Dose of Leadership with Richard Rierson | Authentic & Courageous Leadership Development

Jon Acuff is the New York Times Bestselling author of four books including his most recent, Start: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average & Do Work that Matters. For 15 years he’s helped some of the biggest brands in the world tell their story, including The Home Depot, Bose, Staples, and the Dave Ramsey Team. Most recently he’s spoken to hundreds of thousands of people at conferences, colleges, companies and churches. A media feature, Jon has been seen on CNN, Fox News, Good Day LA and several other key outlets. In addition, he’s become a social media expert with a blog read by 4 million people and more than 200k twitter followers. In 2010 he used his influence with his tribe to build two kindergartens in Vietnam. Jon lives with his wife Jenny and two daughters in Franklin, TN.

Pamela Slim is an award-winning author, speaker and leader in the new world of work. She spent the first 10 years of her solo practice as a consultant to large corporations such as Hewlett-Packard, Charles Schwab and Cisco Systems, where she worked with thousands of employees, managers and executives. In 2005, she started the Escape from Cubicle Nation blog, which is now one of the top career and business sites on the web. She has coached thousands of budding entrepreneurs, in businesses ranging from martial art studios to software start ups. “I feel privileged to have worked with people in just about every work environment, from huge corporations to non-profits, to tiny side businesses started on kitchen tables. There is no right way to work — only the way that brings out your very best contribution to the world, and fits your definition of success.” Slim is frequently quoted as a business expert in press such as The New York Times,The Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Information Week,Money Magazine and Psychology Today. She is a proud suburban mom in Mesa, AZ who enjoys the look on people’s faces when she tells them she is also a black belt in Mixed Martial Arts (it comes in handy when fighting for the last good bunch of kale at the grocery store). She is the author of the award winning book Escape from Cubicle Nation: From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur (Penguin Portfolio, 2009) and her second book Body of Work,  (Penguin Portfolio, 2014) became a #1 bestseller on Amazon the day it was released.

Chris Taylor is the founder of Actionablebooks.com - a company dedicated to helping business leaders develop themselves and their teams through the application of lessons from leading business books.   Through his work at Actionable Books, Chris Taylor reads, writes and speaks. A lot. To date he has published over 150 articles, speaks regularly at both public and private events across North America, and has read more business books than he cares to count. In 2010, Chris launched "Actionable Interviews" a video interview series with best selling business book authors and leading thinkers in the business space. To date he's conducted 34 interviews for the series, with highlights including Seth Godin, Dan Pink, Sir Ken Robinson and Gary Vaynerchuk. It's through these conversations that Chris developed The Salaried Entrepreneur™; a team development methodology that's being used internationally by companies large and small.

Tripp Lanier is a men’s coach and host of The New Man Podcast: Beyond the Macho Jerk and the New Age Wimp. He coaches and teaches men all around the world how to break out of mediocre lives and create the careers and relationships they really want. As a host, he's interviewed experts and authors from all walks of life including Tim Ferriss, Laird Hamilton, Ken Wilber, Dan Millman, Marcus Buckingham, Bill Harris, Steven Pressfield, AJ Jacobs, Chip Conley, Dr. Robert Glover, and Shawn Phillips. The New Man Podcast reaches tens of thousands of people in over 110 countries and regularly finds its home on the iTunes Self Help Top 10 list. As a coach, Tripp has helped men and women all over the world break out of mediocre lives, do what they love, and navigate the challenging world of relationships. As a creative entrepreneur, Tripp created one of the first digital video post-production companies in the Southeast. For over twelve years, Tripp crafted TV shows and commercials for national and regional clients. On the artistic front, Tripp has written, performed and produced albums with his own rock groups, Hank Madison and Screaming Witness. He’s also co-produced Stuart Davis and frequently humiliated himself on Stu’s Sex God Rock n Roll TV Show on HDNet. Other contributions include working with Ken Wilber as Co-Director of Integral Institute’s Art Center.

