On this week’s episode of the Leadership with Heart podcast, I sit down with Kurtis Strauel, Senior Director of Human Resources at Mark-Taylor Residential, to discuss the power of leading from the heart in a field that is often misunderstood. With over 30 years of experience in HR and more than two decades in leadership, Kurtis brings a deeply reflective, people-first perspective that cuts through the noise of policy, process, and performance metrics.

What struck me most in our conversation was Kurtis’s commitment to showing up for others, even in the most challenging moments. He shares the story of joining an organization and realizing he prioritized execution over connection. Without trust and a relationship, results fall flat. That moment changed how he leads and how he listens.

We explore how HR can reclaim its role as a champion for the human experience at work, how leaders can balance business outcomes with empathy, and why creating a culture rooted in dignity and respect is not just suitable for people but essential for performance.

Kurtis also opens up about his early childhood challenges, the lessons he learned from his parents, and how those personal experiences helped shape the heart-led leader he is today. His vulnerability is refreshing, and his clarity about what truly matters, such as taking care of people, staying humble, and learning from mistakes, feels like a masterclass in authentic leadership.

If you’ve ever felt torn between performance goals and staying grounded in compassion, this conversation will remind you that those two things can coexist. When they do, everyone benefits.

Listen in and reflect on your leadership journey. Are you leading from the heart? Are your people seen, heard, and supported? This episode will give you the courage to keep asking those questions and to keep doing the work that truly matters.

What happens when a leader blends deep operational structure with genuine human care? That’s the question at the heart of my latest conversation on the Leadership with Heart podcast, where I’m joined by Sarah Mazzocco, Chief People Officer at Americare Senior Living.

We first met when I was invited to speak at Americare’s annual leadership conference. Even before I hit the stage, I could tell Sarah was a different kind of leader. She carried a quiet confidence rooted in clarity, process, and intention. What stood out most was her heart. She wasn’t just focused on logistics or event outcomes; she was also concerned about the overall experience. She was focused on people, how they felt, what they needed, and how the experience could serve them long after the event ended.

That same intentionality came through in this conversation. Sarah spoke openly about the tension between designing robust systems and remaining flexible when things do not go as planned. She shared a powerful example from her early days at Walmart, when she was tasked with redesigning cashier training across hundreds of thousands of employees.

The project seemed straightforward until feedback from frontline workers completely shifted her team’s perspective. What they thought was high value turned out to be disconnected from the reality of day-to-day work. That insight prompted a redesign, but it also paved the way for deeper trust and improved outcomes. For Sarah, moments like that proved the value of staying curious and staying humble.

Throughout the episode, we repeatedly returned to the importance of asking the right questions, not from a place of pretense or ego, but with a blank slate mindset. Sarah talked about how being wrong is not a threat to leadership. It is often the very thing that makes leadership real. By remaining open to new data, perspectives, and feedback, she creates space for her team to feel seen and heard. That sense of psychological safety is what allows innovation and transformation to take root.

We also explored the myth that leaders have to choose between being results-driven or people-centered. Sarah pushes back on that narrative. For her, the numbers matter because they help validate whether the work is meaningful. They serve as a reflection of the lived employee experience. If people feel seen, supported, and inspired, the data should reflect that. But she is clear that you cannot just lead with numbers. You must start with a purpose, stay grounded in listening, and use data as a tool to guide rather than dictate the path forward.

Sarah’s leadership style is rare in its balance. She brings process and structure, but she also makes room for messiness. She values outcomes, but she centers people. She has the credentials and experience to lead from the top, yet she has never stopped asking questions like a student.

This conversation was a reminder that caring leadership is not a sign of weakness. It is strategic. It is data-informed. It is rooted in values and made powerful through action. Sarah is a brilliant example of how leaders can hold both heart and accountability, as well as consistency and curiosity, and bring it all together to create workplaces where people truly thrive.

Dean Wegner is a former Army Ranger, a West Point graduate, and now the CEO and co-founder of Authentically American, an apparel brand rooted in purpose. But more than that, he’s a husband, a dad of four, and someone who truly understands what it means to lead with heart.

We started this episode by connecting over something very personal. As many of you are aware, my son is currently attending the U.S. Naval Academy. That journey has opened my eyes to a whole new level of respect and awareness regarding military service, patriotism, and what it means to serve something greater than oneself. So when a listener suggested Dean as a guest, the timing could not have been better.

Dean shared how his leadership journey began long before building a business. It started at home, and it was shaped by the values he learned in the military, including putting others first, leading by example, and building character when no one is watching. He discussed what it means to transition from focusing on personal growth to genuinely supporting and developing the people you lead.

We also explored his pivot from a corporate career to entrepreneurship. Like many of us, he faced moments of doubt and unexpected challenges, especially during the early days of the pandemic. But Dean’s story is an excellent reminder that hard work, faith, and staying true to one's mission can carry you through even the most challenging seasons.

If you’ve ever questioned whether leading with heart is compatible with ambition and business success, this episode will encourage you. Dean is proof that you can grow a brand, serve a cause, and stay grounded in your values.

In this solo episode, I open up about one of the most emotional experiences of my life after dropping my son off at the United States Naval Academy. It stirred something profound within me, and I felt compelled to share what I learned about self-leadership, emotional resilience, and staying grounded during life’s most significant transitions.

