The Third Turn

Sarah Harstad Appointed as Maestro-level leaders Director

noeles@designgroupintl.com (Noele Stith and Lon Swartzentruber) — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 15:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release

Design Group International

Maestro-level leaders Appoints New Director to Lead Peer-Based Succession Planning Organization

Bringing academic insight and executive coaching expertise to a growing movement in leadership transition

[Milwaukee, WI] — [June 26, 2025]

Design Group International, a leader in the field of human and organizational development, is pleased to announce Dr. Sarah Harstad as the new Director of Maestro-level leaders.

We've moved!

givingproject@gmail.com (Mark L. Vincent) — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 21:32:49 GMT

Episode 75: And a Turn of Our Own

kristin.evenson@junctures.net (Kristin Evenson) — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 13:00:00 GMT

75 Episodes! And a Turn of Our Own
Episode #75 of the Third Turn Podcast with Mark, Kristin, Linda & Patricia

In this 75th episode of the Third Turn Podcast, we reflect on favorite moments throughout these almost 3 years AND share about a podcast turn of our own.

Please listen in as co-hosts Mark L. Vincent, Kristin Evenson, and Linda Milanowski-Westdorp are joined by our otherwise behind-the-scenes team in celebrating favorite podcast moments that represent a range of important Third Turn topics like:

Cultivating vulnerability
Willingness to let go
Being CEO of our physical bodies
Meta-modernity
Being comfortable with discomfort
Integrating the whole of our leadership and lived experience
Employing foresight

Episode 74: Succession Models To Follow

givingproject@gmail.com (Mark L. Vincent) — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 13:00:00 GMT

Succession Models To Follow
Episode #74 of the Third Turn Podcast with Mark L. Vincent

Succession planning often lands in the category of planning a funeral or making an estate plan. Good to do. Rarely get to it. And what little we get done is paltry in comparison to the planfulness needed to do it well. This is ironic because starting an enterprise required planning or no investors would come on board! The irony continues with each year’s budget plan, and the occasional strategic planning in which we engage. Why would we think planfulness disappears once the subject shifts to succession? In episode #74 features Mark L. Vincent provides four models we might follow in succession planning, each one growing from the weekly Maestro-level letter he sends to his Clients.

Episode 73: The Life You Go To

givingproject@gmail.com (Mark L. Vincent) — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 13:00:00 GMT

The Life You Go To
Episode #73 of the Third Turn Podcast with Kristin & Mark

A successful succession includes the exiting executive’s life to go to. Mark L. Vincent interviews co-host Kristin Evenson about the life she’s developed following her journey through and beyond her third turn.

Transitions are subject of deep expertise for Kristin. She calls it an extrusion process, even for her as someone who has a long-standing fascination on the subject.

A reason to begin one’s leadership journey with the end in mind?

Episode 72: Developing Successors

lmilanowski@designgroupintl.com (Linda Milanowski - Westdorp) — Tue, 23 May 2023 13:00:00 GMT

Developing Successors
Episode #72 of the Third Turn Podcast with Linda & Mark

Join Design Group International founder Mark L. Vincent and guest Linda Milanowski-Westdorp as they speak from their experiences with the ever-important topic of identifying and preparing C-suite leadership successors to enable organizational continuity and create value beyond the current leadership tenure.

While we often think of developing successors for the C-suite from the upper levels of mid-management, and there is no doubt the development at this stage is critical, Linda begins the journey of foundational leadership development far earlier in the future successors’ careers, with Leadership Minors at Hope College in Holland, Michigan.

Episode 71: Best Practices, Board Transitions

lmilanowski@designgroupintl.com (Linda Milanowski - Westdorp) — Tue, 09 May 2023 13:00:00 GMT

Best Practices, Board Transitions
Episode #71 of the Third Turn Podcast with Cheryl Edwards-Cannon

Co-hosts Linda Milanowski-Westdorp and Mark L. Vincent interview guest Cheryl Edwards-Cannon about the kaleidoscope of experiences that led Cheryl through her three turns of leadership. Her experiences culminated in her role as School Consultant with Grand Valley State University and National Heritage Academy, a leading performer among charter schools and management organizations.

In this episode, Cheryl describes similarities, differences, and best practices for board engagement through three types of transitions. While Cheryl’s descriptions are in the context of charter school boards, we hope you will glean wisdom to apply to any board engagement, whether from the role of an executive director or board member, whether in a school, profit, or non-profit organization.

Episode 70: The Mindset of Leaders You Are Developing

givingproject@gmail.com (Mark L. Vincent) — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 13:00:00 GMT

The Mindset of Leaders You Are Developing
Episode #70 of the Third Turn Podcast with Christopher Salem

Our episode begins with Kristin Evenson and I being vulnerable about our mindsets–what we are finding bubbling up within us that creates limitations. It set the stage for a high-energy conversation with speaker and influencer, Christopher Salem, and his insights about setting a healthy mindset, and how senior leaders can bring better guidance for the leaders they are developing.

Christopher Salem touches on the five things we can control.

Our communication–making sure what we are saying or what we are listening to is clear
Our behavior–alignment of our words and actions
Our ability to perceive–discerning the good even amid the difficult
How we respond to our emotions–learning to pause before responding
Our actions–focused and repeated activities that build in the direction we prefer to go

Episode 69: Resources for Third Turn Leaders

kristin.evenson@junctures.net (Kristin Evenson) — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 13:00:00 GMT

Resources for Third Turn Leaders
Episode #69 of the Third Turn Podcast with Kristin & Mark

In today’s episode, co-hosts Mark L. Vincent and Kristin Evenson share an array of resources they find helpful, especially for leaders in their third turns—leaders who have to get a hold of future value, envision it, see it and then start inviting others into that space.

Stakeholder audits—to listen for unmet needs and unrecognized affinities among stakeholders, especially at a time that calls for a next-chapter entrepreneurial moment
Triangulating—to look at an issue or opportunity from three different points of view, to identify consistent data
Results Accelerator—to help teams and individual leaders recognize the thoughts and perceptions that help or hinder us in accomplishing goals and outcomes
Motivational Code—to help us better understand our (and others’) motivational wiring (the WHY) that is primal and enduring
Process Design—to surround a question or opportunity with intentional why, who, what, when, where, how to guide our listening, learning, and outcomes.
In Her Element—to help high-potential women leaders identify their leadership sweet spot and do away with limiting thoughts and behaviors that we all (both women and men) have.
MyGrow—to help us as leaders build and deepen emotional intelligence, and develop greater awareness of what is not helpful and what would be helpful in leading ourselves and others.

Episode 68: Getting Your Empathy On

givingproject@gmail.com (Mark L. Vincent) — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 13:00:00 GMT

Getting Your Empathy On
Episode #68 of the Third Turn Podcast with Mark Baker

Learning to lead oneself (what we call the First Turn) is never done. We keep crafting this throughout our lives. Without it, we cannot lead others (the Second Turn). Growing one's ability to have and express empathy is at the heart of this journey.

Without a doubt, Emotional Intelligence has become a thing — enough of a thing that many people and entities are jumping in to offer resources. For instance, Harvard Business Review keeps publishing a steady stream of articles on the importance of empathy among CEOs and within an organizational culture.