Activating Greatness: A Leadership Podcast
Welcome to Activating Greatness — the show where we dig into what it really takes to lead with purpose, inspire performance, and create lasting impact. I’m your host, Alec McChesney, and every episode, we sit down with extraordinary leaders, thinkers, and changemakers who are unlocking potential in themselves, their teams, and their organizations. Here, we talk about the real stuff — leadership that drives culture, strategy that creates momentum, and the mindset that turns good intentions into game-changing results. Because greatness isn’t a title — it’s a choice. It’s something you activate every single day. Thank you for listening, for showing up, and for being part of a community of leaders who refuse to settle for “good enough.
Episodes
15 episodes
Curiosity Wins: Michelle Dauphinais on Asking Better Questions and Making Better Decisions
In this episode of Activating Greatness, host Alec McChesney sits down with Michelle Dauphinais, Vice President and Head of Distribution at John Hancock, to explore how curiosity and a deep understanding of human behavior shape effective leader...
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Episode 15
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41:25
Appropriately Annoyed: Jon Stenberg on Leadership, Accountability, and Better Decisions
In this episode of the Activating Greatness Podcast, host Alec McChesney sits down with Jon Stenberg, CEO and President of Citizens Inc., to explore what modern leadership really requires in complex organizations. Jon shares his philosophy of k...
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Episode 14
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51:33
Consistency at Scale: José Suquet on Culture, Capital Strength, and Leading for the Long Run
In this episode of Activating Greatness, Alec McChesney sits down with José Suquet, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Pan-American Life Insurance Group, to explore what it takes to lead across 22 countries while staying anchored in one clear set...
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Episode 13
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50:10
Indispensable: How Addison Watson Builds Relationships AI Can’t Replace
In this episode of Activating Greatness, Addison Watson, Chief Partnership Officer & General Counsel at ClickFunnels, shares why relationships are the ultimate competitive advantage in an AI-driven world. With over $1 billion in transaction...
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Episode 12
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41:40
The Construction Advantage: Matt Ulliman on Why Partnering Sessions Decide Project Success
In this episode of Activating Greatness, Alec McChesney sits down with Matt Ulliman, co-founder of Ulliman Schutte, to explore why construction projects don’t fail in the field first — they fail in alignment. Matt shares how structured partneri...
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Episode 11
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33:50
From Proximity to Purpose: How Tony Greco Builds Aligned Teams Across Regions
In this episode of Activating Greatness, Alec McChesney sits down with Tony Greco to explore what it really takes to build alignment, accountability, and connection across remote and globally distributed teams. Drawing from his leadership exper...
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Episode 10
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36:33
Beyond Hustle Culture: Why Parry Headrick is Challenging Modern Leaders to Rethink Work
What if the way most companies lead, hire, and scale is fundamentally broken? In this episode of Activating Greatness, host Alec McChesney sits down with Parry Headrick, Founder and CEO of Crackle PR, to challenge hustle culture, outdated agenc...
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Episode 9
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38:18
Coaching vs. Micromanaging: How Jason Casarella Builds Trust, Accountability, and High-Performing Teams
Why do so many well-intentioned leaders accidentally micromanage? In this episode of Activating Greatness, host Alec McChesney sits down with Jason Casarella, Chief Commercial Officer at CRC Cognitive Research Corporation, to break down the rea...
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Episode 8
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36:43
Leading with Mission Under Pressure: Building Trust, Culture, and Scale with Julie Blasingim
What happens when growth, private equity pressure, and mission collide? In this episode of Activating Greatness, host Alec McChesney sits down with Julie Blasingim, CEO of Univo IRB, to explore what it truly means to lead with purpose while bui...
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Episode 7
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47:05
The Leadership Leap: How Harry Barnick Transformed His Team Through Change
In this episode of Activating Greatness, Alec sits down with Harry Barnick of the Third Bridge Group to explore what real leadership looks like during periods of intense change. Harry shares his firsthand experience navigating turnover at the l...
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Episode 6
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36:37
The Conversation Advantage: How Ryan Payne Builds Culture One Dialogue at a Time
In this episode of Activating Greatness, host Alec McChesney sits down with Ryan Payne, Director of Leadership & Development at Velocity Advisory Group, to unpack how culture is built through everyday conversations—and how le...
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Episode 5
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53:55
The Momentum Mindset: How Joe Witte Turns Leadership Lessons into Action
In this episode of Activating Greatness, Joe Witte, Executive Coach and Senior Advisor at Velocity Advisory Group, explores the role of momentum in leadership and why effective management doesn’t have to be complicated. Joe shar...
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Episode 4
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53:55
The Human Advantage: How Relationships Drive Culture and Performance with Dan Silvert
In this episode of Activating Greatness, Dan Silvert, Co-Founder of Velocity Advisory Group, shares why relationships are the true driver of culture, accountability, and sustainable growth. Drawing on decades of executive coaching experience, D...
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Episode 3
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48:08
The Culture Shift: How Brooke Page-Thompson Helps Leaders Bring Their Whole Selves to Work
In this episode of Activating Greatness, Alec McChesney sits down with leadership and culture expert, Velocity Advisory Group President Brooke Page-Thompson, to explore what it truly means for leaders to bring their whole selves to work. Brooke...
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Episode 2
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48:32
Leading at the Highest Level: Alignment, Clarity, and Momentum with Dave Fechtman
In this episode, Velocity Advisory Group CEO Dave Fechtman shares what it takes to lead at the highest level. Dave breaks down how CEOs and executive teams create alignment, navigate uncertainty, and sustain organizational momentum. He offers p...
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Episode 1
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45:32