Coaching for Leaders - Talent Management | Leaders: Recent Episodes
Coaching for Leaders - Talent
Neal Schore: The 25th HourNeal Schore is the founder and CEO of 25th Hour Group, an executive coaching and leadership events firm. Previously, he served as the founder, president, and CEO of Triton Digital, a global technology, data, and services leader in the digital audio and podcast industry. He is the author of The 25th Hour: How to Thrive (And Gain RidiculousAmounts of Time) By Getting Out of Your Own Way (Amazon, Bookshop).No productivity approach can negotiate with physics. How we manage time is really how we manage ourselves. In this conversation, Neal and I explore a key question to help us shift from ordinary to exceptional.Key PointsSwirling shows up for all of us when we ruminate on an interaction in a way that’s not helpful.Most people don’t think to ask about others’ intent.The key question to shift our thinking: “What’s the intent?”Ordinary thinking goes with the flow. Exceptional thinking pauses and allows us to consider the intent behind the interaction.To free time each day, pause before responding in a complex situation and ask yourself, “What’s the intent?”This question becomes powerful when you can ask and answer yourself without needing to say it out loud.Resources MentionedThe 25th Hour: How to Thrive (And Gain Ridiculous Amounts of Time) By Getting Out of Your Own Way by Neal Schore (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Genuinely Show Up for Others, with Marshall Goldsmith (episode 590)How to Help Difficult Conversations Go Better, with Sheila Heen (episode 655)How to Take Back Your Evenings, with Guy Winch (episode 783)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Jia Jiang: Easy DisciplineJia Jiang is an award-winning speaker, entrepreneur, and the bestselling author of Rejection Proof. His TED Talk is among the top 1% most viewed of all time, and he has spoken to over 400,000 people worldwide. He is also the creator of Rejection Therapy, a platform designed to help people overcome fear and build resilience, and is the author of Easy Discipline: An Unconventional Way to Achieve Ambitious Things (Amazon, Bookshop).No pain, no gain. We’ve all heard that before – and it’s true that one way to achieve is through a lot of pain. Good news: there are other ways, too. In this conversation, Jia and I explore how to harness the ambition you already have through easy discipline.Key PointsPain tolerance is admired and celebrated. When greatness comes through pain, our society cheers it. When greatness comes through loving work, we are suspicious.Hard discipline and easy discipline both produce results, but easy discipline does so with more joy and sustainability.Ambitious people often suffer from High Eyes, Low Hands Disease. Higher ambitions create higher expectations that make a gap seem harder to transcend.In the game of Catan, it’s not the lucky players that win; it’s the most active players. Professional learning follows the same pattern.The momentum loop is the practice of early action generating greater fuel for later action. Even wrong movements are almost always superior to standing still.Resources MentionedEasy Discipline: An Unconventional Way to Achieve Ambitious Things by Jia Jiang (Amazon, Bookshop)Jia Jiang’s speakingInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Change Your Behavior, with BJ Fogg (episode 507)How to Get Out of a Rut, with Anne-Laure Le Cunff (episode 747)How to Help People Flourish, with Marcus Buckingham (episode 778)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Chris Bailey: IntentionalChris Bailey is an author and lecturer who explores the science behind living a more productive and intentional life. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject and is the bestselling author of The Productivity Project, Hyperfocus, and How to Calm Your Mind. His newest book is Intentional: How to Finish What You Start (Amazon, Bookshop).Starting is often a lot easier than finishing. Our mindsets and our tactics can make a big difference in how far we really go. In this conversation, Chris and I discuss the best ways to finish what we begin.Key PointsProcrastination is triggered by six characteristics of aversion: boring, unpleasant, frustrating, far off in the future, unstructured, and/or meaningless.The more we activate the logical centers in our brain, the less aversion we run into.Almost everything can be more fun if we put the right structure around it. Gamification, countdown timers, and artificial deadlines can drive our behaviors in substantial ways.Make goals about others. Rather than simply “reading 10 pages,” shift to “reading ten pages to be a better mentor.”Most of us have a preference for either performance goals or learning goals. Identify which works better for you and for the people you lead.Define a target pace and map your progress against it. We often do this with organizational projects, but rarely for our own goals.Pair joyful tasks together with the ones that don’t bring joy as a means to keep you moving.Resources MentionedIntentional: How to Finish What You Start by Chris Bailey (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear (episode 376)How to Change Your Behavior, with BJ Fogg (episode 507)Make Your Task List Work for You, with Liane Davey (episode 785)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Ludmila Praslova: The Canary CodeLudmila Praslova is a Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Vanguard University of Southern California and regularly writes for Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Psychology Today, and Forbes. She’s the recipient of the 2025 Talent Award from Thinker50 and has been named a LinkedIn Top Voice. She is the author of The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work (Amazon, Bookshop).We’ve all seen career paths that sound like this: analyst 1, analyst 2, senior analyst, lead analyst, manager of analysts, etc. Those paths to leadership work for some people, but they don’t work for others. In this conversation, Ludmila and I explore how to create leadership paths that work for everyone.Key PointsCanaries were used in coal mines because they were more sensitive to early indicators of problems – in a way that helped everyone. The same is often true for neurodivergent leaders in organizations.The “ideal leader” is a myth. If we are honest, no individual fits the ideal profile.Having different paths to leadership makes more sense in a complex world. Many of the best leaders are specialists in something.Instead of looking for “culture fit,” challenge yourself and your organization to do a “culture add.” Neurodiverse leaders can be less susceptible to bias and have higher levels of divergent thinking – huge benefits strengths for many organizations.In addition to people management, consider paths for leadership that focus strength and skill on system and process, strategy, expertise, though leadership, global leadership, and creative ideation.Making the workplace more accessible and equitable for one population almost always makes it better for everyone.Resources MentionedThe Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work by Ludmilla Praslova (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Mindset Leaders Need to Address Burnout, with Christina Maslach (episode 608)The Neurodiversity Edge in Organizations, with Maureen Dunne (episode 694)How to Motivate Younger Employees, with David Yeager (episode 775)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Joanna Stern: I Am Not a RobotJoanna Stern is an Emmy Award-winning technology journalist who was previously the personal technology columnist at The Wall Street Journal. For many years, she has been one of the most recognizable and entertaining voices in consumer tech, and she just recently launched her own media company and YouTube channel called New Things. Her new book is I Am Not a Robot: My Year Using AI to Do (Almost) Everything (Amazon, Bookshop).What if you decided to go to AI first for virtually everything in your life? Joanna Stern decided to do exactly that and captured it all in her recent book. In this episode, we explore how those implications are showing up for a lot of us in the workplace.Key PointsCustomer service functions are one of many places where organizations are already using AI to supplement or replace work that people used to do.Some aspects of AI work are preferred by both customers and employees. For others, having people in the loop is essential.AI may eliminate some jobs and hiring. It also presents an opportunity to create work that is more interesting.For many aspects of work and research, AI is useful as a “first pass” that helps the human spend more time doing the things that humans do.The AI pushback is real and helpful. It allows us to grapple with how we use new technology and the best way for it to show up in our work and lives.Resources MentionedI Am Not a Robot: My Year Using AI to Do (Almost) Everything by Joanna Stern (Amazon, Bookshop)New Things by Joanna SternRelated EpisodesPrinciples for Using AI at Work, with Ethan Mollick (episode 674)Becoming an AI-Savvy Leader, with David De Cremer (episode 710)Using AI to Make Networking Easier, with Ruth Gotian (episode 766)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Daniel Coyle: FlourishDaniel Coyle is the New York Times bestselling author of The Culture Code, which was named Best Business Book of the Year by Bloomberg, BookPal, and Business Insider. He has served as an advisor to many high-performing organizations, including the Navy SEALs, Microsoft, Google, and the Cleveland Guardians. His newest book is Flourish: The Art of Building Meaning, Joy, and Fulfillment (Amazon, Bookshop).When teams really thrive, it isn’t about luck or simply optimizing systems. Instead, it’s about intentionally creating spaces for connection, agency, and shared growth. In this conversation, Daniel and I discuss where to begin to help a team flourish.Key PointsLife (and leadership) is treasure creation, not a treasure hunt.Flourishing environments encourage experimentation, agency, and even mistakes, allowing ownership and innovation to thrive.If leaders think like designers, using questions and constraints, they will more likely unlock people’s full potential.Simple acts such as little “thank you’s” build psychological safety and lay the foundation for flourishing groups.Some of the world’s greatest innovations emerged from environments that welcomed surprise, cross-pollination, and flexibility.Value the art of asking good questions over having all the answers.Resources MentionedFlourish: The Art of Building Meaning, Joy, and Fulfillment by Daniel Coyle (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesWhat Innovative Leaders Do Differently, with Linda Hill (episode 774)How to Help People Flourish, with Marcus Buckingham (episode 778)The Counterintuitive Secret to Creativity and Focus, with David Epstein (episode 789)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
David Epstein: Inside the BoxDavid Epstein is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Range and The Sports Gene, both of which have been translated into more than 30 languages. He was previously the host of Slate‘s popular “How To!” podcast and a science and investigative reporter at ProPublica. His TED talks have been viewed more than 12 million times. His newest book is also a New York Times bestseller: Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better (Amazon, Bookshop).It seems like we should be the most focused, creative, and innovative when we are the freest to do whatever we want. Turns out, it’s pretty much the exact opposite. In this conversation, David and I discuss why constraints make all the difference.Key PointsMyth: we are most creative and innovative when we are most free. In fact, it’s the opposite.Given complete freedom, we tend to follow the path of least resistance. The Einstellung effect: employing only familiar methods even if better ones are available.General Magic (the most important technology company that nobody’s ever heard of) had virtually no constraints and ultimately produced nothing.Write down hypotheses and make commitments visible before you begin. Give people agency in creating constraints.If your organization or team was being handed off to someone else tomorrow, what’s the first thing the new leader would change? Consider making that change now.To avoid over-indexing on constraints, ask this question: “Could I still surprise myself?”Resources MentionedInside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better by David Epstein (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Transform Your Limitations Into Advantages, with Mark Barden (episode 207)Help Your Brain Learn, with Lisa Feldman Barrett (episode 513)Get People Reading What You’re Sending, with Todd Rogers (episode 666)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Leanne ten Brinke: Poisonous PeopleLeanne ten Brinke is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia, where she directs the Truth and Trust Lab. Her research investigates trust, deception, and dark personality traits across diverse populations—from incarcerated individuals to hedge fund managers and politicians. She reveals how dark personality traits shape our institutions and relationships, while offering practical strategies to recognize and counteract their harmful influence. Her book is titled Poisonous People: How to Resist Them and Improve Your Life (Amazon, Bookshop).If you are a leader, you are going to deal with poisonous people. Sometimes they will show up as clients, sometimes your boss, sometimes your peers, and sometimes the people you manage. Regardless of where they show up, this conversation with Leanne will help you handle this tough dynamic.Key PointsDark traits exist on a spectrum. While only 1% of the population rises to a clinical level of psychopathology, 10-20% of the population has a dark personality profile.There are many more people with psychopathy per capita in senior management positions than in the general population.Poisonous people generally aren’t interested in shifting their personality. As such, you will not change them. Given that reality, aim to better manage the relationship.Establish clear boundaries with poisonous people and put things in writing you might normally assume. Dark personalities are really good at exploiting unspoken norms.Find ways to create win-wins with poisonous people. They don’t do well with trade-offs, because they don’t like to lose anything.Avoid face-to-face negotiations with them. Their charm and charisma will win you over in the moment. Text-based dialogue will help you objectively negotiate better.Use the carrot instead of the stick. Reward good behavior when it happens (just not by giving them power over others).Resources MentionedPoisonous People: How to Resist Them and Improve Your Life by Leanne ten Brinke (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Handle a Boss Who’s a Jerk, with Tom Henschel (episode 164)How to Start Better With Peers, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 635)How to Show Up Authentically in Tough Situations, with Andrew Brodsky (episode 727)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Chris Duffy: Humor MeChris Duffy is an award-winning podcaster, comedian, and television writer. He hosts the podcast How to Be a Better Human and you can find his comedic TED talk, “How to find laughter anywhere” online. He is the author of Humor Me: How Laughing More Can Make You Present, Creative, Connected, and Happy (Amazon, Bookshop).It sometimes seems like someone with a good sense of humor does everything a bit better. Perhaps leadership is no different – but it’s not about landing jokes. In this episode, Chris and I explore why everyday humor is all about paying attention and generosity.Key PointsHumor might not make the list of top leadership competencies, but it helps you perform every other competency better.A good sense of humor is inherently generous.Effective humor isn’t landing the perfect joke or being the center of attention. It’s noticing the humor is everyday work and bravely calling attention to it.The first pillar of cultivating humor is simply being present.Start with times you are least present and most zoned out. Zero in with a “new bathroom” frame of mind.Celebrate the bad stuff and find humor in it. By doing so, you inherently help people appreciate excellence.Resources MentionedHumor Me: How Laughing More Can Make You Present, Creative, Connected, and Happy by Chris Duffy (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Engage With Humor, with David Nihill (episode 235)Get Better at Deep Listening, with Oscar Trimboli (episode 408)How to Genuinely Show Up for Others, with Marshall Goldsmith (episode 590)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Phil Le-Brun: The Octopus OrganizationPhil Le-Brun is an executive in residence at Amazon Web Services and a former corporate VP and international CIO at the McDonald’s Corporation. He is a sought-after speaker and has been featured in Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, and The Guardian. He is the co-author with Jana Werner of The Octopus Organization: A Guide to Thriving in a World of Continuous Transformation (Amazon, Bookshop).Most of us have gone through some version of a reorg. A lot of leaders have also implemented their own reorgs. Sometimes they work. Many times, they don’t. In this conversation, Phil and I discuss what goes wrong with reorgs and how we can do better.Key PointsOrganizations traditionally looked like the tin man from The Wizard of Oz: perfectly planned, many interchangeable parts, not flexible.An octopus organization adapts, works independently to serve the larger whole, and is innately curious.A reorg that starts with an org chart misses the complex organic connections you are unlikely to fully understand.Prioritize structural stability while building internal flexibility.Nurture the complex informal human networks that deliver value.Be honest about objectives and communicate a reorg early.Engage people by starting with smaller-scale change. Clarify the problem to be solved instead of the structural “answer.”Resources MentionedThe Octopus Organization: A Guide to Thriving in a World of Continuous Transformation by Phil Le-Brun and Jana Werner (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Get the Ideal Team Player, with Patrick Lencioni (episode 301)How to Approach a Reorg, with Claire Hughes Johnson (episode 621)How to Help Employees Handle Tough Moments, with Anthony Klotz (episode 777)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Liane Davey: ThoughtloadFor the past 25 years, Liane Davey has researched and advised teams on how to achieve high performance. She is the author of You First and The Good Fight and is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review. She is the author of the new book Thoughtload: Manage the Madness and Free Your Team to Do Great Work (Amazon, Bookshop).We all love to hate our task lists. However, we can do a lot better with just a bit of strategy. In this conversation, Liane and I explore how to make our task list work for us instead of against us.Key PointsOften it’s not really the workload that’s crushing – it’s more so the thinking about all the workload. That’s what thoughtload is.The problem with a to-do list is that everything goes on it. Thus, to-do lists are terrible for managing your attention.Instead of one task list, keep a limited amount of tasks on three priority lists.Category 1 list: your most important outputs and outcomes.Category 2 list: what you do to help others achieve their most significant outcomes.Category 3 list: administrative stuff.Four questions determine what gets on your lists:Important (an activity that will add value to a key output or outcome)?Urgent (something with growing negative consequences if you wait)?Targeted (a task that no one can do as efficiently or effectively as you)?Essential (core to creating the critical value, not just a nice-to-have)?Resources MentionedThoughtload: Manage the Madness and Free Your Team to Do Great Work by Liane Davey (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Scientific Secrets of Daily Scheduling, with Daniel Pink (episode 332)Align Your Calendar to What Matters, with Nir Eyal (episode 431)How to Take Back Your Evenings, with Guy Winch (episode 783)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Eric Ries: IncorruptibleEric Ries is the creator of the Lean Startup method, and the author of the New York Times bestseller The Lean Startup, The Leader’s Guide, and The Startup Way. Over the last two decades, his ideas about continuous innovation, long-term thinking, governance, and market reform have reshaped company building and management practices. He is the author of Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad…and How Great Companies Stay Great (Amazon, Bookshop).If you build a great organization, the predators will come. With the right principles in place, not only can you protect what you love, but help many people flourish because of it. In this conversation, Eric and I show you exactly where to start.Key PointsMost leaders are one acquisition, one IPO, one board meeting away from seeing something they love turn into something they hate.If you build something great, they will come. The “they” are the predators who are willing to kill the golden goose.Financial gravity is the force no one controls but everyone obeys. Appreciating its realities and laws will help you build stronger.Rather than framing profit as good or bad, define profit as how you contribute to human flourishing.Harder is easier. Rather than viewing principles as a burden, the best leaders see principles as opportunities.Design the business model so the organization prospers only via mission attainment.Resources MentionedIncorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad…and How Great Companies Stay Great by Eric Ries (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesDoing Better Than Zero-Sum Thinking, with Renée Mauborgne (episode 641)Crafting the Modern Business Plan, with Seth Godin (episode 704)Notice Disruption and Innovate Through It, with Steve Blank (episode 761)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Guy Winch: Mind Over GrindGuy Winch is a psychologist and bestselling author who advocates for integrating the science of emotional health into our daily lives. His TED talks have attracted over 35 million views, and his books have been translated into more than 30 languages. He is co-host of the Ambie-nominated Dear Therapists podcast and the author of the book Mind Over Grind: How to Break Free When Work Hijacks Your Life (Amazon, Bookshop).Some of our parents got to work in the morning, put in a full day, and then by dinner time, didn’t think about work or do it until the next morning. That’s not reality for a lot of us today, so in this conversation, Guy and I explore what you can do to take back your evenings.Key PointsMost work stress isn’t experienced at work.Healthy thinking is intentional and leads us somewhere useful. Unhealthy thinking (rumination) isn’t intentional and tends to repeat the same script. It feels more like unpaid work.To interrupt rumination outside of work, first label it and then associate it with disgust, disdain, and annoyance. Treat it like you would a skunk sitting next to you on the couch.Rituals help our brains make a distinction between time to work and time to recover. Rituals are most powerful when they invoke one or more of our five senses to signal a shift to our brains.Often we think of relaxation and recovery the same way our grandparents did who often did more manual work. Work today tends to be more mental and emotional, so indexing on ways to engage physically during recovery times is helpful.Rather than just assuming that doing nothing, sitting on a beach, or seeing the sights is the best vacation, consider engaging in the things you love that you normally don’t get to do.Resources MentionedMind Over Grind: How to Break Free When Work Hijacks Your Life by Guy Winch (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesAlign Your Calendar to What Matters, with Nir Eyal (episode 431)What to Do With Your Feelings, with Lori Gottlieb (episode 438)How High Achievers Begin to Find Balance, with Michael Hyatt (episode 522)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Gustavo Razzetti: Forward TalkGustavo Razzetti is a culture change instigator, speaker, andCEO of Fearless Culture, a culture design consultancy. He helpsleaders build teams that talk about what matters—even when it’suncomfortable–through his books and tools, including the Culture Design Canvas. He is the author of Forward Talk: The Bold New Method for Getting Teams Unstuck (Amazon, Bookshop).The beauty of a team is that we can get so much more done with collaboration. It also means that sometimes we surrender our responsibility to others. In this conversation, Gustavo and I explore what to do when a team gets stuck.Key PointsConversations are the foundation of collaboration. Without them, teams quickly build conversational debt.We don’t stay silent because we’re scared. Rather, we stay quiet because we surrender our responsibility to others.Many of us overestimate our courage. We believe that we’ll say something, but studies show that often we do not.Forward Talk accomplishes two things: (1) addresses the real issue and (2) focuses on the future.See information as an opportunity instead of an obstacle. Courage can begin with admitting what you don’t know.Perspective is the choice to share your views instead of surrendering your judgment to social pressure.Responsibility is a commitment to understand the systemic issues instead of entering into blame.Resources MentionedForward Talk: The Bold New Method for Getting Teams Unstuck by Gustavo Razzetti (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesGetting Better at Internal Communication, with Roy Schwartz (episode 687)Help Your Team Coach Each Other, with Keith Ferrazzi (episode 709)What Really Matters for Team Success, with Colin Fisher (episode 748)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher EdBonni is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, Dean of Teaching and Learning and Professor of Business and Management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, she was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. Bonni is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide (Amazon, Bookshop)*.In this reflection episode, Bonni and I look back on recent past episodes and discuss questions, feedback, and insights that have surfaced from recent conversations.Key PointsDave responded to this question from Margaret Andrews:What does success look like for you?“You can have everything in life you want if you’ll just help enough other people get what they want.” -Zig Ziglar“Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.” -Earl NightingaleBonni responded to this question:What feedback have you received over the years about how your actions and behaviors impact others?Resources MentionedTo be of use by Marge PiercyRelated EpisodesHow to Get Way Better at Accepting Feedback, with Sheila Heen (episode 143)Six Questions Every Leader Should Ask Themselves, with Margaret Andrews (episode 750)How to Lead a Meaningful Cultural Shift, with David Hutchens (episode 755)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Shirzad Chamine: Positive IntelligenceShirzad has been the CEO of the largest coach training organization in the world. He has lectured on Positive Intelligence at Stanford University and has trained faculty at Stanford and Yale business schools. He is the author of The New York Times bestseller Positive Intelligence: Why Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve Their True Potential and How You Can Achieve Yours (Amazon, Bookshop).By overusing our strengths, they can become our weakness. It’s just one of the many ways that leaders self-sabotage. In this conversation, Shirzad and I explore how to shift from self-sabotage to self-mastery.Key PointsMost men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them. -Henry David ThoreauWe are all a mixed bag of Darth Vader (saboteur) and Jedi knight (sage).By overusing a strength, you turn it into a weakness.Rather than attempting to eliminate all our saboteurs, it’s more helpful to be intentional about quieting them down.The four most common saboteurs that show up for leaders are Controller, Stickler, Hyper Achiever, Hyper Rational.Sage perspective: Every outcome or circumstance can be turned into an opportunity.A 10-second brain shift can help quiet your mind and engage the sage. One way to do this is to rub your fingers together and notice the friction to get your mind out of autopilot.Resources MentionedPositive Intelligence: Why Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve Their True Potential and How You Can Achieve Yours by Shirzad Chamine (Amazon, Bookshop)Saboteur AssessmentDave’s assessment resultsInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Tame Your Inner Critic, with Tara Mohr (episode 232)The Path to More Joy in Work and Life, with Judith Joseph (episode 734)How to See What’s Holding You Back, with Marty Dubin (episode 765)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Nilofer Merchart: Our Best WorkNilofer Merchant is ranked among the world’s top management thinkers by Thinkers50 and is the founder of The Intangible Labs, where she defines the leading indicators of modern work. She’s launched more than 100 products totaling $18B in revenue, and her TED Talk, Sitting Is the Smoking of Our Generation, ranks in the top 10% of all TED Talks. She is the author of Our Best Work: Break Free from the 24 Invisible Norms That Limit Us (Amazon, Bookshop).When bad behavior happens in an organization, it’s the job of the leader to address it. In this conversation, Nilofer and I explore the strategies and tactics that will help you do this with clarity and effectiveness.Key PointsBad behavior isn’t just “bad apples” – it’s also the organizational norms of “the barrel” that reinforce these behaviors.Most management norms are not persuasive; they are persistent.Begin by getting clarity on what’s acceptable and what’s not.Interrupt behavior without escalation. Consider phrases like, “Ouch,” or “I don’t know if you mean to…” or, “Did you intend that to be hurtful?”Culture is not defined by words on the wall—it’s defined by what happens when someone crosses the line.Ask everyone to enforce norms, not just the person who was harmed.Resources MentionedOur Best Work: Break Free from the 24 Invisible Norms That Limit Us by Nilofer Merchant (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Way to Be More Coach-Like, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 458)How to Respond Better When Challenged, with Dolly Chugh (episode 615)Being Nice May Not Be Kind, with Graham Allcott (episode 767)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Marcus Buckingham: Design Love InMarcus Buckingham is the author of two of the best-selling business books of all time and has three of Harvard Business Review’s most circulated, industry-changing cover articles. After spending two decades studying excellence at the Gallup Organization and co-creating the StrengthsFinder tool, he built his own Coaching + Education firm and has been a prominent researcher on strengths, love, and leadership at work. He is the author of Design Love In: How to Unleash the Most Powerful Force in Business (Amazon, Bookshop).Most everyone who listens to this podcast wants to go way beyond just hitting numbers and achieving goals. In addition to that, we want so deeply to see the people the work with flourish in their careers. In this conversation, Marcus and I explore the sequence of five feelings that make this work – and why a lot of it comes down to love.Key PointsLove dies, not from being killed – but from forgetting and neglect.The difference is massive in what we give a top rating to and everything else.Love is the deep and unwavering commitment to the flourishing of a human.Shift from leaders making decisions to leaders making experiences.The five feelings follow this sequence:ControlHarmonySignificanceWarmth of othersGrowthResources MentionedDesign Love In: How to Unleash the Most Powerful Force in Business by Marcus Buckingham (Amazon, Bookshop)Design Love InLovethat.comInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Lead Top-Line Growth, with Tim Sanders (episode 299)Transcend Leadership Struggles Through Your Strengths, with Lisa Cummings (episode 692)Clarifying Values for a Workplace People Love, with Anne Chow (episode 712)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Anthony Klotz: JoltedAnthony Klotz is an organizational psychologist and Professor of Management at the UCL School of Management. He is the person who both predicted and coined the term “The Great Resignation,” and his groundbreaking research on quitting, work design, and employee performance has made him a leading voice on the future of work. He is the author of Jolted: Why We Quit, When to Stay, and Why It Matters (Amazon, Bookshop).Most of us have attempted to support an employee dealing with a tough career moment. Not all the time, but certainly sometimes, we see those moments coming. When an employee is dealing with a big jolt – or about to – this conversation with Anthony will show you how to help.Key PointsJolts have an outsized influence on people’s overall relationship with their work.Managers play a deciding role in how people respond to jolts and are in the best position to insulate the negative effects and amplify the positive effects.Managers can often anticipate and predict jolts to employees. The plans leaders have often become the jolts that others experience.If people can make sense of a jolting event, they are better able to deal with it constructively.The perception of how fair and event is and how fair the process was leading up to the event massively impacts how people perceive it.A clear explanation of why change is happening and what it means can substantially minimize the negative effects of career jolts.The tendency for organizations to delay bad news often is counterproductive to helping managers and employees navigate jolts.Partnership with others (managers, friends, family members) helps most of us better process what we might otherwise attempt to do alone.Resources MentionedJolted: Why We Quit, When to Stay, and Why It Matters (Amazon, Bookshop) by Anthony KlotzInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesEngaging People Through Change, with Cassandra Worthy (episode 571)How to Quit Bad Stuff Faster, with Annie Duke (episode 607)Stop Solving Your Team’s Problems, with Elizabeth Lotardo (episode 764)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Neri Karra Sillaman: PioneersNeri Karra Sillaman is a refugee-turned-entrepreneur, academic, and author whose work focuses on the importance of resilience, purpose, and vision in business and in life. She is the recipient of the Thinkers50 Radar Award, an entrepreneurship expert at the University of Oxford, and the founder of Neri Karra, a global luxury leather goods brand. She is the author of Pioneers: 8 Principles of Business Longevity from Immigrant Entrepreneurs (Amazon, Bookshop).We all know that the right connections can help in our careers, but how do we actually get more intentional about forging the connections that will be most meaningful and sustainable? In this conversation, Neri and I explore the key lessons from immigrant entrepreneurs and how their successes can help us all thrive.Key PointsRobins and titmice have vastly different outcomes because of their divergent abilities for flocking. Social capital is critical for success.Diversity brings many strengths – and it also introduces new challenges for connection. We can’t as easily rely on connections through traditional cultures or experiences.All of us have the ability to forge connections based on value. This is perhaps the most powerful homophily tie and accessible to everyone.The most successful immigrant entrepreneurs don’t rely on connections happening automatically and also don’t assume that relationships will be static.Focus on what unites you with others. Strengthen ties with other networks to avoid the risk of communities that are too insular.Be proactive and generous in sharing information and ideas to support others.Resources MentionedPioneers: 8 Principles of Business Longevity from Immigrant Entrepreneurs by Neri Karra Sillaman (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThree People Who Will Help You Grow, with Andrew C.M. Cooper (episode 700)The Way to Build Collective Power, with Ruchika T. Malhotra (episode 759)Using AI to Make Networking Easier, with Ruth Gotian (episode 766)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
David Yeager: 10 to 25David Yeager is a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and the cofounder of the Texas Behavioral Science and Policy Institute. He is best known for his research conducted with Carol Dweck, Angela Duckworth, and Greg Walton on short but powerful interventions that influence adolescent behaviors such as motivation, engagement, healthy eating, bullying, stress, mental health, and more. He is the author of 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People (Amazon, Bookshop).Older generations have been complaining about younger generations for all of recorded history. Today is no different, and I often hear how leaders are struggling with motivating their younger employees. In this conversation, David and I explore the most recent research and practice for what actually works.Key PointsOlder generations have been complaining about younger generations for all of recorded history. Often, our complaints are the result of our own past experiences.Many leaders experience the mentor’s dilemma: being nice and putting up with poor performance, or being critical and demanding higher performance.Status and respect for a young person are as critical as food and sleep to a baby. When satisfied, they can open up much better motivation and behavior.The mentor mindset embraces both high standards and high support for the young person you wish to motivate. Because this is a mindset, you can absolutely get better at it.When giving feedback to a young person, acknowledge the high standard you are setting and also tell the young person that you believe they can meet that standard.Young people have often experienced a lot of “enforcing” behavior from parents, teachers, and coaches. They assume this in the workplace if you don’t make a point to say otherwise.Resources Mentioned10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People by David Yeager (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Challenge Directly and Care Personally, with Kim Scott (episode 302)How to Reduce Drama With Kids, with Tina Payne Bryson (episode 310)How to Solve the Toughest Problems, with Wendy Smith (episode 612)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Today (Friday, March 20th) is the FINAL DAY to apply to the Coaching for Leaders Academy. If you are at an inflection point and ready to thrive, apply before the end of the day at coachingforleaders.com/academy.
Are you at an inflection point in your leadership? The Coaching for Leaders Academy helps leaders thrive at key inflection points.Apply to the Academy by Friday, March 20th.In this episode, Dave shares the five things that he sees most commonly get in leaders’ ways:Not asking for help.Assuming knowledge drives behavior.Setting the tactical bar too high.Feeling worse before feeling better.Not noticing any improvement.
Linda Hill: Genius at ScaleLinda Hill is the Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration and Faculty Chair of the Leadership Initiative at Harvard Business School. Globally recognized as a top leadership and innovation expert, Linda has been named by Thinkers50 as one of the world’s top five management thinkers. She is the co-author, along with Emily Tedards and Jason Wild, of Genius at Scale: How Great Leaders Drive Innovation (Amazon, Bookshop)We all want to think of ourselves as innovative, but it’s often not easy to know exactly what that means in practice. In this conversation, Linda and I explore what her research shows that leaders do to drive innovation successfully – and how each of us can get just a bit better.Key PointsRather than coming up with a vision and asking people to follow it, innovation is about creating the culture and capabilities to create the future together.Innovation leadership shows up in three ways within organizations: the Architects, the Bridge Builders, and the Catalysts.Instead of setting the stage for themselves, innovative leaders set the stage for others.Often, we view horizontal relationships through the lens of organizational politics. The most effective innovation leaders view these relationships as leadership opportunities.Traditional team structures are a starting point, but not an ending point. Leaders at Mastercard, Pfizer, and Cleveland Clinic all brought in team members from both inside and outside the organization.Rather than thinking about a decision as final, it’s helpful for innovation leaders to frame it as a “working hypothesis.”Resources MentionedGenius at Scale: How Great Leaders Drive Innovation by Linda Hill, Emily Tedards, and Jason Wild (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Build an Invincible Company, with Alex Osterwalder (episode 470)The Way Innovators Get Traction, with Tendayi Viki (episode 512)Doing Better Than Zero-Sum Thinking, with Renée Mauborgne (episode 641)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Academy alum Marisol Bello of The Housing Narrative Lab joins Dave to share how she made the shift from command and control to serve and support.Are you at an inflection point? Applications to the Coaching for Leaders Academy are open until Friday, March 20th. Visit the Coaching for Leaders Academy page to apply.
Nir Eyal: Beyond BeliefNir Eyal writes, consults, and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. He is the author of two bestselling books, Hooked and Indistractable, selling more than a million copies and translated in over 30 languages. He is the author of the new book, Beyond Belief: The Science-Backed Way to Stop Limiting Yourself and Achieve Breakthrough Results (Amazon, Bookshop).Most of us recognize that a huge part of what motivates us – or not – is our own thinking. In this conversation, Nir and I explore where our beliefs get in the way and how we can align them just a bit to help us move forward.Key PointsA sentence starting with “I am…” can be among the most dangerous in any language. Often, our beliefs limit us.Belief is the foundation of the motivation triangle that includes benefit and behavior. Yet, we often overlook beliefs.Curt Richter’s study of rats in the 1950s shows how an animal’s belief system can massively influence its behavior.The real question isn’t “Is this belief true?” but rather, “Does this belief serve me?”You can choose beliefs based on usefulness, not certainty.Difficulty may mean we are not cut out for something, but it might also be evidence of growth. Too often, we quit too soon.Progress comes from consistent action, not perfect plans.Resources MentionedBeyond Belief: The Science-Backed Way to Stop Limiting Yourself and Achieve Breakthrough Results (Amazon, Bookshop) by Nir Eyal.Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Win the Long Game When the Short-Term Seems Bleak, with Dorie Clark (episode 550)How to Quit Bad Stuff Faster, with Annie Duke (episode 607)How to Better Manage Your Emotions, with Ethan Kross (episode 719)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Academy alum Bill Mayo joins Dave to share how he improved his listening skills — both at work and at home.Applications to the Coaching for Leaders Academy will be open March 13th – March 20th. To receive an early invitation or to apply, visit the Coaching for Leaders Academy page.
