Épisodes

  • S7 E15: If You Want to Go Far, Go Together with Bernard Letendre

    S7 E15: If You Want to Go Far, Go Together with Bernard Letendre
    Nov 6 2025
    Exciting news: The Humphrey Group has been acquired by Humance! In this special episode of The Inspire Podcast, Bart Egnal speaks with Bernard Letendre, Managing Partner, Ontario and Western Canada at Humance, about the story behind this decision and the journey that led him there. Bernard shares his remarkable career path from practicing law to leading major divisions in Canada’s financial services industry, to joining Humance and becoming the architect behind its acquisition of The Humphrey Group. Along the way, he reflects on lessons learned about taking risks, creating opportunities rather than waiting for them, and pursuing growth with purpose. He also draws powerful parallels between leadership and his lifelong practice of judo, where discipline, humility, and mutual benefit are essential to success. Bart and Bernard close with an inside look at how the merger came to be after a year of conversation and a shared vision for growth, and how it will set both organizations up to continue serving their clients in existing and new ways. Whether you’re navigating your own career transitions or leading through change, this conversation offers powerful insights on creating your own opportunities, embracing non-linear growth, and finding strength in partnership. Show Notes: 00:14 Show intro 00:48 Welcoming Bernard 01:14 Special announcement 02:05 "Humance" meaning 02:29 Judo and its importance 04:40 How Bernard began his career 05:01 Law and the law of electronic surveillance 05:34 Wife: "law made you less fun to be around" 06:47 Joined IG 07:06 Taking a 100% commission job 07:53 Making cold-calls to the bar phonebook 08:35 Finding opportunities in the new job 08:40 Officer training in the military 09:05 Good at management 10:19 Changing career paths regularly 10:36 Switching to Standard Life 11:21 Standard life 12:05 2009 Financial crisis - lost job 12:14 Landing at Manulife 12:36 Should you take a step down in your career? 13:01 Building a biz plan for private wealth at Manulife 13:44 Manulife tapped him to run his business plan 14:54 Advice for people who are ambitious with their careers 15:08 Don't wait for opportunity, come up with ways of creating value 15:36 Congrats, you have employment now figure out your job 16:50 How the Pandemic transformed his life 17:53 cert in organizational coaching 20:59 Why he made the leap to Humance 22:38 Long-term thinking 22:45 Doing is big "act" before it was too late 24:16 Advice: A career does not have to be linear 25:13 Not having a rigid mind 25:36 The final act: Humance 27:05 His Biz plan for expanding Humance outside the Quebec market 28:48 How Bernard reached out to Bart 31:17 Mutual benefit in Judo 33:41 Thank yous and wrap up 34:02 Outro
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    35 min
  • S7 E14: Developing Foundational Leadership with Robert Buckingham

