Podcast
I'm IN!
Hosted by Dr. Heather L. Hodges · EN
Welcome to “I’m IN!” with Dr. Heather L. Hodges, a podcast where we explore the keys to unlocking human potential through INsights, INspiration, and INnovation. As an organizational psychologist, Heather has worked with teams and leaders across industries and around the world to navigate challenges, spark creativity, and achieve peak performance.
In each episode you will discover:
INsights: Practical knowledge grounded in psychology and research.
INspiration: Stories and lessons from leaders, innovators, and change-makers who are transforming their lives and work.
INnovation: Tools, strategies, and ideas to spark your creativity and drive meaningful change.
This podcast goes beyond everyday work to explore the farther reaches of human nature. Whether you’re curious about the psychology of creativity, self-awareness through the Enneagram, growing as a leader, or building high-performing teams, “I’m IN!” is your guide to unlocking your fullest potential.
Say “I’m IN!” to creativity, bold thinking, transformational growth, and meaningful conversations!
28episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
S2 #17 Jordan D. Evans: Synthesizer – Connector – Organizer
1w agoTap to summarizeIn this episode, Heather sits down with Jordan D. Evans, Director of Business Development for PDC Rx, a hospice pharmacy benefits manager in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the guiding philosophy is simple: it is never business, it's always personal. On The Hodges 12, Jordan is a Synthesizer, Connector, Organizer, and that trifecta runs through everything he does. They explore where he pulls ideas that most people in hospice would never think to look, how he senses a genuine fit and makes the introduction, and what creativity looks like in the day to day. Jordan also weighs in on the role AI should, and should never, play in a deeply human industry. If you've ever underestimated the creative power of connection, this one is for you.Connect with Jordan D. Evans: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordandouglasevans/To take The Hodges 12 Types of Creative Genius assessment:Visit: www.thehodges12.com
Transcribe →S2 #16 Elijah Hodges:Cultivator–Healer–Strategist
2w ago01:03:58Tap to summarizeThis week on I'm IN! I sit down with a guest who is one year into his career, one year past the cap and gown, and figuring out in real time what it means to build a working life. He is a Campaign Coordinator at Calvert Street Group in Nashville, a Lipscomb University graduate, and on The Hodges 12 he is a Cultivator, Healer, and Strategist.He is also my youngest son.We talk honestly about life after graduation: what surprised him about work and adulthood, the lessons no classroom could teach, the old-school wisdom he now respects, and what his generation is right about that the rest of us may not be ready to hear yet.Then we get to my favorite part, his Hodges 12 debrief. You can hear all three types in how he talks about people, problems, and fixing what is broken. His Thriving Index came back as Growing, and we explore what is feeding that growth.Whether you are one year in or thirty, this one will meet you where you are.Season 2, Episode 16 of I'm IN! Unleash Your Creative Genius is live. Take the Hodges 12 assessment to discover your own Creative Genius Trifecta, link in the comments.May you be wildly creative in your life and leadership.
Transcribe →S2 #15 Jay Duty: Connector • Communicator • Synthesizer & Scott Beard: Organizer • Designer • Strategist
May 500:30:22Tap to summarizeWhen I looked at the Trifectas for Jay Duty and Scott Beard, I did an actual double take.Jay is the COO of Maxwell TEC and he is a Connector • Communicator • Synthesizer. Scott is the Chief Strategy Officer and an Organizer • Designer • Strategist.Six of The Hodges 12 types of Creative Genius, half the framework in one conversation. And I don't think that's a coincidence I think it's a big part of why they make such a powerful team.We recorded live at Mandalay Bay during the Interim HealthCare Franchise Partnership Conference. Three old friends talking about what it takes to innovate inside healthcare's most disruptive season.A few of the threads we pulled on:· Why Jay's COO wiring isn't about running systems it's about reading the room, translating the message, and pulling ideas from everywhere· What it feels like for Scott to be a Strategist with the title Chief Strategy Officer (almost too on the nose)· The blind spots every Creative Genius has and why your team needs the types it's missing· What question they recommend your should ask when your team is stuck and you don't know whyTo connect with the guys:Jay Duty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-duty-7262747/Scott Beard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-beard-01003723/www.MaxwellTEC.comTo take The Hodges 12 Types of Creative Genius assessment:Visit: www.heatherhodges.com
Transcribe →S2 #14 Dana Rutland:Cultivator–Synthesizer–Communicator
