Leading Minds Revealed

Leading Minds Revealed explores how today’s leaders navigate change, make better decisions, build stronger teams, and turn strategy into action.

Hosted by Michael Apollo — 3x founder, executive advisor, and former University of Toronto mindfulness program director — the show features candid conversations with executives, entrepreneurs, researchers, and changemakers shaping the future of work.

Episodes explore leadership under pressure, organizational transformation, AI and the workforce, team effectiveness, trust, resilience, decision-making, and the human dynamics that determine whether change succeeds.

Expect practical ideas, real-world experience, and perspectives you can apply to how you lead and work.

Subscribe for full conversations, leadership insights, and short clips from Leading Minds Revealed.

Episodes

Oct 28, 2026

49 min

In this episode, Michael Apollo speaks with Marie Price, Director of Learning and Development at Idaho Forest Group, about why humility is an essential leadership capability in times of rapid change and uncertainty. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience in workforce development, manufacturing, and education, Marie shares how listening before acting, staying grounded in values, and taking ownership of mistakes can strengthen trust, credibility, and organizational culture. 
We explore how leaders can move beyond the pressure to have all the answers, involve employees in shaping strategy, and build lasting relationships that support business performance and workforce development. 
Through personal stories and practical examples, this conversation offers leaders actionable ways to slow down, make more informed decisions, and create environments where people feel respected, supported, and empowered to contribute.
Leading Minds Revealed with Michael ApolloLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelapollo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelapolloofficial/Website: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcastNewsletter: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcast#section-1751049894114
Marie PriceDirector of Learning and Development, Idaho Forest GroupLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-price-a5a15718/Website: https://www.ifg.com/
Timestamps00:00 – Introduction: Why Humility Matters in Leadership03:00 – Humility as a Practical Leadership Discipline06:00 – Letting Go of the Need to Prove Yourself09:00 – Building a Culture of Trust and Community11:45 – Why Relationships Matter for Long-Term Success14:30 – Using Values as a North Star During Change15:45 – Defining Personal Values That Guide Decisions19:30 – Why Effective Leaders Listen Before Acting21:45 – Listening With Your Eyes, Ears, and Heart23:45 – Building Trust When Leading a New Team28:45 – Taking Ownership of Mistakes and Rebuilding Trust33:45 – Leading Without Having All the Answers38:00 – Slowing Down So No One Gets Left Behind41:30 – Practicing Humility Through Service45:30 – Three Practical Ways to Lead With More Humility47:15 – Final Reflections and Leadership Takeaways
#LeadingMindsRevealed #LeadershipDevelopment #HumbleLeadership #ExecutiveLeadership #BuildingTrust