    S7 E14: Developing Foundational Leadership with Robert Buckingham
    Oct 1 2025
    What does it really take to build great leaders? In this episode of the Inspire Podcast, Bart Egnal sits down with Rob Buckingham, Executive VP at Quest Window Systems Inc and retired Canadian Forces Captain, to unpack how leadership is intentionally developed in both the military and business. Rob shares powerful lessons from his time in uniform when he was first exposed to foundational leadership and how the Canadian Forces empowers junior leaders to step up from day one. He explains how that experience taught him the value of feedback, the importance of resilience under pressure, and why empowering people early creates lasting strength in any organization. He then reveals how those same principles shaped his corporate career and what he learned as a management consultant and, more recently, in his current role as Executive VP of a global manufacturing company. He closes by sharing perspectives from his work with Treble Victor, an organization that matches veterans with civilian organizations, and shows why companies that tap into military leadership talent gain a powerful edge. If you’ve ever wondered what foundational leadership looks like in practice and how you can cultivate it in your own organization, this conversation is for you. Show Notes 00:15 Show intro 00:52 Introducing Robert Buckingham 03:12 What is foundational leadership and why is it important? 03:18 Fostering a leadership culture 03:42 Empower junior leaders 04:07 What orgs get right and wrong about leadership development 04:53 Military officers have responsibility right away 06:12 Give junior leaders tools to lead early on 07:00 Why did you enlist in the army 09:42 What is Mission-command 10:28 Military gets planning and execution of tasks 12:57 Forecast Plan Control Review 13:29 Resilience 13:33 Key values: loyalty, integrity, mission first 13:49 Can you teach these leadership traits or are they innate? 15:09 High fallout rate in the military 18:35 Continuous training 19:41 Instantaneous coaching feedback 20:06 Growing a culture of feedback 20:18 What's the toughest feedback you got in your career? 21:19 Like sports team culture 21:35 The worst thing is complacency 24:04 One of my proudest achievements in the military 24:43 Transitioning from military to the corporate world, was it a shock? 25:59 Translating to civilian speak 28:01 What maps and what doesn't? 29:11 Put things in place, succeeded! 30:47 Span of control 32:35 Corporate environment never plan 33:29 50 50 leadership vs tasks 34:00 Joined Quest 35:01 Set your team up with a structure where information flows up and down 36:15 How to know how an org is doing with leadership? 36:49 Does the front line mission line up with the org's mission? 38:18 The Back Brief 39:55 Treble Victor 45:38 Thank yous 46:00 Outro
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    47 min
  • S7 E13: How Communication Shapes Success at Every Level with Janet Drysdale

    S7 E13: How Communication Shapes Success at Every Level with Janet Drysdale
    Sep 16 2025
    In this episode, Bart sits down with Janet Drysdale, Interim Chief Commercial Officer at CN, to explore her career journey through progressively senior roles and how communication has been the key differentiator at every level. Janet reflects on the different skills required at each step of a career, and how even today, in a new senior role, it’s critical that she continues to hone her ability to influence, listen, and inspire. She shares how the demands of communication shift as your career grows. Early in your career, you need the courage to share your opinion, as you advance, you need to learn to say “no” quickly and decisively. At more senior levels, it becomes essential to translate complexity into clarity, become an exceptional listener, and empower others to speak up and share their voice. Whether you’re just starting out or leading at the highest level, this conversation weaves together Janet's insights and experiences to reveal the communication skills that matter most and how they can fuel your success. Show Notes: 00:12 Show intro 00:47 Introducing Janet 02:14 Why communication has been important for Janet's career 03:11 Communication is the single most important skill 03:54 Communication in the early years of Janet's career 05:01 Early career very FACT-focused 05:23 But what do you think about the facts 06:39 Was there a moment when she had to step up and lead 06:49 Nobody could argue with facts but suggesting solutions was scary 07:57 The beginning of real conversation is when you put yourself out there and get feedback 08:51 Investor relations role 10:59 Communication helps build relationships 12:54 Influencing the C-suite level 13:03 The way you communicate matters 13:48 Tailoring communication to the room 14:41 Bart recalls a time when they worked together 16:51 Sometimes you need the facts not the story from people 19:31 Understanding the why and how they're telling the story 20:16 Helping others find their communication styles 21:22 Bart asks her for a story of helping a team member 22:44 People in the room who want to talk but are too shy 23:56 Reinforce the behavior 24:18 The importance of listening 26:42 The finance team also needs to learn to communicate 27:33 It doesn't matter what your role is communication is key 27:56 The downside of a "maybe" 28:24 If you're going to have to say "no" don't string it out with "maybe" 29:48 Communication is also to build trust and respect 30:24 What skills is Janet still working on 31:27 Thank Yous 31:58 Show outro
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    33 min
  • S7 E12: How to Create Real Buy-In with Your Employees with Dave Garrison

