Exciting news: The Humphrey Group has been acquired by Humance! In this special episode of The Inspire Podcast, Bart Egnal speaks with Bernard Letendre, Managing Partner, Ontario and Western Canada at Humance, about the story behind this decision and the journey that led him there. Bernard shares his remarkable career path from practicing law to leading major divisions in Canada’s financial services industry, to joining Humance and becoming the architect behind its acquisition of The Humphrey Group. Along the way, he reflects on lessons learned about taking risks, creating opportunities rather than waiting for them, and pursuing growth with purpose. He also draws powerful parallels between leadership and his lifelong practice of judo, where discipline, humility, and mutual benefit are essential to success. Bart and Bernard close with an inside look at how the merger came to be after a year of conversation and a shared vision for growth, and how it will set both organizations up to continue serving their clients in existing and new ways. Whether you’re navigating your own career transitions or leading through change, this conversation offers powerful insights on creating your own opportunities, embracing non-linear growth, and finding strength in partnership. Show Notes: 00:14 Show intro 00:48 Welcoming Bernard 01:14 Special announcement 02:05 "Humance" meaning 02:29 Judo and its importance 04:40 How Bernard began his career 05:01 Law and the law of electronic surveillance 05:34 Wife: "law made you less fun to be around" 06:47 Joined IG 07:06 Taking a 100% commission job 07:53 Making cold-calls to the bar phonebook 08:35 Finding opportunities in the new job 08:40 Officer training in the military 09:05 Good at management 10:19 Changing career paths regularly 10:36 Switching to Standard Life 11:21 Standard life 12:05 2009 Financial crisis - lost job 12:14 Landing at Manulife 12:36 Should you take a step down in your career? 13:01 Building a biz plan for private wealth at Manulife 13:44 Manulife tapped him to run his business plan 14:54 Advice for people who are ambitious with their careers 15:08 Don't wait for opportunity, come up with ways of creating value 15:36 Congrats, you have employment now figure out your job 16:50 How the Pandemic transformed his life 17:53 cert in organizational coaching 20:59 Why he made the leap to Humance 22:38 Long-term thinking 22:45 Doing is big "act" before it was too late 24:16 Advice: A career does not have to be linear 25:13 Not having a rigid mind 25:36 The final act: Humance 27:05 His Biz plan for expanding Humance outside the Quebec market 28:48 How Bernard reached out to Bart 31:17 Mutual benefit in Judo 33:41 Thank yous and wrap up 34:02 Outro

What does it really take to build great leaders? In this episode of the Inspire Podcast, Bart Egnal sits down with Rob Buckingham, Executive VP at Quest Window Systems Inc and retired Canadian Forces Captain, to unpack how leadership is intentionally developed in both the military and business. Rob shares powerful lessons from his time in uniform when he was first exposed to foundational leadership and how the Canadian Forces empowers junior leaders to step up from day one. He explains how that experience taught him the value of feedback, the importance of resilience under pressure, and why empowering people early creates lasting strength in any organization. He then reveals how those same principles shaped his corporate career and what he learned as a management consultant and, more recently, in his current role as Executive VP of a global manufacturing company. He closes by sharing perspectives from his work with Treble Victor, an organization that matches veterans with civilian organizations, and shows why companies that tap into military leadership talent gain a powerful edge. If you’ve ever wondered what foundational leadership looks like in practice and how you can cultivate it in your own organization, this conversation is for you.   Show Notes 00:15 Show intro 00:52 Introducing Robert Buckingham 03:12 What is foundational leadership and why is it important? 03:18 Fostering a leadership culture  03:42 Empower junior leaders 04:07 What orgs get right and wrong about leadership development 04:53 Military officers have responsibility right away 06:12 Give junior leaders tools to lead early on  07:00 Why did you enlist in the army 09:42 What is Mission-command 10:28 Military gets planning and execution of tasks 12:57 Forecast Plan Control Review 13:29 Resilience 13:33 Key values: loyalty, integrity, mission first 13:49 Can you teach these leadership traits or are they innate? 15:09 High fallout rate in the military 18:35 Continuous training 19:41 Instantaneous coaching feedback 20:06 Growing a culture of feedback 20:18 What's the toughest feedback you got in your career? 21:19 Like sports team culture 21:35 The worst thing is complacency 24:04 One of my proudest achievements in the military 24:43 Transitioning from military to the corporate world, was it a shock? 25:59 Translating to civilian speak 28:01 What maps and what doesn't? 29:11 Put things in place, succeeded! 30:47 Span of control 32:35 Corporate environment never plan 33:29 50 50 leadership vs tasks 34:00 Joined Quest 35:01 Set your team up with a structure where information flows up and down 36:15 How to know how an org is doing with leadership? 36:49 Does the front line mission line up with the org's mission? 38:18 The Back Brief  39:55 Treble Victor 45:38 Thank yous 46:00 Outro  

