In this episode of The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn, Leah Brown—global legal leader, award-winning executive, and strategic advisor—reveals why conflict is the proving ground for influence, innovation, and integrity.

In a world where leaders are pressured to keep the peace, Leah Brown argues the opposite—conflict isn't the enemy; it's the ignition point of true leadership.

According to Harvard Business Review, 57% of employees avoid conflict, even when it costs the organization time, trust, and millions in rework. But courage isn't just a character trait—it's a competitive advantage. And leaders who master courageous conflict outperform the ones who avoid it.

"It's so important to sort relationships with people before you're in a difficult situation because you need to know who you can trust before you get there."

Show Notes

• Go to the Ultra Influential website for show notes.

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If this episode challenged you, inspired you, or gave language to something you've been carrying, share it with a leader who needs it.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

For consulting inquiries, speaking engagements, or to bring Dr. Payne into your organization email leadership@smpistrategies.com.

In this episode of The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn, founder coach Andrew Poles reveals what truly separates high-performing leaders from those who burn out trying to do it all. Having coached over 10,000 entrepreneurs, Andrew breaks down the mindset shift every founder must make to scale sustainably, the hidden traps in transitioning from operator to CEO, and why great leaders master storytelling as a strategic tool of influence.

He also shares how endurance training in ultramarathon mountain biking has shaped his philosophy on mental resilience, leadership pressure, and performance at the edge.

"The business will only grow at the speed of your mindset." — Andrew Poles

Show Notes

• Go to the Ultra Influential website for show notes.

• Download the Game Changer Leadership Collection

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Follow Dr. Sharalyn

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If this episode challenged how you think about change, share it with a leader who's building the next big thing.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

For consulting inquiries, speaking engagements, or to bring Dr. Payne into your organization email leadership@smpistrategies.com.

Every high-impact leader faces this tension: how do you drive disruption without destabilizing what already delivers results? In this episode of The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn, Dr. Sharalyn Payne unpacks the anatomy of a true game changer—those rare leaders who can build the future while honoring the foundation. You'll learn how to introduce bold innovation without burning out your people or breaking the systems that sustain performance. This is disruption by design, not destruction.

What you'll take away from this episode:

• Not all change is progress. Game changers discern before they disrupt.
• Protect the pillars. Don't break systems that sustain performance.
• Sustainable innovation balances risk with rhythm.
• Real influence is measured by stability during change, not just speed.
• Disruption done right builds legacy.

Show Notes

• Go to the Ultra Influential website for show notes.

• Download the Game Changer Leadership Collection

• Subscribe to the Ultra Influential Newsletter

Follow Dr. Sharalyn

• Connect on LinkedIn: Dr. Sharalyn

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If this episode challenged how you think about change, share it with a leader who's building the next big thing.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

For consulting inquiries, speaking engagements, or to bring Dr. Payne into your organization email leadership@smpistrategies.com.

In this episode of The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn, we unpack the secret to building resilience at scale. Dr. Sharalyn reveals how high-impact leaders design systems, rhythms, and cultures that sustain performance—no matter the pressure. You'll discover how to move beyond survival mode and lead teams that not only endure adversity but emerge stronger, sharper, and more unified on the other side.

What you'll take away from this episode:

• Resilience isn't individual—it's institutional. True resilience is a culture, not a personality trait.

• Pressure exposes what systems never supported. What breaks under stress reveals what wasn't built for scale.

• Recovery is a leadership strategy. The best teams win because they know how to restore, not just respond.

• Cohesion is your multiplier. Trust and communication amplify performance under stress.

• Leaders who normalize recovery create cultures that outperform through chaos.

Show Notes

• Go to the Ultra Influential website for show notes.

• Download the Game Changer Leadership Collection

• Subscribe to the Ultra Influential Newsletter

Follow Dr. Sharalyn

• Connect on LinkedIn: Dr. Sharalyn

• Connect on Instagram: Dr. Sharalyn

If this episode challenged you, share it with one leader you know who's navigating a season of pain. Because resilience multiplies when we don't walk through it alone.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

For consulting inquiries, speaking engagements, or to bring Dr. Payne into your organization email leadership@smpistrategies.com.

In this episode, Dr. Sharalyn Payne sits down with Michael Dillard—Global Speaker, Executive Coach, and Financial Literacy Advocate—to unpack how one man's unexpected journey from humble beginnings to global diplomacy became a masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and purpose-driven leadership.