    S7 E12: How to Create Real Buy-In with Your Employees with Dave Garrison
    Sep 2 2025
    In this episode, Bart speaks with Dave Garrison, Founder and Chief Navigating Officer of Garrison Growth, about his new book The Buy-In Advantage. They explore why employee engagement is at a decade low, the forces driving disengagement, and why it’s critical for leaders to overcome these challenges to build a fully committed workforce. Dave shares practical, no-cost strategies leaders can use to foster authentic buy-in—shifting from “telling” to “asking,” recognizing employees as human beings (not just human doings), and connecting people’s work to purpose and growth. A timely and valuable conversation for leaders at all levels, offering concrete tools to inspire and engage teams in an era when it matters more than ever. Get your copy of The Buy-In Advantage here: https://buyinbook.com/ 00:37 Show intro 01:14 Welcoming Dave Garrison 01:51 What is a Chief Navigating Officer? 03:14 Dave's career background 04:27 The story of seeing a shaman 05:54 Removing artificial constraints 06:48 Walking out of the corporate world into CNO 07:22 What it was like to leave the job he had 07:53 The business was funded on credit card debt 08:18 How the venture has evolved in the last 10 years 09:27 About his new book 10:59 Creating engagement 11:06 Game-changing orgs always have 3 elements 11:38 How do leaders build an environment for engagement? 12:52 What is the buy-in crisis? And where does it come from? 13:49 Gen Z values – money less important, impact with like-minded people 14:59 What's driving the buy-in crisis 16:17 Two-thirds don’t care about the company 16:32 The costs of lack of engagement 16:53 Churn is a waste of time and resources 17:49 Are companies just grinning and bearing it with turnover? 19:01 How do great leaders foster buy-in 19:27 Give up on the bully or bribe approach 20:15 Why can’t people be as enthusiastic about jobs as they are about sports? 20:50 The way the boss sees things is only one way 21:02 Collective genius 21:22 Human beings, not human doings 22:10 Sense of purpose 22:34 Challenges and opportunities to learn and grow 22:57 Bart summarizes main points so far 23:35 Warning signs that buy-in is not occurring 26:21 What lets you know this is a great idea? 26:48 Don’t share your idea — share the problem 27:36 Example of Jeff Edison’s leadership 30:16 Ask questions instead of providing answers 32:08 Example of older leaders stuck in ‘answer mode’ 34:05 Teachers with right answers 34:52 Where are we with workforce engagement? 35:21 We’re at a decade-low in engagement 36:23 Where to find The Buy-In Advantage 37:15 Thank Yous 37:28 Outro
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    39 min
  • S7 E11: Build Your Presence with Intention: Lessons from a Theatre Professor with Noah Drew

    S7 E11: Build Your Presence with Intention: Lessons from a Theatre Professor with Noah Drew
    Aug 19 2025
    In this episode, Bart speaks with longtime THG consultant and Professor of Voice, Acting, and Performance Research at Concordia University, Noah Drew, about the deep connection between presence, performance, and leadership. Noah shares how his journey through theatre and voice work shaped his understanding of what presence really means, and why it matters for both actors and leaders. Bridging his work in theatre and leadership development, Noah introduces the Presence Triangle. He breaks down the three points of the triangle: the inner experience of the speaker, the outer awareness of the audience, and the material at hand, and explains why great communicators stay attuned to all three. Along the way, he offers practical ways to assess your own presence, strengthen it, and show up more fully and authentically in the moments that matter. Whether you're preparing for a high-stakes presentation or simply want to be more intentional in everyday interactions, this conversation will help you lead with greater clarity, connection, and presence. For those who want to explore the ideas Noah mentions in more depth, you can read writings from the Fitzmaurice Institute here: https://www.fitzmauriceinstitute.org/writings 00:32 Show Intro 01:12 Introducing Noah Drew 02:26 Why should people in the government and corps care about theatre training? 02:44 Theatre is an artform that is about commanding people's attention 03:47 What theatre experiences stood out to you? 03:59 Joining a youth theatre company 05:30 Did you know that you wanted to pursue theatre? 06:57 Professional clowning? 07:51 Bart asks: what is "presence"? 08:21 Presence has 2 sides 09:10 Defining presence 10:03 What does it mean to inspire others? 10:24 That's what great leaders do 12:25 Stagecraft makes people want to pay attention 14:26 How do actors learn to develop presence? The Presence Triangle 17:34 Continuous electric dance of attention 21:02 "What you resist, persists" 21:34 Bart brings it back to the realities of leaders and managers 22:45 If you're not in the habit, the pressure will make it even harder 25:11 The pressure that comes from the attention of others 25:28 Advice to people to be ready when the attention is on them 26:12 Bart gets an assessment and coaching! 28:34 How can people self-assess their Presence Triangle? 30:58 How to develop your weakest point of the Presence Triangle 31:21 How to develop inner awareness 33:44 Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone 35:51 Early childhood experiences often shape these challenges 36:34 Belief in the material 37:21 The time spent to shape your material is worth it 38:32 Bart shares his experiences as a speechwriter 40:24 It's a "practice" of presence 42:11 How can people follow up on these ideas? 42:28 Fitzmaurice Institute 42:54 Saul Kotzubei 43:29 Thank Yous 43:50 Show Outro
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    45 min
  • S7 E10: From Darkness to Leadership: An Entrepreneur's Lessons with Phil Neil