In this episode, Bart sits down with Janet Drysdale, Interim Chief Commercial Officer at CN, to explore her career journey through progressively senior roles and how communication has been the key differentiator at every level. Janet reflects on the different skills required at each step of a career, and how even today, in a new senior role, it’s critical that she continues to hone her ability to influence, listen, and inspire. She shares how the demands of communication shift as your career grows. Early in your career, you need the courage to share your opinion, as you advance, you need to learn to say “no” quickly and decisively. At more senior levels, it becomes essential to translate complexity into clarity, become an exceptional listener, and empower others to speak up and share their voice. Whether you’re just starting out or leading at the highest level, this conversation weaves together Janet's insights and experiences to reveal the communication skills that matter most and how they can fuel your success. Show Notes: 00:12 Show intro 00:47 Introducing Janet 02:14 Why communication has been important for Janet's career 03:11 Communication is the single most important skill 03:54 Communication in the early years of Janet's career 05:01 Early career very FACT-focused 05:23 But what do you think about the facts 06:39 Was there a moment when she had to step up and lead 06:49 Nobody could argue with facts but suggesting solutions was scary 07:57 The beginning of real conversation is when you put yourself out there and get feedback 08:51 Investor relations role 10:59 Communication helps build relationships 12:54 Influencing the C-suite level 13:03 The way you communicate matters 13:48 Tailoring communication to the room 14:41 Bart recalls a time when they worked together 16:51 Sometimes you need the facts not the story from people 19:31 Understanding the why and how they're telling the story 20:16 Helping others find their communication styles 21:22 Bart asks her for a story of helping a team member 22:44 People in the room who want to talk but are too shy 23:56 Reinforce the behavior 24:18 The importance of listening 26:42 The finance team also needs to learn to communicate 27:33 It doesn't matter what your role is communication is key 27:56 The downside of a "maybe" 28:24 If you're going to have to say "no" don't string it out with "maybe" 29:48 Communication is also to build trust and respect 30:24 What skills is Janet still working on 31:27 Thank Yous 31:58 Show outro

In this episode, Bart speaks with Dave Garrison, Founder and Chief Navigating Officer of Garrison Growth, about his new book The Buy-In Advantage. They explore why employee engagement is at a decade low, the forces driving disengagement, and why it’s critical for leaders to overcome these challenges to build a fully committed workforce. Dave shares practical, no-cost strategies leaders can use to foster authentic buy-in—shifting from “telling” to “asking,” recognizing employees as human beings (not just human doings), and connecting people’s work to purpose and growth. A timely and valuable conversation for leaders at all levels, offering concrete tools to inspire and engage teams in an era when it matters more than ever. Get your copy of The Buy-In Advantage here: https://buyinbook.com/ 00:37 Show intro 01:14 Welcoming Dave Garrison 01:51 What is a Chief Navigating Officer? 03:14 Dave's career background 04:27 The story of seeing a shaman 05:54 Removing artificial constraints 06:48 Walking out of the corporate world into CNO 07:22 What it was like to leave the job he had 07:53 The business was funded on credit card debt 08:18 How the venture has evolved in the last 10 years 09:27 About his new book 10:59 Creating engagement 11:06 Game-changing orgs always have 3 elements 11:38 How do leaders build an environment for engagement? 12:52 What is the buy-in crisis? And where does it come from? 13:49 Gen Z values – money less important, impact with like-minded people 14:59 What's driving the buy-in crisis 16:17 Two-thirds don’t care about the company 16:32 The costs of lack of engagement 16:53 Churn is a waste of time and resources 17:49 Are companies just grinning and bearing it with turnover? 19:01 How do great leaders foster buy-in 19:27 Give up on the bully or bribe approach 20:15 Why can’t people be as enthusiastic about jobs as they are about sports? 20:50 The way the boss sees things is only one way 21:02 Collective genius 21:22 Human beings, not human doings 22:10 Sense of purpose 22:34 Challenges and opportunities to learn and grow 22:57 Bart summarizes main points so far 23:35 Warning signs that buy-in is not occurring 26:21 What lets you know this is a great idea? 26:48 Don’t share your idea — share the problem 27:36 Example of Jeff Edison’s leadership 30:16 Ask questions instead of providing answers 32:08 Example of older leaders stuck in ‘answer mode’ 34:05 Teachers with right answers 34:52 Where are we with workforce engagement? 35:21 We’re at a decade-low in engagement 36:23 Where to find The Buy-In Advantage 37:15 Thank Yous 37:28 Outro

In this episode, Bart speaks with longtime THG consultant and Professor of Voice, Acting, and Performance Research at Concordia University, Noah Drew, about the deep connection between presence, performance, and leadership. Noah shares how his journey through theatre and voice work shaped his understanding of what presence really means, and why it matters for both actors and leaders. Bridging his work in theatre and leadership development, Noah introduces the Presence Triangle. He breaks down the three points of the triangle: the inner experience of the speaker, the outer awareness of the audience, and the material at hand, and explains why great communicators stay attuned to all three. Along the way, he offers practical ways to assess your own presence, strengthen it, and show up more fully and authentically in the moments that matter. Whether you're preparing for a high-stakes presentation or simply want to be more intentional in everyday interactions, this conversation will help you lead with greater clarity, connection, and presence. For those who want to explore the ideas Noah mentions in more depth, you can read writings from the Fitzmaurice Institute here: https://www.fitzmauriceinstitute.org/writings 00:32 Show Intro 01:12 Introducing Noah Drew 02:26 Why should people in the government and corps care about theatre training? 02:44 Theatre is an artform that is about commanding people's attention 03:47 What theatre experiences stood out to you? 03:59 Joining a youth theatre company 05:30 Did you know that you wanted to pursue theatre? 06:57 Professional clowning? 07:51 Bart asks: what is "presence"? 08:21 Presence has 2 sides 09:10 Defining presence 10:03 What does it mean to inspire others? 10:24 That's what great leaders do 12:25 Stagecraft makes people want to pay attention 14:26 How do actors learn to develop presence? The Presence Triangle 17:34 Continuous electric dance of attention 21:02 "What you resist, persists" 21:34 Bart brings it back to the realities of leaders and managers 22:45 If you're not in the habit, the pressure will make it even harder 25:11 The pressure that comes from the attention of others 25:28 Advice to people to be ready when the attention is on them 26:12 Bart gets an assessment and coaching! 28:34 How can people self-assess their Presence Triangle? 30:58 How to develop your weakest point of the Presence Triangle 31:21 How to develop inner awareness 33:44 Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone 35:51 Early childhood experiences often shape these challenges 36:34 Belief in the material 37:21 The time spent to shape your material is worth it 38:32 Bart shares his experiences as a speechwriter 40:24 It's a "practice" of presence 42:11 How can people follow up on these ideas? 42:28 Fitzmaurice Institute 42:54 Saul Kotzubei 43:29 Thank Yous 43:50 Show Outro

