Love in Action

This episode is brought to you by Mitel. If you’re thinking about how communication impacts leadership and resilience in your own organization, Mitel works with more than 70 million users worldwide across critical industries to keep teams secure and connected. You can check them out at Mitel.com. 

 

BIO:

 

Mike Robinson is a telecom and infrastructure veteran with extensive operating experience both as a CEO and CFO, leading business transformations across organic growth initiatives, mergers, acquisitions, and restructurings. He has held numerous leadership roles and served on the boards of technology and telecommunications companies. Mike joined Mitel’s Board of Directors in 2025 and shortly thereafter stepped into the role of CEO. With a strong focus on leadership, team building, effective communication, operational efficiency, and transparency, Mike and his leadership team guide Mitel with a collaborative, results-driven approach; aligning people, strategy, and purpose to drive impactful outcomes for customers and employees. 

 

Quotes: 

Leadership works best when people know they matter for more than a paycheck. 

Culture becomes unstoppable when employees go home and tell a neighbor they genuinely like where they work. 

The best strategy fails without the earned right to execute through trusted people and clear communication. 

Customer loyalty is priceless because loyal customers will fight to keep you and look for new ways to grow with you. 

Caring is not a side project; it is the operating system that drives top line, bottom line, and long-term relevance. 

Takeaways: 

Trust is built fastest through presence, transparency, and listening to employees, customers, and partners before making big moves. 

Avoiding command and control leadership requires confidence in your people, a healthy capital runway, and data-driven, fair decision-making. 

A strong culture is less about perks and more about belonging, recognition, development, and being heard. 

Sustaining industry leadership demands relentless innovation, disciplined focus, and making it easy for others to do business with you. 

Caring consistently, through small daily actions and genuine relationships, creates the discretionary effort that drives exceptional results. 

Timestamps: 

[00:00] Introduction and Overview of Mitel 

[05:27] Mike Robinson’s Background and Leadership Philosophy 

[08:09] Building Trust and Culture at Mitel 

[20:57] The Role of Culture in Business Outcomes 

[27:20] Sustaining Success and Innovation at Mitel 

[33:14] Personal Leadership Qualities and Practices 

[36:41] Leading with Love in Action 

[39:03] Final Thoughts and Takeaways 

 

Conclusion: 

At the heart of this episode is a simple but radical idea: caring is a business strategy. Mike Robinson shows that when leaders are present, transparent, and genuinely human, people do not just comply, they commit. We see how culture, when rooted in trust and love in action, becomes the engine of innovation, loyalty, and long-term growth. If you want better numbers, you do not start with spreadsheets; you start with how people feel when they walk through the door. Listen in, take notes, and then go lead in a way that proves, inside your own company, that love really does win. 

 

Links/Resources: 

Mitel - www.Mitel.com   

Mitel on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/mitel/   

Mike Robinson on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelkrobinson/

This episode is brought to you by Smarsh. AI is transforming how businesses communicate, and compliance can’t fall behind. Smarsh is helping global organizations build defensible, future-ready compliance programs powered by AI. To learn more, visit smarsh.com or download their 2026 AI Insights Report. 

 

Episode recap 

 

Kim Crawford Goodman, CEO of Smarsh, shares her journey from growing up in Chicago during the Civil Rights Movement to leading a global technology company focused on preserving and protecting truth in digital communications. She explains Smarsh’s role in helping highly regulated industries manage and analyze communications across channels using AI-powered tools, and highlights the company’s commitment to accountability, innovation, and customer focus. Kim also reflects on leadership lessons around balancing technology with human connection, navigating change with transparency, and building inclusive teams grounded in integrity.

 

Bio:

 

Kim Crawford Goodman is Chief Executive Officer of Smarsh. Under her leadership, Smarsh has strengthened its position as a global leader in AI-powered communications intelligence, helping highly regulated organizations manage risk, modernize compliance, and unlock the value of communications data. With more than 25 years of experience, Goodman is known for leading with empathy and integrity to scale businesses and build high-performing global teams.

 

Quotes: 

"Smarsh, first and foremost, preserves and protects the truth in a world where what is truthful is getting more elusive." 

"We can't forget the human element. You can't let anything stand in the way of actually knowing your team, because that's what makes every other electronic interaction more efficient and more meaningful." 

