Inspiring Leaders Through Shattered Glass Leadership – Interview with Dr. Kristine Medyanik

Dr. Kristine Medyanik is a dynamic leadership development facilitator in classrooms, corporate environments, and conferences. She uses humor and storytelling to bring concepts to life and leaves audiences with practical tools to positively impact their leadership practice, both professionally and personally.

Dr. Kristine Medyanik, Dynamic Educator, Facilitator, and Leadership Strategist

Who is Dr. Kristine Medyanik? Wife, mom, professor, leadership development extraordinaire

I’m Dr. Kristine K. Medyanik, a professor of business and leadership at Corban University, founder of Shattered Glass Leadership, and Co-Developer of The Evolving Leader Fellowship, and someone who thrives on designing transformational learning experiences. At home, I’m not always good at rest, but I’m great at vision, planning vacations, and finding lots of silly moments with my husband, boys, and dogs. I love to read, scuba dive, and connect with friends over amazing food. Something interesting about me? I have an advanced scuba certification, and have nearly 200 dive experiences, many with sharks and many that come up in stories during retreats!

What inspired you to create Shattered Glass Leadership, and how does your background in organizational psychology influence your programs?

Shattered Glass Leadership grew out of my conviction that leadership isn’t about titles, it’s about impact. Too often, leaders are thrown into positions without support, and both they and their teams pay the price. My background in organizational psychology helps me understand not just the “what” of leadership, but the “why” behind human behavior. I design programs that bridge research with real-world practice, ensuring leaders can take concepts and apply them immediately. I’ve been told over and over that I make hard concepts easy to understand, and more importantly, doing work with me is applicable and not just philosophical.

Your retreats are known for their intimate, nature-infused settings. How do these environments enhance the leadership development experience?

Nature strips away distractions. When leaders step out of their offices and into an environment that is beautiful, quiet, and restorative, they are more willing to reflect, open up, and think differently. Our retreats are intentionally intimate so leaders can build trust, practice vulnerability, and have meaningful conversations. That environment fosters clarity, it’s where vision and courage are often born. I think it’s also important to note very intentional group sizes of 10-15. I hear from people that they recently attended a leadership retreat, and I’ll ask how many people. They’ll confidently reply “300,” but that’s not a retreat, that's a conference, that’s people talking at you without any time to apply or create a strategy that is unique to you and your circumstances.

Can you share a success story where a participant experienced a significant transformation through your leadership training?

One leader came to the fellowship unsure of her voice. She was competent, but hesitant to step forward. Over the course of our work, she not only grew in confidence but redefined how she led her team. She created new systems that empowered her staff, set boundaries she had avoided for years, and began leading with authenticity. Her words at the end, “I finally feel like I’m the leader my people deserve.” That’s the kind of transformation I live for.

What are the core principles that guide your approach to leadership, and how do they differ from traditional methods?

I focus on three principles, self and social awareness, intentionality, and adaptability. Traditional leadership often emphasizes authority or efficiency. My approach flips the script, it’s about knowing yourself deeply, leading with purpose, and flexing your style to bring out the best in others. Leadership is not static, it evolves. That’s why our Evolving Leader Fellowship exists, to help leaders grow alongside the changing needs of their teams and organizations.

How do you measure the success of your retreats and workshops, and what feedback do you value most from participants?

Success isn’t measured by applause at the end of a session, it’s measured by what happens months later. I look for leaders who have shifted how they engage their teams, how they set vision, and how they remove roadblocks. The feedback I value most is when someone says, “This wasn’t just inspiring, it was actionable. I’m already seeing changes.” That tells me our work mattered beyond the retreat itself.

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for Shattered Glass Leadership, and how do you plan to evolve your offerings to meet the changing needs of leaders?

My aspiration is to scale impact while keeping intimacy. That means expanding the Fellowship, developing more digital learning experiences, and continuing to host retreats that blend content with community. Leaders are facing new challenges, generational shifts, hybrid workplaces, and rapid technological change. My goal is to stay ahead of those needs and ensure our programs equip leaders to navigate them with confidence and resilience.

Tell us about your greatest career achievement so far.

My proudest accomplishment has been the launch of the Evolving Leader Fellowship. It transcends a mere program, it's a movement of leaders dedicated to collective growth, self-challenge, and mutual support. Witnessing the inaugural cohort's bonding, development, and transformation was profoundly fulfilling. I am thrilled that it is now fully prepared for organizations of any size to integrate into their teams, poised to significantly decrease the statistic that 85% of leaders transition into leadership roles without adequate training, tools, and support.

If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why?

I would eliminate the quick-fix mentality. Leadership isn’t solved by a one-day seminar or a motivational speech. It requires ongoing growth, reflection, and practice. Too many organizations treat leadership development as a checkbox instead of an investment. I’d love to see more long-term commitment to cultivating leaders who truly evolve.

Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today.

The pivotal moment was realizing that I didn’t just want to teach leadership in the classroom, I wanted to create experiences that transform lives. While working as a professor and curriculum designer, I kept seeing the gap between theory and practice. That’s when I knew I had to build something different. Shattered Glass Leadership was born out of that conviction, and it continues to be the place where my passion for education, psychology, and leadership all come together.

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