A serial entrepreneur, virtual staffing expert, blogger, podcaster and author, Chris Ducker helps other entrepreneurs catapult their businesses into the 21st century utilizing what he calls the 'New Business' style of marketing. Born and raised in the UK Chris moved to the Philippines 12 years ago. There he started his first business on telemarketing. Today he is known as the guy to go to if it comes to outsourcing to the Philippines. With his company Group Live2Sell Chris offers quality inbound call center services and Telemarketing services for B2B and B2C. His company Virtual Staff Finder is a Virtual Assistant (VA) match-making company. His team helps entrepreneurs and business owners to find the best Filipino VA’s in the country. If you are looking for a part-time or full-time English speaking virtual assistant solution, this is where you need to go. Chris also helps small business owners and entrepreneurs to start, run and grow their business in the 21st century. He strongly focuses on applying smart social media strategies and creating an online personal brand. Check out his website and blog: chrisducker.com. Chris also has a new book coming out on April 1st: Virtual Freedom According to Chris, This Book is Going to Make You More Successful in Business and Life If you’re struggling with the day-to-day management of your business, or becoming frustrated with the way things have stop growing over the last couple of years, the chances are you’re suffering from entrepreneurial superhero syndrome – the misconception that to be successful, they must do everything themselves. Not only are they the boss, but also the salesperson, HR manager, copywriter, operations manager, online marketing guru, and so much more. Even if you’ve been successful in business for years, times are changing. Fast. If you don’t learn how to do business ‘the new way’, then you’re going to be left behind. Small business owners, consultants, and online entrepreneurs don’t have to go it alone when they discover the power of building teams of virtual employees to help run, support, and grow their business.

Pete Luongo retired as President and CEO of The Berry Company in August of 2003. His career at Berry spanned more than 33 years. During his last nine years with the company, Peter was instrumental in guiding Berry through a period of record sales growth, numerous contract acquisitions and the perpetuation of the nearly 100 year old company as an industry leader and a “great place to work.” While Peter’s career was dedicated to finding a better way, no initiative was more profound or had a greater impact than his development of “The Leadership Pledge” which was subsequently implemented as the operating philosophy inside The Berry Company in 1994 and remains there today. Since retirement Pete has devoted himself to giving back through his book, “10 Truths About Leadership…..It’s Not Just About Winning”, speaking engagements, board memberships and by serving as executive director of Center for Leadership and Executive Development at the University of Dayton where he also serves as an adjunct professor teaching leadership at both the undergraduate and graduate level and serves of the University’s Board of Trustees. Peter has been fortunate to work with 100+ plus companies, collegiate athletic programs and numerous organizations sharing his behavior driven model “The Leadership Pledge” that focuses on people, support, expectations, feedback, and accountability. The ten truths are life’s lessons that help each of us understand that our lives will be valued by our willingness to make a difference in other people’s lives. Coaching and inspiring leadership at all organizational levels is Pete’s passion: his message will move and inspire you. The Ten Truths. These are Peter Luongo’s solutions to problems we face every day regardless of our station in life, personally or professionally. Truth Number 1: Past performance predicts future behavior. Truth Number 2: Motivation is a personal responsibility. Inspiration is the responsibility of others. Truth Number 3: Effective leaders manage support systems; effective employees manage themselves. Truth Number 4: Rules are for the weak, uncompromised standards of excellence are for the strong. Truth Number 5: Organizations will experience meaningful success when employees establish their own standard of performance. Truth Number 6: Habits of discipline and risk taking distinguish greatness. Truth Number 7: If we have no trust, we have no relationship. Truth Number 8: Commitment is not how a person performs but rather if they do it to the best of their ability every day. Truth Number 9: It’s critical to be loyal to your company and your fellow employees. Truth Number 10: Accept yourself as you exist, accept others as they exist, and in the context of the differences and similarities, finding more effective ways of succeeding as a behavior-driven organization.

Andrew Bennett is a former corporate executive with a Fortune 100 company who started his career as Ross Perot's personal assistant. He has over 20 years experience as a global leadership and organizational culture consultant and executive coach specializing in helping individuals and teams build organizations that release people’s potential. A magician for over 40 years, he is a Member of The Magic Circle, the oldest and most prestigious society of magicians in the world. Thriving despite decades of tragic losses he uses his unique experience and strengths forged through adversity to teach others to create positive changes in their lives. Combine part instructor, part coach, and part entertainer and you have the transformational magic of Andrew Bennett. LEADER. Spending his first ten years in a Fortune 500 company culminating with growing an account from $5 million to $65 million in two years. ENTREPRENEUR. Starting a leadership and organizational culture consulting and training firm that’s been growing for 16 years. TRANSFORMER. Having coached leaders in 38 companies to lead successful culture change, including McDonald’s, Hewlett-Packard and Marriott International. SURVIVOR. Who’s thriving after decades of tragic personal loss. MAGICIAN. For 45 years. Member of London’s Magic Circle, the oldest and most prestigious society of magicians in the world. Put that all in a pot and stir it up. What emerges is unique –a guide who understands business, leadership, culture, transformation and the power of the heart and mind. Think Jim Collins plus Tony Robbins plus David Copperfield. His insights are backed by research and presented using magic tricks and an easy-to-use Transformation Framework of principles and tools. Magic and stories from his personal and professional experience put people in a place of openness. In a flash people are rethinking possibilities and obstacles, opening the door to innovative thinking. They let go of blame and discouragement and step up to personal responsibility. Check Out Andrew's Website

