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Leadership rarely begins with complete confidence or a formal invitation. More often, it begins in an uncertain moment when someone chooses to step forward. In this episode, we explore the relationship between courage, initiative, vulnerability, and everyday leadership. You’ll consider why discomfort can be an important part of leadership development, how courage can be expressed quietly, and why meaningful action often begins with one small first move. As you listen, consider: What might be possible if you were willing to step forward more often?

Leadership doesn’t begin with a title, a promotion, or permission. It begins in the everyday moments when someone chooses to pay attention, step forward, speak honestly, or help another person feel seen. In this episode, we explore why leadership is often smaller, and more courageous, than we imagine. We’ll examine how self-awareness creates better choices, why courage does not require fearlessness, what authenticity looks like when the ground keeps shifting, and how ordinary acts of influence can leave a lasting impact. The episode concludes with a simple leadership experiment: intentionally make someone else’s day better and reflect on what the experience teaches you about the leader you are becoming.

In this episode of This Might Be on the Test, we explore how nations function as complex systems and why success on the world stage is rarely the result of individual talent alone. Using the World Cup as our backdrop, we'll examine how culture, leadership, education, economics, infrastructure, and national priorities work together to shape outcomes over time. Whether you're leading a business, nonprofit, government agency, or global team, this episode offers a fresh perspective on how interconnected systems influence success and what leaders can learn from countries competing on the world's biggest stage.

In this episode of This Might Be On The Test, we explore communication and information systems through the lens of organizational systems thinking. We'll explore how information flows through formal and informal networks, why communication breakdowns are often failures of meaning rather than language, and how leaders can create environments that foster transparency, learning, and adaptability.

What really drives behavior inside organizations? In this episode of Will This Be on the Test, we'll explores organizational culture as the invisible operating system that shapes decision-making, communication, leadership, and change. Through stories from aviation and contemporary business examples such as Southwest Airlines, Netflix, and Pixar, you'll discover why culture often determines whether strategy succeeds or fails, and how leaders shape culture through what they model, reward, and tolerate.

Why do some organizations thrive while others struggle to adapt? In this episode, we explore how organizational structure shapes communication, decision-making, innovation, and performance. From traditional hierarchies to agile networks, we examine why there is no perfect organizational design, only structures that fit (or misfit) their environment, strategy, and culture.

What happens when a leader believes that curiosity is not just a trait, but a responsibility? Gregg Behr, CEO of The Grable Foundation, has spent his life channeling the quiet wisdom of Fred Rogers into bold action for the children of Pittsburgh. In a city built on steel and reinvention, Gregg reminds us that the strongest foundations are those rooted in kindness, imagination, and the courage to ask, 'What if?'

I sit down with Dr. Mitchel Nickols for a powerful conversation on leadership in divided times. In a world wrestling with division and fading trust, Dr. Nickols illuminates leadership traits we need now more than ever to build confidence within our teams and organizations and shares practical advice on how to amplify these characteristics within the next generation of emerging leaders. 00:00  Welcome to Episode 37 01:00  Leaders Need to Be Risk Takers 05:00  Integrity and the impact of Rationalizing Decisions 06:30  What is your Northern Star? 08:30  The importance of Vision and Mission Statements 10:40  Perception Checking and Unconscious Bias 12:25 Patience, Young Grasshopper! 13:40 Dr. Nickols – Reflects upon developing his foundation of Leadership 15:50   The role of Human Centered Leadership 18:50   Dr. Nickols – Pivotal Moment 21:00   Closing Credits