Rebecca Hinds: Your Best Meeting EverRebecca Hinds is a leading expert on organizational behavior and the future of work. She founded and led the Work Innovation Lab at Asana and the Work AI Institute at Glean, where she partners with leading experts to help organizations transform their work with AI. She is the author of Your Best Meeting Ever: 7 Principles for Designing Meetings That Get Things Done (Amazon, Bookshop).Considering the amount of time we all spend in meetings, it’s odd that most organizations do so little to measure meeting results. If that’s sounding familiar, this conversation between Rebecca and me will show you exactly how to get started.Key PointsMetrics that only measure the costs of meetings (dollars and time) can be useful, but rarely capture the full picture.Use Return on Time Invested (ROTI) anonymously to survey attendees to determine if a meeting was a good use of time. Also ask, “What would it take for you to improve your rating by one point?”Survey sparingly to avoid survey fatigue. Bringing in a survey 10% of the time is a benchmark to start from.If the amount of time in meetings vastly exceeds 10 hours a week, there’s likely an opportunity to scale back or redefine the work before or after meetings to use time better.Equal speaking time in meetings is a key indicator of team performance. Be transparent with employees about any technology you use to capture data.Punctuality and attendance rate are indicators of how valued meetings are for people.Resources MentionedYour Best Meeting Ever: 7 Principles for Designing Meetings That Get Things Done by Rebecca Hinds (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Lead Meetings That Get Results, with Mamie Kanfer Stewart (episode 358)Moving Towards Meetings of Significance, with Seth Godin (episode 632)How to Lead Engaging Meetings, with Jess Britt (episode 721)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Lily Zheng, Fixing FairnessLily Zheng is a sought-after speaker, strategist, and organizational consultant who specializes in hands-on systemic change to turn positive intentions into positive outcomes for workplaces and everyone in them. A dedicated changemaker and advocate, Lily has had their work published in the Harvard Business Review, New York Times, and NPR. They are the author of Fixing Fairness: 4 Tenets to Transform Diversity Backlash into Progress for All (Amazon, Bookshop).When it comes to fairness in the workplace, our society is quick to zero in on what divides us. Yet, there is broad agreement across all demographics on many key principles. In this conversation, Lily and I explore how leaders can influence the system to better work for everyone.Key PointsMany of us assume that fewer people support the value of diversity than actually do. When asked, 82% of people support pro-diversity statements.The most popular/traditional approaches to fixing fairness in the workplace tend to be the least effective.Our tendency is to focus on the behavior of individuals, when in fact organizational systems have the most significant impact on fairness.When considering a fairness initiative or intervention, begin with the practice of understanding and storytelling, just like many change initiatives.Resist the temptation to check boxes with “quick fixes” such as simply bringing in a speaker or hosting a one-time event. This rarely helps in any sustainable way and sometimes worsens existing dynamics.If you have a seat at the leadership table, make the case for thoughtful design and involvement of stakeholders at all points in the process, just as many effective organizations do on any strategic change initiative.Resources MentionedFixing Fairness: 4 Tenets to Transform Diversity Backlash into Progress for All by Lily Zheng (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesSupporting Return to Work After Maternity Leave, with Danna Greenberg (episode 639)The Power of Unlearning Silence, with Elaine Lin Hering (episode 678)How to Lead a Meaningful Cultural Shift, with David Hutchens (episode 755)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Phil Gilbert: Irresistible ChangePhil Gilbert is best known for leading IBM's 21st-century transformation as their General Manager of Design. The transformation became the subject of a Harvard Business School case study, the documentary film The Loop, and feature articles in the New York Times and Fortune Magazine. He is the author of Irresistible Change: A Blueprint for Earning Buy-In and Breakout Success (Amazon, Bookshop).We’ve all been through mandated change initiatives more times than we can count. But what if change wasn’t a mandate, but an offer – or even an invitation? In this conversation, Phil and I explore how to make change irresistible.Key PointsChange should be regarded as a high-value-add product.Don’t mandate change. Offer change.Your goal is sustained cultural adoption, not improving immediate competency.Start small, but cover all your bases on a reduced scale. Make a great cupcake instead of a mediocre wedding cake.People buy brands, not products. Branding change allows you to define the values and message that goes with it.Resources MentionedIrresistible Change: A Blueprint for Earning Buy-In and Breakout Success by Phil Gilbert (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesEngaging People Through Change, with Cassandra Worthy (episode 571)Where Senior Leaders Can Better Support Middle Managers, with Emily Field (episode 650)How to Lead Organizational Change, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 740)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Charles Duhigg: SupercommunicatorsCharles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist and the author of The Power of Habit and Smarter Faster Better. He is a winner of the National Academies of Sciences, National Journalism, and George Polk awards. He writes for The New Yorker and other publications and is the author of Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection (Amazon, Bookshop).A lot of us grew up in a world where most of our relationships started in person. That means many of us are beautifully equipped for a world that no longer exists. In this conversation, Charles and I discuss how to get better at connecting in a remote-first world.Key PointsWhen the telephone first became popular, people had to learn how to communicate with it. We’re at a similar inflection point with digital communication.We all have three kinds of conversations: (1) What’s this really about? (practical/decision-making), (2) How do we feel? (emotional), and (3) Who are we? (identity).Many of us tend to default to practical/decision-making conversations online and miss conversations about emotion and identity.Ask questions that invite an emotional or identity response. Instead of, “Where do you live?” consider a shift like, “What do you love about where you live?”Notice when people bring elements into a conversation that aren’t related to the topic. These clues, especially online, can point to entry points for emotional connection.Supercommunicators pay just a bit more attention to how people communicate than the rest of us. A slight shift can make a big difference.Resources MentionedSupercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Way to Get People Talking, with Andrew Warner (episode 560)How to Lead Engaging Meetings, with Jess Britt (episode 721)How to Show Up Authentically in Tough Situations, with Andrew Brodsky (episode 727)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
JP Elliott: Future of HRJP Elliott has decades of experience as a Talent and HR executive at companies like DICK'S Sporting Goods, McAfee, and Lenovo. He’s seen the challenges HR professionals face in growing their careers and increasing their impact. He is the host of the Future of HR podcast and on a mission to help HR professionals increase their business impact and accelerate their careers.Leadership looks a little different if you head up a support role: human resources, IT, marketing, or finance. Often, we hear the term “business partner” used to describe what these leaders should be aiming for. In this conversation, JP and I explore how to shift from simply a “business partner” to a value creator.Key PointsYou're not just an HR leader. You're a business leader with HR expertise.Think like a CEO even if you’re in HR. Do this to be moving beyond an execution-only mindset.Design talent strategies based on the future, not on the past.Build systems that reward outcomes, not bureaucracy.Build talent strategies that differentiate your business.Forecast leadership needs 3-5 years out and build a pipeline for critical roles.Four questions that CEOs are asking:Are we focused on the right strategic imperatives?Are we operating effectively and efficiently?Are we optimizing our business model to create competitive advantage?Do we have a plan for sustainable and profitable growth?Resources MentionedFuture of HR podcast by JP ElliottInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Start Managing Up, with Tom Henschel (episode 433)How to Solve the Toughest Problems, with Wendy Smith (episode 612)The Mindset to Help Your Organization Grow, with Tiffani Bova (episode 633)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Graham Allcott: KINDGraham Allcott is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, and the founder of Think Productive, a leading provider of training and consultancy. He is the author of multiple books, including the bestseller How to Be a Productivity Ninja and his latest book, KIND: The Quiet Power of Kindness at Work (Amazon, Bookshop).“Nice” means telling people what they want to hear. “Kind” means telling them what they need to hear. The best leaders are kind. In this conversation, Graham and I explore how we can do a better job of following through.Key Points“Nice” means telling people what they want to hear, whereas “kind” means telling them what they need to hear.Kindness is both concern for others and concern for self. Just like with salted caramel, it’s best with the right balance.Leaders often do better articulating vision and values than they do with getting clear on expectations of value each person should provide.Being clear is an act of kindness in itself because it drives psychological safety.Use a personal mantra as a concise and powerful way to consistently remind people about what’s most important.Invite others to “give the last 20%” in feedback to uncover areas where clarity would help.Resources MentionedKIND: The Quiet Power of Kindness at Work by Graham Allcott (Amazon, Bookshop)Rev Up for the Week (Graham’s newsletter)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesFive Steps to Hold People Accountable, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 306)How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)How to Give Feedback, with Russ Laraway (episode 583)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Ruth Gotian: Networking in the Age of AIRuth Gotian is the former Chief Learning Officer and Associate Professor of Education in Anaesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine. Thinkers50 has ranked her the #1 emerging management thinker in the world, and she's a top LinkedIn voice in mentoring. She's the author of The Success Factor and, with Andy Lopata, The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring.Most of us recognize the value of building a better network, but we also know the time and dedication it takes. In this conversation, Ruth and I explore how we can use AI tools to do some of the administrative legwork so that we can spend more time on the real relationship-building.Key PointsMcKinsey reports that since the pandemic, most people’s networks have shrunk or stalled.Consider the 90/9/1 rule: 90% of people lurk in online communities, 9% interact somewhat regularly, 1% post and lead the conversation.Use AI to enhance, not replace, your communications. Invite AI to do the administrative legwork (i.e. brainstorming, proofreading) so you focus on the human aspects.Ask AI to analyze speaker and attendee lists in advance at conferences in the context of your goals.Consider being the person that puts together an in-person dinner or gathering at a conference. Use AI to help you prep questions and discover the best people to invite.Ask AI to help complete your LinkedIn profile. An All-Star LinkedIn profile makes it substantially more likely that you’ll get surfaced to others.Resources MentionedNetworking in the Age of AI by Ruth GotianRelated EpisodesHow to Grow Your Professional Network, with Tom Henschel (episode 279)How to Build a Network While Still Doing Everything Else, with Ruth Gotian (episode 591)The Key Elements of a Powerful Personal Brand, with Goldie Chan* (episode 757)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Marty Dubin: BlindspottingMartin Dubin is a clinical psychologist, serial entrepreneur, business coach, and adviser to C-suite executives and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. He has founded several companies, including a multimillion-dollar health-care company where he also served as CEO. He is the author of Blindspotting: How to See What’s Holding You Back as a Leader (Amazon, Bookshop).Whenever I ask leaders, “What’s getting in the way of you moving forward?” the most common answer I hear is, “Myself.” In this episode, Marty and I explore what’s likely holding you back and how you can take the first steps to get traction.Key PointsMany leaders don’t recognize the need for change and succumb to an identity blindspot.You don’t have to change your identity, but there’s a mismatch between role and identity, that’s a major problem.Shifting your identity is not changing who you are. Identities help us to sort through people and situations so we know who we are in relation to them.An identity that many have worked before can get in the way today. Common ones are: imposter, independent thinker, rule follower, unworthy, entitled, rebel, and peacemaker.Look back through your calendar over the past three months and determine how well your activities match up with the identity your role demands.Embody the new identity you are aiming to shift to, even if you’re not yet feeling it.Resources MentionedBlindspotting: How to See What’s Holding You Back as a Leader by Marty Dubin (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesSix Questions Every Leader Should Ask Themselves, with Margaret Andrews (episode 750)How to See What Others Miss, with Kirstin Ferguson (episode 758)Show Up Better, Faster, with Claude Silver (episode 762)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Elizabeth Lotardo: Stop Solving Your Team’s Problems for ThemElizabeth Lotardo is a consultant, writer, and online instructor who helps organizations drive emotional engagement. Elizabeth writes for Harvard Business Review, is a Top Voice on LinkedIn, and the author of Leading Yourself: Find More Joy, Meaning, and Opportunities in the Job You Already Have. She’s also the author of the Harvard Business Review article, Stop Solving Your Team’s Problems for Them.Jumping in to solve problems feels like we’re doing important work. The issue is that leaders need to be enabling work – both for scale and to grow the skills of others. In this conversation, Elizabeth and I detailed how to get out of the trap of solving your team’s problems for them.Key PointsJumping in to solve a problem feels good in the moment for both parties, but creates long-term obstacles.The other extreme, asking people to only come with solutions, often shuts down learning for both parties.Shifting a habit of solving your team’s problems will feel awkward at first – both for your team and you.Rather than solving the problem for them, help remove the obstacle.Support doesn’t just have to come from the manager. Often, looking at the situation together will help surface what kind of support would actually help.We often assume that people are coming to us for answers. Sometimes, they just need to be heard.Five questions that will help your team step up:What have you tried?What–or who–is getting in the way of tackling this?What support do you need?What would you do if you were in my seat?Is there anything else I should know?Resources MentionedStop Solving Your Team’s Problems for Them by Elizabeth LotardoLeading Yourself: Find More Joy, Meaning, and Opportunities in the Job You Already Have by Elizabeth Lotardo (Amazon, Bookshop)*Related EpisodesThe Way to Stop Rescuing People From Their Problems, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 284)Where Senior Leaders Can Better Support Middle Managers, with Emily Field (episode 650)The Key Norm of a High-Performing Team, with Vanessa Druskat (episode 753)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Scott Keller: CEO ExcellenceScott is a senior partner in McKinsey’s Southern California office. He co-leads the firm’s global CEO Excellence service line and is the author of six books, including the bestseller Beyond Performance. Scott spent his early consulting years working on business strategy and operational topics until his life was turned upside down when his second child was born with profound special needs.After taking time off to attend to his family, Scott returned to McKinsey with the desire to bring the best of psychology, social science, and the study of human potential into the workplace. He is a cofounder of Digital Divide Data and one of a few hundred people in history known to have traveled to every country in the world. His most recent book written with Carolyn Dewar and Vikram Malhotra is titled CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest.In this conversation, Scott and I examine McKinsey’s research on what the top CEOs do (and avoid) when building great teams. We look at a few of the key mindsets that the best CEOs bring to their organizations — and how teamwork plays into this. Plus, we explore some of the key questions top leaders should ask when determining if it’s time to exit someone from the team.Key PointsTop leaders staff for both aptitude and attitude. The have an eye to both the short and long term.The most successful CEOs have a mindset of “first team” and expect leaders in the organization to prioritize serving the whole team/organization over any functional area.New CEOs are often known for acting quickly on staffing, but the most successful leaders also temper this with fairness. They use the four questions below to act with both fairness and speed.Top leaders stay connected with people throughout the organization, but also keep some distance. There’s a key distinction between being friendly and making friends.The best CEO’s ensure that have positively addressed all four questions below before removing somebody:Does the team member know exactly what’s expected of them: i.e., what the agenda is and what jobs need to be done to drive that agenda?Have they been given the needed tools and resources, and a chance to build the necessary skills and confidence to use them effectively?Are they surrounded by others (including the CEO) who are aligned on a common direction and who display the desired mindsets and behaviors?Is it clear what the consequences are if they don’t get on board and deliver?Resources MentionedCEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest by Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram MalhotraThe Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries from a Secret World by Peter WohllebenInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Frances Frei: Move Fast & Fix ThingsFrances Frei is a professor at Harvard Business School. Her research investigates how leaders create the context for organizations and individuals to thrive by designing for excellence in strategy, operations, and culture. She regularly works with companies embarking on large-scale change and organizational transformation, including embracing diversity and inclusion as a lever for improved performance. In 2017, Frances served as Uber’s first senior vice president of leadership and strategy to help the company navigate its very public crisis in leadership and culture.Her partner Anne Morriss and her are the authors of Uncommon Service and The Unapologetic Leader’s Guide to Empowering Everyone Around You. They are also hosts of Fixable, a leadership advice podcast from the TED Audio Collective, and they are recognized by Thinkers50 as among the world’s most influential business thinkers. Their newest book is Move Fast & Fix Things: The Trusted Leader's Guide to Solving Hard Problems.A lot of us assume that going fast is reckless. There are certainly times when that’s the case, but it’s also true that leaders going too slow at the wrong time can make things worse. In this conversation, Frances and I discuss how to do a better job of moving quickly when it’s time to address the toughest problems.Key PointsMany of us believe that going fast is reckless and going slow is righteous. While there are times that is true, there are many examples where it’s not.The fastest way to speed up your company is to empower more people to make more decisions.Dare to be bad at something. Deciding what not to address allows you to go faster at what you’re best at.Two key elements of completing work are work-in-progress and cycle time. Most leaders address cycle time first and miss the more substantial work-in-progress opportunities.Create a way to fast-track projects that become important and build this into the culture of the organization.Resources MentionedMove Fast & Fix Things: The Trusted Leader's Guide to Solving Hard Problems by Frances Frei and Anne MorrissInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Eileen Collins: Through the Glass Ceiling to the StarsColonel Eileen M. Collins, USAF (retired), earned a place in history as the first American woman to pilot, and later to command, a space mission. She flew on the space shuttle four times, twice as commander – including the 2005 “return to flight” mission after the tragic Columbia accident. She is the subject of the documentary movie Spacewoman and author of the book Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars: The Story of the First American Woman to Command a Space Mission (Amazon, Bookshop).We all have times in our careers where all eyes are on us. In this conversation, Eileen and I explore the critical moments of her career and how she stayed grounded while soaring among the stars.Key PointsUntil we are tested, we don’t know what we are capable of.Nerves creep in at times for all of us. When they do, it’s helpful to think about representing your role instead of representing yourself.When decisions become difficult, always come back to, “What’s the mission?”Train for the skill, not for the task.During high-stakes times, remember your family and personal life. They will help you stay grounded.Resources MentionedThrough the Glass Ceiling to the Stars: The Story of the First American Woman to Command a Space Mission by Eileen Collins (Amazon, Bookshop)Spacewoman documentary, featuring Eileen CollinsInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Lead and Retain High Performers, with Ruth Gotian (episode 567)The Way to Handle Q&A, with Matt Abrahams (episode 681)How to Start the Top Job, with Scott Keller (episode 752)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Claude Silver: Be Yourself at WorkClaude Silver is on a mission to revolutionize leadership, talent, and workplace culture. She is Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX and partners with CEO Gary Vaynerchuk to drive their success. Claude has earned Campaign US's Female Frontier Award, and AdWeek's Changing the Game Award and she’s the author of Be Yourself at Work: The Groundbreaking Power of Showing Up, Standing Out, and Leading from the Heart (Amazon, Bookshop).We’ve all heard the advice to be ourselves at work. It’s easier said than done. In this conversation, Claude and I explore how we can actually move past some of the unhelpful self-talk so that we can show up better, faster.Key PointsWe all have songs that play in our heads. When the song isn’t working, it’s time to change it.Labels are for soup cans, not people. Stop treating negative self-talk as gospel.Begin by identifying the label you’ve put on yourself that’s harming you. When it’s hard to see a harmful label, use times of either reflection or agitation to help surface it.Find the internal evidence for this label and record what confirms this belief and also what challenges it. If that’s hard, invite someone else (a partner, friend, or therapist) to help you see it more objectively.Evolve by creating a new mantra for who you are becoming. If it doesn’t seem doable today, ask yourself if you can envision it being true in the future.Resources MentionedBe Yourself at Work: The Groundbreaking Power of Showing Up, Standing Out, and Leading from the Heart by Claude Silver (Amazon, Bookshop).Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Tame Your Inner Critic, with Tara Mohr (episode 232)How to Stand Up for Yourself, with Sunita Sah (episode 715)When It Feels Like You Don’t Belong, with Muriel Wilkins (episode 756)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
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Steve Blank: Blind to DisruptionSteve Blank is an Adjunct Professor at Stanford and co-founder of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation. Credited with launching the Lean Startup movement and the curriculums for the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps and Hacking for Defense and Diplomacy, he’s changed how startups are built, how entrepreneurship is taught, how science is commercialized, and how companies and the government innovate. Steve is the author of The Four Steps to the Epiphany and The Startup Owner’s Manual and is the author of his recent article at steveblank.com: Blind to Disruption: The CEOs Who Missed the Future.Leaders may see the future coming, but we aren’t always incentivized to act on it. In this conversation, Steve and I discuss what we can learn from the common patterns of disruption so we don’t miss what’s next.Key PointsIn the 1890s, there were approximately 4,000 carriage and wagon makers in the United States. Only one company made the transition to automobiles.In each of the three companies that survived, it was the founders, not hired CEOs, that drove the transition.Studebaker recognized that it wasn’t in the business of carriages; it was in the business of mobility.Clayton Christensen taught us that disruption begins with inferior products that incumbents don’t take seriously.The real problem isn’t that companies can’t see the future. It’s that they are structurally disincentivized to act on it.Parsing innovation theatre vs. innovation means paying attention to what’s actually shipping. If nothing is and you want to innovate, look elsewhere.Bubbles in the market are normal. Timing may be off, but that doesn’t mean disruption isn’t happening.Resources MentionedBlind to Disruption: The CEOs Who Missed the Future by Steve BlankRelated EpisodesHow to Start Seeing Around Corners, with Rita McGrath (episode 430)How to Build an Invincible Company, with Alex Osterwalder (episode 470)How to Pivot Quickly, with Steve Blank (episode 476)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Shannon Minifie: Box of CrayonsShannon Minifie is the CEO of Box of Crayons, a learning and development company that helps unleash the power of curiosity to create connected and engaged company cultures. They are the organization behind the bestselling book The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier. Shannon and her team recently released a report along with the Harris Poll titled Navigating a Fractured Workplace: How Relational Curiosity increases engagement, trust, and productivity.Of course, you’ve heard that being curious and coach-like will help in leadership. But sometimes the very thing we think we’re doing well is actually getting in the way. In this conversation, Shannon and I explore the kind of curiosity that leaders often miss.Key Points5-6 hours of the average workweek is lost to the fear of making mistakes.A strong majority of leaders say employees are expressing a desire for more feedback, and a majority also say that people are unable to receive hard feedback.Relationships are the core of these conflicting messages. Without a relationship of trust, helpful feedback often doesn’t land that way.Intellectual curiosity helps us learn what we don’t know. Relationship curiosity helps the other person learn what they don’t know.Ask yourself: what is my goal in asking this question?Rather than asking a question that starts with a “why,” consider asking a question that starts with a “what.”The 7 Essential Questions:What’s on your mind?And what else?What’s the real challenge here for you?What do you want?How can I help?If you’re saying yes to this, what are you saying no to?What was most useful for you?Resources MentionedNavigating a Fractured Workplace: How Relational Curiosity Increases Engagement, Trust, and Productivity.Interactive Learning Preview: Invest in the Power of CuriosityThe Coaching Habit* by Michael Bungay StanierInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThese Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237)How to Ask Better Questions, with David Marquet (episode 454)The Way to Be More Coach-Like, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 458)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Ruchika T. Malhotra: UncompeteRuchika T. Malhotra is the founder of Candour, a global inclusion strategy firm that has worked with some of the world’s biggest organizations. She’s been recognized multiple times by Thinkers50 and co-wrote one of Harvard Business Review’s top 100 most-read articles in history: Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome. She is the author of Inclusion on Purpose, MIT Press’s top-selling book of 2022 and now her newest book, Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success (Amazon, Bookshop).A lot of people think about work as a competition for resources. But what if, by inviting others to the table, you created more for everyone? In this conversation, Ruchika and I explore the opportunity for all of us to uncompete.Key PointsMany of us are so socialized to compete that we don’t realize the benefits of collective collaboration.Reach out to someone who inspires you. Praising someone for something awesome about them, without an accompanying ask, is so rare.Display genuine curiosity. Don’t confuse “nice” small talk for depth. Ask bigger questions that get to the heart of who people are.As you build trust, talk numbers. In the professional context, real relationships of trust demand this kind of transparency.Take regular stock of relationships. Take people at their word and also watch how their actions line up – or don’t.Invite others to the table. The bigger your circle, the more you create for everybody.Resources MentionedUncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success by Ruchika T. Malhotra (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesEnd Imposter Syndrome in Your Organization, with Jodi-Ann Burey (episode 556)How to Create Inclusive Hiring Practices, with Ruchika Tulshyan (episode 589)Doing Better Than Zero-Sum Thinking, with Renée Mauborgne (episode 641)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Kirstin Ferguson: BlindspottingKirstin Ferguson has been recognized globally by Thinkers50 as one of the top 50 management thinkers in the world and is the recipient of the 2023 Distinguished Leadership Award. She was an officer in the Royal Australian Air Force, and then went on to lead an international consulting firm as CEO, before serving on the boards of major publicly listed, private, and non-profit organizations. She is the author of Women Kind, Head & Heart, and her newest book Blindspotting: How to See What Others Miss (Amazon, Bookshop).If we stop to think about it, always all of us recognize that we have blind spots. Given that reality, anything we can do that helps us see what others might miss will help us lead better. In this conversation, Kirsten and I explore the mindsets and practices that will help us uncover more of our blind spots.Key PointsExperts are better at knowing when they are right, but also less likely to show appropriate doubt when they could be wrong.There’s a time to be a seeker and a time to be a knower. Both are important in different situations, but leaders in many situations would benefit from more seeking.Blindspotting is about calibration, not hesitation.Accept your intellectual limitations. A key way to do this is saying these four words more: “I don’t know yet.”Disentangling your ego will help your blind spot better. Shift away from your pride a bit by separating yourself from your knowledge and expertise.Hunt down your biases. Admitting they exist is step one. Model vulnerability by talking about your past mistakes both with yourself and with others.Resources MentionedBlindspotting: How to See What Others Miss by Kirstin Ferguson (Amazon, Bookshop).Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesGetting Better at Reading the Room, with Kirstin Ferguson (episode 651)How to Find What’s Missing, with Jeff Wetzler (episode 732)How to Teach Your Expertise to Others, with Roger Kneebone (episode 743)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Goldie Chan: Personal Branding for IntrovertsGoldie Chan is the founder of Warm Robots, a social media strategy and creative agency, and she is herself a creative, keynote speaker, author, and cancer survivor. She was named the “Oprah of LinkedIn” by Huffington Post, and her creative video channel won LinkedIn Top Voice for Social Media. She is the author of Personal Branding for Introverts (Amazon, Bookshop).Many of us aspire to have a powerful personal brand, but it’s not always clear where to start. In this conversation, Goldie and I zero in on the five elements that matter most – and what you can do to get started.Key PointsFive C’s of personal branding:Clarity: Surface it by determining three words you want to be associated with.Consistency: The internet is for introverts. Find the medium where you can show up often and that plays to your strengths.Competency: Rather than promoting yourself, promote the ideas and practices you stand for through your experience.Confidence: Ego is when you shout who you are to a room, and confidence is when you know who you are in a room.Community: Join in on conversations with people discussing what you care about. Find these communities or build your own.Resources MentionedPersonal Branding for Introverts by Goldie Chan (Amazon, Bookshop).Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Four Critical Stories Leaders Need For Influence, with David Hutchens (episode 148)The Way to Get Noticed by Key Stakeholders, with Daphne E. Jones (episode 614)Your Reputation is Your Currency, with Maha Abouelenein (episode 703)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Muriel Wilkins: Leadership UnblockedMuriel Wilkins is the founder and CEO of Paravis Partners and a sought-after C-suite adviser and executive coach with a twenty-year track record of helping senior leaders take their performance to the next level. She is the coauthor of Own the Room and the host of the Harvard Business Review podcast Coaching Real Leaders. She’s just released her newest book, Leadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential (Amazon, Bookshop).You may have spent years aiming for the leadership role you now have. But now, once you’re in the job, it can be really disorienting to feel like you don’t belong. In this conversation, Muriel and I explore this reality that a lot of leaders face and what do when you run into it.Key PointsFeeling like you don’t belong is a normal and common reality at inflection points in your career.A vicious cycle can emerge: you’re waiting to be included while others are waiting for you to engage.While you can’t control others, you can break the part of the pattern you have control of.Even when you believe that not belonging is triggered by sexism, racism, and ableism, it doesn’t serve you to hold onto that belief.Define your value proposition. What gets missed when you don’t show up?Remind yourself of shared goals or values with the group. This prevents the small stuff from distracting you as much.Identify a few supportive people and build relationships with them.Resources MentionedLeadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential by Muriel Wilkins (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Start a Big Leadership Role, with Carol Kauffman (episode 617)How to Start Better With Peers, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 635)The Habits That Hold Leaders Back, with Marshall Goldsmith (episode 696)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
David Hutchens: Story DashDavid Hutchens works with leaders around the world to find, craft, and tell their most urgent stories for the purpose of creating shared meaning, preserving culture, disseminating learning, and speeding change in organizations. He has taught the Storytelling Leader program at some of the most influential organizations, including NASA, Paypal, Loreal Paris, Cisco, Walmart, Google, and FedEx. He’s written many books, including the Circle of the 9 Muses, Story Dash, and The Leadership Story Deck.When organizational change is happening, leaders need to be intentional about lining up with culture, especially if it’s the time to shift that culture just a bit. We often do the logistics well, but we miss the power of both the human and emotional connections. In this episode, David and I discuss how story can help us make a meaningful shift.Key PointsThe organizations that are being intentional about culture are also being intentional about story.Getting beyond the logistics of changes and leaning first into humanity and emotion help people frame cultural shifts.Leaders go first. Embodied stories from leaders are surprising, counter-cultural, and repeatable.Asking for stories is rarely sufficient. Instead, invite stories through intentional prompts like, “Tell me about a time you felt more engaged, alive, and happiest in your work here.”Received stories are the ones told by employees. Adding an emotion word to an invitation such as, “What’s a time you were proud?” often surfaces more genuine stories.David is now a Coaching for Leaders expert partner. Connect with him to discover how he might support your organization in making a meaningful cultural shift via our partners page or email him directly at david@davidhutchens.com.Resources MentionedCircle of the 9 Muses: A Storytelling Field Guide for Innovators and Meaning Makers by David Hutchens (Amazon, Bookshop)Story Dash: Find, Develop, and Activate Your Most Valuable Business Stories…In Just a Few Hours by David Hutchens (Amazon)Leadership Story Deck by David Hutchens (Amazon)*Related EpisodesLeadership Means You Go First, with Keith Ferrazzi (episode 488)How to Start Finding Useful Stories, with David Hutchens (episode 593)How to Bring Out the Best in People, with Donna Hicks (episode 724)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Monica Chartier: Coaching for Leaders FellowMonica Chartier is a group product manager in the technology industry. Her work has centered on supporting a global product experience, getting a million visitors a day. In addition to her e-commerce and technical experience, she indexes heavily on coach-like leadership with her team and also inside our community as one of our Coaching for Leaders Fellows.In this conversation, Monica and I explore a need inside the Coaching for Leaders membership community and how we used the design thinking process to approach it. We outline the five key steps we followed and how you might do the same to address a problem inside your own organization.Key PointsFive steps to solve a problem using design thinking:Empathy: Start with Intentional Listening and Observation.Define: Clarify the Real Problem to Solve.Ideate: Co-Create Ideas and Form Testable Hypotheses.Prototype: Start Small, Learn Fast.Test, Learn, and Adapt: Make Iteration a Leadership Habit.Access Monica’s detailed guide (PDF download)Resources MentionedMonica Chartier on LinkedInRelated EpisodesThe Way to Make Struggles More Productive, with Sarah Stein Greenberg (episode 569)How to Prevent a Team From Repeating Mistakes, with Robert “Cujo” Teschner (episode 660)How to Lead Engaging Meetings, with Jess Britt (episode 721)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Vanessa Druskat: The Emotionally Intelligent TeamVanessa Druskat is an associate professor at the Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire. She advises leaders and teams at over a dozen Fortune 500 and Fortune Global 500 companies and wrote the best-selling Harvard Business Review article (with S. Wolff) on emotionally intelligent teams that has been chosen many times for inclusion in HBR’s most valued articles. She is the author of The Emotionally Intelligent Team: Building Collaborative Groups that Outperform the Rest (Amazon, Bookshop).It’s easy to assume that a good start for a great team is getting the smartest people together. That does help, but it’s not the critical factor in whether a team performs. In this conversation, Vanessa and I discuss why the word belonging makes such a difference.Key PointsRaw talent of the individual and their own interpersonal skills don’t predict team performance.Belonging is critical for team performance. Leaders often miss this because they already feel like they belong.Team members understanding each other is the first and most critical norm.Beginning meetings with check-ins or gallery walks helps people understand each other, even if it’s not discussed extensively.Inviting people to bring everyday objects to illustrate a more complex point helps make understanding accessible.The leader sets the tone, but it’s the interaction between team members that makes the difference.Resources MentionedThe Emotionally Intelligent Team: Building Collaborative Groups that Outperform the Rest (Amazon, Bookshop) by Vanessa DruskatInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Engage Remote Teams, with Tsedal Neeley (episode 537)Team Collaboration Supports Growth Mindset, with Mary Murphy (episode 695)How to Help People Connect at Work, with Wes Adams (episode 735)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Scott Keller: A CEO For All SeasonsScott Keller is a senior partner at McKinsey, where he coleads the firm’s global CEO Excellence work within the Strategy & Corporate Finance Practice and serves as a global leader in the Organization Practice. He’s a New York Times bestselling author and trusted advisor to boards, CEOs, and senior leadership teams, with whom he guides multiyear, enterprise-wide transformations that shape the future of institutions. His colleagues and him are the authors of the new book, A CEO For All Seasons: Mastering the Cycles of Leadership (Amazon, Bookshop).One of the most critical phases of taking on the top job is what you do at the start. Whether it’s stepping into the role as president, general manager, executive director, owner, or CEO, starting well can make all the difference. In this conversation, Scott and I explore how to begin in the best way possible.Key PointsOne-third to one-half of new CEOs are considered to be failing within eighteen months of taking the role. Many wish they’d handled the transition differently.New CEOs enter a reality distortion field of many bosses (the board), no peers, and ultimate accountability for everything. The best CEOs guard against this by not making it about them.Ask questions that aren’t about you, but the organization. Instead of, “How will I know if I’m successful?” ask, “How will we know if we’re winning?”Beginning with a listening tour is essential. People will tell you things when you’re new that they’ll never say two or three years later.Create a fact-based, one version of the truth. Once you know it, keep to a single narrative for everyone.Err towards complete candor in the toughest realities. Prepare intensely for moments of truth, when they need to happen.Set clear boundaries and stay extremely disciplined. Your narrative and first moves should guide how you frame these.Resources MentionedA CEO For All Seasons: Mastering the Cycles of Leadership (Amazon, Bookshop) by Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, Vikram Malhotra, and Kurt StrovinkInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow Top Leaders Influence Great Teamwork, with Scott Keller (episode 585)How to Genuinely Show Up for Others, with Marshall Goldsmith (episode 590)How to Start a Big Leadership Role, with Carol Kauffman (episode 617)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Neil Ghosh: Do More GoodNeil Ghosh is a seasoned executive whose expertise spans the nonprofit, government, philanthropic, and private sectors. With 30+ years of experience, he has successfully launched and scaled both nonprofit and for-profit ventures, building teams, business models, partnerships, and strategies to drive impact and support vulnerable populations in more than 50 countries. His book is Do More Good: Inspiring Lessons from Extraordinary People (Amazon, Bookshop).There are many differences in the world today, and those differences influence leaders just like everybody else. That’s why Neil Ghosh has this invitation for us: “Never let age or ideology come between learning and growth.” In this conversation, Neil and I explore how we can lean in on great leadership through our common humanity.Key PointsIn anyone we know, we can always find one positive attribute that we can learn from.Never let age or ideology come between learning and growth.The Dalai Lama reminds us to offer compassion and kindness, regardless of whether the recipient is in need.Give back without expecting fanfare. Help people get what they want through peer mentoring.Use your platform to promote unity and to be an advocate for others.Befriend people who have different views. Join or start a book club that intentionally selects books from diverse viewpoints.Resources MentionedDo More Good: Inspiring Lessons from Extraordinary People (Amazon, Bookshop) by Neil GhoshInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Connect with People Better, with Charles Duhigg (episode 670)Turning Down the Temperature on Outrage, with Karthik Ramanna (episode 711)How to Bring Out the Best in People, with Donna Hicks (episode 724)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Margaret Andrews: Manage Yourself to Lead OthersMargaret Andrews is a seasoned executive, academic leader, speaker, and instructor. Her course MYLO (Manage Yourself to Lead Others) has become the most popular professional development program at Harvard. She is the author of Manage Yourself to Lead Others: Why Great Leadership Begins with Self-Understanding (Amazon, Bookshop).Virtually every book, course, and program on leadership begins with self-understanding. That’s no accident; it’s because managing ourselves helps us lead others more effectively. In this episode, Margaret and I explore the six key questions that will help you manage yourself better.Key PointsWhen people are asked to describe the attributes of their best bosses, 85% of the responses highlight interpersonal skills.Our differences are our features, not our flaws. Knowing yourself well helps you lead others better.Six Questions for Self-Understanding:Who, and whose thinking, has shaped you as an individual?What situations and events have helped shape your perspective?What does success look like for you?What are your core values, and how have these values changed throughout your life?To what extent are you aware of—and allow yourself to feel—your emotions?What feedback have you received over the years about how your actions and behaviors impact others?Resources MentionedManage Yourself to Lead Others: Why Great Leadership Begins with Self-Understanding by Margaret Andrews (Amazon, Bookshop)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesEnhance Your Self-Awareness, with Daniel Goleman (episode 353)The Way to Be More Self-Aware, with Tasha Eurich (episode 442)Discover Who You Are, with Hortense le Gentil (episode 459)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Mark Crowley: The Power of Employee Well-BeingMark Crowley is a pioneer in workplace leadership, a speaker, and the bestselling author of Lead from the Heart. He is the host of the Lead from the Heart podcast. His new book is The Power of Employee Well-Being: Move Beyond Engagement to Build Flourishing Teams (Amazon, Bookshop).When I talk with leaders, many of them tell me that it’s really hard to decide on how much recognition to give people vs. constructive or critical feedback. In this conversation, Mark and I highlight the ideal ratio to calibrate our communications so that we support people’s well-being while also helping them grow.Key PointsDespite the focus on employee engagement, actual engagement scores are the same or worse than a decade ago.Post-COVID, there’s a massive move towards employee well-being. This is good for both the organization and the employee.An ideal positivity ratio is 4:1 in many relationships. That’s four positive interactions for every constructive or critical interaction.We react more strongly to negative influence than positions once, thus the need for a ratio favoring the positive.Positive interactions include optimism, enthusiasm, solutions orientation, encouragement, kindness, thoughtfulness, approachability, interest, and appreciation.Leaders still must make unpopular decisions, set expectations, and give critical feedback. Positive interactions are in addition to these, not instead of.Resources MentionedThe Power of Employee Well-Being: Move Beyond Engagement to Build Flourishing Teams (Amazon, Bookshop)* by Mark CrowleyInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)Gallup Findings on the Changing Nature of Work, with Jim Harter (episode 409)The Way to Notice People Better, with Zach Mercurio (episode 733)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Dave speaks with Tracey Gardner, an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy, on the critical nature of making space in order to adapt to change.Apply to the Coaching for Leaders Academy by Friday, September 12th.
Apply to the Coaching for Leaders Academy by Friday, September 12th.In this episode, Dave shares five ways to help leaders thrive through inflection points, including:Redirect vs. respondSet team normsAsk a second questionPicture tomorrow’s commitment todayHold a funeral
Colin Fisher: The Collective EdgeSince his days as a professional jazz trumpet player, Colin Fisher has been fascinated by group dynamics. Today, he is an Associate Professor of Organizations and Innovation at University College London's School of Management, researching the hidden processes of helping groups and teams in situations requiring creativity, improvisation, and complex decision-making. He is the author of The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups (Amazon, Bookshop).Most of us assume that the best thing we can do for our teams is to be a great coach as they’re working together. That absolutely helps, but the research says that only 10% of group effectiveness is what we do once the team is underway. In this conversation, Colin and I explore how to get a lot better at the other 90%.Key PointsThe house always wins. If the structure isn’t right for the team to succeed, little else matters in the long run.Leaders tend to put a majority of their attention on coaching teams in progress instead of the more significant work at the start of structuring and launching teams.Work on fixing structural problems before you focus on fixing the process.60% of group effectiveness is determined by structure, 30% by the launch, and 10% by expert coaching.Critical for structure is the team goal being clear, important, and challenging. Be sure to document it.Negotiate roles, tasks, and jobs to support structure. Determine early how to articulate progress and highlight small wins.Ask yourself if the group has the right people to achieve the objective. Deep diversity that supports the goal is essential.Surface discussions about norms at the start, especially related to communication and storage of information.At a team launch, articulate why everyone is there, discuss key norms, and schedule a midpoint to reflect and align.Resources MentionedThe Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups (Amazon, Bookshop) by Colin FisherInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Create Team Guidelines, with Susan Gerke (episode 192)How to Generate Quick Wins, with Andy Kaufman (episode 496)How to Increase Team Performance Through Clarity, with David Burkus (episode 657)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Dave speaks with Elham Bidar, an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy, on the importance of balancing both technology and people in leadership.Apply to the Coaching for Leaders Academy by Friday, September 12th.
Anne-Laure Le Cunff: Tiny ExperimentsAnne-Laure Le Cunff is an award-winning neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and writer. She is the founder of Ness Labs and author of its widely read newsletter, a researcher at the ADHD Research Lab, and an advisor for the Applied Neuroscience Association. She is the author of Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World.We all get into a rut sometimes. Once we notice we’re in one, our tendency is to work really hard to get out of it. In this conversation, Anne-Laure and I explore how starting with something tiny is often the better bet.Key PointsSMART goals assume we know exactly where we’re heading. Most of the time, that’s not clear.A tiny experiment focuses on outputs instead of outcomes.To build more comfort with uncertainty, find one small place to experiment.Our brain uses growth loops to constantly adjust our trajectory. We don’t go in circles; we grow in circles.Improving growth isn’t about knowledge or skill, it’s thinking about your thinking, questioning your responses, and knowing your mind.A simple, 5-minute tool is Plus Minus Next. It surfaces what’s working, what’s not, and your next steps.Resources MentionedTiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World by Anne-Laure Le CunffInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear (episode 376)How to Change Your Behavior, with BJ Fogg (episode 507)How to Create Space, with Juliet Funt (episode 540)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Dave speaks with Anna Bellini, an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy, on how to stop a behavior in order to move forward.Applications to the Coaching for Leaders Academy will open the first week of September. Visit the Academy page to request an early invitation.
Lorraine K. Lee: Unforgettable PresenceLorraine K. Lee is passionate about helping ambitious professionals go from invisible to unforgettable in the modern workplace. She is recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice in workplace communication and presence and spent over a decade as a founding editor at top tech firms like LinkedIn and Prezi, where she worked on core products including the LinkedIn Daily News module and LinkedIn Newsletters. She is the author of Unforgettable Presence: Get Seen, Gain Influence, and Catapult Your Career.Small talk. We all love to hate it – and we also know that most of us will end up in small talk with someone who’s got a lot of influence. It may be an executive or an external stakeholder. Either way, handling it well can open up doors. In this conversation, Lorraine and I detail how to make small talk go better.Key PointsSmall talk is the starting point before a deeper relationship.Most opportunities for executive small talk are predictable. Preparation will help you speak well.Set the tone with positive energy. Rather than dominating the interaction or passively reacting to it, thread your conversations so each party shares equally.At the office, be ready with a sentence or two about who you work with and what you’re working on. Relationships and outcomes are more memorable than titles.At social events, share a hobby or interest and ask about theirs. Keep questions open-ended as you would with a friend.Have a topic ready to go for quick interactions. Sharing a thought about a book or podcast that relates to your organization is a useful resource to have at the ready.Review your go-to topics regularly so that you always have a relevant conversation topic.Resources MentionedUnforgettable Presence: Get Seen, Gain Influence, and Catapult Your Career by Lorraine K. LeeInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesExecutive Presence with Your Elevator Speech, with Tom Henschel (episode 316)How to Talk to People Who Intimidate You, with Shandy Welch (episode 706)A Key Tactic for Way Better Conversations, with Alison Wood Brooks (episode 717)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Dave speaks with Mel Rivera, an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy, on how she built visibility for her team.Applications to the Coaching for Leaders Academy will open the first week of September. Visit the Academy page to request an early invitation.
Mort Sherman: Resonant MindsMort Sherman is the retired Senior Associate Executive Director of the American Association of School Administrators, known for his visionary leadership as a superintendent dedicated to elevating academic standards and promoting equitable education. Throughout his career, he championed initiatives that addressed achievement gaps and empowered communities to foster inclusive, impactful learning environments. He is the author, along with his daughter Sara Leila Sherman, of Resonant Minds: The Transformative Power of Music, One Note at a Time.So many of us love music, and it’s often at the core of a lot of our personal lives, celebrations, and emotions. But we don’t often think about how we can leverage its power at work. In this conversation, Mort and I explore how music can help us set the tone for better leadership.Key PointsOne way to nurture our teams and ourselves is a continual call for leaders, and music is an avenue we don’t often consider.Using music as mindful action, coupled with executive function skills, supports the habits of successful leadership.Start meetings with music or mindfulness exercises for collective focus, productive discussions, and creative outcomes.Create team playlists to build community. Combine playlists with meetings to help support trust and respect.Use music to reinforce a message or theme, tied to the needs of the moment.Resources MentionedWhy Cooks Cook from The BearInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Power of Leadership Through Hospitality, with Will Guidara (episode 688)How to Better Manage Your Emotions, with Ethan Kross (episode 719)What Leaders Should Learn from Taylor Swift, with Kevin Evers (episode 739)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus
Dave speaks with Erann Lincoln, an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy, on how she started small to build stronger relationships with her team.Applications to the Coaching for Leaders Academy will open the first week of September. Visit the Academy page to request an early invitation.
Jeny Wood: Wild CourageOver an 18 year career at Google, Jenny Wood grew from entry-level to executive, most recently leading a large operations team that helped drive billions of revenue per year. In 2021, she started a passion project within Google called Own Your Career, which grew to one of the largest career development programs in Google’s history. Her work has since been featured in Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur, and Forbes and she’s now the author of Wild Courage: Go After What You Want and Get It.Leadership is about serving others – and it’s also ensuring that we take care of ourselves along the way. Sometimes leaders over-index on helping their organizations and teams, to their own detriment. In this conversation, Jenny and I explore where being a little more selfish might actually be better for everyone.Key PointsSelfish redefined means having the courage to stand up for what you want.People want to join a winning team, even if they don’t say that out loud.Guilt is natural, but always caving to it is self-defeating.Don’t do work that’s not actually promotable. There’s no prize for an empty inbox.A belief like “I owe it to them,” may signal an over-commitment to the organization. They will not love you back.Appreciate truth when you get it, but don’t sign up for a burned-out boss.It’s inefficient to always be in the lead. Draft in another leader’s wake.Resources MentionedWild Courage: Go After What You Want and Get It by Jenny WoodInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesAlign Your Calendar to What Matters, with Nir Eyal (episode 431)The Ways Leadership Can Derail Us, with Bill George (episode 596)The Path to More Joy in Work and Life, with Judith Joseph (episode 734)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Roger Kneebone: ExpertRoger Kneebone directs the Imperial College Centre for Engagement and Simulation Science and the Royal College of Music–Imperial College Centre for Performance Science. He researches what experts from different fields can learn from one another, including a creative team of clinicians, computer scientists, musicians, magicians, potters, puppeteers, tailors, and fighter pilots. He is the author of Expert: Understanding the Path to Mastery.Many leaders get into the roles they have because they are the experts in their work. But once you’re leading, the work is less about being the expert and more about teaching your expertise to others. In this conversation, Roger and I explore how to get better at doing this well.Key PointsExperts don’t often recognize that they are experts.A characteristic of many experts is a dissatisfaction with where they are and an awareness that they could do better.Experts should notice what’s missing and what would be most helpful to the less experienced person.Effective teachers zero in on one thing at a time, even if they notice many areas for improvement.Passing along expertise is not just the skills themselves but the perspective of why each skill matters.Land in the zone of proximal development. The skill should neither be too easy or too difficult.Resources MentionedExpert: Understanding the Path to Mastery by Roger KneeboneInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHelp People Learn Through Powerful Teaching, with Pooja Agarwal (episode 421)The Art of Mentoring Well, with Robert Lefkowitz (episode 599)How to Handle High-Pressure Situations, with Dan Dworkis (episode 701)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Sabina Nawaz: You’re the BossSabina Nawaz is an executive coach who advises C-level executives and teams at Fortune 500 corporations, government agencies, nonprofits, and academic institutions. During her 14-year tenure at Microsoft, she went from managing software development teams to leading the company’s executive development and succession planning efforts for over 11,000 managers and nearly a thousand executives, advising Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer directly. She’s the author of You're the Boss: Become the Manager You Want to Be (and Others Need).Every leader I know intends to be authentic. Unfortunately, we sometimes use authenticity as an excuse not to do the critical work of calibrating our actions. In this conversation, Sabina and I discuss how to avoid that trap so we can show up more genuinely for others.Key Points“Yeah, but…” signals justification and holds us back from what we most need to learn.Your success comes despite unhelpful traits, not because of them.Pure authenticity is a complete fallacy. Authenticity is not singular.We sometimes use authenticity as an excuse not to do the important work of calibrating our actions.Don’t let the smokescreen of past “authenticity” get in the way of growth.Authenticity is not static. Reading your old past social media posts will remind you of this.When shifting, start with small experiments to nudge you in a new direction.Language that may be warning signs of the authenticity trap:“That’s just how I am.”“I’m not the kind of person who…”“I’m not being true to myself if…”“That’s the way I’ve always done things, and it’s worked for me.”Resources MentionedYou're the Boss: Become the Manager You Want to Be (and Others Need) by Sabina NawazInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Change Your Behavior, with BJ Fogg (episode 507)How to Start a Big Leadership Role, with Carol Kauffman (episode 617)The Habits That Hold Leaders Back, with Marshall Goldsmith (episode 696)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Minda Harts: Talk to Me NiceMinda Harts is a bestselling author, workplace consultant, and sought-after keynote speaker who is redefining what it means to build trust in the workplace. As the bestselling author of The Memo, Right Within, and You Are More Than Magic, Minda has empowered thousands to be their own best advocates and navigate workplace challenges with confidence. She has just released her newest book, Talk to Me Nice: The Seven Trust Languages for a Better Workplace.Sometimes we assume that we’re helping by shielding people from difficult news. But as we all know, virtually everyone wants transparency from leaders. In this conversation, Minda shows us how to get better at it.Key PointsYou’re not helping by shielding people from difficult conversations.Most everyone assumes baseline behaviors of employees. Employees expect reciprocity through transparency.We often think about transparency with information that’s known. Just as important is clarity about what’s not known.Even when you can’t share news, you can put time and resources into what will help people handle a new reality when it arrives.Transparency provides clear, honest, and timely information.Promote transparency in roles. A job description is a helpful starting point for this.Good intentions do not mean good impact. When changes happen, communicate them as quickly as practical.Resources MentionedTalk to Me Nice: The Seven Trust Languages for a Better Workplace* by Minda HartsInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Path Towards Trusting Relationships, with Edgar Schein and Peter Schein (episode 539)How to Help Difficult Conversations Go Better, with Sheila Heen (episode 655)Preparing for a Conversation with Someone You Don’t Trust, with Charles Feltman (episode 708)Expert PartnerAre you a talent development or human resources leader seeking a coach for an internal client? Coaching for Leaders has partnered with some of the top coaches in the world, including a number of past podcast guests. Help us make an introduction by visiting our Expert Partners Page and telling us what you’re seeking in a coach.Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Nancy Duarte: DataStoryNancy Duarte is a communication expert who has been featured in Fortune, Time Magazine, Forbes, Fast Company, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and many others. Her firm, Duarte, Inc., is the global leader behind some of the most influential visual messages in business and culture.Nancy has written many best-selling books, including Slide:ology, Resonate, and Illuminate. She is the author of the new book DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story.In this conversation, Nancy and I discuss the realities of executive life, how executives are measured, and why you should expect to be grilled when briefing them. With intentional preparation, you’ll be prepared to more successfully influence executives both inside the organization — and with your customers.Key Points“The higher their level of authority, the more structured and brief your approach should be.” -Nancy DuarteTime is an essential asset for executives. Appreciating how much they work to maximize efficiency can help you align better with their world.Craft a recommendation that’s brief and easily skimmable. Leave time for questions and expect to be grilled.Executives are measured on money (revenue/profit and costs), market (market share and time to market), and exposure (retention and risk).Know how executives plan to consume information. Tailor your message and medium to align with these preferences.Resources MentionedDataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story by Nancy DuarteDuarte DataStoryInterview NotesDownload my highlights from DataStory in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesSuccess on Presentation Day, with David Sparks (episode 159)Ignite Change Through Storytelling, with Nancy Duarte and Patti Sanchez(episode 268)Executive Presence with Your Elevator Speech, with Tom Henschel (episode 316)Get Your Emails Read (Dave’s Journal)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Patrick Lencioni: The 6 Types of Working GeniusPatrick Lencioni is founder and president of The Table Group, a firm dedicated to protecting human dignity in the world of work, personal development, and faith. Pat is the author of twelve best-selling books with over seven million copies sold. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team remains a national best-seller and he’s also the author of The 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team.Many of us have heard the invitation from Jim Collin’s book _Good to Great_ to get the right people on the bus. But once the right people are on the bus, how to do you find the right seat for each person? On this episode, Pat and I discuss how to utilize the Working Genius model to find the right work for the right team members.Key PointsWhen addressing burnout, the type of work someone does is more significant than the volume of work.Three stages of work are present for almost every team: ideation, activation, and implementation.A cup of coffee in an excellent thermos can stay hot an entire day — that’s true of us when we’re aligned with our working geniuses.Finding the right work for a team member is far easier than finding the right person culturally. Before you look elsewhere, be sure they are in the right seat.To fill gaps in your team’s geniuses, you can hire, borrow, or find people where competence will suffice for now. Resist the temptation to immediately jump to hiring.Resources MentionedThe 6 Types of Working Genius assessmentThe 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team by Patrick LencioniInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Get the Ideal Team Player, with Patrick Lencioni (episode 301)How to Lead an Offsite, with Tom Henschel (episode 377)The Mindset Leaders Need to Address Burnout, with Christina Maslach(episode 609)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.At an inflection point? Request an invitation to apply for the Coaching for Leaders Academy in September.
Michael Bungay Stanier: Change SignalMichael Bungay Stanier is best known for The Coaching Habit, the best-selling coaching book of the century and recognized as a classic. He was a Rhodes Scholar, and was recently awarded the coaching prize by Thinkers50. He's now the host of the new Change Signal podcast.If you’re doing change right, it’s going to be messy. In this conversation, Michael Bungay Stanier returns to show us where to start, the key mindsets to have, and the first steps for getting traction.Key PointsIf you’re doing change right, it’s going to be messy.Before you remove a fence, figure out why it’s there.Take inspiration from Emily Dickinson: “Tell all the truth but tell it slant.”Beware giving lip service to the emotional realities of change and then moving forward without really addressing them.Strategy is a living conversation. Run experiments. Fire bullets before cannonballs.Motivation is a critical factor in change. Better to be less efficient and have people with you than to force compliance with a “perfect” plan.Emily Dickinson:Tell all the truth but tell it slant —Success in Circuit liesToo bright for our infirm DelightThe Truth's superb surpriseAs Lightning to the Children easedWith explanation kindThe Truth must dazzle graduallyOr every man be blind —Resources MentionedChange Signal podcast hosted by Michael Bungay StanierThe Coaching Habit* by Michael Bungay StanierRelated EpisodesEngaging People Through Change, with Cassandra Worthy (episode 571)How to Approach a Reorg, with Claire Hughes Johnson (episode 621)How to Prevent a Team From Repeating Mistakes, with Robert “Cujo” Teschner (episode 660)Expert PartnerAre you a talent development or human resources leader seeking a coach for an internal client? Coaching for Leaders has partnered with some of the top coaches in the world, including a number of past podcast guests. Help us make an introduction by visiting our Expert Partners Page and telling us what you’re seeking in a coach.Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Kevin Evers: There’s Nothing Like ThisKevin Evers is a Senior Editor at Harvard Business Review. Passionate about shaping groundbreaking research and amplifying pioneering ideas, he has edited bestselling and award-winning books on high performance, creativity, innovation, digital disruption, marketing, and strategy. He is the author of There’s Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift.You may love her music. You may not. You may think she’s a business genius…or perhaps no. But one thing is for sure, you cannot ignore Taylor Swift. In this conversation, Kevin and I explore Swift’s strategic approach and what every leader can learn from her success.Key PointsSwift knows exactly her “job to be done” and delivers on it consistently.Swift treats her fans’ emotions and experiences with respect and they respond in kind.Andy Grove famously said that only the paranoid survive. It’s one of many traits that helps Swift stay successful.Swift’s transition to pop was promotion-focused rather than prevention-focused to a promotion-focused. She led the story of her transformation.Not only is Swift clear on her vision, but she regularly reflects on the difficult steps to get there.Swift is a remarkable example of antifragility. Not only does she withstand stress and shocks, they make her stronger.Resources MentionedThere’s Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift by Kevin EversInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesDoing Better Than Zero Sum-Thinking, with Renée Mauborgne (episode 641)The Reason People Make Buying Decisions, with Marcus Collins (episode 664)How to Keep Improving, with Maurice Ashley (episode 697)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Faisal Hoque: TranscendFaisal Hoque is an award-winning entrepreneur and innovator and founder of SHADOKA and NextChapter. He is a three-time Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the books: Reinvent, Everything Connects, and Lift. He has just released his newest book: Transcend: Unlocking Humanity in the Age of AI*.The most compelling use cases for AI aren’t people OR AI – it’s both. Leaders who learn how to partner with AI will almost certainly open doors that many others don’t. In this episode, Faisal and I explore (a few steps on) how to get started.Key PointsWhile we think about working with AI as very different than working with people, similar mindsets and skillsets help us with both.Partnering will with AI means asking better questions and being genuinely interested in the answers.Experts are limited by their perspective. Beginners are open to possibilities. We should approach AI with a beginner’s mindset.Using AI well means getting more comfortable with uncertainty. We need to own our ignorance.Playful discovery helps with our intrinsic motivation to keep going. When using AI, find the fun that keeps you engaged.This technology will do the logical work far better than any human. To partner well, work to increase your emotional intelligence.Resources MentionedTranscend: Unlocking Humanity in the Age of AI by Faisal HoqueInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Way to Be More Self-Aware, with Tasha Eurich (episode 442)Principles for Using AI at Work, with Ethan Mollick (episode 674)Becoming an AI-Savvy Leader, with David De Cremer (episode 710)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Alice Ferris: GoalBustersAlice Ferris is the Founding Partner of GoalBusters, a firm working to help small and mighty fundraising teams achieve big impact by planning practical strategies, teaching essential fundraising skills, and doing the hands-on work to turn vision into reality. She has more than 30 years of professional fundraising experience, specializing in strategic and development planning, campaign readiness and development program assessments, board and organizational training, executive leadership coaching, individual giving, and grant proposal evaluation. She’s also a graduate of the Coaching for Leaders Academy.Fundraising is not a word that sparks joy for most leaders. In fact, many people who do fundraising never planned to have that be part of their career. And yet, almost every leader has an aspect of fundraising in their professional or personal lives. In this conversation, Alice and I explore how to get better at it.Key PointsAlmost every leader is involved with fundraising in some capacity, either personally or professionally.It’s a myth that fundraising is just asking for money. Most fundraising activities happen outside of the ask.Consider fundraising goals options for must do activities, maintaining the current state, and aspirational growth.Most people share health issues with their immediate family and close friends. When your organization is facing headwinds, tell your donors how they can help.Dedicated attention to fundraising is key for both prioritization and relationship continuity.Connectors, experts, and closers are all essential roles in the fundraising process. Play to the strengths of both staff and volunteers to fill these roles well.Resources MentionedConnect with Alice on LinkedInGoalBustersRelated EpisodesHow to Lead Top-Line Growth, with Tim Sanders (episode 299)How an Executive Aligns with a Board, with Joan Garry (episode 662)The Reason People Make Buying Decisions, with Marcus Collins (episode 664)Expert PartnerBeginning a career transition? Feeling stagnant in your current role? Scott Barlow and his team may be able to help as official partners of Coaching for Leaders. To discover more about how his team can support you, get in touch on our expert partners page.Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Matt Dixon: The Activator AdvantageMatt Dixon is Founding Partner of DCM Insights, a global training and advisory firm, and a leading expert in business development and client experience. His first book The Challenger Sale was a #1 Amazon and Wall Street Journal bestseller, and translated in a dozen languages. His newest book with colleagues Rory Channer, Karen Freeman, and Ted McKenna is The Activator Advantage: What Today’s Rainmakers Do Differently.At lot of us know the traits of the kind of person who’s successful at attracting new business. What many of us don’t know, is that what’s working today is actually different than what we traditionally think. In this conversation, Matt and I a take a detailed look at the professionals who are landing the most new business – and what they’re doing that works.Key PointsThe loyalty that once existed between professionals and their clients has changed substantially in recent years.A type of professional called an activator represents the highest performance in business development.Activators assume their best clients will leave at some point and are consistently working to build a pipeline of opportunities.Many professionals tend to protect client relationships. In contrast, activators actively bring colleagues into these relationships.Activators don’t wait for inquiries. They meet opportunities happen by building relationships before paid work begins.Activators go way past birthdays and factual knowledge about others. They discover what’s important to their clients as individuals.Activators go way past “as is” content and work hard to thoughtfully connect it to a prospect or client’s situation.Resources MentionedThe Activator Advantage: What Today’s Rainmakers Do Differently by Matt Dixon, Rory Channer, Karen Freeman, and Ted McKennaInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Surprising Truth About Influencing Others, with Daniel Pink (episode 84)How to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear (episode 376)The Way to Earn Attention, with Raja Rajamannar (episode 521)Expert PartnerFinding it hard to make an impression in a noisy marketplace? Many listeners have reached out to David Hutchens to help their organizations get traction through the power of story. If you’re planning an offsite or training to get better, get in touch with us to start the conversation with David or any of our other expert partners.Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Wes Adams: Meaningful WorkWes Adams is the CEO of SV Consulting Group, a firm partnering with Fortune 500s and scaling companies to develop high-impact leaders and support high-performing teams. He is also a positive psychology researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, where he studies the leadership practices and organizational structures that help employees thrive. He’s the author, along with Tamara Myles, of Meaningful Work: How to Ignite Passion and Performance in Every Employee.A generation ago, work was just work for a lot of folks. Today, we expect more out of our careers than past generations ever did. That means leaders need to be better at helping people find meaning at work. In this conversation, Wes and I discuss how leaders can do better at being catalysts for connection.Key PointsWe expect so much more from work than we did a generation ago. Work is increasingly a place where people seek belonging, purpose, and meaning.Supporting community in the workplace is a combination of building trust and designing shared experiences.Just like a balanced investment portfolio, community is a combination of diverse avenues that build a strong foundation.Consider a simple structure for synchronized breaks to help people connect more intentionally during work.Invite team members to share a story of them at their best or reflect on a photo/story that has meaning for them at the start of team meetings.When responding to a joy that a colleague shares, ask a follow-up question that engages and elevates.Higher difficulty (yet strongly meaningful) activities include shared volunteer work and funding or support for community activities.By occasionally sharing personal plans, stories, reading lists, or other activities, the leader sets the tone for others feeling safe to connect in this way.Resources MentionedMeaningful Work: How to Ignite Passion and Performance in Every Employee by Wes Adams and Tamara MylesInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Create Meaningful Gatherings, with Priya Parker (episode 395)The Beliefs of Inspirational Leaders, with Stephen M. R. Covey (episode 707)The Way to Notice People Better, with Zach Mercurio (episode 733)Expert PartnerAre you a talent development or human resources leader seeking a coach for an internal client? Coaching for Leaders has partnered with some of the top coaches in the world, including a number of past podcast guests. Help us make an introduction by visiting our Expert Partners Page and telling us what you’re seeking in a coach.Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Judith Joseph: High FunctioningJudith Joseph is a Columbia-trained psychiatrist and the founder of and chief investigator at Manhattan Behavioral Medicine, New York City’s premier clinical research site. She’s also a clinical assistant professor in child and adolescent psychiatry at NYU Langone Medical Center in Manhattan, and chairwoman of the Women in Medicine Board at Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. She is the author of High Functioning: Overcome Your Hidden Depression and Reclaim Your Joy.When we think about successful leaders, we often admire those who are loving towards others, can tolerate painful times, and know how to delay gratification. Those are all such important traits – and when we overindex on them, can become counter-productive. In this conversation, (Judith and I explore) when it’s no longer working and how to find the joy again.Key PointsMany people who are experiencing high-functioning depression don’t realize it.High-functioning depression is often triggering by trauma. That can can be major trauma, but it can also be more common forms of trauma like divorce, workplace conflict, legal issues, and many more.Anhedonia is one of the most common ways high-functioning depression reveals itself. It looks like not seeking out joyful activities and also not experiencing joy in activities that used to bring joy.Masochism is the other common way high-functioning depression shows up. It manifests as a pattern of self-defeating, people-pleasing behavior.The “superpowers” that come with high-functioning depression are viewed by others and society as strengths. However, over-indexing on being loving, tolerating pain, and delayed gratification are counter-productive over time.Validation is a starting point for healing. Each person is unique and sometimes it’s helpful to begin with movies or other creative works that help you recognize yourself.Resources MentionedHigh Functioning: Overcome Your Hidden Depression and Reclaim Your Joy by Judith JosephInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesWhat to Do With Your Feelings, with Lori Gottlieb (episode 438)The Mindset Leaders Need to Address Burnout, with Christina Maslach (episode 608)Transcend Leadership Struggles Through Your Strengths, with Lisa Cummings (episode 692)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Jeff Wetzler: AskJeff Wetzler is co-Founder Transcend, a nationally recognized innovation organization, and an expert in learning and human potential. His experience spans 25+ years in business and education, as a management consultant to top corporations, a learning facilitator for leaders, and as Chief Learning Officer at Teach For America. He's the author of Ask: Tap Into the Hidden Wisdom of People Around You for Unexpected Breakthroughs in Leadership and Life.We place our organizations at risk when we miss stuff. Often, the things we miss aren’t what we don’t know. Instead, they are the assumptions we don’t even question. In this conversation, Jeff and I explore the practices that work to find what’s missing.Key PointsHidden feedback cues:Repeated questions or suggestions about seemingly small details.Increased involvement in tactical decisions.Unexpected decreases in engagement.Benefits of curiosity:When We’re Curious About People, They Like Us MoreCuriosity begets curiosity.Curiosity creates empathy.Curiosity makes us more resilient.Curiosity sparks:What might I be missing?How else might someone interpret the situation?How might I be impacting them?What can I learn from this person?Resources MentionedAsk: Tap Into the Hidden Wisdom of People Around You for Unexpected Breakthroughs in Leadership and Life by Jeff WetzlerAsk ApproachHow to Recognize “Hidden Feedback” (Harvard Business Review) by Jeff WetzlerThe Curiosity Coach In Your Pocket (Psychology Today) by Jeff WetzlerRelated EpisodesHow to Inspire More Curiosity, with Shannon Minifie (episode 520)How to Help Others Be Seen and Heard, with Scott Shigeoka (episode 654)Make it Easier to Discuss Hard Things, with Jeff Wetzler (episode 679)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Qasim IjazQasim Ijaz is the director of cybersecurity at a leading healthcare organization, overseeing detection, incident response, vulnerability management, purple teaming, and cybersecurity engineering. With a strong background in offensive security and risk management, he has helped organizations strengthen their defenses against evolving threats. He is also a dedicated educator, mentoring professionals and sharing his expertise at conferences such as BSides and Black Hat.You don’t need to go far in the news these days to find out that another organization was hacked. Data breeches are a nightmare scenario for both leaders and the people they support. In this episode, Qasim and I explore what your team and you can do to be a bit more prepared.Key PointsUse multi-factor authentication, passphrases, and a password manager.Freeze your personal credit reports. Do this for free directly with Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.Leaders in bigger roles (executives, CEOs, board members) are larger targets for hackers due to their access and also their ability to occasionally side-step organizational guidelines.It’s the non-technical pieces of a cyber response that organizations are least prepared for.Conduct incident response and disaster recovery tabletop exercises to uncover vulnerabilities before an attack.Regardless of organizational policy, employees will use AI. The best prevention assumes the inevitability of human behavior and works with it to improve systems.Resources MentionedRecommended password managers: 1Password, Apple password app, Proton PassCritical Security Controls by the Center for Internet SecurityResources for Small and Medium Businesses by the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency2024 Data Breach Investigations Report by Verizon BusinessRelated EpisodesDumb Things Smart People Do With Money, with Jill Schlesinger (episode 396)Where to Start When Inheriting a Team in Crisis, with Lynn Perry Wooten (episode 603)How to Use AI to Think Better, with José Antonio Bowen (episode 689)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Andrew Brodsky: PingAndrew Brodsky is an award-winning professor, management consultant, and virtual communications expert at the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin. He is an expert in workplace technology, communication, and productivity, and serves as the CEO of Ping Group. He is the author of Ping: The Secrets of Successful Virtual Communication.We’ve all heard the well intended advice that having interactions in person is always best. And that being as close to perfect as possible is ideal. Turns out, not always. In this conversation, Andrew and I explore how adapting to the context of tough situations can help you show up in a way that’s helpful for the other party and for you.Key PointsIn virtual interactions, what feels authentic to you may not seem authentic to the person you’re interacting with.While video is best for being present, it may not be best when your underlying emotions could leak into a situation.Surface acting helps us all land with the other party more authentically. Audio only can help this land better.If using a less rich medium to communicate (i.e. email instead of a conversation) it’s helpful to explain why you made that choice.People who appear perfectly competent may not be as likable. Consider surfacing blunders that aren’t central to the core expertise of your work.We often default to the medium that works best for us. Consider what will land best with the other party.Resources MentionedPing: The Secrets of Successful Virtual Communication by Andrew BrodskyInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Genuinely Show Up for Others, with Marshall Goldsmith (episode 590)How to Make a Better Impression on Camera, with Mark Bowden (episode 643)How to Grow From Feedback, with Jennifer Garvey Berger (episode 713)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Joel Pérez: Dear White LeaderJoel Pérez is an executive and leadership coach, speaker, and consultant who is passionate about helping leaders and organizations achieve their goals and develop a posture of cultural humility. He has over twenty years of experience in higher education, serving in various key leadership roles. He is the author of Dear White Leader: How to Achieve Organizational Excellence through Cultural Humility.We could all get a bit better at bringing a dose of humility into our work. Inside organizations, cultural humility starts with how leaders show up each day. In this episode, Joel and I examine three shifts that will help us better empower others.Key PointsWhile humility starts with an individual, it must move beyond them to improve the organization.Maintain high standards while avoiding perfectionism by discussing how mistakes get handled in advance.To prevent a sense of urgency from rushing a bad decision, consider who’s missing from the conversation.Listen, ask curious questions, and say thank you when receiving criticism.Criticism doesn’t need to be addressed in the moment. Consider reflection, other data points, and responding more in a future interaction.Resources MentionedDear White Leader: How to Achieve Organizational Excellence through Cultural Humility by Joel PérezDear White Leader websiteInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Starting Point for Inclusive Leadership, with Susan MacKenty Brady (episode 584)How to Use Power Responsibly, with Vanessa Bohns (episode 551)How to Discover What People Want, with Tiziana Casciaro (episode 565)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Dave speaks with Brooks Bradford, an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy, on how he got intentional about motivating people – and himself – towards an important vision. Applications to the Coaching for Leaders Academy will close on Friday, March 14, 2025. Visit the Academy page for details and to apply.
