the other side could feel that. The work now is to reduce the chasm between these lived world views and for both sides to be vigilant and protect the rights we cherish.”

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Book: To Stop a Tyrant by Chaleff
• Book: Intelligent Disobedience by Chaleff
• Book: The Courageous Follower by Chaleff

About The International Leadership Association (ILA)

• The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!

My Approach to Hosting

• The views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspective. Nothing can replace your reflection, research, and exploration of the topic.

♻️ Please share with others and follow/subscribe to the podcast!
⭐️ Please leave a review on Apple, Spotify, or your platform of choice.
➡️ Follow me on LinkedIn for more on leadership, communication, and tech.
📜 Subscribe to my weekly newsletter featuring four hand-picked articles.
🌎 You can learn more about my work on my Website.

Send us a text

Zuzana Čmelíková has been teaching and coaching for more than 20 years, especially in the diagnosis and creation of organizational culture, leadership development, self-management, resilience, stress management, time management, managerial training, soft-skills training. Zuzana has completed the 3rd degree of university studies in the field of human management at Matej Bel University. She successfully completed professional internships abroad in Belgium and in the USA.

In 2019, she became an internationally certified persolog® coach for increasing personal performance, organizational performance and streamlining communication and teamwork. In 2020, she received certification at the University of Pennsylvania in the specialization Positive Psychology and Resilience, directly from the creators of this concept. In 2024 she won the category Lecturer of the Year in Learning & Development Awards.

She is a Leadership & Resilience Professional in Slovakia.

A Quote From This Episode

• "We need to be aware of who we are and what we stand for, and it will create a cultural identity. And I believe that we can base it on our history. We have amazing role models who fought for freedom in our country."

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Book: Ethics: The Heart of Leadership by Joanne B. Ciulla
  

About The International Leadership Association (ILA)

• The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!

About Scott J. Allen

• Website
• Weekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for Leaders
• Blog

My Approach to Hosting

• The views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspective. Nothing can replace your reflection, research, and exploration of the topic.

♻️ Please share with others and follow/subscribe to the podcast!
⭐️ Please leave a review on Apple, Spotify, or your platform of choice.
➡️ Follow me on LinkedIn for more on leadership, communication, and tech.
📜 Subscribe to my weekly newsletter featuring four hand-picked articles.
🌎 You can learn more about my work on my Website.

Send us a text

Neal Foard has spent 30 years in advertising and marketing, creating award-winning campaigns for global power brands like Budweiser, Sony and Lexus. For his work on Toyota, Neal ranked among the top ten most awarded creative directors in the world in 2002. As the author of an innovative talent development series, Neal was named Worldwide Director of Creative Learning for global ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi.

He has consulted on creative messaging for Fortune 500 companies, governments and universities and been a featured speaker at TEDx conferences. Most recently, Neal has gained a following on social media for his inspirational videos about the kindnesses of everyday people.

A Quote From This Episode

• "Curiosity and humility. Boy, those are going to go a long way as a leader."

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Youtube - Neal's YouTube Channel
• Website - Neal's Website
• TedTalk - Neal's TedTalk
• Empathy Video - Cleveland Clinic
• Book - The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky
• Poet - Charles Bukowski

About The International Leadership Association (ILA)

• The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!

About Scott J. Allen

• Website
• Weekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for Leaders
• Blog

My Approach to Hosting

• The views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspective. Nothing can replace your reflection, research, and exploration of the topic.

♻️ Please share with others and follow/subscribe to the podcast!
⭐️ Please leave a review on Apple, Spotify, or your platform of choice.
➡️ Follow me on LinkedIn for more on leadership, communication, and tech.
📜 Subscribe to my weekly newsletter featuring four hand-picked articles.
🌎 You can learn more about my work on my Website.

Send us a text

After a life of playing professional baseball, Josh Lindblom quickly realized he had nothing on his resume between "player here" and "player there." He felt a deep longing to discover who he had been created to be so that he could do what he had been designed to do. After being guided through retirement by a coach and having numerous discussions with friends and teammates, he realized that the longing he felt also resided deep and unsurfaced in the hearts of everyone he talked to. Congruency quickly changed from something he wanted to do to something he had to do.

Josh is married to his high school sweetheart, Aurielle. They have four children. He enjoys getaway weekends with his wife, coaching his kids and their friends in any and every sport, and hosting friends for any and every reason—like a spontaneous Royal Rumble party.

Josh has a Master’s in Biblical Studies (MABS), a personal and leadership development certification from Leader Breakthru, and an Associate Certified Coach certification (ACC) from the International Coaching Federation.

Josh’s greatest passion is walking alongside others as they discover who they are and decide to make the courageous choice to align who they are with what they do each day of their lives.

A Quote From Josh

• "We help you make your invisible life visible so you can break free from where you are and become who you were created to be."

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Organization: Congruency
• Book: Garden City by John Mark Comer
• Book: Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership by Ruth Haley Barton
• Book: Life Without Lack by Dallas Willard

About The International Leadership Association (ILA)

• The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!

About Scott J. Allen

♻️ Please share with others and follow/subscribe to the podcast!
⭐️ Please leave a review on Apple, Spotify, or your platform of choice.
➡️ Follow me on LinkedIn for more on leadership, communication, and tech.
📜 Subscribe to my weekly newsletter featuring four hand-picked articles.
🌎 You can learn more about my work on my Website.