Oct 28, 2026

49 min

Oct 14, 2026

1 hr 10 min

In this episode, Michael Apollo speaks with Sam Tabbara, CEO and Co-Founder of Paradise Mobile and an experienced telecommunications and technology leader, about what it takes to lead through hypergrowth, disruption, and rapid transformation.
We discuss why traditional hierarchies can become bottlenecks to execution, how leaders can unlock the collective intelligence of their organizations, and why transparency, decision autonomy, and humility become increasingly important as complexity grows.
Sam shares practical examples from building Paradise Mobile, including empowering employees closest to the customer to solve problems, using AI to make organizational information more accessible, creating a culture where people are expected to challenge existing processes, and measuring his own leadership by how willing people are to tell him he is wrong.
This conversation explores how leaders can move from controlling decisions to creating the conditions for faster learning, stronger trust, greater ownership, and more adaptive organizations.
Leading Minds Revealed with Michael ApolloLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelapollo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelapolloofficial/Website: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcastNewsletter: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcast#section-1751049894114
Sam TabbaraCEO & Co-Founder, Paradise MobileWebsite: http://www.paradisemobile.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/paradise-mobile/
Timestamps
00:00 — Leading through hypergrowth, disruption, and transformation02:43 — Why organizations fail to use their collective intelligence03:20 — How industrial-era management still shapes organizations05:14 — Why speed and adaptability now matter more than efficiency alone06:28 — Is the organizational pyramid becoming a liability?08:48 — Leadership is a behaviour, not a title09:33 — Moving from one-to-one hierarchy to fluid leadership12:18 — Why AI transformation exposes organizational bottlenecks13:35 — The two foundations of organizational transformation14:09 — What leaders can learn from decentralized military decision-making15:37 — The beliefs about people that keep leaders from letting go17:03 — Managing for customer outcomes instead of employee activity18:34 — Leadership based on value rather than status20:21 — Designing Paradise Mobile for hypergrowth21:32 — Why leaders should build more leaders22:17 — Hiring for adaptability rather than credentials24:14 — How a frontline employee built an AI solution25:49 — Why traditional organizations turn simple ideas into long projects27:08 — Building autonomy, candour, and faster execution28:48 — A simple test for whether employees are truly empowered29:36 — Why trust is so difficult to build and easy to lose32:18 — Why information transparency creates trust33:02 — Using AI to democratize organizational information34:42 — What happens when organizations develop an “inner circle”36:13 — An experiment in radical transparency37:14 — When an employee heard leaders debating whether to hire him38:17 — “I don’t need to agree with you to trust you”39:26 — Why transparency requires vulnerability from leaders41:21 — AI, information access, and the future of organizational structure43:17 — Leadership as an ongoing practice of awareness44:04 — Sam’s leadership feedback loop: who is willing to tell him he’s wrong?45:14 — What leaders can actually control during uncertainty46:01 — Why leaders must keep learning48:33 — Creating space between reaction and response49:10 — Paradise Mobile’s culture manifesto50:08 — Three behaviours that can get someone fired at Paradise Mobile51:02 — Why blindly following a process can become a performance problem52:18 — Seeing yourself seeing the world54:24 — How Sam’s upbringing shaped his approach to leadership55:19 — Growing up through scarcity, conflict, and displacement58:00 — Starting over as refugees in Canada59:02 — What Sam learned from his parents about resilience1:00:34 — Sam’s first job in telecommunications1:02:13 — What happened when a junior engineer challenged the system1:04:22 — “Ignorance on fire is better than intelligence on ice”1:05:05 — Creating a culture where young employees are trusted to figure things out1:06:21 — How life experience shapes leadership under uncertainty1:07:20 — Why open systems require strength, humility, and emotional intelligence1:08:16 — Final reflections on leadership and continuous learning
#LeadingMindsRevealed #Leadership #OrganizationalCulture #Hypergrowth #FutureOfWork

Oct 14, 2026

1 hr 10 min

Sep 30, 2026

1 hr 4 min

In this episode, Michael Apollo speaks with Dylan Piatti, Managing Director at Advantage Group International, about how leaders can navigate rapid technological, geopolitical, and organizational change without losing strategic focus or the human relationships that drive performance.
We discuss iterative scenario planning, vulnerability and reverse mentorship, how leaders can distinguish meaningful strategic shifts from noise, and why trust, collaboration, communication, and partnership should increasingly be treated as measurable business metrics. Drawing on his work with organizations and senior executives across global markets, Dylan explores how proactive, transparent communication can preserve trust even when execution falls short, and how regular feedback loops can help leaders adapt without constantly resetting strategy.
This conversation offers practical ways leaders and organizations can stay future-focused, challenge their assumptions, reduce reactivity, and build resilient, human-centered organizations as AI continues to reshape the nature of work.
Leading Minds Revealed with Michael ApolloLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelapollo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelapolloofficial/Website: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcastNewsletter: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcast#section-1751049894114
Dylan PiattiManaging Director, Advantage Group InternationalLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylanpiatti/Website: https://www.advantagegroup.com/
Timestamps
00:00 — Leading with clarity, humanity and trust02:30 — The leadership mindset needed for uncertainty03:30 — Why leaders need ongoing scenario planning06:40 — Managing context switching and competing priorities09:00 — Vulnerability, reverse mentorship and continuous learning14:00 — Thinking beyond the most obvious future18:20 — The hidden pressure and loneliness of senior leadership27:55 — How often should leaders revisit strategy?30:00 — Learning to say no and protecting what creates value33:00 — Turning trust and collaboration into hard metrics38:50 — Listening, bias and challenging your assumptions42:00 — Why trust is a measurable business advantage51:20 — How organizational change can erode trust54:00 — Why transparent communication matters during disruption57:45 — How AI may change the nature of trust59:45 — What a humanoid robot revealed about being human1:02:00 — Why leadership becomes more human as technology advances
#LeadingMindsRevealed #Leadership #StrategicLeadership #Trust #FutureOfWork