Donna Hicks: Leading with DignityDonna Hicks is an Associate at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University and the former Deputy Director of the Program on International Conflict Analysis and Resolution (PICAR). She has facilitated dialogues in numerous unofficial diplomatic efforts and was a consultant to the BBC in Northern Ireland, where she co-facilitated a television series, Facing the Truth, with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. She is the author of Dignity: It’s Essential Role in Resolving Conflict and Leading with Dignity: How to Create a Culture That Brings Out the Best in People.Everyone wants to be treated in a way that shows they matter. We may differ in status, but we are all equal in dignity. In this episode, Donna and I explore how appreciating dignity can help us bring out the best in people.Key PointsEveryone wants to be treated in a way that shows they matter.Dignity is different than respect. Everyone has dignity, but not everyone deserves respect.A major misconception of dignity is that we receive our worth from external sources.We’re at our best when connected to our own dignity, connected to the dignity of others, and connected the dignity of something bigger.Start with vulnerability and empathy. These open the doors to connecting with your own dignity and the dignity of others.We may differ in status, but we are all equal in dignity.Resources MentionedDignity: It’s Essential Role in Resolving Conflict by Donna HicksLeading with Dignity: How to Create a Culture That Brings Out the Best in People* by Donna HicksInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Get Way Better at Accepting Feedback, with Sheila Heen (episode 143)Use Power for Good and Not Evil, with Dacher Keltner (episode 254)Help People Show Up as Themselves, with Frederic Laloux (episode 580)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Dave speaks with Nanette Metzger, an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy, on how she helped her team start bringing solutions to new problems. Applications to the Coaching for Leaders Academy will close on March 14, 2025. Visit the Academy page for details and to apply.
Dave speaks with Hayley Park, an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy, on how she got to altitude for better perspective on what's happening in the organization. Applications to the Coaching for Leaders Academy will close on March 14, 2025. Visit the Academy page for details and to apply.
Melody Wilding: Managing UpMelody Wilding is an executive and leadership coach for smart, sensitive high-achievers who are tired of getting in their own way. She teaches human behavior at Hunter College and is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Business Insider, who named her one the “most innovative coaches.” She is the author of Managing Up: How To Get What You Need from the People in Charge.Good work speaks for itself. It’s a lie many of us have wished was true, but found that there’s actually much more work involved. In this conversation, Melody and I discuss what really helps in creating more visibility.Key PointsGood work does not speak for itself.Our fear of appearing self-promotional can hinder the visibility conversations that our leaders and team need from us.A story will be told about your work. By having stories that you are ready to tell, you get to shape the narrative.Instead of listing what you’ve done, highlight what you want to be known for.Give visibility to work that is important to your team, puts you in contact with stakeholders, and impacts that bottom line.Always have a 3-step pocket update at the ready. Share a (1) project, (2) detail, and (3) result.Capitalize on casual conversation. Say yes to the right invitations and be the person that keeps the relationship going.Resources MentionedManaging Up: How To Get What You Need from the People in Charge by Melody WildingInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesGet Noticed Without Selling Out, with Laura Huang (episode 480) (Mention the facets analogy.)How to Start Finding Useful Stories, with David Hutchens (episode 593)Getting Better at Internal Communication, with Roy Schwartz (episode 687)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Dave speaks with Raj Bawa, an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy, on how he focused his attention on creating better relationships with peer executives.Applications to the Coaching for Leaders Academy open on March 7, 2025. Visit the Academy page to receive an invitation to apply.
Jess BrittJess Britt is an experienced executive and nonprofit board chair. Today as a coach and consultant, she uses a facilitative leadership approach to empower leaders and teams to build collaborative, high-performing, data-driven workplace cultures. She’s an alum of our Academy and for the past two years, has taken a leadership role inside our community as a Coaching for Leaders fellow, providing coaching and facilitation to our members.While some leaders love to hate meetings, a well-designed meeting can open huge opportunities to connect, engage, and build culture on a team. In this conversation, Jess and I zero in on simple tactics that will help you engage attendees and lead meetings that people actually enjoy. We explore how objectives, facilitation tactics, and adult learning principles can help and invite you to start with one.Key PointsIdentifying both shared and non-shared objectives helps you design meetings, informs how you show up, makes meetings less frustrating, and helps you pivot.Invite discussion and engagement at the start with a warm-up question. If possible, connect the question to an objective of the meeting.Check-out questions are a quick indicator of what worked and what didn’t. Use emojis, voting, or a quick question to assess, and follow-up if something didn’t land.Adults learn best by drawing on past experiences and taking action. Bring in role plays, think-pair-share, and gallery walks to help engage people.Simple debrief questions will up insights. Consider prompts like: “What came out of this?” “What did you hear?” and “I heard you discussing an idea. Tell us more.”Reach out to Jess at jess@jessbritt.com and tell her one thing you tried from this conversation and what happened. She’ll respond by sharing her full guide of meeting facilitation ideas we weren’t able to entirely cover in this episode.Resources MentionedJess Britt’s websiteCoaching for Leaders AcademyRelated EpisodesHow to Lead Meetings That Get Results, with Mamie Kanfer Stewart (episode 358)Moving Towards Meetings of Significance, with Seth Godin (episode 632)Bringing Your Strengths to a Big Job, with General CQ Brown, Jr. (episode 691)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Margie Warrell: The Courage GapMargie Warrell is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, leadership coach, and Forbes columnist. With twenty-five years of experience living and working around the world, she has dedicated her life to helping others overcome fear and unlock their potential. She is the author of The Courage Gap: 5 Steps to Braver Action.Whether it’s painting a vision of the future or giving feedback on something that didn’t work yesterday, courage is a necessity for leaders. In this episode, Margie and I highlight the way towards just a bit more of it.Key PointsLeaders may rise in the ranks because of what they do, but cap themselves because of who they are.The smarter we are, the more our fears work in the background.Beware discounting the future. Fear causes us to value the future less than the present.Reel in fearcasting worst-case scenarios. These can prevent us from seeing the benefits of action.Stop rationalizing inaction and excess caution. An excuse is always there to prevent you from doing that’s right and true.Avoid betraying yourself to secure status with others.Resources MentionedThe Courage Gap: 5 Steps to Braver Action by Margie WarrellInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Protect Your Confidence, with Nate Zinsser (episode 573)How to Help People Engage in Growth, with Whitney Johnson (episode 576)How to Grow From Feedback, with Jennifer Garvey Berger (episode 713)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Dave speaks with Irma Tragesser, an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy, on how she shifted her approach to get more and better insights from her team.Applications to the Coaching for Leaders Academy open on March 7, 2025. Visit the Academy page to receive an invitation to apply.
Sandra Matz: MindmastersSandra Matz is a Columbia Business School professor, computational social scientist, and pioneering expert in psychological targeting. Her research uncovers the hidden relationships between our digital lives and our psychology with the goal of helping businesses and individuals make better decisions. She is the author of Mindmasters: The Data-Driven Science of Predicting and Changing Human Behavior*.Algorithms are becoming more influential with each passing day. That’s why leaders must understand their power and then decide how their organizations engage. In this conversation, Sandra and I discuss where psychological targeting is at, where it’s going, and the opportunity you have to make the world a bit better.Key PointsEveryone knows everything in a small town (for better or worse). In the same way, psychological targeting can used for both evil and good.Psychological targeting already is successful at identifying wealth, personality, income level, and sexual orientation – and keeps improving.None of this is going away. Understanding how the game of targeting is played can help you make it work to your advantage.Leaders and organization who use targeting responsibly can do tremendous good, including helping people save money and flag early interventions for health crises.Be transparent with what data you’re collecting how you’re using it. Consider newer practices like federated learning that protect privacy and provide permission-based access.Design systems and practices that anticipate the reality of future leaders with different values.Resources MentionedMindmasters: The Data-Driven Science of Predicting and Changing Human Behavior by Sandra MatzInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesServe Others Through Marketing, with Seth Godin (episode 381)The Way to Earn Attention, with Raja Rajamannar (episode 521)The Reason People Make Buying Decisions, with Marcus Collins (episode 664)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Adam Galinsky: InspireAdam Galinsky is the Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Paul Calello Professor of Leadership and Ethics at the Columbia Business School. He co-authored the book Friend & Foe and his TED talk, How to Speak Up for Yourself, is one of the most popular of all time with over 7 million views. He's the author of Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others.Leaders can delegate many things, but vision is not one of them. Most every leader needs to be able to articulate the future. In this conversation, Adam and I explore the building blocks to get better at inspiring others.Key PointsEvery leader has the potential to be inspiring. We can choose to get better.Whatever a leader says, either positive or negative, will be amplified.When values are brought front and center, they inspire behavior that creates a better future.Inspiring leaders offer a big picture, optimistic view of the future.Make visions simple and vivid. Simplicity is the key to inception. Use strong imagery that brings details to life.Repetition is essential for a vision to take hold. The more often we hear something, to more likely it becomes our own truth.Resources MentionedInspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others* by Adam GalinskyInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Sell Your Vision, with Michael Hyatt (episode 482)The Beliefs of Inspirational Leaders, with Stephen M. R. Covey (episode 707)How to Create Your Personal Vision (Audio course)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Sunita Sah: DefySunita Sah is an award-winning professor at Cornell University and an expert in organizational psychology, leading groundbreaking research on influence, authority, compliance, and defiance. A trained physician, her research and analyses have been widely published in leading academic journals and media entities including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Harvard Business Review, and Scientific American. She is the author of Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes.We often think of defiance as a snap judgement. Yet, it’s so much more nuanced and purposeful than it often appears. In this conversation, Sunita and I explore the common patterns of defiance and how we can all do a better job of standing up for ourselves.Key PointsWe follow bad advice – even when we know it is obviously bad – to avoid appearing unhelpful.Defiance means acting in accordance with your true values when there is pressure to do otherwise.True defiance is not a snap judgement; it’s a process.Acts of defiance are preceded by many moments of conscious compliance, when defiance is deferred.Five stages of defiance often emerge: (1) Tension, (2) Acknowledgement (to ourselves), (3) Escalation (vocalize to others), (4) Threat of non-compliance, and (5) Act of defiance.Vocalizing our concern to someone else is a key pivot point on the journey to ultimately saying no.Respond explicitly to these questions: (1) Who am I? (2) What type of situation is this? and (3) What does a person like me do in a situation such as this?Resources MentionedDefy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes by Sunita SahInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesFind Courage to Speak When It Matters Most, with Allan McDonald (episode 229)How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)How to Speak Up, with Connson Locke (episode 546)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher EdBonni is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, Dean of Teaching and Learning and Professor of Business and Management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, she was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. Bonni is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide.Listener QuestionsJosh asked about helpful practices for setting chat groups in the workplace, especially for remote workers.Lily was curious about the best way to structure a first session of a new innovation group and also how to help people engage.Nicole wondered how she might navigate a situation with a particular donor who is asking for more support than is typical.Resources MentionedThe Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya ParkerThe Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable* by Patrick LencioniSunrise, Sunset from Fiddler on the RoofRelated EpisodesHow to Create Meaningful Gatherings, with Priya Parker (episode 395)Transitioning to Remote Leadership, with Tammy Bjelland (episode 509)Transcend Leadership Struggles Through Your Strengths, with Lisa Cummings (episode 692)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
David Marquet: Leadership is LanguageDavid Marquet is the former commander of the U.S.S. Santa Fe, a nuclear-powered attack submarine. Under David’s command, the ship had an impressive turnaround, achieving the highest retention and operational standings in the Navy.David is the author of the bestseller Turn the Ship Around: A True Story of Turning Followers Into Leaders and his newer book, Leadership is Language: The Hidden Power of What You Say and What You Don’t.In this rebroadcast, David and I explored the seven sins of questioning. David shared the story of the ill-fated El Faro and how we can discover better information in leadership by making the shift from self-affirming to self-educating.Seven Ways to Ask Better QuestionsInstead of questions stacking, try one and done.Instead of a teaching moment, try and learning moment.Instead of a dirty question, try a clear question.Instead of a binary question, start the question with “what” or “how.”Instead of a “why” question, try “tell me more.”Instead of a self-affirming question, try self-educating questions.Instead of jumping to the future, start with the present, past, then future.Resources MentionedLeadership is Language: The Hidden Power of What You Say and What You Don’t by David MarquetTurn the Ship Around: A True Story of Turning Followers Into Leaders by David MarquetDiscover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Jennifer Garvey Berger: Changing on the JobJennifer Garvey Berger is cofounder and CEO of Cultivating Leadership, a consultancy that serves executives and teams in the private, non-profit, and government sectors. Her clients include Google, Microsoft, Novartis, Wikipedia, and Oxfam International. She is the author of four leadership books, including now in it’s second edition, Changing on the Job: How Leaders Become Courageous, Wise, and Steady in an Anxious World.We often think about feedback as something we give to someone else. What if, in addition to that, feedback is an opportunity for both parties to learn and grow. In this conversation, Jennifer and I explore how this can open a door to some of the best leadership work we do.Key PointsIf we view feedback as only giving our truth to someone else, we’ve missed a huge opportunity for growth.Start by separating what happened from the interpretation of what happened. AskingGet curious about your own response: what made you react so strongly?Talk it out. You have to welcome someone else into your thinking if you’re going to really learn.Invite in how the other person sees the situation. Consider saying, “I’m really interested in what this looked like from your perspective.”The process of unwinding what you hear is the good work of leadership and some the best work you can do.Build a solution together.Resources MentionedChanging on the Job: How Leaders Become Courageous, Wise, and Steady in an Anxious World by Jennifer Garvey BergerInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesEssentials of Adult Development, with Mindy Danna (episode 273)How to Give Feedback, with Russ Laraway (episode 583)How to Lead Better Through Complexity, with Jennifer Garvey Berger (episode 613)Production CreditCoaching for Leaders is edited by Andrew Kroeger. Production support is provided by Sierra Priest.Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Anne Chow: Lead BiggerAnne Chow was the CEO of AT&T Business and the first woman of color CEO in AT&T’s 140+ year history, responsible for leading a $35B global operating unit of over 35,000 people. She was named to Fortune’s Most Powerful Women in Business twice and today serves on a number of boards, including FranklinCovey, 3M, and CSX. She is the author of Lead Bigger: The Transformative Power of Inclusion.We all know the importance of values, but it’s often hard to know where to begin when clarifying them with a team. In this conversation, Anne and I explore how to align on values that support a great culture and move towards a vision.Key PointsValues and ideologies are distinct. Leading bigger means honoring diverse ideologies while aligning on core values.Bigger leaders have the courage to admit and cite situations where they fall short.When asking people to craft values, invite them to start by individually considering their personal values.When discussing values as a group, highlight both the common agreements and also the outlying ideas.Leaders must ultimately decide which values best embody the culture and vision of their organization.Bring in different stakeholders to do a gut check on whether the values are legitimate.Measure behaviors against values and review and update values and metrics regularly.Resources MentionedLead Bigger: The Transformative Power of Inclusion by Anne ChowInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Create Team Guidelines, with Susan Gerke (episode 192)How to Discover What Others Value, with Joe Hart (episode 616)How to Prevent a Team From Repeating Mistakes, with Robert “Cujo” Teschner (episode 660)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Karthik Ramanna: The Age of OutrageKarthik Ramanna is a professor of business and public policy at University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government, where he has served as director of one of the world’s most diverse leadership programs. Previously a professor at Harvard Business School, he studies how organizations and leaders build trust with stakeholders. He is the author of The Age of Outrage: How to Lead in a Polarized World.In a lot of ways, leadership is better than it was a generation ago. One way that it isn’t better? Figuring out how to lead effectively in an increasingly polarized world. In this conversation, Karthik and I explore what leaders can do to turn down the temperature on outrage.Key PointsWe tend to frame effective leadership as heroic. In times of outrage, the virtue of temperance becomes essential.A leader will never fully address the demands made of them, regardless of how well they act.Even when a leader resolves problems, they will be viewed as part of the problem.Anticipate times of outrage and create spaces that calm people physically and help them connect with each other.Establish rules of engagement outside moments of outrage so that you have a starting point.Create pre-arranged workgroups that can help illuminate a path forward for the larger organization.Resources MentionedThe Age of Outrage: How to Lead in a Polarized World by Karthik RamannaInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Create Team Guidelines, with Susan Gerke (episode 192)The Way Out of Major Conflict, with Amanda Ripley (episode 529)Three Practices for Thriving in Negotiations, with William Ury (episode 669)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
David De Cremer: The AI-Savvy LeaderDavid De Cremer is the Dunton Family Dean of the D'Amore-McKim School of Business and professor of management and technology at Northeastern University. He's also an affiliated faculty member at the Institute for Experiential AI at Northeastern University and an affiliated researcher at the Center for Collective Intelligence at MIT. His newest book is titled The AI-Savvy Leader: Nine Ways to Take Back Control and Make AI Work.We’ve all heard the warnings that AI is going to take our jobs. That’s certainly a possibly in the long-term, but the story emerging, at least for now, is looking a little different. In this episode, David and I discuss how leaders can use AI to augment, not replace, human intelligence.Key PointsAI is substantially different than prior digital transformations, and adoption efforts are failing at alarming rates.Instead of leading, too often leaders are being too deferential to data and analytics teams.Your expertise is exactly what your organization needs to deploy AI successfully.Leaders who learn the fundamentals of AI will play an essential roll in narrating dialogue between the technology experts and everyone else.Get just enough foundational knowledge with statistics and modeling to communicate with the data and analytics folks better.Resources MentionedThe AI-Savvy Leader: Nine Ways to Take Back Control and Make AI Work by David De CremerInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Solve the Toughest Problems, with Wendy Smith (episode 612)How to Begin Leading Through Continuous Change, with David Rogers (episode 649)Principles for Using AI at Work, with Ethan Mollick (episode 674)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Keith Ferrazzi: Never Lead AloneKeith Ferrazzi is an entrepreneur and global thought leader in high-performing teams and Chairman of Ferrazzi Greenlight and its Research Institute. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Who’s Got Your Back and bestsellers like Never Eat Alone, Leading Without Authority, and Competing in the New World of Work. His newest book with Paul Hill is titled Never Lead Alone: 10 Shifts from Leadership to Teamship.Whenever I’m having a conversation with someone about getting better at coaching, it’s almost always through the lens of, “How do I do it well?” In this conversation, Keith and I explore another perspective most of us miss: how does the team do coaching better for each other.Key PointsGood leaders give feedback and hold people accountable. Great leaders ensure the team gives feedback and holds people accountable.Teamship starts right at the start. Organizations like e.l.f. Beauty begin these practices during onboarding.We over index on mindset. Starting with the right practices will shape the beliefs that helps teamship emerge.Use an open 360 where people share one thing they appreciate/admire/respect and one thing they suggest.The 5/5/5 Learning Roadmap invites team members to share a struggle, respond to questions, and receive feedback.We’re used to feedback being directive. Feedback from peers is data. We can consider it without acting on it.Resources MentionedNever Lead Alone: 10 Shifts from Leadership to Teamship by Keith FerrazziInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow Top Leaders Influence Great Teamwork, with Scott Keller (episode 585)Becoming More Coach-Like, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 680)Team Collaboration Supports Growth Mindset, with Mary Murphy (episode 695)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Charles Feltman: The Thin Book of TrustCharles Feltman is the founder of Insight Coaching. He has over 25 years of professional experience coaching, facilitating, consulting to, and training people who lead others. He is the author of The Thin Book of Trust: An Essential Primer for Building Trust at Work.It’s a reality of life that we need to interact with some people we’d rather not. And it’s absolutely a reality of leadership, that sometimes we need to have a conversation with someone we don’t quite trust. In this episode, Charles and I explore how to prepare so it goes better for both parties.Key PointsThe four assessment domains of trust include care, sincerity, reliability, and competence.Seven steps to prepare for a conversation:Identify the assessment(s) you are concerned with.Define the standard you are using.Identify the specific actions or behaviors that have led to your assessment of distrust.Consider what you are doing that may be contributing to the situation.Determine what you need from them in order for them to regain your trust.Decide if you are willing to talk to the person about it.Ask the other person if they would be willing to have a conversation with you.Resources MentionedThe Thin Book of Trust: An Essential Primer for Building Trust at Work by Charles FeltmanInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Handle Pushback From Difficult Askers, with Vanessa Patrick (episode 637)How to Help Difficult Conversations Go Better, with Sheila Heen (episode 655)How to Change People’s Minds, with Michael McQueen (episode 676)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Stephen M. R. Covey: Trust & InspireStephen M. R. Covey is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and former CEO of Covey Leadership Center. He led the strategy that propelled his father’s book, Dr. Stephen R. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, to become one of the two most influential business books of the 20th Century, according to CEO Magazine. He's the author The Speed of Trust and more recently Trust & Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others.Despite everything we know about good leadership, a lot of places still operate in a command and control mindset. In this conversation, Stephen and I explore the key ways to shift from command and control to trust and inspire.Key PointsIn spite of all progress, most leaders today are still operating from a command and control mindset.The carrot and stick approach still dominates most organizational cultures and tactics.The biggest barrier to becoming a Trust & Inspire leader is when we think we already are one.People are whole people. The best leaders care for the body, heart, mind, and spirit.There is enough for everyone. Trust & Inspire leaders elevate caring above competition.Enduring influence is created from the inside out. The job of the leader is to go first.All people have greatness inside them. Trust & Inspire leaders work to unleash potential, not control it.Resources MentionedTrust & Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others by Stephen M. R. CoveyInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)Leadership Means You Go First, with Keith Ferrazzi (episode 488)The Starting Point for Repairing Trust, with Henry Cloud (episode 626)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Shandy Welch: Leadership CoachShandy Welch is an executive leadership coach. Her coaching focus is around humanizing leadership and re-engaging individuals and teams to inspire change and innovation. She is also a Coaching for Leaders Fellow.Most leaders find themselves — at least occasionally — in conversations with people who intimidate them. In this SaturdayCast, Shandy and I share what’s worked for us and how it might help you have better conversations.Key PointsNervousness is your friend. If you feel it, that means you care. Try to get the butterflies flying in formation.You are there because you are the best person to be there. Full stop.People with visibility will expect you've done your homework. If they’ve put something out into the world, they want you to find it.Preparation helps you improvise. “You've got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail.” -Charlie ParkerAlways assume there is something you can do to help out someone else. Consider their perspective and what they gain from the meeting with you.Everybody has doubts and struggles. Remember the humanity that’s present in every interaction.What was helpful to you for our conversation? We’d love to know. Share it with Shandy at shandywelch@gmail.comRelated EpisodesHow to Talk to People Who Have Power, with Jordan Harbinger (episode 343)How to Help People Speak Truth to Power, with Megan Reitz (episode 597)Set the Tone for Speaking Up, with Mike Massimino (episode 672)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Steve Dennis: Leaders LeapSteve Dennis is a strategy consultant, advisor, speaker, and author focused on transformational leadership and the impact of digital disruption. He is the president of SageBerry Consulting and host of the Remarkable Retail podcast. He's the author of the book Remarkable Retail and his newest book Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption.Every leader needs to stay relevant in order to serve well. In this conversation, Steve and I explore the mindset and tactics that will help us lead in the context of an ever-changing world.Key PointsSelf-sufficiency is a virtue, until it’s not. Learning to ask for help is a key practice for leaders.Be cautious about a deserving attitude. High expectations may be correlated with low resilience.Seek insight everywhere. It’s no longer sufficient just to gain ideas from direct competitors.Turning pro means showing up and doing the work, especially when we don’t feel like it.We must go through discomfort, not around it. Radical acceptance of truth will help you stay relevant in changing times.Resources MentionedLeaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption* by Steve DennisInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Win the Long Game When the Short-Term Seems Bleak, with Dorie Clark (episode 550)How to Help People Engage in Growth, with Whitney Johnson (episode 576)How to Keep Improving, with Maurice Ashley (episode 697)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Maha Abouelenein: 7 Rules of Self-RelianceMaha Abouelenein is an American Egyptian with more than 30 years of global communications experience advising global corporate giants, startups, governments, CEOs and high networth individuals. She is the CEO of Digital and Savvy, a strategic communications consulting firm with offices in the States and Dubai. Maha is the author of 7 Rules of Self-Reliance: How to Stay Low, Keep Moving, Invest in Yourself and Own Your Future.One of the definitions of the word currency in Merriam-Webster’s dictionary is, “General use, acceptance, or prevalence.” All of us want to be both accepted and prevalent in the work we get to do. In this conversation, Maha and I discuss how your reputation is perhaps the most important currency of all.Key PointsPersonal brand isn't about self promotion, it's about leadership.Rather than promoting yourself, promote the ideas that you stand for.Reputation is currency. It’s the only thing you truly own and its value comes from how other people perceive it.Sometimes it’s the right move to take a job to earn. It’s also important to take jobs to learn.Knowing what you stand for is key, but this doesn’t come overnight.We all make missteps. What’s often more remembered is how you respond. Apologize and have empathy when things go wrong.Resources Mentioned7 Rules of Self-Reliance: How to Stay Low, Keep Moving, Invest in Yourself and Own Your Future by Maha AboueleneinInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesMaking the Case for Your Promotion, with May Busch (episode 526)How to Tell a Story About Yourself, with David Hutchens (episode 661)An Invitation for Kindness in Leadership, with James Rhee (episode 693)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Dan Dworkis: The Emergency MindDan Dworkis is Chief Medical Officer at The Mission Critical Team Institute. He's an emergency physician who helps individuals and teams apply knowledge under extreme pressure and perform at their best when it matters the most. He is the author of The Emergency Mind: Wiring Your Brain for Performance Under Pressure.Every leader, at least occasionally, faces emergencies. In an emergency, the only way out is through. In this conversation, Dan and I explore the mindsets and tactics that will help us handle the most difficult situations.Key PointsEmergencies are not just worse bad days. They are liminal — the only way out is through.Apply graduated pressure. Never allow suffering to be wasted. By going a bit slower, you notice where and why failures happen.Label an emergency with language that both recognizes the urgency of the situation and your faith in the team to resolve it.The room is always smarter than any one person in it. Tell people what problem they are working and your confidence level in it.Staying cool under pressure is not a fixed personality trait. You can get better by noticing and experimenting with what works for you (and doesn’t) to handle high-pressure situations.Experience makes working under pressure easier, but you still need to practice for it. Notice what’s effective (and not) in past and new situations before you experiment.Use situations in everyday life (a hard workout, an angry customer, getting cut off in traffic) to train yourself for responding in the toughest situations.Resources MentionedThe Emergency Mind: Wiring Your Brain for Performance Under Pressure by Dan DworkisInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear (episode 376)How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)How to Prevent a Team From Repeating Mistakes, with Robert “Cujo” Teschner (episode 660)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Andrew C.M. Cooper: The Ethical ImperativeAndrew C.M. Cooper is an executive leader and apologist for compassionate business practices. He led as a history-making first Millennial and Black executive to serve as General Counsel of UPS Airlines, the world’s largest logistics airline with over 20,000 employees. His team was essential to the success of Operation Warp Speed, the United States’ pandemic vaccine relief effort. He's the author of The Ethical Imperative: Leading with Conscience to Shape the Future of Business.We all know the power of relationships to help us grow. However, we don’t always seek out some of the non-traditional relationships that might help most. In this conversation, Andrew and I discuss three types of people we often overlook that will help us grow.Key PointsMany of us invest in organic, traditional relationships. Those are important, but not sufficient in such a dynamic world.Invest 30% of your time into relationships that will add skills, knowledge, or insights you can’t develop yourself.Shifters observe well, read between the lines, and help us adapt in uncertain and changing situations.Connectors will help your expand professional affiliations. Having a connector in your corner can be as helpful as being a connector yourself.People who first appear as sharks may be benevolent antagonists. Listen for what others around them say to determine who might challenge you in healthy ways.Resources MentionedThe Ethical Imperative: Leading with Conscience to Shape the Future of Business by Andrew C.M. CooperInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Strengthen Your Network, with Marissa King (episode 525)How to Build a Network While Still Doing Everything Else, with Ruth Gotian (episode 591)How to Recognize Remarkable People, with Guy Kawasaki (episode 671)Production CreditCoaching for Leaders is edited by Andrew Kroeger. Production support is provided by Sierra Priest.Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Laura West: Coaching for Leaders FellowLaura West is a seasoned leader and researcher with many years experience executing and training others in data analysis and strategy. She's led large teams across several organizations, holds a Ph.D. in linguistics, and is an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy. She was selected as one of our new Coaching for Leaders fellows and has taken on a leadership role in supporting our current Academy members.What do you do when you get a request from a stakeholder, but don’t have the resources to fulfill it? That’s a reality almost every leader faces. In this conversation, Laura and I discuss both the mindset and tactics that will help you respond well.Key PointsRather than an immediate “no,” spend an hour working through some steps to creatively problem solve around the request.Show your work. When you respond, share who you’ve talked with and what’s already been considered to respond to the request.Present options by summarizing 2-4 paths forward and your recommendations.Be the data person. Highlight trends over time that help influence different business decisions and maintain your credibility.Prioritize. But tell, don’t ask. Take the lead on identifying what’s important on behalf of the stakeholder and begin the work.Resources MentionedResponding to Stakeholder Requests With Limited Resources by Laura West (free membership required)Related EpisodesThe Way to Turn Followers Into Leaders, with David Marquet (episode 241)How to Start Managing Up, with Tom Henschel (episode 433)The Way to Influence Executives, with Nancy Duarte (episode 450)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Susan Salomone tells us how she decided to shift with a new team. Applications are open to the Coaching for Leaders Academy through Friday, September 13th. Discover details and apply.
Randelle Lenoir tells us how she is building stronger relationships and visibility across her organization. Applications are open to the Coaching for Leaders Academy through Friday, September 13th. Discover details and apply.
Patrick Peralta shares what he did to get better at accountability. Applications are open to the Coaching for Leaders Academy through Friday, September 13th. Discover details and apply.
Maurice Ashley: Move by MoveMaurice Ashley is a Chess Grandmaster, an ESPN commentator, a three-time national championship coach, and an author. In 1999 he earned the title of Chess Grandmaster, making him the first Black Grandmaster in the game’s history, and in 2016 he was inducted into the US Chess Hall of Fame. He's the author of Move by Move: Life Lessons on and off the Chessboard.There was a time that you could get a degree or a certification and you’ve be set on your learning for awhile. Those days are long gone. With change happening at the speed of thought, we must keep improving. In this conversation, Maurice and I discuss the mindsets and tactics that will help you keep growing.Key PointsJazz artists don’t think about each note, but instinctively know how to make beautiful music. The best chess players are like this.Elite performers constantly look for ways to cultivate the beginner’s mindset.Chess players who pay attention to the endgame are less likely to get caught up only in the tactics.The most vulnerable time for a chess player is when they have a big lead.Poor performers avoid spending time with their mistakes. The best players learn from them through debrief.Determine in advance where you need to stay hyper-focused.Temper overconfidence by posing additional in-game challenges for yourself and your team.Resources MentionedMove by Move: Life Lessons on and off the Chessboard by Maurice AshleyInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Actually Move Numbers, with Chris McChesney (episode 294)How to Prevent a Team From Repeating Mistakes, with Robert “Cujo” Teschner (episode 660)How to Grow From Your Errors, with Amy Edmondson (episode 663)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Natasha Orslene tells us how zeroing in on authenticity helped. Applications are open to the Coaching for Leaders Academy through Friday, September 13th. Discover details and apply.
Monica Chartier shares what came out of her focus to become more coach-like. Applications are open to the Coaching for Leaders Academy through Friday, September 13th. Discover details and apply.
Alice Ferris tells us about putting intentions into action. Applications are open to the Coaching for Leaders Academy through Friday, September 13th. Discover details and apply.
