Best Boss Ever

It’s okay to be imperfect

In Season 3, Ep. 55 of the Best Boss Ever podcast, Christine speaks with Jon Cogan, a marketing veteran who is now Principal of Sephrina Strategy.

Jon shares the career-shaping experiences he had working with two outstanding bosses who believed in him, challenged him, and allowed him to make mistakes without fear of judgment. They talk about the impact of a boss that encourages ownership of ideas, the invaluable learning that takes place when leaders give their teams the go-ahead to act as the experts they are, and why we don’t have to be experts in everything to succeed.

Creating a fear-free workplace

In Season 3, Ep. 54 of the Best Boss Ever podcast, Christine connects with Matt Stone, President & CEO at BehavioralOS®.  

Matt works with executives to improve both their performance and the performance of their teams through high-growth conversations. He reflects on an amazing boss he had at the Oregon Department of Justice–one who stood out to him immediately and is someone he still uses to this day as a model for exceptional leadership.

They talk about the impact of an always-authentic leader who had the ability to elevate vastly different types of personalities by creating a safe environment that allowed for shame-free communication and conflict resolution. They also dive into how the potential for success skyrockets when leaders demonstrate kindness, grace, and respect even in the most difficult moments.

Unlocking potential through allyship

In Season 3, Ep. 53 of the Best Boss Ever podcast, Christine chats with Vasie Papadopoulos, VP, Corporate Communications at Argyle.

Vasie shares the experiences she had with an amazing leader from her last role, who championed allyship in a male-dominated industry. 

Motivated to make positive changes within the company, Vasie was challenged to accomplish this in an environment where there was limited representation. Fortunately, Vasie’s boss actively listened and advocated for her to expand her breadth of experience and knowledge. Not only did this enable her to grow as a leader, but helped create a culture change within the company, where more women could see themselves leading. 

They discuss the necessity of consistency, the powerful combination of self-advocacy and a network of champions, how male leaders can make small shifts to elevate diversity, and the priceless return on investing in your employees. 

The competitive advantage of holistic wellness

In Season 3, Ep. 52 of the Best Boss Ever podcast, Christine speaks with Serena Quaglia, VP, Strategy at TCS Marketing Systems. 

Serena shares how the entire C-suite and management team of a major Las Vegas production show implemented holistic wellness policies, which gave every employee confidence and security in their well-being so that they could do their best work. 

They discuss the competitive advantage that comes with a 360-degree approach to wellness, the power of communication and ownership, and how this environment unified teams and fostered a strong sense of purpose.

The 6 C’s of inclusive leadership

In Season 3, Ep 51 of the Best Boss Ever podcast, Christine interviews Patsy Doerr, Diversity, Inclusion, Talent and ESG leader.  Patsy shares stories about two leaders that shaped her leadership style who were inclusive, supportive and were respectful to everyone in their organization.  They discuss learning agility, what motivates employees and how they want to be developed, leaders who have courage, empathy and humility as well as the 6 C's of inclusive leadership.

What do you need from us?

In Season 3, Ep 50 of the Best Boss Ever podcast, Christine interviews Stephen Tomicki, Senior Project Manager at AWT Environmental Services.  Stephen shares his experiences working with his current best boss, Robert Gaupp, who has supported and showed Stephen compassion and understanding as he fought cancer again in 2022.   They discuss companies and bosses who show up for their employees regularly and especially when a life catastrophe happens, creating a positive team environment, and the importance of figuring out what is being perceived versus what you think.

Willing to be a buffer

In Season 3, Ep 49 of the Best Boss Ever podcast, Christine interviews Maureen Cawley, Chief People Officer at Saatva.  Maureen speaks about how lucky she was that the first boss in her career was a best boss who was a tremendous developer of people, had ultimate patience, and was willing to be a buffer for his team.  Maureen shares an important nugget she learned about what it means to be strategic and they discuss letting your work serve you, the high cost of turnover, the impact of an alumni network to an employer brand and great leaders who have people follow them.

Give to the universe and it gives back

In Season 3, Ep 48 of the Best Boss Ever podcast, Christine interviews Joshua Ehrlich, a fellow Leadership Coach with a psychology background.  Joshua speaks about three bosses who impacted him profoundly, one who showed his loving support and presence, another who helped his confidence and professional identity blossom and a third who taught him to listen in a different way.  They discuss the philosophy of giving, being mindful of ego, how culture is built on human connection not executive function and the concept of how leaders make people think, act and feel.

This is extreme integrity

In Season 3, Ep 47 of the Best Boss Ever podcast, Christine interviews James Vasquez, Entrepreneur and Owner of Learn How to Start a Business.  James speaks about two key bosses that helped formulate his way of thinking as a leader.  He shares stories about a leader who was an effective written communicator and at stressful times ineffective, as well as a leader who showed fairness and extreme integrity.  They discuss looking at the process and taking the energy off blaming the people, as well as the power of gratitude and empathy and how this sets a positive mindset and culture of a business.

Best Stories of Best Boss Ever 2022 - Part 2

Season 2, Ep 46: Part two of the best stories from the second season of the Best Boss Ever podcast - Christine's guests continue to share their stories and qualities of great leaders.  This recap highlights how best bosses impart knowledge, show curiosity, embrace the power of connection, inspire and motivate their teams, create a safe psychological environment and are democratic and purpose driven leaders who positively impact engagement, culture and retention.