With more than 46 years of live entertainment expertise, Ed Traversari has been a part of the entertainment scene in Western PA and beyond. He has worked for Pittsburgh concert promoters company DiCesare Engler Productions as a production manager, talent booker, director of marketing and general manager of the Chevrolet Amphitheatre at Station Square. DiCesare Engler produced concerts at the Stanley Theatre (which they later sold to the Cultural District to become The Benedum Center), the Syria Mosque, AJ Palumbo Center, Mellon Arena, Heinz Field, PNC Park and Chevrolet Amphitheatre at Station Square, among others.  In addition to teaching, Traversari consults for a number of clients including Heinz Hall, Seven Springs Resort, The Pittsburgh Irish Festival, PBS Television Concert Series and Carnegie Science Center. He also helped produce The Joe Grushecky/Bruce Springsteen shows at Soldiers and Sailors Hall and The Bob Marley Celebration at The Benedum Center. 00:00  Welcome to Episode 36 00:25  Updates with Dennis, Angelo and Patrick 03:00  Introducing Ed Traversari 04:40  From Drummer to exploring the business of entertainment 07:00  The Guess Who and the Student Activities Committee 11:00   Bookings, Agents, and first concerts 14:00   Wanted:  Runner @ DiCesare Engler 18:50   Air America, Jeff Beck, Jefferson Airplane and a Rolls Royce 22:00  Stanley Theater, Syria Mosque, IC Light Amphitheater, Star Lake Amphitheater 27:50  What should students be doing today to gain entry into the industry? 28:45  Marketing, Accounting, Booking, General Manager to College Professor 39:55  The synergy between passion, perseverance and pursuit of a Career 44:00  The Irony of SlipKnot 46:00  Agents, Settlers, Managers, and Promoters 49:20  Settling a Show 52:30  Show Plaques and a unique Trophy for Bon Jovi 58:00  In terms of your career, is following your passion and taking calculated risks still applicable today? 01:01:00  Nazareth, Stanley Theater and feet dangling from a Chandelier 01:04:30  Rapid Fire Questions for Ed                  #1  Favorite Artists to Work With?                  #2  One Artist you could bring back for a Day                  #3  Favorite Vocalist 01:21:00  Frankie Valli still singing at 89 years of age! 01:22:30  Reflection and Final Thoughts from Ed Traversari 01:25:30  Check out Good Karma on Facebook to see Ed and his band Perform !! 01:27:25  Final Thoughts from Angelo, Dennis and Patrick 01:31:30  Photos with Artists over the years! 01:31:40  Closing Credits

Steve Adelkoff joins us to explore global events shaping our economies, regional conflict, currency valuation, Anti-Fragile systems, and so much more. This episode will begin to provide some insight as well as pose questions worth pondering given the amount of historic change happening around us daily. 00:00 Welcome to Episode #35 00:15 Point Park University Graduation 00:30 Check out Steve in Episodes #9 and #25 04:30 Update with Angelo and Patrick 06:45 Welcome back Steve Adelkoff 09:40 The Big Players and a Confluence of Events 16:35 The Impact of Global Influence 24:00 Shortening Supply Chains impact upon global Relationships 37:00 AntiFragile Systems and Free Markets 48:00 Do these global events really impact everyday lives? 55:00 Are Nations simply imposing their will as opposed to supporting expression of cultural norms and values? 58:00. How does the conflict in Ukraine get resolved? 1:05:00 Has trust finally been destroyed between nation states? 1:08:40 Will the U.S. Dollar ever be replaced as the Reserve Currency? 1:13:05 Is the U.S. shifting away from an extended period of stability? 1:15:00. Steve’s Final Thoughts: The Promise of Sanctions! 1:16:15 Final Thoughts with Angelo and Patrick 1:18:40 Closing Theme

