Lifting Leaders Podcast

What if the only way forward was to let go?

In this deeply personal Spark episode of the Lifting Leaders Podcast, co-host Kristal Roberts shares, for the first time publicly, the true story of a kayaking accident that nearly claimed her life - and the profound leadership lesson she discovered beneath the surface.

Pinned under a dangerous log jam and fighting against a powerful current, Kri...

Some leaders leave an impression. Others leave a legacy that continues to shape leaders for generations.

This week, we honor the extraordinary life and enduring impact of Dr. John H. "Jack" Zenger, who passed away on July 3, 2026, at the remarkable age of 94. A pioneering leadership expert, bestselling author, researcher, teacher, consultant, and mentor, Jack transformed the field o...

What makes an inspirational leader? Is it charisma or is it a set of leadership skills anyone can develop?

In this Coaches Corner episode of the Lifting Leaders Podcast, executive coaches Kristal Roberts and Tricia Rhine share eight practical leadership practices that can help you become a more inspirational leader, strengthen employee engagement, and create a workplace where people feel m...

Can a leader build trust without creating hope? Can people truly feel hopeful if they don't trust their leader?

In this Lifting Leaders Podcast Spark Episode, co-host Tricia Rhine explores the powerful relationship between hope and trust in leadership and why these two qualities are essential for building high-performing teams, increasing employee engagement, and creating healthy or...

Five years after graduating with her Master's degree in Architecture, Madison Mulligan joins the Lifting Leaders Podcast to reflect on one of the most significant transitions many people face: moving from student life into the working world.

In this special mother-daughter conversation, host Kristal Roberts and Madison explore the realities of early adulthood, including navigating uncertainty, building a career, redefining success,...

What does true resilience look like when life, leadership, and uncertainty don’t go as planned?

In this Gems episode of the Lifting Leaders Podcast, we revisit powerful conversations from our Ignite Genuine Hope series and explore a theme that keeps emerging: resilience.

You’ll hear insights from guests who model what it means to adapt, recover, ...

What happens when you leave behind the familiar, embrace uncertainty, and intentionally build a life aligned with your values and purpose?

In this inspiring episode of the Lifting Leaders Podcast, hosts Kristal Roberts and Tricia Rhine welcome leadership professionals Leah Fleischner and Sasha Farley for a powerful conversation about hope-led leadership, resilience, courage, personal reinvention, and living abroad. Although both ha...

What happens when a milestone birthday becomes a mission to change lives?

In this inspiring episode of the Lifting Leaders Podcast, we sit down with P.L. and Kristen, founders of Cycle 5 To Survive (C5TS), an extraordinary initiative powered by purpose, courage, resilience, and a commitment to helping communities thrive.

Through Cycle 5 To Survive, P.L. and ...

In this special crossover episode, Melanie Vargas of What’s in Your Neighborhood joins Kristal Roberts and Tricia Rhine of the Lifting Leaders Podcast for a deeply honest conversation about leadership, vulnerability, hope, and the emotional neighborhoods we all carry within us.

Together, these three executive coaches and leadership practitioners explore what it means ...

Sharing this Encore edition from 2025. As we recorded this episode, on the front end of Mother’s Day weekend, we started simmering on the topic of caregiving…something moms know all too well about.  So, with a world of respect, to all the moms out there, we are taking a look at caregiving, from a few different angles. The first angle is, of course, all about people who provide care for others.  This includes ...

What is hope-led leadership, and how do you actually practice it in today’s complex world?

In this Coaches Corner episode of the Lifting Leaders Podcast, we explore how to ignite genuine hope in leadership, not as a fleeting feeling, but as a disciplined, actionable leadership practice.

We begin in a place many leaders avoid: the moment when something isn’t working. Instead of bypassing that tension, we explore how nami...

What does it take to move from awareness to genuine hope in leadership?

In this transition episode of the Lifting Leaders Podcast, we close our Light the Spark phase and step into our next leadership focus: Ignite Genuine Hope — a deeper, steadier, and more sustainable way of leading in today’s complex world.

We reflect on what it meant to light the spark — building self-awareness, courage, and imagination —...

This week on the Lifting Leaders Podcast, we’re celebrating our 4-year anniversary, 176 episodes of leadership, hope, and meaningful conversations that continue to lift and inspire.

Over the past year, we’ve shared: • 39 powerful guest interviews with leaders across industries • A special roundtable with returning guests and diverse perspectives • Conversations supporting three authors launching new books • Our hea...

Are you leading like a tourist, rushing, performing, and checking boxes or like a traveler, fully present and curious? Discover the leadership shift that sparks clarity, connection, and hope.

In this powerful Lifting Leaders Podcast “Spark” episode, we explore a simple yet transformative idea inspired by a moment in Venice:

Be a traveler, not a tourist.

While it may sound like travel advice, this mindset holds profound ...

We are revisiting this Fan Favorite episode because it lit so many sparks for our listeners. In this inspiring episode of Lifting Leaders Podcast, we continue our “What Brings Us Hope” series with Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and moral activist John Ondrasik, best known as Five for Fighting.

Recorded just minutes before he stepped onstage, John shares a powerful reflection on music, moral courage, and hopein a wor...

In this Lifting Leaders Podcast Gems episode, inspired by our conversation with career coach and leadership expert Shirlene Evans, we explore the value of candor in leadership and why courageous conversations are essential for effective leaders.

What becomes possible when a leader is willing to clearly name what is not working?

In today’s complex and rapidly changing workplace, leaders must strengthen their candor muscle&mdas...

What happens when a successful technology leader feels a spark that simply won’t be ignored? In this inspiring episode of Lifting Leaders Podcast, we welcome Career Coach, Shirlene Evans, ACC, whose thriving career in the tech industry took a powerful turn when she realized her true calling was helping others navigate theirs. That spark shifted her focus from building systems to building people and the ripple effects have bee...

In this Lifting Leaders Spark episode, Tricia Rhine invites listeners to explore a powerful leadership question: What is your leadership superpower?

Spark episodes are short leadership reflections designed to help leaders pause, think differently, and apply practical insights in their daily leadership.

In this episode, Tricia explores:

• Identifying your natural leadership strengths • Recognizing the gifts others consistently see i...

In this powerful “Gems” episode, we revisit our rich conversation with Barbara Acevedo Visser, Master Certified Coach and uncover some leadership gems we gleaned within her wisdom. If you’ve ever left a conversation thinking, “I could have listened better,” this episode is for you.

We explore what it really means to listen at deeper levels - beyond words, beyond responses, and beyond the internal dialo...