Steve Farber is the president of Extreme Leadership, Incorporated, and the founder of The Extreme Leadership Institute, organizations devoted to the cultivation and development of Extreme Leaders in the business community, non-profits and education. His third book, Greater Than Yourself: The Ultimate Lesson In Leadership, was a Wall Street Journal® and USA Today® bestseller. His second book, The Radical Edge: Stoke Your Business, Amp Your Life, and Change the World, was hailed as “a playbook for harnessing the power of the human spirit.”  And his first book, The Radical Leap: A Personal Lesson in Extreme Leadership, is already considered a classic in the leadership field. It received Fast Company magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award and was recently named one of the 100 Best Business Books of All Time. His newest edition,The Radical Leap Re-Energized: Doing What You Love in the Service of People Who Love What You Do, is in bookstores now. A Universal Message. A subject-matter expert in business leadership and a frequent guest on news-talk shows around the country, Farber is a senior-level leadership coach and consultant who has worked with and spoken to a wide variety of public and private organizations in virtually every arena, from the tech sector to financial services, manufacturing, health care, hospitality, entertainment, retail, and even the US government. Leading from experience. In 1989, after having run his own financial services company, Farber devoted his professional life to the field of leadership development and has been at it ever since. He was director of service programs at TMI, an international training consultancy, and then worked for 6 years as Vice President and Official Mouthpiece (that’s what it said on his business card) of The Tom Peters Company where he met several of his mentors including author/gurus Tom Peters, Jim Kouzes, and Terry Pearce. In 2000, Farber established his own company, Extreme Leadership, Inc, where he is president and CEO. He is also the co-founder of The Center for Social Profit Leadership, a non-profit organization formed to serve the leadership development needs of social entrepreneurs, and served as Vice Chairman on the Board of Directors of the world-renown, Up With People, a global leadership program for students from 18 to 29 years old. Coaching and inspiring Extreme Leadership at all organizational levels is Steve’s passion, and he does so with a style that is part strategist, part social commentator and all energy.

Ask anyone who knows her well, and you’ll hear words like hard-working, loyal, insightful and encouraging to describe Jenni Catron. A self-proclaimed “leadership junkie,” Jenni spends her days serving the local church.  Most recently she served for nine years as the Executive Director of Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN, where she led the staff and oversaw the ministry of its five campuses.  Prior to joining the staff of Cross Point, she worked in Artist Development in the Christian music industry. Jenni’s passion is to lead well and to inspire, equip and encourage others to do the same. She speaks at conferences and churches nationwide, seeking to help others develop their leadership gifts and lead confidently in the different spheres of influence God has granted them. Jenni blogs at www.jennicatron.com and contributes to a number of other online publications including churchleader.com and catalystspace.com. Outreach Magazine has recognized Jenni as one of the 30 emerging influencers reshaping church leadership and she has been featured in Church Executive magazine as well. When she isn’t working, you can find Jenni curled up with a great book and a fabulous cup of tea, on the tennis court or out for a run, or hanging out with her husband and their border collie. Visit the CLOUT website (discoverclout.com) to download a free chapter or to take the Clout quiz!