Michael's story isn't just inspiring—it's instructional. From growing up on food stamps and grit to serving across six countries as a U.S. diplomat, Michael reveals how to recover from burnout, reclaim your energy, and lead with lasting impact.

If you've ever felt like your path was anything but linear, this episode will remind you that sometimes, the accidental path leads to your authentic calling.

Show Notes

• Go to the Ultra Influential website for show notes.

• Download the Game Changer Leadership Collection

• Subscribe to the Ultra Influential Newsletter

Follow Dr. Sharalyn

• Connect on LinkedIn: Dr. Sharalyn

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Follow Michael Dillard

• Connect with Michael Dillard

If this conversation moved you, don't just listen—lead.
Subscribe to The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn Podcast and join a global movement of game-changing leaders who lead with conviction, impact with intention, and transcend what's expected.Because influence isn't about titles—it's about transformation.

🎧 Subscribe. Share. Step into your next level of leadership.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

For consulting inquiries, speaking engagements, or to bring Dr. Payne into your organization email leadership@smpistrategies.com.

In this powerful episode of The Ultra Influential Podcast with Dr. Sharalyn Payne, we sit down with Larry O'Nan — a seasoned leader, consultant, and author whose career in nonprofit leadership and fund development has transformed organizations and lives around the world. Larry shares how "the freedom to fail" became a powerful catalyst for innovation, how understanding and applying stewardship principles can lead to transformation, and how intentional living and giving can turn fear and confusion into clarity and purpose. This episode is a masterclass in stewardship, leadership, and legacy-building from a man who's spent decades helping others live—and lead—with impact.

• Go to the Ultra Influential website for show notes.

• Download the Game Changer Leadership Collection

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Follow Dr. Sharalyn

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Follow Larry O'Nan

• Connect with Larry O'Nan

If this conversation inspired you to lead with more purpose, share this episode with another leader who's ready to elevate their influence.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

For consulting inquiries, speaking engagements, or to bring Dr. Payne into your organization email leadership@smpistrategies.com.

What if the very thing you've been hiding is the source of your greatest strength?

In this episode, Dr. Sharalyn Payne challenges one of leadership's most damaging myths — that strength means silence. She explores how leading while healing isn't a contradiction, it's a calling. When leaders embrace their humanity, they don't lose influence — they amplify it.

Drawing from research, real-world examples, and her own experience working with world-class executives, Dr. Payne reveals how vulnerability fuels trust, deepens connection, and transforms culture from the inside out.

This conversation will remind you that you don't have to be healed to lead — you just have to be honest while you do.

Show Notes

• Go to the Ultra Influential website for show notes.

• Download the Game Changer Leadership Collection

• Subscribe to the Ultra Influential Newsletter

Follow Dr. Sharalyn

• Connect on LinkedIn: Dr. Sharalyn

• Connect on Instagram: Dr. Sharalyn

If this episode resonated with you, share it with one leader you know who's navigating a season of pain. Because resilience multiplies when we don't walk through it alone.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

For consulting inquiries, speaking engagements, or to bring Dr. Payne into your organization email leadership@smpistrategies.com

In this powerful conversation, D. Logan shares his raw and inspiring journey—from growing up in the confines of a religious cult to navigating the battlefield of Iraq, and facing the darkest moments of suicidal ideation—twice. What could have broken him instead forged a relentless pursuit of purpose. Today, as a live television Director, he's not just living his dream but also unpacking the very strategies and mindset shifts that made his success possible.

What you'll take away from this episode:

• The hidden cost of survival and how D. Logan turned trauma into resilience.

• The mindset of reinvention—moving from despair to purpose.

• Keys to breakthrough success from military service to directing live TV.

• The power of storytelling in transforming pain into impact.

Show Notes

• Go to the Ultra Influential website for show notes.

• Download the Game Changer Leadership Collection

• Subscribe to the Ultra Influential Newsletter

Follow Dr. Sharalyn

• Connect on LinkedIn: Dr. Sharalyn

• Connect on Instagram: Dr. Sharalyn

Follow D. Logan

• Connect with D. Logan

If this episode challenged you, share it with one leader you know who's navigating a season of pain. Because resilience multiplies when we don't walk through it alone.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

For consulting inquiries, speaking engagements, or to bring Dr. Payne into your organization email leadership@smpistrategies.com.