    S7 E10: From Darkness to Leadership: An Entrepreneur's Lessons with Phil Neil
    Aug 5 2025
    In this episode, Bart speaks with entrepreneur Phil Neil, who shares his extraordinary story of building his company from $200K in revenue to $70 million and the gauntlet of challenges he faced along the way. Phil opens up about the painful realities behind the headlines: a $5M scam during the pandemic, a devastating warehouse fire, and the collapse of major contracts. He reflects on what he calls the “Shadow of Entrepreneurship™”, feelings of uncertainty, fear and unworthiness that trigger emotional reactivity, and undermine decision quality. It’s a shadow that affects not only entrepreneurs but leaders at every level. Phil discusses how this struggle can impact mental health and derail even the most promising careers and shares why every entrepreneur and leader needs to be equipped to face it. He also introduces the solution he's termed the Courage Compass™. A framework he’s developed to help leaders better understand themselves, their decision-making patterns, manage uncertainty, and navigate through the shadow to thrive. Visit Phil's website to learn more: http://philneil.com/ Check out his company, The Courage Compass: http://courage-compass.com/ And connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippe-neil/ Show Notes: 00:30 Introducing Phil 01:03 Hero journey of self-discovery 02:17 The failure crossroad 04:21 From masks to natural gloves 06:19 The painful experiences towards success 07:58 Scam/conflict 08:50 Founder conflict emerged 09:57 Story 11:12 Victim of organized crime 12:17 The fire 13:34 The awakening 15:22 Launched a company to change culture of entrepreneurship 16:17 The Courage Compass Company 16:43 98% of founders fail on their first biz 17:20 Mental health issues are high in founders 17:37 Bart talks about his experiences with starting businesses 18:35 How to know if your self-management is not optimal 20:09 Uncertainty 21:12 Bart talks about the increasing uncertainty of the market 22:08 The Courage Compass 23:34 Shifting from hope to courage 23:57 Connecting to intuition 24:42 The problem with data thinking 26:25 Courage comfort zone 28:07 How can people find out more and connect with Phil 33:09 Thank yous 35:25 Outro
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    38 min
  • S7 E9: How to Become a People-Centric Leader with Vanessa Bragg

