Success Beneath the Surface

CEOs are often laser-focused on destinations—quarterly targets, market share goals, and exit strategies. But what if the true measure of leadership lies in valuing the journey as much as the endpoint? This insight comes from a recent conversation with Bob Rhoda, CEO of Hemasonics, who emphasizes the fulfillment of embracing daily experiences. As someone who regularly engages with CEOs, I've observed a common fixation on end results...

In this episode, Deborah welcomes Bob Roda, President and CEO of HemoSonics, about purpose-driven leadership in healthcare. Bob shares his journey from an economics major to a passionate advocate for improving patient care. He offers candid insights from his career at Johnson & Johnson to his current role in medical technology innovation.

Bob's story emphasizes continuous learning and embracing both successes and failures. He p...

Deborah Fell reflects on her recent conversation with James Hyman, a seasoned turnaround CEO and board member. Deborah discusses the key insights from their full episode, focusing on themes of leadership, accountability, and empowering teams. She shares her experience leading a diverse and accomplished team of sales and marketing executives from various industries, highlighting the challenges and rewards of being a "leader of leade...

In this episode of Success Beneath the Surface, James Hyman, a seasoned CEO and board member, shares his methodology for helping companies navigate complex restructuring processes. With a background spanning diverse industries and a track record of successful transformations, James offers invaluable insights for CEOs and business transformation leaders facing the daunting task of overhauli...

In today's commentary, we revisit my conversation with Joe Leo, CEO and founder of Def Method, from episode 61. Joe's company focuses on breaking down data silos to help businesses connect the dots and gain valuable insights. When data is stuck in silos, it can lead to people and mindset silos as well, causing friction and draining energy. However, by bringing data together, a shared understanding emerges, allowing diversity of tho...

Deborah Fell welcomes Joe Leo, the CEO and Founder of Def Method, a data science and custom software development consultancy. Joe's entrepreneurial journey started with a humorous misinterpretation of his father's advice, leading him to strike out on his own. As he navigated leadership challenges, Joe learned to focus on the right people and clients and deliver value. His detail-oriented approach and ability to learn from mistakes ...

In this episode of "Success Beneath the Surface," Deborah Fell shares a story sparked by her recent conversation with Susan Finch about understanding and nurturing individual team members. Deborah emphasizes the importance of recognizing each person's unique experiences and skills, and providing opportunities for growth and development. She highlights the value of creating a supportive environment where team members feel comfortabl...

Are you a business leader, HR professional, or entrepreneur looking to enhance your team's performance and harmony? In this special episode of "Success Beneath the Surface," host Susan Finch turns the tables on regular host Deborah Fell to uncover key insights on adaptive leadership. Drawing from her diverse experiences leading teams at Chief Outsiders, Marriott, and beyond, Deborah shares strategies for understanding individual te...

In our last episode, Deborah interviewed Kyle Buckett, a retired member of the elite US Navy SEALs. Today, she focuses on one specific segment from that conversation where Kyle shares his insights on building high-performing teams and the parallels between military leadership and the business world.

As a CEO, your role is to define a clear mission...

Deborah Fell welcomes Kyle Buckett, a former Navy SEAL and author of "Leadership is Overrated." Buckett shares lessons from his military career and consulting work, emphasizing the importance of trust, delegating authority, and developing leaders at all levels. "Great people working together really makes elite teams. And when you have elite teams, you have organizations that become elite," Buckett notes. Listen to this episode, "Le...

In this commentary, Deborah Fell reflects on her conversation with Joe Grace from the previous episode. She relates Joe's insights to her experience working with a trampoline park client in Canada whose business was threatened by new competitors. Deborah describes how she helped the client segment their customer database, tailor messaging and offers, and improve the customer experience, ultimately allowing them to recover lost reve...

In a world where brands struggle to connect with their audience, Joe Grace, Partner at Chief Outsiders and a seasoned marketer, shares his insights on the power of authentic storytelling and omnichannel marketing. From transforming WebMD into a household name to launching successful products like the Suzanne Somers Thighmaster, Joe's unique approach has consistently delivered results. He emphasizes the importance of understanding y...

In episode 49 of Success Beneath the Surface, host Deborah Fell spoke with Torey Carter Conneen, CEO of the American Society of Landscape Architects. One key theme was simplifying complexity. As the leader of a trade association with diverse constituents, Torey sees his role as uniting everyone around a shared mission.

Deborah reflects that whether in complex organizations like Torey's or simpler ones, complexity can quickly arise ...

In this insightful commentary episode of Success Beneath the Surface, host Deborah Fell shares her key takeaways from her conversation with Alexei Miller, Managing Director of DataArt. Discover the secrets behind DataArt's impressive employee referral and loyalty metrics, which have remained strong over decades of growth. Alexei emphasizes the importance of a culture-based organization, where informal ties, trust, and freedom fuel ...

Step into the world of Alexei Miller, managing director at DataArt, as he engages in a captivating discussion with host, Deborah Fell on Success Beneath the Surface. Alexei's story is one of curiosity, adaptability, and the power of a strong company culture, from his humble beginnings in a little town in the north of Russia, beyond the polar circle, to his 27-year journey to being part of a team leading DataArt, a global software e...

In this episode, Deborah shares her anticipation for the upcoming Chief Outsiders National Conference, where she will be recapping the event and conducting insightful interviews. Reflecting on the growth and success of Chief Outsiders over the years, Deborah emphasizes the importance of vision casting and fostering a culture of collaboration. As we look forward to the conference highlights, Deborah encourages listeners to revisit A...

Deborah Fell unpacks key insights on gaining alignment from her conversation with Torey Carter-Conneen, CEO of the American Society of Landscape Architects. With multiple stakeholders to consider, Torey shares how he approaches creating change and uniting his team behind a common vision. Deborah reflects on how a lack of alignment in an organization, though often invisible, manifests in lower scores and sales momentum. Torey stress...

Do you aspire to lead with purpose and service? This week’s Success Beneath the Surface podcast features a remarkable discussion with Torey Carter Conneen, CEO of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Host Deborah Fell artfully draws out Conneen's inspiring path to nonprofit leadership guided by his family’s ethos of community service.

From his first nonprofit ro...

When established "truths" in business become outdated, companies that fail to adapt often struggle. In this episode commentary, host Deborah Fell explores a Mark Twain quote on questioning assumptions with guest Barry Traylor, co-founder of Sales Mastery. Barry explains why the "perfect prospect profile" can limit a company's vision and relationships. He advocates customizing outreach to understand individual customers’ needs bette...