In this episode, Bart speaks with entrepreneur Phil Neil, who shares his extraordinary story of building his company from $200K in revenue to $70 million and the gauntlet of challenges he faced along the way. Phil opens up about the painful realities behind the headlines: a $5M scam during the pandemic, a devastating warehouse fire, and the collapse of major contracts. He reflects on what he calls the “Shadow of Entrepreneurship™”, feelings of uncertainty, fear and unworthiness that trigger emotional reactivity, and undermine decision quality. It’s a shadow that affects not only entrepreneurs but leaders at every level. Phil discusses how this struggle can impact mental health and derail even the most promising careers and shares why every entrepreneur and leader needs to be equipped to face it. He also introduces the solution he's termed the Courage Compass™. A framework he’s developed to help leaders better understand themselves, their decision-making patterns, manage uncertainty, and navigate through the shadow to thrive. Visit Phil's website to learn more: http://philneil.com/ Check out his company, The Courage Compass: http://courage-compass.com/ And connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippe-neil/ Show Notes: 00:30 Introducing Phil 01:03 Hero journey of self-discovery 02:17 The failure crossroad 04:21 From masks to natural gloves 06:19 The painful experiences towards success 07:58 Scam/conflict 08:50 Founder conflict emerged 09:57 Story 11:12 Victim of organized crime 12:17 The fire 13:34 The awakening 15:22 Launched a company to change culture of entrepreneurship 16:17 The Courage Compass Company 16:43 98% of founders fail on their first biz 17:20 Mental health issues are high in founders 17:37 Bart talks about his experiences with starting businesses 18:35 How to know if your self-management is not optimal 20:09 Uncertainty  21:12 Bart talks about the increasing uncertainty of the market 22:08 The Courage Compass 23:34 Shifting from hope to courage 23:57 Connecting to intuition 24:42 The problem with data thinking 26:25 Courage comfort zone 28:07 How can people find out more and connect with Phil 33:09 Thank yous 35:25 Outro

In this episode of The Inspire Podcast, Bart welcomes Vanessa Bragg, Leadership Coach and consultant at The Humphrey Group to talk about why and how you should be a people centric leader. Vanessa shares the story of her own career transformation and the profound impact that people-focused leadership has had on her growth. She unpacks what it means to be a people-centric leader, why this mindset is more essential than ever, and how you can begin to model this approach in your own leadership. From shifting your style from telling to coaching, to showing up with authentic presence and using language that draws out the best in others, Vanessa offers both heartfelt insights and practical strategies. Her stories, examples, and actionable tools will inspire you to connect more deeply with your team, foster meaningful engagement, and drive results through human-centered leadership. Show Notes 00:25 Show intro 00:59 Introducing Vanessa Bragg 01:14 Bart runs through Vanessa's background 01:55 Introducing people-centric leadership 02:36 How Vanessa started her career 03:58 Most rapid growth with that leader  04:58 She wasn't a problem solver, she always asked me what I recommended  05:45 How did that people-centricity shape your own philosophy? 06:39 She never was the answer person  08:17 What are the challenges with people-centred approach 09:52 Even though I'm a coach I have my eye on strategy  10:33 Top-down vs people-centric leadership differences 11:00 Leaders who are lower in self-awareness are harder to shift 12:45 How much does the org affect the culture? 13:04 It has to come from the top 13:36 Buy-in from execs freed up the other leaders 14:24 In all the orgs I worked in the CSuite makes a huge difference to culture  15:27 How can leaders be present? 16:55 Connection before content 18:19 Use the language of leadership 21:06 Example of a leader who was using the wrong language 22:17 She wasn't an unkind person  23:21 Raise that self-awareness  23:39 Intent and impact 24:13 Being people-focused does not mean losing track of business goals 24:42 What does it mean to "Communicate like a Coach"? 30:09 Where can people find out more? 30:47 Outro

In this episode of The Inspire Podcast, Bart speaks with Denis Ricard, CEO of iA Financial Group, about what it takes to cultivate a strong, cohesive executive team. Denis shares insights from his remarkable career journey within iA, from his early roles to the C-suite, and the leadership lessons that shaped his approach to building high-performing senior teams. He reflects on the guidance he offers to his senior leadership team, the importance of alignment at the executive level, and the culture he has intentionally fostered at iA. Through practical examples and candid reflection, Denis offers a clear perspective on the leadership principles that support long-term organizational success. Whether you're a CEO, team lead, or aspiring leader, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways on team cohesion, leadership development, and organizational culture. A must-listen for anyone looking to elevate their leadership impact. Show Notes: 00:13 Show intro 00:49 Introducing Denis 02:08 What do you look for in senior leaders? 02:35 Surround yourself with A+ players 03:24 Denis' career path 05:03 Key moment when he decided his big goal 05:24 What changed his goal? 06:16 Switch to marketing to learn the business better 06:37 The next move would be on purpose! 07:00 The CEO asked him, ever thought about taking my job? 07:48 When I became CEO, I was ready 08:38 Depth in executives 09:35 It's not about being an expert, but having a breadth of knowledge 10:15 Story about moving an exec out of their comfort zone 11:11 The best way to grow 12:19 We could leave people where they are. But it would not build capacity 13:40 Taught at Uni to become a better communicator 16:11 Simplifying the message 17:13 Figure out what you love and go for it 18:40 Essential leadership communication qualities 18:49 Let's make the problems visible 18:57 Energy into building trust 19:29 How do you build trust? 19:56 Recognize and thank an executive when they bring a problem 21:04 How to approach giving feedback 21:48 Example of feedback that he got 23:59 It's all about the greater good 25:34 If you work for the organization, you'll get noticed 26:08 An example of an executive hire that didn't fit the culture 28:12 Advice on cultivating a culture 28:54 Team building 29:48 Start with a group of like-minded people 31:03 How do you communicate principles to a large company 31:10 Be accessible 31:23 Virtual culture challenge 33:39 Leading by example 33:59 What's next for your team? 34:25 Foster a growth mindset 35:35 Thank yous

