Episode 20: Catalyst Field Guide: 9 Guest Lessons That Redefine People-Forward Leadership™
Hello, hello, and welcome to a very special episode of The People-Forward Leadership™ Podcast. This is our Season 2 finale, and I wanted it to be a celebration and synthesis of the incredible wisdom shared by our nine Catalysts across both seasons of the podcast.
When I started this journey, I knew I wanted to showcase leaders – Catalysts, as I call them – who were actually living and breathing the People-Forward Leadership™ framework. Not just talking about it, but implementing it in real organizations with real challenges. And wow, did our Catalysts deliver.
Let me introduce the remarkable leaders whose insights we'll be exploring today:
From Season 1:
Leann Caver, CEO of C-Tran
Tomika Monterville, Chief of South Central Region, Federal Railroad Administration
Billy Terry, Former Executive Director of the National Transit Institute
Paul Comfort, Host of Transit Unplugged and transit industry veteran
From Season 2:
Mick Spiers, Founder of The Leadership Project and bestselling author
Matt Tenney, Author of "Inspire Greatness"
Debra Johnson, CEO of Denver's RTD
James Jones, CEO of JKT Packaging Solutions
Dr. Nadia Anderson, Chief Strategy Officer at Sound Transit
From transit CEOs navigating billion-dollar operations to leadership consultants transforming how we think about developing others, from manufacturing executives building inclusive teams to federal leaders reimagining government service – each Catalyst brought unique perspectives that reinforced a fundamental truth: when you put people first, extraordinary things happen.
Today, I'm going to take you on a journey through the most powerful insights from these two seasons, organized around our three core pillars: Leader Awareness, Empowered Ecosystems, and Continuous Learning. These aren't just nice ideas – these are battle-tested strategies from leaders who've transformed organizations, driven results, and created workplaces where people actually want to show up.
So grab your notebook, because we're about to dive into a masterclass in people-forward leadership. Let's begin with the foundation of it all – Leader Awareness.
You know, there's an old saying that you can't pour from an empty cup. But in leadership, I'd take it further – you can't lead others effectively until you truly know yourself. Our Catalysts from both seasons had profound insights about what self-awareness really means.
One of the most important themes was how vulnerability isn't weakness but a leadership superpower. Our Catalysts talked about breaking through traditional leadership conditioning and having the courage to lead authentically. Leann Caver, CEO of C-Tran, my client, and our very first Catalyst in Season 1, revealed her journey of confronting societal expectations.
"I've always felt like that's not the right mentality or leadership style you're supposed to have because what we've been conditioned to think of what a leader's supposed to be and has been portrayed in society."
"I feel like I don't have... I have an answer. I need an answer right now. And I'm learning to say it's okay that if you don't have an answer at the moment."
Here's a CEO who started as a bus driver and rose through every level, telling us it's okay not to have all the answers. That's revolutionary in a world where leaders still feel pressure to be the smartest person in the room and the one with all the answers.
Because we're still rewarding longevity or top performance with leadership roles without teaching them what it means to truly lead people, we're perpetuating a broken system. We're creating what I call "leadership photocopies" – pale imitations of what came before. If people are only taught to mimic the leaders they've seen, they become carbon copies, inheriting all the good, bad, and ugly of that demonstrated leadership. And that's why breaking this cycle requires tremendous courage.
Mick Spiers, our Season 2 Catalyst and author of "You're a Leader, Now What?" shared a powerful concept about building your own leadership model.
"Building your amalgam leader is to do a stocktake of all of the leaders that you've had in your career until this point. The good, the bad, and the damn right ugly... You create this leadership credo to stop the pattern of just repeating what you saw."
This is about consciously choosing who you want to be as a leader rather than unconsciously copying what you've seen.
Self-awareness also means understanding your unique contribution. Matt Tenney crystallized leadership's true purpose beautifully.
"What is the primary job of a leader? And the primary job of a leader is to inspire greatness in her team or his team, by serving as a coach who helps people to thrive."
Notice how he doesn't say the primary job is to have all the answers or to drive results. It's to inspire greatness in others. This is a fundamental shift from the command-and-control model that still dominates too many organizations. It requires what I call a "growth mindset on steroids" – not just believing you can learn, but believing everyone around you can too.
It's about inspiring greatness in others. Paul Comfort called this finding your "X Factor" or finding that intersection where your interests and abilities meet and bringing that forward in your leadership. It's about leveraging your authentic strengths rather than trying to be someone you're not.