Marshall Goldsmith: What Got You Here Won’t Get You ThereMarshall Goldsmith is one of the world’s leading executive coaches. He's written 56 books, selling over 3 million copies, including 8 bestsellers and 4 New York Times bestsellers, including. He's been ranked twice by Thinkers50 as the #1 leadership thinker in the world and ranked the #1 executive coach in the world for over a decade.Marshall’s most popular book is What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful. In this episode, Marshall and I explore the key lessons from this iconic book and the most common habits that hold leaders back.Key PointsThe superstition trap: I behave this way and I am successful, therefore I am successful because I behave this way.The higher you go, the more your problems are behavioral.Winning too much is a trap successful people. Ask yourself, “Is it worth it?”Be aware that your suggestions become orders.Avoid starting your responses with “no,” “but,” or “however.” It’s hard to hear things we already know.We are not here on Earth to prove how smart we are. Help more, judge less.We all reinforce people who reinforce us. We hate obvious suck ups, but not the good ones. The good suck ups can easily fool the best leaders.Beware an excessive need to “be me.” Instead, be who you want and need to be.Resources MentionedWhat Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful by Marshall GoldsmithMarshallGoldsmith.aiInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Way to Be More Self-Aware, with Tasha Eurich (episode 442)The Power of Courage in Leadership Growth, with Jorge Alzate (episode 611)What Vulnerable Leadership Sounds Like, with Jacob Morgan (episode 648)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Mary Murphy: Cultures of GrowthMary Murphy is Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Indiana University. She is also Founding Director of the Summer Institute on Diversity at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University and founder and CEO of the Equity Accelerator, a research and consulting organization that works with schools and companies to create more equitable learning and working environments. She is the author of Cultures of Growth: How the New Science of Mindset Can Transform Individuals, Teams, and Organizations.Many of us have heard the distinction between a fixed and a growth mindset. Turns out it’s actually an either/or, and it’s certainly not with our teams. In this conversation, Mary and I discuss how team collaboration can support a growth mindset.Key PointsNobody has only a fixed or a growth mindset. While we may favor one, all of us shift between them.Team culture is so powerful that it can either block or encourage a growth mindset.Mindset doesn't just affect perceptions and behaviors, it shapes the bottom line.To support collaboration, begin with a cues audit. Consider starting with affinity groups.It’s misperception that cultures of growth are less data-centric than cultures of genius. The opposite is actually true.Don’t eliminate competition, recast it. Consider how incentives align with supporting others and the organization as a whole.Traditional rating systems, especially forced-rankings, often reinforce cultures of genius.Resources MentionedCultures of Growth: How the New Science of Mindset Can Transform Individuals, Teams, and Organizations by Mary MurphyCulture Cues AssessmentInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesGrowth Mindset Helps You Rise From the Ashes, with Jeff Hittenberger (episode 326)How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)Help Your Team Embrace Growth Mindset, with Eduardo Briceño (episode 644)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Maureen Dunne: The Neurodiversity EdgeMaureen Dunne is a cognitive scientist, neurodiversity expert, global keynote speaker, board director, and business leader with over two decades of experience helping organizations build thriving cultures. She has served as a Senior Advisor to some of the world's top organization, including the LEGO Foundation, Cornell University, and Members of Congress. She is the author of The Neurodiversity Edge: The Essential Guide to Embracing Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Differences for Any Organization.We often don’t notice our deeply held biases — and there’s certainly bias against neurodiversity. In this conversation, Maureen and I discuss the research, mindsets, and contributions relevant to neurodiversity. Plus, how neurodiversity can provide an edge for almost every organization.Key PointsWe often don’t see our deeply held biases. As one example, we assume that north is “up” on maps and globes, even though that’s only a construct.Research and estimates vary, but at least 20% of the population is neurodivergent.Divergent bees in hives find new sources of honey. Instead of viewing neurodivergence from a deficit-based perspective, use a strengths-based approach.Intellectual capability is entirely independent of having a neurodivergent profile.Rather than maintaining accommodations for “quirky people,” move towards a norm of university accommodations that benefit the entire employee population.Resources MentionedThe Neurodiversity Edge: The Essential Guide to Embracing Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Differences for Any Organization by Maureen DunneInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Begin Difficult Conversations About Race, with Kwame Christian (episode 594)Supporting Return to Work After Maternity Leave, with Danna Greenberg (episode 639)How to Be a Better Ally, with Lauren Wesley Wilson (episode 675)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
James Rhee: Red HelicopterJames Rhee is a former high school teacher and Harvard Law School graduate who became a private equity investor and unexpectedly an acclaimed CEO. He bridges math with emotions by marrying capital with purpose, while composing systems that bridge peoples, disciplines, and ideas. James is the author of Red Helicopter: Lead Change With Kindness (Plus a Little Math).Bad news: leaders are often the ones who make the rules that prevent kindness. Good news: leaders are also the ones who can change the rules. In this conversation, James and I explore how leadership (and results) improve when kindness is at the center of our work.Key PointsWe all know the power of intuitive, childhood truths. Leaders should champion these, even if that means challenging the establishment.Brené Brown says, “Clear is kind.” Clarity emerges by also ensuring an alignment with reality by leveraging math.Kindness is not random or entertaining. It’s an intentional, consistent practice.Leaders make the rules that encumber kindness — and they have the capacity to change those rules.The cost centers of an organization are a creative opportunity for kindness.Resources MentionedRed Helicopter: Lead Change With Kindness (Plus a Little Math) by James RheeArirang Amazing Grace for a Red HelicopterInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Create Meaningful Gatherings, with Priya Parker (episode 395)How Leaders Build, with Guy Raz (episode 491)The Power of Leadership Through Hospitality, with Will Guidara (episode 688)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
General CQ Brown, Jr.: Chairman of the Joint ChiefsGeneral CQ Brown, Jr. is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation’s highest-ranking military officer. As Chairman, he is the principal military advisor to the President of the United States, Secretary of Defense, and National Security Council. Prior to this role, he was the first Black officer in American history to head one of our military branches as Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. Time Magazine has named him one of the top 100 most influential people in the world.Effective leaders discover how to best use their strengths, and of course, champion the strengths of others. In this conversation, General Brown and I discuss ow he uses his strengths and how he brings those strengths into people development, high-level meetings, and problem-solving.Key PointsIf you are well below average at something, don’t spend time and effort trying to improve. Instead, partner with others who have it as a superpower.Give people work that is aligned with their strengths.Fight for feedback, especially in a top job. Find people who will give it to you straight. Listen well so they keep offering it.Leverage your strengths in communication. For General Brown, using his engineering training to solve problems and using metaphors and analogies to create clarity.Have the meeting after the meeting in the meeting.Tell people where your strengths might get in the way. For General Brown, highlighting that silence that could appear intimidating is often him just listening and thinking.Related EpisodesLeadership in the Midst of Chaos, with Jim Mattis (episode 440)Your Leadership Motive, with Patrick Lencioni (episode 505)Engaging People Through Change, with Cassandra Worthy (episode 571)How to Connect with People Better, with Charles Duhigg (episode 670)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Mitch Warner: Leadership and Self-DeceptionMitch Warner is a managing partner of the Arbinger Institute. The Institute has authored three best-selling books and helps leaders transform their organizations by enabling the fundamental shift in mindset that leads to exceptional results. Now in it's fourth edition, Leadership and Self-Deception: The Secret to Transforming Relationships & Unleashing Results, is today one of the top fifty best-selling leadership books of all time.Shifting behavior in a sustainable way requires us to change our mindset. In this conversation, Mitch and I explore how self-deception gets in our way and how we can take the first step by seeing others as people.Key PointsIn many cases, we are the carriers of the very problems we are complaining about. We often resist this reality.We often assume we aren’t the cause of problems because of our good intentions.Mindset drives our behaviors and the effectiveness and influence of those behaviors.Seeing someone as less than a person causes us to see the world in a way that justifies our judgement.Too often, conflicts manifest as people provoking another’s behavior in order to justify themselves.Our own justification is an indicator that we may be wrong to being with.Viewing others as either better or worse than ourselves creates justification that prevents awareness and change.Get outside of yourself by meeting to learn about them. If the relationship has been strained, consider meeting to give.Resources MentionedLeadership and Self-Deception: The Secret to Transforming Relationships & Unleashing Results by The Arbinger InstituteThe Arbinger InstituteInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Compare Yourself to Others, with Mollie West Duffy (episode 582) – Comparison is inevitable. The key to ahealthier, happier you is to embrace it.Help Your Team Embrace Growth Mindset, with Eduardo Briceño (episode 644) — spending time in the learning zoneThe Way to Handle Oblivious Leadership, with Robert Sutton (episode 667)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Will Guidara: Unreasonable HospitalityWill Guidara is the former co-owner of Eleven Madison Park, which under his leadership received four stars from the New York Times, three Michelin stars, and in 2017 was named #1 on the list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. He has co-authored four cookbooks, was named one of Crain's New York Business's 40 Under 40, and is the recipient of WSJ Magazine's Innovator Award. He is the author of Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect.We expect hospitality from a restaurant or hotel, but we often miss opportunities for this mindset at work. In this conversation, Will and I discuss effective leadership as an act of hospitality, not only for the organization and team — but for the leader themselves.Key PointsService is black and white. Hospitality is color.Hospitality elevates service not only for the person receiving it, but for the person delivering it.Hospitality is a dialogue, not a monologue. With employees, this means giving feedback continuously.When offering criticism, make a charitable assumption. The message is still the message, but the context matters.Giving attention to your top performers does a lot to invest others their work.Make it cool to care.Resources MentionedUnreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will GuidaraInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Lead Part-Time Staff, with Chris Deferio (episode 289)Five Steps to Hold People Accountable, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 306)The Mindset to Help Your Organization Grow, with Tiffani Bova (episode 633)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Laure Arron: Who Has Your Back?Laurie Arron is the founder of Arron Coaching, LLC and trusted adviser and executive coach to C-suite executives and Chiefs of Staff. She spent 30+ years climbing the corporate ladder at a Fortune 10 company in sales leadership, strategic planning, business transformation, and Chief of Staff roles. She is the author of Who Has Your Back?: A Leaders's Guide to Getting the Support You Need from the Chief of Staff You Deserve.Executive leaders need both truth-tellers and those who can manage on their behalf. Increasingly, the Chief of Staff role is becoming more prominent. In this episode, Laurie and I discuss their role, where they add value, and how they benefit the entire team.Key PointsThe Chief of Staff role has become much prevalent executive role, especially in the technology, finance, and healthcare industries.A Chief of Staff is distinct from an executive assistant. A effective Chief represents the leader, manages on their behalf, and coordinates their work.Every top leader needs a truth teller. A key role of the Chief of Staff is to be up-front with the person they serve.An effective Chief is proactive and addressing issues before the leader ever know about them. They know where messages are being lost or diluted.Ideally, the Chief of Staff helps create a climate of free expression throughout the team.Resources MentionedWho Has Your Back?: A Leaders's Guide to Getting the Support You Need from the Chief of Staff You Deserve by Laurie ArronLet Bartlet Be Bartlet from The West WingInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Help People Speak Truth to Power, with Megan Reitz (episode 597)How to Start Better With Peers, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 635)How to Start a Top Job, with Ty Wiggins (episode 685)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Ty Wiggins: The New CEOTy Wiggins is a leadership expert who is passionate about setting up new CEOs for success. As the global lead of Russell Reynolds Associates’ CEO & Executive Transition Practice, he helps world-leading CEOs successfully transition into their roles, guiding them through their first 12-18 months as their trusted advisor. He is the author of The New CEO: Lessons from CEOs on How to Start Well and Perform Quickly (Minus the Common Mistakes).Taking on a top job is unique in many ways. In this conversation, Ty and I explore what new, top leaders can do to get out of the bubble and hear more truth. Plus, we discuss why the first 90 or 100 days might not be the best metric for top leaders, and how to better start with easy wins and early moves.Key PointsYou’ll see more in the top job, but hear less. This is even more pronounced for those promoted internally.Getting out of the bubble means spending more time with middle managers and front-line employees. Second and third time CEOs do this more from the start.Key questions that can help you hear more: (1) Tell me some of the workarounds you have in place and (2) What's the question I haven't asked you but I should?The first 90 or 100 days as a success metric is often overstated in top jobs. You’re often still learning context at an exponential rate.If it’s on fire, fix it. If it is smoldering, leave it alone until you have more context.It’s helpful to address common pain points for easy wins. They don't have to be enormous, but they should be deliberate.Resources MentionedThe New CEO: Lessons from CEOs on How to Start Well and Perform Quickly (Minus the Common Mistakes) by Ty WigginsInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Genuinely Show Up for Others, with Marshall Goldsmith (episode 590)How to Start a Big Leadership Role, with Carol Kauffman (episode 617)How an Executive Aligns with a Board, with Joan Garry (episode 662)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Ruth Gotian: The Financial Times Guide to MentoringRuth Gotian is the Chief Learning Officer and Associate Professor of Education in Anaesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine. She has been hailed by Nature and The Wall Street Journal as an expert in mentorship and leadership development. Thinkers50 has ranked her the #1 emerging management thinker in the world and she's a top LinkedIn voice in mentoring. Ruth the author of The Success Factor and now along with Andy Lopata, The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring*.We’ve all heard about the benefits of mentoring. In addition to receiving mentoring, great leaders give back by providing it to others. In this episode, Ruth and I discuss what the research shows that the best mentors do well.Key PointsEffective mentors use a combination of skills in coaching, sponsorship, role-modeling, and mentoring to support the situation.Informal mentoring tends to be more effective than formal pairings. 61% of mentoring relationships develop organically.Open up your network to your mentee. It’s an essential way to support their growth — and yours.Park your ego at the door. Instead, allow your mentee to shine. With their permission, amplify their achievements.Take the role of “sophisticated barbarian.” Approach mentee situations with knowledge and experience, but with distance and objectivity of their other, daily interactions.Document the challenges, accomplishments, and next steps during mentoring. This helps your mentee recognize accomplishments and grow their confidence.Resources MentionedThe Financial Times Guide to Mentoring by Ruth Gotian and Andy LopataInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Build a Network While Still Doing Everything Else, with Ruth Gotian (episode 591)The Art of Mentoring Well, with Robert Lefkowitz (episode 599)The Way to Get Noticed by Key Stakeholders, with Daphne E. Jones (episode 614)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher EdBonni is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, Dean of Teaching and Learning and Professor of Business and Management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, she was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. Bonni is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide.Question from QasimQasim asked our thoughts on how to break the busy cycle and actually get started with something important.Aruj wondered how to handle a tricky situation where colleagues are gossiping lots in the office.Alice has three great opportunities in front of her was curious our advice on how to decide between them.Resources MentionedHow to Decide by Annie DukeRelated EpisodesHow to Start a Conversation With Anyone, with Mark Sieverkropp (episode 177)How to Deal with Opponents and Adversaries, with Peter Block (episode 328)The Way to Make Better Decisions, with Annie Duke (episode 499)The Power of Unlearning Silence, with Elaine Lin Hering (episode 678)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Michael Bungay Stanier: The Coaching HabitMichael Bungay Stanier is the author of eight books, including The Coaching Habit, which has sold more than a million copies and is the best-selling book on coaching this century. He is the founder Box of Crayons, a learning and development company that’s trained thousands of people around the world to be more coach-like. His TEDx Talk on Taming Your Advice Monster has been viewed more than a million times.One of the most common desires leaders espouse is wanting to get better at helping others grow. One great way to do that is to become more coach-like. In this conversation, Michael and I explore how we can do better at building this skill.Key PointsCare deeply for others while also being disconnected from their outcomes. Give people responsibility for their own freedom.Consider asking, “How much risk are you willing to take?” Allow the other party to define the boundaries.Bring a difficult observation as a third point. Separate the message from the person and let them decide what’s true.Avoid asking “why” questions of others to avoid putting people on the defensive and trying to solve their problems.A helpful checkpoint: is this question something that’s helping me or helping the other party?Silence is a measure of success. When you ask as question that lands, people need time to answer.Your body leads your brain. Notice your physical presence and how it manifests when you’re listening well.Resources MentionedThe Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay StanierRegister your book receipt for bonus items from MichaelInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThese Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237)Leadership in the Midst of Chaos, with Jim Mattis (episode 440)How to Lead Better Through Complexity, with Jennifer Garvey Berger (episode 613)How to Help Others Be Seen and Heard, with Scott Shigeoka (episode 654)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Jeff Wetzler: AskJeff Wetzler is co-CEO of Transcend, a nationally recognized innovation organization, and an expert in learning and human potential. His experience spans 25+ years in business and education, as a management consultant to top corporations, a learning facilitator for leaders, and as Chief Learning Officer at Teach For America.He is a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network and is an Edmund Hillary Fellow. Jeff is the author of Ask: Tap Into the Hidden Wisdom of People Around You for Unexpected Breakthroughs in Leadership and Life.Leaders are not the only people who need to have difficult conversations in the workplace. Yet, leaders set the tone for how much people are willing and able to talk about hard things. In this episode, Jeff and I discuss how leaders can make it easier for those important conversations to happen.Key PointsIn one study of managers, most people admitted to remaining silent with their bosses and nearly 75% said colleagues also felt uncomfortable speaking up.Meet people on their own turf. Others are more likely to speak up if they are in a setting that’s more comfortable for them.Leaders should consider shifting timing and/or medium to one that’s of the preference for the person who doesn’t have power.Explain why you’re asking about a topic and your intention for a conversation at the start. Providing context prevents people from having to guess at your agenda.Set a mutual agenda for a conversation by asking a question like, “In addition to this, what else should be part of our conversation today?”Establish a tone for open communicating by radiating resilience. Words like these might help: “If I were in your shoes, I might be feeling frustrated or even resentful. If that’s how you’re feeling, I would understand completely. Please don’t hold back.”Resources MentionedAsk: Tap Into the Hidden Wisdom of People Around You for Unexpected Breakthroughs in Leadership and Life by Jeff WetzlerInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Ask Better Questions, with David Marquet (episode 454)The Way Out of Major Conflict, with Amanda Ripley (episode 529)How to Grow From Your Errors, with Amy Edmondson (episode 663)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Sohee Jun: The Inner GameSohee Jun is a leadership coach for female executives, leaders, founders, and entrepreneurs. She is also a TEDx speaker, Forbes Coaches Council member, keynote speaker, leadership development expert, and author. With over twenty years in the corporate world, she has worked with Fortune 500 companies, including those in the entertainment, production, and media sectors such as Netflix, Fox, and Disney.In 2020, Sohee released her first book, Mommytracked: How to Take Authentic Risks and Find Success on Your Terms, with the goal of helping ambitious women tap into their inner core throughout the different phases of their lives. She's now the author of a second book, The Inner Game: Secrets of High-Achieving Women for Navigating Work, Life, and Mindset.In a world where still too few women are represented in senior leadership roles, many of us want to do whatever we can to support high-achieving women. In this conversation, Sohee and I explore what her research and experience indicates that leaders can do to better support women in their careers.Key PointsLeaders can support both women and men by framing the larger “why” or North Star. Providing context helps a point of focus to emerge.Do it afraid. Provide support to work through fearful situations with success.When supporting women in building confidence, help them recognize what they’ve already achieved.Normalize the discussion about financial literacy. Opening the door to dialogue around salary negotiation helps equalize the salary gap.One question can set the tone for better work and life integration. Leaders can proactively ask about boundaries.Resources MentionedThe Inner Game: Secrets of High-Achieving Women for Navigating Work, Life, and Mindset by Sohee JunInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Prioritize, with Christy Wright (episode 545)How to Protect Your Confidence, with Nate Zinsser (episode 573)The Path Towards Your Next Promotion, with Adam Bryant (episode 653)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Lauren Wesley Wilson: What Do You Need?Lauren Wesley Wilson is a leading thought leader on media relations, diversity and inclusion, and crisis communications. At 25, she became the founder and CEO of ColorComm Corporation. Prior to that, Lauren worked as a communications strategist at a prestigious crisis communications firm in Washington, D.C.Lauren has been featured in The Washington Post, Forbes, and People, as well as on MSNBC and CNBC, and more. She has been recognized by PR Week’s 50 Most Powerful in PR, Ad Age’s Women to Watch, and New York Women in Communications. She is the author of What Do You Need?: How Women of Color Can Take Ownership of Their Careers to Accelerate Their Path to Success.Many of us wish to be good allies in the workplace, especially to those who are underrepresented. Yet, what we assume that means isn’t always what’s most wanted or needed. In this conversation, Lauren and I discuss what leaders and peers can do to be better allies.Key PointsInstead of asking “How can I help?” consider, “What do you need?” That’s more likely to generate specific actions.Women of color feel like they are putting in tons of work into relationships with the majority culture, but it often feels unreciprocated.White folks think of allyship as speaking out against discrimination. Women of color say it’s way more critical to advocate for new opportunities.Tie allyship to economic goals: conference attendance, nominations for recognition, inclusion on high-profile committees, and position/promotion considerations.Make invitations to people of color to be at the table. This contributes more substantially than proclamations of support.When you make a mistake, apologize, own it, and move on. Don’t tell a story to explain yourself.Resources MentionedWhat Do You Need?: How Women of Color Can Take Ownership of Their Careers to Accelerate Their Path to Success by Lauren Wesley WilsonInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Way Managers Can be Champions for Justice, with Minda Harts (episode 552)End Imposter Syndrome in Your Organization, with Jodi-Ann Burey (episode 556)How to Respond Better When Challenged, with Dolly Chugh (episode 615)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Ethan Mollick: Co-IntelligenceEthan Mollick is a professor of management at Wharton, specializing in entrepreneurship and innovation. His research has been featured in various publications, including Forbes, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.Through his writing, speaking, and teaching, Ethan has become one of the most prominent and provocative explainers of AI, focusing on the practical aspects of how these new tools for thought can transform our world. He's the author of the popular One Useful Thing Substack and also the author of the book, Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI*.Whether you’ve used it or not, you’ve heard that AI will transform how we work. Given how quickly the technology is changing, how do you start and, if you’ve started already, what’s the way to use it well? In this conversation, Ethan and I discuss the principles for using AI, even as the technology changes.Key PointsGPT-4 is already passing the bar examination in the 90th percentile, acing AP exams, and even passing the Certified Sommelier Examination.Always invite AI to the table. It’s may be helpful, frustrating, or useless — but understanding how it works will help you appreciate how it may help or threaten you.Being the “human in the loop” will help you catch where AI isn’t accurate or helpful. Zeroing in on areas where you are already an expert will help you appreciate where AI is useful and where its limitation emerge.Treat AI like a person, but tell it what kind of person it is. It’s helpful to think of AI like an alien person rather than a machine.Assume this is the worst AI you will ever use. Embracing that reality will help you stay open to possibilities on how you use AI do your work better.Resources MentionedCo-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan MollickInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Build an Invincible Company, with Alex Osterwalder (episode 470)Doing Better Than Zero Sum-Thinking, with Renée Mauborgne (episode 641)How to Begin Leading Through Continuous Change, with David Rogers (episode 649)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Mike Caulfield: VerifiedMike Caulfield is a research scientist at the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public, where he studies the spread of online rumors and misinformation. He has taught thousands of teachers and students how to verify claims and sources through his workshops. His SIFT methodology is taught by hundreds of research libraries across North America, and a shorter version of SIFT instruction, developed with Google, has been taught in public libraries across the world.His work on Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checkers, won the Merlot Award for best open learning resource in the ICT category. His work has been covered by The New York Times, the Chronicle of Higher Education, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and the MIT Technology Review. He is the author with Sam Wineburg of Verified: How to Think Straight, Get Duped Less, and Make Better Decisions about What to Believe Online.We’ve all seen something online that we thought was true, but turned out was a hoax. Annoying, but no big deal if it’s just an internet meme from a friend or family member. But what if what you find online isn’t at all what you thought and you make decisions or take action on it that affects your professional credibility? In this conversation, Mike and I discuss how to guard yourself from being duped.Key PointsRather than asking, “Is this true?” the more useful question is, “Do I know what I'm looking at here?”The cheap signals many of us were trained to watch for (working links, attractive design, about pages, proper domains) are easy to replicate and no longer correlate to credibility.Phrase questions to search engines in neutral ways for less biased results. Instead of “Are soda taxes a good idea?” ask “Do soda taxes work?”While Wikipedia still has bias, it’s a far more credible source that many of us were taught — and a valuable source for a broad perspective of a topic or organization.Intelligent people often read vertically, to their detriment. The best fact-checkers read laterally by using the rest of the web to read the web.Watch for phrases like “sponsored content,” “brand partner,” “presented with,” “in partnership with,” “brought to you by,” “in association with,” or “hosted by.” These phrases signal advertisements.Resources MentionedVerified: How to Think Straight, Get Duped Less, and Make Better Decisions about What to Believe Online by Mike Caulfield and Sam WineburgInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Way to Make Better Decisions, with Annie Duke (episode 499)Get People Reading What You’re Sending, with Todd Rogers (episode 666)How to Enhance Your Credibility (audio course)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Mike Massimino: MoonshotMike Massimino is a former NASA astronaut and a professor of mechanical engineering at Columbia University. He's also the senior advisor for space programs at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. He was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1996, and is the veteran of two space flights, the fourth and fifth Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions in 2002 and 2009.Mike has made numerous television appearances, including a six-time recurring role as himself on the CBS hit comedy The Big Bang Theory. He has hosted Science Channel’s The Planets and its special Great American Eclipse. Mike is the author of the New York Times bestselling book Spaceman and now his newest book Moonshot: A NASA Astronaut’s Guide to Achieving the Impossible.Almost every leader and organization invites people to speak up and make their voice head. As we all know, that doesn’t means it happens in practice. In this conversation, Mike and I discuss how leaders can set the tone for what’s said, and what’s not.Key PointsYou’ll know when it’s time to speak up. Your cue is that hair-raising, sinking feeling in the moment of a high-stakes situation or the feeling of confusion in a less intense situation.Outsiders and rookies are often the most observant people in the team since they are hyper-aware of doing something new and noticing details a veteran may miss.It’s important to speak up when you see something wrong, but equally important is to speak up when you do something wrong. The only unforgivable sin at NASA is trying to cover something up.Your title or position may influence how others in the organization speak up (or don’t). When someone speaks up, saying “thank you” in the moment sets the tone for future dialogue.Reward speaking up with incentives. The Hubble Space Telescope servicing manager created challenges for people to speak up to reduce spacewalk time.Resources MentionedMoonshot: A NASA Astronaut’s Guide to Achieving the Impossible by Mike MassiminoInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Start Managing Up, with Tom Henschel (episode 433)How to Speak Up, with Connson Locke (episode 546)How to Help People Speak Truth to Power, with Megan Reitz (episode 597)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Lesson 4: What’s the next step?Personal fulfillment matters a lot in your learning. Sometimes it’s enough by itself, but even better when paired with another of the four benefits.Academy Applications Close Friday, March 15thThe Academy is an intimate cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to accelerate their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, March 15th.Related EpisodesThe Path Towards Joy in Your Career, with David Novak (episode 577)The Power of Courage in Leadership Growth, with Jorge Alzate (episode 611)How to Get Moving, with Gladys McGarey (episode 631)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 3: Credibility for Your StakeholdersConsider what your professional development activities signal to stakeholders. By aligning to what’s important to them, you’ll engage with programs that help you get more traction.Academy Applications Close Friday, March 15thThe Academy is an intimate cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to accelerate their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, March 15th.Related EpisodesThe Way to Get Noticed by Key Stakeholders, with Daphne E. Jones (episode 614)How to Enhance Your Credibility (audio course)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 2: Relationships That Stay with YouRelationships are key to your professional development. Seek programs with a built-in structure for interaction, a diverse background of participants, and resources for staying connected.Academy Applications Close Friday, March 15thThe Academy is an intimate cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to accelerate their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, March 15th.ResourcesHow to Win Friends and Influence People* by Dale CarnegieRelated EpisodesThe Path Towards Trusting Relationships, with Edgar Schein and Peter Schein (episode 539)How to Make Smarter Investments in Your Learning, with Jill Schlesinger (episode 624)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 1: Behavior Changes That Achieve Your ObjectivesSeek professional development programs with a structured process for behavior change. Look for time-spaced components, elements of coaching, and implementation of lessons in the workplace.Academy Applications Close Friday, March 15thThe Academy is an intimate cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to accelerate their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, March 15th.ResourcesSmart Growth* by Whitney JohnsonRelated EpisodesTie Leadership Development to Business Results, with Mark Allen (episode 435)How to Help People Engage in Growth, with Whitney Johnson (episode 576)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Guy Kawasaki: Think RemarkableGuy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist of Canva and the creator of Guy Kawasaki’s Remarkable People podcast. He is an executive fellow of the Haas School of Business (UC Berkeley), and adjunct professor at the University of New South Wales.He was the chief evangelist of Apple and a trustee of the Wikimedia Foundation. He has written Wise Guy, The Art of the Start 2.0, The Art of Social Media, Enchantment, and eleven other books. He's now the author of Think Remarkable: 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.We all want to be surrounded by remarkable people in our work. A key piece to building relationships with them is recognizing when they comes across our radar screens. In this conversation, Guy and I explore some of the key indicators for recognizing remarkable people.Key PointsRemarkable people reflect back to childhood. They recognize the experiences and people that contributed to their success.Remarkable people don’t find their passions, they develop them. They know that it’s rarely love at first sight.Remarkable people aren’t trying to save the world. They start with small and simple questions that scratch an itch.Remarkable people make themselves indispensable. The the do work nobody else wants to do which separates them from the pack.Remarkable people interact with a diverse group of people. They want to hear different perspectives and recognize the diversity makes them better.Remarkable people have overcome hardships. They’ve challenged themselves to find paths forward through the toughest situations.Resources MentionedThink Remarkable: 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference* by Guy KawasakiInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Lead and Retain High Performers, with Ruth Gotian (episode 567)How to Strengthen Your Network, with Marissa King (episode 525)Help Your Team Embrace Growth Mindset, with Eduardo Briceño (episode 644)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
William Ury: PossibleWilliam Ury is one of the world’s best-known experts on negotiation, and the co-author of Getting to Yes, the all-time bestselling book on negotiation with more than 15 million copies sold. He is co-founder of Harvard’s Program on Negotiation and has served as a negotiator in many of the toughest disputes of our times. He has taught negotiation to tens of thousands, and consulted for dozens of Fortune 500 companies, the White House, the State Department, and the Pentagon.William has served as a negotiation adviser and mediator in conflicts ranging from Kentucky wildcat coal mine strikes to wars in the Middle East, Colombia, Korea, and Ukraine. He is an internationally sought-after speaker and has two popular TEDx talks with millions of views. He's also the author of Possible: How We Survive (and Thrive) in an Age of Conflict.We often assume that conflict is bad, but William says we actually need more conflict, not less. In this conversation, we explore three practices that will help you thrive in the toughest negotiations. And no surprise — the biggest obstacle in getting what we want is almost always ourselves.Key PointsWe need more conflict, not less. The best decisions often emerge from a negotiation.The biggest obstacle in negotiation is ourselves. Pauses and silence prevent us from reacting without thinking.Zoom in to examine the interests that are behind your stated positions. This often elicits meaningful steps.Rarely are conflicts about surface issues. Uncovering your deeper motivations will help you approach negotiation more productively.Negotiation doesn’t only happen at one table. Zoom out to at least two other tables: the internal negotiations of both sides.Resources MentionedPossible: How We Survive (and Thrive) in an Age of Conflict by William UryInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesNegotiate As If Your Life Depended On It, with Chris Voss (episode 262)How to Find Confidence in Conflict, with Kwame Christian (episode 380)How to Negotiate When Others Have Power, with Kwame Christian (episode 416)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Scott Osman and Jacquelyn Lane: Becoming CoachableScott Osman is the founder and CEO of the 100 Coaches Agency and co-designer with Jacquelyn Lane of their proprietary curation process and the company’s relationship-first philosophy. In his role as CEO, he establishes the vision for the company, leads partnerships and business development, and serves as a leading light of the 100 Coaches Community, which he cofounded with Marshall Goldsmith in 2016.Jacquelyn Lane is the president of the 100 Coaches Agency. She has been with the agency since its founding and is a critical pillar of the 100 Coaches Community. Jacquelyn comes to the world of executive coaching through her previous roles in the energy industry and lifelong commitment to improving the lives of all people by elevating the quality of leadership. Along with Scott and Marshall Goldsmith, she is co-author of Becoming Coachable: Unleashing the Power of Executive Coaching to Transform Your Leadership and Life.Perhaps you’ve been considering working with a coach, but how do you start? In this episode Scott, Jacquelyn, and I discuss when to consider coaching, how it might help, and the best way to begin. Plus, we explore the most helpful mindsets to help you get the most out of coaching.Key PointsLeaders who create value at moments of inflection really need a coach.Two common reasons leaders seek coaching: (1) getting support with an issue that’s tough to navigate and (2) accelerating their leadership growth.Interview three coach candidates and utilize those interactions to discover different ways that you may reach your goals.Coaching fees should reflect the value the organization receives from the coaching. Most high-end coaching is funded by the organization.Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. To speed up, a coach may invite you to slow down in the immediate short-term.Resources MentionedBecoming Coachable: Unleashing the Power of Executive Coaching to Transform Your Leadership and Life by Scott Osman and Jacquelyn LaneInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Win the Long Game When the Short-Term Seems Bleak, with Dorie Clark (episode 550)How to Help People Engage in Growth, with Whitney Johnson (episode 576)The Art of Mentoring Well, with Robert Lefkowitz (episode 599)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Robert Sutton: The Friction ProjectRobert Sutton is an organizational psychologist and professor of Management Science and Engineering in the Stanford Engineering School. He has given keynote speeches to more than 200 groups in 20 countries and served on numerous scholarly editorial boards. Bob's work has been featured in The New York Times, BusinessWeek, The Atlantic, Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, and The Washington Post.He is a frequent guest on various television and radio programs, and has written seven books and two edited volumes, including the bestsellers The No A-hole Rule, Good Boss, Bad Boss, and Scaling Up Excellence. He is the co-author with Huggy Rao of The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder.We’ve all worked with someone who seemed just a bit oblivious. None of us want to be that kind of leader. In this conversation, Bob and I discuss key strategies for how to stop it and also prevent it.Key PointsPrivilege may spare you from hassles, but it doesn’t come without cost. You risk being clueless about troubles in the organization.Power and prestige tend to influence leaders to focus more on themselves, less on others, and act like the rules don’t apply to them.An antidote to oblivious leadership is less transmission and more reception. Measure two behaviors: (1) how much the leader talks vs. others in interactions and (2) the ratio of questions the leader asks vs. statements the leader makes.Either manage by walking out of the room or get in the details with ride alongs, direct help, and doing the work with folks. Be cautious about “managing by walking around” getting ritualistic.Hierarchy is inevitable and useful. The most effective leaders flex it and know when to be collaborative and when to be direct. Find people who will speak truth.Resources MentionedThe Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder by Robert Sutton and Huggy RaoInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesUse Power for Good and Not Evil, with Dacher Keltner (episode 254)How to Ask Better Questions, with David Marquet (episode 454)How to Help People Speak Truth to Power, with Megan Reitz (episode 597)How to Prevent a Team From Repeating Mistakes, with Robert “Cujo” Teschner (episode 660)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Todd Rogers: Writing for Busy ReadersTodd Rogers is a professor of public policy at Harvard University, where he has won teaching awards for the past seven consecutive years. He is a behavioral scientist and the cofounder of the Analyst Institute and EveryDay Labs. His opinion pieces have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and Politico, among other outlets. He's co-author with Jessica Lasky-Fink of Writing for Busy Readers: Communicate More Effectively in the Real World.You probably only skimmed that email I spent an hour writing. And let’s be equally honest the other way — I only skimmed the document your team worked on most of last week. This is the reality of how we all read in a busy world. On this episode, Tom and I discuss how to write so that people actually read what you send.Key PointsVirtually everyone is a writer in some significant way: emails, text messages, memos, social media posts, and many other daily communications.While your writing is important to you, the audience is often trying to spend as little time as possible processing what you’ve sent. Virtually everyone skims, especially in the context of work.Using fewer words make it more likely that people will engage with the message at all, much less taken action.Addressing fewer ideas often helps people engage better. Studies show better results for calls to action when fewer ideas are presented in a single communication.Asking busy readers for more can cause them to do less. Be mindful about the number of requests you are making in writing and eliminate those which aren’t essential.Resources MentionedWriting for Busy Readers: Communicate More Effectively in the Real World by Todd Rogers and Jessica Lasky-FinkInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Surprising Truth About Influencing Others, with Daniel Pink (episode 84)Improve Your Writing With Practical Typography, with Matthew Butterick (episode 145)Make Your Reading More Meaningful, with Sönke Ahrens (episode 564)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Randelle LenoirRandelle Lenior is a vice president at Fidelity Investments and a graduate of the Coaching for Leaders Academy. In this conversation, Randelle and I discuss how to utilize LinkedIn in order to showcase your team externally.Key PointsStart small. Begin by posting about job opportunities or sharing articles and resources that will be useful for others.Even though you are also representing your organization, the relationships you build are yours and stay with you throughout your career.Establishing a larger “why” for a LinkedIn presence is important and invites others to want to join in to support the vision.Ask permission and allow team members to easily opt out — and people who don’t engage initially may decide to later.People are going to look you up anyway. By having a presence on LinkedIn, you set the narrative of what they perceive about you.Related EpisodesHow to Write a Killer LinkedIn Profile, with Brenda Bernstein (episode 285)How to Get Noticed on LinkedIn, with Stephen Hart (episode 495)The Way to Get Noticed by Key Stakeholders, with Daphne E. Jones (episode 614)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Marcus Collins: For the CultureMarcus Collins is an award-winning marketer and cultural translator. He is a recipient of Advertising Age’s 40 Under 40 award and Crain’s Business 40 Under 40 award and a recent inductee to the American Advertising Federation’s Hall of Achievement. He has worked for several top advertising agencies, and his strategies and creative contributions have led to the success of Budweiser’s Made in America music festival, the launch of the Brooklyn Nets (“Hello Brooklyn!”), and State Farm’s “Cliff Paul” campaign, among others. Prior to his advertising tenure, Marcus worked on iTunes + Nike sport music initiatives at Apple and ran digital strategy for Beyoncé.He is a marketing professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, and faculty director for the school’s executive education partnership with Google. Marcus delivers keynote talks across the globe for companies and conferences such as the Cannes Lions International Festival for Creativity, SXSW, Social Media Week, Adcolor, Hyper Island, TEDx, and Talks at Google. He is the author of For the Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want to Be.Whether you’re in a sales and marketing role or not, every leader needs to appreciate the psychology of why people buy. Often we assume people buy because of what the product or service provides. But as Marcus and I discuss in this episode, people often buy because of who they are.Key PointsFor getting people to move, nothing is more powerful than aligning with culture.Anaïs Nin said, “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”Audiences buy because of what the product is, but congregations buy because of who they are.Many leaders assume people love their brand — but it's not really about the brand, it's about how people view themselves.Begin with examining your own thinking and language regarding customer relationships and transactions. How you view these influences the actions of others.Resources MentionedFor the Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want to Be by Marcus CollinsInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesStart With Why, with Simon Sinek (episode 223)Serve Others Through Marketing, with Seth Godin (episode 381)The Way to Earn Attention, with Raja Rajamannar (episode 521)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Amy Edmondson: Right Kind of WrongAmy Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, where she studies people and organizations seeking to make a positive difference in the world through the work they do. She has pioneered the concept of psychological safety for over twenty years and is recognized as number one on the Thinkers50 global ranking of management thinkers. She also received that organization’s Breakthrough Idea Award in 2019 and Talent Award in 2017. In 2019 she was first on HR Magazine’s list of the 20 Most Influential International Thinkers in Human Resources.Her prior book, The Fearless Organization, explains psychological safety and has been translated into fifteen languages. In addition to publishing several books and numerous articles in top academic outlets, Amy has written for, or her work has been covered by, media such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Financial Times, and many others. Her TED Talk on teaming has been viewed more than 3 million times. She is the author of Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well.Many leaders espouse the value of talking about our failures. Yet, failure is a threat to our ego, so it turns out we’re better at learning from the failures of others than we are from our own. In this conversation, Amy and I explore how to do a better job of growing where we’re in the wrong.Key PointsFailure is a threat to our ego. As a result, we’re more likely to learn from the failures of others than from our own failures.It’s hard to learn if you already know. If you came frame situations more helpfully, it can substantially influence your ability to grow from being wrong.Disrupt the inevitable emotional response to being wrong by asking this: how was I feeling before this happened?Challenge yourself by considering if the content of your thoughts are useful for your goal. A key question: what other interpretation of the situation is possible?Choose to say or do something that moves you closer to your goals. This question will help: what is going to best help me achieve my goals?Resources MentionedRight Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well by Amy EdmondsonInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)The Value of Being Uncomfortable, with Neil Pasricha (episode 448)How to Quit Bad Stuff Faster, with Annie Duke (episode 607)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Joan Garry: Guide to Nonprofit LeadershipJoan Garry is an internationally recognized champion for the nonprofit sector and a highly sought after executive coach for CEOs at some of the largest organizations. Joan’s firm offers high-end strategic advisory services with a unique combination of coaching and management consulting. She is the founder of the Nonprofit Leadership Lab, a worldclass online educational membership organization for board and staff leaders of small nonprofits.As a columnist for the Chronicle of Philanthropy, contributor to Harvard Business Review and to Forbes, Joan is a preeminent media spokesperson and thought leader on the role of the nonprofit sector in our society and is a sought after voice on issues facing the sector today. Joan was previously executive director of GLAAD, one of the largest gay rights organizations in the United States. She is the author of Joan Garry's Guide to Nonprofit Leadership: Because the World is Counting on You.When thinking about executives interacting with boards, the first thought I used to have was that an executive’s job is keep the board happy. In contrast, the most effective executives are intentional about creating a for framework for shared leadership. In this episode, Joan and I discuss key lessons from the non-profit world to help align better with your board.Key PointsThe relationship between an executive director and board chair in one of the most critical ones for an organization. Shared leadership provides more opportunity today than hierarchy.Many “type A” people are in leadership roles. Getting clear on how decides what is critical because “type A” people don’t tend to operate well with ambiguity.Focus on getting clarity and aligned on one thing at a time to avoid overwhelming the decision-making progress. Use a recent example as a catalyst to begin this process.Executive directors should encourage boards to think and work and altitude so they get beyond only doing risk management.It’s not enough to expect a board chair or member to want to “give back” — more important is to understand why they want to give back to this organization specifically.Resources MentionedJoan Garry's Guide to Nonprofit Leadership: Because the World is Counting on You by Joan GarryNonprofit Leadership LabInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Involve Stakeholders in Decisions, with Eric Pliner (episode 586)How to Start a Big Leadership Role, with Carol Kauffman (episode 617)How to Start Better With Peers, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 635)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
