Frame of Reference - Profiles in Leadership
"Frame of Reference - Profiles in Leadership" and "Frame of Reference - Coming together" are conversational style shows with local, national, and global experts about issues that affect all of us in some way. I’m, at heart, a “theatre person”. I was drawn to theatre in Junior High School and studied it long enough to get a Master of Fine Arts in Stage Direction. It’s the one thing that I’m REALLY passionate about it because as Shakespeare noted, “all the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players”. Think about the universality of that line for just a moment. Think about the types of “theatre” that play out around us every day in today’s world. The dramatic, the comedic, the absurd, the existential, the gorilla theatre (it’s a thing, look it up) that is pumped into our Smart Phones, TV’s, Radios, and PC’s every minute of every day.
Think about the tremendous forces that “play” upon us - trying to first discover, then channel, feed, nurture, and finally harvest our will power and biases in order to move forward the agendas of leaders we will likely never meet. Think of all these forces (behind the scenes of course) and how they use the basic tools of theatre to work their “magic” on the course of humanity. Emotionally charged content matched to carefully measured and controlled presentations.
With that in mind (and to hopefully counter the more insidious agendas), I bring you the Frame of Reference "Family" of podcasts, where the voices of our local and global leadership can share their passion for why and how they are leaders in their community and in many cases, the world. Real players with real roles in a world of real problems. No special effects, no hidden agenda, just the facts and anecdotes that make a leader.
And at the risk of sounding trite, I sincerely thank my wife Ann and my two children Elisabeth and Josiah for continually teaching me what leadership SHOULD look like.
Episodes
180 episodes
The Quantum Power Of Belief
As a sales professional, your numbers can look like a skill gap when the real problem is the story running in your head. I’m joined by Geoffrey Reid, whose career arc is almost unfair: public policy analyst, negotiation and conflict resolution ...
Tenacious
A goofy Star Trek warm-up turns into something unexpectedly human when Scott Scoble opens up about the moments that shaped him. Scott runs Moo TV, a live concert video production company trusted on major tours, and he’s also the author of Tenac...
From Washington Insider To Free Speech Advocate: Lisa Ekman On Deprogramming Politics
What happens when a dedicated Democratic warrior realizes her certainty was built on sand? We sit down with Lisa Ekman—former DC lobbyist, Senate staffer, and now author of Deprogramming Democrats—to unpack how a crisis of trust pushed her to q...
How A “Special Ops” Mindset Transforms Enterprise Tech
What if your software teams operated like a special operations unit—small, focused, and relentless about the mission? That’s the lens Ben Johnson brings to the table as a serial technical co‑founder and CEO of Particle 41, where he’s helped lau...
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Trust, Community, And A $25,000 Promise
A massive heart attack at 2 a.m., a choice to stay, and a vow to be useful—John Stewart Hill turned a brush with death into a movement that protects homeowners and celebrates great tradespeople. I sat down with John, founder and chief ambassado...
Canadian Snipers, Hard Choices, Honest War Stories
A rifle on a rooftop isn’t a movie moment—it’s a profound responsibility. We sit with retired Canadian Army sniper Barry Nisbet and author and former U.S. Army Ranger Mir Bahmanyar to unpack what snipers really do when deployed to places like B...
What If Hope Became A Habit In America
Outrage is easy. Unity is a choice—and a craft. I sat down with Adam Mizel, co-founder of Us United, to map out how everyday people can shift our culture from division to respect without waiting on politicians or viral headlines. Adam shares th...
No, Not The Wrestler: The Other Ian Freeman Who Saves Futures
What if the most important part of your financial plan isn’t your portfolio, but your people? We sit down with Ian Freeman—longtime wealth advisor known for leading with compassion—to explore why protection should come first, how listening outp...
Healing before evangelizing: a new path for the Church
What if the most faithful thing we can do is slow down, listen, and heal before we preach? That’s the challenge and invitation at the heart of our conversation with Cathy Lins, director of Gather My Lost Sheep, whose work equips parishes and di...