In this episode, Bart speaks with Karina Michel, an accomplished actor, director, and producer, about the powerful lessons leaders can learn from the creative world. Karina shares insights drawn from her experience across film and television, exploring what leadership can gain from the disciplines of acting, directing, and producing. She reveals surprising parallels between performance and leadership, showing how both require presence, authenticity, and vision. From fully embodying a role as an actor, to building cohesive teams as a director, to managing complex projects as a producer, Karina draws on a wealth of experience and breaks down how creative approaches can make you a more effective and inspirational leader. Connect with Karina: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karinamichelofficial/# IMDb: imdb.com/name/nm2405454/ Listen to her podcast Coffee with Karina on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5k60JMmYHpW6ri7QVPCPVI Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coffee-with-karina/id1529519382 Show notes: 00:20 Show Intro 00:57 Introducing Karina 02:03 Karina's Background 03:10 What’s It Like Auditioning as an Actor? 06:45 What Is a Producer in Film? 07:57 What Is a Creative Producer? 09:12 Moving to Directing 11:51 What Can Leaders Learn from the Film Business? 12:38 Take Risks 13:20 Having Strength of Conviction 14:23 What Leaders Can Learn from Actors 14:37 Preparation 16:48 How Do You Prepare to Play “Me”? 17:07 Get Clear on Your Ideas and Direction 18:39 Empathy 20:28 Don’t Judge the Character—or Yourself 22:05 Lessons from Directing 22:35 Team Effort and Collaboration Matter 23:57 How to Handle Underperforming Team Members 26:50 What Can Leaders Learn from a Producer? 27:09 Have a Vision—and Follow Through 28:00 What Makes a Good Pitch? 30:23 Meet the Basic Standard of a Pitch 31:30 What Separates a Great Pitch? 31:46 The Team Is Key 34:04 Where to Find Karina 34:53 Wrap-Up 35:46 Thank Yous 36:12 Outro

In this episode, Bart speaks with Lara Hernendez, a THG consultant and NLP expert. They discuss what Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) is and why it matters, not just for leaders, but for anyone who wants to communicate with greater authenticity and impact. Lara shares practical insights into the power of non-verbal communication, how emotions can unintentionally shape the signals we send to our audience, and why self-awareness is essential to communicate with intention and clarity. She explains how to become more conscious of your own energy and cues, how to recognize emotional triggers that can get in the way of inspiring others, and the tools you can use to elevate your impact every time you speak. Throughout the conversation, Lara weaves in her own experiences, from a career in the hospitality industry to becoming an NLP practitioner and, ultimately, joining The Humphrey Group. Today, she helps clients become more authentic, compelling, and inspiring versions of themselves through the lens of leadership communication and behavioral insight. Connect with Lara on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/laraluminacoach/) or through her email Lara@Luminacoach.com And check out her blog to learn more about NLP: https://www.thehumphreygroup.com/blog/language-leadership-and-authenticity-a-neuro-linguistic-perspective 00:21 Show introduction 00:59 Introducing Lara 01:38 What is NLP and why is it important for leaders? 03:55 Are we wired permanently from the age of 7? 05:36 Lara's story 06:05 The hotel industry 10:20 What questions should people ask to know themselves better? 10:30 What are your core values? 10:53 Know your triggers 11:58 Why do I have these triggers? 13:57 If I know my core values, I can see it in others 15:05 We can only inspire if we have a real connection with something 16:08 Connecting negative feelings to past experiences 17:35 Getting to the deeper things that cause fear 18:14 Next steps after doing the self-reflective work? 18:49 Writing down events and thoughts as they happen 19:15 Record yourself with video 21:06 Picking up on words that indicate negative self-talk 21:29 Example of a limiting belief 22:42 How to transform negative emotions? 23:14 Shift to "how does it feel"? 25:13 Acceptance 28:37 What is one thing people can do right now? 29:00 Be still and listen to your thoughts and feelings 30:01 Ask "What colour am I?" 31:38 Where can people go to find out more? 31:59 Thank yous 32:24 Show outro