David Hutchens: Leadership Story DeckDavid Hutchens helps leaders find and tell their stories. He works with leaders around the world to find, craft, and tell their most urgent stories for the purpose of creating shared meaning, preserving culture, disseminating learning, and speeding change in organizations.He has taught the Storytelling Leader program at some of the most influential organizations, including NASA, Paypal, Loreal Paris, Cisco, Walmart, Google, FedEx — and he’s written many books, including the Circle of the 9 Muses, Story Dash, and The Leadership Story Deck*. He is the co-creator with longtime friend of the show Susan Gerke of the GO Team program.Many of us have heard that we should be vulnerable and, at least occasionally, share a story about ourselves. But how do you tell a story about yourself without making the entire interaction about you? In this episode, David and I explore how to best utilize a personal story to help the organization move forward.Key PointsWhile leaders more often tell stories about others, a personal story can be very powerful for relationship building.An effective, personal story is 2-3 minutes.Telling a story about yourself needs to have a leadership point. Be clear on the “so what?” once the story concludes.Even if you don’t quite capture all the emotion, say the word out loud that describes the emotion you want to convey.Share your stories with others to get objective insight to tighten your message.Resources MentionedLeadership Story Deck by David Hutchens (use code CFL24 for a limited-time discount)Related EpisodesIgnite Change Through Storytelling, with Nancy Duarte and Patti Sanchez (episode 268)How to Start Better With Peers, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 635)What Vulnerable Leadership Sounds Like, with Jacob Morgan (episode 648)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Edith Eger: The ChoiceEdith Eger is one of the few living Holocaust survivors to remember the horrors of the camps. Today, at 90 years old, Edie is a renowned psychologist and speaker who specializes in treating patients with traumatic stress disorders. She is author of the The Choice: Embrace the Possible.Key PointsIt’s not what happens in life, it’s what we do with it.The power we have is to choose to respond, not react.Sometimes seemingly insignificant worries are emblematic of greater pain.If you hate a person, they don’t suffer — you do. There’s nothing wrong with anger, it’s how you channel it.Underneath anger is a lot of pain.Resources MentionedThe Choice: Embrace the Possible by Edith EgerMan’s Search for Meaning* by Viktor E. FranklInterview NotesDownload my highlights from The Choice in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesSin by Silence, with Olivia Klaus (episode 103)Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, with Amy Morin (episode 204)How to Overcome Obstacles, with Collins Osayamwen (episode 281)Growth Mindset Helps You Rise From the Ashes, with Jeff Hittenberger (episode 326)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Allan McDonald: Truth, Lies, and O-RingsAllan J. McDonald retired as vice president and technical director for advanced technology programs at ATK Thiokol Propulsion in 2001. He was the director of the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motor Project at the time of the Challenger accident and, later, vice president of engineering for space operations during the redesign and requalification of the solid rocket motors. Al passed away in 2021.Al was the one person who officially refused to sign off on Challenger's launch on January 28, 1986. His concerns for the launch conditions were ultimately overridden by his boss. He would eventually testify to the Rogers Commission which had major implications for their findings. Later in life, he spoke to audiences all over the world on ethics and decision-making. He's the author with James Hansen of Truth, Lies, and O-Rings: Inside the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster*.In this conversation, Al shared the details of the conversation between NASA and Morton Thiokol the evening prior to the launch. He also detailed what happened after the accident and his extraordinary decision to interrupt NASA's testimony to the Rogers Commission. He also shared a key message on why it still matters, all these years later.Key PointsAs director of the solid rocket motor project, Al McDonald refused to sign off on the launch, concerned that launch weather conditions were unsafe.Despite almost perfectly predicting the accident, Al himself was initially unconvinced that the solid rocket motors were the cause, believing the shuttle would have exploded on the pad had that been the case.When it appeared that NASA officials weren't being fully transparent about the events leading up to the accident, Al interrupted their testimony to the Rogers Commission, a move he fully expected would end his career.Al was effectively demoted after his testimony. Congress ultimately intervened with a law that would have ended his organization's government contract, unless they reinstated his prior position. He's the only individual in American history to be restored to his job by an act of Congress.It's your responsibility as a professional to have an opinion and to speak up. Don’t assume that other people will always do their job.Resources MentionedRemembering Allan McDonald: He Refused To Approve Challenger Launch, Exposed Cover-Up by NPRMajor Malfunction: Revisiting Challenger by The New York TimesRelated EpisodesHow to Deal with Opponents and Adversaries, with Peter Block(episode 328)The Way to Make Better Decisions, with Annie Duke (episode 499)The Way Out of Major Conflict, with Amanda Ripley (episode 529)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Jen ByynyJen Byyny is a senior director of product design in health-tech and a graduate of the Coaching for Leaders Academy. In this conversation, Jen and I discuss how to handle change in your career when things keep shifting around you.Key PointsIt’s about people, not product. When lots of change is happening, come back to relationships and communication.Pay attention to the people who support you and the ones you look forward to working with. They will be your champions through whatever happens.Provide space for grace during times of change. Others need it as much as you do.It’s helpful to have people in your corner who are pulling for you but who are not tied to the politics or emotion of the situation.Related EpisodesThe Power of Weak Connections, with David Burkus (episode 347)How to Win the Long Game When the Short-Term Seems Bleak, with Dorie Clark (episode 550)How to Quit Bad Stuff Faster, with Annie Duke (episode 607)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Frances Frei: Move Fast & Fix ThingsFrances Frei is a professor at Harvard Business School. Her research investigates how leaders create the context for organizations and individuals to thrive by designing for excellence in strategy, operations, and culture. She regularly works with companies embarking on large-scale change and organizational transformation, including embracing diversity and inclusion as a lever for improved performance. In 2017, Frances served as Uber’s first senior vice president of leadership and strategy to help the company navigate its very public crisis in leadership and culture.Her partner Anne Morriss and her are the authors of Uncommon Service and The Unapologetic Leader’s Guide to Empowering Everyone Around You. They are also hosts of Fixable, a leadership advice podcast from the TED Audio Collective, and they are recognized by Thinkers50 as among the world’s most influential business thinkers. Their newest book is Move Fast & Fix Things: The Trusted Leader's Guide to Solving Hard Problems*.A lot of us assume that going fast is reckless. There are certainly times when that’s the case, but it’s also true that leaders going too slow at the wrong time can make things worse. In this conversation, Frances and I discuss how to do a better job of moving quickly when it’s time to address the toughest problems.Key PointsMany of us believe that going fast is reckless and going slow is righteous. While there are times that is true, there are many examples where it’s not.The fastest way to speed up your company is to empower more people to make more decisions.Dare to be bad at something. Deciding what not to address allows you to go faster at what you’re best at.Two key elements of completing work are work-in-progress and cycle time. Most leaders address cycle time first and miss the more substantial work-in-progress opportunities.Create a way to fast-track projects that become important and build this into the culture of the organization.Resources MentionedMove Fast & Fix Things: The Trusted Leader's Guide to Solving Hard Problems by Frances Frei and Anne MorrissInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Way to Turn Followers Into Leaders, with David Marquet (episode 241)How to Solve the Toughest Problems, with Wendy Smith (episode 612)How to Approach a Reorg, with Claire Hughes Johnson (episode 621)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
David Burkus: Best Team EverDavid Burkus is the bestselling author of four books about business and leadership which have won multiple awards and been translated into dozens of languages. His insights on leadership and teamwork have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, USAToday, Fast Company, the Financial Times, and many other media outlets.Since 2017, David has been ranked multiple times as one of the world’s top business thought leaders. As a sought-after international speaker, his TED Talk has been viewed over two million times. He has worked with leaders from organizations across all industries, including PepsiCo, Fidelity, Clorox, Adobe, and NASA. He's the author of Best Team Ever!: The Surprising Science of High-Performing Teams.There are many things that help teams work well together, but perhaps you haven’t thought of this one: clarity. Knowing what is being done and who’s doing it often helps a team achieve more. In this conversation, David and I discuss the practical steps to surface more clarity and drive better performance.Key PointsCasting a leadership vision is important, but insufficient. It’s not helpful to expect a team to figure out roles and responsibilities on their own.Teams work best when they understand how each individual works best. Clarity increased performance.Hold huddles using these three questions: (1) What did I just complete? (2) What am I focused on next? and (3) What is blocking my progress?Consider communicating in bursts to allow for people to retreat into less interrupted time for deeper work.Establish priorities and consistently make those priorities clear so they are obvious and apparent to the team.Resources MentionedBest Team Ever!: The Surprising Science of High-Performing Teams by David BurkusInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesAn Astronaut’s Guide to Life On Earth, with Chris Hadfield (episode 149)How to Make Deep Work Happen, with Cal Newport (episode 233)How Great Teams Find Purpose, with David Burkus (episode 481)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Heather Younger: The Art of Active ListeningHeather Younger is an experienced international keynote speaker, best-selling author, CEO, and Founder of Employee Fanatix. Known as The Employee Whisperer, Heather harnesses humor, warmth, and an instant relatability to engage and uplift audiences and inspire them into action.She is a Certified Diversity Professional, certified in Emotional and Social Intelligence and DiSC, and is also the author of three books. Her previous best-selling book, The Art of Caring Leadership: How Leading with Heart Uplifts Teams and Organizations, was praised for offering powerful insights for developing authentic, thoughtful, and purposeful leaders and change-makers. She's the author of The Art of Active Listening: How People at Work Feel Heard, Valued, and Understood.When you know how to listen, people will share more. We may or may not always be able to resolve every concern, but we can be sure others are heard. In this conversation, Heather and I discuss how we can shift from listening for what we want to hear towards listening for what we need to learn.Key PointsSome issues can only be resolved through better listening. That alone makes this a critical skill for leaders.When you know how to listen, people will bring things to you. Listen for not what you want to hear but what you want to learn.Listening is not just about what’s been said, but also about what is seen. Get beyond simply, “What I hear you saying is…”Some leaders have a fear about the direction that a response might take a conversation. Remember that often people first and foremost want to be heard, regardless of what happens next.Nobody is ready to listen at every moment. Taking time to center yourself for a conversation in a few minutes or later in the day can be helpful for both parties.Resources MentionedThe Art of Active Listening: How People at Work Feel Heard, Valued, and Understood by Heather YoungerArt of Active Listening CertificationInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Way to Have Conversations That Matter, with Celeste Headlee (episode 344)Four Habits That Derail Listening, with Oscar Trimboli (episode 500)How to Help Others Be Seen and Heard, with Scott Shigeoka (episode 654)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Sheila Heen: Difficult ConversationsSheila Heen is the Thaddeus R. Beal Professor of Practice at Harvard Law School, a Deputy Director of the Harvard Negotiation Project, and a founder of Triad Consulting Group. She often works with executive teams to engage conflict productively, repair working relationships, and implement change in complex organizations.She has published articles in The New York Times and the Harvard Business Review and appeared on Oprah, CNBC’s Power Lunch, and NPR. She is coauthor along with Douglas Stone of The New York Times bestseller Thanks for the Feedback and also now, in it's third edition, co-author with Douglas Stone and Bruce Patton of the iconic bestseller, Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most.When our intentions are good, it’s hard to appreciate how we could have had such negative impact on someone else. It’s equally challenging to navigate a tough conversation when someone else’s words or actions have wronged us, even if that’s not what they intended. In this conversation, Sheila and I discuss how to shift just a bit to help our difficult conversations go better.Key PointsIntent does not equal impact.It’s a mistake to assume that we know the other party's intentions.It’s a mistake to assume that good intentions erase bad impact.Prevent the first mistake by attempting to separate intent from impact. Use these three questions:Actions: What did the other person actually say or do?Impact: What was the impact of this on me?Assumption: Based on this impact, what assumption am I making about what the other person intended?To present the second mistake, listen first for feelings before sharing intent. It’s helpful also to reflect on your own intent, which may not always be as pure as initially recognized.Resources MentionedDifficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila HeenInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Get Way Better at Accepting Feedback, with Sheila Heen (episode 143)How to Begin Difficult Conversations About Race, with Kwame Christian (episode 594)How to Deal With Passive-Aggressive People, Amy Gallo (episode 595)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Scott Shigeoka: SeekScott Shigeoka is an internationally recognized curiosity expert, speaker, and author. He is known for translating research into strategies that promote positive well-being and connected relationships around the globe, including at the UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center and through his popular courses at the University of Texas at Austin.Scott implements his curiosity practices with leaders in the public sector, Fortune 500 companies, Hollywood, media organizations, education institutions, and small businesses. He is the author of Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World.Often we think about curiosity as a way to get information. And yes, it does do that, but there’s a much bigger opportunity that many leaders miss — taking the next step with curiosity to actually help connect better with others. In this episode, Scott and I highlight four phrases that will help you do that better.Key PointsIt’s a mistake to limit the purpose of curiosity to only information gathering. Deep curiosity can be one of the best ways to create connection.Saying, “I don’t know,” may elicit fear in a lot of us, but leaders who can do this are often perceived and more competent in their work.The invitation to, “Tell me more,” is a way to respond to a bid from someone for attention that opens to door to feeling seen and heard.Even if you don’t literally say the words, “I understand that you're more than your job,” making that clear in your conversations helps limit work-life conflict and uncovers better ways to support others.We tend to have a bias in the workplace for the people who traditionally have the “answers.” Asking, “Who else?” opens the door to surfacing the best ideas, regardless of who they originate with.Resources MentionedSeek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World by Scott ShigeokaInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Be Present, with Dave Crenshaw (episode 511)How to Inspire More Curiosity, with Shannon Minifie (episode 520)How to Genuinely Show Up for Others, with Marshall Goldsmith (episode 590)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Adam Bryant: The Leap to LeaderAdam Bryant is Senior Managing Director and Partner at the ExCo Group, where he works with hundreds of senior leaders and high-potential executives. As the creator and former author of the iconic “Corner Office” column in The New York Times, Adam has mastered the art of distilling real-world lessons from his hundreds of interviews and turning them into practical tools, presentations, and exercises to help companies deepen their leadership benches and strengthen their teams.Adam works with executive leadership teams to help drive their transformation strategies, based on a best-practices framework he developed for his widely praised book, The CEO Test. He's also the author of The Leap to Leader: How Ambitious Managers Make the Jump to Leadership.Many of us have our career trajectories planned out in our minds. While we know it’s not going to happen exactly the way we’ve planned, it’s still is jarring when we find ourselves on a different path — or presented with a different opportunity — than we anticipated. In this episode, Adam and I discuss the mindsets and actions that will help you take the next step in your career.Key PointsThere can be a large gap between how assertive you are and how people perceive you.Think about your career like a pyramid — building a strong foundation across many areas of practice. Bloom where you are planted.Don’t just solve the problem your manager tells you to solve. Find (and start solving) the bigger problem that isn’t even on the radar screen of senior leadership.Use these words: “I need your help.” When seeking advice in the context of someone that might mentor you, make your ask specific and then loop back to share what you did with their advice.When someone asks how you are, instead of just saying “fine,” tell a story about what you’re working on.Peer relationships are a common blind spot. Early promotions may come from your manager, but higher level promotions comes moreso from the relationships with your peers.Resources MentionedThe Leap to Leader: How Ambitious Managers Make the Jump to Leadership by Adam BryantInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Nail a Job Transition, with Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (episode 555)How to Start a Big Leadership Role, with Carol Kauffman (episode 617)How to Start Better With Peers, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 635)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher EdBonni is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, Dean of Teaching and Learning and Professor of Business and Management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, she was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. Bonni is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide*.Listener QuestionsTony asked our opinion on his plan to have the team provide feedback to each other directly.Lean wondered about alternatives to the nine box talent mapping framework that some organizations use.Qasim noted that leadership can sometimes feel thankless and asked if we had any rituals to help minimize this.Resources MentionedFeedForward: Coaching for Behavioral Change by Marshall GoldsmithSuccession Planning: What is a 9-box grid? by Society for Human Resources ManagementWarning: This Is Not Your Grandfather’s Talent Planning featuring Kim ScottRelated EpisodesHow to Get Way Better at Accepting Feedback, with Sheila Heen (episode 143)How to Process Your 360 Feedback, with Tom Henschel (episode 341)Your Leadership Motive, with Patrick Lencioni (episode 505)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Emily Field: Power to the MiddleEmily Field is a partner at McKinsey & Company. She works with leaders to shape data-driven organizational strategies designed to achieve business objectives, establish talent management as a distinctive advantage, and secure the human resources function as a driver of business value.Emily has worked with companies across industries, leading initiatives to transform the way organizations work. She puts particular emphasis on helping to establish a talent-first approach, instilling a high-performance culture, and adopting effective people-analytics approaches. She is the co-author along with Bill Schaninger and Bryan Hancock of Power to the Middle: Why Managers Hold the Keys to the Future of Work.As anybody who’s worked in middle management can attest, it’s one of the hardest jobs you’ll ever have. Too often we take middle management for granted, but organizations that learn how to better support middle managers can leverage their power and expertise to do a lot of good. In this conversation, Emily and I highlight the challenges of middle management, the unique value the middle managers bring to organizations, and the steps senior leaders can take to better support middle managers.Key PointsMiddle managers often have less power and control than the people who report to them. This results in them not feeling like they are set up for success.The “player-coach” model of managers doing individual contributor work can be useful, but it’s critical for organizations to be mindful that the work is uniquely suited for a manager to do.Rather than promoting the best middle managers out of their roles, promote from within. Reward top middle managers who decide to make their positions a destination, not just a waypoint.As technology and AI changed the nature of work, middle managers are uniquely qualified to know how to best rebundle jobs and redistribute talent.A key question for senior leadership to answer: What do we want middle managers to be doing?Resources MentionedPower to the Middle: Why Managers Hold the Keys to the Future of Work by Emily Field, Bill Schaninger, and Bryan HancockInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Multiply Your Impact, with Liz Wiseman (episode 554)How Top Leaders Influence Great Teamwork, with Scott Keller (episode 585)The Questions to Help Figure Out Hybrid and Remote Work, with Jim Harter (episode 646)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
David Rogers: The Digital Transformation RoadmapDavid Rogers is the world’s leading expert on digital transformation, a member of the faculty at Columbia Business School, and the author of five books. His previous landmark bestseller, The Digital Transformation Playbook, was the first book on digital transformation and put the topic on the map.David has helped companies around the world transform their business for the digital age, working with senior leaders at many of the largest corporations and he's been featured in The New York Times, The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Economist. In his newest book, The Digital Transformation Roadmap, David tackles the barriers behind the 70% of businesses that fail in their own digital efforts and offers a five-step roadmap to rebuild any organization for continuous digital change.Most of us have heard that leading change requires highlighting a problem, deciding on a clear vision, and then cascading that vision down. In this conversation, David and I discuss how those actions alone often result failed outcomes. Instead we highlight what a shared vision really is and how we can do a better job of helping the entire organization respond better to change.Key PointsMost digital transformations fail because they focus too much on technology and not enough on the actual organizational challenges.Selling a problem is negative urgency. It’s important as a component of change, but insufficient alone. Successful change leaders also embrace positive urgency.A north star helps leaders and their organizations get clear on the “why” instead of simply the “what.” Once defined, thoughtful debate on measurement brings alignment and empowerment.It’s a mistake for vision to only come from the top. Vision should exist at every level.Avoid thinking about vision as cascading down. If anything, vision should be cascade up. How conversation happens at each juncture will define how well this works — or doesn’t.Resources MentionedThe Digital Transformation Roadmap by David RogersThe Digital Transformation Playbook* by David RogersInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Pivot Quickly, with Steve Blank (episode 476)Engaging People Through Change, with Cassandra Worthy (episode 571)Doing Better Than Zero Sum-Thinking, with Renée Mauborgne (episode 641)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Jacob Morgan: Leading With VulnerabilityJacob Morgan is a trained futurist and one of the world’s leading authorities on leadership, the future of work, and employee experience. He speaks in front of tens of thousands of people each year and his content is seen over a million times annually. He is the best-selling author of five books: The Future Leader, The Employee Experience Advantage, The Future of Work, and The Collaborative Organization. He speaks at over 50 conferences a year including TED Academy which is one of the largest TED events in the world.Jacob provides advisory and thought leadership services to organizations around the world. He has created tons of educational videos and articles found at Great Leadership With Jacob Morgan and host of the Great Leadership with Jacob Morgan podcast. He’s the author of the new book, Leading With Vulnerability: How to Unlock Your Greatest Superpower to Transform Yourself, Your Team, and Your Organization.Most of us have heard that we should show vulnerability, but we don’t necessary know how to do this in the workplace. In addition, many leaders mistakenly show vulnerability without connecting it back to leadership. In this episode, Jacob and I explore where leaders go wrong, discuss how to do better, and demonstrate exactly what real vulnerability sounds like.Key PointsVulnerability + Leadership = Vulnerable Leadership. While this equation may seem obvious, many leaders mistakingly lean into vulnerability without also articulating leadership.Vulnerability without leadership can land awkwardly and potentially calls to question your credibility as a leader.Go beyond just admitting a mistake; share what was learned from that mistake. In the same way, talk about personal challenges for the purpose of connecting, creating trust, and relating to others.Ask yourself this question as a starting point for ensuring you are also leading: “What’s my reason for sharing what I’m about to share?”Vulnerability for leaders is not the same as it is for everybody else.Resources MentionedLeading With Vulnerability: How to Unlock Your Greatest Superpower to Transform Yourself, Your Team, and Your Organization by Jacob MorganGreat Leadership With Jacob MorganInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesUse Power for Good and Not Evil, with Dacher Keltner (episode 254)How to Use Power Responsibly, with Vanessa Bohns (episode 551)The Four Storytelling Mistakes Leaders Make, with David Hutchens (episode 553)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher EdBonni is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, Dean of Teaching and Learning and Professor of Business and Management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, she was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. Bonni is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide.Listener QuestionsLisa asks about the best ways to hold others accountable when you don’t have positional authority.John wonders about our perspective on dealing with narcissists in the workplace.Patrick is curious how we might (or might not) mediate a conflict between two employees.Priya notices the focus on underperforms in organizations and asks how this tendency might get shifted a bit.Resources MentionedThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. CoveyThe Success Factor by Ruth GotianThe 6 Types of Working Genius by Patrick LencioniRelated EpisodesHow to Handle a Boss Who’s a Jerk, with Tom Henschel (episode 164)How to Influence Many Stakeholders, with Andy Kaufman (episode 240)How to Benefit From Conflict, with Susan Gerke (episode 263)How to Lead Meetings That Get Results, with Mamie Kanfer Stewart (episode 358)How to Lead and Retain High Performers, with Ruth Gotian (episode 567)How to Help Team Members Find the Right Work, with Patrick Lencioni (episode 610)How to Start Better With Peers, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 635)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Jim Harter: Culture ShockJim Harter is Chief Scientist for the Workplace at Gallup. He has led more than 1,000 studies of workplace effectiveness, including the largest ongoing meta-analysis of human potential and business unit performance. He's the bestselling author of 12: The Elements of Great Managing, Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements, Wellbeing at Work and the #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller It’s the Manager.Jim has also published articles in many prominent business and academic journals. He's also the author now of Gallup's book with Jim Clifton titled Culture Shock: An unstoppable force is changing how we work and live. Gallup’s solution to the biggest leadership issue of our time.Virtually every professional team is navigating some aspect to return to office and how that works best for their organization. In this episode, Jim and I highlight the key findings from Gallup that have emerged in the data since the pandemic started. Plus, we explore the questions that managers can ask in order help this transition work better for everyone.Key PointsManagers should consider these key questions to help employees and teams move towards smart autonomy:Which parts of your job can you do best at home?Which parts of your job can you do best at the office?When have you created exceptional value for our customers?When do you feel most connected to our organization’s culture?In addition:Less than 5% of people in the United States worked from home in 2019. Today the number is six times larger and nearly seven in 10 full-time employees in the United States prefer some type of remote work arrangement.Number of days in the office is important, but matters less than other factors. Most associated with high levels of employee engagement is the practice of a work team deciding together (the option companies used the least).Splitters and blenders represent two different ways of approaching work and the populate tends to divide equally on this preference (even across generations). Knowing where people land will help engage them better in the workplace.Managers account for 70% of the variance in team engagement. A key habit for a manager is one meaningful conversation per week with each employee.Less important is the time of interaction and more important it the quality. Smaller amounts of time discussion recognition, goals, and strengths can be more impactful than more time that doesn’t do this.Resources MentionedCulture Shock: An unstoppable force is changing how we work and live. Gallup’s solution to the biggest leadership issue of our time by Jim Clifton and Jim HarterInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesGallup Findings on the Changing Nature of Work, with Jim Harter (episode 409)How to Engage Remote Teams, with Tsedal Neeley (episode 537)Effective Hybrid Team Management, with Hassan Osman (episode 570)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Jacqueline Farrington: The Non-Obvious Guide to Better PresentationsJacqueline Farrington has over 20 years experience as a change maker, empowering leaders and their teams to spark transformation and innovation through communications. Known for her direct, yet supportive and science-backed approach, Jacqueline works with senior and board-level leaders as the founder and president of Farrington Partners. She blends her experience in the performing arts, vocal pedagogy, communications, psychology, and organizational and executive coaching to help her clients find unique communication solutions.Her clients include multinationals such as Amazon and Microsoft, as well as startups and nonprofits. She proudly served for many years as TEDxSeattle’s Senior Speaker Coach, where she sourced, vetted, and prepared speakers for yearly sold-out audiences. She was thrilled to see several speakers from that event move on to the global TED stage. In addition to teaching at Yale, she has lectured and taught at the London Business School, Rutgers University, and Imperial College. Jacqueline in the author of The Non-Obvious Guide to Better Presentations: How to Present Like a Pro (Virtually or in Person).We all know we should practice before a big presentation, but how you practice makes a big difference on whether you just feel more prepared…or actually are. In this episode, Jacqueline and I explore how to rehearse so you perform better.Key PointsA presentation is a performance. Just like any performance, how you rehearse is critical for your success.Great presenters look relaxed and natural and unrehearsed because they have practiced over and over again.Internalizing your talk is like driving home. You know the route so well, you can take any turn you want and still arrive at the same house.Use a memory palace to recall point during your presentation. This also provides and easy path to adjust timing and content when changes inevitably come.Create controlled stress for yourself during rehearsals. This surfaces where to get better and also helps you respond more effectively when actual stresses come up when presenting.Review your work objectively to decide how to improve your message. It’s helpful to think about watching a recording of someone else so that you can better surface what to change.Resources MentionedThe Non-Obvious Guide to Better Presentations: How to Present Like a Pro (Virtually or in Person) by Jacqueline FarringtonInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Engage With Humor, with David Nihill (episode 245)The Way to Influence Executives, with Nancy Duarte (episode 450)The Way to Make Sense to Others, with Tom Henschel (episode 518)3 Better Ways to Start a Presentation (Dave’s Journal)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Lesson 5: What’s one thing you’d suggest?Getting feedback from others is never easy. In this lesson, discover a question that will make it more likely you’ll get the feedback that will help you move forward.Academy Applications Close Friday, September 8thThe Academy is an intimate cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to accelerate their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, September 8th.ResourcesFeedforward: Coaching For Behavioral Change by Marshall GoldsmithRelated EpisodesHow to Get Way Better at Accepting Feedback, with Sheila Heen (episode 143)How to Use Power Responsibly, with Vanessa Bohns (episode 551)The Way to Get People Talking, with Andrew Warner (episode 560)How to Help People Speak Truth to Power, with Megan Reitz (episode 597)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 4: What’s the next step?Indicators can help keep you determine if you’re on the right track. This lesson shows how to create these indicators and why they are critical for your success.Academy Applications Close Friday, September 8thThe Academy is an intimate cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to accelerate their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, September 8th.ResourcesHow to Get Traction With a New HabitRelated EpisodesGetting Things Done, with David Allen (episode 184)Six Tactics for Extraordinary Performance, with Morten Hansen (episode 337)Making Challenging Subjects Fun, with Ainissa Ramirez (Teaching in Higher Ed)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 3: How will you know you’re on the right track?Changing behavior is part of moving forward — but it’s often hard to notice progress. In this lesson, a key question that will help people stay motivated when making change.Academy Applications Close Friday, September 8thThe Academy is an intimate cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to accelerate their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, September 8th.ResourcesHow to Get Traction With a New HabitRelated EpisodesHow to Help People Engage in Growth, with Whitney Johnson (episode 576)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 2: What’s an example of this?When it’s not clear what’s being discussed, it’s hard to know what to do next. In this lesson, a simple question that can open up a lot more detail to help everyone move forward.Academy Applications Close Friday, September 8thThe Academy is an intimate cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to accelerate their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, September 8th.ResourcesThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People* by Stephen CoveyRelated EpisodesHow to Discover What Others Value, with Joe Hart (episode 616)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 1: How so?Just two simple words can get people saying so much more. In this lesson, you’ll discover the way a question like, “How so?” can be so powerful for both others and you.Academy Applications Close Friday, September 8thThe Academy is an intimate cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to accelerate their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, September 8th.ResourcesThe Coaching Habit* by Michael Bungay StanierRelated EpisodesThese Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237)The Way to Be More Coach-Like, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 458)How to Inspire More Curiosity, with Shannon Minifie (episode 520)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Eduardo Briceño: The Performance ParadoxEduardo Briceño is a global keynote speaker and facilitator who guides many of the world’s leading companies in developing cultures of learning and high performance. Earlier in his career, he was the co-founder and CEO of Mindset Works, the first company to offer growth mindset development services. Previously, he was a venture capital investor with the Sprout Group.His TED Talk, How to Get Better at the Things You Care About, and his prior TEDx Talk, The Power of Belief, have been viewed more than nine million times. He is a Pahara-Aspen Fellow, a member of the Aspen Institute’s Global Leadership Network, and an inductee in the Happiness Hall of Fame. He is the author of The Performance Paradox: Turning the Power of Mindset Into Action*.Many of us have heard the invitation in recent years to have a growth mindset — but how do you establish this for an entire team? In this episode, Eduardo and I explore his research on systemizing the learning zone to help teams perform at the highest levels. Plus, we explore tactical shifts that managers can make in order to align intention with reality.Key PointsIn order for teams to performance at top levels, they need to spend intentional time in both the performance zone and the learning zone.Internal competition can hold back teams from learning — and can over focusing on the present instead of the future.Systemizing the learning zone helps build a culture where this is expected and normal. Setting expectations for feedback, role plays, and study groups are a few of the many ways organizations can do this.Eliminate forced ranking systems, as they often over-perpetuate a culture of performance only vs. performance and learning together.Include learning goals in professional development, not only performance goals. This normalizes and systemizes the learning zone as a critical part of work.Resources MentionedThe Performance Paradox: Turning the Power of Mindset Into Action by Eduardo BriceñoHow to Get Better at the Things You Care About by Eduardo Briceño (TEDx talk)Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesSix Tactics for Extraordinary Performance, with Morten Hansen (episode 337)How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)The Way to Make Struggles More Productive, with Sarah Stein Greenberg (episode 569)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Mauro Guillén: The Perennials Mauro Guillén is Professor of Management and Vice Dean at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. An expert on global market trends, he is a sought-after speaker and consultant. He combines his training as a sociologist at Yale and as a business economist in his native Spain to identify and quantify the most promising opportunities at the intersection of demographic, economic, and technological developments.
His online classes on Coursera and edX have attracted over 100,000 participants from around the world. He has won multiple teaching awards at Wharton, where his presentation on global market trends has become a permanent feature of over fifty executive education programs annually. His book on 2030: How Today’s Biggest Trends Will Collide and Reshape the Future of Everything was an instant Wall Street Journal bestseller and he's now the author of The Perennials: The Megatrends Creating a Postgenerational Society*.
Many of us grew up in a world where life was divided into three stages: school, work, and retirement. Traditional ways of thinking about credentialing and ways to transition in the workforce are also changing. In this conversation, Mauro and I explore what has changed and how we can shift our thinking and actions to stay relevant in a new world of work.
Key Points
The sequential model of life is no longer as relevant as it was a generation ago. Life span, health span, and technology are massively affecting how we think about generations.
It’s no longer a correct assumption that entry level positions are going to be only filled people in their twenties coming out of school.
Intergenerational learning is an opportunity that many institutions and organizations still miss. Embracing this will increasingly help us stay relevant.
Traditional credentials will still hold value, but it will be assessed in the context people's ability in learning how to learn.
Intergenerational differences are real, they do not necessarily result in different values, attitudes, and behaviors in the workplace. There is lots of heterogeneity that our stereotypes conceal.
Resources Mentioned
The Perennials: The Megatrends Creating a Postgenerational Society* by Mauro Guillén
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Lead a 100-Year Life, with Lynda Gratton (episode 266)
Essentials of Adult Development, with Mindy Danna (episode 273)
How to Help People Engage in Growth, with Whitney Johnson (episode 576)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Renée Mauborgne: Beyond Disruption Renée Mauborgne is the INSEAD Distinguished Fellow and a professor of strategy at the global business school INSEAD. She is the co-author of the 4 million copy global bestseller Blue Ocean Strategy, which is recognized as one of the most iconic and impactful strategy books ever written, and is also co-author of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Los Angeles Times bestseller Blue Ocean Shift.
To date, the Blue Ocean Strategy and Blue Ocean Shift teaching materials have been adopted by over 2,800 universities across the globe. In 2022, Harvard Business Review selected Blue Ocean Strategy as one of the most influential and innovative articles published in HBR over the last 100 years. Along with her colleague W. Chan Kim, she was named the most influential management thinker in the world by Thinkers50. She is the first woman ever to secure that top spot. She is the co-author with W. Chan Kim of Beyond Disruption: Innovate and Achieve Growth without Displacing Industries, Companies, or Jobs*.
Key Points
Zero-sum thinking means that if we win, someone else must lose. Many of us have been conditioned to accept that this is how competition has to work.
Nondisruptive creation creates new industries without leaving failed companies, lost jobs, and destroyed markets in its wake.
Consider shifting focus from structure to agency. Firms that generate nondisruptive creation lead with agency.
Don’t confuse the means with the ends. Technology enables, but value innovation is ultimately what creates a nondisruptive new market.
Unlock the many, not just the few. Overemphasizing an entrepreneur or creative leader leads to underemphasizing the creativity and contributions of everyone else.
Resources Mentioned
Beyond Disruption: Innovate and Achieve Growth without Displacing Industries, Companies, or Jobs* by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne
Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant* by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Start Seeing Around Corners, with Rita McGrath (episode 430)
Help People Show Up as Themselves, with Frederic Laloux (episode 580)
The Mindset to Help Your Organization Grow, with Tiffani Bova (episode 633)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
This is a re-airing of episode 358. New episodes return on Monday, August 14th.
Mamie Kanfer Stewart: The Modern Manager Mamie Kanfer Stewart is a managerial excellence expert, executive coach, author of Momentum: Creating Effective Engaging and Enjoyable Meetings*, and host of The Modern Manager podcast. She loves helping managers apply the best thinking on human behavior and flourishing in how they lead themselves and their teams.
Key Points
There are six reasons to have meetings: connect, align, decide, ideate/brainstorm, plan, and/or produce.
Set an outcome for the meeting and structure the agenda accordingly.
Approach other leaders for clarity when the purpose of the meeting is not apparent.
Consider the impact of unnecessary participants in meetings and decide in advance who needs to be consulted, informed, and engaged.
Maximize all attendees time by providing clear meeting invitations and concise instructions on pre-work or pre-reading to be completed.
Resources Mentioned
Momentum: Creating Effective Engaging and Enjoyable Meetings* by Mamie Kanfer Stewart and Tai Tsao
The Modern Manager podcast
Related Episodes
How to Lead an Offsite, with Tom Henschel (episode 377)
How to Create Meaningful Gatherings, with Priya Parker (episode 395)
Moving Towards Meetings of Significance, with Seth Godin (episode 632)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
This is a re-airing of episode 284. New episodes return on Monday, August 14th.
Michael Bungay Stanier: The Coaching Habit Michael Bungay Stanier is the author of eight books, including The Coaching Habit*, which has sold more than a million copies and is the best-selling book on coaching this century. In 2011 he created and edited End Malaria, a book written in partnership with Seth Godin that raised more than $400k for Malaria No More.
Michael is the founder Box of Crayons, a learning and development company that’s trained thousands of people around the world to be more coach-like. He has been featured in many publications including Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Fast Company. His TEDx Talk on Taming Your Advice Monster has been viewed more than a million times.
Key Points
When things get difficult, there are three roles people may fall into: the victim, the persecutor, and/or the rescuer.
To step out of a victim role, figure out what’s really going on, take a deep breath, and think, “And what else?”
To avoid the persecutor role, assume positive intent and that people are trying their best.
To stop rescuing as much, ask the victim, “How can I help?” or “What do you want from me?”
Ask yourself what you want in the situation, and make sure you’ve communicated it to others. Then ask the others what they want.
Resources Mentioned
The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever* by Michael Bungay Stanier
The Advice Trap* by Michael Bungay Stanier
Related Episodes
How to Start Coaching Someone (episode 2)
How to Improve Your Coaching Skills, with Tom Henschel (episode 190)
These Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
This is a re-airing of episode 192. New episodes return on Monday, August 14th.
Susan Gerke: GO Team Resources Susan Gerke has been the president of Gerke Consulting & Development. She has worked with global teams and has certified facilitators around the world to deliver management, leadership, and team offerings. Susan is co-creator of GO Team, a training suite for organizations to power team performance.
Key Points
Don’t create guidelines yourself and give them to the team.
A starting point for how to create team guidelines is what did not work well on a previous team.
The interpersonal dynamics that emerge are more critical than the guidelines themselves.
Aim to create no more than 8 guidelines.
Disagreement is the sign of a healthy team.
Continue to revisit guidelines in future meetings and team milestone (new members join or the team, change to team composition or purpose)
Resources Mentioned
GO Team Resources
Related Episodes
The Four Unique Types of Teams, with Susan Gerke (episode 138)
How Great Teams Find Purpose, with David Burkus (episode 481)
How to Engage Remote Teams, with Tsedal Neeley (episode 537)
How Top Leaders Influence Great Teamwork, with Scott Keller (episode 585)
How to Help Team Members Find the Right Work, with Patrick Lencioni (episode 610)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Tom Burbage: F-35 Tom Burbage retired from the Lockheed Martin Corporation in 2013. He was the President of the Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems Company and the Executive VP/GM for both the USAF F-22 Raptor and the multi-service, allied next generation fighter, the F-35. Prior to joining Lockheed, Tom was a Naval Aviator, completing the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School in 1975. He has accumulated more than 3,000 hours in 38 different types of military aircraft. As a reservist he retired as a Navy Captain in 1994.
Tom has received numerous industry awards, including the U.S. Naval Academy/Harvard Business Review Award for Ethical Leadership; the Aerospace Industry Personality of the Year; the Society of Automotive Engineers Leadership in Aerospace Award; and many others. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in the United Kingdom. He is co-author along with Betsy Clark and Adrian Pitman of the book F-35: The Inside Story of the Lightning II.
Sometimes we find ourselves leading a very large team that isn’t used to working together. That happened to Tom Burbage who was the general manager of the F-35 fighter jet. In this conversation, we explore how to bring together many stakeholders in order to do something bigger than any one of them could do alone.
Key Points
Solicit and listen to feedback on what didn’t work in past situations.
Establish behavior norms and expectations and continue coming back to them. When disagreements happen, resolve them in the context of these norms.
Consider including customers in major meetings, so struggles are shared transparently with all stakeholders.
Behavior norms and expectations were established globally and referenced in most formal interactions. When flare ups happened, they were often settled quickly in the spirit of the norms.
A “one team” concept was used to unify people from formerly competing organizations to align them to the nobler motive.
Resources Mentioned
F-35: The Inside Story of the Lightning II* by Tom Burbage, Betsy Clark, and Adrian Pitman
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Create Team Guidelines, with Susan Gerke (episode 192)
How to Build a Coaching Culture, with Andrea Wanerstrand (episode 501)
How Top Leaders Influence Great Teamwork, with Scott Keller (episode 585)
How to Lead Better Through Complexity, with Jennifer Garvey Berger (episode 613)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Danna Greenberg: Maternal Optimism Danna Greenberg is the Walter H. Carpenter Professor of Organizational Behavior at Babson College. Her main area of research focuses on understanding the intersection between individuals' work and non-work lives as they move through their career. Her scholarship is guided by the belief that individuals can and should be able to live full lives at work and at home and that by challenging current assumptions regarding work we can find better ways for businesses, families, and communities to thrive.
Her other research stream centers on the scholarship of teaching and learning. Here she is focused on the continued changing landscape of higher education as it pertains to how we teach, what we teach, and how to define the lives of academics. Danna has published more than 30 articles and book chapters in leading journals including Academy of Management Journal, Human Resource Management, and Academy of Management Learning and Education. She is the co-author with Jamie Ladge of Maternal Optimism: Forging Positive Paths Through Work and Motherhood*.
When women return to work after a baby, there’s a lot our society implies about how that’s supposed to look. Danna’s research finds that this can look very different for every family. On this episode, a few things that women, their partners, and their managers can do to support a better transition in returning to work.
Key Points
Over 70% of mothers in the United States return to work after having children.
There tends to be a “guilt and anguish” script in the popular media about women returning to work after a maternity leave. That’s absolutely true for some women (especially those with fewer resources) but other women have very different experiences.
Managers can help by opening dialogue about what’s ideal to support a woman and her family during and after maternity leave.
Comments like “I am so impressed by how you are going to do it all!” are often well-intended but can reinforce views that might not be true for a woman or her family. Focus praise at work on work, not parenting.
Men may be more likely to listen to the challenges working mother face when other men surface them. Male managers can take the lead on this.
During leave, mothers can help create a foundation of shared parenting (if that’s their choice) by engaging their partners in substantial ways in childcare and limit gatekeeping.
Resources Mentioned
Maternal Optimism: Forging Positive Paths Through Work and Motherhood* by Jamie Ladge and Danna Greenberg
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Reduce Drama With Kids, with Tina Payne Bryson (episode 310)
Finding Joy Through Intentional Choices, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 417)
How to Create Inclusive Hiring Practices, with Ruchika Tulshyan (episode 589)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed Bonni is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, Dean of Teaching and Learning and Professor of Business and Management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, she was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. Bonni is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide.
Listener Questions
Jose asked about how to balance professional and personal responsibilities and get it all done.
Jordan mentioned getting passed up for a promotion twice and wondering what suggestions we have on the feedback they have received.
Ahmad asked us about resources for supporting high performances and team members who are struggling.
Jenna shared a distinction between tuition reimbursement and tuition assistance that Dave expanded on.
Resources Mentioned
Getting Things Done* by David Allen
Leadership Story Deck* by David Hutchens
Start With Why* by Simon Sinek
Hope for the Flowers* by Trina Paulus
The Empowered Manager* by Peter Block
Kim Scott’s distinction on Superstars vs. Rock Stars
CliftonStrengths by Gallup
Related Episodes
How to Get Way Better at Accepting Feedback, with Sheila Heen (episode 143)
Getting Things Done, with David Allen (episode 184)
Five Steps to Hold People Accountable, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 306)
The Way to Stop Spinning Your Wheels on Planning (episode 319)
Finding Joy Through Intentional Choices, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 417)
The Way to Make Sense to Others, with Tom Henschel (episode 518)
The Four Storytelling Mistakes Leaders Make, with David Hutchens (episode 553)
How to Lead and Retain High Performers, with Ruth Gotian (episode 567)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Vanessa Patrick: The Power of Saying No Vanessa Patrick is the Associate Dean for Research, Executive Director of Doctoral Programs, a Bauer Professor of Marketing and lead faculty of the Executive Women in Leadership Program at the Bauer School of Business at the University of Houston. She has been recognized with a number of awards for both scholarship and teaching and was named one of the top 50 most productive marketing scholars worldwide by the DocSig of the American Marketing Association.
Vanessa was appointed as a Fulbright Specialist (2019-24) by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. She is a prominent scholar in her field and serves on editorial and policy boards of leading academic journals. She is currently an Associate Editor for the Journal of Marketing Research and the Journal of Marketing and she's the author of The Power of Saying No: The New Science of How to Say No That Puts You in Charge of Your Life*.
Most leaders know that it’s important to say no to requests that aren’t the right use of time and resources. But how do you navigate this when the other party is likely to respond in a difficult way? In this conversation, Vanessa and I explore the patterns of difficult askers and how we can do a better job of responding when we’re interacting with them.
Key Points
We all have both marigolds and walnut trees in our lives. Marigold protect and strengthen us – walnut trees crowd out our time and interfere.
Difficult askers often confront us with face-to-face requests, use their home court advantage, and insist on an immediate response.
Pushback is normal and expected. It’s helpful to view it as a hurdle to overcome vs. something to avoid. Either way, we will spend the energy.
Resentment is a helpful indicator that difficult askers are taking too much power. Establish personal polices that provide guidelines so you can proactively come back to values when considering requests.
It’s helpful to consider advance requests in the context of fulfilling the commitment immediately, otherwise we’ll continue to feel the pressure of resentment and
Resources Mentioned
The Power of Saying No: The New Science of How to Say No That Puts You in Charge of Your Life* by Vanessa Patrick
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Say No Without Saying No, with Lois Frankel (episode 471)
How to Speak Up, with Connson Locke (episode 546)
How to Help People Speak Truth to Power, with Megan Reitz (episode 597)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Liz Anderson: The PreSales Path Liz Anderson has extensive experience as a solutions engineering leader and is the founder of the PreSales Path. She's also an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy.
In this SaturdayCast, Liz and I discuss the inflection points she’s experienced in the past year, how intentional focus on her vision and identity helped move her forward, and the value of consistency through it all.
Key Points
Professional development is about finding the starting points and then adapting as you go.
Once you decide on a new identity and direction, the indicators start to emerge on where to go next.
When your heart and intention are in the right place, the tactical path is still not easy, but it is clearer.
Resources Mentioned
Liz Anderson
Related Episodes
How to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear (episode 376)
How to Nail a Job Transition, with Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (episode 555)
How to Get Moving, with Gladys McGarey (episode 631)
How to Get Traction With a New Habit (audio course)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Michael Bungay Stanier: How to Work with (Almost) Anyone Michael Bungay Stanier is the author of eight books, including The Coaching Habit, which has sold more than a million copies and is the best-selling book on coaching this century. Most recently he wrote How to Begin, and back in 2011 he created and edited End Malaria, a book written in partnership with Seth Godin that raised more than $400k for Malaria No More.
Michael is the founder Box of Crayons, a learning and development company that’s trained thousands of people around the world to be more coach-like. He has been featured in many publications including Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Fast Company. His TEDx Talk on Taming Your Advice Monster has been viewed more than a million times. Michael's newest book is How to Work with (Almost) Anyone: Building the Best Possible Relationship*.
Most leaders recognize the critical nature of healthy, peer relationships. Yet, few leaders lay an intentional foundation for success as those relationships start. In this episode, Michael and I discuss how to start with peers using the five questions in a Keystone Conversation.
Key Points
Nobody really like to say hello but everyone likes to be greeted. Make a decision to be the person that begins.
Preparing thoughtful responses to the five questions in a Keystone Conversation will help you come to a dialogue in an authentic and vulnerable way.
The responses themselves aren’t as critical as the process itself. By entering into a keystone conversation, you are laying the foundation for future dialogue and the best possible relationship.
The five questions of a Keystone Conversation:
The Amplify Question: What’s your best?
The Steady Question: What are your practices and preferences?
The Good Date Question: What can you learn from successful past relationships?
The Bad Date Question: What can you learn from frustrating past relationships?
The Repair Question: How will you fix it when things go wrong?
Resources Mentioned
Preorder Michael’s book at bestpossiblerelationship.com
Bonus audio: Michael’s process for writing this book
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Deal with Opponents and Adversaries, with Peter Block (episode 328)
How to Involve Stakeholders in Decisions, with Eric Pliner (episode 586)
How to Start a Big Leadership Role, with Carol Kauffman (episode 617)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Susan Cain: Bittersweet Susan Cain is the author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, which spent seven years on The New York Times bestseller list and has been translated into 40 languages. It was named the #1 best book of the year by Fast Company, which also named Susan one of its Most Creative People in Business. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. Her record-smashing TED Talk has been viewed over 30 million times and was named by Bill Gates one of his all-time favorite talks.
Susan has also spoken at Microsoft, Google, the U.S. Treasury, the S.E.C., Harvard, Yale, West Point, and the US Naval Academy. She received Harvard Law School’s Celebration Award for Thought Leadership, the Toastmasters International Golden Gavel Award for Communication and Leadership, and was named one of the world’s top 50 Leadership and Management Experts by Inc. She is now also the author of the bestselling book Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole*.
We’ve all heard the value of positive thinking and aiming for happiness, but we don’t often think about the value of sorrow — and rarely in the context of leadership. In this conversation, Susan returns to the podcast to explore how the full spectrum of who we are can help us live — and lead – just a bit better.
Key Points
We espouse the value of happiness and positive thinking but don’t often recognize the value of appreciating sorrow and pain.
Words like “pain” and “suffering” tend to not show up in our workplaces, even when that’s clearly what’s being experienced. Instead, these realities are often substituted with words like “anger” or “frustration.”
Yes we should focus on our strengths, but beware of confusing a bittersweet temperament or sadness, with weakness.
Having power or feeling superior may prevent us from seeing others sadness — or even our own. Leaders who can embrace humility often find that results follow too.
The physical act of bowing can help with humility, as does capturing in writing moments of compassion (either from others or for others), as well as a focus on self-compassion.