"As a leader, you're always balancing the need to innovate and move with the need to give consistency and stability to your people, and the way you hold that balance is through transparency and context." 

Takeaways: 

Trust is built fastest through presence, transparency, and listening to employees, customers, and partners before making big moves. 

Avoiding command and control leadership requires confidence in your people, a healthy capital runway, and data-driven, fair decision-making. 

A strong culture is less about perks and more about belonging, recognition, development, and being heard. 

Sustaining industry leadership demands relentless innovation, disciplined focus, and making it easy for others to do business with you. 

Caring consistently, through small daily actions and genuine relationships, creates the discretionary effort that drives exceptional results. 

Timestamps: 

[00:00:00] AI, Risk, and the Mission to Govern Conversations 

[00:04:44] From South Side Chicago to Global CEO 

[00:05:47] Smarsh’s Mission: Preserving and Protecting the Truth 

[00:09:30] Inside Smarsh: AI Agents, Noise Reduction, and E‑Discovery 

[00:16:25] Leading Culture in a World of Slacks, Texts, and AI 

[00:19:31] Staying Obsessed with the Customer in a Noisy World 

[00:24:25] Transparency, Psychological Safety, and Real Talk on Change 

[00:25:07] Hitting Walls: Perseverance, Identity, and Non‑Linear Careers 

[00:27:58] Integrity, Inclusion, and Building Diverse Teams That Win 

[00:33:55] Know Yourself: Authentic Leadership from Campus to C‑Suite 

[00:36:56] Unfiltered Advice for Women of Color Who Want to Lead 

[00:36:56] Leading with Love: Know Your People, Know Yourself 

[00:38:01] As Much as Things Change, Some Things Stay the Same 

[00:39:23] Where to Find Kim and Final Love in Action Sign‑Off 

 

Conclusion: 

In a world where AI is accelerating every interaction, Kim Crawford Goodman reminds us that leadership still rises and falls on integrity. Her story shows that preserving truth in business isn’t just a technical challenge; it’s a moral and cultural one, lived out in daily decisions, not slogans. Through Smarsh, she demonstrates how AI can be harnessed to govern communication, reduce risk, and build confidence instead of chaos. Through her personal journey, she models how perseverance, self‑knowledge, and genuine care for people can carry leaders through disruption and disappointment. If you’re serious about leading in the age of AI, this episode will challenge you to build a culture where innovation moves fast—but truth, accountability, and love move faster. 

 

Links/Resources: 

Smarsh - https://www.smarsh.com/  

Kim Crawford in LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-crawford-goodman-69703187/  

Smarsh 2026 AI Insights Report – https://www.smarsh.com/reports/2026-compliance-horizon-insights-report  

Substack: https://marcelschwantes.substack.com/      

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcelschwantes/  

Twitter/X: https://x.com/MarcelSchwantes  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9fO2r_ZQ3wy5ie522f-DTQ  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcel.schwantes/

This episode is brought to you by Smarsh. AI is transforming how businesses communicate, and compliance can’t fall behind. Smarsh is helping global organizations build defensible, future-ready compliance programs powered by AI. To learn more, visit smarsh.com or download their 2026 AI Insights Report. 

 

Episode recap 

 

Kim Crawford Goodman, CEO of Smarsh, shares her journey from growing up in Chicago during the Civil Rights Movement to leading a global technology company focused on preserving and protecting truth in digital communications. She explains Smarsh’s role in helping highly regulated industries manage and analyze communications across channels using AI-powered tools, and highlights the company’s commitment to accountability, innovation, and customer focus. Kim also reflects on leadership lessons around balancing technology with human connection, navigating change with transparency, and building inclusive teams grounded in integrity.

 

Bio:

 

Kim Crawford Goodman is Chief Executive Officer of Smarsh. Under her leadership, Smarsh has strengthened its position as a global leader in AI-powered communications intelligence, helping highly regulated organizations manage risk, modernize compliance, and unlock the value of communications data. With more than 25 years of experience, Goodman is known for leading with empathy and integrity to scale businesses and build high-performing global teams.

 

Quotes: 

We preserve and protect the truth. 

You can't forget the human element. 

As much as things change, some things stay the same. 

You have to be prepared to hit a wall and go around it or through it. 

