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PODCAST

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, & Performance Improvement for Aerospace & Technology Managers

Matt Gjertsen - Better Every Day Studios

Welcome to the Leadership Launchpad where we help technical managers improve themselves, their teams, and their organizations. Over the course of 20 years working in aerospace and technology, I have gotten to work with some of the smartest people on the planet and I have witnessed first hand how many of them struggle making that first jump to people leadership. On this show I talk with industry leaders, coaches, and authors to help give you actionable leadership insights to help improve your own

business management

All Episodes

32:13

How AI Is Transforming Leadership Roles with Elena...

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/09/09

In this episode, Elena Agaragimova, co-founder and CEO of Shiftwell, joins to discuss the role of AI in modern management and leadership. Drawing on her experience in talent development and performance, Elena explains how AI tools can help both individual employees and managers. She highlights how AI can support employees in taking ownership of their performance and well-being, while also freeing managers from some administrative tasks so they can focus on more strategic responsibilities. The

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39:00

Elevating Team Performance with Coaching with Ian Maron

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/09/02

In this episode of Leadership Launchpad, Ian Maron, VP of People and Talent at Apex, joins the show to discuss the value of coaching in leadership, particularly in technical and engineering environments. Ian shares insights from his career journey—from teaching with Teach for America to leading HR and people teams at several companies, including startups in the aerospace industry. The conversation explores the key differences between management, mentorship, and coaching, highlighting the importance

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12:17

Breaking Down Barriers to Leadership Promotion

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/08/26

In this solo episode, Matt explores why talented engineers and technical experts often avoid management roles and what that means for organizational success. Drawing on recent conversations with HR professionals and experiences in various companies, the episode breaks down the root causes of this leadership gap—highlighting overly complicated management systems, excessive bureaucracy, and misaligned promotion criteria as key contributors. The discussion also covers the organizational costs of this

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30:11

Inclusive Communication for Stronger Teams with Emma...

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/08/19

In this episode, guest Emma Strong, Senior Learning Development Program Manager at Veritex Legal Solutions, shares her approach to designing a leadership development program for new managers and leaders. Emma explains how the program was tailored with different tracks for team leads, managers, and supervisors, taking into account whether participants were promoted internally or hired externally. The conversation covers the importance of addressing unique challenges like transitioning from peer to

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35:26

Transforming Company Culture for Growth with Garry Ridge

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/08/12

In this episode, Garry Ridge, former CEO of WD-40, shares insights from his journey transforming WD-40 into a globally recognized brand by prioritizing company culture over just product focus. He discusses the importance of building a culture where employees feel they belong, know they matter, and are empowered to make decisions without fear. Garry outlines key steps leaders can take to foster engagement, psychological safety, and learning within their teams. Drawing from his experiences and his

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38:11

Mastering Leadership Through Rapid Change with Matt...

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/08/05

In this episode, Matt Mueller, a SpaceX veteran and co-founder of Glīd, shares his experiences and lessons learned from leading technical teams in high-stakes environments. He talks about his early days managing a team of experienced technicians at Honeywell and transitioning to leading engineers at SpaceX. Matt discusses the challenges of balancing technical expertise with managerial responsibilities, the importance of understanding team context, and strategies for staying connected to the

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14:50

Breaking Down the True Cost of Disengaged Teams with...

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/07/29

In this episode of Leadership Launchpad, host Matt Gjertsen dives deep into one of the biggest issues facing organizations today: poor employee engagement and its staggering $1.9 trillion cost to the US economy each year. Drawing on years of experience—from serving as an Air Force instructor pilot to leading training and development at SpaceX, and now running his own consultancy—Matt unpacks the latest Gallup research on the true state of engagement in the workplace.Tune in as Matt breaks down why

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35:59

What It Takes to Lead a Start-Up with Justus Kilian

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/07/22

In this episode, host Matt Gjertsen and guest Justus Kilian dive deep into what truly makes leaders stand out—well beyond what any MBA program can teach. Justus, a partner at Space Capital and an expert in evaluating startup founders, shares the six core leadership skills he looks for when betting on new companies. Together, they break down essential leadership traits like unreasonable persistence, adaptability, cross-functional experience, first principles thinking, adaptive “heat” management, and

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32:24

Empowering Frontline Workers through Better Leadership

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/07/15

In this episode of Leadership Launchpad, host Matt Gjertsen sits down with JD Dillon, Chief Learning Architect at Axonify and renowned author, for an in-depth conversation about one of the most overlooked yet critical segments of the workforce: frontline employees. Drawing on years of experience and his soon-to-be-released book, JD breaks down what truly defines frontline workers, why supporting them is so uniquely challenging—especially in manufacturing and technical environments—and how

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31:45

Relationship-Driven Team Leadership with Jeff Guido

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/07/08

In this episode of Leadership Launchpad, Jeff Guido, Senior Director of New Missions at Planet Labs, shares his insights on effective leadership in technical organizations. Jeff discusses his experience transitioning from a technical individual contributor to a leader, highlighting the challenges and strategies involved in delegation and empowering teams. He emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships and trust within teams, both internally and across organizations, to enable

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40:12

Re-air: Driving Innovation From the Top and Bottom...