Developing leader awareness is an ongoing journey not a one-time event and most importantly you can't take that journey alone. Our Catalysts emphasized the importance of continuous self-work and seeking support to find and overcome any blindspots.
Mick Spiers shared his daily practice that's lasted 14 years:
"I have an exercise also in the book, which is a self-reflection exercise that I've done every day since that time. It's going on for 14 years now. I've done the same five questions, asked myself at the end of every day. What went well today? What didn't go well? What would I do differently next time? What did I learn about myself? And what did I learn about others?"
This daily practice, the daily commitment to intentional growth requires what Mick Spiers calls a fundamental shift in how we think about our capabilities.
"A growth mindset is needed... that leaders have to learn something new every day about themselves and about their environment, their team. What did you learn about other human beings on that day?”
Notice the daily discipline here – learning something new every single day. Not just about the business or the strategy, but about yourself and about others. This is what separates leaders who plateau from leaders who continuously evolve.
Debra Johnson, the first woman GM and CEO of Denver's RTD, reinforced this powerfully:
”I think what's incredibly important is recognizing that we always can be a better version of ourselves. And I say this from the vantage point that I work on myself intentionally because I want to be the best that I can for the people with whom I work and engage."
The key word here is “intentionally.” Growth doesn't happen by accident. It happens when we actively seek feedback, coaching, and diverse perspectives.
Paul Comfort reinforced the importance of having “trusted advisors” in this learning process. It’s why Debra Johnson has an executive coach her self. As Paul said,
"You got to have people around you that you trust... who can tell you, 'Look, listen, if you do this, I can see bad things happening. You need to count the cost beforehand.'"
Tomika Monterville, one of our Season 1 Catalysts who I had the privilege of coaching, shared that it’s not about creating some new but building and evolving on what’s already there. Like what Paul mentioned when he talked about finding your “X factor.” Tomika recognized that in our coaching relationship.
"What you did is all the things that I learned in the transportation industry... I needed to level up in my ability to sit at the table and be confident. And so I had the technical skills... what I learned my time with you was I had everything I needed.”
This kind of learning requires humility – the recognition that we can't see everything from our vantage point. It requires what I call "360-degree vision" – not just looking forward at your goals, but looking around at your impact, behind at your patterns, and within at your motivations.
So as we close out this pillar on leader awareness, I want to share that what strikes me about our Catalysts' insights is how radically different this approach is from traditional leadership models. We're talking about finding strength through acknowledging weakness, having the courage to ask better questions, not feeling the pressure of having all the answers, and a keen understanding that you can’t go it alone. It truly is a powerful paradigm shift and a change from the typically ways we promote leaders and drop them into a sink or swim situation.
Billy Terry, one of our Season 1 Catalysts, put it powerfully when he said that "leadership is unnatural,” requiring a different set of skills. More than 85% of us believe we’re more self-aware then we are, but in truth only 15% of us have any true level of self-awareness. We truly don’t know ourselves and leadership requires us to not only know ourselves but to focus on others. That's why self-awareness is so critical. You have to know yourself deeply to manage yourself and others effectively.
As the African proverb says, "If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together." And going together starts with investing in your own growth.
Here's your first micro-challenge: This week, commit to two things. First, try Mick Spiers' daily five-question reflection. 5 questions in 5 minutes. Second, identify one person who can serve as your "trust mirror" – someone who will tell you the truth about your leadership impact. It could be a coach, a mentor, a peer, or even a brave team member. Because as our Catalysts showed us, self-awareness isn't a solo sport.
Leadership is not about perfection, it’s about being perfectly willing to grow.
Once you've done the inner work, how do you create environments where others thrive? How do you build high-performing teams members and next generation leaders who want to show up, level up, and stay. This brings us to our second pillar: Empowered Ecosystems. Our Catalysts showed us what it really looks like to build high-performing teams.
Creating empowered ecosystems means actively developing others, not just making people happy or comfortable. Debra Johnson, one of our Season 2 Catalysts and CEO of Denver's RTD, doesn't just invest in her own coaching and development, she's created comprehensive programs to develop everyone in her entire organization. Listen to what she’s built at RTD.
"So one thing that was clearly apparent is that individuals weren't equipped with the resources, be it the softer side of things relative to interpersonal skills and how one would engage with somebody that had basically been promoted to a position whereby they were previously one of the team members in which they're now overseeing."
She saw the gap and created multiple pathways for development, including graduation ceremonies for employees completing degrees. The results?