The most important thing is perseverance. 

Takeaways: 

Trust is built fastest through presence, transparency, and listening to employees, customers, and partners before making big moves. 

Avoiding command and control leadership requires confidence in your people, a healthy capital runway, and data-driven, fair decision-making. 

A strong culture is less about perks and more about belonging, recognition, development, and being heard. 

Sustaining industry leadership demands relentless innovation, disciplined focus, and making it easy for others to do business with you. 

Caring consistently, through small daily actions and genuine relationships, creates the discretionary effort that drives exceptional results. 

Timestamps: 

[00:00:00] AI, Risk, and the Mission to Govern Conversations 

[00:04:44] From South Side Chicago to Global CEO 

[00:05:47] Smarsh’s Mission: Preserving and Protecting the Truth 

[00:09:30] Inside Smarsh: AI Agents, Noise Reduction, and E‑Discovery 

[00:16:25] Leading Culture in a World of Slacks, Texts, and AI 

[00:19:31] Staying Obsessed with the Customer in a Noisy World 

[00:24:25] Transparency, Psychological Safety, and Real Talk on Change 

[00:25:07] Hitting Walls: Perseverance, Identity, and Non‑Linear Careers 

[00:27:58] Integrity, Inclusion, and Building Diverse Teams That Win 

[00:33:55] Know Yourself: Authentic Leadership from Campus to C‑Suite 

[00:36:56] Unfiltered Advice for Women of Color Who Want to Lead 

[00:36:56] Leading with Love: Know Your People, Know Yourself 

[00:38:01] As Much as Things Change, Some Things Stay the Same 

[00:39:23] Where to Find Kim and Final Love in Action Sign‑Off 

 

Conclusion: 

In a world where AI is accelerating every interaction, Kim Crawford Goodman reminds us that leadership still rises and falls on integrity. Her story shows that preserving truth in business isn’t just a technical challenge; it’s a moral and cultural one, lived out in daily decisions, not slogans. Through Smarsh, she demonstrates how AI can be harnessed to govern communication, reduce risk, and build confidence instead of chaos. Through her personal journey, she models how perseverance, self‑knowledge, and genuine care for people can carry leaders through disruption and disappointment. If you’re serious about leading in the age of AI, this episode will challenge you to build a culture where innovation moves fast—but truth, accountability, and love move faster. 

 

Links/Resources: 

Smarsh - https://www.smarsh.com/  

Kim Crawford in LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-crawford-goodman-69703187/  

Smarsh 2026 AI Insights Report – https://www.smarsh.com/reports/2026-compliance-horizon-insights-report  

Substack: https://marcelschwantes.substack.com/      

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcelschwantes/  

Twitter/X: https://x.com/MarcelSchwantes  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9fO2r_ZQ3wy5ie522f-DTQ  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcel.schwantes/

Episode recap:

 

Marcel sat down with Margaret C. Andrews to discuss her book "Manage Yourself to Lead Others: Why Great Leadership Begins with Self-Understanding." Margaret discussed leadership derailment and self-awareness, emphasizing that the factors that got leaders to their current positions may not be sufficient for future success. She shared six key questions to help leaders understand themselves and highlighted the importance of self-management, noting that many leadership training programs focus more on technical skills than interpersonal skills.

 

Bio:

 

Margaret C. Andrews is a seasoned executive, academic leader, speaker, and instructor. She teaches leadership courses and professional and executive programs at Harvard University and is the founder of the MYLO Center, a private leadership development firm. 

 

Quotes: 

We judge ourselves by our intentions, but other people judge us by our behaviors. 

Leadership emerges from your life story and your unique portfolio of experiences, not from a checklist of best practices. 

What got you here won’t get you there, especially when you move from individual contributor to leading others. 

People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care about them as human beings. 

We are all a work in progress, continually riding new learning curves as we grow into the leaders we want to become. 

 

Takeaways: 

Self-understanding is the foundation of effective leadership, and without it, all the standard tips and tactics remain shallow. 

Career derailment often happens right after a promotion when leaders fail to realize that their new role requires different behaviors, not just more effort. 

High achievers commonly struggle with interpersonal relationships, team-building, and adaptability, which can ultimately sabotage their success. 

Asking deep questions about who shaped you, what you value, and how your behavior impacts others is essential to building self-awareness. 