Resources Mentioned
Preorder Bittersweet for a free book plate from Susan
Empathy: The Human Connection to Patient Care by The Cleveland Clinic
The Kindred Letters by Susan Cain
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, with Susan Cain (episode 44)
Use Power for Good and Not Evil, with Dacher Keltner (episode 254)
Four Steps to Get Unstuck and Embrace Change, with Susan David (episode 297)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Tiffani Bova: The Experience MindsetTiffani Bova is the global customer growth and innovation evangelist at Salesforce, and The Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Growth IQ. Over the past two decades, she has led large revenue-producing divisions at businesses ranging from start-ups to the Fortune 500.As a Research Fellow at Gartner, her cutting-edge insights helped Microsoft, Cisco, Salesforce, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Oracle, and many other prominent companies expand their market share and grow their revenues. She has been named one of the Top 50 business thinkers in the world by Thinkers50 twice and she's the host of the podcast What’s Next! with Tiffani Bova. She is the author of The Experience Mindset: Changing the Way You Think About Growth.While many organizations espouse that employees are their greatest asset, most senior leaders prioritize customer needs above all else. Data clearly shows that balancing great employee experience along with a quality customer experience drives better results. In this conversation, Tiffani and I discuss the mindset and initial steps that leaders can take to improve the experience for both employees and customers.Key PointsIn recent decades, we’ve been in the mindset of customer-first. Today, the biggest threat to organizations is worker unhappiness.While almost every organization espouses the importance of employees, few executive leaders can identify who “owns” the employee experience in their organization. In contrast, almost every organization has a clearly defined customer experience owner.Proper investments in technology are often an obstacle to an ideal employee experience. Getting better at this means that senior leaders in human resources, information technology, and customer experience must work together to help impact line up with intention.Three starting points for better employee experience are: reviewing data for customer experience and compare it to the trends for employee experience, utilizing employee advisory boards for a voice in emerging strategy, and reviewing employee survey results to determine what findings have been addressed.Getting better at balancing customer experience and employee experience means moving away from an expert’s mindset and towards a beginner’s mindset.Resources MentionedThe Experience Mindset: Changing the Way You Think About Growth by Tiffani BovaInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Discover What People Want, with Tiziana Casciaro (episode 565)Gallup’s Insights on Addressing Unhappiness, with Jon Clifton (episode 601)How to Solve the Toughest Problems, with Wendy Smith (episode 612)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Seth Godin: The Song of SignificanceSeth Godin is the author of 21 international bestsellers that have changed the way people think about work. His books have been translated into 38 languages. Seth writes one of the most popular marketing blogs in the world, and two of his TED talks are among the most popular of all time.He is the founder of the altMBA, the social media pioneer Squidoo, and Yoyodyne, one of the first internet companies. His blog is at seths.blog and his newest book is The Song of Significance: A New Manifesto for Teams.Seth says that the foundation of all real skills is the confidence and permission to talk to each another. No place is that more apparent than in our meetings. On this episode, Seth returns to help us move towards meetings of significance.Key PointsThe song of significance is about work that matters, being part of something bigger than each one of us, and doing things we’re proud of.Many organizations and leaders hold meetings, but they are often reports and lectures. Meetings of significance are conversations.Despite knowing the critical important of conversations, we tend to resist them in our roles. Our work is to begin those conversations.Start with agreement on what a meeting is how we do work that matters through it. The problem is rarely with Zoom. The problem is how you show up to facilitate the meeting.Create the culture you need to serve people well by setting the tone for it. You have more power than you think.Resources MentionedThe Song of Significance: A New Manifesto for Teams by Seth GodinInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesFive Steps to Hold People Accountable, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 306)The Way to Have Conversations That Matter, with Celeste Headlee (episode 344)How to Lead Meetings That Get Results, with Mamie Kanfer Stewart (episode 358)How to Use Power Responsibly, with Vanessa Bohns (episode 551)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Gladys McGarey: The Well-Lived LifeGladys McGarey is 102 years old and a still-practicing doctor. Recognized as a pioneer of the allopathic and holistic medical movements, she is also a founding diplomat of the American Board of Holistic Medicine. She is the cofounder and past president of the American Holistic Medical Association, as well as the cofounder of the Academy of Parapsychology and Medicine and the founder of The International Academy of Clinical Hypnosis.Gladys lives and works in Scottsdale, Arizona, where for many years she shared a medical practice with her daughter. She currently has a medical consulting practice, maintains a healthy diet, and enjoys a good piece of cake every now and then. She has spoken at TEDx and is the author of The Well-Lived Life: A 102-Year Old Doctor's Six Secrets to Health and Happiness at Any Age.Our efforts in leadership development, personal growth, or getting better at anything, are all about starting. In this conversation, Gladys and I discuss the critical nature of movement in our lives and work. We also explore how to identify where to start and why it’s more about beginning that finishing.Key PointsAll life needs to move. If we're not moving, we can't function.Stuckness is an illusion. If we know what to look for, movement is all around us and within us.A flashlight in the dark can only see a few steps ahead — but that’s enough to move in the right direction and begin seeing more.Look for the trickle around the dam. Noticing where movement already is will often be the starting point to go further.Doctors don’t heal patients, only patients can heal themselves. Pay attention to beginning instead of finishing.Resources MentionedThe Well-Lived Life: A 102-Year Old Doctor's Six Secrets to Health and Happiness at Any Age by Gladys McGareyInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Tame Your Inner Critic, with Tara Mohr (episode 232)Leadership Means You Go First, with Keith Ferrazzi (episode 488)How to Make Progress When Starting Something New, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 562)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Jeremy Utley: IdeaflowJeremy is the Director of Executive Education at the Stanford d.school, and an Adjunct Professor at Stanford’s School of Engineering, where he has earned multiple favorite professor distinctions from graduate programs. He co-teaches two celebrated courses, Leading Disruptive Innovation (d.leadership) and LaunchPad, which focus on creating real-world impact with the tools of design & innovation.He is also on the teaching teams of d.org, an organizational design course, and Transformative Design, a course that turns the tools of design onto graduate students’ lives. One of the most prodigious collaborators at the d.school, Jeremy has taught alongside the likes of Lecrae, Dan Ariely, Laszlo Bock, and Greg McKeown. He is the author along with Perry Klebahn of Ideaflow: The Only Business Metric That Matters.Brainstorming sessions often emerge to address a problem requiring new ideas or innovation. However, the way many of us approach brainstorming vastly limits what’s possible for our teams and organizations. In this conversation, Jeremy and I discuss where leaders go wrong and some of the most helpful mindsets and tactics to do better.Key PointsWe tend to like cognitive closure. That often stops us from moving forward more substantially during brainstorming.The Idea Ratio shows that 2000 ideas are needed for every one idea that goes to market. Most teams and organizations vastly underestimate this.Set the expectation that brainstorming is a process, not a single event. That will help you surface vastly more useful ideas.Gather initial suggestions before a session to avoid favoring extroverts and early anchoring on what’s said initially. A useful way to make this is ask the language, “How might we…?”Warm-up exercises can substantially help put team members in the right mindset for creativity, especially for those with busy schedules moving between contexts.Resources MentionedIdeaflow: The Only Business Metric That Matters by Jeremy Utley and Perry KlebahnInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Be Present, with Dan O’Connor (episode 399)The Way to Nurture New Ideas, with Safi Bahcall (episode 418)How to Build an Invincible Company, with Alex Osterwalder (episode 470)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Donald Miller: How to Grow Your Small BusinessDonald Miller is The New York Times bestselling author of Building a StoryBrand and Business Made Simple. He has helped thousands of businesses grow with his powerful framework. In 2010, Don started the business he’d always dreamed of. Although his business was doing ok, he quickly realized it wasn’t what he thought it would be. Everything depended on him, and he was drowning in the mundane day-to-day.For years, his business struggled to produce dependable, predictable results. Over years of fits and false starts, Don grew his business from nothing to nearly $20 million. In the end, he realized there were six key parts of a business, and if they were managed well, the business would fly far and fast. He’s captured those lessons in his book How to Grow Your Small Business: A 6-Step Plan to Help Your Business Take Off.A huge percentage of businesses fail before they have any significant success. One key trigger is failure is a marketing that doesn’t work. In this conversation Donald and I discuss how to power the marketing engine of your business by using the key elements of the StoryBrand framework.Key PointsMost small businesses think more about how their marketing will look rather than what their marketing will say.People are attracted to what helps them survive and thrive…and it helps to communicate those message simply.People buy products and services to solve problems, not because they care that much about the business.The customer is the hero. Never play the hero; always play the guide.People who are insecure talk about themselves. People who are confident talk about others. Talk about yourself only in the context of how it helps the customer.Resources MentionedHow to Grow Your Small Business: A 6-Step Plan to Help Your Business Take Off by Donald MillerInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesServe Others Through Marketing, with Seth Godin (episode 381)How Leaders Build, with Guy Raz (episode 491)How to Quit Bad Stuff Faster, with Annie Duke (episode 607)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Brian Feroldi: Financial Statements Explained SimplyBrian Feroldi is a financial educator, YouTuber, and author. He has been intensely interested in money, personal finance, and investing ever since he graduated from college. His mission statement is to spread financial wellness. He loves to help other people do better with their money, especially their investments.Brian has written more than 3,000 articles on stocks, investing, and personal finance for The Motley Fool. In 2022, Brian’s book Why Does The Stock Market Go Up? was published. The mission of the book is to demystify the stock market. It was written to explain how the market works in plain English. He's also the co-creator of the course, Financial Statements Explained Simply.Most of us are not accountants, but whether you work in a small business, a large corporation, a non-profit, or a government agency, the numbers define what resources that we have. Being able to understand and speak the language of financial statements is essential for leaders who want to influence decisions. In this episode, Brian and I review how to understand and read one of the most important reports for any organization: the income statement.Key PointsA few hours of focus on the fundamentals of financial statement can provide you understanding and influence throughout your career.An income statement (also called a profit and loss statement or P&L) shows revenue, expenses, and profit over a period of time. It’s similar to your personal budget.Revenue minus cost of goods sold is gross profit.Subtracting operation expenses from gross profit give you an organization’s operating income or EBIT (earnings before income and taxes).Depreciation spreads out the cost of tangible assets (equipment, vehicles, buildings) their useful lives. Amortization does the same thing for intangible assets (loans, copyrights, patents).The “bottom line” is literally the bottom line at the end, either net income or net loss.Resources MentionedBrian Feroldi’s newsletterFinancial Statements Explained Simply (course)Related EpisodesImprove Your Financial Intelligence, with Joe Knight (episode 244)How to Approach Corporate Budgeting, with Jody Wodrich (episode 355)Dumb Things Smart People Do With Money, with Jill Schlesinger (episode 396)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Kwame Christian: American Negotiation InstituteKwame Christian is a best-selling author, business lawyer, and CEO of the American Negotiation Institute. Following the viral success of his TED talk, Kwame released his best-seller Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life back in 2018. He’s also a regular Contributor for Forbes and the host of the number one negotiation podcast in the world, Negotiate Anything, which currently has over 5 million downloads worldwide.Under his leadership, the American Negotiation Institute has coached and trained several Fortune 500 companies on applying the fundamentals of negotiation to corporate success. He's also the author of the book How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race and the creator of Negotiable, an Online Community to Learn to Negotiate Anything.We often think about questions as a way to discover more — but have you also considered how your questions might influence? Kwame Christian and I discuss three key steps in order to persuade better through your intentional questions.Key PointsRapport questions help you make a connection with the other party and establish a baseline for how they communicate.A helpful place to begin on rapport is noticing something that you genuinely admire or are curious about in the other party.When gaining information, start broadly and then pull the thread when the other party leads you down a path. Beware that your role/positions can cause people to say more than they otherwise might.“What would it take?” is often a helpful way to illuminate a path forward.Even if you ultimately are more directive, laying the foundation through questions allows the other party to be heard and understand.Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThese Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237)How to Ask Better Questions, with David Marquet (episode 454)The Way Out of Major Conflict, with Amanda Ripley (episode 529)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Henry Cloud: TrustHenry Cloud is an acclaimed leadership expert, clinical psychologist and a New York Times bestselling author. His 45 books, including the iconic Boundaries, have sold nearly 20 million copies worldwide. He has an extensive executive coaching background and experience as a leadership consultant, devoting the majority of his time working with CEOs, leadership teams, and executives to improve performance, leadership skills, and culture.Henry's work has been featured and reviewed by The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Publisher’s Weekly, Los Angeles Times, and many other publications. Success Magazine named him in the top 25 most influential leaders in personal growth and development, alongside Oprah, Brené Brown, Seth Godin and others. He is a frequent contributor to CNN, Fox News Channel, and other national media outlets. Henry is the author of Trust: Knowing When to Give It, When to Withhold It, How to Earn It, and How to Fix It When It Gets Broken.When someone betrays your trust, what do you do next? In this conversation, Henry and I explore the five factors of trust and the importance of each one of them in our relationships. Then, we look at the starting point for rebuilding trust after a betrayal, beginning with you and your own support network.Key PointsFive factors are key for trust: understanding, motive, ability, character, and track record.Repairing trust is not clean or orderly. The first step is about you, not the person who betrayed you.Leaders who have a support network already in place are better able to take a pause and work through emotion and anger.An authentic apology from someone should articulate the event itself, demonstrate their empathy for how the event felt to you, and appreciate the consequences of their actions.Forgiving someone does not mean you trust them.Resources MentionedTrust: Knowing When to Give It, When to Withhold It, How to Earn It, and How to Fix It When It Gets Broken by Henry CloudInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Art of Constructing Apologies, with Sandra Sucher (episode 535)The Path Towards Trusting Relationships, with Edgar Schein and Peter Schein (episode 539)How to Approach a Reorg, with Claire Hughes Johnson (episode 621)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Morra Aarons-Mele: The Anxious AchieverMorra Aarons-Mele is the host of The Anxious Achiever, a top-10 management podcast that helps people rethink the relationship between their mental health and their leadership. Morra founded Women Online and The Mission List, an award-winning digital-consulting firm and influencer marketing company dedicated to social change, in 2010 and sold her business in 2021.She helped Hillary Clinton log on for her first internet chat and has launched digital campaigns for President Obama, Malala Yousafzai, the United Nations, the CDC, and many other leading figures and organizations. She is the author of The Anxious Achiever: Turn Your Biggest Fears into Your Leadership Superpower.In this conversation, Morra and I discuss some key tactics that help leaders release just a bit of control. Since control is often driven by fear, we can let go of some control by making small shifts in our practices, awareness, and planning. We also explore how to set boundaries that will help us lead in ways that are more helpful to others — and ourselves.Key PointsControl is often caused by fear. Optimism can be a bit of an antidote to it.Adopt a practice mindset by making small shifts to endure uncomfortable things.Practice open awareness throughs surrender; the opposite of controlling and micromanaging.Get clear on scheduling, deadlines, longer term career goals. Those provide a healthy illusion of control.Create a distinction between having an emotion and being the emotion.Begin setting boundaries by noticing when you are moving from comfort to discomfort.Resources MentionedThe Anxious Achiever: Turn Your Biggest Fears into Your Leadership Superpower by Morra Aarons-MeleThe Anxious Achiever podcastInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesFour Steps to Get Unstuck and Embrace Change, with Susan David (episode 297)Effective Delegation of Authority, with Hassan Osman (episode 413)Align Your Calendar to What Matters, with Nir Eyal (episode 431)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Jill Schlesinger: The Great Money ResetJill Schlesinger is an Emmy Award winning Business Analyst for CBS News. She appears on CBS radio and television stations nationwide covering the economy, markets, investing and anything else with a dollar sign. Jill is the host of the Jill on Money podcast and of the nationally syndicated radio show, Jill on Money, which won the 2018 and 2021 Gracie Award for Best National Talk Show.Jill is a frequent speaker on a variety of topics, including macroeconomic, market and demographic trends; workplace issues for women and LGBT employees in financial services; and how to create authentic branding. She is the author of The Dumb Things Smart People Do With Their Money and her most recent book, The Great Money Reset: Change Your Work, Change Your Wealth, Change Your Life.In this conversation, Jill and I examine the decision-making process that many of us make when considering advanced degrees or certifications. We discuss some of the common missteps that people make in educational investments and identity three key steps that can help us do better. Plus, we encourage leaders to get clear on their goals and outcomes and alternative ways to fund major educational investments.Key PointsEvery situation is different. Examining your situation is more helpful that relying on an assumption that all educational investments are wise.Identify the precise skills, knowledge, or credential you hope to gain by going back to school and how your career with benefit.Remember that the cost of tuition does not always reflect the full cost such as lost salary or time out of the workforce.Explore cheaper options if they still archive your overall objectives. A cheaper degree from a less prestigious university may meet 95% of the outcomes you want.Consider how your employer may support your educational investments. Some companies will consider sponsoring some of your educational expenses if you make a formal request.Resources MentionedThe Great Money Reset: Change Your Work, Change Your Wealth, Change Your Life by Jill SchlesingerInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesFour Rules to Get Control of Your Money, with Jesse Mecham (episode 356)Dumb Things Smart People Do With Money, with Jill Schlesinger (episode 396)The Way Into Better Conversations About Wealth, with Kristin Keffeler (episode 606)Seven Steps to Landing Professional Development Funding (MemberCast)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Jonathan Raymond: Good AuthorityJonathan spent 20 years building careers in business development and personal growth before realizing he could have the best of both worlds by starting his own company. Now, he uses those skills to advise CEOs and organizational leaders on how to create a people-first culture that drives results.As the founder of Refound, his goal is to provide clients with a partner they can trust and programs that gives managers an experience of how they can make work a better place, one conversation at a time. He’s the author of the book Good Authority: How to Become the Leader Your Team Is Waiting For. He's also the creator of the Accountability Dial, used daily by many of our members and listeners to open up more healthy dialogue inside of their teams and organizations.It may seem like you’ve had the same conversation about 17 times, but again you have an employee asking you, “Wait? Is this thing we’re talking about supposed to be part of my job?” You again clarify their role, but you’re also thinking in the back of your mind, “Really? We’re having this conversation again?” In this episode, Jonathan and I discuss four questions to ask of yourself — and your employee — to align them with the role.Key PointsMangers often complain that employees do not have clarity on their roles.Separate the role from the person. Depersonalizing the role actually helps you to have a better alignment conversation.What do you want employees to be owning, thinking about, and worrying about? Those are windows into the Soul of the Role.There are three steps to role alignment: defining the role, aligning the role with the employee, and sustaining the dialogue about the role.Four questions that will help you define a role:What is the purpose of this role?What makes someone successful in this role?What are three priorities for this role in the next 90 days?Where are their decision-making rights?Resources MentionedRefound Academy: Good Authority, Good Alignment, and Good Accountability coursesGood Authority: How to Become the Leader Your Team Is Waiting For by Jonathan RaymondInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesEffective Delegation of Authority, with Hassan Osman (episode 413)How to Balance Care and Accountability When Leading Remotely, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 464)How to Lead and Retain High Performers, with Ruth Gotian (episode 567)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Lesson 5: Calibrate With StakeholdersFeedback from stakeholders verifies traction on your new habit. Here’s how to get consistent, fast feedback to ensure you’re on track.An Example QuestionTwice a month, I say to either an employee or my boss: “I’m working on asking better questions. What’s one question I should ask you the next time we talk?”Academy Applications Close Friday, March 24thThe Academy is an intimate cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to accelerate their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, March 24th.ResourcesFeedforward: Coaching For Behavioral Change by Marshall GoldsmithRelated EpisodesThree Steps To Soliciting Feedback, with Tom Henschel (episode 107)How to Get Way Better at Accepting Feedback, with Sheila Heen (episode 143)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 4: Keep Yourself MotivatedIndicators can help keep you determine if you’re on the right track. This lesson helps you create these indicators that are critical for your success.Examples of IndicatorsI’m starting to hear things I wasn’t hearing before.I’m getting fewer questions asking for my input or clarification.I’m noticing employees taking the first step to solve a problem, before coming to me.Academy Applications Close Friday, March 24thThe Academy is an intimate cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to accelerate their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, March 24th.Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 3: Take Action, JoyfullyChanging behavior is hard in the midst of busy schedules. In this lesson, I invite you to create an anchor that will trigger the daily action you want.Academy Applications Close Friday, March 24thThe Academy is an intimate cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to accelerate their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, March 24th.ResourcesTiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything by BJ FoggRelated EpisodesHow to Change Your Behavior, with BJ Fogg (episode 507)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 2: Plan Daily MovementBehavior change works best when we work to create small wins, consistently. In this lesson, I invite you plan out a 5-minute daily action that will support who you are becoming.Academy Applications Close Friday, March 24thThe Academy is an intimate cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to accelerate their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, March 24th.ResourcesGreat at Work: The Hidden Habits of Top Performers by Morten HansenThe 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim HulingRelated EpisodesHow to Actually Move Numbers, with Chris McChesney (episode 294)Six Tactics for Extraordinary Performance, with Morten Hansen (episode 337)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 1: Decide Who You Are BecomingThe first step in getting traction with a new habit is deciding who you are becoming. In this lesson, you’ll discover the distinction between goals and identities and how to get started.Academy Applications Close Friday, March 24thThe Academy is an intimate cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to accelerate their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, March 24th.ResourcesAtomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James ClearSmart Growth: How to Grow Your People to Grow Your Company by Whitney JohnsonRelated EpisodesHow to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear (episode 376)How to Help People Engage in Growth, with Whitney Johnson (episode 576)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher EdBonni is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, Dean of Teaching and Learning and Professor of Business and Management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, she was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. Bonni is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide.Listener QuestionsSusan asked about assessing the difference between an employee who has addressable gaps in their skills and knowledge versus when they are in over their head.Elizabeth asked our advice on managing a team member who appears over-confident in their abilities…and how to hold them accountable.Steve wondered how we handle household tasks between the two of us in the midst of our busy schedules.Resources MentionedAnalyzing Performance Problems* by Robert Mager and Peter PipeThe Alignment Problem by Brian ChristianWonder Tools by Jeremy KaplanThe Home Edit by Clea Shearer and Joanna TeplinRelated EpisodesThe Way to Stop Rescuing People From Their Problems, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 284)How to Challenge Directly and Care Personally, with Kim Scott (episode 302)Five Steps to Hold People Accountable, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 306)Finding Joy Through Intentional Choices, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 417)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Claire Hughes Johnson: Scaling PeopleClaire Hughes Johnson is a corporate officer and advisor for Stripe, a global technology company that builds economic infrastructure for the internet. She previously served as Stripe’s Chief Operating Officer, helping the company grow from fewer than 200 employees to more than 8,000.Prior to Stripe, Claire spent 10 years at Google leading various business teams, including overseeing aspects of Gmail, Google Apps, and consumer operations. She is a board member at Hallmark Cards, The Atlantic, Ameresco, and HubSpot. Claire also serves as a trustee and the current board president of Milton Academy. She is the author of Scaling People: Tactics for Management and Company Building.You are charged with leading a reorg, but do you know the mindset, actions, and steps to take? In this conversation, Claire and I explore some of the key lessons she’s discovered as an executive leader in a quickly growing enterprise. We discuss the key triggers for a reorg, the three phases of reorganization, and common pitfalls leaders should avoid.Key PointsReorganizations or restructurings and often seen as a sign of a problem, but that's not always the case.Why reorganize? Two triggers: (1) your team structure doesn't match your strategy and/or (2) you have a talent issue.While there are times to go slower, the bias should be to move with haste. Don't leave ice cream on the counter for too long.Be very cautious about creating structure around a single individual.Three phases of a reorg:Phase 0: Decide whether you need a reorg and determine your new structure.Phase 1: Get buy-in from the key people who need to be involved.Phase 2: Create a communications plan and inform all of those affected.Resources MentionedScaling People: Tactics for Management and Company Building by Claire Hughes JohnsonTransitions* by William BridgesInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Manage Former Peers, with Tom Henschel (episode 257)Three Steps to Great Career Conversations, with Russ Laraway (episode 370)How to Solve the Toughest Problems, with Wendy Smith (episode 612)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Sally Helgesen: Rising TogetherSally Helgesen has been cited by Forbes as the world’s premier expert on women’s leadership. She is a best-selling author, speaker and leadership coach. She has been named by Thinkers50 as one of the world’s top 20 coaches and ranked number 6 among the world’s thought leaders by Global Gurus. She is the author of several books, including The Female Advantage: Women’s Ways of Leadership and The Female Vision: Women’s Real Power at Work.Her book The Web of Inclusion: A New Architecture for Building Great Organizations, was cited in The Wall Street Journal as one of the best books on leadership of all time and is credited with bringing the language of inclusion into business. She co-authored How Women Rise, with executive coach Marshall Goldsmith, examining the behaviors most likely to get in the way of successful women. Her newest book is Rising Together: How We Can Bridge Divides and Create a More Inclusive Workplace*.When we get triggered, our default response tends to be either venting about it to others or suffering in silence. In this conversation, Sally and I explore how to respond in a more useful way. She invites us to consider being less invested in our initial response, creating an alternative script, and finding a path forward to influence different behavior.Key PointsWhen we get triggered, our tendency is to either vent about it or suffer in silence.Being overly invested in our first response limits our ability to respond better. This is the authenticity trap.Create an alternative, positive script that helps your own mental well-being and precipitates a more helpful action.Whether the alternative script is true or not isn’t the point. The aim is to find the line between not humiliating the other party and also not letting a poor behavior be unaddressed.Wisdom from Sun Tzu: indirection or redirection to disarm an opponent is preferable to the direct engagement of combat.Resources MentionedRising Together: How We Can Bridge Divides and Create a More Inclusive Workplace by Sally HelgesenInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Way Out of Major Conflict, with Amanda Ripley (episode 529)End Imposter Syndrome in Your Organization, with Jodi-Ann Burey (episode 556)How to Create Inclusive Hiring Practices, with Ruchika Tulshyan (episode 589)How to Respond Better When Challenged, with Dolly Chugh (episode 615)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Kathy Fiddler: TidalHealthKathy Fiddler is the Vice President of Population Health for TidalHealth, a non-profit two hospital health care system on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. She has been instrumental in building community programs supporting improved access to healthcare services on the lower shore.Kathy is a registered nurse and a retired Major in the United States Air Force Reserve. She served for 26 years in the US and abroad and supported Operation Restore Hope, Operation Desert Storm, and Operation Enduring Freedom. She is also a lifetime member of the Reserve Officers Association and a board member for the United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore. In 2019, she was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Maryland. She's also an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy.In this conversation, Kathy and I discuss her career growth over time from mostly clinical and operational work to leading at the executive level. We explore how being intentional about surrounding oneself with a diverse set of voices helps to both build confidence and surface better outcomes. Finally, we look at how working through discomfort in service of others can help us to make the world better through our work.Key PointsThe work of a leader is very different than the operational and technical work most of us did earlier in our careers.Having a smaller meeting before a larger meeting can help a more introverted leader engage in the way they want.We sometimes sell ourselves short by concluding we won’t add value. By leaning into that discomfort, we find it’s often the case that others struggle with similar fears.Shifting from having the right answers to asking the right questions will help a leader to uncover what may have been unsaid that’s critical.Finding communities of other leaders helps you to find the diversity of perspective to support you building your own confidence.Related EpisodesCreate Margin Through Intentional Leadership, with Amy McPherson (episode 429)Personal Leadership is a Journey, with Michal Holliday (episode 436)Lead Best by Being You, with Elena Kornoff (episode 474)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Adi Ignatius: Harvard Business ReviewAdi Ignatius is Editor in Chief of the Harvard Business Review Group, where he oversees the editorial activities of Harvard Business Review, hbr.org, and HBR’s book-publishing unit. Prior to joining Harvard Business Review in 2009, he was the No. 2 editor at TIME. He is the editor of two books: President Obama: The Path to the White House and Prisoner of the State: The Secret Diaries of Premier Zhao Ziyang. Both made The New York Times Bestseller List.Adi lived and worked for nearly 20 years overseas. He was Editor of Time’s Asian edition and earlier served as Beijing Bureau Chief and Moscow Bureau Chief for The Wall Street Journal. He is also host of the HBR Channel. It is the 100th anniversary of Harvard Business Review.Should leaders and organizations take a stand on current events, politics, or causes? Adi and I discuss this tough question in detail. While the answer will be different for every leader, we invite you to begin thinking about how you might approach this in your work.Key PointsThe traditional advice of “Don’t talk about politics and religion” is still the norm in some places, but increasingly leaders and being more vocal.Silence used to be the default. Silence now many send a message that leaders and organizations don't intend to convey.While every leader needs to decide how they will navigate this, beware your feelings of certainty.Resources MentionedHarvard Business ReviewRelated EpisodesStart With Why, with Simon Sinek (episode 223)Handling a Difficult Stakeholder, with Nick Timiraos (episode 581)How to Begin Difficult Conversations About Race, with Kwame Christian (episode 594)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Carol Kauffman: Real-Time LeadershipCarol Kauffman is an international leader in the field of coaching and has more than 40,000 hours of practice. Her clients are C-level leaders and their teams or elite athletes and creatives. She was shortlisted by Thinkers 50 as one of the top eight coaches around the globe for her thought leadership, entrepreneurial spirit, and contribution to coaching best practices. She is a founding member of the Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches and ranked the number one leadership coach in the world. She founded the Institute of Coaching with a $2 million gift from the Harnisch Foundation.Carol is an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, a visiting professor at Henley Business School, and a senior leadership adviser at Egon Zehnder. At Harvard she launched the annual Coaching in Leadership and Healthcare Conference, one of the school's most highly attended events. Her professional development program, Leader as Coach, won Harvard’s inaugural Program Award for Culture of Excellence in Mentoring and has been rolled out throughout the United States. She was also the founding editor-in-chief of Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research, and Practice. Carol is co-author with David Noble of Real-Time Leadership: Find Your Winning Moves When the Stakes are High.In this conversation, Carol and I explore the mindsets and tactics that are helpful when taking on a new, big leadership role. We discuss how vision, resolution, scope, and altitude play a key role in your success early on. Plus, we invite listeners to consider the importance of peer relationships and recognizing how others see you as the role begins.Key PointsHaving the right altitude often means looking much more broadly at the organization and moving past a subconscious bias towards your old role or department.The “subject matter expert trap” is a common one. Your awareness will help you avoid it — or recognize it faster.Good peer relationships are one of the strongest predicators of success in a new role. Make time to build these critical connections.Learning to accept recognition is a key competency for an executive leader. Treat it as you would receiving any kind of gift.Have an enterprise mindset and remember that people perceive you as representing the organization vs. just yourself. Thinking like the entity can help you show up in the way you intend.Resources MentionedReal-Time Leadership: Find Your Winning Moves When the Stakes are High by Carol Kauffman and David NobleInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Manage Former Peers, with Tom Henschel (episode 257)How to Nail a Job Transition, with Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (episode 555)How to Genuinely Show Up for Others, with Marshall Goldsmith (episode 590)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Joe Hart: Take CommandJoe Hart began his career as a practicing attorney. After taking a Dale Carnegie Course, Joe reassessed his career path and future, ultimately leaving the practice of law, going to work for a top real estate company, and then founding an innovative e-learning company and serving as president of health and wellness company. In 2015, Joe was named president and CEO of Dale Carnegie.The CEO Forum Group named Joe as one of twelve transformative leaders, giving him the Transformative CEO Leadership Award in the category of the People. He is the host of a top global podcast, Take Command: A Dale Carnegie Podcast, and he speaks around the world on topics such as leadership, resilience, and innovation. He is the author with Michael Crom of Take Command: Find Your Inner Strength, Build Enduring Relationships, and Live the Life You Want.In this conversation, Joe and I explore how to discover another person’s values through meaningful conversation. We examine three types of questions to ask that gradually illuminate what’s important to another person. By knowing what to ask and what to listen for, we can uncover values without asking a more awkward question like, “What are your values?”Key PointsDale Carnegie invited us to, “Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view.” Use three types of questions to frame a conversation that uncovers another person’s values:Examples of factual questions:How did you first find out about…?What keeps you busy during the week?What do you like to do for fun?What hobby or activity holds your interest?Examples of causative questions:What got you interesting in doing this kind of work?How did you get involved in that hobby?What do you like about…?What caused you to enter into this industry?Examples of values-based questions:Tell me about someone who’s had a major impact on your life.If you had to do it over again, what — if anything — would you do differently?Tell me about a turning point in your career.Tell about about something that you look back on as a high point or moment of pride.How did you get through a major challenge in the past?How would you describe your personal philosophy in a sentence or two?Resources MentionedTake Command: Find Your Inner Strength, Build Enduring Relationships, and Live the Life You Want by Joe Hart and Michael CromRelated EpisodesThree Steps to Great Career Conversations, with Russ Laraway (episode 370)Discover Who You Are, with Hortense le Gentil (episode 459)How to Genuinely Show Up for Others, with Marshall Goldsmith (episode 590)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.
Dolly Chugh: A More Just FutureDolly Chugh is a social psychologist and management professor at the New York University Stern School of Business where she teaches MBA courses in leadership and management. She was one of six professors chosen from thousands at NYU to receive the Distinguished Teaching Award in 2020 and one of five to receive the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Faculty Award in 2013.She has been named an SPSP Fellow, received the Academy of Management Best Paper award, and been named one of the top 100 Most Influential People in Business Ethics by Ethisphere Magazine. Her first book, The Person You Mean to Be has received rave praise from Adam Grant, Angela Duckworth, Liz Wiseman, Billie Jean King, and many others. She is the author of A More Just Future: Psychological Tools for Reckoning with our Past and Driving Social Change.All of us know that we will be challenged by others. Sometimes how we see ourselves limits what we could do to change our behavior. In this conversation, Dolly and I discuss how we can do better and the mindset and actions that will help us move forward.Key PointsThere’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.Nostalgia feels good to many of us, but can get in the way of us seeing the “ands” in situations and experiences.When we are challenged, especially in the context of identity, our tendency is either to deny, distance, or dismantle.Feeling of guilt and shame are indicators that there is an opportunity to change. The goal is not to avoid them, but to use them as a starting point for different behavior.Use values affirmations to give you a booster shot to prepare for the inevitable challenges ahead. These affirmations will help you respond in a more healthy way for everyone.Resources MentionedDear Good People newsletter by Dolly ChughTED talk: How to let go of being a “good” person — and become a better person by Dolly ChughThe Person You Mean to Be by Dolly ChughA More Just Future by Dolly ChughInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesThe Way Managers Can be Champions for Justice, with Minda Harts (episode 552)How to Help People Engage in Growth, with Whitney Johnson (episode 576)How to Solve the Toughest Problems, with Wendy Smith (episode 612)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Today (Friday, February 3rd) is the FINAL DAY to join Coaching for Leaders Plus for the inaugural membership of $100 USD annually. Discover how to use Coaching for Leaders Plus to accelerate your learning, build your confidence, and invest more fully in developing others.
Daphne E. Jones: Win When They Say You Won'tDaphne E. Jones has 30 years of experience in general management and executive level roles at IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Hospira, and General Electric but began her career as a secretary. At GE, she served as Senior Vice President for Future of Work, Senior Vice President & Chief Information Officer for Product Engineering, Imaging, and Ultrasound, and as Senior Executive & Chief Information Officer for Global Services, all of which composed a $13 billion segment of GE Healthcare.She serves on the board of directors for AMN Healthcare, Inc., Barnes Group Inc., and Masonite International Corp. She is the recipient of numerous domestic and international awards and recently started a company that teaches leaders how to prepare to serve on boards. She is the author of Win When They Say You Won't: Break Through Barriers and Keep Leveling Up Your Success.In this conversation, Daphne invites us to look at ourselves through the lens of a product, just as others will view us. We discuss the three critical elements of how stakeholders view you. Plus, Daphne and I explore the steps you can take to improve how you’re perceived through the different lenses that stakeholders see us through.Key PointsStakeholders are crucial for your success and it’s helpful for you to view yourself in their eyes (and yours) as a product.Three elements are key: performance is doing your job well, imagine is how people describe you, and exposure is who knows you.When you get radio silence in the context of happenings inside of your organization, that’s an indicator you are underexposed. Caution: you can also be overexposed.Map your stakeholders in the context of their influence in your work and their interest in how it support their own objectives.Mentors will make suggestions of things you should try. Find the part that will work for you and move on the advice.Resources MentionedWin When They Say You Won't: Break Through Barriers and Keep Leveling Up Your Success by Daphne E. JonesTo receive a free workbook, send receipt of your book purchase to daphne@daphneejones.comInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Deal with Opponents and Adversaries, with Peter Block (episode 328)What You Gain By Sponsoring People, with Julia Taylor Kennedy (episode 398)How to Support Women of Color, with Minda Harts (episode 506)The Art of Mentoring Well, with Robert Lefkowitz (episode 599)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Join Coaching for Leaders Plus to accelerate your learning, build your confidence, and invest more fully in developing others. Activate your membership by Friday, February 3rd to receive the inaugural membership of $100 USD annually.
Jennifer Garvey Berger: Unleashing Your Complexity GeniusJennifer believes that leadership is one of the most vital renewable resources in the world. She designs and teaches leadership programs, coaches senior teams, and supports new ways of thinking about strategy and people. In her three highly acclaimed books, Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps, Simple Habits for Complex Times (co-authored with Keith Johnston), and Changing on the Job, she builds on deep theoretical knowledge to offer practical ways to make leaders’ work more meaningful and their lives more fun. She has worked with senior leaders in the private, non-profit, and government sectors around the world with organizations like Novartis, Google, KPMG, Intel, Microsoft, Wikimedia, and the New Zealand Department of Conservation.Jennifer also supports executives one-on-one as a leadership coach. Over the last decade, she has developed the Growth Edge Coaching approach. She supports clients to find their current growing edge and then make choices about how they want to develop. She teaches coaches around the world transformational and developmental coaching approaches in her Growth Edge Coaching certification series. Jennifer speaks at leadership and coaching conferences, and she offers courses for coaches at universities all over the world. She is the co-author with Carolyn Coughlin of Unleash Your Complexity Genius: Growing Your Inner Capacity to Lead.In this conversation, Jennifer and I discuss the reality that most of us don’t like uncertainty. That makes experimenting with new ideas and actions in complex environments very challenging. We uncover a several practices that can help us benefit from experimentation in the midst of complexity and how to grow from these experiences.Key PointsComplicated situations are hard, but have a clear answer (such as how to send humans to the moon). In contract, complex situations are dynamic; yesterday’s answer may not work tomorrow.Most of us really dislike complexity, to the extent that that people with terminal diseases are happier than those who will likely recover.Step-by-step approaches don’t work in very complex situations. Instead, take action through thoughtful experimentation.When experimenting, release your attachment to outcomes.Lean into humility and don’t shy away from endings. Putting end dates on experiments helps us move forward — and sometimes remove what isn’t working.Resources MentionedUnleash Your Complexity Genius: Growing Your Inner Capacity to Lead by Jennifer Garvey Berger and Carolyn CoughlinInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesEssentials of Adult Development, with Mindy Danna (episode 273)How to Pivot Quickly, with Steve Blank (episode 476)Help Your Brain Learn, with Lisa Feldman Barrett (episode 513)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Wendy Smith: Both/And ThinkingWendy Smith is the Dana J. Johnson Professor of Management and faculty director of the Women’s Leadership Initiative at the Lerner College of Business and Economics, University of Delaware. She earned her PhD in organizational behavior at Harvard Business School, where she began her intensive research on strategic paradoxes—how leaders and senior teams effectively respond to contradictory, yet interdependent demands. She has received the Web of Science Highly Cited Research Award for being among the 1 percent most-cited researchers in her field and received the Decade Award from the Academy of Management Review for the most cited paper in the past 10 years.Her work has been published in such journals as Academy of Management Journal, Administrative Science Quarterly, Harvard Business Review, Organization Science, and Management Science. She has taught at the University of Delaware, Harvard, and Wharton while helping senior leaders and middle managers all over the world address issues of interpersonal dynamics, team performance, organizational change, and innovation. She is the author with Marianne Lewis of Both/And Thinking: Embracing Creating Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems.In this episode, Wendy and I discuss the dangers of either/or thinking and how that tendency limits our effectiveness. We explore how to shift to both/and thinking in order to resolve the most challenging problems. Plus, we share key tactics that will help us do this in more practical ways.Key PointsFraming a decision as an either/or will often minimize short-term anxiety, but limits creative and innovative long-term possibilities.While easy to see both/and opportunities for others, we’re likely to approach things as either/or when it’s ourselves. An outside perspective from someone who’s not emotionally connected is helpful.Changing the question we are asking is the most powerful to navigate paradoxes.Moving up a level when facing tough decisions can help us see the big picture.Consider shifting from “making a choice” to “choosing” in order to lead us towards better outcomes.Resources MentionedBoth/And Thinking: Embracing Creating Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems* by Wendy Smith and Marianne LewisInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Ask Better Questions, with David Marquet (episode 454)How to Win the Long Game When the Short-Term Seems Bleak, with Dorie Clark (episode 550)The Leadership Struggles We See, with Muriel Wilkins (episode 559)How to Quit Bad Stuff Faster, with Annie Duke (episode 607)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Jorge AlzateJorge Alzate is a senior R&D manager at PepsiCo, he's active as a leader in Toastmasters for 12 years, and alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy. In this conversation, Jorge and I discuss what brought him to the podcast, how he utilized the Academy to help his career move forward, and the critical nature of courage for leadership growth.Key PointsOne action a day (the blue marbles for Jorge) is the way to create a new habit that can develops into a skill.Accountability is key to move us forward, even if it does not feel comfortable in the moment.Courage is the ability to act in spite of fear — and almost always necessary before confidence.Resources MentionedFeel the Fear..and Do It Anyway by Susan JeffersWinning Conditions: How to Achieve the Professional Success You Deserve by Managing the Details That Matter by Christine HofbeckRelated EpisodesLeadership Through Consistency, with Joseph Getuno (episode 490)How to Build Confidence, with Katy Milkman (episode 533)How to Protect Your Confidence, with Nate Zinsser (episode 573)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Patrick Lencioni: The 6 Types of Working GeniusPatrick Lencioni is founder and president of The Table Group, a firm dedicated to protecting human dignity in the world of work, personal development, and faith. Pat’s passion for organizations and teams is reflected in his writing, speaking, executive consulting, and most recently his three podcasts, At the Table with Patrick Lencioni, The Working Genius Podcast, and The Simple Reminder.Pat is the author of twelve best-selling books with over seven million copies sold. After twenty years in print, his classic book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team remains a weekly fixture on national best-seller lists. He has been featured in numerous publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, USA Today, Inc. magazine, and Chief Executive magazine. He is the author of The 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team.Many of us have heard the invitation from Jim Collin’s book Good to Great to get the right people on the bus. But once the right people are on the bus, how to do you find the right seat for each person? On this episode, Pat and I discuss how to utilize the Working Genius model to find the right work for the right team members.Key PointsWhen addressing burnout, the type of work someone does is more significant than the volume of work.Three stages of work are present for almost every team: ideation, activation, and implementation.A cup of coffee in an excellent thermos can stay hot an entire day — that’s true of us when we’re aligned with our working geniuses.Finding the right work for a team member is far easier than finding the right person culturally. Before you look elsewhere, be sure they are in the right seat.To fill gaps in your team’s geniuses, you can hire, borrow, or find people where competence will suffice for now. Resist the temptation to immediately jump to hiring.Resources MentionedThe 6 Types of Working Genius assessmentThe 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team by Patrick LencioniInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Get the Ideal Team Player, with Patrick Lencioni (episode 301)How to Lead an Offsite, with Tom Henschel (episode 377)The Mindset Leaders Need to Address Burnout, with Christina Maslach (episode 609)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Dave Stachowiak: Coaching for LeadersThe podcast is taking a few weeks pause over the holidays, with new episodes returning on January 9th.Next Academy Application OpeningThe Coaching for Leaders Academy will open for new applications again in March, 2023. To receive an invitation when applications are available, visit the Academy page.Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Ram Charan: Leading Through InflationRam Charan is a bestselling author, teacher, and world-renowned advisor to CEOs and other business leaders of some of the world’s best-known companies. His work is often behind the scenes and focused on highly sensitive and fate-making issues. Fortune magazine published a profile of Ram in which it called him “the most influential consultant alive.” His book Execution, lauded for its practicality, spent more than 150 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.Ram’s energetic, interactive teaching style has won him several awards, including from GE’s famous Crotonville Institute and Northwestern. Ram was elected a Distinguished Fellow of the National Academy of Human Resources and was named one of the most influential people in corporate governance and the board room by Directorship magazine. He has served on the Blue Ribbon Commission on Corporate Governance and serves or has served on a dozen boards in the U.S., Brazil, China, India, Canada, and Dubai. He is the author with Geri Willigan of Leading Through Inflation: And Recession And Stagflation.In this conversation, Ram and I explore the changing macroeconomic environment and what leaders can do to address it. We discuss the importance of managing cash well and how pricing decisions can be made effectively. Plus, we discuss the critical natural of partnerships throughout the supply chain — and where the opportunities may be in the midst of challenge.Key PointsInflation consumes cash. Cash management is the number one risk to an organization during this time.The way to get ahead of the curve is to be predictive vs. reactive. This may be a time the existing business model needs to change.Inflation creates an illusion of growth. It’s important to adjust for this in all reporting and planning.Work with all sides of the value chain. Help customers deal with rising costs while also working closely with suppliers. Regular communication is essential.Smaller, regular price adjustments are better than less frequent, larger increases. Resist the temptation to offer less for the same price.Resources MentionedLeading Through Inflation: And Recession And Stagflation* by Ram Charan and Geri Willigan.Interview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesImprove Your Financial Intelligence, with Joe Knight (episode 244)How to Approach Corporate Budgeting, with Jody Wodrich (episode 355)How to Multiply Your Impact, with Liz Wiseman (episode 554)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Christina Maslach: The Burnout ChallengeChristina Maslach is the pioneer of research on job burnout, producing the standard assessment tool called the Maslach Burnout Inventory, award-winning articles, and several books, beginning with Burnout: The Cost of Caring, in 1982. Her research achievements over the past five decades have led to multiple awards from the National Academy of Sciences, Western Psychological Association, Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and many others.Christina has received awards for her outstanding teaching, including USA Professor of the Year in 1997. She has been a Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley since 1971. Christina is now a core researcher at the Healthy Workplaces Center, at Berkeley, and the author along with Michael Leiter of The Burnout Challenge: Managing People's Relationships With Their Jobs.In this conversation, Christina and I address the reality that burnout is often perceived as an issue with just the individual. We explore how leaders can begin to look at the larger picture: context, culture, and management, in order to address burnout more proactively. We discuss key mindsets that will help and a few tactics that almost every leader can use to get started.Key PointsThe canary in the coal mine is an indicator of a problem, not the source of it.Our tendency is to focus on the person (the figure) and to miss all the context and environment factors (the ground).Burnout is first and foremost a management issue. “Fixing” the person should not be the focus — instead, get curious about where there is a mismatch.Instead of focusing on what’s wrong with the person, shift to what may be wrong in the relationship between the person and situation.Ensure you have a plan for communicated survey results. If you’d done surveys previously, share those results and also the actions the organization had taken before engaging in more surveys.Resources MentionedThe Burnout Challenge: Managing People's Relationships With Their Jobs by Christina Maslach and Michael LeiterInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesGallup Findings on the Changing Nature of Work, with Jim Harter (episode 409)How to Reduce Burnout, with Jennifer Moss (episode 561)How to Compare Yourself to Others, with Mollie West Duffy (episode 582)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Annie Duke: QuitAnnie Duke is an author, corporate speaker, and consultant in the decision-making space, as well as Special Partner focused on Decision Science at First Round Capital Partners, a seed stage venture fund. Her previous book, Thinking in Bets, is a national bestseller. As a former professional poker player, she has won more than $4 million in tournament poker. During her career, Annie won a World Series of Poker bracelet and is the only woman to have won the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions and the NBC National Poker Heads-Up Championship. She retired from the game in 2012. Prior to becoming a professional poker player, she was awarded a National Science Foundation Fellowship to study Cognitive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.Annie is the co-founder of The Alliance for Decision Education, a non-profit whose mission is to improve lives by empowering students through decision skills education. She is a member of the National Board of After-School All-Stars and the Board of Directors of the Franklin Institute. She also serves on the board of the Renew Democracy Initiative. Annie is the author of Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away.We’ve all heard the lie that, “Winners never quit and quitters never win.” In reality, one of the best practices to develop is how to recognize more quickly when you should quit something that’s not working. In this conversation, Annie and I discuss how to set kill criteria for yourself and frame goals in more helpful ways to know when quitting is the best answer.Key PointsKenny Rogers was right; professional poker players know that a big part of success is quitting approximately 75% of the time.“Quit while you’re ahead” is often poor advice since we tend to quit too early when good things are happening. On the contrary, we tend to quit too late when we’ve accumulated sunk cost.Determine kill criteria in advance when you’re not as likely to be swayed by the emotions of the moment. The best criteria contain both a state and a date.Find someone who loves you but doesn’t care about your feelings. Trust and permission are essential to open up these kinds of conversations.Effective goals include at least one “unless…”Resources MentionedQuit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away by Annie DukeInterview NotesDownload my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).Related EpisodesHow to Pivot Quickly, with Steve Blank (episode 476)The Way to Make Better Decisions, with Annie Duke (episode 499)How to Build Confidence, with Katy Milkman (episode 533)Discover MoreActivate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Kristin Keffeler: The Myth of the Silver Spoon Kristin Keffeler is a thought leader and consultant at the forefront of a global shift in family wealth advising, known as Wealth 3.0. She guides affluent and enterprising families, the rising generation, and the professionals who support them in embracing the positive power of wealth, aligning their vision with their impact. As the founder of Illumination360, she specializes in human motivation and behavioral change, family dynamics, family governance, rising generation education and development, and intergenerational collaboration.
She is the Dean of Positive Psychology for the Purposeful Planning Institute, sits on the Board of Advisors for the Bailey Program for Family Enterprise at the University of Denver, is a faculty member with the Ultra-High Net Worth Institute, a certified trainer with 21/64, a national nonprofit for advancing multigenerational philanthropy, and is the co-founder of Beneficiary Bootcamp. She is the author of The Myth of the Silver Spoon: Navigating Family Wealth & Creating an Impactful Life*.
In this conversation, Kristin and I discuss a reality that’s true for almost every leader: whether we have wealth ourselves, almost all of us interact with wealthy people. We explore some of the myths of wealth to understand the psychological challenges that wealth often brings. Plus, we learn from what works (and doesn’t) for wealthy families so that we can have better conversations about wealth in our own families.
Key Points
While wealth brings resources, it also brings psychological challenges for many people with wealth.
More money doesn't equal happiness. Small inheritances can increase happiness, but large ones do not.
Many people with wealth find close relationships a bit of a struggle.
While our perception may be that the most wealthy are selfish and greedy, more often individuals (especially next generations) tend to under-identify with family wealth.
Ground decisions in values that align with a vision of thriving.
There’s a huge difference in the next generation having a little bit of ownership in a financial event vs. not having any ownership.
Resources Mentioned
The Myth of the Silver Spoon: Navigating Family Wealth & Creating an Impactful Life* by Kristin Keffeler
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Reduce Drama With Kids, with Tina Payne Bryson (episode 310)
Dumb Things Smart People Do With Money, with Jill Schlesinger (episode 396)
The Way to Build Wealth, with Chris Hogan (episode 502)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Ian Morgan Cron: The Road Back to You Ian Morgan Cron is a bestselling author, speaker, trained psychotherapist, songwriter, and Episcopal priest, but he may be best known for popularizing the Enneagram. The Enneagram is a personality typing system identifying nine types of people and how they relate to one another and the world. His popular Enneagram book, The Road Back to You* gave fresh language and interest in this uncannily accurate tool.
Ian enjoys sharing about the Enneagram with audiences of all sizes because of its power for igniting personal growth, and how it can enrich our personal and professional lives. His newest book The Story of You* helps people go a step further, using Enneagram wisdom to uncover and rewrite our own false narratives so we can live life more fully.
In this conversation, Ian and I look at the core aspects of the Enneagram model and how it can help us understand ourselves better so we can also support others more effectively. We highlight the nine Enneagram types and their key traits and distinctions. Then, we discuss how the first steps leaders might take in order to start raising their own self-awareness.
Key Points
Too often we believe that how we see the world is “normal” instead of recognizing that there are many normal ways to see the world.
Personality is like the rooms of our home. We have a favorite room but we still use all the other rooms when its appropriate.
The 9 Enneagram Types
The Perfectionist – Ethical, dedicated and reliable, they are motivated by a desire to live the right way, improve the world, and avoid fault and blame.
The Helper – Warm, caring and giving, they are motivated by a need to be loved and needed, and to avoid acknowledging their own needs.
The Performer (or Achiever) – Success-oriented, image-conscious and wired for productivity, they are motivated by a need to be (or appear to be) successful and to avoid failure.
The Romantic (or Individualist) – Creative, sensitive and moody, they are motivated by a need to be understood, experience their oversized feelings and avoid being ordinary.
The Investigator – Analytical, detached and private, they are motivated by a need to gain knowledge, conserve energy and avoid relying on others.
The Loyalist – Committed, practical and witty, they are worst-case-scenario thinkers who are motivated by fear and the need for security.
The Enthusiast – Fun, spontaneous and adventurous, they are motivated by a need to be happy, to plan stimulating experiences and to avoid pain.
The Challenger – Commanding, intense and confrontational, they are motivated by a need to be strong and avoid feeling weak or vulnerable.
The Peacemaker – Pleasant, laid back and accommodating, they are motivated by a need to keep the peace, merge with others and avoid conflict.
Resources Mentioned
The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery* by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile
The Story of You: An Enneagram Journey to Becoming Your True Self* by Ian Morgan Cron
Take the Integrative Enneagram iEQ9
Typology Institute Enneagram courses
Related Episodes
Enhance Your Self-Awareness, with Daniel Goleman (episode 353)
The Way to Be More Self-Aware, with Tasha Eurich (episode 442)
Discover Who You Are, with Hortense le Gentil (episode 459)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Gustavo Razzetti: Remote Not Distant Gustavo Razzetti is the CEO and founder of Fearless Culture, a culture design consultancy that helps teams do the best work of their lives. For more than 20 years, he has helped leaders from Fortune 500s, startups, nonprofits, and everything in between. He is also the creator of the Culture Design Canvas, a framework used by thousands of teams and organizations across the world to map, assess, and design their culture.
In addition to his consulting work, Gustavo regularly speaks with leaders and teams about culture change, teamwork, and hybrid workplaces. He is the author of four books on culture change. His most recent book is Remote Not Distant: Design a Company Culture That Will Help You Thrive in a Hybrid Workplace*.
In this conversation, Gustavo and I explore the critical nature of trust for building belonging on hybrid and remote teams. We examine the principles of psychological safety and how this matters just as much in digital collaboration. Perhaps most importantly, we look at several tactics to open up trust that will help us pave the ways towards team belonging.
Key Points
Hybrid work environments have the potential to be the best of both words, but in some places it is now worse.
Trust is between individuals. Psychological safety is about how safe we feel with a team.
It’s helpful to think of building psychological safety like climbing a ladder. Ironically, the higher you go on the ladder, the safer you feel taking risks.
Welcoming questions such as “What's your superpower?” and “What's your kryptonite?” can be useful starting points for building trust.
Metaphors are often a powerful way to entire into more complex, emotional discussion without feeling unsafe.
Resources Mentioned
Remote Not Distant: Design a Company Culture That Will Help You Thrive in a Hybrid Workplace* by Gustavo Razzetti
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Create Team Guidelines, with Susan Gerke (episode 192)
How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)
How to Engage Remote Teams, with Tsedal Neeley (episode 537)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lynn Perry Wooten: The Prepared Leader Lynn Perry Wooten is a seasoned academic and an expert on organizational development and transformation. She became the ninth president of Simmons University on July 1, 2020 and is the first African American to lead the university. Her research specializes in crisis leadership, diversity and inclusion, and positive leadership—organizational behavior that reveals and nurtures the highest level of human potential.
Lynn has also had a robust clinical practice, providing leadership development, education, and training for a wide variety of companies and institutions, from the Kellogg Foundation to Harvard University’s Kennedy School, and to Google. She is the coauthor of Arrive and Thrive: 7 Impactful Practices for Women Navigating Leadership and the coeditor of Positive Organizing in a Global Society: Understanding and Engaging Differences for Capacity Building and Inclusion. She is also the author with Erika James of The Prepared Leader: Emerge from Any Crisis More Resilient Than Before*.
In this conversation, Lynn and I discuss why crises are not isolated events, even through they are often treated that way. We explore the critical nature of trust and how to build it quickly in crisis. We then detail three key areas of trust that will help leaders begin to help a team shift towards better outcomes.
Key Points
Crises are not single events. They happen again and again, necessitating leaders preparation for them.
In normal times, trust is key. In a time of crisis, it’s essential.
Regular communication is essential in a crisis. Avoid the tendency to downplay risks. In fact, it’s useful to paint a picture of the worst case scenario.
Leaders need to determine is there is a strong sense of a contractual obligation between them and their teams.
It’s critical for leaders to assess the competence of their team to be able to respond to the crisis at hand.
Frequent, high performance meetings are essential during a time of crisis.
Resources Mentioned
The Prepared Leader: Emerge from Any Crisis More Resilient Than Before* by Lynn Perry Wooten and Erika James
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Lead in Crisis, with Carol Taylor (episode 55)
How to be Diplomatic, with Susan Rice (episode 456)
The Way Out of Major Conflict, with Amanda Ripley (episode 529)
The Starting Point for Inclusive Leadership, with Susan MacKenty Brady (episode 584)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Gemma Aguilar: Design Like Whoa Gemma Aguilar is the CEO of Design Like Whoa. Her firm helps brands like Sephora, Meta, the Golden State Warriors, and Spotify amplify their brand and strengthen their culture through sustainably focused apparel, accessories, and gifts. Her team serves clients by curating meaningful, high-quality products through partnership with local, minority-owned, sustainable, and mission-driven businesses. She's also an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy.
In this episode, Gemma and I discuss the transition she made of doing it all herself early on in the business to now empowering a large team. We detail how she made this change tactically through calendar blocking, regular delegation, and intentional outcomes. Plus, we explore how asking for help is a critical muscle for all leaders to develop.
Key Points
Gemma didn’t see the growth potential in her traditional role, so she started her own, sustainable business.
Being able to do lots of things well can be a trap for leaders. Shifting to delegate effectively is key.
Getting clear on how time is used through planning and calendar blocking is essential.
The responsibility of leadership changes over time. It’s key to be able to learn and adapt as the organization demands a different skillset.
Asking for help is a critical competency for leaders. Getting better at this opens tons of doors.
Resources Mentioned
Design Like Whoa
hello@designlikewhoa.com
Related Episodes
These Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237)
Five Steps to Hold People Accountable, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 306)
The Way to Capture the Power of Moments, with Chip Heath (episode 329)
Align Your Calendar to What Matters, with Nir Eyal (episode 431)
How to Define a Role, with Pat Griffin (episode 517)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Jon Clifton: Blind Spot Jon Clifton is the CEO of Gallup. His mission is to help 7 billion citizens be heard on their most pressing work and life issues through the Gallup World Poll, a 100-year initiative spanning over 150 countries. He is a nonresident senior fellow at Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion and serves on the boards of directors for Gallup and Young Professionals in Foreign Policy.
Jon has been interviewed on BBC News, Axios, C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal,” and Al-Jazeera, and he has testified in front of the U.S. Congress on the state of American small business and entrepreneurship. He is a frequent contributor on Gallup.com and has written for The Hill, The Diplomatic Courier, and The Global Action Report. He is the author of Blind Spot: The Global Rise of Unhappiness and How Leaders Missed It.
In this conversation, Jon and I discuss why many objective numbers like GDP appear positive and yet don’t correlate to wellbeing and happiness. We examine how to think about more subjective measures and ways for leaders and organization to gain insight. Plus, we dialogue about what managers can do to help make genuine connections in the workplace.
Key Points
While objective trends worldwide such as GDP and the Human Development Index have been positive for decades, people are angrier, sadder, and more worried than ever.
There’s a key distinction between how someone sees their life and how someone lives their life.
Money does not buy happiness, but it is hard to be happy without it.
Frequent conversations, listening, and framing work around strengths are key actions managers can take to address unhappiness with employees.
Examples of questions/survey topics to ask of customers to gain insight into emotional attachment:
Company always delivers on what they promise.
I feel proud to be a Company customer.
Company is the perfect company for people like me.
Examples of questions/survey topics to ask of suppliers to to gain insight into emotional attachment:
Company always treats me with respect.
Company is easy to do business with.
Company always does what they say they will do.
Resources Mentioned
Blind Spot: The Global Rise of Unhappiness and How Leaders Missed It* by Jon Clifton
CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) assessment
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
These Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237)
How Teams Use StrengthsFinder Results, with Lisa Cummings (episode 293)
How to Help People Thrive, with Jim Harter (episode 532)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Scott Anthony Barlow: Happen to Your Career Scott Anthony Barlow wants you to find work you love. He is CEO of Happen To Your Career and host of the Happen to Your Career podcast, which has been listened to over 3 million times across 159 countries and is the largest career change podcast in the world.
As a former HR leader, Scott has interviewed over two thousand people for jobs and completely rejects the way most organizations choose to do work. He’s a nerd for self development, human behavior, and ice hockey. He's the author of the book Happen to Your Career: An Unconventional Approach to Career Change and Meaningful Work*.
In this conversation, Scott and I discuss the assumptions that many of us bring to finding career happiness — and where those assumptions might lead us astray. We also explore in detail the process that Scott and his team use with clients: career experimenting. In addition, Scott and I share how we’ve used experimenting in our own careers to align with meaning.
Key Points
People assume that you start with clarity. In actuality, you start with declaring priorities, which is what eventually creates clarity.
Taking vacation or an extended break from work is important for many reasons, but it’s not often the activity that creates clarity.
Movement and experimenting is the way you move from declaring your priorities to creating clarity.
