Strong Leaders Serve with Teri Schmidt

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. 

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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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 Building a diverse team doesn't automatically lead to better performance — and without the right environment, it can even create new challenges. 

In this episode, Teri is joined again by leadership and team performance expert Henrik Bresman to explore why psychological safety is the key to unlocking the true potential of diverse teams. We’ll also discuss practical steps leaders can take to foster belonging, innovation, and res...

Have you ever held back from asking a question or saying "no" because you were afraid it might insinuate that your boss isn’t competent, credible, or caring? 

That fear—known as insinuation anxiety—can keep even the most skilled leaders from speaking up when it matters most. In this episode, we explore why managing up is emotionally tricky and how to ask tough questions without compromising trust. 

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If we're not in leadership for the title, how do we effectively face the challenges that come with transitioning into and through different levels of positional authority?

In this episode, we talk through the main challenges faced by compassionate, driven leaders in these situations and provide practical ideas for addressing them.

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

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Do you sometimes struggle to build trusting relationships in your workplace, especially with the distance of remote and hybrid work?  

You're not alone. In this episode, I talked with MIT Professor Deborah Ancona about the essential skills of inquiry, advocacy, and connecting that leaders can use to foster trust inside and outside their organizations. 

Discover the power of balancing these skills in a distributed leadership mode...

Are you finding it tough to lead remote teams with both compassion and efficiency? In this episode of Strong Leaders Serve, Teri Schmidt dives into the challenges leaders face in remote and hybrid environments, discussing the balance between driving results and maintaining empathetic connections. 

Explore the neuroscience that influences our approach to leadership and gather actionable strategies to enhance team cohesion from afar. ...

Are you ready to discover the secrets behind successful team dynamics in a world where traditional structures are rapidly evolving? 

In this episode of Strong Leaders Serve, Teri Schmidt talks with INSEAD Professor Henrik Bresman to explore the concept of X Teams and how embracing external engagement is crucial for high-performing teams amidst these transitions. 

Professor Bresman highlights how leaders can create a balanced environm...