Sep 30, 2026

1 hr 4 min

Sep 23, 2026

52 min

In this episode, Michael Apollo speaks with Sahana Mukherjee, Chief Strategy Officer at Providentia Advisors LLC and former Global Head of HR at Citi, about leading when uncertainty is a constant part of work. They discuss how digital transformation and AI are changing the pace of decision-making, why clarity matters more than a detailed plan, and how design thinking and systems thinking can help leaders identify friction across teams.
Sahana shares practical ways to build trust, involve people in change, and make adoption part of everyday workflows. For leaders shaping the future of work, the conversation offers a way to connect cross-functional leadership with the decisions, processes, and human support an AI-enabled workforce needs.
Leading Minds Revealed with Michael ApolloLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelapollo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelapolloofficial/Website: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcastNewsletter: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcast#section-1751049894114
Sahana MukherjeeChief Strategy Officer, Providentia Advisors LLCFormer Global Head of HR, CitiWebsite: https://sahanamukherjee.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahanamukherjee/Founder, Unveiled: Bridging the Gap
Timestamps00:00 — Why uncertainty calls for a different approach to leadership03:00 — How the pace and reach of change have shifted06:00 — Choosing clarity over certainty09:00 — Connecting the technical roadmap to the human experience12:00 — Design thinking for people; systems thinking for scale16:00 — Finding friction across the workflow20:00 — Rethinking operating models for AI transformation25:00 — Building trust and bringing people into change31:00 — Decision frameworks and priorities that reduce overwhelm36:00 — Connecting strategy, execution, and measurable impact41:00 — Why Sahana moved from engineering toward human behaviour45:00 — Designing systems that can adapt49:00 — Unveiled and equitable access to career opportunities
#LeadingMindsRevealed #DigitalTransformation #ChangeLeadership #FutureOfWork #AIWorkforce

Sep 23, 2026

52 min

Sep 9, 2026

55 min

In this episode, Michael Apollo speaks with The Honourable Filomena Tassi, P.C., Senior Advisor at Barrack Hill Public Affairs and a former federal Cabinet Minister and Member of Parliament, about how leaders can make difficult decisions with integrity, clarity, and compassion when the stakes are high. We discuss how she stayed grounded through the pace and pressure of public office, why thorough briefings and trusted counsel are essential to sound judgment, and how deep listening builds trust—even when a final decision cannot satisfy everyone. Drawing on her experience navigating the Port of Montreal strike during COVID-19 and bringing mindfulness into the House of Commons, Filomena offers practical ways leaders can hear competing perspectives, take difficult meetings, communicate honestly, and choose the most responsible path when no option is perfect. This conversation explores how presence, humility, and respect without agreement can help executives, teams, and organizations make better decisions, sustain trust, and lead without losing sight of who they are.
Leading Minds Revealed with Michael ApolloLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelapollo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelapolloofficial/Website: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcastNewsletter: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcast#section-1751049894114
The Honourable Filomena Tassi, P.C.Senior Advisor, Barrack Hill Public AffairsWebsite: http://www.barrack-hill.caLinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/filomenatassiInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbop3lTv88N/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FilomenaTassi/
Timestamps:
00:00 Leading with integrity when decisions have consequences02:00 From law and chaplaincy to federal politics07:00 Staying grounded in a high-pressure leadership role12:00 Mindfulness, reflection, and physical exercise15:00 A framework for making well-informed decisions21:00 Carrying the weight of leadership responsibility23:00 Giving your best and taking the leap27:00 The Port of Montreal strike: when no choice is easy30:00 Why leaders must take difficult meetings34:00 Mindfulness as preparation for deep listening37:00 How listening builds trust40:00 Listening without judgment or an agenda45:00 Bringing mindful moments to Parliament47:00 Jon Kabat-Zinn, protesters, and the power of presence50:00 Why respect does not require agreement52:00 Closing reflections and connecting with Filomena
#LeadingMindsRevealed #ExecutiveLeadership #LeadershipUnderPressure #DecisionMaking #DeepListening