In this episode, Bart is joined by Anne Maggisano, Vice President, Investment Counsellor at Burgundy Asset Management. Anne shares the story behind founding The Women of Burgundy—an initiative that has reached over 1,000 individuals and is dedicated to building a community that inspires women to make investing a priority and take a leadership role over their wealth. She reflects on the early spark that inspired the initiative, how she garnered support within the firm, and the ways it has grown over more than a decade into the impactful community it is today. More than just an initiative, The Women of Burgundy also became the place where Anne found her own authentic voice as a leader. Throughout the conversation, she offers candid insights on her journey and how tapping into her values became the foundation of her leadership. Anne’s journey is rich with lessons for anyone wanting to create meaningful, lasting impact: from navigating the inevitable ebs and flows of support, to staying personally energized, to evolving your work to meet people where they are. The Women of Burgundy is a true inspiration and so is Anne’s story. Learn more about The Women of Burgundy here: https://www.burgundyasset.com/women/ And find Anne's Sharing Our Stories speech here: https://www.burgundyasset.com/views-insights/sharing-our-stories/ Show Notes: 00:58 Welcoming Anne 02:06 What is the Women of Burgundy? 02:41 Her personal experience that kicked it off 03:59 The investment business doesn't speak to women very well 04:36 The reason why women have been less involved, historically 05:06 Over time, women have built wealth  05:55 Realization her women clients were not being as well served 06:14 When women lose their husband and have to take over wealth management 06:58 Story of her mother's experience 08:20 She brought this to Burgundy 08:34 What was the reaction like? 09:16 Wanted to ensure it was empowering and educational 09:49 Her manifesto that she pitched 11:21 Finding her own voice as a leader 11:47 It was hard! 12:40 It takes time for others to "get" what you're doing  13:41 The story of the very first event 14:34 Changing women’s and men’s roles around wealth 14:54 Not data, but lots of anecdotal experience 15:40 The milestones of The Women of Burgundy 16:22 Moving online with COVID 17:08 Launching the magazine to widen outreach 17:41 The summit 18:46 CIBC report: women will control $4 trillion by 2028 21:15 Longer lives, but not health spans  21:35 Families will have to care for the elderly 23:05 Talking about setbacks and challenges 23:21 When you're leading, take a long time 25:23 Leadership requires self-conviction 27:48 Advice for those starting a leadership journey 28:00 Make sure you're surrounded by supportive people 28:34 Having agency in your environment 29:58 The "How" evolves, but the "Why" stays consistent 31:07 You have to cultivate the support! 31:26 Examples of people coming around to support 34:07 The long game 34:33 The rocking chair test 35:57 Who do you want to be in that rocking chair? 37:01 Always stay true to your values 38:10 How to learn more about Anne & Burgundy 39:02 Last piece of advice 39:07 You're responsible for your own vision and future 40:05 Thank yous

In this episode, Bart welcomes two members of The Humphrey Group to talk about the rise of storytelling as a leadership imperative and why great stories exist inside you.  Patricio opens the conversation by sharing why storytelling has become an increasingly critical skill for leaders in this day and age. A trend that the rise of AI has only accelerated. Athulya builds on this by explaining why storytelling has always been something that is more memorable and impactful than just sharing information and data. Together, they introduce the STORY framework, a new tool developed by THG at the heart of The Power of Stories program, and break down how both Star Wars and real-life business stories can follow the same powerful structure. They show how even those who feel like they don’t have stories can tap into meaningful experiences and turn them into powerful narratives.   Whether you're a seasoned executive or just starting your leadership journey, this episode will make you a more effective and confident storyteller no matter what role you hold or what industry you are in.  Learn more about The Power of Stories program here: https://www.thehumphreygroup.com/storytelling-for-leaders Show Notes 1:17 Welcoming guests to the show 3:10 When did you first realize how important storytelling was? 7:23 Why stories are powerful 7:27 Our brains are wired for stories  7:42 The research behind it 8:47 Why is storytelling more relevant now than ever before 9:03 Social media has changed the way we connect 9:32 15% of social media posts — influenced by AI 10:07 When you tell a story, you connect 11:00 Building trust as a leader 11:21 Showing vulnerability 12:07 Stories stick 12:27 People remember stories, not data 15:16 A framework for building storytelling skills 15:45 A lot of stories SUCK! 16:38 S: Situation 16:58 T: Tension 17:21 O: Opportunity 18:07 R: Result 18:23 Y: Your Learning 18:43 Take a movie plot and break it down 21:37 Business story 22:06 The Steve Jobs story 25:19 An executive says, "I have no stories" 26:20 Is it appropriate to share stories? 27:39 Stories you probably shouldn't be telling 28:40 How to find your stories? 28:41 You don't have to have gone through James Bond scenarios to have good stories 31:07 The 'why' determines whether a story is useful or not 31:25 Tips for finding your own stories 32:32 The four plots that every leader needs 32:51 The hero's journey plot 32:59 Overcoming obstacles plot 33:08 Discovery plot 33:20 The rise and fall and rise again plot 34:09 Doesn't working at your stories kill the authenticity? 34:31 Making sure you're present in the moment 34:48 Do you practice stories?  39:45 How telling a personal story created connection  41:36 Thank yous  

In this episode of The Inspire Podcast, Bart welcomes Peter Zukow, Managing Partner at IQ Partners, a leading search firm, for a conversation on the evolving world of talent management. Peter unpacks why talent management has changed in recent decades, driven by trends like remote work, the great resignation and now AI. He emphasizes that while talent management has always been important, it’s now increasingly imperative for leaders themselves. From recruiting top talent to nurturing future leaders, advancing team members, and building your leadership brand inside and out, Peter outlines why leaders must play an active, hands-on role. He also offers valuable advice for aspiring leaders on how to take charge of their own development in a world where individuals are increasingly expected to drive their own growth Whether you're leading a team or aspiring to step into leadership, Peter’s insights offer a compelling case for why talent management is no longer an option but a requirement. Visit https://www.iqpartners.com/ to learn more! Show notes: 00:36 Show intro 01:07 Introducing Peter 02:22 What do leaders need to know about managing talent? 02:27 The fundamentals haven't changed 02:34 A more complex environment than ever before 03:19 What are the fundamentals of talent? 03:28 The needs of the teams 03:37 Stakeholders 04:04 How Peter got here in his career 05:05 Recruitment is not usually a career of choice 05:54 What is the search business - in a nutshell? 06:33 Benefits of hiring a search firm over posting a job on LinkedIn 07:07 Targeting the passive job seeker 07:55 Trend in building "Talent Practices" 09:48 What is talent management and the role of leaders in this 10:24 Building and maintaining great culture 10:39 You can't just rely on others to build talent 11:10 Engaging with top leaders in an org is key 11:51 CEO willing to have coffee chats with candidates 12:58 The need to coach and develop talent inside the company as well 16:21 Being transparent about the opportunities in the organization 17:52 The 3 things people can do to bring a talent mindset into their work 18:04 Communication is critical 18:53 Investing the time in it 19:21 Both internal and external efforts on your brand as a leader 20:28 How to prioritize their investment in members of their team 21:12 Leaders at different parts of the org could be key! 22:02 Many ways a leader can communicate—pick your strongest 22:32 How can leaders work externally to attract talent 23:00 Being intentional and consistent with your actions 24:10 Succession Planning: how to approach it 24:18 Succession planning has changed significantly 24:49 As organizations have evolved the jumps from level to level are huge 25:26 The gray tsunami crisis 25:55 Younger generations may have different ideas about "career" 26:27 Take a hard look at team and identify the gaps 27:10 Who's in the marketplace that I might want to bring on? 28:13 Advice for aspiring leaders? 28:29 Be proactive about your own career! 29:20 Tell stakeholders your aspirations! 30:53 Volunteering for cross-functional projects 31:59 If you can't get that internally, you can get involved in the community 34:00 Tech and info has levelled the playing field 34:51 Always and ever and not good places to stand 35:46 Final piece of advice — quickest way to start 35:56 Just start having the conversations 36:23 Thank yous 36:39 Show outro