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/07/01

Do you want to foster a culture of innovation in your organization? In this episode of Leadership Launchpad, I speak with former Air Force leader John "Dragon" Teichert about his experience driving change and empowering teams at Edwards Air Force Base. We discuss practical strategies for encouraging idea sharing, aligning incentives, and relentlessly communicating priorities to overcome bureaucratic barriers. John shares insights from his upcoming book "Boom" on creating cultural transformation in

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13:06

How Personal Connection Drives Engagement and Retention

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/06/24

In this episode, Matt shares the single easiest—and most overlooked—technique any manager can use to start building trust and psychological safety within their team: icebreakers. Drawing on his leadership experience in the US Air Force and as the former head of training and development at SpaceX, Matt explains why personal connections are the driving force behind team engagement, retention, and high performance.Matt breaks down the science behind small talk and “phatic language,” showing how even

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26:38

The Power of Reflection for Modern Leaders with Kevin...

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/06/17

In this episode, leadership expert Kevin Eikenberry joins the show to discuss the challenges and nuances of leadership development. He shares his perspective on the limitations of leadership style models and personality tests, emphasizing that while they can provide insight, they often oversimplify complex human behaviors and risk becoming limiting identities rather than useful tools. Kevin highlights the importance of leaders taking time for self-improvement, encouraging practices like reflection,

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28:44

Building Feedback Loops for Team Success with Col....

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/06/10

In this episode, guest Colonel Kris Saling, Director of Innovation for Manpower and Reserve Affairs in the U.S. Army, shares insights on the evolving landscape of talent management. The discussion covers how traditional talent processes—rooted in the industrial era—are being transformed by rapid technological changes, the importance of feedback loops, and the need for ongoing development for employees. Colonel Saling explains how the Army is using data and people analytics to empower lower-level

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33:36

Unlocking Team Engagement Through Trust with Dr. Lola...

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/06/03

In this episode, Dr. Lola Gershfeld and Polina Marian from EMC Leaders discuss the impact of relationships and emotional connection within teams and organizations. Drawing on their experience working with technical and creative teams, they highlight how unresolved conflicts and a lack of emotional awareness can lead to disengagement, decreased productivity, and high turnover. The guests introduce their structured approach to building trust, increasing self-awareness, and repairing broken

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14:21

Mastering Delegation for New Leaders

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/05/27

In this solo episode, Matt explores the common challenges managers face with delegation. Drawing from personal experience and insights from leaders at all levels, the episode examines why new managers often struggle to delegate tasks and the impact this has on teams and individual performance. Matt shares practical steps for improving delegation skills, including starting small, being clear about desired outcomes, and establishing appropriate check-in routines. The episode also provides examples and

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40:07

Unlocking Creativity in High Performing Teams with...

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/05/20

In this episode, Kassi Kincaid, a speaker, trainer, and expert in creative leadership, joins the show to discuss the importance of creativity in leadership and team performance. She shares her five-step framework for fostering creativity within teams: generating ideas, pursuing them, overcoming disappointment, taking time to rest, and remembering how far you've come. The conversation highlights practical strategies for managers to encourage creative thinking, support team members through setbacks,

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40:21

Building a Culture of Curiosity with Andrew Barry

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/05/13

In this episode of Leadership Launchpad, guest Andrew Barry, founder and CEO of Curious Lion, joins the discussion to explore the role of creativity in solving complex and open-ended problems. Andrew shares practical insights on what creativity truly means, drawing from research and his own experience, and highlights the importance of curiosity in the workplace. The conversation covers how organizational culture can both hinder and support curiosity, and offers actionable strategies for managers to

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35:09

The Power of Listening in Leadership with Sajid Mohamedy

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/05/06

In this episode, Sajid Mohamedy, co-founder of ExoFarm and Executive Vice President at Nisum, shares his insights on leadership in rapidly scaling organizations. He discusses the challenges of maintaining authentic communication and building trust as companies grow, drawing on his experiences leading teams across different continents and industries. Sajid also talks about ExoFarm’s mission to accelerate crop and pharmaceutical research using AI and automation, with applications on Earth and in

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13:48

Goal Setting Strategies for Stronger Teams

Leadership Launchpad – Team Development, &... ·

2025/04/29

In this episode, Matt focuses on effective goal setting for managers and their teams. He addresses common areas of confusion, including the difference between milestone goals and daily activity goals, the role of personal goals within organizations, and the importance of considering interdependencies when creating goals. Listeners will hear practical advice on balancing different types of goals, aligning personal development with company objectives, and ensuring individuals are set up for success

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164 results

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