Best of MBS

Think coaching is a "feel good" HR initiative? Think again. In this episode of The Coaching Habit, Sally Bonneywell outlines how coaching can be a strategic tool that moves your organization closer toward its business objectives.

Nathan Leigh Jones is a musician and an academic. He's performed all over the world, and is doing a PhD that exposes the impact of music and lyrics on emotional well-being. That expertise meant he was the official music curator at the World Happiness Summit. In our conversation, we talk about the dance between words and music, how you test to discover if lyrics really matter, and how to build the playlist you're going to need.

Today's guest is Laine Joelson Cohen, one of the Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coach Group, as well as the Director of Leadership, Executive and Professional Development at Citi. Laine believes that using a coaching style and curiosity as a cornerstone to her work opens up channels of trust and leads to collaboration, performance, and impact.

I'm really happy to be talking to Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff, the founders of Future Search. They have a terrific new book out called Lead More, Control Less: 8 Advanced Leadership Skills That Overturn Convention. In this conversation the three of us discuss: Why leaders need to give up control The importance of controlling “structure” rather than people How to view anxiety as blocked excitement What leaders can do to tap into the collective wisdom

Misha Glouberman runs a program called “How to Talk to People About Things,” is a faculty director at the executive education program at the Ivy Business School, and the host of Trampoline Hall. In our conversation we work on how to get out of our own way when we're having a conversation; the foundational error that derails a good conversation; how curiosity can be a saving grace; why we so often continue to tolerate short-term irritation; and why we're often not bold enough in owning up to what irritates us most.

As a Marketing & Publicity Strategist, Selena Soo knows the value of relationships and helps others connect to influencers. In this interview, Selena reflects on how the fastest way to reach your goals is through nurturing networks. This episode explores how you can gain leverage and credibility by drawing on the platforms and reach of leaders.

I'm pleased to share my conversation with Danielle LaPorte. Danielle writes and speaks extensively on how to live an authentic, damn good life and make an impact. She's the author of The Fire Starter Sessions and The Desire Map. To this day, people will come up to me and tell me how this interview was an aha! moment for them to becoming more attuned to “wide-awake living.” In this interview, Danielle and I chat about: Being your true self – the most effective formula for success there is – and why it's so hard to do. The “revelation of suckage,” and how getting in touch with your pain can bring about clarity and change. Why you don't need trauma to grow, and how you can become aware of subtle nudges instead of getting hit by two-by-fours. Loving your fears and letting them be your teacher. How to increase the odds of enjoying what you get, when you get it.

Ric Leahy served on the staff of the Chief of the Australian Navy, and was awarded a Queen's Gold Medal, and later in his career the Conspicuous Service Cross. He now leads a number of leadership programs for Australia's top business schools, has become a “neuro nerd” with an Executive Masters degree on neuroscience and leadership, and is an endurance athlete. In our conversation we talk about where we do our best thinking--and why--and three powerful mindsets: the Sensei, the Scientist and the Socializer.

Desiree Adaway, Principal at The Adaway Group, is a seasoned nonprofit consultant and facilitator. Her work involves helping people, organizations, and institutions change their company culture by addressing the norms, policies, and behaviours that maintain oppression.

When I think about the icons of management and leadership theorists, not many names come to mind. But a few do. Peter Block, Peter Drucker, Frances Hesselbein. In this interview, I had the deep pleasure of speaking with Frances from her office at the Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute. For those of you who are not familiar with Frances, she held the position of CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA from 1976 to 1990 and is the recipient of 21 honorary doctoral degrees, the author of three autobiographies, and the co-editor of 30 books, now published in 29 languages. Her most recent book is titled Peter Drucker's Five Most Important Questions: Enduring Wisdom for Today's Leaders. In this interview, Frances and I discuss: How she met Peter Drucker Lessons learned from building strong partnerships The secret to a relevant, living mission statement

Nancy Duarte is the co-founder and CEO of Duarte, an agency based in Silicon Valley that has been at the forefront of the revolution to improve communication. In our conversation, we explore the power of the three-act structure, different types of stories and the problems they solve, and how to start and finish any story with grace and aplomb.

Michael Leckie believes that our ability to learn and engage with our fellow human beings is the catalyst for transformation. In this interview, he reflects on giving people the tools and the space that can spark change.

