Best Boss Ever

Breaking the rules

Episode 21: Christine interviews Rob Hartnett, Regional Leader at Proteus Leadership, author and host of the It's All Possible podcast as he mentions many best bosses but focuses on Kim Hamilton, who fought for Rob and supported him as he would break the rules at HP.  Rob discusses how Kim was a low key leader who built non-dependent, empowered teams and shares stories about motivating teams and how leaders should be authentic and approachable.  Christine and Rob talk about the secret sauce of leadership, the bottom line impact of a great leader and how creating a culture of psychological safety leads to diversity and innovation.

Embracing our common humanity

Episode 20: Christine interviews Barry Danilowitz, VP Retail Product Distribution at Scotiabank as he talks about three bosses that set the stage for building his career and gave him opportunities to flourish and grow.  Barry shares how these bosses developed awesome people, delivered honest feedback in the moment and used a small but powerful gesture to show they are being present.  Christine and Barry discuss the 4 E's of people engagement, how leaders set the tone for their teams and how recognizing our common humanity always pays off in the end.

Understanding my passion

Episode 19: Christine interviews Bryan Shone, Executive Director at Hamilton Children's Aid as he talks about a boss that brought out the best in him by understanding his passion for this work and helped him grow and move forward in his career.  Bryan speaks about how he was supported by getting opportunities to build his confidence and how he was challenged to think beyond that current job.  This leader taught Bryan to ask lots of questions instead of telling people what to do, which engages people to be part of any change and helps them to grow and develop.  Christine and Bryan discuss the amazing work he and his team do, to support children and families within the community and how flexibility has been key during COVID. 

What have you done for YOU lately?

Episode 18: Christine interviews Kerri-Ann Santaguida, VP & GM, Merchant Services Canada at American Express as she talks about two leaders who challenged her and had a memorable impact on her growth and development.  Kerri-Ann speaks about Andy Pilkington who allowed her to be her best self by ensuring taking care of herself was on her development plan and Anré Williams who shaped her principle based approach and brought clarity to every situation.  These two very different leaders took the time to understand her values and taught Kerri-Ann to manage her career with intent and to understand the power of connection and networking.

Leaving a legacy

Episode 17: Christine has an emotional interview with Suzanne Roy, VP Sales and Marketing at McCormick & Company as she honors the late Megan Ford, the first woman president of the McCormick US business who uplifted and inspired all those around her.  Suzanne speaks about Megan's warmth, inviting nature, generosity of time and how she balanced the people aspect of leadership with driving performance.  This taught Suzanne to never let performance come ahead of people and has influenced her to leave every person that she interacts with, in a better place.  Christine and Suzanne commemorate Megan - her passion, availability, consistency and the legacy she leaves behind.

Going on a mission to Mars

Episode 16: Christine interviews Jamie Moody, Business Advisor and Vice Chair Advisory Board of Directors, EVP Corporate Development at Tree of Life Canada, as he talks about two leaders who stood out in his career.  One leader who was great at setting goals and getting alignment to these goals and another who spent the time to really get to know him as a person not just a business leader.  This taught Jamie to get people engaged with values and purpose and to treat everyone great, not the same.  Christine and Jamie also discuss lining up company values by going on a mission to Mars as well as balancing work-life wisdom.

Getting everyone on the bus

Episode 15: Christine interviews Mary Peterson, VP Enterprise Business Division at Samsung Electronics, as she talks about leaders who eliminated fear, kept their cool and created opportunities for her to build her personal brand internally.  These leaders taught Mary to create an environment where people are not afraid to try something new and challenge themselves to learn from their mistakes.  Christine and Mary also discuss a leader that got everyone on the bus to create strategic alignment from the bottom up.

Permission to express emotion

Episode 14: Christine interviews Dr. Jessica Metcalfe, Speaker, Coach, Mental Health Activist and General Dentist to Oncology Patients as she talks about leaders who taught her that it's ok to show emotion but also to take a deep breath and focus before jumping to a conclusion.  This helps her lead her own team and find ways to avoid miscommunication by staying calm and rewiring the instinct to get angry.  Christine and Jessica also discuss Imposter Syndrome where self doubt and self sabotage keep you stagnant and prevent you from moving forward.

Why there is a "cult" in culture

Episode 13: Christine interviews Mike Lindstrom, Communication Expert, Executive Coach and Author as he shares what he learned from working for Tony Robbins and Dan Lier - the boss that took his success and failure very personally and was able to change his coaching style to unleash the potential in everyone.  Mike and Christine also discuss the "cult" in culture and how to be intentional when building a company culture as well as sharing tips on tapping into your personal brand.

Understanding work styles

Episode 12: Christine interviews Sharon Giraudel, Director of HR at New Gold as she talks about two bosses that always provided clear direction and had a great balance of technical and soft skills.  These leaders taught her to understand what motivates individuals to get the best out of them and to empower her teams.  Sharon also shares some great tips on understanding work styles and the role leaders play in an individual's performance.