Use career experiments as a way to begin surfacing interests and relationships that will help you to find clarity.
Leaders should open the door to career experimentation to support employees in developing themselves inside the organization — or potentially moving onto other opportunities.
Resources Mentioned
Happen to Your Career: An Unconventional Approach to Career Change and Meaningful Work* by Scott Anthony Barlow
Finding the Career That Fits You (Scott’s FREE 8-Day Video Course)
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Actually Move Numbers, with Chris McChesney (episode 294)
Three Steps to Great Career Conversations, with Russ Laraway (episode 370)
Ten Years of Leadership, with Dave Stachowiak (episode 541)
How to Reduce Burnout, with Jennifer Moss (episode 561)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Robert Lefkowitz: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Stockholm Robert Lefkowitz is James B. Duke Professor of Medicine and Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry at the Duke University Medical Center. His group spent 15 difficult years developing techniques for labeling the receptors with radioactive drugs and then purifying the four different receptors that were known and thought to exist for adrenaline. In 1986 Bob and his team transformed the understanding of what had become known as G protein coupled receptors, when he and his colleagues cloned the gene for the beta2-adrenergic receptor.
Today, more than half of all prescription drug sales are of drugs that target either directly or indirectly the receptors discovered by Bob and his trainees. These include amongst many others beta blockers, angiotensin receptor blockers or ARBs and antihistamines. He has received numerous honors and awards, including the National Medal of Science, the Shaw Prize, the Albany Prize, and the 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is the author with Randy Hall of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Stockholm: The Adrenaline Fueled Adventures of an Accidental Scientist.
In this conversation, Bob and I explore the important nature of mentoring in his success — and how he has in turn utilized mentoring to support so many colleagues and students. We discuss the importance of building careers around problems versus techniques and other key principles that effective mentors adopt. Plus, we explore the key of ownership of work and using fun as an indicator to follow.
Key Points
Success is rarely accidental. Most people with extraordinary accomplishments had outstanding mentors along the way.
Teach people to build their careers around problems, not techniques.
The crucial job of a mentor is to keep things in focus for the person you are mentoring — both in their current work and their careers.
People achieve the most motivation when they have ownership over their work.
A key measure of striking the right guidance between ownership and guidance is whether or not everybody is having fun.
Resources Mentioned
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Stockholm: The Adrenaline Fueled Adventures of an Accidental Scientist* by Robert Lefkowitz
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
What You Gain By Sponsoring People, with Julia Taylor Kennedy (episode 398)
How to Know What You Don’t Know, with Art Markman (episode 437)
How to Lead and Retain High Performers, with Ruth Gotian (episode 567)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Oscar Trimboli: How to Listen Oscar Trimboli is an author, host of the Apple award-winning podcast Deep Listening and a sought-after keynote speaker. He is passionate about using the gift of listening to bring positive change in homes, workplaces, and cultures around the world. Through his work with chairs, boards of directors, and executive teams, Oscar has experienced firsthand the transformational impact leaders and organizations can have when they listen beyond the words.
Oscar is a marketing and technology industry veteran with over 30 years’ experience across general management, sales, marketing, and operations for Microsoft, PeopleSoft, Polycom, Professional Advantage, and Vodafone. He is the author of the book, Deep Listening and now, his newest book, How to Listen: Discover the Hidden Key to Better Communication*.
In this conversation, Oscar and I explore several of the assumptions that tend to get in our way of listening well. Oscar highlights several distinctions that will be useful mindsets for you in showing up better in future conversations. Plus, we discuss how listing goes far beyond simply asking questions.
Key Points
Before we begin listening, it is helpful to tune…much like as orchestra.
We can’t always give our full attention, but we can make the choice as to whether we are paying attention or giving attention.
As much as we intend otherwise, sometimes we listen less well in our closest relationships.
Aim to be curious instead of drawing conclusions.
Asking questions does not necessarily mean you are listening well. Aimless and arbitrary questions are everywhere.
Resources Mentioned
How to Listen: Discover the Hidden Key to Better Communication* by Oscar Trimboli
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
The Way to Be More Coach-Like, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 458)
Four Habits That Derail Listening, with Oscar Trimboli (episode 500)
How to Genuinely Show Up for Others, with Marshall Goldsmith (episode 590)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Megan Reitz: Speak Up Megan Reitz is Professor of Leadership and Dialogue at Hult International Business School where she speaks, researches, consults and supervises on the intersection of leadership, change, dialogue and mindfulness. She is on the Thinkers50 ranking of global business thinkers and is ranked in HR Magazine’s Most Influential Thinkers listing. She has written Dialogue in Organizations and Mind Time.
She is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review and her research has recently featured in Forbes, on the BBC, in TEDx talks, and in numerous academic and practice-based journals. Her latest research on employee activism was nominated for the Thinkers50 Breakthrough Idea Award. Her most recent book with John Higgins is titled Speak Up: Say What Needs to Be Said and Hear What Needs to Be Heard*.
Many leaders consider what they need to do in order to speak truth to others, but rarely focus on how to make it easier for people to speak to them. In this conversation, Megan and I explore what leaders can do in order to hear what needs to be heard. We share several tactics that will make it easier for others to surface what you need to hear.
Key Points
Speaking up and listening up go hand in hand. Power always affects what gets said and what gets heard.
A key checkpoint is whether or not you really value the opinion of others.
Where you have conversations can make a massive difference on how comfortable the other party is in surfacing an important message for you to hear.
Leaders who have margin in their daily schedules create space for the right moment to hear truth.
Proactively invite challenge and debate through specific invitations. One example: “What do you know that I need to know, but will never be told?”
Resources Mentioned
Speak Up: Say What Needs to Be Said and Hear What Needs to Be Heard* by Megan Reitz and John Higgins
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Ask Better Questions, with David Marquet (episode 454)
How to Speak Up, with Connson Locke (episode 546)
How to Use Power Responsibly, with Vanessa Bohns (episode 551)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Bill George: True North Bill George is executive fellow at Harvard Business School, where he has taught leadership since 2004. He is the author of four best-selling books: Authentic Leadership, True North, Discover Your True North, and 7 Lessons for Leading in Crisis.
He was chair and CEO of Medtronic, the world’s leading medical technology company. Under his leadership, Medtronic’s market capitalization grew from $1.1 billion to $60 billion, averaging 35 percent a year. Bill has served as a director of Goldman Sachs, ExxonMobil, Novartis, Target, the Mayo Clinic, and World Economic Forum USA. He has been named one of the Top 25 Business Leaders of the Past 25 Years by PBS, Executive of the Year by Academy of Management, and Director of the Year by National Association of Corporate Directors. He is the author with Zach Clayton of True North: Leading Authentically in Today's Workplace, Emerging Leader Edition*.
We’ve all seen leadership go badly and most of us struggle with tendencies to get pulled off course. In this conversation, Bill and I explore the five most common archetypes that tend to derail leaders and the antidote that prevents them. We also discuss how we can recognize these tendencies in ourselves so that we can do better for others.
Key Points Five archetypes of leadership derailment:
Imposters: political animals who figure out who their competitors and then eliminate them.
Rationalizers: masters of denial who don’t take responsibility themselves.
Glory seekers: motivated by the acclaim of the world.
Loners: they believe they can make it on their own and reject feedback.
Shooting stars: they build shallow foundations and move on quickly to the next things, often avoiding commitment.
Antidotes to leadership derailment:
Write down the most difficult ethical dilemma you are currently facing and chronicle the “least generous” interpretation of your actions.
Project forward a decade and assume the worst: you have derailed in a major failure. Envision the situation in which you could lose your way.
Resources Mentioned
True North: Leading Authentically in Today's Workplace, Emerging Leader Edition* by Bill George and Zach Clayton
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
Discover Your True North, with Bill George (episode 225)
Leadership Lies We Tell Ourselves, with Emily Leathers (episode 479)
How to Help Your Manager Shine, with David Gergen (episode 588)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Amy Gallo: Getting Along Amy Gallo is an expert in conflict, communication, and workplace dynamics. She combines the latest management research with practical advice to deliver evidence-based ideas on how to improve relationships and excel at work. In her role as a contributing editor at Harvard Business Review, Amy writes about interpersonal dynamics, communicating ideas, leading and influencing people, and building your career.
Amy is co-host of HBR's Women at Work podcast and author of both the HBR Guide to Dealing with Conflict and Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People)*.
In this conversation, Amy and I discuss one of the most common question she receives from leaders: how do I handle a colleague who’s passive aggressive? We examine what causes this behavior, how to respond to it, and what to avoid that could worsen the relationship. Plus, we discuss the intention that leaders can bring in responding to passive-aggressive behavior that will help everybody move forward.
Key Points
Don’t use the “passive-aggressive behavior” to label someone. It rarely helps and often results in more defensiveness.
Focus on the other person’s underlying concern or question rather than how they are expressing it. Not everyone is able to discuss thoughts and feelings openly.
Consider doing hypothesis testing to determine what’s next. Language like, “Here’s the story I’m telling myself…” can help everyone move forward without assigning blame.
When making a direct request, stick to the facts. Review past behavior like you’re a referee vs. a fan.
Artificial harmony is a danger spot for teams and leaders. Setting norms can help to reduce passive-aggressive behavior.
Resources Mentioned
Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People)* by Amy Gallo
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
The Way to Have Conversations That Matter, with Celeste Headlee (episode 344)
Four Habits That Derail Listening, with Oscar Trimboli (episode 500)
How to Prepare for Conflict, with Amy Gallo (episode 530)
The Way to Get People Talking, with Andrew Warner (episode 560)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Kwame Christian: How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race Kwame Christian is a best-selling author, lawyer, professor, and the Managing Director of the American Negotiation Institute. He has conducted countless specialized trainings worldwide and is a highly sought after keynote speaker. His best-selling book, Finding Confidence in Conflict has helped countless individuals overcome the fear, anxiety, and emotion associated with difficult conversations. The book was inspired by Kwame’s TED Talk with the same name that has over 250,000 views. He’s also host of the Negotiate Anything Podcast, the most popular negotiation podcast in the world.
Kwame was the recipient of the John Glenn College of Public Affairs Young Alumni Achievement Award in 2020 and the Moritz College of Law Outstanding Recent Alumnus Award 2021. Additionally, Kwame is a business lawyer at Carlile, Patchen & Murphy LLP and serves a professor for The Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law in its top-ranked dispute resolution program and Otterbein University’s MBA program. He is also a Contributor for Forbes and his LinkedIn Learning course, How to Be Both Likable And Assertive, was the most popular course on the platform in July of 2021. He is the author of How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race: Practical Tools for Necessary Change in the Workplace and Beyond*.
In this conversation, Kwame and I discuss how to begin a difficult conversation about race. We explore the key questions that each of us should ask ourselves so that we can determine in advance what we want to gain from a tough conversation. Finally, we look at the three critical things to say in the first 30 seconds that will help you start an important conversation that helps everybody move forward.
Key Points
It's hard for someone else to appreciate how much of a person's identity affects every other area of their lives until you've lived it.
People explain away racism because they don’t like it and don’t want it to be true.
Whether you think a conversation is about race or not, if it’s about race for the other person then you’re having a conversation about race.
There questions to ask yourself before a conversation:
What do I hope to accomplish in this conversation?
Given what I know about them and the situation, what is likely to be their goal?
What are three questions I can ask them that will help me to understand their position?
Use situation, impact, and invitation as the starting point for a difficult conversation. Usually this is less than 30 seconds.
“Naked facts” reduce the likelihood that someone will dispute the premise of what you are addressing.
Resources Mentioned
How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race: Practical Tools for Necessary Change in the Workplace and Beyond* by Kwame Christian
Negotiate Anything podcast
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
The Way Into Difficult Conversations, with Kwame Christian (episode 497)
How to Reduce Bias in Feedback, with Therese Huston (episode 510)
The Way Managers Can be Champions for Justice, with Minda Harts (episode 552)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 4: How to Respond to Obstacles How you respond when an employee hits obstacles will have huge implications for their growth. Several key questions will help you both move forward.
Key Points
Use the “see one, do one, teach one” framework when teaching a skill for the first time.
Questions like, “What do you think is the next step?” or “How can I help?” or “What do you want from me?” can help the employee move forward while still helping them keep ownership for the results.
Effective Delegation of Authority by Hassan Osman is a concise, useful read for even more support on delegation.
Academy Applications Close Friday, September 9th The Academy is an intimate cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to accelerate their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, September 9th.
Related Episodes
The Way to Stop Rescuing People From Their Problems, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 284)
Five Steps to Hold People Accountable, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 306)
Effective Delegation of Authority, with Hassan Osman (episode 413)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 3: The Delegation Dialogue Good delegation is an ongoing dialogue. Once you’ve defined what done looks like, they draft a plan, review it with you, and you both establish milestones.
Key Points
Once you’ve defined what done looks like, ask the employee to draft a plan for how they will meet the objectives.
When reviewing an employee’s plan, resist the temptation to coach them on minor issues that aren’t likely to affect the overall outcome.
Establish milestones upfront with an employee to prevent micromanagement. Decide together what the cadence of checkins should look like.
Academy Applications Close Friday, September 9th The Academy is an intimate cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to accelerate their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, September 9th.
Related Episodes
Effective Delegation of Authority, with Hassan Osman (episode 413)
The Way to Be More Coach-Like, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 458)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 2: Defining Done Before you ever start a delegation conversation with an employee, it’s essential to define what done looks like. Use time, cost, and quality to frame success.
Key Points
Defining done starts with the manager, before any conversation with an employee.
Healthy discussion, negotiation, and innovation comes after you define what done looks like.
Clarity on time, cost, and quality are essential when determining what done looks like.
Academy Applications Close Friday, September 9th The Academy is an intimate cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to accelerate their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, September 9th.
Related Episodes
Effective Delegation of Authority, with Hassan Osman (episode 413)
How to Define a Role, with Pat Griffin (episode 517)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 1: The Key Realities of Effective Delegation Delegation brings many benefits to others and you. Once you’re ready to begin delegating better, knowing these realities will help accelerate your results.
Key Points
Delegation is one of the best and most immediate ways to develop others.
When you start delegating more, things almost always get worse before they get better.
You’ll need to make peace with accepting some “B” work if you’re used to only getting “A+” work from others and yourself.
Academy Applications Close Friday, September 9th The Academy is an intimate cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to accelerate their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, September 9th.
Related Episodes
How to Succeed with Leadership and Management, with John Kotter (episode 249)
Effective Delegation of Authority, with Hassan Osman (episode 413)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
David Hutchens: Story Dash David Hutchens helps leaders find and tell their stories. He works with leaders around the world to find, craft, and tell their most urgent stories for the purpose of creating shared meaning, preserving culture, disseminating learning, and speeding change in organizations.
He has taught the Storytelling Leader program at some of the most influential organizations — and he’s written many books, including the Circle of the 9 Muses and The Leadership Story Deck. He is the co-creator with longtime friend of the show Susan Gerke of the GO Team program. He's also the author of the new book, Story Dash: Find, Develop, and Activate Your Most Valuable Business Stories…In Just a Few Hours.
In this conversation, David and I discuss how to find stories that you can use in your organization. We reflect on the reality that we both hear many leaders say to us: “How do I find the right stories?” David then shares the key principles and steps that every leader can take to surface and curate the best stories.
Key Points
The “Us At Our Best” taxonomy is what it looks like when are are delivering with energy and excellence. A recent Southwest Airlines story is an example of this.
Find the area the area of your work where you need to influence the emotional system.
Trust stories about small moments. Don’t attempt to create an epic drama of huge importance. The best stories are individual incidents that send a bigger message.
Formal story mining can be done alone or as team building. Institutionalizing practices like story sharing can help this happen regularly and naturally.
When informally collecting stories, listen for time, place, and person as signals that a story is beginning.
Resources Mentioned
Download a free set of Story Deck cards or…
Reach out to David directly at david@davidhutchens.com for more free resources
Purchase the full set of Leadership Story Deck by David Hutchens
Related Episodes
How to Create an Unstoppable Culture, with Ginger Hardage (episode 350)
Three Stories to Tell During Uncertainty, with David Hutchens (episode 486)
The Way to Earn Attention, with Raja Rajamannar (episode 521)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Ari Weinzweig: A Lapsed Anarchist’s Approach to The Power of Beliefs in Business In 1982, Ari, along with his partner Paul Saginaw, founded Zingerman’s Delicatessen with a $20,000 bank loan, a Russian History degree from the University of Michigan, 4 years of experience washing dishes, cooking, and managing in restaurant kitchens and chutzpah from his hometown of Chicago. Today, Zingerman’s Delicatessen is a nationally renowned food icon and the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses has grown to 10 businesses with over 750 employees and over $55 million in annual revenue.
Besides being the Co-Founding Partner and being actively engaged in some aspect of the day-to-day operations and governance of nearly every business in the Zingerman’s Community, Ari is also a prolific writer. His most recent publications are the first 4 of his 6 book series Zingerman’s Guide to Good Leading, including A Lapsed Anarchist’s Approach to The Power of Beliefs in Business.
In this conversation, Ari and I explore how the power of our beliefs show up in virtually every one of our daily actions. We examine how to begin looking at what isn’t working and how to start examining our beliefs. When those beliefs aren’t working, Ari shares several, critical steps we can take to begin to change our thinking.
Key Points
Our beliefs, many of which we may not be consciously aware of, are often calling the shots in our daily actions and behaviors.
Start examining a belief by picking a current problem to address.
Listen carefully to your internal voices to identify the language showing up. Notice places especially where you frame things as facts, certitudes, thoughts, theories, norms, shoulds, and should nots.
Examine how you came to the beliefs that you uncover. Then, confront your cannons.
Change now, find facts later. Most people do that the opposite way.
Resources Mentioned
A Lapsed Anarchist's Approach to the Power of Beliefs in Business by Ari Weinzweig
Humility: A Humble, Anarchistic Inquiry by Ari Weinzweig
Schein On, You Crazy Diamond by Ari Weinzweig
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
The Path of Humble Leadership, with Edgar Schein and Peter Schein (episode 363)
How to Help People Engage in Growth, with Whitney Johnson (episode 576)
Help People Show Up as Themselves, with Frederic Laloux (episode 580)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Ruth Gotian: The Success Factor Ruth Gotian has been hailed by the journal Nature and Columbia University as an expert in mentorship and leadership development. Recently, she was named as the #1 emerging management thinker in the world by Thinkers50. She was a semi-finalist for the Forbes 50 Over 50 list and has coached and mentored hundreds of people throughout her career.
In addition to being published in academic journals, she is a contributor to Forbes and Psychology Today, where she writes about optimizing success. She is the Chief Learning Officer in Anesthesiology and former Assistant Dean of Mentoring and Executive Director of the Mentoring Academy at Weill Cornell Medicine, where she is a faculty member. She is the author of The Success Factor: Developing the Mindset and Skillset for Peak Business Performance*.
In this conversation, Ruth and I explore her research on how high achieves build their networks — and also what works for us both in our personal practices. We discuss several tactics that most leaders can use to strengthen existing networks. Plus, we examine the mindsets that tend to lead to success in professional relationships, in spite of busy schedules.
Key Points
High achievers are always seeking perspective, insight, and inspiration from people in many different career stages and disciplines.
Use the 24/7/30 rule when making new connections. Reach out within 24 hours, again in 7 days, and also at 30 days.
Almost always there is a way you can add value to another person, even if they are at the top of professional game. Find that way to help.
When you create content on social media, you emerge as one of the 1% of professionals who choose to do this.
Give without expectation of anything in return.
Resources Mentioned
The Success Factor: Developing the Mindset and Skillset for Peak Business Performance* by Ruth Gotian
How Do You Find a Decent Mentor When You’re Stuck at Home? by Ruth Gotian
Networking for Introverted Scientists by Ruth Gotian
Give and Take* by Adam Grant
Related Episodes
The Power of Weak Connections, with David Burkus (episode 347)
How to Strengthen Your Network, with Marissa King (episode 425)
How to Get Noticed on LinkedIn, with Stephen Hart (episode 495)
How to Lead and Retain High Performers, with Ruth Gotian (episode 567)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Marshall Goldsmith: The Earned Life Marshall Goldsmith is one of the world’s leading executive coaches and the New York Times bestselling author of many books, including What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, Mojo, and Triggers. In his coaching practice, he has advised more than 150 major CEOs and their management teams, including clients like Alan Mulally, Frances Hesselbein, and Hubert Joly. His newest book is The Earned Life: Lose Regret, Choose Fulfillment*.
We’ve all heard about the benefits of empathy and most of us assume that more empathy for the people we lead is always better. In this conversation, Marshall and I look at the different types of empathy and explore the downsides of leaning into empathy too much. Plus, we explore how singular empathy can help busy leaders stay present in the midst of their busy schedules.
Key Points
There are multiple types of empathy — and each of them bring challenges along with their positive attributes.
We often hit the reset button successfully at work, but then neglect it in our personal relationships.
Singular empathy helps us to stay present with people and to move between the multiple spaces and situations that most leaders find themselves in daily.
A key question for us all to ask ourselves: am I being the person I want to be right now?
Resources Mentioned
The Earned Life: Lose Regret, Choose Fulfillment* by Marshall Goldsmith
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
The Way to Stop Rescuing People From Their Problems, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 284)
Getting Better at Empathy, with Daniel Goleman (episode 391)
The Way to Be More Self-Aware, with Tasha Eurich (episode 442)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Ruchika Tulshyan: Inclusion on Purpose Ruchika Tulshyan is the founder of Candour, a global inclusion strategy firm. She is a regular contributor to The New York Times and Harvard Business Review. As a keynote speaker, Ruchika has addressed organizations like NASA, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the United States Congress.
Ruchika is the author of The Diversity Advantage: Fixing Gender Inequality in the Workplace, and most recently, Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work*. She is on the Thinkers50 Radar list and named as one of Hive Learning's Most Influential D&I Professionals for the past two years.
In this conversation, Ruchika and I discuss how leaders can adapt their hiring practices to attract more diverse candidates — and ultimately support inclusion inside their organizations. We discuss the importance of what to both include and avoid in job postings. Plus, we examine how well-intended interview practices can sometimes have unintended results on supporting diversity and inclusion.
Key Points
Make the hiring process transparent from start to finish.
Include an authentic equal opportunity statement.
Refrain from using certain words in job listings. Examples include: rockstar, ninja, hacker, guru, manage, build, aggressive, fearless, independent, analytic, and assertive.
Emphasize skills and experience over professional degrees.
Avoid panel interviews and refrain from asking questions or having conversations about culture fit.
Resources Mentioned
Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work* by Ruchika Tulshyan
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Get the Ideal Team Player, with Patrick Lencioni (episode 301)
How to Be More Inclusive, with Stefanie Johnson (episode 508)
Start Finding Overlooked Talent, with Johnny Taylor, Jr. (episode 544)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
David Gergen: Hearts Touched With Fire David Gergen has served as a White House adviser to four US presidents of both political parties: Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. He then served as the editor of US News & World Report. For the past two decades, he has served as a professor of public service and founding director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School.
David is also a senior political analyst for CNN, where he is a respected voice in national and international affairs. He is the author of Hearts Touched with Fire: How Great Leaders Are Made*.
In this conversation, David and I discuss his years working in the White House for four different presidents. We explore what worked for David to be able to support a powerful person in being the best version of themselves. Plus, we discuss how to speak truth to power, the importance of playing to strengths, and the critical importance of staying aligned with the big picture.
Key Points
Speaking up means you ensure that your manager has considered alternate perspectives.
Be aware of your own shortcomings so you do not bias your own advice.
You made need to help a manager overcome their own challenges. Help them play to their strengths.
Beware of managing up with arrogance. Instead, create zones and pathways that can help a manager make tough calls.
Making a suggestion in a short note can be one way to open up a tough conversation.
Keep the bigger, nobler motive in mind at all times. Advocate for that larger vision.
Resources Mentioned
Hearts Touched with Fire: How Great Leaders Are Made* by David Gergen
The Bin Laden Raid: Inside the Situation Room Photo
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Start Managing Up, with Tom Henschel (episode 433)
Leadership in the Midst of Chaos, with Jim Mattis (episode 440)
How to be Diplomatic, with Susan Rice (episode 456)
Your Leadership Motive, with Patrick Lencioni (episode 505)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Dave Stachowiak: Coaching for Leaders The podcast is taking a few weeks pause here in July, with new episodes returning on August 1st. In the meantime, here’s a few past episodes I’d recommended, if you want to keep your listening going:
Recommended Episodes
How to Ask Better Questions, with David Marquet (episode 454)
How to Find Confidence in Conflict, with Kwame Christian (episode 380)
The Choice for Compassion, with Edith Eger (episode 336)
Next Academy Application Opening The Coaching for Leaders Academy will open in early September for one final time in 2022 for new applications. To receive an early alert when applications are available, submit your information on the Academy page.
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed Bonni is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, Dean of Teaching and Learning and Professor of Business and Management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, she was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. Bonni is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide*.
Listener Questions
Margaret is wondering what resources we’d recommend for her team to identify different communication styles.
Jeff asked us what steps we might take to help someone increase their confidence.
Christopher mentioned a prior episode and is seeking our advice on what to do when challenging authority is ignored.
Resources Mentioned
GO Team Resources by Susan Gerke and David Hutchens
Creative Acts for Curious People* by Sarah Stein Greenberg
Emergent Strategy* by adrienne maree brown
StrengthsFinder
Related Episodes
How Teams Use StrengthsFinder Results, with Lisa Cummings (episode 293)
How to Lead an Offsite, with Tom Henschel (episode 377)
End Imposter Syndrome in Your Organization, with Jodi-Ann Burey (episode 556)
The Way to Make Struggles More Productive, with Sarah Stein Greenberg (episode 569)
Make It Easier to Challenge Authority, with Richard Rierson (episode 575)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Eric Pliner: Difficult Decisions Eric Pliner is chief executive officer of YSC Consulting. He has designed and implemented leadership strategy in partnership with some of the world’s best-known CEOs and organizations. Eric’s writing has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Fortune, Forbes, and Fast Company.
A member of the Dramatists’ Guild of America, Eric is co-author of the U.S. National Standards for Health Education and Spooky Dog & the Teen-Age Gang Mysteries (with Amy Rhodes), an Off-Broadway theatrical parody of television cartoons for adults. He is a board director with Hip Hop Public Health. He is also the author of Difficult Decisions: How Leaders Make the Right Call with Insight, Integrity, and Empathy*.
In this conversation, Eric and I discuss the difficult and sometimes awkward moments when we engage other stakeholders in our decisions. We explore the language to use when discussing a stakeholder’s role in a decision. Plus, Eric details how to establish clear expectations about involvement in decisions to avoid sending messages that we otherwise don’t intend.
Key Points
Clarify who you will engage and how you intend to do so.
Before discussing a decision with a stakeholder, explain how the decision is going to be made. Make it clear if you’re offering them a views, a voice, a vote, or a veto.
Standardize your individual and team processes for decision-making.
Ask the stakeholder for input — and go deeper with a second or third question to appreciate what’s behind what they’ve said.
Remind stakeholders how the decision will be made when you conclude. Don’t underestimated the importance of this step.
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Influence Many Stakeholders, with Andy Kaufman (episode 240)
How to Deal with Opponents and Adversaries, with Peter Block (episode 328)
The Way to Make Better Decisions, with Annie Duke (episode 499)
Handling a Difficult Stakeholder, with Nick Timiraos (episode 581)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Scott Keller: CEO Excellence Scott is a senior partner in McKinsey’s Southern California office. He co-leads the firm’s global CEO Excellence service line and is the author of six books, including the bestseller Beyond Performance. Scott spent his early consulting years working on business strategy and operational topics until his life was turned upside down when his second child was born with profound special needs.
After taking time off to attend to his family, Scott returned to McKinsey with the desire to bring the best of psychology, social science, and the study of human potential into the workplace. He is a cofounder of Digital Divide Data and one of a few hundred people in history known to have traveled to every country in the world. His most recent book written with Carolyn Dewar and Vikram Malhotra is titled CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest*.
In this conversation, Scott and I examine McKinsey’s research on what the top CEOs do (and avoid) when building great teams. We look at a few of the key mindsets that the best CEOs bring to their organizations — and how teamwork plays into this. Plus, we explore some of the key questions top leaders should ask when determining if it’s time to exit someone from the team.
Key Points
Top leaders staff for both aptitude and attitude. The have an eye to both the short and long term.
The most successful CEOs have a mindset of “first team” and expect leaders in the organization to prioritize serving the whole team/organization over any functional area.
New CEOs are often known for acting quickly on staffing, but the most successful leaders also temper this with fairness. They use the four questions below to act with both fairness and speed.
Top leaders stay connected with people throughout the organization, but also keep some distance. There’s a key distinction between being friendly and making friends.
The best CEO’s ensure that they have positively addressed all four questions below before removing somebody:
Does the team member know exactly what’s expected of them: i.e., what the agenda is and what jobs need to be done to drive that agenda?
Have they been given the needed tools and resources, and a chance to build the necessary skills and confidence to use them effectively?
Are they surrounded by others (including the CEO) who are aligned on a common direction and who display the desired mindsets and behaviors?
Is it clear what the consequences are if they don’t get on board and deliver?
Resources Mentioned
CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest* by Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra
The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries from a Secret World* by Peter Wohlleben
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Create Team Guidelines, with Susan Gerke (episode 192)
How to Sell Your Vision, with Michael Hyatt (episode 482)
Your Leadership Motive, with Patrick Lencioni (episode 505)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Susan MacKenty Brady: Arrive and Thrive Susan MacKenty Brady is the Deloitte Ellen Gabriel Chair for Women and Leadership at Simmons University and the first Chief Executive Officer of The Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership. As a relationship expert, leadership wellbeing coach, author, and speaker, Susan educates leaders and executives globally on fostering self-awareness for optimal leadership.
Susan advises executive teams on how to work together effectively and create inclusion and gender parity in organizations. She is the coauthor, along with Janet Foutty and Lynn Perry Wooten, of The Wall Street Journal bestselling book, Arrive and Thrive: 7 Impactful Practices for Women Navigating Leadership*.
In this conversation, Susan and I discuss the reality that while we may intend well on inclusion, real change starts with us first. We explore how implicit bias assessments can be useful in discovering where they bias is that we don’t see in ourselves. Plus, we examine some of the key actions we can take on relationship building and repair in order to get better.
Key Points
Most of us intend well, but we often miss the opportunity to move from being an ally (alignment) to being an upstander (taking action in the moment).
Utilizing an assessment can help us understand where our implicit biases diverge from our conscious thoughts.
Curiosity and relationship-building isn’t just for the moment — it’s the before, during, and after of conversations to discover how we get better.
When we make a misstep, move quickly and purposefully to repair the relationship.
Resources Mentioned
Arrive and Thrive: 7 Impactful Practices for Women Navigating Leadership* by Susan MacKenty Brady, Janet Foutty, and Lynn Perry Wooten
The Inclusive Leader's Playbook by Susan MacKenty Brady, Elisa van Dam, and Loe Lee
Project Implicit: Implicit Association Tests
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
What You Gain By Sponsoring People, with Julia Taylor Kennedy (episode 398)
How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)
How to Be More Inclusive, with Stefanie Johnson (episode 508)
How to Reduce Bias in Feedback, with Therese Huston (episode 510)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Russ Laraway: When They Win, You Win Russ has had a diverse 28 year operational management career. He was a Company Commander in the Marine Corps before starting his first company, Pathfinders. From there, Russ went to the Wharton School, and then onto management roles at Google and Twitter. He then co-founded Candor, Inc., along with best selling author and past guest Kim Scott.
Over the last several years, Russ served as the Chief People Officer at Qualtrics, and is now the Chief People Officer for the fast-growing venture capital firm, Goodwater Capital, where he is helping Goodwater and its portfolio companies to empower their people to do great work and be totally psyched while doing it. He's the author of the book When They Win, You Win: Being a Great Manager Is Simpler Than You Think*.
It’s the job of every leader to give feedback. In this episode, Russ and I discuss what to say and what to avoid when giving feedback. Plus, we explore how to think about truth and the most effective ways to start and close feedback conversations in order to help everybody move forward.
Key Points
Avoid spending too much time talking about the impending conversation and just have the conversation.
Use language like this: “I think I’m seeing some behavior that I believe is getting in your way. Are you in a spot where you can hear that right now?”
Use the framework of situation, behavior/work, and impact in order to organize your feedback.
Invite dialogue by asking: “What are your thoughts about that?”
Avoid framing feedback discussions around “the truth” — there are always multiple truths in every discussion like this. You are offering them what you see.
Resources Mentioned
When They Win, You Win: Being a Great Manager Is Simpler Than You Think* by Russ Laraway
When They Win, You Win website
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
Three Steps to Soliciting Feedback, with Tom Henschel (episode 107)
Three Steps to Great Career Conversations, with Russ Laraway (episode 370)
How to Balance Care and Accountability When Leading Remotely, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 464)
How to Reduce Bias in Feedback, with Therese Huston (episode 510)
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Mollie West Duffy: Big Feelings Mollie West Duffy is an expert in organizational design, development, and leadership coaching. She previously was an organizational design lead at global innovation firm IDEO. She’s helped advise and coach leaders and founders at companies including Casper, Google, LinkedIn, Bungalow, and Slack. She’s experienced in designing talent processes and systems, as well as organizational structures and behaviors, cultural values, and learning and development programs.
She's written for Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Quartz, and other digital outlets. She co-founded the Capital Good Fund, Rhode Island's first microfinance fund. She is the co-author with Liz Fosslien of the Wall Street Journal bestseller No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work and now their second book Big Feelings: How To Be Okay When Things Are Not Okay*.
We’ve all heard the well-intended advice that we should not compare ourselves to others. In this conversation, Mollie and I explore why that almost impossible to do and how we can instead cooperate a bit more with the inevitable and make our comparisons more useful. We highlight some of the key ways that comparison and help us and where leaning in may actually be useful in your own happiness and development.
Key Points
It’s a myth that the less you compare yourself to others, the better. Often, the opposite is true: we don’t compare ourselves enough.
We tend to compare our weaknesses to other people's strengths. Finding ways to curate our inputs is often much more useful.
Shifting from malicious envy to benign envy is helpful. Thoughts such as “I’m inspired by what they’ve done…” or “I haven’t done what they’ve done…yet,” can move us to a healthier place.
We see the best of people on social media. It’s helpful to piece together the missing footage by comparing some of the nitty gritty.
Compare present you against past you.
Resources Mentioned
Big Feelings: How To Be Okay When Things Are Not Okay* by Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy
How to Manage Your Anger at Work by Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
Four Steps to Get Unstuck and Embrace Change, with Susan David (episode 297)
What to Do With Your Feelings, with Lori Gottlieb (episode 438)
How to Reduce Burnout, with Jennifer Moss (episode 561)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Nick Timiraos: Trillion Dollar Triage Nick Timiraos has been the chief economics correspondent at The Wall Street Journal since 2017, where he is responsible for covering the Federal Reserve and other major developments in U.S. economic policy. He joined the Journal in 2006 and previously covered the 2008 presidential election.
He wrote about U.S. housing markets and the mortgage industry as a reporter based in New York. His coverage included the government’s response to the foreclosure crisis and the takeover of finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Nick is the author of Trillion Dollar Triage: How Jay Powell and the Fed Battled a President and a Pandemic — and Prevented Economic Disaster*.
Key Points Some of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome “Jay” Powell’s core skills have helped him navigate difficult stakeholders:
He’s highly regarded as a good listener with excellent emotional intelligence.
He’s intentional about creating strong teams and espoused the value of teamwork regularly.
He is mindful of daily events, but is always playing the long game.
He speaks in plain language that makes sense to many people, regardless of their education level.
Specifically, four unwritten rules of dealing with a difficult stakeholder like Donald Trump emerged in Nick’s analysis of Jay Powell’s public appearances:
Don’t talk about Trump.
When provoked, don’t return fire.
Stick to the economy, not politics.
Develop allies outside the Oval Office.
Resources Mentioned
Trillion Dollar Triage: How Jay Powell and the Fed Battled a President and a Pandemic — and Prevented Economic Disaster* by Nick Timiraos
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Listen When Someone Is Venting, with Mark Goulston (episode 91)
How to Handle a Boss Who’s a Jerk, with Tom Henschel (episode 164)
The Way Out of Major Conflict, with Amanda Ripley (episode 529)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Frederic Laloux: Reinventing Organizations Frederic is the author of Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage of Human Consciousness*. The book is a global word-of-mouth bestseller with over 850,000 copies sold in 20 languages. Frederic’s work has inspired the founders of Extinction Rebellion, the Sunrise Movement, and Project Drawdown, as well as countless corporate leaders and faith movements. In a past life, he was an associate principal with McKinsey & Company. He's also the creator of the Insights for the Journey video series.
In this conversation, Frederic and I explore a place where almost every leader can have a meaningful impact: helping people show up as their whole selves. We discuss how critical it is for leaders to lead the way in doing this — and how storytelling can be an important entry point. We look at some of practical actions leaders can take to enter into a place of wholeness, including elevating beyond content, using everyday language, and integrating with the work at hand.
Key Points
As a leader, wholeness begins with you. Exploring wholeness yourself sets the stage for everyone else to be able to engage more fully.
Rather than talking lots about wholeness, it’s often helpful just to begin modeling it. When you do, everyday language us useful to help others engage.
Your personal history, the history of the organization, and the organization’s purpose are often helpful stories to share that open up a space for wholeness.
You can turn any conversation into a moment of wholeness. One invitation for leaders is to stop talking about content and elevate the dialogue to “what’s happening” overall.
Resist any temptation to disconnect wholeness from the work at hand. Bringing these together helps people to show up at work more authentically.
Resources Mentioned
Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage of Human Consciousness* by Frederic Laloux
Reinventing Organizations: An Illustrated Invitation to Join the Conversation on Next-Stage Organizations* by Frederic Laloux
Insights for the Journey video series by Frederic Laloux
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
The Way to Stay Grounded, with Parker Palmer (episode 378)
How to Be More Inclusive, with Stefanie Johnson (episode 508)
The Path Towards Trusting Relationships, with Edgar Schein and Peter Schein (episode 539)
End Imposter Syndrome in Your Organization, with Jodi-Ann Burey (episode 556)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Tom Henschel: The Look & Sound of Leadership Tom Henschel of Essential Communications grooms senior leaders and executive teams. As an internationally recognized expert in the field of workplace communications and self-presentation, he has helped thousands of leaders achieve excellence through his work as an executive coach and his top-rated podcast, The Look & Sound of Leadership.
In this conversation, Tom and I explore the sometimes awkward moment of needing to get buy-in from your manager on a next step, proposal, or funding. We detail three considerations and how attention to them can help you frame this conversation better. Plus, we share tactics such as making the business case, telling a story, and past interactions — in order to help you get forward movement.
Key Points
Three lenses of consideration are helpful when considering how to pitch you manager: purpose, preference, and protocol.
When framing your purpose in making a pitch, it’s helpful to be able to change altitude. Consider “clicking out” on a map to frame the bigger picture.
To be purposeful, make sure you are making the business case for whatever you are pitching. Anger and emotion can be sentinels that you might not have moved past thinking about it personally or framed the business context fully.
Consider past interactions with your manager on how they prefer to receive information. The way you pitch them should begin with their preferences, not yours.
Get intel in advance from other stakeholders, if practical. They can help you see the variables that might be clouding your judgement if you’re too close to the situation.
Clearly frame the problem and examples of it. Consider strutting your pitch in the framework of The Want, The Obstacle, and The Resolution (see PDF below).
Resources Mentioned
Storytelling: A Three-Part Model by Tom Henschel (PDF download)
Related Episodes
How to Start Managing Up, with Tom Henschel (episode 433)
The Way to Influence Executives, with Nancy Duarte (episode 450)
The Way to Make Sense to Others, with Tom Henschel (episode 518)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed Bonni is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, Dean of Teaching and Learning and Professor of Business and Management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, she was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. Bonni is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide*.
Listener Questions
Allison asked for resources on how to lead others who are more knowledgeable than you in the field of work.
Everett wondered how he can navigate a situation where accents make it difficult to understand interview candidates.
Stephen asked about motivating people independent of incentives.
Resources Mentioned
The Empowered Manager: Positive Political Skills at Work* by Peter Block
Drive* by Daniel Pink
Effective Delegation of Authority: A (Really) Short Book for New Managers About How to Delegate Work Using a Simple Delegation Process* by Hassan Osman
The Coaching Habit* by Michael Bungay Stanier
Humble Leadership* by Edgar Schein and Peter Schein
HBO Max Presents Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart
Leading with Dignity: How to Create a Culture That Brings Out the Best in People* by Donna Hicks
On the folly of rewarding A while hoping for B by Steven Kerr
Related Episodes
How to Improve Your Coaching Skills, with Tom Henschel (episode 190)
How to Motivate People, with Dan Ariely (episode 282)
The Path of Humble Leadership, with Edgar Schein and Peter Schein (episode 363)
Effective Delegation of Authority, with Hassan Osman (episode 413)
Start Finding Overlooked Talent, with Johnny Taylor, Jr. (episode 544)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
David Novak: Take Charge of You David Novak is Co-Founder, retired Chairman and CEO of Yum! Brands, the world’s largest restaurant company with over 45,000 restaurants in more than 135 countries and territories. During his tenure as CEO, Yum! Brands became a global powerhouse, growing from $4 billion in revenue to over $32 billion. After retiring in 2016, he became Founder and CEO of David Novak Leadership, dedicated to developing leaders at every stage of life. David is also the host of the top-ranked podcast, How Leaders Lead and founder of the leadership development platform of the same name.
An expert on leadership and recognition culture, David is also a New York Times bestselling author. His books include Taking People With You: The Only Way to Make Big Things Happen, O GREAT ONE! A Little Story About the Awesome Power of Recognition, and his latest book with Jason Goldsmith, Take Charge of You: How Self Coaching Can Transform Your Life and Career*.
In this conversation, David and I discuss the importance of finding joy in our careers. David highlights several of the key questions that he utilizes when helping others to uncover how joy can show up their work. He encourages us to surface the single biggest thing that’s important right now in order to get immediate traction.
Key Points
Sometimes your best (and only) coach is yourself.
Use joy as your destination finder.
Find your joy blockers by asking yourself: what’s getting in the way of my joy? Your worst days often provide insight on this.
Discover your joy builders by asking yourself: what would grow your joy personal and professionally? Your most memorable days are starting points for answers here.
Your goal is to surface your single biggest thing. This changes over time, but ideally is only one thing, one at a time. That’s how you gain traction.
Resources Mentioned
Take Charge of You: How Self Coaching Can Transform Your Life and Career* by David Novak and Jason Goldsmith
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Find Your Calling, with Ken Coleman (episode 352)
Align Your Work With Your Why, with Kwame Marfo (episode 542)
How to Nail a Job Transition, with Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (episode 555)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Whitney Johnson: Smart Growth Whitney Johnson is CEO of the tech-enabled talent development company Disruption Advisors, an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private company in America. As one of the top ten business thinkers in the world as named by Thinkers50, Whitney is an expert at smart growth leadership. She has worked at FORTUNE 100 companies, and as an award-winning equity analyst on Wall Street.
Whitney co-founded the Disruptive Innovation Fund with the late Clayton Christensen. She has coached alongside Marshall Goldsmith, selected by him in 2017 as a Top 15 Coach out of a pool of more than 17,000 candidates. She is the author of Disrupt Yourself and the host of the podcast of the same name. She is also the author of Smart Growth: How to Grow Your People to Grow Your Company*.
In this conversation, Whitney and I explore a big reality of growth; it’s often slow at the start. We discuss three practical steps that leaders can take for both themselves and others to stay engaging during the early stages of growth.
Key Points
Auditing some of your roles, secrets, beliefs, values, and boundaries will help you move forward along the growth path.
Listen to the stories that others tell and help them link past experiences with what’s important today.
Images are a critical entry point to growth. Utilize them in addition to the new behavior itself to begin to frame your thinking and identity.
Circle back after receiving feedback and show others what you’ve learned from it and how it’s changed your behavior. That motivates them to stay invested.
Use “I am” statements that have a noun rather than a verb. Instead of “I run,” consider saying, “I am a runner.”
Resources Mentioned
Smart Growth: How to Grow Your People to Grow Your Company* by Whitney Johnson
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear (episode 376)
How to Motivate Leaders, with John Maxwell (episode 452)
How to Win the Long Game When the Short-Term Seems Bleak, with Dorie Clark (episode 550)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Richard Rierson: Dose of Leadership Richard Rierson has over 30 years of real-world, practical leadership experience as a United States Marine Corps Officer, professional aviator, and corporate executive. His philosophy is that our leadership challenges should be met with the lifelong dedication and pursuit of becoming composed, confident, consistent, courageous, and compassionate.
In addition to being a sought after speaker, coach, and consultant, he is the host of the highly acclaimed Dose of Leadership podcast. He's also a commercial airline pilot, currently flying as a first officer on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
In this conversation, Richard and I explore how professional aviation emerged from the accidents of the 1970’s to improve challenging authority inside the cockpit. We discuss the principles of crew resource management (CRM) and how more structure and intention between crew members vastly reduced the number of aviation accidents. We examine what leaders can do to use similar principles to support appropriately challenged authority inside their organizations.
Key Points
Almost every accident is a chain of events. The key is to have self awareness in the chain and to interrupt it.
Making the invitation to challenge before the work begins makes it far more likely that another party will speak up when they see something.
Pilots use green, yellow, and red as simple and immediate indicator to others in the cockpit how much stress they are holding.
Three steps are use to pilots to escalate challenging a more senior pilot: ask a question, make a suggestion, take control i.e. “my aircraft.”
Resources Mentioned
Sully with Tom Hanks
The Crash of Flight 401, and the Lessons for Your Company by Dave Yarin
The Evolution of Airline Crew Resource Management by Jean Dennis Marcellin
Related Episodes
The Way to Turn Followers Into Leaders, with David Marquet (episode 241)
How to Deal with Opponents and Adversaries, with Peter Block (episode 328)
How to Talk to People Who Have Power, with Jordan Harbinger (episode 343)
How to Use Power Responsibly, with Vanessa Bohns (episode 551)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Deepa Purushothaman: The First, The Few, The Only Deepa is the co-founder of nFormation, a company which provides a brave, safe, and new space for professionals who are women of color. She spent more than twenty years at Deloitte and was a first herself: an Indian American woman and one of the youngest people to make partner in the company’s history.
In her time there, she helped grow Deloitte's Social Impact Practice, served as a National Managing Partner of Inclusion, and served as the Managing Partner of WIN—the firm’s renowned program to recruit, retain, and advance women.
Deepa speaks extensively on women and leadership. She has been featured at national conferences and in publications including Bloomberg BusinessWeek, The Huffington Post, and Harvard Business Review. She is the author of The First, The Few, The Only: How Women of Color can Redefine Power in Corporate America*.
Key Points
The corporate space has not fostered true equity. Often, many of us don’t see the systemic examples each day of friction.
“We can’t find you,” is an often believed delusion when companies intend to attract more women of color.
“I don’t see color,” is often a well-intended belief, but in practice often marginalizes the lives experiences of women of color.
“DEI will fix it all,” is an illusion. We all should be supporting peers in formal DEI roes to volunteer, show up, and be key partners in the work that benefits all of you.
“You got white-manned,” reflects the belief that the world has to be a zero-sum competition.
Resources Mentioned
The First, The Few, The Only: How Women of Color can Redefine Power in Corporate America* by Deepa Purushothaman
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
Start Finding Overlooked Talent, with Johnny Taylor, Jr. (episode 544)
The Way Managers Can be Champions for Justice, with Minda Harts (episode 552)
Overcome Resistance to New Ideas, with David Schonthal (episode 557)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Nate Zinsser: The Confident Mind Nate Zinsser is an expert in the psychology of human performance. He has been at the forefront of applied sport psychology for over thirty years. He has been a regular consultant to the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Giants as well as a consultant for the FBI Academy, the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, and the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit.
Since 1992 he has directed a cutting edge applied sport psychology program at the United States Military Academy’s Center for Enhanced Performance, personally conducting over seventeen thousand individual training sessions and seven hundred team training sessions for cadets seeking the mental edge for athletic, academic, and military performance. His most recent book is titled The Confident Mind: A Battle-Tested Guide for Unshakable Performance*.
In this conversation, Nate and I explore the reality that almost every leader faces: continual challenges to our own confidence. We examine some of the misconceptions around confidence and how those misperceptions tend to limit us. Then, we discuss the most effective practices you can use to maintain — and improve — the confidence that you’ve already built.
Key Points
It’s a misconception that once you become confident, you’ll stay that way forever.