Leading with love and care means treating people as human beings, not resources, and consistently managing your own behavior to match your best intentions. 

 

Timestamps: 

0:00 – Welcome, episode setup, and introduction of Margaret C. Andrews 

2:59 – Margaret’s origin story and wake-up call about self-awareness 

7:20 – How lack of self-awareness derails high achievers and careers 

17:39 – Six foundational questions for self-understanding and self-management 

25:39 – Roadblocks, vulnerability, and why leadership training must go deeper 

28:24 – The MYLO process and what it means to lead with love in action 

31:32 – Final lessons, being a work in progress, and where to find Margaret 

 

Conclusion: 

Today’s conversation showed that great leadership doesn’t begin with a job title or a promotion. It begins with you, with understanding your own story, your values, and even your blind spots. Margaret reminded us that we are all a work in progress, learning and growing as we practice new behaviors and step into the leaders we want to become. The challenge is simple to say but hard to live out: get honest about who you are, manage yourself with intention, and notice how your relationships and results start to shift.  

 

Links/Resources: 

Book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0gzLmPl2  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaretcandrews/    

Website: https://www.margaretandrews.com/  

Substack: https://marcelschwantes.substack.com/      

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcelschwantes/  

Twitter/X: https://x.com/MarcelSchwantes  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9fO2r_ZQ3wy5ie522f-DTQ  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcel.schwantes/

Episode recap:

 

Marcel sat down with Margaret C. Andrews to discuss her book "Manage Yourself to Lead Others: Why Great Leadership Begins with Self-Understanding." Margaret discussed leadership derailment and self-awareness, emphasizing that the factors that got leaders to their current positions may not be sufficient for future success. She shared six key questions to help leaders understand themselves and highlighted the importance of self-management, noting that many leadership training programs focus more on technical skills than interpersonal skills.

 

Bio:

 

Margaret C. Andrews is a seasoned executive, academic leader, speaker, and instructor. She teaches leadership courses and professional and executive programs at Harvard University and is the founder of the MYLO Center, a private leadership development firm. 

 

Quotes: 

We judge ourselves by our intentions, but other people judge us by our behaviors. 

Leadership emerges from your life story and your unique portfolio of experiences, not from a checklist of best practices. 

What got you here won’t get you there, especially when you move from individual contributor to leading others. 

People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care about them as human beings. 

We are all a work in progress, continually riding new learning curves as we grow into the leaders we want to become. 

Takeaways: 

Self-understanding is the foundation of effective leadership, and without it, all the standard tips and tactics remain shallow. 

Career derailment often happens right after a promotion when leaders fail to realize that their new role requires different behaviors, not just more effort. 

High achievers commonly struggle with interpersonal relationships, team-building, and adaptability, which can ultimately sabotage their success. 

Asking deep questions about who shaped you, what you value, and how your behavior impacts others is essential to building self-awareness. 

Leading with love and care means treating people as human beings, not resources, and consistently managing your own behavior to match your best intentions. 

Timestamps: 

0:00 – Welcome, episode setup, and introduction of Margaret C. Andrews 

2:59 – Margaret’s origin story and wake-up call about self-awareness 

7:20 – How lack of self-awareness derails high achievers and careers 

17:39 – Six foundational questions for self-understanding and self-management 

25:39 – Roadblocks, vulnerability, and why leadership training must go deeper 

28:24 – The MILO process and what it means to lead with love in action 

31:32 – Final lessons, being a work in progress, and where to find Margaret 

Conclusion: 

The stories shared in this episode remind us that genuine leadership is shaped by humility, resilience, and compassion. Ken Blanchard’s journey proves that success is rooted as much in character as in achievement. Martha’s perspective brings to life the transformative effect of working alongside a true role model. Their experiences illustrate that lifting others and embracing authenticity can leave a legacy that outlasts any title. As you move forward, ask yourself: how can you lead with more heart in your own life and work? 

Links/Resources: 

Book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0gzLmPl2  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaretcandrews/    

Website: https://www.margaretandrews.com/  

Substack: https://marcelschwantes.substack.com/      

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcelschwantes/  

Twitter/X: https://x.com/MarcelSchwantes  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9fO2r_ZQ3wy5ie522f-DTQ  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcel.schwantes/