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The digital revolution promised connection but delivered something more complicated. Social media now intertwines with our daily existence, and emerging research reveals disturbing patterns about its impact on developing minds.

During our conversation with Kerri Carswell, content creator for the Carolina Journal, we explore the neurological reality behind social media addiction. Those seemingly innocuous features—infinite scrolling, like buttons, notifications—trigger powerful neurochemical responses, releasing dopamine and oxytocin in ways that mirror substance dependencies.

For adults, this creates problematic usage patterns, but for children with developing brains, the consequences can be devastating. The documented harms—disrupted sleep cycles, shortened attention spans, increased anxiety and depression—demand action.

"It's actually the second leading cause of death in North Carolina between the ages of 10 to 18," Carswell reveals when discussing youth suicide rates.

North Carolina legislators are responding with groundbreaking proposals.

Parents face unprecedented challenges navigating this landscape. When should children receive smartphones? How can we monitor usage without overreaching? What conversations should families have about digital wellness? Carswell shares both personal experience and professional insights to help listeners find balance in an increasingly unbalanced digital world.

Listen to understand what's happening behind the screen and how we can protect the next generation from digital harms while preserving technology's benefits.

Check out more on this and other topics from Kerri @ https://www.carolinajournal.com/people/kerri-carswell/

BelemLeaders–Your organization's trusted partner for leader and team development. Visit our website to connect: belemleaders.org or book a discovery call today! belem.as.me/discovery

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What happens to your organization when you leave? Dr. David Ashcraft, President and CEO of the Global Leadership Network, tackles the critical yet often neglected topic of succession planning with remarkable transparency and practical wisdom.

Ashcraft's leadership journey took an unexpected turn after a pivotal conversation with Jim Collins, who challenged him with a provocative insight: "You'll never be a level five leader until you've actually left your organization and it's better with you gone than with you there." This single statement transformed Ashcraft's approach to leadership at LCBC Church, where he served as senior pastor for 32 years, growing the congregation from 150 to over 25,000 people across multiple locations.

The conversation reveals succession planning as both a strategic process and a deeply personal journey. Ashcraft details how he developed a comprehensive 10-year succession plan focused on organizational health rather than personal timing, identified and systematically developed his successor, and navigated the unexpected emotional challenges of letting go. His candid reflections on battling pride after stepping away provide a rare glimpse into the psychological dimensions of leadership transition.

Perhaps most valuable are the practical insights Ashcraft offers: the importance of documentation, creating a special succession subcommittee, implementing a careful transition period, and remaining physically absent after departure to allow new leadership to flourish. Throughout the discussion, he emphasizes that true succession isn't about managing your exit but ensuring your organization thrives long after you've gone.

Whether you lead a church, nonprofit, or business, this conversation offers a masterclass in planning for your organization's future beyond your tenure. It challenges leaders to shift focus from "what's next for me" to "what's best for the organization I'm leading"—a perspective that ultimately defines leadership legacy.

BelemLeaders–Your organization's trusted partner for leader and team development. Visit our website to connect: belemleaders.org or book a discovery call today! belem.as.me/discovery

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What if everything we thought we knew about leadership was wrong? Jenny Robinson, a successful Kiwi entrepreneur with five thriving businesses spanning three decades, has discovered something remarkable about how true leadership emerges.

When Jenny began her PhD research on leadership, she made a startling realization: despite a century of academic study, we lack a predictive model of leadership. This prompted her to strip away all preconceptions and ask a fundamental question: "What would leadership look like if we didn't know what leadership looks like?"

Her search for answers led her to study natural systems, where recent science reveals something counterintuitive - nature thrives through collaboration rather than just competition. Trees share resources, information, and medicine with neighboring trees when in proximity. This insight became the foundation for a revolutionary approach to understanding how humans lead.

Jenny and her colleague Phil Renshaw were inspired to create "Leadership on the Go" and author "Coaching on the Go," offering practical guidance for implementing collaborative leadership approaches. Their innovative tool "Gizmo" helps teams develop the skills needed for collaborative leadership without the stigma of traditional assessments. Now working across 25 countries in five languages, they've found that groups worldwide consistently identify the same key elements for effective collaboration.

Want to transform your leadership approach? Connect with Jenny on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/leadershiponthego/ or visit www.coachingonthego.co.uk to access the first chapter of her book, featuring a practical lookup table for common workplace challenges and research evidence on effective leadership practices.

BelemLeaders–Your organization's trusted partner for leader and team development. Visit our website to connect: belemleaders.org or book a discovery call today! belem.as.me/discovery

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Sam Isaacson challenges us to rethink leadership through three powerful lenses—as ancestors, humans, and change makers. This framework reveals how truly effective leadership transcends quarterly targets and focuses instead on lasting impact, full humanity, and meaningful transformation.

• Leaders should be change makers who catalyze transformation, not just maintain status quo
• Thinking of yourself as a "leader as ancestor" means considering what legacy you'll leave for future generations
• Embracing "leader as human" means recognizing our bodies, emotions, and values as assets, not liabilities
• Four universal leadership traits—wisdom, integrity, bravery, and kindness—have been valued across all cultures and time periods
• Systemic kindness creates ripple effects throughout organizations when leaders prioritize human impact
• Technology evolution shapes leadership styles, from the industrial revolution to today's AI revolution
• Tomorrow's leaders must understand technology while maintaining human-centered approaches
• Governance of creativity will become an essential leadership skill as AI capabilities expand

Learn more about Sam on LinkedIn.