Becky Halstead, retired Brigadier General, United States Army, founded her own leader consultancy company, STEADFAST Leadership, LLC, following 27 years of service in the U.S. military and her role as Executive Director for a leadership consultancy company. Becky specializes in inspirational speaking (nationally and internationally; corporate and academic), developing leader training programs, leader coaching, consulting and advising. She authored her first book on leadership, 24/7: The First Person You Must Lead Is YOU. Becky has over 15 years of executive‐level leadership experience, developing and training high-performing, complex and diverse teams capable of strategic planning and execution. She has a proven record of leading change, building successful teams in demanding environments (Afghanistan and Iraq, Germany, South America), and creating innovative solutions, systems and programs to complex problems. She is an experienced leader and logistician, a highly effective communicator, and a strategic planner with exceptional organizational skills. Becky is a 1981 graduate of the United States Military Academy and achieved an historic milestone as the first female graduate of West Point to be promoted to General Officer. She was the senior Commanding General for logistics in Iraq, and was the first female in U.S. history to command in combat at the strategic level. In this capacity she was responsible for leading over 200 multi‐disciplined units (20,000 military and 5,000 civilians) located across 55 different bases, providing supply, maintenance, transportation and distribution support to over 250,000 personnel serving in Iraq. Becky honorably served with the U.S. Army and retired as a General Officer in 2008. The culmination of her career came in 2006 when she became the first female Chief of Ordnance and Commanding General of the Army’s Ordnance Center and Schools (equivalent to President of a University), responsible for the leader development and institutional training for the second largest branch in the army with over 100,000 members of the Ordnance Corps. During active service, she served in Europe as the Deputy Commanding General (Chief Operating Officer) for the 21st Theater Support Command and has experience leading a multi-national team in wholesale level logistics operations. Prior to Europe, she served as the Chief Advisor to the Combatant Commander (Four Star General) for Southern Command, whose responsibility encompassed military training and operations for South America. She was also responsible for coordinating directly with high‐level organizations such as Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Department of State, U.S. Congress, U.S. Ambassadors and equivalent foreign military and civilian organizations. Becky earned a B.S. in Engineering from West Point, an M.S. in National Resource Strategy (Advanced Manufacturing) from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, and an M.S. in Advanced Military Studies (Visionary Leadership) from the Army Command and General Staff College. She is a member on the Board of Advisors for multiple companies: Principal Solar, the Thayer Leader Development Group, and Prevail Health Solutions; and two not-for-profits: Grace After Fire and Vet R.E.S.T. Becky is an active spokesperson for the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress with specific focus on military health care. She is also a member of the Gordian Institute; a team of accomplished thought leaders and problem solvers. Becky is a recipient of the 2007 National Women’s History Project award for “Generations of Women Moving History Forward.” From 2009 to 2010, Becky served as a Commissioner on the President’s Military Leadership Diversity Commission. In 2011, her leadership model was a focus of a Harvard Business School Case Study.

Chris Brogan is Publisher of Owner Magazine, a business magazine helping you improve your worth by growing your capabilities and connections. He is CEO & President of Human Business Works, a publishing and media company. He is a sought-after keynote speaker who has addressed crowds of thousands, been on the Dr Phil show, and once presented to a princess. Chris has consulted with companies you know like Disney, Microsoft, Coke, Titleist, Pepsico, Google, Motorola, and many more. He is the New York Times Bestselling author of six books and counting, including The Impact Equation, with Julien Smith. He lives in northern Massachusetts, where he frequently plays Minecraft with his kids and plots world conquering with his girlfriend, Jacqueline Carly.

Dr. Tasha Eurich is an organizational psychologist, speaker and New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of Bankable Leadership: Happy People, Bottom Line Results and the Power to Deliver Both. Her life’s work is to help organizations succeed by improving the effectiveness of their leaders and teams. With a contagious passion and energy, Dr T. (as her clients call her) pairs her scientific grounding in human behavior with a practical approach to solving leadership challenges. Her ten-plus year career has spanned roles as an external consultant and a direct report to both CEOs and human resources executives. The majority of Dr. Eurich’s work has been with executives in large Fortune 500 organizations, including CH2M HILL, Xcel Energy, Western Union, Newmont Mining, DCP Midstream, Centura Health, CoBiz Financial, Vail Resorts, IHS, the City of Cincinnati, and HCA. With a PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Colorado State University and BAs in Theater and Psychology from Middlebury College, she serves on the faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, one of the top-ranked executive education institutions in the world. She has served as an adjunct faculty member in Colorado State University’s Psychology and Business Schools where she earned a commendation for teaching excellence. She’s also a popular guest speaker at the University of Denver and Colorado State University’s Executive MBA programs. She’s a regular contributor to the Huffington Post and her expertise has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, and Entrepreneur Magazine. In 2013, Dr. Eurich was honored as one of Denver Business Journal’s “40 under 40” rising stars in business. In 2014, she was named a Top 100 Thought Leader by Trust Across America alongside the likes of Stephen Covey, Jim Kouzes, and Bill George. She enjoys travelling, cycling, and theater and lives in Denver with her husband and three rambunctious dogs. What Sets Dr. Eurich Apart as a Speaker? Fresh: Dr. T has a fresh, modern, and fun take on leadership. People use words like “enthusiastic,” “sharp,” and “pithy” to describe her style. Practical: Her content is geared towards busy professionals who don’t have time to pontificate. Instead, she helps participants practice tools and make plans to implement them. Interactive: To maximize learning, Dr. T includes the audience in everything she does, whether it’s through large or small group discussion, individual reflection or activities. Science-based: A self-proclaimed Leadership Geek, she’s steeped in the science of the workplace. Dr. T’s research has been published in peer-reviewed journals and has been showcased around the world. Professional: She is a former professional actor with formal training and 15 years of experience, including a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theater. Download Dr. T's bio and differentiators. Book Dr. Eurich for Your Organization or Association Meeting Start here, or contact SpeakersOffice, Inc. or at +1 (760) 603-8110 Download Dr. Eurich’s speaking summary See Speaking Sample and testimonials