In this episode of The Inspire Podcast, Bart sits down with Alex Draper, founder and CEO of DX Learning, to tackle a critical issue in the workplace: toxic leadership. Alex starts with a simple truth—bad leadership is toxic and has negative impacts. So why does it persist when no one sets out to be a bad leader? Alex explains that most toxic leadership isn’t intentional—it’s unintentional, and it stems from a lack of self-awareness and training. He discusses how leaders need to provide Clarity, Autonomy, Relationships, and Equity (his CARE model) and shares how to begin fostering CARE-driven leadership through data gathering, practical steps, and clear ways to measure progress. Alex’s insights are essential at a time when employees are demanding more from their leaders—and when the opportunity exists to lead in a way that truly inspires. If you're a leader looking to create a healthier workplace culture and drive better results, this episode is for you. Learn more about Alex at https://www.dx-learning.com/ and https://alex-draper.com Connect with Alex on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-draper/ Show notes: 1:00 Introducing Alex Draper 1:32 What does DX Learning do? 1:56 Purpose is to wipe out toxicity in the workplace 2:55 How to get leaders to behave in positive ways 4:05 How to go into a company knowing that your specialty is toxic workplaces 4:21 Some people are truly toxic and try to cause stress 5:00 There are narcissists out there 6:00 There's no flawless team or human 6:19 Toxicity exists in every team 7:32 What are the signs of a toxic leader or culture 8:23 Levels of silence indicate a problem 8:56 Ideas and challenging the status quo - is that happening? 9:36 Lagging indicators: retention issues 10:39 What is a typical engagement like? 10:56 Engineering mindset - data! 11:59 What data should we gather? 12:28 70% of variance in employee engagement is down to the managers 12:41 If the team has an issue, it's more than likely the leadership does 12:51 Bottom up approach is not the right approach! 13:15 How to gather the data? 13:28 4 dimensions of high performing leadership/teams 14:54 How "Equity" fits in 16:48 Cognitive dissonance - gaps 17:07 Bart asks for an example of a gap dissonance between leaders and employees 19:21 Advice on collecting "listening data" 21:02 How can leaders provide more clarity? 21:49 Example of a leader working on clarity 24:18 The projection bias 24:48 Heuristics - brain shortcuts -cause issues 25:44 Example of 'autonomy' problem 26:01 Psychological safety = Autonomy 31:46 The "Equity" piece 33:05 Equity is the lagging indicator 33:34 How do you measure equity? 33:43 Fairness orientation 34:23 Equity is the output of the three controllables 34:53 Re-measure! 35:07 What should the measurement frequency be? 35:31 90 days for teams 36:32 Teams are always adapting 37:19 Change is the one consistent 38:22 How do you feel about the state of leadership in 2025 and onwards? 39:56 AI and how it will fit in the mix — emotional intelligence as the distinguishing factor 40:21 Where can people go to find out more? 40:48 Thank Yous 41:35 Show outro

To kick off season 7 of The Inspire Podcast, Bart speaks with Dr Robin Hills, a renowned business psychologist and the director of Ei4Change, an internationally acclaimed, award-winning company that has empowered over 500,000 people across 200+ countries through its expertise in emotional intelligence for change.   Robin shares why in this age of automation and disruptions, EQ is the uniquely human skill that sets us apart and is a source of great strength. Robin talks about what EQ actually is, why it's tied to the successful practice of leadership, and outlines several ways you can build your EQ. A practical conversation that will both energize you and empower you to be a more emotionally self-aware and intentional leader.    Visit ei4change.com/ to learn more!   Show Notes 00:16 Show Intro 00:52 Introducing Robin Hills 01:38 How Robin got into EI training 01:52 What is emotional intelligence? 03:23 How he works with people on EI 03:56 500,000 people have taken his online training course 04:43 EI underpins everything we do 05:27 Bart asks for an example of how EI competency works 05:54 Just forget about EI!  06:38 Help leaders understand what emotional triggers they are vulnerable to  07:33 Bart talks about stock price trigger 08:27 Coaching around "What could you do, or have done better?" 08:53 It's not the physiological response, but the behavior that is the problem  09:43 What can a leader do to improve the emotional climate? 11:10 Bart asks about the rise of AI and its impact 12:42 Example of a radiologist using AI 14:57 A robot can never be a leader 16:34 Empathy is a key part of emotional intelligence 17:20 Leaders – ability to be entrepreneurial and innovative 19:06 Spiritual intelligence 20:09 How does spirituality fit into leadership? 22:23 Putting things into larger context and perspective 25:27 Using behavioral psychological assessment tools 26:16 I'm not interested in your failings!  26:53 Asking friends and family: "What is it about me that you like and respect?" 29:38 Learn your emotional triggers! 32:44 Give yourself permission to be angry, or fearful 33:43 Should we "keep our emotions out of the workplace?" 34:20 Aristotle's quote about anger 34:53 I don't use "positive" and "negative" for emotions 35:29 Emotional intelligence is INCREDIBLY hard! 36:05 Building your storybank 38:10 We've been trained not to brag 39:24 Bart summarizes key points 40:08 Final piece of advice: Just BE 40:19 Just be you  40:55 How to find out more – and get resources 41:46 Thank yous 42:03 Outro

