Guest

Cleveland Garvin — Dr. Kim's father. Retired after 36 years at IBM (retired 2004), 30 of those years in management, rising through four levels of leadership from first-line manager to fourth-level (“boss of the bosses”). Degree in math.

Episode Summary

In our first guest interview of the season, Dr. Kim sits down with her own father, Cleveland Garvin, for a conversation that's part leadership case study, part family story. Cleve spent 36 years at IBM — 30 of them in management — rising from first-line supervisor to fourth-level leadership. The thread running through all of it: there is no one-size-fits-all leadership style. Cleve breaks down why he doesn't believe in “born leaders,” how individualizing his approach — person by person — was what actually moved disengaged team members, and the leadership mistake that taught him to plan before he ever assigns a role. And yes — he tells the story of raising Dr. Kim, including the leadership lesson he wishes he'd taught her sooner about how she studied.

Have you ever looked around a room full of people who showed up, nodded along, and did exactly what was asked — and still felt like nobody was actually with you? Welcome to Season 3 of Rise Up and Lead! I have been waiting all summer for this moment, and we are kicking off the new season — and our first quarterly theme, Engagement That Moves People — with a truth every leader needs to sit with: engagement is deeper than participation, deeper than compliance, and definitely deeper than people simply showing up.

In this episode, I walk you through what engagement really is — a psychological and emotional mindset where people choose to actively invest, care, and contribute — and why so many of us are mistaking activity for engagement without realizing it. I share the story of a school leadership team whose data meeting completely transformed when one principal anchored the numbers in a single student's success story, and what that moment teaches us about reconnecting people to purpose instead of just the task. You will also hear what is new this season: solo episodes alternating with leader interviews, and everything — the podcast, the blog, and the newsletter — moving together through one quarterly theme as part of your yearlong leadership support. I close with three reflection questions and your first Rise Action of the season, so you can lead your very next meeting from a place of purpose. Let's get in it — because your people deserve more than a meeting they have to sit through. They deserve a reason to lean in.

Have you ever realized that the best lessons in leadership come from both the great and not-so-great leaders you’ve experienced? In this replay episode, I’m joined by Kathleen Pietrasanta, a lifelong educator and leader, to talk about the powerful impact that real-life leadership examples can have on your own development. Kathleen shares stories from her years in education, including experiences that tested her boundaries, inspired her confidence, and ultimately propelled her into leadership.

Kathleen and I discuss how our personal and professional identities blend to influence the kind of leaders we strive to become as well as the importance of integrity and empathy in leadership. Kathleen shares lessons she’s learned through her experiences and offers real, practical insight for anyone who wants to lead with more heart and impact. Whether you’re just stepping into leadership or if you’ve been on this path for a while, this conversation will leave you feeling encouraged to continue to grow on your leadership journey.

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