Sep 9, 2026

55 min

Aug 19, 2026

35 min

In this episode, Michael Apollo speaks with Scott Morgan, General Manager at Thomson Reuters, an accomplished operating executive with 25 years of experience helping technology companies create value, accelerate growth, and scale through strategic transformation. 
We discuss how leaders can navigate AI adoption and workforce change without losing the human core of leadership, including the pressure to improve efficiency, the importance of change management and employee enablement, and why judgment, creativity, empathy, trust, and psychological safety become even more important as technology reshapes work. Scott shares practical perspectives on introducing AI incrementally, redesigning roles rather than simply eliminating them, communicating openly during periods of uncertainty, and building high-performing teams that can adapt while carrying culture. 
This conversation offers executives, senior leaders, and organizational decision-makers a grounded approach to treating AI as a partner while maintaining the human capabilities and relationships required for sustained performance.
Leading Minds Revealed with Michael Apollo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelapollo/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelapolloofficial/ Website: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcast Newsletter: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcast#section-1751049894114
Scott Morgan
General Manager, Thomson Reuters
Website: http://tr.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottemorgan/
Timestamps
00:00 — Why leadership must remain human in an AI-enabled world 02:00 — What leaders are misunderstanding about AI 04:00 — Avoiding the dehumanization of the workplace 05:00 — AI adoption, workforce fear and organizational pressure 07:00 — Why change management matters in AI transformation 08:00 — Scott’s 30% approach to introducing AI into work 10:00 — The risks of prioritizing efficiency over humanity 11:00 — AI as a partner, not a replacement 13:00 — Why human skills become more valuable as work changes 15:00 — Balancing executive pressure with bottom-up adoption 16:00 — Redesigning roles instead of simply eliminating them 18:00 — Communication, trust and high-performing teams 19:00 — Using bottom-up experimentation to drive AI adoption 20:00 — Why great leadership starts with “How are you doing?” 22:00 — Psychological safety and the human factors of performance 23:00 — How Scott thinks about selecting and building teams 25:00 — Why organizations shouldn’t overlook their “B players” 28:00 — Developing people during periods of rapid change 29:00 — How service, stewardship and accountability shaped Scott’s leadership 31:00 — Scott’s most important principle for leaders today 32:00 — Psychological safety, relatability and leading through uncertainty 34:00 — Closing reflections and where to connect with Scott
#LeadingMindsRevealed #Leadership #ExecutiveLeadership #AILeadership #FutureOfWork #HumanCenteredLeadership #ChangeLeadership #PsychologicalSafety #OrganizationalChange #ArtificialIntelligence

Aug 19, 2026

35 min

Aug 5, 2026

41 min

In this episode, Michael Apollo speaks with Rudy Newbury, Chief Programs Officer at Taproot , about why effective leadership begins with a healthy relationship with oneself. Drawing on his experience in government, non-profits, Indigenous relations, children and family services, executive coaching, and organizational transformation, Rudy explores how self-awareness, healing, emotional regulation, and authentic relationships shape the way leaders show up.
We discuss practical approaches to cultivating presence, developing mid-level leaders through coaching, navigating conflict without becoming defensive, leading people through organizational change, and introducing AI in ways that protect human connection, confidentiality, and organizational values.
This conversation offers leaders practical ways to become more grounded, listen more deeply, create developmental relationships, and build cultures where people feel seen, heard, and understood.
Leading Minds Revealed with Michael ApolloLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelapollo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelapolloofficial/Website: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcastNewsletter: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcast#section-1751049894114
Rudy NewburyChief Programs Officer, Taproot Website: https://taproot.ca/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rudy-newbury-91716b77/
Timestamps
00:00 – Why healing and self-relationship matter in leadership02:15 – Leadership as a practice of healthy relationships03:00 – What it means to have a healthy relationship with yourself04:15 – Practical first steps: journaling, reflection, and grounding05:45 – How presence helps leaders move through overwhelm07:40 – The impact of putting down distractions and becoming present08:50 – Why leaders cannot take people somewhere they have not been10:30 – Building genuine relationships across distributed teams11:00 – Developing mid-level managers through a coaching culture12:05 – Helping people feel seen, heard, and understood13:00 – What prevents leaders from being fully present14:15 – Using breathing and intentional pauses to begin meetings15:35 – Leading organizational transformation alongside employees17:30 – Creating developmental relationships at work18:10 – Using AI to reduce administrative demands19:15 – Addressing employee apprehension about AI21:00 – Practices that strengthen grounded leadership22:00 – Why silence is an essential leadership skill23:30 – The importance of community, mentors, and wise advisors24:30 – Lessons from Indigenous ceremony and healing practices26:00 – Recognizing that wisdom exists throughout an organization27:00 – Why leadership sometimes means knowing whom to follow29:50 – Responding to conflict with curiosity instead of defensiveness32:20 – How self-awareness changes behaviour in difficult moments33:30 – Building a balanced and developmental relationship with AI35:00 – Why human connection must remain the priority37:15 – Where to begin with healing-centred leadership38:25 – Setting clear intentions for coaching conversations39:20 – Learning more about Taproot and Rudy’s work40:30 – Leadership as deeply human work
#LeadingMindsRevealed #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveLeadership #SelfAwareness #OrganizationalCulture

