Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb sit down with Lars Leafblad of Ballinger Leafblad, one of Minnesota’s top executive search leaders, to talk about a leadership crisis hiding in plain sight. Leafblad estimates roughly 60% turnover since 2020 across elected officials, nonprofit CEOs, and major employers, driven by a perfect storm of the pandemic, George Floyd’s murder, political violence, and a wave of generational retirements.
The conversation goes deeper than the numbers. Leafblad argues that the collapse of in-person networking has hollowed out civic relationships and what he calls “civic IQ.” He points to the Citizens League and its Legislative Exchange program as models for rebuilding those connections and linking people who care about Minnesota with the power and capital to make a difference.
On a lighter note: Leafblad walks through how he won bipartisan legislative approval to launch a DNR-run contest to redesign the State Parks and Trails license plate, with the Lake Superior agate as the centerpiece. In Minnesota, that counts as a big win!
Then Becky and Michael break down where things stand in the U.S. Senate race between Congresswoman Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, including the debate landscape. Finally, they take a close look at Gov. Tim Walz’s new “Small Town PAC,” his latest effort to rebuild Democratic support in rural America.
00:00 — Introduction & Episode Highlights: Overview of the episode, guest preview, and a quick birthday shoutout by Becky.
03:31 — Meet Lars Leafblad: Introduction to Lars Leafblad of Ballinger Leafblad, his work in executive search, and why Minnesota’s leadership pipeline is in trouble.
06:01 — The 60% Turnover Crisis: Leafblad breaks down the data: how a perfect storm of pandemic, George Floyd’s murder, political violence, and generational retirements hollowed out Minnesota’s leadership class.
08:10 — Rebuilding Civic Connection: The collapse of in-person networking, the erosion of civic IQ, and why organizations like the Citizens League matter more than ever.
13:59 — Economic Impacts and the Talent Drain: What happens when cities lose their movers and shakers, and the long-term economic consequences of leadership turnover.
44:47 — The Lake Superior Agate License Plate Story: How Leafblad won bipartisan support to launch a DNR-run contest to redesign Minnesota’s State Parks and Trails license plate.
57:14 — Hosts Reflect & Senate Race Debate Fight: Host reactions to the interview, followed by a breakdown of the debate battle in the Angie Craig and Peggy Flanagan U.S. Senate race and why it matters.
01:22:25 — Walz’s Small Town PAC & Closing: A close look at Gov. Tim Walz’s new rural Democratic strategy, pushback from critics, and closing remarks.
The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky will return with a new episode next week!
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