BelemLeaders–Your organization's trusted partner for leader and team development. Visit our website to connect: belemleaders.org or book a discovery call today! belem.as.me/discovery

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In today's workplace, authentic leadership is the key to creating a culture of excellence. Kyle McDowell shares his transformative "10 We" principles aimed at guiding leaders to inspire their teams through trust, accountability, and empathy. Purchase Begin with We on Amazon or on Kyle's website: kylemcdowellinc.com

Join us as we talk about Kyle's best selling book and topics that include:

• Transforming from traditional management to authentic leadership
• Importance of principle-based leadership
• Building trust through open communication and transparency
• The ripple effect of ethical leadership on personal lives
• Navigating generational gaps with empathy
• Embracing challenges and learning from mistakes
• Nurturing a culture that values shared accountability
• The importance of doing the right thing always
• Inspiring a connection with team members for better outcomes
• The necessity for leaders to engage personally and authentically

Connect with Kyle @ https://www.instagram.com/kylemcdowellinc/ https://www.tiktok.com/@kylemcdowellinc https://www.youtube.com/@kylemcdowellinc https://www.facebook.com/KyleMcDowellInc https://twitter.com/KyleMcDowellInc www.linkedin.com/in/kylemcdowellinc

BelemLeaders–Your organization's trusted partner for leader and team development. Visit our website to connect: belemleaders.org or book a discovery call today! belem.as.me/discovery

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Mark Dreistadt, the visionary founder and CEO of Infinity Concepts, joins us for an discussion on mastering the art of branding and communication. Discover how Mark revolutionized branding within the Christian sector by fusing PR, media, advertising, and branding into a seamless agency model. Mark breaks down the concept of brand essence, offering a fresh perspective on how the collection of experiences people have with an organization shapes a robust brand identity. With compelling examples, he reveals the secrets to building a brand that resonates deeply and consistently with its audience.

As artificial intelligence shapes the future, and despite mixed perceptions and initial apprehensions, we uncover AI's transformative potential. Learn how AI can serve as a powerful ally, enhancing productivity without erasing jobs, and hear compelling examples from publishing to personal use. We stress the crucial role of a human touch in this tech-driven landscape and spotlight AI's promising impact in diverse fields, including medicine and AI to tailor tools to faith-based perspectives, as seen with "Quotes for Life," a site curating faith-driven content.

Drawing on experiences with organizations like the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, we discuss how AI can empower churches to enhance communication and expand their mission-driven efforts.

Connect with Mark @ https://www.infinityconcepts.com/

BelemLeaders–Your organization's trusted partner for leader and team development. Visit our website to connect: belemleaders.org or book a discovery call today! belem.as.me/discovery

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Uncover the secrets to visionary leadership with Thomas E. Anderson II, CEO of Teaiiano Enterprises, as he reveals how transformative leaders can harness hidden ideas within their organizations. Learn from his expertise as he shares insights from his guidebook, "Visionary Leadership: A Guidebook for 21st Century Organizations and Entrepreneurial Teams," crafted for everyone from CEOs to team members and academics. You'll discover how integrating personal and collective visions can drive innovation and resist the stagnation of outdated patterns. Anderson's unique counter-narratives offer a roadmap for leaders eager to cultivate environments that nurture transformation.

Dr. Anderson takes us beyond vision creation and communication to emphasize the crucial phases of vision adoption and integration into organizational behaviors. Through discussions of innovative research and practical applications, you'll understand how to embed vision into the fabric of your organization. With coaching highlighted as a powerful tool for bridging communication gaps and enhancing personal agency, this episode is a rich resource for those looking to propel their teams and organizations toward meaningful change.

Connect with Dr. Anderson and find his book on his website: https://www.teaiiano.com

BelemLeaders–Your organization's trusted partner for leader and team development. Visit our website to connect: belemleaders.org or book a discovery call today! belem.as.me/discovery

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How does deep forgiveness transform your ability to lead effectively? Join us as we sit down with Diane Swanson, an inspiring author, speaker, and leadership coach, who shares her remarkable journey from the depths of personal hardship to becoming a beacon of hope in the Christian recovery industry. Diane's story of overcoming a devastating divorce and her struggle with fear will resonate with many leaders.

Dr. Swanson delves into the concept of strongholds. These spiritually influenced lies can shape our behaviors and beliefs, leading to self-sabotage without our conscious awareness. Diane emphasizes the power of integrating faith and sacred community to confront these lies, fostering true forgiveness and freedom.

Diane further guides us through the discovery and healing of leadership barriers, symbolized by a spiritual leadership mantle. She highlights how life events and feelings of unworthiness can hinder our leadership effectiveness, but by addressing these issues spiritually, we can restore our God-given authority to lead.

This conversation is essential for anyone yearning to reclaim their mantle and lead with divine authority.

Connect with Diane, find her books, and course @ https://www.drdianeswanson.com/

BelemLeaders–Your organization's trusted partner for leader and team development. Visit our website to connect: belemleaders.org or book a discovery call today! belem.as.me/discovery

Until next time, keep doing great things!