Resilience Reimagined: Navigating Change and Transformation

In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we welcome Chad Foster, author, innovator, and leadership expert known for helping global organizations turn adversity into advantage. Chad shares his remarkable journey of breaking barriers, from creating the first CRM software for the visually impaired to guiding leaders at Google, IBM, and Microsoft. We explore the anatomy of resilience, strategies for navigating change, and practical tools to help individuals and organizations build lasting strength through challenges.

This inspiring conversation will encourage you to rethink what’s possible and reimagine resilience in your own life and work.

 Discover more of Chad’s insights here. 

Transcript

Intro

Narrator:
Welcome to Bring Out the Talent, the podcast where learning‑and‑development experts share innovative approaches and industry insights. Tune in as our talent helps develop yours. Here are your hosts — TTA’s CEO and President Maria Melfa and Talent Manager Jocelyn Allen.

Part 1 Opening & Guest Introduction

Maria:
Hi, Jocelyn! We had a quick mic glitch, but we’re ready to roll. We have a special in‑studio guest today — my daughter Charlotte. She’s helping the team part‑time and, at 19, apparently likes our dance moves more than she should. I’m sure they’ll land on TikTok.

Jocelyn (laughing):
I’m already bracing for it. But let’s dive in, because today’s topic is truly unique.

Maria:
Absolutely. On this episode we welcome Chad Foster — a remarkable example of resilience, innovation, and transformation. Despite losing his eyesight as a young adult, Chad:

• Created the first CRM software for the visually impaired.
• Became the first blind executive to complete Harvard Business School’s leadership program.
• Advises organizations like Google, IBM, and Microsoft on turning adversity into advantage.
• Skis Black Diamond slopes and practices Brazilian jiu‑jitsu.

Today he’ll unpack the “anatomy of resilience” and share tools anyone can use to thrive through change. Chad, welcome.

Chad:
Thanks for having me. I’m excited to help listeners think more resiliently. Many people talk about resilience, but few break down the mindset shifts required to live it. Let’s get started.

Part 2 Chad’s Turning Point

Jocelyn:
Your story is incredible. Losing your sight at 21 could have stopped you. How did you shift from “Why me?” to thriving?

Chad:
It was hard. No child says, “I want to be blind when I grow up.” By 21 I could no longer read my college notes. I was angry and scared, but I realized I couldn’t spend the next 60 years in self‑pity.

Two things helped:

1. Tough love at home. My dad never lowered the bar; he expected results.
2. Perspective at Leader Dogs for the Blind. For 26 days I lived with people who were blind and deaf, on dialysis, or facing mental impairments. Their determination made me see that happiness is a choice, not a feeling.

I decided excuses are for losers. We cannot control circumstances, but we must own outcomes.

Part 3 The Anatomy of Resilience

Maria:
You mentioned an “anatomy of resilience.” Can you walk us through the pillars?

Chad:

1. Choose your response. You control attitude, not circumstances.
2. Tell yourself the right story. I could view blindness as bad luck or as proof that I’m strong enough to use it for good. Your stories become your reality.
3. Visualize greatness. I had to imagine how to “make blind look good” in business and beyond.
4. Get comfortable with discomfort. Growth lives outside the comfort zone. Skiing and jiu‑jitsu keep me stretching that boundary.
5. Leverage disadvantages. Every perceived weakness offers an edge in the right context. My blindness sharpened problem‑solving skills that set me apart in tech.

Part 4 Applying Resilience at Work

Jocelyn:
Organizations call you during large‑scale change — system rollouts, mergers, policy shifts. How do you tailor your message?

Chad:
Before every keynote I learn the client’s top challenges, event theme, and mission. During the talk I:

• Link each pillar to a specific business challenge.
• Provide concrete actions.
• End by reconnecting people to the purpose behind their work.

I also run workshops after the keynote, once the audience already trusts the message.

Part 5 Tech Innovation & Career Highlights

Maria:
Tell us about that first CRM bridge you built.

Chad:
Early at Accenture, off‑the‑shelf screen readers didn’t work with enterprise software, so I wrote custom code. Oracle had insisted integration was impossible — until my client proved we’d done it a year earlier. Oracle began referring similar projects to me, unlocking jobs for countless professionals who are visually impaired.

Part 6 Life Beyond Work

Jocelyn:
How did you end up skiing Black Diamonds without sight?

Chad:
A friend invited me to Snowmass. Instructors there pair Bluetooth headsets with a guide who skis behind me giving real‑time cues. After plenty of falls I mastered the technique, and a good helmet does the rest.

Maria:
And now your kids practice jiu‑jitsu with you?

Chad:
Yes. My 16‑year‑old daughter just earned her blue belt, and my eight‑year‑old son trains too. It teaches discipline and keeps us outside our comfort zones together.

Part 7 Key Takeaway & Action Step

Jocelyn:
One first step for anyone who wants to build resilience?

Chad:
Start with gratitude. Every night list three things you’re thankful for. Gratitude fuels happiness, and happiness fuels resilience.

Part 8 Closing & “TTA 10” Trailer

Maria:
Chad, your story is powerful. Thank you for sharing it.

David (Producer):
Since Chad missed our rapid‑fire “TTA 10,” I imagined his life as a film trailer…

(David delivers the humorous “Blind Vision” movie‑trailer monologue, starring Vin Diesel as Chad.)

Maria (laughing):
Chad, if you weren’t thinking about a movie before, you should now.

Jocelyn:
For more on resilience and L&D insights, visit thetrainingassociates.com. Thanks for listening to Bring Out the Talent.

Additionally, Chad has created a special welcome page for our listeners. Visit: https://chadefoster.com/bringout/