Aug 5, 2026

41 min

Jul 1, 2026

54 min

In this episode, Michael Apollo speaks with Jordan Redshaw, Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Communications at NATIONAL Public Relations, about how leaders can navigate crisis, urgency, and rapid change without creating unnecessary panic. 
We discuss how to distinguish between a true crisis and an urgent issue, why a clear North Star helps teams stay focused under pressure, and how trust, empathy, decentralized leadership, and clear communication support stronger decision-making. 
Drawing on Jordan’s experience in crisis response, stakeholder relations, high-pressure client advisory, and the Fort McMurray wildfire response and recovery, this conversation offers practical insight for leaders, executives, teams, and organizations seeking to lead with greater clarity, calm, and confidence during uncertain times.
Leading Minds Revealed with Michael ApolloLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelapollo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelapolloofficial/Website: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcastNewsletter: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcast#section-1751049894114
Guest Jordan RedshawVice President, Strategy and Corporate CommunicationsNATIONAL Public RelationsEmail: jredshaw@national.caWebsite: https://www.national.ca/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanredshaw/
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction: Leading Through Crisis, Urgency, and Change02:00 Why Leadership Feels Harder in an Age of Urgency03:00 The Importance of Clear Outcomes and Simple Communication04:30 Why Organizations Lose Their North Star06:00 Calm, Confidence, and Clarity from Senior Leaders08:30 How a Clear Mission Enables Decentralized Leadership10:30 What Happens When Teams Lack Direction12:30 Crisis vs. Urgent Issue: How Leaders Can Tell the Difference14:00 Why Long-Term Trust Matters More Than Short-Term Reputation Management16:00 Preventing Reactivity and Emotional Contagion in Leadership Teams17:00 Building Trust Before Problems Escalate18:30 Giving Teams Visibility Into What’s Ahead20:00 Listening to Loud and Quiet Voices in the Room23:30 AI, Change, and the Need for Humble Leadership24:30 Supporting the Next Generation of Talent26:00 Why Attitude Matters in Hiring and Development29:30 How NATIONAL Builds Leadership Skills Through Training and Exposure32:00 Breaking Down Silos and Aligning Communications Around Business Outcomes35:00 Lessons from the Fort McMurray Wildfire Response36:00 Leading with Empathy Under Extreme Stress38:00 Selflessness, Service, and Human Behaviour in Crisis39:30 The Power of a Clear Mission During Emergency Response41:00 How Listening to Frontline Insight Shaped Recovery Support44:00 What High-Performing Teams Have in Common45:00 Empowerment, Trust, and Fast Decision-Making48:30 Jordan’s Closing Advice for Leaders Facing Pressure49:00 Look Inward First: What Environment Are You Creating?49:30 Prioritization, Control, and Influence50:30 Helping People Grow Through Leadership52:30 How to Connect with Jordan Redshaw53:00 Closing Reflections
#LeadingMindsRevealed #Leadership

Jul 1, 2026

54 min

Jun 17, 2026

44 min

In this episode, Michael Apollo speaks with Vincenzo Ciampi, MBA, ICD.D, Senior Vice President at iA Financial Group, about what it takes to lead people through rapid technological transformation, AI-driven change, and organizational complexity. We discuss the shift from command-and-control leadership to servant leadership, how executives can stay grounded while navigating uncertainty, and why leaders need to stay close to the front lines to hear the truth from employees and customers.
Vincenzo also shares practical insights on AI adoption, the importance of judgment and discernment, and why focusing on people, culture, and retention can ultimately strengthen performance. This conversation is highly relevant for executives, senior leaders, founders, and organizational decision-makers who want to lead transformation with clarity, humility, and human connection.
Leading Minds Revealed with Michael ApolloLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelapollo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelapolloofficial/Website: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcastNewsletter: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcast#section-1751049894114
Vincenzo CiampiSVP, iA Financial GroupCompany Website: https://www.ia.ca/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincenzociampi/
Timestamps00:00 Introduction to leading through rapid technological change02:00 How leadership has changed over time02:45 Moving beyond command-and-control leadership03:30 Why servant leadership matters today05:00 Leading through accelerated change and AI disruption06:30 When command-and-control leadership can still be useful08:30 Balancing urgency with culture and inclusion10:00 Staying focused during overwhelm and uncertainty11:00 Why leaders need a flexible plan12:00 AI, productivity, growth, and governance14:30 Staying open while grounded in strategy16:00 The AI leadership paradox17:00 Why humility matters for senior leaders adopting AI18:00 How organizations can prioritize AI initiatives20:00 Building successful AI teams and business ownership22:30 Why leaders need to stay close to the front lines23:30 Listening beyond the senior leadership team24:00 What leaders learn from call centres and customer conversations25:30 Presence, authenticity, and making time for people27:00 Building connection through informal conversations28:00 The basketball story and breaking hierarchy29:30 Collective intelligence and knowing people beyond work31:30 Why AI cannot replace human judgment32:30 Discernment as a leadership skill33:30 Why focusing on people improves performance35:00 The risk of only caring about results36:30 Servant leadership, motivation, and development38:00 Culture, retention, and the cost of neglecting people40:00 Why employees stay when leaders invest in them42:00 Leading with presence through future uncertainty43:00 How to connect with Vincenzo44:00 Closing reflections
#LeadingMindsRevealed #Leadership