David Barton is the Founder and President of WallBuilders, a national pro-family organization that presents America's forgotten history and heroes, with an emphasis on our moral, religious and constitutional heritage. WallBuilders is a name taken from the Old Testament writings of Nehemiah, who led a grassroots movement to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and restore its strength and honor. In the same way, WallBuilders seeks to energize the grassroots today to become involved in strengthening their communities, states, and nation. David is the author of numerous best-selling books, with the subjects being drawn largely from his massive library of tens of thousands of original writings from the Founding Era. He also addresses well over 400 groups each year. His exhaustive research has rendered him an expert in historical and constitutional issues and he serves as a consultant to state and federal legislators, has participated in several cases at the Supreme Court, was involved in the development of the History/Social Studies standards for states such as Texas and California, and has helped produce history textbooks now used in schools across the nation. A national news organization has described him as "America's historian," and Time Magazine called him "a hero to millions - including some powerful politicians. In fact, Time Magazine named him as one of America's 25 most influential evangelicals. David has received numerous national and international awards, including Who's Who in Education, DAR's Medal of Honor, and the George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. His work in media has merited several Angel Awards, Telly Awards, and the Dove Foundation Seal of Approval. David and his wife Cheryl have three grown children, Damaris, Timothy, and Stephen, and they reside in Aledo, TX.

Lieutenant Commander Rorke Denver is the author of DAMN FEW: Making the Modern Seal. In 14 years as a SEAL Officer, Rorke Denver tangled with drug lords in Latin America, stood up to violent mobs in Liberia, & battled terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan. Leading 200 commando missions, he earned the Bronze Star with V for Valor. He has spent the last five years at the Navy Special Warfare Center in Coronado directing all phases of basic & advanced SEAL training. Denver is a honor graduate of the United States Army Ranger School. Additionally, he holds a BA from Syracuse University and a Master of Global Business Leadership from University of San Diego. In 2012, Denver consulted and starred in the hit film Act of Valor. Podcast Highlights: LCDR Denver talks about why he joined the SEALs and how the motives on why people join such an elite unit; it is different than most people think. Leadership has several facets, but at it's core it is love; love for the guy next to you and a love for something larger than yourself. LCDR Rorke highlights the "cavalcade of characters" that are present within the SEALs. Decision making, with partial / minimal information, is a critical trait that is a requirement for SEAL training but lacking in the corporate arena. Rorke talks about the genesis for the creation & acting in the movie "Act of Valor". Get Your Free Audio Book of "Damn Few" at Audible

Shane Snow is a New York City-based technology journalist and web entrepreneur, currently Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Contently. Originally from Idaho, he holds a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University. A member of Sandbox Network and the Royal Society Of The Arts, Shane writes for WIRED Magazine and Fast Company, and has designed infogaphics for MTV, Gizmodo, and The United Nations. Shane understands the importance of leadership and how critical it becomes for entrepreneurial start-ups or entrepreneurial journeys. I love how Shane's unconventional ways and how he learned early on that the truly great leadership/entrepreneurs do so because they are motivated by the desire to help other people. As Shane puts it: "The greatest leaders are the ones everyone wants to follow, and those are the ones who care about others more than self, who lead with a higher purpose." Simply put, Shane believes we should all  strive to be the kind of leader you would follow yourself. (Much easier said than done!)