Strengthening Your Competencies in Leading Others The Cortex Strengthening Your Competencies in Leading Others is designed to help you assess your leadership skills, identify key areas for growth, and develop an actionable plan for improvement. You will engage in a self-assessment, pinpoint your two lowest-scoring competencies, and set SMART goals to enhance your leadership effectiveness. This will empower you to build stronger teams, improve communication, and drive performance. By the end, you will have a clear roadmap for growth and a commitment to continuous leadership development. Step 1: Take the Manager Skillset Assessment Assessment Bring your results to your upcoming coaching session Step 2: Read the accompanying Article : Article

EPIC Library Building Trust with Intention EPIC PA Phase 5 Designed Exclusively for Your EPIC Cohort by Lynda McNutt Foster This resource was created to address the Ask the Expert questions you submitted before the session. Explore the Podcast: Find Building Trust Through Conversational Intelligence podcast episode below, where we answer your questions and delve into the key themes you wanted to discuss. Your Personalized Guide: We’ve also crafted a companion document, Building Trust: A Conversational Intelligence Approach , to provide additional insights and practical support to enhance your podcast experience. Take a moment to explore these tools and strengthen your skills in building trust and fostering meaningful conversations! Explore the Podcast: CIQ Document Phase 5 eBook

Meet Your Coach Richard Hammer Senior IT Consultant Are your technology projects missing deadlines? Is your IT team having challenges communicating with other departments? Richard has over 30 years of experience in consulting, management of technology teams, data analytics, and as an enterprise architect. From directing $400K to $3M initiatives to managing over $20M in VC/equity funding, Richard understands how to achieve success and what to do when you have it. One of his greatest successes was the transition he made from advertising and marketing to a new project that resulted in moving the needle on children’s’ education throughout our country. Richard’s work building Interactive Achievement allowed him to make a powerful impact and one he expects will continue with the PowerSchool organization, who recently acquired Interactive Achievement. With experience as an enterprise architect with organizations like NASA, AOL, Discovery Channel, and Freddie Mac, Richard led teams that consistently delivered the right innovation at the right time. Richard has a talent of transforming low performing IT teams with his ability to synergize the worlds of technology, business, and people. Richard is an expert in SQL and other business analytic tools that allow him to find holes in data that others can’t and presents them to clients in a language they can understand. Combining this with his “big picture” understanding of success, it is not surprising that Richard is highly regarded as a community technology leader. In Jonathan Hagmaier’s book, Aha to All In, about the rise of Interactive Achievement, he describes the period when Richard entered the organization as the beginning of the “Golden Era”. Working with Cortex, Richard will be able to help you usher in your own golden era of growth. Contact Let's connect.

From Reactivity to Resilience Unlocking Your Leadership Potential You already know that great leadership isn't about reacting - it's about responding with clarity and confidence. But how often do you find yourself caught in stress, frustration, or self-doubt? This session will help you recognize when you're triggered, understand your DISC-driven stress responses, and apply proven techniques to shift from reactive to resilient. Step One - Self-Assessment: Take the Cortex Resilient Leader Index: Measuring Your Response Agility Assessment Assessment Step Two - Read the Scorecard: Empowered Response Scorecard: Recognizing and Elevating Your Mindset to better understand your score Scorecard Step Three - Read the Article: Read how your DISC style influences reactivity and resilience Article Step Four - Prep-Podcast: Listen to a short episode on reactivity vs. intentional leadership

Meet Your Coach Kimberly Kolb Eakin Kimberly Kolb Eakin is a seasoned leadership consultant and founding leader at Cortex Leadership Consulting, with over 12 years of experience guiding organizations in leadership development, strategic growth, and organizational effectiveness. A retired U.S. Army Sergeant First Class and Competitive Marksmanship Athlete, Kimberly draws on her military background in marksmanship, tactical operations, and leadership training to help clients cultivate strong, cohesive teams. Kimberly’s expertise includes leading weekly mindfulness sessions with Social Noting Mindfulness and facilitating civil discourse and depolarization discussions with Braver Angels. Through a blend of DISC assessments, mindfulness techniques, and tailored consulting practices, Kimberly equips organizations to navigate complex challenges, build trust, and foster collaborative cultures. She was instrumental in the creation and direction of The Gauntlet, Virginia’s largest business program and competition, showcasing her commitment to supporting small businesses and innovation. At Cortex Leadership Consulting, Kimberly helps organizations strengthen their teams, create effective strategies, and build cultures of trust. Whether guiding emerging entrepreneurs through The Gauntlet, supporting leaders through DISC assessments, or facilitating mindfulness practices, she is passionate about helping others grow and thrive. Contact Let's connect. kimberly@cortexleadership.com

Intentional Communication with DISC Cortex DISC Training is an interactive workshop designed to equip leaders with a deeper understanding of their strengths, challenges, and communication styles. Using personalized DISC reports, this session will explore behavioral preferences—both yours and those of others—while providing actionable strategies to enhance leadership effectiveness and team dynamics. Step One: Watch "What Is The DISC and Motivators Assessment, and Why Am I Taking It?" Step Two: Take Your DISC and Driving Forces Assessment. You'll get your results immediately after taking the assessment. PRINT & BRING TO CLASS. DISC Assessment Step Three: Review Your DISC Guide DISC Guide Step Four: Take the Cortex Team Strengths (VIPE) Assessment VIPE Assessment

