A lot of leaders know they want and need to develop a company culture, but they struggle with where to start.

Dave Kuhnert reminds us that competence builds confidence and that clarity is the foundation of competence. In our conversation, we talk about how having clarity of your purpose and values and then bringing that clarity about who we are, what we value, and how that shows up day-to-day work to your team is what really sets the foundation for culture.

We talk about how Dave didn’t become a leader overnight, but developed those skills over decades through repetition, responsibility, and experience. And we also get into servant leadership, which can be a tricky concept to put into practice, and what that actually looks like day to day and when things get tough. Because, as Dave says, servant leadership is not just about handing out candy and being “nice.”

Dave Kuhnert served in the Army Infantry for 23 years, where he served at every level of leadership. He retired in 2011 as a Command Sergeant Major. He subsequently joined CrownQuest Operating in Midland, TX. The culture he helped create there was critical in taking the company from $500 million to $12 Billion in thirteen years.

Dave currently works as a leadership and business coach with numerous for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. His book, Servant Leadership, and training materials are used by numerous organizations around the world.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• How repetition and progressive responsibility built Dave’s competence and confidence as a leader over the course of his military service
• Why effectively building culture starts with clarity and unity of purpose
• How incentivization structures can help or hurt
• The mental models that help people implement what they’ve learned
• Why servant leadership often gets more challenging as organizations grow

Learn More About Dave Kuhnert:

• Servant Leadership Coaching: https://www.servantleadershipcoaching.com
• Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-kuhnert-22952b1b/
• Servant Leadership: Influencing Others to Get THERE by Leading a Transformational Life: https://bookshop.org/p/books/servant-leadership-dave-kuhnert/e710d2cb13ff6c1b

Learn More About Heather Smith:

• Talent Elevated: https://www.talentelevated.org

Taking on a leadership role is hard. There are days when the mountain just feels too high, the problems too complex, and you’re not sure if you can keep going.

Dr. Amy Thompson has keenly felt those moments of uncertainty over the last decade or so as she has moved from practicing pediatrician to her current role as CEO of Covenant Health.. I’ve been fortunate enough to work alongside her, and she is one of the most grounded and thoughtful leaders I’ve known.

In our conversation, we talk about how she brings purpose and intention to her work, what it means to mentor well and invest in senior leadership, the real secret sauce of successful organizations, and the quiet signs that culture is breaking down.

If you’ve ever wondered if you really have what it takes to lead, this episode will give you practical advice for carrying the weight as well as a renewed sense of what’s possible, even in the hardest seasons.

Dr. Amy Thompson M.D. F.A.A.P has been part of Covenant Health since 2009 when she

began with Covenant as the Chief of the Division of Inpatient Medicine at Covenant Children’s

Hospital. She still holds this important title as well as becoming the CEO for Covenant

Children’s Hospital in 2016, and later the Chief Executive for Covenant Health Lubbock Service

Area in 2022.

Dr. Thompson serves on the American Board of Pediatrics and has received numerous awards

and honors throughout her education and career. She is a member of the American Academy of

Pediatrics, Society of Hospital Medicine, Academic Pediatrics Association, and AAP Section on

Hospital Medicine. She serves on the Medical Executive Committee for Covenant Children’s

Hospital and the Quality Review Committee for Covenant Children’s Hospital.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• The keys to her leadership development
• How Covenant Health fosters deeper connections to their mission and values for everyone
• The importance of pausing to acknowledge what’s working during challenging times
• How breakdowns in communication signal an eroding culture and what leaders can do to help reopen the channels
• Why team leaders are the key to making people feel connected to their organization

Learn More About Dr. Amy Thompson and Covenant Health:

• Covenant Health

Learn More About Heather Smith:

• Talent Elevated

Have you ever looked at your customer experience metrics and thought, something feels off, but you can’t quite put your finger on why?

Or maybe you’re trying to hire and compete for talent, and it feels like other companies just have more pull, even when you know your company offers something special.

Here’s the hard truth: Your employer brand isn’t what you say it is. It’s what your employees prove it is, every single day.

And if there’s a gap between the promise and the proof? Your customers feel it.

Today’s conversation is about real decisions leaders make every day — during growth, during change, and especially during uncertainty. Culture isn’t a “soft” thing or a nice-to-have, it’s a core part of your brand and it’s a business driver.

My guest, award-winning CMO Jamie Gier, has seen firsthand how culture and brand either accelerate growth, or quietly erode it. We talk about why your employees are actually your most credible marketers, how  to spot culture breakdowns before they show up in your numbers, and what it really takes to build a brand that attracts and retains the right people, even if you're not the biggest name in your market.

Jamie Gier is a growth-focused marketing executive with extensive experience igniting go-to-market engines for some of the world’s leading and emerging brands—from VC- and PE-backed companies to Fortune 500 enterprises—with a focus on healthcare and education. Her expertise spans brand strategy, demand generation, corporate communications, and customer advocacy, and she is known for repositioning brands to increase equity and loyalty. Most recently, she served as Chief Marketing Officer at DexCare, and previously held executive marketing leadership roles at GE Healthcare, Microsoft Health Solutions Group, Ceros, and DreamBox Learning. She is also a founding member of CMO Huddles, a peer group of senior marketing leaders.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• Why external brand messaging and internal company culture need to be in alignment for successful growth
• The customer metrics that indicate an employer brand and culture that are out of sync
• How to start building an intentional culture that has buy-in and support from all areas of a company
• The importance of emotional equity and clear communication during periods of change
• How a strong employer brand and mission make smaller companies more competitive against industry giants
• Why every executive needs to take ownership of culture, not just HR or the CEO

Learn More About Jamie Gier:

• Website: http://www.jamiegier.com
• Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-gier/

Learn More About Heather Smith:

• Talent Elevated: https://www.talentelevated.org