{"podcast":{"title":"Cultivating Leaders","slug":"cultivating-leaders-7174298","podcast_index_feed_id":7174298,"rss_url":"https://feeds.zencastr.com/f/pxr1Pq33.rss","website_url":"https://www.agfuture.org/","image_url":"https://media.zencastr.com/image-files/67292b969674da0c15d444ea/745b6711-fa36-4368-a7b3-7538e09a93b2.png","author":"savannah.peterson@agfuture.org","episode_count":39,"summary":"Where leadership grows. What does it actually take to lead well? The Cultivating Leaders Podcast is the go-to resource for high-achieving agriculture professionals ready to take their leadership to the next level. This bi-weekly series brings you inside real conversations with C-suite executives and industry leaders across food, agriculture and natural resources. Every conversation is designed to leave you with practical tools, fresh perspective and the mindset to lead in today’s environment. Why Listen * Actionable Advice: No fluff. Just real-world strategies you can use today * Exceptional Guests: Learn directly from executives who are leading at the highest level * For Leaders at Every Level: Whether you’re leading a team, an organization or simply yourself—this podcast meets you where you are This is where leaders grow—through honest insights, practical tools and the kind of perspective you can’t get from a textbook. Ready to Go Deeper? The podcast is just the beginning. If you’ve ever wondered how leaders actually got there—the pivotal moments, tough decisions and defining setbacks—The Cultivating Leaders Webinar Series takes you behind the scenes. Go beyond leadership skills…","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/cultivating-leaders-7174298"},"episode":{"title":"Navigating Criticism with Courage with Mark McCully","slug":"navigating-criticism-with-courage-with-mark-mccully","published_at":"2025-10-22T18:52:32+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/cultivating-leaders-7174298/navigating-criticism-with-courage-with-mark-mccully","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/cultivating-leaders-7174298","url":"https://zencastr.com/z/trjD91Ms","audio_url":"https://redirect.zencastr.com/r/episode/68f927f015ac170a80bf5505/size/168927813/video-files/67292b969674da0c15d444ea/d76f4fa5-ab32-4f45-b2a2-5e2c1310c0e2.mp4","summary":"Leadership is easy when everyone agrees. But the real test comes when the voices get loud, opinions fracture and every decision is met with scrutiny. Mark McCully, CEO of the American Angus Association, joins The Cultivating Leaders Podcast to share how he navigates criticism, conflict, and controversy while staying true to his mission and values. From managing 22,000 members with competing priorities to weathering social media storms and high-stakes industry debates, Mark offers a candid look at what steady, humble leadership requires today. Mark gets real about: * Leading through criticism: why thick skin, empathy and intent matter more than popularity * Communicating in conflict: how to listen, humanize the conversation and disagree without division * Staying grounded through chaos: habits that keep leaders mission-focused in turbulent seasons This episode will challenge you to rethink how you respond when pressure rises and how humility and clarity can move people farther than force. Want to hear more from Mark? Check out her blog here [https://www.agfuture.org/news/leading-through-conflict]! Connect with Mark * Connect on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccully-at3201/] * Follow the American Angus Association on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/angusassoc/] * Follow the American Angus Association on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-angus-association/posts/?feedView=all] * Visit their website [https://www.angus.org/] Connect with AFA * Follow us on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/agriculture-future-of-america/?viewAsMember=true] * Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/agfutureamerica/] * Like us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/agriculturefutureofamerica/] * Follow us on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@a…","meta_description":"Leadership is easy when everyone agrees. But the real test comes when the voices get loud, opinions fracture and every decision is met with scrutiny. Mark…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3382,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/cultivating-leaders-7174298/episodes/navigating-criticism-with-courage-with-mark-mccully/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/cultivating-leaders-7174298/navigating-criticism-with-courage-with-mark-mccully.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}