Meet Your Coach Kim Levings Kim Levings is an experienced leadership development professional with over 35 years of expertise in people and leadership development. With career experience in both corporate and nonprofit sectors in the USA and South Africa, Kim provides training facilitation, leadership development, and coaching services. She has held executive leadership roles in Human Resources, Manpower Development, Training, and Operations and has partnered with leadership teams and consulting firms to help scale development teams and programs. As a Master Trainer and certified partner in Everything DiSC® and 5 Behaviors® of Effective Teams, Kim equips individuals to bring their best selves to life, building healthier teams and cultures. Offering services globally and remotely, Kim spends part of each year in South Africa, continuing her work with leaders and teams around the world. Originally from South Africa, Kim has always been passionate about helping individuals and teams reach their full potential. Through her years of leadership in Human Resources and Operations, she saw firsthand the challenges leaders face. These experiences inspired her to focus on leadership development, training, and coaching to create lasting impact. With a candid, transparent approach, Kim aims to connect with people in meaningful ways, building trust quickly. Whether working with organizations like River Ranch Foods, Nex-gen Pharma, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, or facilitating programs like Thinking into Results and Serving Leadership, her goal remains the same: to support leaders and teams in creating healthier, more effective workplaces. As a “nomad,” Kim splits her time between the USA and South Africa, providing leadership development services to clients across the globe. Contact Let's connect.

The Overload Illusion Why Doing More Is Making You Less Effective The Productivity Myth That's Holding Leaders Back Being BUSY is not the same as being PRODUCTIVE. Yet, Many leaders confuse motion with progress. Here's how you know you're trapped in the Overload Illusion: You say "yes" to every request-spreading yourself too thin. You calendar is full-but your actual progress is low. You spend more time managing tasks than driving results. The best leaders master their time by: Eliminating low-value work that doesn't contribute to their core goals. Delegating strategically-focusing on high-impact priorities. Using AI & automation to streamline repetitive work. Want to work smarter? Watch this 1-minute video on escaping The Overload Illusion.

Meet Your Coach Lynda McNutt Foster Named a Business Icon by Valley Business Front magazine, Lynda McNutt Foster, is a recognized leader in executive coaching and organizational transformation, specializing in guiding leaders and their teams through successful digital transformations. As the CEO of Cortex Leadership Consulting, Lynda combines years of research, training, and over 6,000 coaching sessions that provide leaders with practical strategies and tools for achieving impactful results. Lynda's strategic expertise and that of her expert team, extends beyond coaching, as she actively facilitates leaders in their digital transformation journeys through proven change management, talent acquisition, and training techniques. Her approach has been instrumental in transforming outcomes for numerous clients, ensuring that their organizations are equipped to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape. In addition to her role at Cortex, Lynda has contributed to Forbes and served as an expert commentator on WFXR's Coffee with a Coach series for more than four years. She has written over 400 articles, blending her own insights with the latest research in building culture, conversational and relationship intelligence, time mastery, team alignment, peak performance, engagement, and conflict resolution. Lynda is a certified coach in Emotional and Conversational Intelligence® and a Certified Trainer for The 3 Vital Questions®. She is an expert in integrating the sciences of DISC, Motivators (Driving Forces), and Cortex Team Strength assessments, providing predictive people analytics essential for organizational growth and role alignment. As the co-founder of goMonti, a technology company dedicated to personalized coaching and team engagement, she continues to push the boundaries of leadership development. Her work is further highlighted by her co-authorship of the whitepaper A Leader’s Guide to More Fresh, High Quality Ideas from Their Teams, published by the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council. She is also the author of 4 Keys to More Effective Leadership and Time Mastery: 7 Simple Steps to Richer Outcomes, and the creator of the EPIC program for high performers, Leading a Winning Team, and Coaching for Peak Performance. Originally from Miami, FL, Lynda now calls Roanoke, VA home, where she balances her professional life with being a mother to an empowered daughter and wife to an incredibly supportive husband. She enjoys weekend gardening, day hiking, and bird watching. Lynda’s unique blend of strategic acumen and practical experience makes her an invaluable resource for leaders looking to drive successful digital transformations. Her insights into change management, talent acquisition, and leadership coaching have consistently delivered measurable results, making her a must-listen speaker at conferences. Contact I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect. lynda@cortexleadership.com

The Drama Distraction Are You Leading or Getting Lost in Office Politics? Drama Is a Leadership Distraction You Can't Afford The best leaders don't manage gossip-they eliminate it. If your day is filled with: Office politics that take priority over real work Passive-aggressive team conflicts Constant damage control ...then drama is draining your leadership energy. Here's how to stop the cycle: Set a zero-tolerance policy for unproductive conflicts. Train your team to communicate openly & address issues directly. Refocus energy on performance, not politics. Want to take back control? Watch this 1-minute leadership insight.

Mastering AI Collaboration AI Guide Book: A comprehensive playbook designed to help leaders develop Conversational Intelligence for collaborating effectively with AI. Including frameworks, real-world prompt evolution examples, and step-by-step instructions for transforming basic AI prompts into strategic, emotionally intelligent dialogues. Guide Book SuperHuman AI Newsletter: Get the latest AI news, learn must-know AI tools, and keep up with tech news in just 3 minutes a day. Join 1 million+ readers growing their skillsets with this newsletter. SuperHuman AI Newsletter Corcast Episode: Your personal guide to Conversational Intelligence with AI

The Meeting Trap Meetings Should Drive Results - Not Waste Time How many meetings did you attend last week? Now, how many of those meetings actually drove progress? Meetings should be a tool for execution—not a placeholder for indecision. Yet, many leaders fall into the trap of: Default meetings —recurring calls that no one questions No clear agenda —conversations go in circles No decision-making —forcing another follow-up meeting Here’s how to make meetings work for you: Audit your recurring meetings. Cancel any that don’t serve a clear purpose. Use AI-driven meeting summaries instead of spending hours on debriefs. End every meeting with an action step. If there’s no decision, the meeting failed. Want to reclaim your time? Watch this 1-minute leadership insight on fixing bad meetings.