Strong Leaders Serve with Teri Schmidt

Have you ever wondered what truly sets great leaders apart in today’s fast-paced workplaces? In this episode, I talked with Andrea Wanerstrand, whose career spans Microsoft, Meta, T-Mobile, and more, to dig into the real meaning behind authenticity, autonomy, and accountability. Andrea shares eye-opening stories about breaking out of comfort zones, fostering trust, and the mindset shift needed to fuel powerful teams. Listen to disc...

Feeling like an imposter doesn’t mean you’re broken or unqualified.

It often means your world has grown faster than your sense of self. In this episode we go beneath the buzzword of imposter syndrome.

We look at it in a different way, as a signal that your identity is expanding. You’ll learn why fighting it with frantic action rarely works, and what to do instead to grow into steady, grounded confidence that lasts. 

Connect ...

What does psychological safety really mean beneath the buzzword? In this episode, Jade Garratt, co-founder of Psych Safety and colleague of past guest Tom Geraghty, shares practical ways leaders can move past misconceptions and create environments where teams feel safe to learn, speak up, and perform at their best.

Resources:

• Psych Safety website
• Psychological Safety Course: Train the Trainer (highly recommend!)
• Connect with Jade o...

What does it really mean to be transparent as a leader, especially when you can’t share everything or when you don’t agree with the direction of change?

In this episode, we go beneath the buzzword of transparency. 

If you’ve ever struggled with how open to be with your team during times of change, this episode will give you practical ways to lead with honesty, courage, and care.

Resources:

• Lisa Earle McLeod's post about authen...

We’ve all heard the advice to “be an effective communicator.” But what does that really mean beyond the buzzword? In this episode, veteran sports reporter and Talk Sporty to Me founder Jen Mueller shares lessons from 25 years on the sidelines, where conversations happen under pressure, in the heat of wins and losses. Together, we explore how those lessons translate into clearer, more courageous communication for business leaders. 

R...

Empowerment sounds good on paper, but in the workplace it often falls short.

Especially in leadership stretch moments, like promotions and novel, high-stakes projects, what leaders call empowerment can feel like abandonment to the person on the receiving end. 

In this episode, we look at the history of empowerment in organizations, explore how the brain reacts in stretch moments, and share practical ways leaders can provide just the ...

Agility is one of today’s favorite leadership buzzwords, but too often it gets reduced to simply moving faster. 

In this episode, we go beneath the buzzword to explore what true agility really means: the ability to adapt wisely and steadily in the face of uncertainty. 

Drawing on Gallup’s latest global research, we’ll look at why hope is now the number one thing people need from their leaders, and how stability and adaptability can a...

What if true recognition at work wasn’t about awards or bonuses, but about helping people feel they genuinely matter every single day? 

In this episode, Dr. Zach Mercurio joins Teri Schmidt to reveal why small, everyday interactions, not flashy programs, are the secret sauce behind thriving, high-performing teams. 

Together, they unpack the science of “mattering,” practical leadership skills you can use today, and why AI will never r...

Avoiding difficult conversations, or softening them so much they lose their meaning, can damage trust, confuse your team, and hurt your credibility. In this episode, Teri shares a personal story of how avoiding inside a conversation backfired, and explores how leaders can break the cycle of avoidance with mindset shifts, clarity, and courage. If you've ever lost sleep over a difficult conversation, this one’s for you. 

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Welcome to a new season of Strong Leaders Serve—where we’re going beneath the buzzwords. This season, we’re moving past surface-level leadership advice to explore the mindset shifts, self-awareness, and practices that fuel real, lasting impact. 

In this kickoff episode, Tamara Myles and Wes Adams—co-authors of Meaningful Work—join me to unpack what actually drives motivation and performance. 

We dig into their research-backed framewo...

Struggling to get buy-in from senior leaders—or move things forward across departments when you have no formal authority? This episode is for you. We're diving into the science and strategy of influencing without power, with research-backed techniques from psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral economics.

You’ll walk away with practical ways to manage up and influence across. And if you're ready to put these ideas into a...

Feeling like your team is exhausted by constant change? You're not alone. 

In this episode of the Strong Leader Serve podcast, we delve into strategies for leading through change with empathy and clarity. 

Learn five practical ways to help your team navigate change fatigue, from maintaining clarity to managing energy and fostering connections. This episode draws on insights from psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral economics...

Why is delegation so difficult—even when we know it’s essential to leadership? 

In this episode, we explore the hidden emotional and cognitive barriers that keep leaders stuck in doing instead of leading. You’ll learn why delegation isn’t just a task shift, but a mindset shift—and how redefining success can unlock growth for both you and your team. Plus, hear a real-world story that shows why the discomfort of delegating is worth it...

In this episode, we explore the leadership skill most of us avoid: difficult conversations. 

You'll learn the mindset shifts that help you move from avoidance to courage, practical techniques to navigate tough talks with clarity and care, and the ripple effect these conversations can have on trust, team culture, and your own confidence. 

This episode also kicks off a 4-part series leading into the Leadership Build Series—a hands...

Have you ever received feedback that felt like a personal attack, even when you knew it shouldn’t be? 

In this episode, Teri Schmidt shares a vulnerable story from her own life and reveals why our brains react defensively when our ideas feel tied to our identity. 

Discover the neuroscience behind this reaction, learn powerful tools to create distance between who you are and what you believe, and hear how  LEGO® Serious Play® can actu...

What if leadership wasn’t about having the right answers, but about asking better questions? In this episode, Dr. Joel Pérez shares how cultural humility—not just cultural competency—can transform how we lead, build inclusive teams, and create lasting organizational change. We explore why humility is a leadership strength, how to move beyond perfectionism, and what it takes to lead with curiosity in today’s complex world. 

Resources...

When it comes to leadership, efficiency isn’t always the goal—especially if it means leaving people out of the process. 

In this episode, CNN Hero and Sleep in Heavenly Peace founder Luke Mickelson shares how “inefficiency by design” became a powerful strategy for building both beds and belonging. We explore what it means to lead through service, why volunteer experience matters as much as the mission, and how to turn purpose into a...

Ever wonder if squeezing every ounce of efficiency from your team could actually leave you vulnerable when the unexpected strikes? 

In this episode, Teri welcomes back Tom Geraghty for a candid look at the critical—and often overlooked—tension between efficiency and resilience. 

Together, they unpack why hyper-optimization can lead to burnout and brittleness, and share practical strategies for leaders to build adaptability into their...

 Are you a leader who wants to rest—but finds yourself reaching for one more task instead? 

In this episode, we explore why high-achieving, compassionate leaders struggle to truly unplug, even when they think they’re resting. You’ll learn the neuroscience behind this pattern—and how to shift from constant doing to genuine restoration. 

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/

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