In this episode of The Inspire Podcast, Bart speaks with Khe Hy about the power of stories and how leaders can unlock their inner storyteller. Bart learns how Khe left a successful career on Wall Street and turned his self-reflection into a highly read newsletter on career, money, life, and a wide range of other topics. Khe explains why so many stories suck, what qualities make for engaging stories, and how to put storytelling into action with authenticity, vulnerability and intention. Tune in for practical tips and inspiring insights to help you harness the art of storytelling. Learn more about Khe at https://radreads.co and connect with him on LinkedIn and TikTok: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khehy/ https://www.tiktok.com/@radreadsco Show Notes: 0:43 Welcoming Khe 2:09 Storytelling ability 2:40 Khe tells his story 6:21 What led him to quit his job? 7:59 The Hedonic adaptation 9:41 Entrepreneurs have this messed up wiring 10:09 Designing life from first principles 12:08 Early writing successes 12:30 What's your "number"? 13:08 The fisherman and the banker 14:30 Writing personal articles on the block 16:11 Story about losing hair 16:57 Storytelling is key for leaders - so why do they often suck at it? 21:19 Why are business leaders bad at storytelling? 22:08 Emotional resonance 22:26 Things that make a good story 24:32 Conflict 25:04 3 things to become a better storyteller 28:07 Open your eyes 28:19 Stories are everywhere 29:04 Bitcoin story 30:32 Go into your own life to find stories 32:38 Practice telling stories 33:39 It's really fun! 35:19 Have a diverse set of inputs 35:44 Ask ChatGPT 38:11 Profiles of famous people have good stories 39:35 Storytelling is a skill 40:16 How to find out more about Khe

What do leadership and marketing have in common? In this episode of The Inspire Podcast, Bart sits down with renowned marketing expert Nathan Yeung to uncover surprising parallels between these two disciplines. Nathan talks about why "customers are lazy", shares a powerful 3-step process for building trust that's at the heart of marketing effectiveness, and reveals how leaders can adopt marketing strategies to inspire and connect with their audiences effectively. Through relatable anecdotes and real-world marketing examples, Nathan discusses the importance of crafting messages that resonate, when leaders should embrace a marketer’s mindset—and when they shouldn’t—and why big company messages often fall flat in leadership contexts. He also shares practical tips for communicating effectively, no matter your leadership role.   Show Notes: 00:27 Show intro 01:07 Introducing Nathan 02:03 Reaching consumers 02:55 Nathan's background and how he got into consumer trust 03:26 Marketing has a function that hasn't been very structured 04:08 Is "best in class" hearsay? 04:51 What works - consumer psychology 05:06 Writing a book is hard 05:41 We are just lazy  05:54 We are naturally averse to dealing with friction  06:26 We only support things we inherently believe 07:12 People don't know why the "trust" 08:49 Bart talks about the curse of knowledge 09:21 The trust triangle 09:56 Defining the trust triangle 10:37 Pseudo logic in marketing 10:48 It's not logic - it's a shortcut  11:32 Don't trust strangers? vs Uber or Lyft? 13:38 Factors in building trust 15:43 Authenticity 18:29 Patagonia example 19:14 If you're not going to live up to your stated values, better not have them in the first place  19:49 Empathy 24:55 Nathan's advice to leaders 25:18 Make your message simple 26:14 It's hard to get to clarity and focus 26:55 No one can interpret your message for you 27:37 Make it as easy as possible for them  28:44 Positive feedback 31:40 Where can people find out more? 32:23 Thank yous

In this episode of The Inspire Podcast, Bart Egnal speaks with Yoni Kozminski, founder of MultiplyMii, about the opportunity he saw to bring highly educated, talented professionals from the Philippines to companies around the world. Yoni shares his own story of building a company by tapping into the skills of Filipino professionals and what he learned along the way. He offers insights on effective global recruitment strategies and discusses how to establish a culture and processes that enable remote talent to thrive as if they were sitting in the same office with you. Yoni shares his own experiences and stories from building connections with his team in the Philippines and what advice he would give to employers looking to expand their talent pool internationally along with a handful of resources to begin the process of recruiting talent anywhere. A valuable listen for anyone hiring global talent or who manages a remote global workforce. Visit https://www.multiplymii.com/ to learn more! 00:20 Show Intro 00:54 Welcoming Yoni 01:37 MultiplyMii backstory 03:57 How to make "remote" workforces work? 05:41 Understanding the operational challenges in a biz 06:45 Creating the company wiki/book 07:28 Why is the Philippines a good place to source talent? 08:08 Glitch 08:40 6th largest number of English speakers 09:48 A lot of college degrees 10:02 Glitch 10:24 Moving from basic tasks to KPO 10:50 Not about "task lists anymore" 11:01 Glitch 11:12 Everyone is outsourcing 12:12 Mistaken assumptions about outsourcing to the Philippines 12:29 The stigmas around outsourcing 12:34 Entrusting parts of your biz to remote workers 13:25 Getting used to Zoom meetings 14:02 Language barriers not as big in Philippines 14:29 All the content and our marketing done in Philippines 14:52 Glitch 16:52 How to build an outsourcing plan 17:09 Be very clear about the biz mission 17:47 Glitch 18:12 The need for a structured onboarding plan 19:21 Bart talks about an example for THG 20:04 The 4 Rs method 20:44 Autonomy - and accountability 22:44 Why some companies shy away from remote 23:05 The weird juxtaposition of hiring 24:06 If you do the pre-work you can more quickly step away 25:38 Treating talent the same, regardless of location 27:29 Understanding and appreciating other cultures 28:04 Filipinos are conflict averse 29:36 Advice on creating culture with remote workers 30:50 Core value: understand who you're speaking to 32:46 What is the values-bridge? 33:06 Glitch 35:13 Bart talks about remote at THG 36:28 Check out their website for their free resources on remote talent 37:30 The future of global and remote talent 37:57 Glitch 38:28 Thank yous 38:45 Outro