I discuss what it means to be truly unshakable, not by avoiding emotions, but by standing firm in our values and leading ourselves through difficult moments with honesty and compassion. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about clarity, progress, and choosing to lead from a place of strength and grace, even when the ground feels unsteady.

I also reflect on what it looks like to stop waiting for permission. To be your green light. Watching my son step into his purpose reminded me that we all can lead ourselves with intention. And when we do, we become the kind of leaders others naturally want to follow.

In this episode of Leadership with Heart, I sit down with Laura Chevalier, Chief Growth Officer at Optomi Professional Services, for a conversation that explores the powerful intersection of data, grace, and self-leadership.

Laura shares her remarkable journey from teaching and sports to building a thriving IT consulting startup and leading a division focused on uplifting rural communities and military families. We talk candidly about how faith, humility, and a willingness to fail have shaped her path and opened doors she never imagined.

We also dig into what it means to live and lead with intention, how to give ourselves grace without losing our edge, and why authentic self-leadership is never a finished product but an evolving practice. Laura’s stories about saying yes to big leaps, trusting her instincts, and finding joy in the messiness of growth remind us that strong leadership always starts within.

If you’ve ever wondered how to hold high standards without losing heart, how to balance speed and presence, or how to trust your gut while inviting feedback, this episode is for you.

Listen in and reflect on what it means to lead yourself through every season with courage, curiosity, and grace.

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In this episode, I sit down with Lorna Little, President and CEO of St. Anne’s Family Services in Los Angeles. Lorna leads an organization that touches the lives of thousands of families facing housing insecurity, young mothers seeking stability, and children who need a safe start.

Our conversation goes deep into what it means to lead from both lived experience and professional training. Lorna shares how her own journey as a young mother and adoptee fuels her mission to build programs that change lives for the better. She explains why balancing high support with high accountability is not a feel-good slogan but a daily discipline that keeps her team effective and her community served.

We talk about the real cost of not supporting families early, why leaders must stand firm in their power even when feedback stings, and how caring leadership still demands measurable results. Lorna also reminds us to protect our own energy, nurture our creative sides, and never forget why we started this work in the first place.

If you have ever wondered what true, heart-centered nonprofit leadership looks like behind the budget lines, you will find so much wisdom here.

Take a moment to listen, reflect, and share this episode with someone who cares as much as you do.

On this episode of the Leadership with Heart podcast, I’m joined by someone very special to me, Andy Boian, founder of Dovetail Solutions and a longtime friend and collaborator. Andy first joined me on the show back in 2020 and was also featured in my book The Art of Caring Leadership. Since then, a great deal has changed, both for him and his company, and I was thrilled to bring him back to discuss where he stands now as a leader and how his journey has unfolded.

We discussed what it means to grow an organization with intention, to lead by listening, and to cultivate a culture where people feel safe enough to share their truth. Andy shared how he continues to live by the philosophy of speaking last, something he mentioned in our first interview that has stuck with me ever since. It’s not just a tactic; it’s a way of honoring the voices around him and building trust from the inside out.

Andy also opened up about how his company has evolved over the past five years, how they’ve weathered disruption and grown their reach, and how he’s now thinking about legacy. He shared that he’s entering a season of succession planning, gradually preparing to pass the torch while continuing to serve as a mentor and advisor. His desire to give back, to teach, and to write about what he’s learned was inspiring to hear.

We also discussed the role of AI in communication and storytelling as well as the importance of maintaining the human element in our work. As a speechwriter, Andy knows that words matter, but so do context, presence, tone, and lived experience. AI can assist, but it cannot replace the empathy or emotional insight that comes from years of connection.

What stood out most in our conversation was Andy’s consistency. He still believes in telling the truth, even when it’s hard. He still creates space for people to think, feel, and lead themselves toward their solutions. And he still leads with care, humility, and a deep understanding that trust is earned every single day.

If you’ve ever struggled with how to hold space as a leader, how to grow through grief, or how to lead a team without controlling every detail, this conversation will offer real encouragement. Andy reminds us that leadership is not about being the loudest voice in the room. It’s about knowing when to step back, when to listen, and when to let others rise.

In this episode of Leadership with Heart, I sit down with Tracy Nolan, Senior Vice President of MarketPoint at Humana, for a candid and powerful conversation about what it truly means to lead with both strength and compassion.

Tracy has spent her career guiding large teams through complex transformations, including overseeing 14,000 employees during the merger of Sprint and T-Mobile at the height of the pandemic. Her ability to remain focused on people, even in the most high-pressure environments, is what sets her apart. This is a conversation about rejecting the myth that caring is soft or ineffective. Tracy shows that empathy and accountability can not only coexist but also fuel one another.

She shares stories of leading through layoffs with humanity, building trust through weekly listening sessions, and constantly preparing her teams for the future by investing in their growth and readiness. Tracy discusses openly what it means to create a culture where performance expectations are clear and where people feel supported, heard, and valued. Her approach to leadership is rooted in genuine connection, honest communication, and the belief that strong leadership starts with caring about your people.

If you've ever questioned whether it's possible to lead with heart while driving real results, Tracy proves that you don't have to choose. You can do both. And in today’s workplace, doing both may be the only way to lead well.