Todd Bertsch - Life Coach & Speaker

09/10/2026

Every single person has a spark. ⚡

09/09/2026

⚡Great leadership isn’t about creating more followers.
It’s about developing people.

My new conversation with leadership coach and author Chris McClure is LIVE today on The BOLT Podcast.

We talk about what it means to become a leader worth following, why caring for your people and producing results go hand in hand, and how simple practices like consistent one-on-ones can completely change the way we lead.

🤜 We can't pour from an empty cup! If we want to develop others, we have to keep developing ourselves.

🎧📹 Listen or watch today: https://www.toddbertsch.com/podcast/leaders-people-want-to-follow-with-chris-mcclure/

09/08/2026

⚡I’m excited to join the Northwest Ohio Human Resource Association (NOHRA) for their upcoming meeting in Perrysburg.

I’ll be presenting🎤 Ignite Your Spark: The Mindset Advantage for the Modern Workplace

The workplace isn’t slowing down. AI, uncertainty, constant change, burnout, and disengagement are challenging leaders and teams every day. We can’t control it all. But we can control how we respond.

I’ll also share practical tools from my SPARK Framework to help HR leaders ignite engagement, protect well-being, and multiply human potential.

👀 Thursday, September 17
📍 Hilton Garden Inn, Perrysburg, OH
⏰ 8:00 AM Networking & Breakfast | 8:30 AM Program
🎓 Approved for 1 SHRM PDC and 1 HRCI Business Credit

https://tahra.mightevent.com/events/event-Details.cfm?_EbXz=6CABDA362376C5CAC788C740DC663674E019B69A2D586EDDF9764C8D287CE5C1251E8A3A3C48B539D05350D2B812A9A167F728CCE2486444E1C0153E9FE2FE2C&eventKey=8441

If you’re attending, come say hello and let’s get some sparks lit! 🔥

#𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

09/07/2026

Labor Day gives us an intentional interruption.
⏸️ A day to pause, step away from the work, and reflect on the humans behind it.

As you pause today, consider this: Are we creating workplaces where people feel seen, valued, safe, and able to thrive?

A few thoughts in my latest newsletter.
https://link.msgsndr.com/email-preview/YzgJqkAAqbeuHfCNqkga/shkM3RQu6OJ2bCt125wX?time_stamp=1788784293753&exp=1820320293765&sig=57469d018da9670723376b0959ee75206c0ed7c0b161c02b9e04e10abf484595

09/04/2026

⚡What makes someone a leader people actually WANT to follow?

I see this all the time. We promote great employees into management every day. But too often, we give them a new title, a team to lead…and very little preparation for what comes next.

That’s a big part of my conversation with leadership coach and author Chris McClure on the next episode of The BOLT Podcast.

We dig into:
↳ Why great performers don’t automatically become great leaders
↳ The leadership development gap in middle management
↳ Why knowing your people matters
↳ The power of consistent one-on-ones
↳ What it really means to become a “Magnetic Leader”

Great conversation. Great human. Lots of practical leadership wisdom.

🎙️ New episode of The BOLT drops September 9. Subscribe today!
https://www.toddbertsch.com/podcast/

#𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

09/03/2026

🔥 What if burnout isn't the problem?
💨 What if it's a smoke signal?

As leaders, it's easy to focus on what we can see:
👁️ Energy dropping
👁️ Curiosity shutting down
👁️ Ownership fading
👁️ Connection declining

And we may label it disengagement, resistance, or even a performance problem. But what if we got curious about what's happening underneath?

That's what I'll be exploring at National Leadership Development Day 2026 in my session: Ignite Your Spark: How Great Leaders Reignite People During Times of Disruption

We'll talk about how leaders can recognize the smoke signals earlier, create the psychological safety people need to talk about what's really going on, and help reignite the spark that fuels engagement, resilience, and growth.

And we'll talk about one more spark leaders sometimes forget to protect...Their own.

Because it's hard to pour into others when your own spark is running on fumes.

📅 September 25, 2026
💻 Virtual
🎤 15+ leadership speakers + live Q&A

Registration is currently complimentary with code: NLDD2026
Register: https://nldd.org/

🤜 If you lead people, you belong here.

#𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

09/02/2026

⚡We all have a choice to make.
Growth or comfort.

Comfort feels safe. Familiar. Easy.
But growth requires us to get curious, challenge the stories we tell ourselves, and intentionally step into the uncomfortable.

That was one of the themes I explored with Cliff Stevenson on his podcast, where we talked about burnout, disengagement, mental fitness, and why meaningful change often starts with an interruption, not another pep talk.

We also dug into my SPARK Framework, the SQ Spark Assessment, the power of shifting from “I have to” to “I get to,” and what leaders can do to recognize the smoke signals before someone’s spark goes out.

🔥 Change is inevitable. Growth is a choice.
Thanks, Cliff, for the conversation and the opportunity to share this work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3p2nfa_5EE

#𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

Disengagement and burnout have barely budged in decades — Gallup st...

08/31/2026

⚡We’ve been taught that fairness means treating everyone the same. But what if that’s not actually fair?

That’s the difference between equality and equity.
Equality says: Everyone gets the same.
Equity asks: What does each person need to have access to the same opportunity?

That distinction was the focus of my recent BOLT Podcast conversation with Celeste Warren, author of The Truth About Equity.

The rocks represent different starting points.
The fence represents barriers.
The goal isn’t to lower the standard or give someone an unfair advantage.

It’s to recognize that people don’t all start from the same place—and great leaders pay attention to what may be standing in the way. That requires curiosity.

What barriers might exist for someone on your team that you simply can’t see?

My conversation with Celeste challenged me to think differently about equity, fairness, leadership, and my own blind spots. I hope it does the same for you.

Listen to The Truth About Equity with Celeste Warren on The BOLT Podcast.
https://www.toddbertsch.com/podcast/the-truth-about-equity-with-celeste-warren/

08/28/2026

did not disappoint...in fact, it rocked!

I had an amazing time speaking, networking, and watching many great breakout sessions.

To my fellow speakers: Devin C. Hughes, David Horning, David Shar, you crushed it! Well done, guys.

What impressed me the most was how well-run this conference was. Every detail, every communication was top-notch! Well done, SHRM Kentucky!

Special thanks to Claire Arnold, Martha Steil, Crystal Balentine, Lori Jo Goff, Kyle Bedford for giving me the opportunity to light some KY SPARKS!⚡⚡

Grateful for the many new friends I made! Danielle Harris, Kelsey Studer, Michelle Wright, Jenna Hirschmann, Kapil Patel, Lisa Keeley, Danielle Cortez (Kocher) Cortez, Samantha Kelly ...and so many more.

08/26/2026

⚡Today’s BOLT podcast episode may be the most important conversation I've had to date! https://www.toddbertsch.com/podcast/the-truth-about-equity-with-celeste-warren/

I sat down with Celeste Warren, former Fortune 100 Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer and author of The Truth About Equity, to unpack a topic that’s often misunderstood: equity.

We talk about the difference between equality and equity, why treating everyone the same isn’t always fair, how unconscious bias shows up in workplace decisions, and what leaders can do to remove barriers so people have a real opportunity to succeed.

If you lead people, I hope this conversation challenges you to stay curious, listen, ask better questions, and meet your people where they are.

The Truth About Equity with Celeste Warren is available now on The BOLT Podcast. https://www.toddbertsch.com/podcast/the-truth-about-equity-with-celeste-warren/