222: Leaders with Heart Are Open to New Perspectives

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In this episode, Heather sits down with Brent Kondritz, the Executive Director at the University of Dayton Center for Leadership, a unique and powerful resource created by the region’s most successful organizations. Together, they partner with top thought leaders to provide innovative, world-class education to senior executives, emerging leaders, front-line supervisors, and professionals. Take a listen.
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Key Takeaways: 
  • Leaders must be open to new ideas
  • Listen to advice and tips from people you admire
  • Good leadership requires listening
  • Education is needed at all levels of an organization

Brent Kondritz’s Bio

Brent Kondritz, Ph.D., is the Executive Director of the University of Dayton Center for Leadership. Prior to joining the University of Dayton Center for Leadership team, Brent held the following positions: Corporate Trainer, Manager of Training and Development, Senior HR Manager, Director of Sales and Operations, and Director of Strategy within Sprint, BellSouth/AT&T, and The Berry Company.  Since joining the University of Dayton Center for Leadership in 2010, he has served as the Assistant Director, Associate Director, and Director managing leadership programs at the Emerging Leader and Executive level.  He is also a certified trainer/practitioner in a variety of leadership assessments and leadership models. Brent received his B.S. in marketing and minor in psychology from Eastern Illinois University and his MBA from the University of Nebraska – Kearney.  Brent received his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Dayton, focusing his dissertation on The Leadership Perceptions of Collegiate Student-Athletes and Their Coaches: A Comparative Analysis.


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Becoming Unshakeable Podcast

With Heather R. Younger

Becoming Unshakable is the podcast for leaders, creators, and changemakers who know TRUE LEADERSHIP starts from within.

Each episode explores what it takes to lead with resilience, compassion, and purpose while staying human through it all.

Through candid conversations with executives, frontline leaders, coaches, and everyday heroes, Heather uncovers the real stories behind growth, compassion, setbacks, and transformation.

From navigating change to creating emotionally safe cultures, Becoming Unshakable reveals what it really takes to create leaders—and organizations—that can’t be shaken.

Hi, I'm Heather

I've been through every type of
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE
you can think of.

Layoffs, reorgs, mergers, acquisitions and major technology shifts. More than 20 years leading teams through high-stakes situations where results mattered, people depended on me, and decisions couldn't wait.

Those years taught me how to lead. But they also showed me the hidden cost of always being the one who holds it all together.

During our second reorg in less than a year, I walked out of a meeting with no say in what was happening, just marching orders. When my team asked how the meeting went, I should have said, “Give me 15 minutes to process this.” But I didn't. Instead, I let them absorb every ounce of my frustration.

Then I saw their faces.

The people who looked to me for stability had just watched me unravel. What was that teaching them about their ability to handle the pressure?

That moment changed how I saw my role as a leader. Leading teams isn't only about grit or resilience. It's about how your presence builds the trust your team needs to function when things get hard.

Today, I help organizations build unshakable leaders, teams, and cultures. Because when leaders become the calm teams can count on, organizations don't just survive change, they come out strong enough to handle what’s next.

Heather Sitting
Best Gift Ever

Caring Leadership Kit ...A Free Gift of Resources Designed to Help You Reach Your Full Potential as a Caring Leader

Access Free Gifts Including Caring Leadership® Videos, Active Listening Guides, Accountability Plans, and Resources

  • A checklist with the 9 key tenets of caring leadership to help you have a positive impact on those you lead.
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+1 403-398-8488

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Contact Heather Today!
+1 403-398-8488

Contact
Contact

I'm really interested in...

(select all that apply)*

I can be reached at...

Additional Comments