Cultivating Connections

This month we have a conversation about going deep and understanding the importance of knowing more than just your role in your organization. We talk about what gets you to your role and what will then move you forward, and how those won’t be the same thing. As a woman who has seen several organizations, Lorraine also talks with us about women in leadership and the one thing they all have to stop doing, apologizing for everything.

Book Suggestion this episode: What Got you Here Won’t Get you There- Marshall Goldsmith

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This episode we spend some time discussing the role of trusting your gut and taking chances with the Executive Director of the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association, Mr. Chris Henney. Chris talks about the passion you have as you are young and the wisdom you play on when you get older in your career. At times our best laid plans don’t work out as we process along our journey, but may times they put you in a position or role that is something positive and something you couldn’t have expected. So join us for another rich discussion full of laughs and great nuggets!

Book Suggestion of this episode: Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin

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This month the OSU Dance Team Coach, Melissa McGhee, shares with us her strategy for coaching a team who holds 15 national titles since 2018. Under her leadership Melissa took a club sport and transitioned it into a powerhouse varsity sport that dominates each year. She reminds us that as a new leader you have to remember that you don’t know everything from the start and learning from the experts and accepting help is a great way to build trust in your team. We discuss how she leads with the philosophy that”clear is kind” and making sure that you understand your team members’ needs as you set out expectations early.

Books suggested by Melissa include: John Gordon’s You Win in the Locker Room and Pat Summitt’s Definite Dozen

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This month we visit with Mr. Tom Schmid of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium about the role of the leader in empowering those around them. Tom takes us through how his background in the zoological industry has shaped him and his philosophies as a leader. “If you take care of your people and your animals, everything else will pretty much take care of itself.”

Through moments of uncertainty, Tom shares how honesty and transparency is vital to give stability to the unknown. Spending the time to listen to your team early on can set the foundation for those moments of crisis. It is a great discussion with a wild flare!

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From the importance of early influences to the role of positivity as a leader, Mr. Adam Sharp, Executive VP of Ohio Farm Bureau walks us through his philosophy and life lessons that make him the leader he is today. Roles in the Bush Administration to the American Farm Bureau to leading one of the largest and oldest agriculture organizations in Ohio, Adam shares with us his perspectives on the importance of concesus building and finding a group of peers to debrief and share ideas with. Join us this month for another great conversation with an impactful and respected leader.

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This month we have an engaging discussion with Mrs. Hannah Thompson-Weeman, President and CEO of the Animal Ag Alliance about how she leads a dynamic team spread across the US who has worked through many changes over the last few years. She discusses her leadership journey and philosophy in how she empowers her team to take chances. From unique team building experiences to a philosophy of “If it is not a heck yes it is a no,” Hannah shares how her background and previous internships in college and positions in organizations like Farm Credit shaped her into the dynamic leader she is today.

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