The Dr. John Bedker Leadership Podcast

#014: Belarus Pt. 1

In this episode, Dr. John Bedker begins a four-part series on the country of Belarus.  Sitting at the crossroads of East and West, Belarus has an increasingly important position geographically, politically, and geopolitically.  The leadership navigation and leadership strategies employed are key to the future of Belarus and this important crossroads in our world.  This introductory episode lays out the topics and critical issues to be reviewed in this important leadership series on the country of Belarus.

#013: Gun Violence in America - Sequel

In this week's episode, Dr. John Bedker follows up on his recent Leadership Works Podcast on the mass shootings in Buffalo, NY, and Uvalde, TX.  The call for leaders to act, to do the right thing, is advanced.  Political leaders and Faith leaders are challenged to lead.  Macro gun violence data is unwrapped to reveal the concentrated and localized nature of gun violence in the United States.  The root causes of gun violence;  poverty and fear are documented.

#012: Reflective Practice

Reflective Practice is the focus of Episode 12.  Reflective Practice is an important leadership tool for successful leaders.  In this episode, Dr. John Bedker takes the listeners on a forward-looking reflective journey. A 1-2 year forward timeline is set to consider where we might or could be socially, politically, economically, and militarily.  John poses reflective questions on each of these axes.  The episode concludes by asking the listeners where we will be as Americans in 1-2 years.  From the gun culture in the USA to the war in Ukraine. Episode 12 is an important reflective journey for everyone.

#011: Gun Violence in America - A Leadership Perspective

This episode was recorded after the mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, but before the tragic mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas.  Dr. John Bedker focuses on gun violence and the gun culture in America as a Leadership moment.  Are we going to “do the right thing?’  This is the ultimate definition of leadership and the challenge of us all to be problem-solving leaders regarding gun violence and mass shootings.  Dr. Bedker will provide another episode on this crucial topic as events unfold in Uvalde, Texas, and in our Federal government.

#010 Steve Kerr - An Exemplary Leader

Episode 10- Steve Kerr- Exemplary Leader

In this episode, Dr. John Bedker takes a deep dive into an exemplary and highly successful leader in the world of basketball.  The focus is on Steve Kerr, head coach of the NBA Golden State Warriors.  It is Steve Kerr’s back story, the formative and developmental experiences of his life that have led to Steve Kerr’s leadership pillars: Joy, Competition, Compassion and Mindfulness.  John shares his insights into Steve Kerr’s leadership pillars and coaching philosophy.

#009: Institutional Leadership Failure of the Catholic Church - Problem Solving

Episode 9 is a sequel to Episode 8.  Episode 8 focused on Problem Identification and Episode 9 brings insights into Problem Solving.  The issue is the ongoing Institutional Leadership Failures of clerics in the Catholic Church.  What needs to be done for the church to get back on track is explored and a case is made for rethinking both the church’s organizational design and the makeup of its organizational leadership team.  The recommendations are consistent with the Pope’s guidance for priests "to be pastors and not politicians.” A call for the laity to engage in leadership is also made.

#008: Institutional Leadership Failure - The Catholic Church

In this episode, Dr. John Bedker focuses on the institutional failures of the leaders of the Catholic church in the United States.  The ongoing efforts of church leaders in the United States to regularly advance a right-wing political agenda is brought to light.  This agenda is showcased in sharp contrast with the values and founding tenets of Catholicism.  John details two of the many departures of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the leaders of the Catholic church in the United States, from the founding beliefs of Catholicism.  Abortion rights and the pedophilia crisis are highlighted.

 

Material for this podcast was sourced from:

BishopAccountability.org

Collated USCCB Data

#007 Democracy: Is it in Peril?

Episode 7-  Democracy: Is it in Peril?

 

Harvard Gazette Staff Writer Colleen Walsh interviews the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard on the state of American democracy.  Dr. John Bedker addresses this interview from a leadership perspective.  John then expands on this interview to the perilous state of democracy globally. John’s focus is on Ukraine, a democracy, and the  response of its President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.  The leadership competencies that have emerged from President Zelenskyy are brought to light as a hopeful sign for the future of democracy.  

#006: Understanding a Great Leader from What They Say and Do

Episode 6- Understanding a Great Leader from What They Say and Do.

Famous Quotes from Congressman John Lewis- An Exemplary Leader.

The late Congressman John Lewis was an exemplary leader his entire life.  He brought an abundance of empathy, he encouraged the hearts of many he came in contact with, he challenged others to act for good and he modeled a better way for others to emulate. Episode 6 of The Dr. John Bedker Leadership Podcast takes quotes from the life and speeches of John Lewis and applies them to your leadership journey.

Dr. John Bedker brings his insights and lived experiences to relate famous quotes from Congressman Lewis to the world of leadership.  In the case of John Lewis, imitation can be a sincere form of flattery.  Episode 6 of The Dr. John Bedker Leadership Podcast makes the compelling case for imitation in what John Lewis said and what he did.

Meacham, Jon. His Truth Is Marching on: John Lewis and the Power of Hope. New York: Random House. 2020.

#005: Leadership Guiding Principles in a Global Pandemic

Episode 5- Leadership Guiding Principles in the Global Pandemic.

Moving From a Room Called Fear, to a Room Called Hope.

In Episode 5 of The Dr. John Bedker Leadership Podcast, Dr. John Bedker reviews the recent article from the McKinsey Quarterly, authored by two Stanford Professors, Hayagreeva Rao and Robert Sutton.  The article acts as an important tool for leaders, a checklist.  The checklist offered by Rao and Sutton is offered for leaders in troubled times; a time we are clearly in.  Written by academics, this article is noteworthy in its several operational guiding principles.

Dr. John Bedker has a rich history of bringing training and knowledge to practice.  The article presented in Episode 5 of The Dr. John Bedker Leadership Podcast by Rao and Sutton details several guiding principles of timely value in our pandemic world.  The connections shared from theory to practice are compelling for scholars and leaders.

Rao, E. and Sutton, R. From a Room Called Fear to a Room Called Hope, Leadership Agenda for Troubled Times. McKinsey Quarterly. July 9, 2020.