Welcome to the Arete Coach Podcast hosted by Severin Sorensen with an episode titled "Leading with Kindness: On Executive Coaching and Cultural Intelligence." In this episode, Severin engages with Dr. Krista Crawford, a distinguished Vistage Chair, speaker, consultant, professor, and leadership strategist. Krista holds a PhD in Organizational Management and is a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). With over 30 years of experience spanning human resources, organizational development, and executive leadership, she has significantly impacted leaders across corporate and nonprofit sectors. This episode was recorded on March 26th, 2025, via Zoom.

Krista's journey into executive coaching and Vistage Chairing is as unique as it is inspiring. After decades in HR, where she led organizations with up to 8,000 employees, Krista transitioned into leadership coaching serendipitously during the COVID-19 pandemic. A neighbor introduced her to Vistage, leading to her eventual certification and the establishment of multiple peer advisory groups.

Her career is deeply rooted in observing and addressing the human dynamics within organizations. Krista identified early the gaps in leadership development, particularly how some employees flourish while others feel disconnected. Her doctoral research focused on "social monitoring" and "cultural intelligence," exploring how individuals adapt and integrate into diverse cultural settings. Conducted in Belize with service-learning students, her research revealed that active engagement with local cultures significantly enhances cultural intelligence.

Beyond her coaching, Krista serves as an adjunct professor at Virginia Tech and Champlain College, teaching leadership, ethics, and organizational development. She brings a rich blend of academic rigor and practical experience, leveraging her HR expertise, research acumen, and passion for continuous learning to guide executives and emerging leaders.

Key Insights

1. The Art of Listening and Pausing

Krista emphasizes the importance of listening to hear rather than listening to respond. In coaching, silence is a powerful tool, allowing clients to reflect deeply. She practices intentional breathing to create space for reflection and meaningful dialogue.

2. The Power of Vulnerability and Group Dynamics

She highlights how vulnerability within peer groups fosters deeper trust and growth. Krista shared a pivotal moment when a group conflict tested cohesion; addressing it transparently strengthened the group's unity and resilience.

3. Job Crafting for Engagement

Krista advocates for job crafting, encouraging leaders to engage employees in designing roles that align with their strengths and passions, thus enhancing satisfaction and retention.

4. Measuring Success Through Joy

Joy serves as Krista's personal metric for professional fulfillment. She believes that work should bring joy and that leaders should reassess their roles when joy diminishes.

5. Use of Psychometrics and AI in Coaching

Krista integrates tools like Wiley DiSC and various psychometric assessments to deepen understanding of team dynamics. She also creatively employs AI for ideation, content creation, and meeting preparation, demonstrating adaptability to emerging technologies.

6. Kindness and Continuous Learning as Guiding Values

Krista's mantras of "kindness is underrated" and lifelong learning reflect her approach to leadership and coaching. She stresses the importance of being both kind and courageous in providing candid, constructive feedback.

The Arete Coach Podcast explores the art and science of executive coaching. You can find more about this podcast at aretecoach.io.

This episode was recorded on March 26, 2025

Copyright © 2025 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

That We Might Live Free

A Memorial Day Tribute | Arete Coach™ Podcast with Severin Sorensen. A Special tribute featuring Jay Stringham (posthumously), Irving Ray Stringham Jr., and the Stringham family legacy.

In this special Memorial Day edition of the Arete Coach™ Podcast, host Severin Sorensen departs from his usual exploration of executive coaching to deliver a solemn tribute to the men and women who gave their lives in service to our nation.

Titled “That We Might Live Free,” this episode reflects on the true meaning of Memorial Day, honors the story of WWII aviator Irving Ray Stringham Jr., and shares a sacred poem—A Soldier’s Last Prayer—written by his younger brother Jay Thorral Stringham.

Rather than featuring a conventional guest, this episode centers on a heartfelt tribute to Irving Ray Stringham Jr., a WWII aviator who gave his life over the skies of Germany, and Jay Thorral Stringham, his younger brother and the only survivor among five friends from their neighborhood who went to war together.