    S7 E9: How to Become a People-Centric Leader with Vanessa Bragg
    Jul 22 2025
    In this episode of The Inspire Podcast, Bart welcomes Vanessa Bragg, Leadership Coach and consultant at The Humphrey Group to talk about why and how you should be a people centric leader. Vanessa shares the story of her own career transformation and the profound impact that people-focused leadership has had on her growth. She unpacks what it means to be a people-centric leader, why this mindset is more essential than ever, and how you can begin to model this approach in your own leadership. From shifting your style from telling to coaching, to showing up with authentic presence and using language that draws out the best in others, Vanessa offers both heartfelt insights and practical strategies. Her stories, examples, and actionable tools will inspire you to connect more deeply with your team, foster meaningful engagement, and drive results through human-centered leadership. Show Notes 00:25 Show intro 00:59 Introducing Vanessa Bragg 01:14 Bart runs through Vanessa's background 01:55 Introducing people-centric leadership 02:36 How Vanessa started her career 03:58 Most rapid growth with that leader 04:58 She wasn't a problem solver, she always asked me what I recommended 05:45 How did that people-centricity shape your own philosophy? 06:39 She never was the answer person 08:17 What are the challenges with people-centred approach 09:52 Even though I'm a coach I have my eye on strategy 10:33 Top-down vs people-centric leadership differences 11:00 Leaders who are lower in self-awareness are harder to shift 12:45 How much does the org affect the culture? 13:04 It has to come from the top 13:36 Buy-in from execs freed up the other leaders 14:24 In all the orgs I worked in the CSuite makes a huge difference to culture 15:27 How can leaders be present? 16:55 Connection before content 18:19 Use the language of leadership 21:06 Example of a leader who was using the wrong language 22:17 She wasn't an unkind person 23:21 Raise that self-awareness 23:39 Intent and impact 24:13 Being people-focused does not mean losing track of business goals 24:42 What does it mean to "Communicate like a Coach"? 30:09 Where can people find out more? 30:47 Outro
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    32 min
  • S7 E8: What it Takes to Build an Exceptional Executive Team with Denis Ricard

    S7 E8: What it Takes to Build an Exceptional Executive Team with Denis Ricard
    Jul 8 2025
    In this episode of The Inspire Podcast, Bart speaks with Denis Ricard, CEO of iA Financial Group, about what it takes to cultivate a strong, cohesive executive team. Denis shares insights from his remarkable career journey within iA, from his early roles to the C-suite, and the leadership lessons that shaped his approach to building high-performing senior teams. He reflects on the guidance he offers to his senior leadership team, the importance of alignment at the executive level, and the culture he has intentionally fostered at iA. Through practical examples and candid reflection, Denis offers a clear perspective on the leadership principles that support long-term organizational success. Whether you're a CEO, team lead, or aspiring leader, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways on team cohesion, leadership development, and organizational culture. A must-listen for anyone looking to elevate their leadership impact. Show Notes: 00:13 Show intro 00:49 Introducing Denis 02:08 What do you look for in senior leaders? 02:35 Surround yourself with A+ players 03:24 Denis' career path 05:03 Key moment when he decided his big goal 05:24 What changed his goal? 06:16 Switch to marketing to learn the business better 06:37 The next move would be on purpose! 07:00 The CEO asked him, ever thought about taking my job? 07:48 When I became CEO, I was ready 08:38 Depth in executives 09:35 It's not about being an expert, but having a breadth of knowledge 10:15 Story about moving an exec out of their comfort zone 11:11 The best way to grow 12:19 We could leave people where they are. But it would not build capacity 13:40 Taught at Uni to become a better communicator 16:11 Simplifying the message 17:13 Figure out what you love and go for it 18:40 Essential leadership communication qualities 18:49 Let's make the problems visible 18:57 Energy into building trust 19:29 How do you build trust? 19:56 Recognize and thank an executive when they bring a problem 21:04 How to approach giving feedback 21:48 Example of feedback that he got 23:59 It's all about the greater good 25:34 If you work for the organization, you'll get noticed 26:08 An example of an executive hire that didn't fit the culture 28:12 Advice on cultivating a culture 28:54 Team building 29:48 Start with a group of like-minded people 31:03 How do you communicate principles to a large company 31:10 Be accessible 31:23 Virtual culture challenge 33:39 Leading by example 33:59 What's next for your team? 34:25 Foster a growth mindset 35:35 Thank yous
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    37 min