In this episode, Bart meets with Rob Diplock, Senior Vice President at Kumon North America, the sixth-largest franchise in the world, to explore the value of long employee tenures. Rob shares his personal journey with Kumon, who has become the employer of his entire career. He discusses the advantages of remaining with one organization—for both employees and employers—and the unique challenges that arise from spending your professional life in one company. Rob reflects on how workplace trends have shifted, whether long-term careers still offer the same benefits, and what companies gain—and risk losing—with employee retention. He closes with insights and wisdom for people considering a long-term career with their current organization, highlighting how to grow, stay fulfilled, and make a lasting impact. Learn more by visiting Kumon here: https://www.kumon.com/ca-en/ and check out Rob's book recommendations here: 1-The Lessons of History:https://www.amazon.ca/Lessons-History-Will-Durant/dp/143914995X 2-Leading by Alex Ferguson: https://www.amazon.ca/Leading-Learning-Years-Manchester-United/dp/0316268100 3-40 Years with a Whistle: https://www.amazon.ca/40-Years-Whistle-Lessons-Field-ebook/dp/B07PXXK39G Show Notes 00:00 - Show intro 00:33 - Welcoming Rob 01:06 - Why have you stayed so long with one company? 02:35 - Japanese company/culture 04:04 - Bart lists off stats about employee retention 05:40 - The pros and cons of staying in the same organization 07:33 - Forge lasting relationships 08:14 - Bringing your authentic self to work  08:44 - New roles and titles come slower 09:27 - The longer you stay, the more important growth becomes  10:10 - Advantages for the company with retention 12:21 - A team of company experts 12:46 - Breaking down silos 13:36 - Common shared experience and alignment 14:55 - Bart talks about his experiences on retention 16:17 - People stay by default... 17:15 - The COVID example 18:49 - Slow-moving, conservative culture 19:02 - A new culture of innovation 22:29 - Advice for people mid-career 24:51 - Focus on what you're great at, etc.  25:19 - Advice on dealing with high turnover 26:09 - What pushes employees and what doesn’t pull them in? 27:17 - Mission-driven businesses 28:22 - Can't go wrong focusing on the mission  29:02 - Book recommendations from Rob 30:43 - Will you stay with Kumon till you retire? 33:29 - Important to be growing yourself 33:57 - Thank yous 34:11 - Outro

In this episode, Bart is joined by a fellow CEO of a leadership communication training company, Scott Simmons of Ariel. Together, they explore Scott's unique career path—from healthcare to Gallup, and now to leading Ariel.  They dive into the evolving landscape of leadership communication, examining what has changed and what remains the same. The conversation touches on the new expectations placed on leaders today, the critical skills they must develop, and the increasingly diverse audiences they need to engage. Bart and Scott also discuss the role of AI in shaping leadership development, where human expertise still reigns, and the enduring opportunity to inspire through communication that both Ariel and The Humphrey Group help their clients capitalize on. Learn more about Ariel Group at their website, https://www.arielgroup.com, and connect with them on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ariel-group/ 00:21 Show intro 00:57 Welcoming Scott Simmons 01:44 Tell us about Ariel Group 02:20 From acting classes to communication consulting 03:27 The parallels between Ariel and THG 04:14 Scott's career trajectory 04:34 Healthcare in Flux in the 90s 05:16 Food service delivery challenges 06:58 The Human element 08:06 Joined Gallup 08:46 Why did you move to Gallup? 09:13 Need to go beyond meeting basic expectations 09:41 Really need an engaged workforce delivering quality in the moment 10:31 Embodying the mission of the org 11:23 Did the human element make a difference at Gallup? 12:05 Focus on manager effectiveness 12:12 How much can you change/improve managers? 12:55 Burdened by initiatives 13:27 What did he learn about leadership communication in organizations? 15:17 Jumping at the opportunity to be CEO 17:42 The changing demands on leaders today 19:50 Trying to do more with less 20:04 Bart talks about the loss of decorum these days 22:11 Keyboard courage 23:24 A lot more self-ownership 24:07 The move to digital/virtual world 24:31 Leaders now have to communicate in multiple channels 25:05 Don't get caught up in the shiny new thing 26:39 AI as a training/practice tool - not a replacement 27:08 3 things leaders should be doing? 29:15 Best communicators are: CLEAR, CONCISE, CANDID 29:43 Big shift - putting yourself in audience/readers standpoint 30:12 Candidness 30:45 Start reflecting back on 2024! 31:03 The core of communication stays the same, even as channels change/increase 31:47 Thank yous