Confidence has little to do with what happens to you and tons to do with how you think about what happens to you.
For a more constructive attitude when bad things happen, use these three elements: decide that it’s temporary, limited, and non-representative.
To win the battle with your own negative thinking, acknowledge the negativity, silence it, and then replace it with something better to get the last word.
Protecting your confidence is an ongoing practice. You’ll never stop doing it — but the good news is that it will give you an edge if you can develop this practice.
Resources Mentioned
The Confident Mind: A Battle-Tested Guide for Unshakable Performance* by Nate Zinsser
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
The Way to Make Sense to Others, with Tom Henschel (episode 518)
How to Build Confidence, with Katy Milkman (episode 533)
How to Speak Up, with Connson Locke (episode 546)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Keith Ferrazzi: Competing in the New World of Work Keith Ferrazzi is the founder and chairman of Ferrazzi Greenlight, a management consulting and coaching company that works to transform many of the largest organizations and governments in the world. A graduate of Harvard Business School, Keith rose to become the youngest chief marketing officer of a Fortune 500 company during his career at Deloitte and later became CMO and head of sales at Starwood Hotels.
He has contributed to Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Fortune, and The Wall Street Journal and is The New York Times number one bestselling author of Who’s Got Your Back, Never Eat Alone, and Leading Without Authority. He is the co-author with Kian Gohar and Noel Weyrich of Competing in the New World of Work*.
In this conversation, Keith and I discuss what his team and him have learned from the most resilient teams they’ve supported. We explore some of the most useful strategies to build a more resilient team and highlight key actions that will help leaders and teams through challenging times.
Key Points
Resilient teams have compassion and empathy for each other. They show care through both success and failure.
Humility is the ability to ask for help. Resilient teams have a culture that supports and encourages this.
Many leaders espouse candor for their teams, but far less actually have teams with candor. Resilient teams speak truth — and it’s up to leaders to show them the way.
Resourceful teams develop solutions at a higher velocity. They use systems and structures to move past challenges and doubts more quickly.
Resources Mentioned
Competing in the New World of Work* by Keith Ferrazzi, Kian Gohar, and Noel Weyrich
7 Strategies to Build a More Resilient Team*
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How Great Teams Find Purpose, with David Burkus (episode 481)
Leadership Means You Go First, with Keith Ferrazzi (episode 488)
How to Engage Remote Teams, with Tsedal Neeley (episode 537)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 4: How to Avoid Micromanaging We’ve all had a manager we didn’t like — and often they did some form of micromanagement. In this lesson, you’ll discover how expectations can help you avoid being a micromanager.
Academy Applications Close Friday, March 18th The Academy is a year-long cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to create movement in their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, March 18th.
Related Episodes
Effective Delegation of Authority, with Hassan Osman (episode 413)
How to Balance Care and Accountability When Leading Remotely, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 464)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 3: Begin With Small, Noticeable Improvements We often feel like the only way to make meaningful change is to tackle a big challenge. However, many sustainable initiatives start with small changes that get noticed.
Academy Applications Close Friday, March 18th The Academy is a year-long cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to create movement in their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, March 18th.
Related Episodes
The Way to Conduct One-on-Ones, with Zvi Band (episode 246)
How to Generate Quick Wins, with Andy Kaufman (episode 496)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 2: Get People Talking With These Questions Open-ended questions will help you gain clarity where ambiguity has taken over. Use the four questions in this lesson to open up dialogue that moves everybody forward.
Academy Applications Close Friday, March 18th The Academy is a year-long cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to create movement in their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, March 18th.
Related Episodes
These Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237)
How to Ask Better Questions, with David Marquet (episode 454)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Lesson 1: Your First Steps When Inheriting a Bad Situation Almost every leader has been put into a less than ideal situation. When that’s you, use the three steps in this lesson to get moving.
Academy Applications Close Friday, March 18th The Academy is a year-long cohort of participant leaders who work personally with me to create movement in their leadership development and organizational results. Discover more and submit your application by Friday, March 18th.
Related Episodes
How to Start Managing Up, with Tom Henschel (episode 433)
The Way to Influence Executives, with Nancy Duarte (episode 450)
How to Sell Your Vision, with Michael Hyatt (episode 482)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Cassandra Worthy: Change Enthusiasm Cassandra Worthy enables organizations and individuals to grow through major change and significant shift by harnessing the power of emotion. Whether undergoing a merger, acquisition, start-up, explosive growth, or significant contraction, the strategies and tools of Change Enthusiasm are motivating and energizing workforces worldwide. Her consulting firm was birthed from the pain and challenges she overcame as a corporate executive.
Cassandra’s client base spans the Fortune 500, including Procter & Gamble, Allstate, Jones Lang LaSalle, Centene Corporation, ConferenceDirect, and WeWork. She's a chemical engineer by training and also brings over a decade of M&A experience distilled down into the critical leadership traits required to lead with exception during times of change and trans-formation. She's the author of Change Enthusiasm: How to Harness the Power of Emotion for Leadership and Success*.
In this conversation Cassandra and I explore the critical importance of emotion in the change process. We detail some of the critical places where leaders often miss opportunities to prioritize employee well-being. Then, Cassandra shares some practical steps leaders can take that will help employees better recognize signal emotions so they can eventually find opportunity and choice during the change process.
Key Points
Many leaders tend to diminish or ignore negative emotions during change. Actively doing that may prevent employees in getting to a place where they see opportunity — and eventually choice.
Beware focusing too much attention on vision, roles, and responsibilities — and not enough on employee well-being and fulfillment.
The change process is like driving in a car. The structure of the process is the vehicle itself and the people are their fuel.
Have discussion about handling change a regular item in 1:1 agendas and team meetings.
Leaders can enter into the opportunity that change provides by sharing their own emotions. One way to do this is to be explicit in conversation about what is genuinely inspiring you about the change.
Resources Mentioned
Change Enthusiasm: How to Harness the Power of Emotion for Leadership and Success* by Cassandra Worthy
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)
The Way Innovators Get Traction, with Tendayi Viki (episode 512)
Overcome Resistance to New Ideas, with David Schonthal (episode 557)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Hassan Osman: Hybrid Work Management Hassan Osman is a director at Cisco Systems (his views are his own) where he leads a team of project and program managers on delivering complex projects across the world. He’s also served as a management consultant at EY, where he led projects and programs for the largest enterprises.
Hassan the author of several Amazon bestselling books about team management, including his most recent book, Hybrid Work Management: How to Manage a Hybrid Team in the New Workplace*.
In this conversation, Hassan and I examine the new reality and popularity of the hybrid workforce. Many leaders are now managing teams that are both co-located and remote, with individual team members regularly migrating between the two. We explore useful practices that will help you support effective teamwork and progress, regardless of physical location.
Key Points
Recent statistics from many sources are indicating that a majority of employees desire (and are beginning to expect) some kind of hybrid work arrangement.
Lead with a remote first culture so that there isn’t a two-tier class of employees in your organization.
Conduct all meetings online, regardless of the location of attendees. Use technology to provide a seamless experience whether somebody is co-located or remote.
Batch meetings together and, if possible, align work days to allow from in person interactions, when ideal.
Be cognizant of offline decisions. Involve remote employees in conversation that start offline and inform them about updates and decisions that might have occurred outside virtual interactions.
Resources Mentioned
Hybrid Work Management: How to Manage a Hybrid Team in the New Workplace* by Hassan Osman
Hybrid Work Management: How to Manage a Hybrid Team (Udemy course)
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
Effective Delegation of Authority, with Hassan Osman (episode 413)
Transitioning to Remote Leadership, with Tammy Bjelland (episode 509)
How to Engage Remote Teams, with Tsedal Neeley (episode 537)
Hyflex Learning (Teaching in Higher Ed podcast)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Sarah Stein Greenberg: Creative Acts for Curious People Sarah Stein Greenberg is the Executive Director of the Stanford d.school. She leads a community of designers, faculty, and other innovative thinkers who help people unlock their creative abilities and apply them to the world. She speaks regularly at universities and global conferences on design, business, and education.
Sarah holds an MBA from Stanford's Graduate School of Business and also serves as a trustee for global conservation organization Rare. She is the author of the book Creative Acts for Curious People: How to Think, Create, and Lead in Unconventional Ways*.
In this conversation, Sarah and I discuss the reality that all of us face with real learning: uncomfortable struggle. We detail some of the typical pattens that occur with struggle and how we can almost predict it at certain points. Plus, we discuss what Sarah and her colleagues have discovered on what we can all do to make the most of the struggles we regularly face.
Key Points
Part of the process of creativity almost always feels terrible. The “trough of despair” is hard, but also essential.
Struggle helps us learn better. There’s a sweet spot between what you already know well and what seems impossible. That middle zone is productive struggle.
It’s helpful to set expectations in advance when innovating or creating that discomfort is an indicator that you’re moving forward.
When people are in the midst of struggle, shifting the focus from thinking and talking to actually doing can often illuminate the best, next step.
Productive struggle often comes at predictable moments. When it does, scaffolding and models can help move us along to get to where we need to go.
Resources Mentioned
Creative Acts for Curious People: How to Think, Create, and Lead in Unconventional Ways* by Sarah Stein Greenberg
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
Growth Mindset Helps You Rise From the Ashes, with Jeff Hittenberger (episode 326)
Help People Learn Through Powerful Teaching, with Pooja Agarwal (episode 421)
The Value of Being Uncomfortable, with Neil Pasricha (episode 448)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Michael F. Schein: The Hype Handbook Michael F. Schein is the founder and president of MicroFame Media, a marketing agency that specializes in making ideabased companies famous in their industries. His writing has appeared in Fortune, Forbes, Inc., Psychology Today, and Huffington Post, and he is a speaker for international audiences spanning from the US to China. He is also the creator of the popular Hype Book Club, which provides regular recommendations of books about hype artists and hype strategies.
Michael is the author of The Hype Handbook: 12 Indispensable Success Secrets From the World's Greatest Propagandists, Self-Promoters, Cult Leaders, Mischief Makers, and Boundary Breakers*.
In this conversation, Michael and I explore his research on hype and how we can benefit from the lessons throughout history of human influence. We examine at what we can learn from both positive and negative examples to discover how to brand ourselves better. Michael then invites us to frame the messaging about our own work to align with these human tendencies though a lens of genuine care and authenticity.
Key Points
We've evolved through history to seek guidance from those who appear miraculous.
Surprise and worthiness are two indicators of what people perceive as miraculous vs. simply chance.
The elements of your narrative are faders on a mixing board. Raise and lower different elements of the story to get the right mix.
Make a list of strengths and weaknesses and don’t mention your weaknesses for a week.
Reframe how some of your weakness might be strengths.
Develop your story using the elements of theatre.
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
The Four Critical Stories Leaders Need For Influence, with David Hutchens (episode 148) (who we are story)
Get Noticed Without Selling Out, with Laura Huang (episode 480)
How to Actually Get Traction From Leadership Books, with Nicol Verheem (episode 549)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Ruth Gotian: The Success Factor Ruth Gotian has been hailed by the journal Nature and Columbia University as an expert in mentorship and leadership development. In 2021, she was selected as one of 30 people worldwide to be named to the Thinkers50 Radar List, where she was described as a “Prolific mentor and educator, leading important research into the secrets of success.” She is a semi-finalist for the Forbes 50 Over 50 list and has coached and mentored hundreds of people throughout her career.
In addition to being published in academic journals, Ruth is a contributor to Forbes and Psychology Today, where she writes about optimizing success. She is the Chief Learning Officer in Anesthesiology and former Assistant Dean of Mentoring and Executive Director of the Mentoring Academy at Weill Cornell Medicine, where she is a faculty member. Ruth is the author of The Success Factor: Developing the Mindset and Skillset for Peak Business Performance*.
In this conversation, Ruth and I discuss how leaders can genuinely connect with (and retain) their top performers. We explore the difference these employees make in organizations and what’s unique about how they approach work and their careers. Ruth then suggests a number of practical steps to engage high performers genuinely to development them well and benefit the entire organization.
Key Points
High achievers can produce up to 400 percent more than the average employee.
Promotions, diplomas, and awards may be starting points for high performers, but they are not ending points. Leading high performers well requires you to align with their intrinsic motivation.
Offer high performers opportunities for exposure with visibility to senior leadership, strengths assignments, and decision-making.
Provide autonomy to high performers. For them, the chase is as exciting as the win. They fear not trying more than failing.
Recognize that internal professional development programs may not be sufficient for the demands of high performers. Support external opportunities they identify and connect with them during and after those experiences to further their learning (and yours).
Bonus Audio
How to maximize the benefit of sending high achievers to conferences
Resources Mentioned
The Success Factor: Developing the Mindset and Skillset for Peak Business Performance* by Ruth Gotian
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
Six Ways Teaching Adults is Different than Teaching Kids (episode 3)
What High Performers Aren’t Telling You, with Scott Anthony Barlow (episode 466)
How to Multiply Your Impact, with Liz Wiseman (episode 554)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Amishi Jha: Peak Mind Amishi Jha is Director of Contemplative Neuroscience and Professor of Psychology at the University of Miami. With grants from the Department of Defense and several private foundations, she leads research on the neural bases of attention and the effects of mindfulness-based training programs on cognition, emotion, resilience, and performance in education, corporate, elite sports, first-responder, and military contexts.
She launched the first-ever study to offer mindfulness training to active duty military service members as they prepared for deployment. Her work has been featured in many outlets including TED, NPR, and Mindful Magazine. In addition, she has been invited to present her work to NATO, the UK Parliament, the Pentagon, and at the World Economic Forum. She is the author of Peak Mind: Find Your Focus, Own Your Attention, Invest 12 Minutes a Day*.
In this conversation, Amishi and I explore the importance of our attention and why harnessing it is essential for leaders. We dive into the neuroscience and how our brain is similar to a computer in how much we can hold at one time. Plus, Amishi provides us several practical starting points if we wish to do a better job of placing our attention in the most useful places.
Key Points
Attention is powerful, fragile, and trainable.
Our working memory is like the RAM inside a computer — there’s only so much we can hold at a time.
You experience what’s in your working memory, even if that doesn’t correlate to what’s right in front of you.
If your working memory is full, it blocks the ability to encode or whatever you are trying to learn.
A key tactic is to be aware of what’s in your working memory — and what you choose not to rewrite.
Mindfulness practice can provide the white space for the space in our working memory that we need.
Resources Mentioned
Peak Mind: Find Your Focus, Own Your Attention, Invest 12 Minutes a Day* by Amishi Jha
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Know What You Don’t Know, with Art Markman (episode 437)
How to Be Present, with Dave Crenshaw (episode 511)
Help Your Brain Learn, with Lisa Feldman Barrett (episode 513)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Amishi Jha: Peak Mind Amishi Jha is Director of Contemplative Neuroscience and Professor of Psychology at the University of Miami. With grants from the Department of Defense and several private foundations, she leads research on the neural bases of attention and the effects of mindfulness-based training programs on cognition, emotion, resilience, and performance in education, corporate, elite sports, first-responder, and military contexts.
She launched the first-ever study to offer mindfulness training to active duty military service members as they prepared for deployment. Her work has been featured in many outlets including TED, NPR, and Mindful Magazine. In addition, she has been invited to present her work to NATO, the UK Parliament, the Pentagon, and at the World Economic Forum. She is the author of Peak Mind: Find Your Focus, Own Your Attention, Invest 12 Minutes a Day*.
In this conversation, Amishi and I explore the importance of our attention and why harnessing it is essential for leaders. We dive into the neuroscience and how our brain is similar to a computer in how much we can hold at one time. Plus, Amishi provides us several practical starting points if we wish to do a better job of placing our attention in the most useful places.
Key Points
Attention is powerful, fragile, and trainable.
Our working memory is like the RAM inside a computer — there’s only so much we can hold at a time.
You experience what’s in your working memory, even if that doesn’t correlate to what’s right in front of you.
If your working memory is full, it blocks the ability to encode or whatever you are trying to learn.
A key tactic is to be aware of what’s in your working memory — and what you choose not to rewrite.
Mindfulness practice can provide the white space for the space in our working memory that we need.
Resources Mentioned
Peak Mind: Find Your Focus, Own Your Attention, Invest 12 Minutes a Day* by Amishi Jha
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Know What You Don’t Know, with Art Markman (episode 437)
How to Be Present, with Dave Crenshaw (episode 511)
Help Your Brain Learn, with Lisa Feldman Barrett (episode 513)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Tiziana Casciaro: Power, for All Tiziana Casciaro is a professor of organizational behavior at the Rotman School of Management of the University of Toronto. Her research on interpersonal and organizational networks and power dynamics has received distinguished scientific achievement awards from the Academy of Management and has been covered in the New York Times, Washington Post, Financial Times, and many other outlets.
Tiziana advises organizations and professionals across industries and has been recognized by Thinkers50 as a management thinker most likely to shape the future of how organizations are managed and led. She is the author with Julie Battilana of Power, for All: How It Really Works and Why It's Everyone's Business*.
In this conversation, Tiziana and I explore the reality that many leaders face: the desire to discover what people want — but the challenge of actually determining this. Even when intentions are good, employees may not have the self-awareness to articulate what they what. We detail what the research shows us about what most people care about — and the practical steps we can all take in our organizations to surface this through familiarity and similarity.
Key Points
To be powerful in a relationship, it means having control over resources the other person values.
Even if asked, people don’t always tell you what they need — either because they don’t trust you or because they aren’t self-aware.
Much of the research literature concludes that almost all people have two basic needs: safety and self-esteem.
To discover what people want, you need to earn trust. Competence and warmth two ways this happens. When forced to choose between the two, most people prefer warmth.
To build warmth (and trust) use two key sources of interpersonal liking: familiarity and similarity.
The six resources that address our basic needs of safety and self-esteem:
Material resources
Morality
Achievement
Status
Autonomy
Affiliation
Resources Mentioned
Power, for All: How It Really Works and Why It's Everyone's Business* by Julie Battilana and Tiziana Casciaro
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
Three Steps to Great Career Conversations, with Russ Laraway (episode 370)
How to Use Power Responsibly, with Vanessa Bohns (episode 551)
How to Reduce Burnout, with Jennifer Moss (episode 561)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Tiziana Casciaro: Power, for All Tiziana Casciaro is a professor of organizational behavior at the Rotman School of Management of the University of Toronto. Her research on interpersonal and organizational networks and power dynamics has received distinguished scientific achievement awards from the Academy of Management and has been covered in the New York Times, Washington Post, Financial Times, and many other outlets.
Tiziana advises organizations and professionals across industries and has been recognized by Thinkers50 as a management thinker most likely to shape the future of how organizations are managed and led. She is the author with Julie Battilana of Power, for All: How It Really Works and Why It's Everyone's Business*.
In this conversation, Tiziana and I explore the reality that many leaders face: the desire to discover what people want — but the challenge of actually determining this. Even when intentions are good, employees may not have the self-awareness to articulate what they what. We detail what the research shows us about what most people care about — and the practical steps we can all take in our organizations to surface this through familiarity and similarity.
Key Points
To be powerful in a relationship, it means having control over resources the other person values.
Even if asked, people don’t always tell you what they need — either because they don’t trust you or because they aren’t self-aware.
Much of the research literature concludes that almost all people have two basic needs: safety and self-esteem.
To discover what people want, you need to earn trust. Competence and warmth two ways this happens. When forced to choose between the two, most people prefer warmth.
To build warmth (and trust) use two key sources of interpersonal liking: familiarity and similarity.
The six resources that address our basic needs of safety and self-esteem:
Material resources
Morality
Achievement
Status
Autonomy
Affiliation
Resources Mentioned
Power, for All: How It Really Works and Why It's Everyone's Business* by Julie Battilana and Tiziana Casciaro
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
Three Steps to Great Career Conversations, with Russ Laraway (episode 370)
How to Use Power Responsibly, with Vanessa Bohns (episode 551)
How to Reduce Burnout, with Jennifer Moss (episode 561)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Sönke Ahrens: How to Take Smart Notes Sönke Ahrens is the creator of Take Smart Notes, a project dedicated to helping students, academics and nonfiction writers get more done – ideally with more fun and less effort. He has spent years researching and experimenting with different note-taking systems and his settled on a methodology called Zettlekasten.
Sönke is a writer, coach, and academic — and also the author of the bestselling book, How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking – for Students, Academics and Nonfiction Book Writers*.
In this conversation, Sönke and I discuss how to move past the practice of simply reading and highlighting by beginning to seek meaning. We explore how you might create a system for doing this and how external scaffolding can help. Plus, we explain what notes might look like and how you can use them for an ongoing conversation with yourself — and perhaps others.
Key Points
Move past details and look for meaning.
As we become familiar with something, we may start believing we understand it.
Real thinking requires external scaffolding.
It's not so much about saving information, but in making connections between the information.
Your notes need not be long or numerous, but should spark (and continue) future conversations with yourself.
Resources Mentioned
How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking – for Students, Academics and Nonfiction Book Writers* by Sönke Ahrens
Take Smart Notes
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How To Create a Personal Knowledge Management System, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 129)
Help People Learn Through Powerful Teaching, with Pooja Agarwal (episode 421)
How to Use Cognitive Psychology to Enhance Learning (Teaching in Higher Ed)
How to Enhance Your Credibility (audio course)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Sönke Ahrens: How to Take Smart Notes Sönke Ahrens is the creator of Take Smart Notes, a project dedicated to helping students, academics and nonfiction writers get more done – ideally with more fun and less effort. He has spent years researching and experimenting with different note-taking systems and his settled on a methodology called Zettlekasten.
Sönke is a writer, coach, and academic — and also the author of the bestselling book, How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking – for Students, Academics and Nonfiction Book Writers*.
In this conversation, Sönke and I discuss how to move past the practice of simply reading and highlighting by beginning to seek meaning. We explore how you might create a system for doing this and how external scaffolding can help. Plus, we explain what notes might look like and how you can use them for an ongoing conversation with yourself — and perhaps others.
Key Points
Move past details and look for meaning.
As we become familiar with something, we may start believing we understand it.
Real thinking requires external scaffolding.
It's not so much about saving information, but in making connections between the information.
Your notes need not be long or numerous, but should spark (and continue) future conversations with yourself.
Resources Mentioned
How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking – for Students, Academics and Nonfiction Book Writers* by Sönke Ahrens
Take Smart Notes
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How To Create a Personal Knowledge Management System, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 129)
Help People Learn Through Powerful Teaching, with Pooja Agarwal (episode 421)
How to Use Cognitive Psychology to Enhance Learning (Teaching in Higher Ed)
How to Enhance Your Credibility (audio course)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Alisa Cohn: From Start-Up to Grown-Up Alisa Cohn has been named the Top Startup Coach in the World by the Thinkers50 Marshall Goldsmith Global Coaches Awards and has been coaching startup founders to grow into world-class CEOs for nearly 20 years. She was named the number one “Global Guru” of startups in 2021, and has worked with startup companies such as Venmo, Etsy, DraftKings, The Wirecutter, Mack Weldon, and Tory Burch. She has also coached CEOs and C-Suite executives at enterprise clients such as Dell, Hitachi, Sony, IBM, Google, and many more.
Marshall Goldsmith selected Alisa as one of his Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches – a gathering of the top coaches in the world – and Inc. named Alisa one of the top 100 leadership speakers. Her articles have appeared in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Inc. and she has been featured as an expert on Bloomberg TV, the BBC World News and in The New York Times. She is the author of From Start-Up to Grown-Up: Grow Your Leadership to Grow Your Business*.
In this conversation, Alisa and I discuss the difficult reality that most leaders need to face: saying goodbye to an employee. We detail the mindset you need in preparation for letting someone go. Alisa also helps us with specific language that will help you follow-though on a conversation and help everybody move on — and move forward.
Key Points
Our human tendency is often to side-step problems that we need to address.
By the time you take action to fire somebody, you are likely months late.
Just because someone was effective in the role previously (or in the last role) doesn’t mean their role is right for them today.
It’s helpful to be prescriptive in conversations leading up to firing on exactly your expectations — and the actions the other party has agreed to.
There’s no way to fire someone without it being awkward and painful. You’ll need to make peace with that before you take action.
Resources Mentioned
From Start-Up to Grown-Up: Grow Your Leadership to Grow Your Business* by Alisa Cohn
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Challenge Directly and Care Personally, with Kim Scott (episode 302)
How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)
How to Balance Care and Accountability When Leading Remotely, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 464)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Michael Bungay Stanier: How to Begin Michael Bungay Stanier distills big, complex ideas into practical, accessible knowledge for everyday people so they can be a force for change. His books have sold over a million copies, and The Coaching Habit was a Wall Street Journal bestseller. His TEDx Talk on Taming Your Advice Monster has been viewed more than a million times.
Michael is the founder of Box of Crayons, a learning and development company that helps organizations transform from advice-driven to curiosity-led action. His new book is titled How to Begin: Start Doing Something That Matters*.
In this conversation, Michael and I discuss how to make progress when starting something new. We explore the value in looking back at what you’ve already done to support you on what’s next. Plus, Michael highlights the key principles in running effective experiments that transition into new practices.
Key Points
Fire bullets at the start. Then, fire cannonballs.
Discover what your history reveals about your future self. It will open up a window to who you are that will help you when moving on something new.
When experimenting, don’t make the experiment bigger or more complex than it needs to be.
Avoid putting too much risk in the experiment or investing too much in its success.
We have the most learning when we’re struggling with something.
Resources Mentioned
How to Begin by Michael Bungay Stanier
How to Begin overview
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
The Way to Stop Rescuing People From Their Problems, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 284)
How to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear (episode 376)
How to Nail a Job Transition, with Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (episode 555)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Jennifer Moss: The Burnout Epidemic Jennifer Moss is an award-winning journalist, author, and international public speaker. She is a nationally syndicated radio columnist, reporting on topics related to happiness and workplace well-being. She is also a freelance writer whose articles have appeared in HuffPost, Forbes, the Society for Human Resource Management, Fortune, and Harvard Business Review.
Jennifer’s prior book, Unlocking Happiness at Work, received the distinguished UK Business Book of the Year Award. She also sits on the Global Happiness Council. She is the author of The Burnout Epidemic: The Rise of Chronic Stress and How We Can Fix It*.
In this conversation, Jennifer and I explore a few misconceptions about burnout — and also how curiosity and empathy can help to reduce it. We discuss a few key questions leaders can ask to gain insight on how to help. Plus, we detail how to avoid confirmation bias through generic interactions.
Key Points
Self-care doesn’t cure burnout.
Curiosity increases empathy — and empathy from leaders is a fabulous antidote to burnout.
There are two kinds of curiosity, epistemic and perceptual. True empathy comes from a focus on epistemic interactions.
Go beyond the generic, “How are you?” and instead get more specific with a request like, “Name a high — and a low.” Doing these with a team can help surface how to help.
Assume the best. It’s ok to say, “Thank you for sharing this with me. I don’t have any advice. I just want to listen and learn.”
Resources Mentioned
The Burnout Epidemic: The Rise of Chronic Stress and How We Can Fix It* by Jennifer Moss
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)
What to Do With Your Feelings, with Lori Gottlieb (episode 438)
Leadership Means You Go First, with Keith Ferrazzi (episode 488)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Andrew Warner: Stop Asking Questions Andrew Warner is an entrepreneur and host of the Startup Stories podcast, where he uncovers the secrets of the world’s best founders. Over the course of 2,000+ episodes, Andrew has interviewed everyone from Barbara Corcoran, to Gary Vaynerchuk, to the founders of Airbnb.
After building two startups of his own—one successful and one that failed—Andrew started Mixergy as a way to learn from other entrepreneurs. Today, Mixergy is a place where successful people teach ambitious upstarts through interviews, courses, masterclasses, and events. He is the author of Stop Asking Questions: How to Lead High-Impact Interviews and Learn Anything from Anyone*.
In this conversation, Andrew and I discuss what he’s learned about getting people to talk from thousands of hours of interviews and research. We explore some of the key tactics that he uses to help people open up in a genuine way. Plus, we discuss some common questions to avoid that may work against your goal to connect well with the other party.
Key Points
Help others get comfortable talking about themselves by revealing something about yourself first. This may not work right open, but opens the door for future conversations.
Just a word or two can open up an entire new level of a conversation. Try using “Because?” or “How so?” as ways to hear more.
People expect leaders to show up and have a direction for the conversation. Not everything needs to be phrased as a question — you may consider making requests like, “Tell me more,” to direct to conversation.
Avoid asking questions that try to get people to articulate “most” or “best” answers. People spend too much mental bandwidth trying to rank-order instead of just engaging with the dialogue.
When potentially uncomfortable situations come up, allow people an easy way out by giving them two paths they can go down.
Resources Mentioned
Stop Asking Questions: How to Lead High-Impact Interviews and Learn Anything from Anyone* by Andrew Warner
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
The Way to Have Conversations That Matter, with Celeste Headlee (episode 344)
How to Ask Better Questions, with David Marquet (episode 454)
Four Habits That Derail Listening, with Oscar Trimboli (episode 500)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Muriel Wilkins: Coaching Real Leaders Muriel Wilkins is Managing Partner and Co-founder of Paravis Partners. She is a C-suite advisor and executive coach with a strong track record of helping already high performing senior leaders take their effectiveness to the next level. She is also the host of the Harvard Business Review podcast, Coaching Real Leaders and is the co-author, with Amy Su of Own the Room: Discover Your Signature Voice to Master Your Leadership Presence*.
Prior to entrepreneurship, she served on the senior team of U.S. News & World Report and also did marketing and strategy work at Accenture and The Prudential. Muriel has been recognized by the Washington Business Journal as one of Metro-DC area’s Top Minority Business Leaders.
In this conversation, Muriel and I reflect on our recent client work in order to surface some of the current struggles leaders are facing. We discuss a few trends we’re seeing in relation to diversity, the great resignation, binary thinking, and human relations. Plus, we make a few practical invitations to leaders in order to avoid some common missteps.
Key Points
Leaders are making the shift from explanation to inquiry in relations to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The next step for many leaders is to consider how they use their power to affect change to the system in the organization.
Many leaders are considering the, “Should I stay or should I go?” question without the full context of impact and feeling. Begin by considering the impact you wish to have before making a major change.
Beware the trap of binary thinking. Often leaders get fixated on “OR thinking” without considering the opportunity for “AND thinking.” If you catch yourself thinking in “ors” consider how you might bring in some “ands.”
Leaders who inherently see value in people development can tend to write off other leaders who they see as only focused on the numbers. It’s helpful to realize that the larger objective is often shared, but style is different. Meet people on their terms with their language.
Resources Mentioned
Own the Room: Discover Your Signature Voice to Master Your Leadership Presence* by Muriel Wilkins
Coaching Real Leaders podcast
Related Episodes
Enhance Your Executive Presence, with Muriel Wilkins (episode 272)
The Way Out of Major Conflict, with Amanda Ripley (episode 529)
How to Win the Long Game When the Short-Term Seems Bleak, with Dorie Clark (episode 550)
How to Use Power Responsibly, with Vanessa Bohns (episode 551)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed Bonni is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, Dean of Teaching and Learning and Professor of Business and Management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, she was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. Bonni is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide*.
Listener Questions
Lucus asked us for advice on his reading habits as he makes the transition to CEO.
Elizabeth wondered the best way to address issues where experienced employees appear resentful about her giving them direction.
Beth sent us a question about drawing the line between being a friend and a manager.
Resources Mentioned
13 Crucial Books That Every Leader Should Know
Drive* by Daniel Pink
Readwise
Day One
Seven Principles for Leading People Older Than You, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 59)
How to Manage Former Peers, with Tom Henschel (episode 257)
Three Steps to Great Career Conversations, with Russ Laraway (episode 370)
Related Episodes
Three Steps to Soliciting Feedback, with Tom Henschel (episode 107)
How to Make Deep Work Happen, with Cal Newport (episode 233)
Tie Leadership Development to Business Results, with Mark Allen (episode 435)
How to Help People Thrive, with Jim Harter (episode 532)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
David Schonthal: The Human Element David Schonthal is an award-winning Professor of Strategy, Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the Kellogg School of Management where he teaches courses on new venture creation, design thinking, healthcare innovation and creativity. In addition to his teaching, he also serves as the Director of Entrepreneurship Programs and the Faculty Director of the Zell Fellows Program.
Along with his colleague Loran Nordgren, David is one of the originators of Friction Theory – a ground-breaking methodology that explains why even the most promising innovations and change initiatives often struggle to gain traction with their intended audiences – and what to do about it. He is the author with Loran of The Human Element: Overcoming the Resistance That Awaits New Ideas*.
In this conversation, David and I discuss how leaders can do a better job at helping others overcome resistance to a new idea. We explore the distinction between friction and fuel — and why leaders tend to miss opportunities to reduce friction. David also shares several, practical strategies that almost all of us can use to reduce the weight of friction with those we are trying to influence.
Key Points
When introducing something new, we tend to think more about fuel than we do about friction. Both are essential for traction.
Repetition is missed opportunity in most organizations. Leaders tend to want to perfect the details too much.
Start small with a beacon project to prototype the value change may bring to the organization.
Leaning in on making a new idea prototypical will help it be more familiar to those you are trying to influence. Emphasize what is similar — not just what is new.
Analogies can help bridge the gap between the new and the familiar. Use an analogy the audience can relate to.
Adding an extreme option and/or an undesirable can help transform inertia from a friction into a fuel.
Resources Mentioned
The Human Element: Overcoming the Resistance That Awaits New Ideas* by Loren Nordgren and David Schonthal
Related Episodes
How to Succeed with Leadership and Management, with John Kotter (episode 249)
How to Pivot Quickly, with Steve Blank (episode 476)
The Way Innovators Get Traction, with Tendayi Viki (episode 512)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Jodi-Ann Burey: End Imposter Syndrome in Your Workplace Jodi-Ann Burey is a sought-after speaker and writer who works at the intersections of race, culture, and health equity. Her TED talk, “The Myth of Bringing Your Full Authentic Self to Work,” embodies her disruption of traditional narratives about racism at work. Jodi-Ann is also the creator and host of Black Cancer, a podcast about the lives of people of color through their cancer journeys.
She is the author, with Ruchika Tulshyan, of two recent Harvard Business Review articles: Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome and End Imposter Syndrome in Your Workplace.
In this conversation, Jodi-Ann and I challenge that notion that imposter syndrome is something that an individual should address alone. Instead, we invite managers and organizations to begin to consider their own contributions to “imposter syndrome” and how we can work together with employees to help everybody move forward. We highlight several key actions that managers can take to begin to end imposter syndrome inside of their organizations.
Key Points
Managers and organizations tend to address the symptoms of imposter syndrome, but not the source.
Those who experience imposter syndrome often feel like it is “death by a thousand paper cuts.”
Managers can help by reinforcing an employee’s belief in their abilities and chances of success. Listen for what employees are asking for — and explore when they are silent.
Managers should be transparent about an organization’s locked doors — and demonstrate that they are also willing to be vulnerable.
In private conversations, managers should redirect perceptions and language that do not accurately reflect the value of their employees.
Resources Mentioned
Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome by Jodi-Ann Burey and Ruchika Tulshyan
End Imposter Syndrome in Your Workplace by Jodi-Ann Burey and Ruchika Tulshyan
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
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Sukhinder Singh Cassidy: Choose Possibility Sukhinder Singh Cassidy is a leading technology executive and entrepreneur, board member, and investor with twenty-five years of experience founding and helping to scale companies, including Google, Amazon, and Yodlee. Most recently, she served as president of StubHub, which thrived under her leadership and sold in 2020 right before the pandemic for $4+ billion.
She is the founder and chairman of the Boardlist and has been profiled in Fortune, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, and The New York Times, among others. She has been named one of Elle’s Power Women, one of the Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company, and one of the Top 100 People in the Valley by Business Insider. She is the author of Choose Possibility: Take Risks and Thrive (Even When You Fail)*.
In this conversation, Sukhinder and I discuss how to handle a transition in a way that works for both you and the organization you’re leaving. We discuss the value of proactive communication and clear timelines — plus some of the hidden costs of transitioning poorly. Finally, we made the invitation to consider transitions in the context of your long-term career goals.
Key Points
Don’t leave before you leave. Putting in maximum effort until you’re gone protects your reputation and the impact you’ve worked to achieve.
Beware the cost of lingering. You likely know the right timeframe for your departure — use that to frame your transition.
Leave opportunity in your wake. Use remaining time to set the team up for success, provide coaching and mentoring, and make it an easier transition for others.
Tie up loose ends before you depart. Leave the team an organization in a place you would want to inherit if you were the new leader coming in.
Take small steps, middle steps, and big steps. Avoid fixating on the myth of the single choice. Careers come together with many choices, over time.
Resources Mentioned
Choose Possibility: Take Risks and Thrive (Even When You Fail)* by Sukhinder Singh Cassidy
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How to Challenge Directly and Care Personally, with Kim Scott (episode 302)
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Liz Wiseman: Impact Players Liz Wiseman is a researcher and executive advisor. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter, The Multiplier Effect: Tapping the Genius Inside Our Schools, and Wall Street Journal bestseller Rookie Smarts*. She is the CEO of The Wiseman Group, a leadership research and development firm headquartered in Silicon Valley.
Her clients include: Apple, Disney, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Tesla, Twitter, and many others. Liz has been listed on the Thinkers50 ranking and named one of the top 10 leadership thinkers in the world. She is a former Oracle executive, who worked over the course of 17 years as the Vice President of Oracle University and as the global leader for Human Resource Development.
Liz is the author of Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger, and Multiply Your Impact*. In this conversation, Liz and I discuss the mindset that’s most useful in making real traction in an organization. Plus, we explore practical steps that you can take to think bigger and get noticed for your work.
Key Points
The #1 thing managers appreciate: when employees do things that need doing without being asked.
Upward empathy is the ability to consider what the bosses situation feels like — and what they need from you.
Pursuing your passion sounds nice in a commencement speech, but can get in the way of what the organization actually needs.
A job description might be a starting point, but it’s almost never the ending point.
Beware of becoming the foosball player that does hard work in one spot, but misses the bigger picture. Become a nimble midfielder who plays where they are most needed.
Resources Mentioned
Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger, and Multiply Your Impact* by Liz Wiseman
The Wiseman Group
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
The Benefit of Being a Rookie, with Liz Wiseman (episode 340)
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Keep Your Ideas From Being Stolen (Dave’s Journal)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
David Hutchens: Story Dash David Hutchens helps leaders find and tell their stories. He works with leaders around the world to find, craft, and tell their most urgent stories for the purpose of creating shared meaning, preserving culture, disseminating learning, and speeding change in organizations.
He has taught the Storytelling Leader program at some of the most influential organizations — and he’s written many books, including the Circle of the 9 Muses and The Leadership Story Deck. He is the co-creator with longtime friend of the show Susan Gerke of the GO Team program. He's also the author of the new book, Story Dash: Find, Develop, and Activate Your Most Valuable Business Stories…In Just a Few Hours*.
In this conversation, David and I revisit the power of storytelling and highlight where many leaders go wrong. We explore the common mistakes that David sees in his work all over the world. Plus, we invite listeners into a few practical actions that will help stories land with better impact.
Key Points Four mistakes that leaders make:
They are not storytelling, sometimes because they don’t see themselves as storytellers or feel like they are performing.
They don’t connect the story to the strategic intent but never clearly answering the “why am I telling this story?” question.
They avoid emotional content of stories because they either don’t want to be emotional or are presenting to a “numbers person.”
They expect it to just happen, instead of making intentional effort to make it happen.
Resources Mentioned
To receive David Hutchen’s Story Canvas, reach out to him at david@davidhutchens.com and tell him one valuable tip you gained from this episode.
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
The Four Critical Stories Leaders Need For Influence, with David Hutchens (episode 148)
The Way to Influence Executives, with Nancy Duarte (episode 450)
The Way to Earn Attention, with Raja Rajamannar (episode 521)
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Minda Harts: Right Within Minda Harts is the founder and CEO of The Memo and an advocate for women of color in the workplace. She is a sought-after speaker and thought-leader, frequently speaking on topics of advancing women of color, leadership, diversity, and entrepreneurship. She was named a LinkedIn Top Voice for Equity in the Workplace and was honored as one of BET’s Future 40. She has been a featured speaker at TEDx Harlem, Nike, Levi's, Bloomberg, Google, SXSW, and many other places.
She is an adjunct assistant professor of public service at NYU. She also hosts Secure the Seat, a career podcast for women of color. Minda is the author of the bestselling book The Memo and now her new book Right Within: How to Heal From Racial Trauma in the Workplace.
In this conversation, Minda and I discuss the daily actions that managers can do to support inclusion in the workplace, especially for women of color. We explore the unfortunate realities of systemic racism that still show up in many workplaces and how we can all do better. Plus, Minda invites us to consider the Manager’s Pledge and six key ways we can bring more equity into our organizations.
Key Points
The State of Black Women in Corporate America report finds that in 2020, Black women held 1.6 percent of vice president roles and 1.4 percent of executive suite positions.
When someone says something racially charged, one of two things tend to happen: laugher or silence. We can do better.
You don’t need to be the hero, but you do have a responsibility to start.
All of us will mess up. Take inspiration from the Japanese art of Kintsugi, where the broken pieces reassembled become more beautiful than the original.
We often miss the opportunities that are right in front of us. Starting there is how each of us bring justice into the world.
Resources Mentioned
Right Within: How to Heal From Racial Trauma in the Workplace* by Minda Harts
Minda’s website
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)
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Vanessa Bohns: You Have More Influence Than You Think Vanessa Bohns is a social psychologist, an award-winning researcher and teacher, and a professor of organizational behavior at Cornell University.
Her writing and research has been published in top academic journals in psychology, management, and law and has also been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, and NPR's Hidden Brain. Her book is titled You Have More Influence Than You Think: How We Underestimate Our Power of Persuasion, and Why It Matters*.
In this conversation, Vanessa and I explore the conclusions of research: we often don’t recognize our own power. We detail some of the common patterns that leaders should watch for in their work. Most importantly, we discuss the practical steps that almost anybody can take to use power more responsibly.
Key Points
Power can lead people to underestimate their words and actions. A powerful person's whisper can sound more like a shout to the person they have power over.
Power tends to lead people to ignore the perspective of others and to feel freer to do whatever they want.
The effects of power are not inevitable. You can do better for others by thinking about power as responsibility.
Adopt the lens of a third party in order to see the impact of your actions on others.
To feel your impact better, ask people what they aren thinking of feeling, rather than simply imagining or assuming.
One way to experience your influence by taking action to give positive recognition and feedback.
Resources Mentioned
You Have More Influence Than You Think: How We Underestimate Our Power of Persuasion, and Why It Matters* by Vanessa Bohns
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
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Use Power for Good and Not Evil, with Dacher Keltner (episode 254)
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Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Dorie Clark: The Long Game Dorie Clark has been named one of the Top 50 business thinkers in the world by Thinkers50, and was recognized as the #1 Communication Coach in the world by the Marshall Goldsmith Leading Global Coaches Awards. She is a consultant and keynote speaker and teaches executive education at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and Columbia Business School.
Dorie is the author of the bestselling books Entrepreneurial You, Reinventing You, and Stand Out which was named the #1 Leadership Book of the Year by Inc. Magazine. She has been described by the New York Times as an “expert at self-reinvention and helping others make changes in their lives.” She is a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review and is now the author of her latest book, The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World*.
In this conversation, Dorie and I discuss how to win the long game, even when things look bleak today. We examine the typical timelines that most professional should expect in order to get traction on their work. Plus, we highlight three key questions to ask yourself during the toughest times.
Key Points
It’s often 2-3 years of sustained work before you see noticeable progress.
To become a recognized expert, you should expect at least five years of consistent effort.
People revisit strategy too often when instead they should often continue to follow their action plan.
Even if when end up “losing,” strategize up front end how the time and effort you put in is still a win.
When times are toughest, ask three questions:
Why am I doing this?
How has it worked for others?
What do my trusted advisor say?
Resources Mentioned
The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World* by Dorie Clark
Long Game Strategic Thinking Self-Assessment
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
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The Value of Being Uncomfortable, with Neil Pasricha (episode 448)
How to Find Helpful Advisors, with Ethan Kross (episode 516)
Making the Case for Your Promotion, with May Busch (episode 526)
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Nicol Verheem: Teradek Nicol Verheem is a globally recognized leader and innovator, senior business executive, serial entrepreneur, and prolific angel investor. He has been recognized for his impact in the film industry with a lifetime achievement award from the Society of Camera Operators and an Academy Award for Sciences and Engineering, also known as a Technical Oscar. He was also recently recognized with the Innovator of the Year Award from the leading business journal in Orange County, California.
Nicol currently serves on the Executive Management Board of The Vitec Group, as the Divisional CEO of Creative Solutions, and as the CEO of Teradek. As a technology leader, his is responsible for the strategy, roadmap, and execution of Teradek’s highly recognized high tech video products driving more than $100M annual revenue — with dominant market share across the globe. He is also a member of the Coaching for Leaders Academy.
In this conversation, Nicol and I discuss how to take the ideas you hear in books, presentations, and podcasts — and make them your own. Nicol shares many examples of how he has done this in his organization in order grow a team that was ultimately recognized with an Academy Award. Plus, we discuss some of his mindsets that have helped drive the success of Teradek over the years.
Key Points
Leadership models aren’t always molded to your organization or situation. Adapt the idea to make it a better fit for you.
Well intended language by an expert else might not match the culture of your organization. Don’t hesitate to change a work or phrase to make sense to your team.
Build relationships today with the people who grow with you throughout your career. That’s “networking for commoners.”
When interviewing, ask people about their hobbies or interests in order to discover if you can lead them to live out their passions.
Resources Mentioned
We'd Like to Thank the Academy by Teradek
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Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Ashley Brundage: Empowering Differences Ashley Brundage is the Founder and President of Empowering Differences. She's overcame homelessness, harassment, and discrimination and then, while seeking employment at a major financial institution, she self-identified during the interview process as a male to female transgender woman and subsequently was hired. She was offered a position and started as a part time bank teller and worked in various lines of business before moving to VP of Diversity & Inclusion in less than 5 years.
Since beginning transitioning in 2008, she has worked tirelessly to promote awareness and acceptance of gender identity and expression. She serves on the Corporate Advisory Council for the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. In 2019, she was voted on the National Board of Directors for GLAAD and has also been named one of Florida’s Most Powerful and Influential Women from the National Diversity Council. She is the author of Empowering Differences: Leveraging Differences to Impact Change*.
In this conversation, Ashley and I discuss her experience in the working world as a transgender woman. We highlight key language the every leader should be aware of to support the differences of others. Plus, we discuss the initial steps that every leader can take in the workplace, especially related to gender identity.
Key Points
The harassment and discrimination that transgender people experience also finds its way into the workplace.
Respect people’s pronouns — and leaders can highlight their own in order to create a safe space for others.
Comfort and ability to use the restroom is something that organizations should address. A helpful starting point is dialogue and conversation.
Beware of binary thinking in relation to gender — and many other ways we identify ourselves. Expand your horizon on the gender continuum.
Resources Mentioned
Empowering Differences: Leveraging Differences to Impact Change* by Ashley Brundage
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
What You Gain By Sponsoring People, with Julia Taylor Kennedy (episode 398)
How to Reduce Bias in Feedback, with Therese Huston (episode 510)
Start Finding Overlooked Talent, with Johnny Taylor, Jr. (episode 544)
Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
Carey Nieuwhof: At Your Best Carey Nieuwhof is a former lawyer, a bestselling leadership author, a podcaster, and the CEO of Carey Nieuwhof Communications. He speaks to leaders around the world about leadership, change, and personal growth. He writes a widely read leadership blog at CareyNieuwhof.com and also hosts the top-rated Carey Nieuwhof Leadership podcast. He’s the author of At Your Best: How to Get Time, Energy, and Priorities Working in Your Favor*.
In this conversation, Carey and I explore the reality that so many of us face in both our personal and professional lives: spending time with the wrong kind of people. We discuss how to notice we’re not helping, how to limit time, and what to do when a conversation needs to happen. Plus, we make the invitation to proactive do what often gets missed: spending time with the right people more consistently.
Key Points
The people who want your time are rarely the people who should have your time.
Many leaders give too much time and attention away to people who aren’t helped by the interaction.
Having a frank conversation with a person who you’re not helping is usually good for both of you.
If you’re not able to limit interactions with the wrong kind of person, line up those interactions outside of your key energy times.
A key way to do better at limiting time with the wrong people is to affirmatively decide to spend time with the right people.
Resources Mentioned
Burnout Quiz
At Your Best Today
At Your Best: How to Get Time, Energy, and Priorities Working in Your Favor* by Carey Nieuwhof
Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
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How to Make Deep Work Happen, with Cal Newport (episode 233)
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