Patrick, Dennis and Angelo welcome to the studio Kate Bodner. Kate is a London based Creative that has blended her love for the Performing Arts with Augmented and Virtual Reality. Having lived in Ireland, Australia, and now London, she is embarking upon an exciting career after completing her Master's Degree in Big Data Culture & Society at Kings College London. We look forward to sharing with you her journey as well as some local insight to fantastic 'Spoons' located around the London area. 00:00 Welcome to the Show 00:25 Update with Dennis, Angelo, and Patrick 03:33 Kate Bodner: Welcome to the Show! 05:40 Kate’s beginning within Performing Arts 05:40 Q: What was one of your earliest performances? 08:00 Q: Describe your experience at the Conservatory at Point Park 10:30 Q: What did you learn while training with the Conservatory? 15:00 Q: How did you fuse Performing Arts with Augmented Reality? 22:10 Q: Could you speak about your research at Kings College London related to the 4th Wall and Augmented Reality in a performance? 29:15 Q: Could you share some perspective of performing arts from being abroad? 30:20 Q: What have you learned from your time in Ireland, Australia, and London? 35:15 Q: What is the best advice Kate has received? 37:50 Q: What advice would you give to our audience? 42:30 Q: What is the one food you miss while living abroad? 43:50 Kate shares the phenomenon of ‘Spoons’ in London 46:30 Staying connected with Kate 47:50 Dennis & Patrick answer Audience Questions 48:38 Q1: Should I take lower paying job that I’m excited about or a higher paying job that I would not really be happy doing? 52:30 Q2: Dennis, Angelo, Patrick, what have you learned about leadership from hosting the podcast? 55:25 Q3: How can I become better at integrating my instincts into decision making rather than always looking for additional quantitative data? 1:00:40 Q4: Angelo, Dennis, Patrick… what is your favorite Ice Cream? 1:03:30 Final Thoughts 1:04:00 Final Credits

The team had the opportunity to connect with Kate Gunderson of 'The Plane Kate'. Kate is a mechanical, aerospace, and flight test engineer on a mission to empower women to confidently thrive in the world of STEM. 00:00 Welcome to the Show 00:00 Update with Angelo, Dennis & Patrick 06:25 Introducing Kate Gunderson: Dreams as Big as the Sky 07:40 KG: How did you discover your Passion for NASA, Space, Engineering? 09:30 KG: Walking thru the doors at NASA - Presence of Women in STEM 11:10 KG: Pushing the Boundaries of your Comfort Zone 13:20 KG: Making Big Decisions 14:20 KG: A little Self-Doubt is ok! 15:30 KG: What did you learn about life from NASA and Test Pilot School 17:10 KG: Passion and Intelligence 20:00 KG: Training and Running the Boston Marathon 21:50 KG: One person you’ve got to meet that was incredibly cool? 23:00 KG: Empowering Women in STEM 25:00 KG: What advice can you share with others pursuing their dreams? 29:30 Stay Connected with Kate - here’s how! 31:00 Student & Audience Q&A 32:00 Q#1: Graduation: Transitioning to our Professional Endeavors? 39:45 Q#2: Advice related to pursuing ones passion as a career 42:00 Q#3: When it comes to salary, what and how is negotiable? 45:00 Q#4: Found a great job, yet ended up with an unethical boss? 51:25 Congratulations to our friend, Kiesha Lalama!! 52:20 Closing Thoughts 52:40 Closing Theme Connect with Kate by visiting her website:  https://katelyngunderson.com/ Follow her on Instagram here! Follow her on Twitter here!

The team from Take The Hill are back in the studio after a creative break. This episode, Dennis, Angelo, and Patrick talk about the new podcast format, catch up with Dr. Britney Brinkman to discuss New Year's Resolutions, and answer your questions related to best Pizza and taking multiple internships at the same employer. 00:00 Welcome 01:00  Updates with Patrick, Dennis, and Angelo 08:20 Dr. Britney Brinkman: New Year's Resolutions 34:50 Listener Submitted Questions 35:10 What are positive traits of College Students? 40:30 Will Angelo be bringing back the mohawk in 2023? 43:30 Should I take two internships at the same employer? 46:35 What have organizations learned from the pandemic? 54:00 Who has better Pizza: Sanremo's or Genoa? 58:00 Closing Thoughts Catch us in the studio on our YouTube Channel - link to episode #32

Patrick and Angelo had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Don Green, President of Point Park University, to talk about Leadership, Transitions, Purpose, and of course favorite food and music!

Check Out this episode on our YouTube Channel! Take The Hill Live! returns in person to Point Cafe at Point Park University to host conversations with students about what they are most excited about, what they've learned over the last year, and much more!