Apr 21Tap to summarizeThis week I sit down with Dana Rutland, a senior HR executive whose career has been shaped by a simple truth: she loves solving the problems that can't be handled by a checklist or an algorithm. Dana has served as CHRO at Right at Home and VP of HR at Impro Industries, and on The Hodges 12 she's a Cultivator–Synthesizer–Communicator Which means she's wired to grow people, connect dots across silos, and translate complexity into something teams can actually use.Right now, Dana is in what I call a sacred in-between, a discernment season where she's asking big questions about the next chapter. Our conversation moves through the moments that shaped her leadership, from the young employee she coached, to her father's simple but unforgettable advice about never settling for a job that has you praying for Saturday.A few of my favorite moments from this episode:Why Dana never set out to be in HR, and how her problem-solving instinct quietly led her there anywayThe coaching story that shows what a Cultivator actually does when someone walks in ready to quitWhy the "messy middle" is where the most meaningful leadership happensRunning a marathon at a sprint's pace, and the permission we all need to finally slow downThe closing charge every HR leader needs to hear: your gifts matter, and never, ever settleIf you've ever felt the pull between who you've been and who you're becoming, this one is for you.Want to discover your own Creative Genius Trifecta like Dana did? Take the Hodges 12 assessment at www.heatherhodges.comConnect with Dana:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-rutland/To take The Hodges 12 Types of Creative Genius assessment:Visit: www.heatherhodges.com
Transcribe →S2 #13 Riley Simpson: Connector—Synthesizer—Teacher
Apr 1400:56:18Tap to summarizeIn this episode Heather sits down with Riley Simpson, the founder of LeapYear, a life accelerator for high school graduates designed to help young people discover their identity, purpose, and direction before rushing into the next chapter. Riley is a bold entrepreneur, passionate advocate for the next generation, and a fellow ACU Wildcat. On the Hodges 12 Types of Creative Genius™, Riley is a Connector—Synthesizer—Teacher.In This Episode, We Talk About:What LeapYear is and why Riley believes young people need a different kind of startThe moment he realized he'd essentially built a business out of everything he lovesHow he went from zero to a complete 12-month program, in only12 monthsWhat surprised him about seeing "Teacher" in his TrifectaThe micro-commitment growth edge he's actively working on, and the accountability system he's put in placeWhy Connectors and Synthesizers can be especially prone to overpromising and underdelivering (and what to do about it)What he wants to learn from the Functional Creative Genius types, and why Builders fascinate himThe question he wants every future guest to answer: "Which creative genius type do you most want to learn from?"Riley's Creative Genius Trifecta: Connector — Intuitively sees potential matches between people, opportunities, and resources. Synthesizer — Integrates insights across multiple fields and weaves diverse information into new solutions. Teacher — Breaks down complex concepts and equips others with the knowledge, tools, and resources to grow.Connect with Riley:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rileywsimpson/https://www.startleapyear.comTo take The Hodges 12 Types of Creative Genius assessment:Visit: www.thehodges12.com
Transcribe →S2 #12 Trey Reese: Cultivator–Communicator–Healer
Apr 700:51:55Tap to summarizeWhat happens when a shark and a shrink walk into a podcast studio together? You get one of the most honest, insightful, and warmhearted conversations about creativity and leadership you've ever heard.Trey Reese is the Chief Operating Officer of Brightmoor Hospice and a board member of the Georgia Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. He is a leader who has spent his career at the intersection of law, compassionate care, and people development. On The Hodges 12, Trey is a Cultivator— Communicator— Healer and in this episode, you'll see exactly why that combination is so powerful.Trey and Heather explore what it really means to be creative when you've never called yourself a creative person, why the Cultivator's work is often invisible until years later, and how his Trifecta showed up in a single, pivotal conversation with a colleague, before he even realized what he was doing.What You'll Hear in This Episode:Why Trey never considered himself creative, and what changedThe invisible nature of the Cultivator genius: planting seeds and trusting the long gameThe kudos card that arrived two years in the making, and what it revealedHow his Healer genius goes straight for the root cause beneath what's being saidWhy humor and playfulness are essential leadership tools (yes, even in hospice)The courage it takes to share your biggest failures, and why people love itTrey's powerful message to anyone convinced they are not creative: "You're wrong."Percy the Penguin's lightning round, including a question from previous guest Jen ElliottConnect with Trey: Reach out directly, he welcomes real conversations.https://www.brightmoorhospice.comTo take The Hodges 12 Types of Creative Genius assessment:Visit: www.thehodges12.com