When you are up to your eyeballs in the Good Work you do every day, it's sometimes impossible to figure out how to level up and get to your Great Work. That's why I'm excited to be speaking to Whitney Johnson, the author of Disrupt Yourself: Putting the Power of Disruptive Innovation to Work, as well as Dare, Dream, Do: Remarkable Things Happen When You Dare to Dream. Whitney's a recognized thought leader on driving corporate innovation through personal disruption. (Be sure to tune into her Disrupt Yourself podcast.) In this conversation, we really get into: Strategies for getting to the next level Signals that it might be time for a new challenge Failure, and why that's important How to figure out what your next level might be When to stay and when to go

Dr. Alexander Osterwalder is one of the world's most influential innovation experts, and is an author, entrepreneur and speaker. He shot to fame with his business model canvas, a tool used by millions worldwide. In our conversation we talk about what it means to me to create an ambidextrous company; the role of the CEO in innovation; some examples from his library of different business models; and the power of a gravity creation model.

Today, I'm speaking with Dr. Marcia Reynolds, who was the fifth global president of the ICF, the International Coach Federation, and is currently on the global board as a director.

Did you know that over 80% of the world's employees are disengaged at work? That figure is both enormous and depressing. Unfortunately, too many workplaces can be a mediocre environment — the kind of environment that saps people's spirit, engagement, motivation and life. That's why I'm thrilled to talk to Ron Friedman, PhD, the author of The Best Place to Work: The Art and Science of Creating an Extraordinary Workplace. In this conversation we explore: The three human psychological needs required for a great work experience Why Employee of the Month awards are disincentives The barriers to organizational change The impact of design and setting on employee interaction

Dr. Edy Greenblatt is a resilience pioneer, a work/life balance expert, and a coach supervisor. She has a joint PhD in organizational behaviour from the Harvard Business School, and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, where she specialized in dance. In our conversation we dig into what, exactly, a dance anthropologist is; how to find those behaviours that nourish and deplete us; and Michael gets some coaching on dealing with a particularly annoying pile of paperwork.

Meet Mark C. Thompson, the founder of Sir Richard Branson's entrepreneurship centres, New York Times bestselling author and executive coach. In this interview, he shares how "business as usual" is essentially dead and buried, and, as leaders we need to be the instigators of our own change. See how he outlines what's needed to be able to scale ourselves and our organizations to greater heights.image

Before writing the powerful and transformative book Body of Work, Pamela Slim was best known for her Escape from Cubicle Nation, an impassioned plea to organizations to let people do Great Work — or let them go free. That's when I first interviewed Pam, just a little over six years ago. I'm revisiting this interview with her in our 300th-episode series because I think there is a lot we can learn about finding our own Great Work. Share your favourite takeaway from this or any other Great Work Podcast by either commenting below or tweeting me @BoxofCrayons with the hashtag #GWP300 for your chance to receive a gift from me. This is the last week we'll be giving away coupons for a free ebook version of The Coaching Habit as part of the #GWP300 celebration. In our interview, Pam and I talk about: What Jack Welch sees as the biggest trend in corporations now — and why that matters. The story of John the baseball player (and his parents), and how his journey is one we can all learn from. The role of evangelism in finding your Great Work. Why prototyping can mean the difference between success and failure.

Tom Kolditz is the founding Director of the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University, named top university program by the Association of Leadership Educators. The Doerr Institute is his fifth successful leader development start-up. His book In Extremis Leadership: Leading as if Your Life Depended on It has become one of the go-to texts for leading in the COVID-19 crisis. In our conversation we dig into the process for evaluating risk in a snapshot moment; the power of a premortem; how to enroll the most junior person in a room to create diversity of thought; and why feelings matter in a time of crisis.

Aicha Evans is the senior vice president and chief strategy officer at Intel Corporation and is driving Intel's long-term strategy to transform it from a PC-centered company to a data-centered company. In this episode, she explores why organizations need to constantly evolve. The identification of common goals can serve as a foundation for this change, and help the various parties tackle any challenges along the way.image

Brené Brown is the author of three #1 New York Times Bestsellers: Rising Strong, Daring Greatly and The Gifts of Imperfection. Brené tackles some juicy emotional issues: vulnerability, courage, authenticity and shame. I'm inviting you to share your favourite quip or insight from this podcast for your chance to receive a gift from me. To participate in our 300th-episode celebration, either comment below or tweet me @BoxofCrayons with the hashtag #GWP300. Over the next four weeks, we'll be randomly selecting 10 participants and sending them a coupon for a free ebook version of The Coaching Habit. In this interview, we explore: Why good work is vulnerable work . . . and how vulnerability is the birthplace of creativity, love and joy. How Brené stepped away from soul-sucking work and blazed her own path. Creating connection and community: how a group called the Love Bombers profoundly changed Brené's life.