"I just saw yesterday my chief people officer, we were looking at our retention efforts, and we are now, as it relates to year over year, we have a retention rate at 82%. Back in 2021, looking at it year over year from 2021 to 2022, we were at 70%."
Those aren’t just numbers, that’s the power of systematic investment in people. But not everyone has formal programs. Tomika Monterville showed us development through intentional exposure:
"So what I do is I sit them at the table, I send them the emails, I say, 'This is what we're discussing because we used to say, if you get hit by the proverbial bus, who's going to be able to pick up where you left off?"
She's not just delegating tasks, she’s delegating exposure and experience and creating growth opportunities through transparency and inclusion.
James goes on to explain what real development looks like.
"The whole point of this is all of your what they're doing, they should be better at their job a year from now than they were now. They should be better at their tasks. They should be better doing what they're supposed to do. Some of them should work themselves out of the job, and it's up to you to backfill with responsibility."
It’s not just about filling seats with warm bodies, it’s about developing your people. It’s clear that James sees the core tenet of the People-Forward Leadership™ framework: when people thrive organizational success is inevitable. If you’re people are better at their jobs a year from, that means production levels will be better then they were a year ago. That's when you know you're truly developing your people.
And Mick Spiers reminded us that in order to make that fundamental shift you have to make a shift in how you think about your people:
"The platinum rule, treat people the way they want to be treated... The only way that you can find out how they want to be treated is by asking them."
Creating empowered ecosystems is strategic. James Jones, our manufacturing Catalyst, shared how he builds high-performing teams by embracing those who don't fit traditional molds:
"If you're saying, 'I don't fit here, I never felt at home there, but I'm good at my job.'... everyone that works for me is special because they don't fit anywhere else. And I say that with a great amount of pride."
He actively seeks out brilliance that doesn't fit in conventional boxes. He values the authenticity and individuality of the person while expecting exceptional performance. Leaders often think you have to compromise one for the other, but that’s far from the truth. That’s why he can run a multi-million dollar business in a global market with a small team. He gives them what they need to be successful and values who they and in return, retention, engagement, and productivity consistently excels.
Tomika Monterville learned a powerful lesson about understanding diverse team members:
"I had a team member tell me that I was the worst supervisor they had ever had... That was one of my moments in my leadership journey where I said, 'You know what? You're going to be okay.' Because I began to recognize that a lot of times when I have a team member with a challenge, it may be coaching, it may be counseling, it may be something I have no control over."
She discovered the importance of recognizing the nuances of her team. To see and value their individuality and provide the resources they need to thrive, like James does.
Our Catalysts show us that empowered ecosystems required that they shift their leadership focus from star player to coach. That it's not about sending someone to a training once a year and checking a box. It's about creating an entire ecosystem where growth is embedded in the daily work.
Notice how none of our leaders talked about developing people as an extra burden or something they do when they have time. They see it as THE work. It means celebrating when someone surpasses you. As James Jones emphasized, if your people aren't better a year from now, look in the mirror because that’s on you as a leader.
Here's your second micro-challenge from Matt Tenney: In your next team meeting, try the "extreme question experiment." Instead of telling your team what to do, convert every directive into a question. "What do you think our biggest priority should be this week?" "What challenges might we face?" "Who should take the lead on this?" Convert every directive into a question. Watch what happens when people own the solutions.
This brings us to our final pillar – Continuous Learning. Organizations that don't create a space for continuous learning and improvement won't last. Our Catalysts showed us how to create cultures where failure teaches rather than punishes. As a leader you must ask yourself: How do you create environments where others can learn and thrive? How do you build cultures where failure is a teacher, not a career-ender?
Let's start with a fundamental truth – people can't learn when they're afraid. They can't innovate when they're walking on eggshells. James Jones shared a powerful approach to creating the safety necessary for growth.
"I want you comfortable because when you're comfortable. I know how to deal with you and you're going to tell me the truth or you're going to tell me things that you may not want to tell me."
Dr. Nadia Anderson understood that safety can be destroyed in seconds and focuses on creating a container of trust that can takes months to build:
"I would say the other thing is, in the situations where psychological safety or culture is going through change, it's very much of actions over what it is that you say. So out of my mouth, I can say that I want to create an environment where you can mess up. I want to create an environment where you feel safe. People need time to see that it's more than just words in order to be able to engage in that space."
One interaction can make or break psychological safety. Whether you're leading an engineering team, a sales force, or a manufacturing operation, how you respond to ideas – especially the "bad" ones – determines whether your people will bring you their best thinking or just their compliance. Remember, innovation requires risk, and people won't risk if they don't feel safe.