Transcribe →S2 #11 Michael Mead: Strategist–Synthesizer–Connector
Mar 3100:56:18Tap to summarizeWhat does it look like when a visionary leader finally lands in the perfect role? In this episode, Heather sits down with Michael Mead, CEO of EDC Communications, whose Hodges 12 Creative Genius Trifecta is Strategist— Synthesizer—Communicator, and it perfectly matches a career built on helping experts become exceptional communicators.Michael didn't expect "Synthesizer” to be in his trifecta, but the discovery unlocked an insight for him. A lifelong book and podcast junkie, he now has language for why his brain is in constant search of patterns, pulling together insights from wildly different places to find solutions no one else sees. He also gets refreshingly honest about the downsides of his wiring: moving too fast for the people around him, getting mentally overloaded, accidentally casting vision to people he can't yet invite in. Full of practical wisdom on cognitive reset, scaling impact, and the creative conditions that unlock his best thinking. If you've ever felt like you're running ahead of your own capacity, this episode is for you.Connect with Michael: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-mead/www.thinkedc.comTo take The Hodges 12 Types of Creative Genius assessment:Visit: www.thehodges12.com
Transcribe →S2 #10 Rachel Taylor: Connector–Healer–Communicator
Mar 2400:40:20Tap to summarizeWhat happens when a physical therapist trades the clinic for healthcare marketing, and discovers her creative genius was working behind the scenes all along? In this episode, Heather sits down with Rachel Taylor, Market Manager at Agape Care Group/Georgia Hospice Care, whose Hodges 12 Creative Genius Trifecta is Connector—Healer—Communicator, maps perfectly onto her life's work.Rachel never would have called herself creative. But through this conversation, she unpacks how creativity shows up in the most unexpected places: transforming a patient's room into a mini beach, coordinating a final wedding, and meeting grieving families exactly where their fear lives. She shares why creativity isn't "extra," it's how you multiply impact, and how great leaders create the psychological safety their teams need to take risks, fail forward, and grow. If you've ever wondered what creativity looks like in a high-stakes, deeply human industry, this episode is for you.Connect with Rachel:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-taylor-a234a3202/https://agapecaregroup.com To take The Hodges 12 Types of Creative Genius assessment:Visit: www.thehodges12.com
Transcribe →S2 #9 Natalie McNeal: Cultivator–Strategist–Designer & Dr. Mary Keith: Communicator–Synthesizer–Organizer
Mar 17Tap to summarizeIn this special live episode from the Georgia Hospice and Palliative Care Organization annual conference, host Heather Hodges sits down with Natalie McNeil, Director of Hospice and In-Home Palliative Care, and Dr. Mary Keith, Medical Director at the Hospice of Northeast Georgia Health System, to explore what creativity really looks like in hospice care. Through the lens of the Hodges 12 Creative Genius assessment, Natalie (Cultivator–Strategist–Designer) and Dr. Keith (Communicator–Synthesizer–Organizer) share how they’ve learned to see themselves as creative leaders, far beyond traditional ideas of art and talent.Together they unpack how regulations can serve as a starting line instead of a ceiling, why “no” is the fastest way to kill innovation, and how collaborative, non-hierarchical teams generate the best ideas for patients and families. Along the way, they reframe hospice from something associated with giving up to a space for abundant, intentional life all the way to the end, where creativity shows up in every home, every family, and every conversation.Connect with Natalie McNeal & Dr. Mary King: https://www.nghs.com/hospiceTo take The Hodges 12 Types of Creative Genius assessment:Visit: www.thehodges12.com
Transcribe →S2 #8 Jen Elliott: Organizer–Strategist–Cultivator
Mar 1000:19:16Tap to summarizeJen Elliott is back! As the Executive Director of Heart of Georgia Hospice, Jen brings a rare combination to everything she leads: the precision of an Organizer, the big-picture thinking of a Strategist, and the people-centered heart of a Cultivator. That Trifecta is an absolute force of nature.In this episode, we dig into what it really means to lead creatively in hospice care, and why the people who say "I'm not creative" are often the most creative people in the room. Jen opens up about the moments she's held her creativity back, the ideas that almost didn't make it, and how she nurtures creative courage in the people she leads.If you've ever wondered what human-centered innovation looks like from the inside of a hospice organization, this conversation will remind you why human creativity is still the most powerful tool we have.Connect with Jen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-elliott-rn-30905b139/https://heartofgahospice.orgTo take The Hodges 12 Types of Creative Genius assessment:Visit: www.thehodges12.com
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