Real Voices, Paid Protest
What if paying protesters made movements more honest instead of less? We sit down with Adam Swart, CEO of Crowds on Demand, to unpack how compensated advocacy actually works, why protests are context builders rather than public headcounts, and ...
From Addiction to Success
What happens when you strip away ego and embrace humility as your guiding principle? David Price's extraordinary journey from twenty years of drug addiction to becoming a millionaire insurance entrepreneur provides a powerful answer.Dav...
Bombs, Distractions, and the Death of Diplomacy
When global tensions flare, it's often what's happening behind the scenes that matters most. In this thought-provoking episode, we dig into the complex relationship between domestic politics and international conflicts, focusing on the recent e...
Rule of Law: Our Last Line of Defense
"What's going on today in our world?" asks Rauel as he and Antowan dive deep into one of the most controversial pieces of legislation currently making waves across America – the so-called "Big Beautiful Bill."This powerful conversation ...
Building Better Leaders: Jim Carlough's Six Pillars Approach
Jim Carlough, accomplished business strategist and author, shares his six pillars of effective leadership, emphasizing integrity as the foundation that makes all other leadership qualities possible. Through compelling stories from his 30-year c...
Finding Your Flow: Kerstin Schulze on Fitness, Acting, and Life's Journey
What happens when Olympic-level athleticism meets theatrical creativity? Kerstin Schulze embodies this fascinating intersection, sharing her remarkable journey from winning a Junior Olympics silver medal in heptathlon at age 12 to her current r...
Unmasking Voter Suppression: The SAVE Act Controversy
Democracy stands at a pivotal crossroads with the introduction of the SAVE Act (Safeguard Americans Voter Eligibility Act), a deceptively named piece of legislation that threatens to fundamentally alter who can participate in our electoral proc...
The DEI Boogyman Part 2: Dog-Eating Myths and 401k Truths: How Fearmongering Shapes America
What happens when we allow catchy slogans and fear-based rhetoric to shape our understanding of diversity and inclusion? Rauel and Antowan tackle this question head-on as they dissect the troubling misconceptions surrounding DEI (Diversity, Equ...
The DEI Boogeyman: Myths, Facts, and Why It Matters - Part 1
The weaponization of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has become one of the most troubling developments in our current cultural and political landscape. We dive deep into how DEI—a framework designed to create more representative and equitable ...
Democracy's Breaking Point: Will We March Into Hell for a Heavenly Cause?
Democratic Representative Al Green stood up during Trump's congressional address and declared "no mandate" when Trump claimed a mandate to cut Medicaid. For this truth-telling, Green was escorted out and later censured—with even ten Democrats j...
Bridge of Hate: The Evandale Incident
The recent neo-Nazi incident in Evaondale, Ohio, shocked many and has raised critical conversations about the current state of race relations in America. As a group of white supremacists displayed their flags strategically across a bridge leadi...
Empathy and Understanding Across Time
What can we learn from the bond between humans and dogs? Discover how the loving relationships we share with our pets can teach us about unity, cooperation, and understanding in our own communities. Join us as Rauel and Antowan lead a conversat...
The Role of Compassion in Political Discourse
Picture this: You're all set to record the perfect podcast episode, but just as the conversation gets going, you realize the camera isn't on. We kick things off with a light-hearted tale of our own technical challenges before diving into the se...
Navigating America's Future: Unity, Justice, and the Power of Dialogue in 2025
This episode delves into the complexities of 2025 and the interplay between personal struggles and societal change. Antowan and Rauel emphasize the importance of humility, open dialogue, and education as essential tools in overcoming division a...
Unmasking Political and Religious Manipulation
What if the very beliefs you hold dear are rooted in deception? Join us as we unravel the complex web of lies and manipulation that shape our society. We start with a light-hearted look at the weather in Wisconsin, contrasting it with the timel...
Overcoming Life's Curveballs: Turning Trials into Triumphs with Mike Coy
Have you ever been thrown a curveball in life and wondered how to knock it out of the park? Join me, Rauel Labrèche, as I engage in a heartwarming and enlightening conversation with Mike Coy, a man whose life epitomizes turning trials into triu...
