Leadership

Cal Turner Jr. was the CEO of Dollar General for decades after inheriting the business from his father. He joins us to talk about how faith and family helped him turn a million dollar business into a billion dollar business, plus a few stories from his new book My Father’s Business: The Small-Town Values That Build Dollar General into a Billion Dollar-Company.
Cal Turner, Jr. grew up in a Scottsville, Kentucky, household where business and family were one. After graduating Vanderbilt University, he served for three years as an officer in the United States Navy before beginning his career at Dollar General. He served as CEO for 37 years, and during his tenure, the number of DG stores rose from 150, with sales of $40 million, to more than 6,000, with sales in excess of $6 billion. Turner has served on the boards of companies like Shoney’s and First American, and of educational, civic and charitable organizations including Vanderbilt and Fisk universities, and has been president of the board of governors of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. His many awards include the Presidential Award for Private Sector Initiatives (presented by Ronald Reagan) and the Vanderbilt Distinguished Alumnus Award. A committed lifelong Methodist, Turner was inducted in 2001 into the Fellows of the Society of John Wesley by the Tennessee Conference of the UMC.
Kim Powell on Acting Like a CEO
Taking the mystique out of the C-suite.
April 13, 2018 / Podcast # 18-02
“CEO” can seem like a venerated title but the people occupying those positions are less intimidating than you might think. Maybe don’t march into their office unannounced and start chatting today, but CEOs are people who make mistakes and have weak spots, just like anyone. Kim Powell, along with her co-author Elena L. Botelho, interviewed thousands of CEOs and other leaders to get to understand the behaviors of those in leadership positions. She shares their findings with us and in her new book The CEO Next Door.
Kim R. Powell grew up in Atlanta, and earned a BA from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management. Over the last twenty years, Kim has applied her passion for helping people to her role as a trusted advisor to CEOs and high potential leaders, first at the Boston Consulting Group and now at ghSMART.
10th Anniversary Program!
Some of our favorite clips throughout the years.
October 20, 2017 / Podcast #
Thank you so much to listening to AMA Edgewise throughout the years. To celebrate, we put together some of our favorite clips, excerpts from the following episodes:
Dan Pink on the Modus Operandi of Motivation
Bob Kulhan on Honing Your Improv Skills
Ed Wallace on Becoming a Relational Leader
Alex Frankel on Working Undercover at America’s Top Companies
Al Pittampalli on the Modern Meeting
Anders Dahlvig on IKEA’s Global Social Ambition
Kevin Kelly on the Future of Jobs: Man or Machine?
Kimberly Palmer on Cultivating Your Side Business
Stanley McChrystal on Trusting Your Team
Kory Kogon on Using Technology Wisely
Please check out these episodes and many more. See you soon!
Victor Prince on Walking The Camino Way
Reflecting on leadership on a trek across Spain.
October 13, 2017 / Podcast # 17-41
The Camino Way is a trail across Spain that take a dedicated hiker a month of 15 miles days to traverse. As Victor Prince walked the trail he reflected on his life, both at home and at work, and came away with seven leadership lessons inspired by his journey. He shares these lessons on our podcast today and in his new book, The Camino Way: Lessons in Leadership from a Walk Across Spain, published by AMACOM.
Rosanne Thomas on Manners for the Modern Age
How to behave yourself at work.
September 15, 2017 / Podcast # 17-37
In the world of social media we need a modern Emily Post more than ever. Enter Rosanne Thomas with her book Excuse Me on how to navigate the business world with poise and tact. She joins us today with some of her tips from her new book, published by AMACOM, and make sure to sign up for her webcast with even more ideas on manners in the 21st century. Register here!
Roberta Matuson on Becoming a Magnetic Leader
How to get and keep top talent.
August 11, 2017 / Podcast # 17-32
We talk a lot about great leaders but a leader needs a team working with them. Roberta Matuson has written a new book called The Magnetic Leader and she joins us to talk about her definition of magnetism as well as how to attract, hire, and retain top talent.
Maureen Chiquet on Going Beyond the Label
On how to take the time to decide what you really want.
July 28, 2017 / Podcast # 17-30
Being authentic is one of the most important leadership skills. It helps others connect with you and helps your own path become more clear when you’re at a crossroads. Maureen Chiquet, author of Beyond the Label, joins us to talk about her journey during her career and how she decided on the career path she took.
Chris Kuenne & John Danner on Knowing Your Growth Type
How your personality will affect your company.
July 14, 2017 / Podcast # 17-28
Chris Kuenne & John Danner, co-authors of the new book Built for Growth, have created a new assessment for entrepreneurs and they can you to try it out. They’ve identified the four types of entrepreneurial leaders and how they work. Listen to the episode and then check out their quiz to put the curiosity of who you are in the context of building a business.
Bonnie Hagemann on Leading with Vision
Becoming an inspirational leader for your team.
July 7, 2017 / Podcast # 17-27
Being an inspiring leader seems like an innate quality that some people are just born with. However, it can be taught. Bonnie Hagemann, co-author of Leading with Vision, joins us with some tips on how to get buy-in from your team and become a visionary leader.
Kristi Hedges on The Inspiration Code
How to make your life more inspiring.
June 2, 2017 / Podcast # 17-22
When we think about inspirational leaders we tend to think about the big dreamers and the iconoclasts. It seems like it’s impossible to be inspiring ourselves. Kristi Hedges, author of the new book The Inspiration Code, joins us to talk about how we can make our words and actions more inspiring to others.