Billy Terry also showed us the ripple effect of learning:
"If NTI can take an individual in a course and enhance that individual's skill, knowledge, and perception, that that individual goes back to their agency, and that agency is enhanced."
But creating a learning culture requires seeing people as whole humans and creating an environment for them to thrive. Tomika Monterville put it beautifully:
"When you talk about people, you got to be human first... 'I'm a human being, not a human doing.'... if you are not in here together or something is going on, your mental health ain't 100, we're not going to get no work done.”
This isn't just compassion – it's strategy. When people feel seen as whole humans, they bring their whole selves to work, including their creativity, dedication, and problem-solving abilities. You can't learn when you're in survival mode. You can't innovate when you're just trying to make it through the day.
Dr. Nadia Anderson also reminds us that learning cultures require both structure and spirit.
"For me, it is empowerment when it comes to decision making and people owning the things that they own, but also a culture of feedback, both constructive and positive, and having both things be taken in the spirit that they're given."
"Taken in the spirit that they're given" – that's the trust component. When people trust that feedback comes from a place of growth, not judgment, they can actually hear it and use it.
And learning cultures requires a feedback loop. That’s what separates learning cultures from stagnant cultures. A systemic way to receive feedback.
"I think the feedback is a gift. That's the only way that you learn... I need to ask people, 'How would you experience that? Did you understand the communication?'Were there ways that I could have improved it and being open to it and being able to adopt it.'"
Notice she's not just giving feedback – she's actively seeking it. This models that growth is expected at every level, starting at the top.
Debra Johnson showed us what it looks like to institutionalize this principle at RTD:
"Utilizing that input that's received, whether it's good, bad or indifferent, I really don't care who's saying what. If there are certain themes, I'm going to lean into it."
“I’m going to lean into it" – not defend against it, not explain it away, but lean into it. This is how learning cultures are built – by treating feedback as data, not judgment.
And finally, Leann Caver, CEO at C-Tran showed how shared core values create the foundation for collective learning.
"Having the core values, we all have them in our offices and it's being shared around the agency as well. And so that is our stepping stone right now that we're building off of and trying to... and learning to embrace and remember that we said that this is what we want.”
Values aren't just words on a wall – they're the operating system for how we learn and grow together.
Our Catalysts showed us that continuous learning requires psychological safety, systematic feedback, and belief that every challenge is a growth opportunity. The organizations that thrive in uncertainty aren't the ones with the most knowledge – they're the ones that learn the fastest. And learning speed is determined not by intelligence but by culture. When you create environments where people feel safe to experiment, where feedback flows freely, where mistakes are teachers rather than career-enders, you create what I call a "learning multiplier effect."
Your third micro-challenge: Start a weekly 15-minute "learning lab." Discuss one thing that didn't go as planned this week and discuss what you collectively learned from it. No blame – just growth. Create a safe space where people can say, "Here's what I tried, here's what happened, here's what I learned."
And use those five questions from Mick weekly to document your own learning journey.
Remember, the organizations that learn together don't just survive – they thrive together.
Across two seasons, nine Catalysts, from transit to manufacturing to consulting, the message is consistent: Know yourself deeply. Create environments where others thrive. Never stop learning.
These three pillars aren't sequential – they're interconnected. Your self-awareness enables empowerment. Empowering others creates learning. Learning deepens awareness. It's a continuous cycle.
What's remarkable is these aren't just theories. Every Catalyst demonstrated real results – from 70% to 82% retention, from operational excellence to innovation. As James Jones said, this isn't "feel good fluff but operational strategy."
Our Catalysts have shown us a new way. Whether you're in transit like Leann, Debra, Paul, and Billy; in manufacturing like James; in consulting like Mick and Matt; or in government like Tomika and Nadia – the principles remain constant.
To our nine incredible Catalysts – thank you for your vulnerability, wisdom, and commitment to transforming workplaces. You've shown us what's possible when leaders truly put people first.
And to you, our listeners: Don't just listen – live these insights. Pick one practice from each pillar. Commit to 30 days. Document your journey. Because when one leader transforms, entire organizations change.
Also, there is a wealth of wisdom from these Catalyst interviews over the last 2 seasons and I invite you to take some time before Season 3 launches and listen to each one of them. I could only share a just a snippet in this episode of the insights shared over 2 seasons.
Well that’s it. Thank you for joining me these past two seasons and remember, when people thrive, organizational success is inevitable. Keep leading people forward, and I'll see you in Season 3.