Haunted by loss and moved by a deep sense of reverence, Jay channeled his grief and gratitude into a poem titled “A Soldier’s Last Prayer.” The poem, delivered in this episode, is a poignant reflection of a soldier’s internal dialogue on the eve of battle—capturing a blend of fear, faith, sacrifice, and hope. The host received this poem from Jay’s daughter, Dolly Hicks, who entrusted its legacy to be shared and remembered.

With permission from the family, Severin transforms this heartfelt poem into three powerful musical renditions, each offering a different lens on sacrifice, remembrance, and devotion.

This is not a performance—this is an offering.

A moment of remembrance.

A promise to never forget.

Featuring:

• Historical reflections and family stories
• Three musical interpretations of A Soldier’s Last Prayer
• Quotes from JFK, Reagan, Lincoln, Patton, and more
• A call to live with gratitude, purpose, and honor

🕯️ May we remember. May we honor. And may we live free.

The Arete Coach Podcast explores the art and science of executive coaching. You can find more about this podcast at aretecoach.io.

This episode was recorded on Memorial Day, May 26, 2024.

Copyright © 2025 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

In this engaging episode of the Arete Coach Podcast, titled "From Engineering Expertise to Master Chair Leadership," host Severin Sorensen interviews Susan Motkaluk, a visionary leader, Master Chair, CEO, and Board Advisor with TEC Canada. With over 25 years of experience spanning civil engineering, project management, infrastructure innovation, and executive coaching, Susan brings a rich interdisciplinary perspective to leadership excellence. Recognized for her work in sustainable development and awarded for her contributions by the United Nations, Susan shares her insights on coaching, leadership, and building communities of excellence.

Susan’s journey into executive coaching is a testament to curiosity, resilience, and lifelong learning. An early achiever in engineering and leadership roles, Susan led large groups in the oil sands and public sector positions, including as a Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). Recognizing gaps in leadership tools early in her career, she sought mentors who became instrumental in her growth.

Her engineering background, particularly first principles thinking developed at the University of Waterloo, became the cornerstone of her coaching philosophy—encouraging structured problem-solving, curiosity, and assembling diverse teams.

Today, Susan channels her passion into leading TEC Canada peer groups, running her company SDM Inc (Sustainable Development and Monitoring), facilitating leadership alignment workshops, and serving on private company boards, helping leaders and communities grow sustainably.

Key Insights

1. Coaching Rooted in First Principles and Curiosity. Susan blends engineering problem-solving techniques with deep curiosity, helping clients move beyond surface-level issues to uncover root causes and achieve sustainable success.

2. The Power of Mentorship and Community Building. Susan credits much of her success to mentors she actively sought out. She stresses that leaders must not only create but recognize opportunity—and that belonging and connection are crucial antidotes to the epidemic of loneliness in leadership roles.

3. Alignment as the Heart of Effective Leadership. Building and aligning leadership teams around shared values and purpose is central to Susan’s work. She champions “carefrontational” conversations—honest yet compassionate dialogues that drive deeper connections and actionable insights.

4. Courageous Leadership and Authenticity. Susan emphasizes the need for courage in leadership: telling the truth with care, remaining authentic, and making bold decisions even when misunderstood.

5. AI and Decision-Making in Leadership. While recognizing AI’s ability to optimize decision-making processes, Susan insists that human intuition, gut instincts, and the spark of original ideas remain irreplaceable. She promotes a balance between data-driven tools and human ingenuity.

Memorable Quotes

1. "If you don't know, somebody might know—so keep asking and surround yourself with great people."
2. "You have to see the invisible to do the impossible."
3. "Opportunity is a blessing, but recognizing it is a skill."
4. "Alignment happens when everything clicks—and that’s when the real magic starts."

The Arete Coach Podcast explores the art and science of executive coaching. You can find more about this podcast at aretecoach.io.

This episode was recorded on March 10, 2025.

Copyright © 2025 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.