Jun 17, 2026

44 min

Jun 3, 2026

47 min

In this episode, Michael Apollo speaks with Jennifer Quaglietta, CEO and Registrar of Professional Engineers Ontario, about leading with empathy, accountability, and humanity in complex organizations. Jennifer shares insights from her leadership journey across healthcare, government, insurance, and regulation, including how she has helped modernize PEO through digital transformation, cultural change, and a more human-centred approach to regulatory excellence. 
We discuss why empathy is essential in times of disruption, how leaders can balance efficiency and human connection in the age of AI, and how systems thinking, emotional intelligence, and reflective practice can help organizations build trust, resilience, and long-term impact. This conversation offers practical insight for executives, senior leaders, teams, and organizations seeking to lead change with clarity, compassion, and accountability.
Leading Minds Revealed with Michael ApolloLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelapollo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelapolloofficial/Website: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcastNewsletter: https://www.mindfulinstitute.org/leading-minds-revealed-podcast#section-1751049894114
Jennifer Quaglietta, P.Eng, MBA, ICD.DWebsite: https://www.peo.on.ca/Company: Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO)LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-quaglietta
Timestamps
00:00 — Introduction to Leading Minds Revealed01:00 — Jennifer Quaglietta’s role at PEO and leadership transformation02:00 — Why leaders cannot succeed without empathy03:00 — Empathy as the bridge between accountability and humanity04:00 — Building trust through listening, transparency, and presence05:00 — How empathy strengthens accountability and innovation06:00 — Empathy as a competitive advantage in complex times07:00 — Efficiency, AI, and the risk of dehumanizing work08:00 — How PEO is approaching AI with caution and purpose09:00 — Lessons in empathy from government and healthcare leadership10:00 — Why emotional intelligence cannot be replaced by AI11:00 — Risk, resilience, and leading through crisis12:00 — Regulating with people, not to people13:00 — Why empathy requires more skill than authoritarian leadership14:00 — The importance of deep listening during change15:00 — The risks of moving too quickly with AI transformation16:00 — How overreliance on AI can reduce ownership and creativity17:00 — Using AI for routine work without losing joy in work18:00 — Systems thinking and the need for a learning organization20:00 — Peter Senge, The Fifth Discipline, and leadership development21:00 — A defining leadership question from Jennifer’s early career22:00 — Seeing patterns, not silos23:00 — Emotional intelligence and sustainable influence24:00 — Learning loops, feedback culture, and reflective practice25:00 — Bringing structure to compassion and compassion to structure26:00 — How leaders cultivate self-awareness and responsiveness27:00 — Kindness in regulation as a modernization strategy28:00 — Why every regulatory decision affects a person29:00 — Transparency, fairness, and building public trust30:00 — Learning from mistakes instead of assigning blame31:00 — Accountability and compassion as partners32:00 — How PEO develops leadership capability internally33:00 — PEO Academy and investing in people’s growth34:00 — Leadership development, certifications, and micro-learning35:00 — Creating flexible learning opportunities for teams36:00 — How family and lived experience shape leadership37:00 — Jennifer’s father, quiet leadership, and the dignity of work38:00 — Disability, inclusion, and lessons in resilience39:00 — Empathy as a leadership responsibility40:00 — Compassion as a skill leaders can develop42:00 — A first step toward human-centred leadership43:00 — Moving beyond directive leadership44:00 — Why people follow leaders who see them45:00 — How to connect with Jennifer Quaglietta46:00 — Closing reflections on empathy, trust, and transformation
 
#LeadingMindsRevealed #HumanCentredLeadership #EmpatheticLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveLeadership

Jun 3, 2026

47 min

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