Tim sits down with Michael Horne, President and CEO of Parkland Health Foundation. Michael shares his upbringing in New York, highlighting the influence of family, the arts, and early experiences with educational inequities that shaped his passion for service and leadership. They discuss Michael’s early professional roles, his transition from education to healthcare, and the key lessons that he’s carried throughout his journey.

In line with this season's theme, the conversation focuses on a major setback Michael faced during his doctoral studies—a near-dismissal from Harvard due to difficulty balancing a full-time job, family, and academic research. Michael explains how he confronted the challenge, leaned on his support network, especially his wife, and developed a disciplined plan to finish his dissertation. Michael also shares reflections on transparency in leadership, the value of failure, and his current work at Parkland Health Foundation, including a call to action for community involvement.

Resources Mentioned:

Parkland Health - https://www.parklandhealth.org/home

Parkland Health Foundation - https://parklandhealthfoundation.org/

KIPP Texas - https://kipptexas.org/

Key Topics Discussed:

• Michael Horne’s upbringing in New York and family influence
• The role of arts and culture in shaping leadership values
• Experiences with educational inequity and tracking in schools
• Career journey: from education to healthcare leadership
• Setbacks faced during doctoral studies at Harvard
• Importance of support systems and transparent communication
• Turning failure into leadership growth
• Practical advice for leaders facing setbacks
• Overview of Parkland Health Foundation’s mission and community impact
• How listeners can support or get involved with Parkland

Tim welcomes Brian Williams, CEO of Perspectivity International, to discuss resilience, personal setbacks, and the journey through crisis during the tumultuous year of 2020. Brian shares his story, beginning with his upbringing in San Antonio, the lessons he learned from his environment, and how these experiences shaped his drive and approach to life and work.

Brian and Tim discuss how the convergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the murder of George Floyd, caused a significant personal and professional crisis. Brian speaks openly about the emotional toll of losing business, navigating deep fear for his and his family’s safety, battling stress-induced health issues, and the humbling experience of seeking help. They also talk about humility, truth, and self-awareness as essential pillars for overcoming life's valleys, especially for leaders accustomed to winning.

To Learn More and Connect with Brian:

https://www.perspectivityintl.com/

linkedin.com/in/brianwilliamsurl

Resources Mentioned In the Episode:

Toastmasters International: https://www.toastmasters.org/

Texas A&M University https://www.tamu.edu/index.html Alma mater

INROADS - https://inroads.org/ High school and college internships

Panic attack resources: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/panic-disorder-when-fear-overwhelms

The Seven Primal Questions book by Mike Foster: https://www.mikefoster.tv/book

Key Topics Discussed

• The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on his business and family life
• The emotional and psychological strain after the murder of George Floyd
• The physical effects of chronic stress, can lead to a health crisis
• The challenge and importance of seeking help, including therapy and support
• Learning from mistakes driven by fear, including financial decisions
• The process of pivoting his business from in-person to virtual during COVID
• The power of humility and living in truth, especially during hardship
• The significance of community, self-care practices, and spiritual grounding
• Reflections on losing, self-worth, and breaking through old ways of coping

Tim kicks off season 4 alongside co-host Erin Gregor, focusing on the valuable lessons that setbacks, failures, and challenges can teach leaders at every stage of their journey. Tim opens up about his personal experiences, taking listeners through a difficult four-year stretch in his late teens and early twenties when his dream of becoming a professional basketball player unraveled despite his hard work and ambition. He describes the disappointment and emotional toll of missed opportunities and false promises, highlighting how these valleys in his life ultimately led to deeper resilience, self-awareness, and a new direction in business and leadership.

They also discuss how leaders can benefit from reframing their perspective during hard times. Instead of asking "why me," Tim encourages people to ask, "what can I learn from this?" This shift in mindset, he explains, helped him process setbacks and eventually led to breakthroughs in his career and personal growth.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The importance of authentic leadership and focusing on real impact, not just titles
• Tim's personal story of pursuing a basketball dream, facing repeated setbacks, and learning from disappointment
• The transition from athletics to a business career, and how those lessons shaped his approach to leadership
• The value of reframing how we process setbacks—asking what instead of why
• Insights into resilience, emotional growth, and owning your path, even when it strays from your original plan
• The intention for season 4: to share candid stories of failure and resilience in leadership