Bill Carrier is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, a former army officer and a Rotary international ambassador scholar. He anchors his coaching work in extensive practical leadership experience and the firm belief that we're all part of something bigger than ourselves. In our conversation we start with the importance of character and strategy (and why character matters the most); how to be generous and still give direction and hold people accountable; the difference between empathy and multi-perspective; and how to set yourself up to perform at the highest level.

Ayse Birsel is a New York-based designer and the creator of Design the Life You Love. It's the title of her book — and also refers to the coursework that teaches designers and non-designers how to create a meaningful life using her design process, Deconstruction: Reconstruction. In this interview, Ayse and I reflect on: Holism and the human scale of design. How design is inherently optimistic and increasingly collaborative. Why having a process matters for triggering imagination and channeling creativity.

Octavius is now the co-founder of one of the most interesting training companies in the world, as well as the author of three successful and excellent books – available almost everywhere in the world except, inexplicably, North America. But I first met him over a decade ago, when I joined a small change management consultancy and Octavius was one of the partners. Even then he had a certain flair and a willingness to buck the system, all with a terrific sense of humour. He's been leading the Mind Gym for almost ten years now. In that time, it has become a global success and they have trained close to half a million people and worked in over 30 countries with every big name company you can think of. And what's particularly cool for me is they've done it by changing the way coaching is sold and delivered, building courses that are delivered in 90 minute blocks. In this conversation we talk about: How the idea for Mind Gym was first conjured up, and how it fell flat in its first iteration Why challenging the orthodoxy is critical to success How to ignore advice your accountant gives you (if you don't like it, that is) A powerful strategy for when you're feeling down What the Rubicon has to do with Great Work

Let me introduce you to Caroline Webb. She is an executive coach, author and speaker who specializes in showing people how to use insights from behavioural science to improve their professional lives. Her book is called – you got it—How to Have a Good Day, and it's been published in 14 languages and more than 60 countries. In our conversation we discuss: the brain science of engagement; how to calm your brain when it's feeling anxious; the power of labeling; and the power of connecting to what you're uniquely good at.

Ruth Ann Harnisch is an activist, a philanthropist and a movie producer and has recently been described as the “the punk rock fairy godmother of feminism.” Tune into this lively conversation about the value of coaching, feminism, diversity and favourite questions. Neighborhoods are more than just property values and test scores. Garrett Bucks and MBS discuss how to fill your neighborhood with vitality and make it a truly great place. 

I spoke to Dan Coyle, author of The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born; It's Grown; Here's How, back in 2011. (If you haven't read this book, you might want to pick up a copy. In it, Dan provides very specific ways that each of us can deepen our own level of talent — and with that, our success.) Since then, as the global talent war heats up and phrases like “the gig economy” emerge, learning and talent development have never been so relevant. In our interview we talk about: The neuroscience of talent, and why the secret lies in insulation. What deep practice is, and how it's so different from the practice most of us do. How “ignition” is the engine that drives deep practice, and where you find the spark. Secrets of the master coaches.

Kerry Taylor is one of the world's top financial bloggers. But she had another story to tell: the experience of surviving one of the most virulent forms of breast cancer. In this rare and precious conversation, we discuss that moment when you have the worst possible news confirmed; what it is you can actually control, and why that really matters; how to ensure the uncertainty of the future doesn't steal away the joy of the present; and what Kerry learnt about her own tendency to perfectionism.

Dave Stachowiak is the host of the Coaching for Leaders podcast, a top-rated careers podcast on iTunes that's downloaded over 150,000 times every month. He's also the founder of the Coaching for Leaders Academy, an exclusive, year-long leadership development cohort for managers, executives and business owners who want to develop leadership excellence — and empower each other. In this episode, Dave explains how he helps leaders make great friends and creates the space for great conversation.

You're either born with backbone or heart. Mary Beth O'Neill is one of my heroes. I spoke with her back in 2011, and it's a conversation that still resonates today. (Plus it is one of my most popular podcasts from the previous 300 episodes.) She is the author of Executive Coaching with Backbone and Heart and has coached leaders to have a greater impact on their organizations. Her work is about finding that sweet spot where you can bring both backbone and heart into balance, and be clear about your position but also connected to the people you're working with. Mary Beth helps leaders build resilience, focus, and engagement. In this interview, Mary Beth and I discuss: How to have and maintain your own signature presence without going through a personality transplant. Lessons for corporate executives learned from watching soap opera characters on TV. The trick to easily identifying the patterns that are running a working relationship, and how to inspire the people you're coaching to shift those patterns

Part of the self-growth work for me right now is creating space in my life to think, to regenerate, to allow what's next to emerge. And, frankly, I need help because of my lifetime habit of filling my calendar. That's why I'm talking to Juliet Funt today. Juliet is the CEO of White Space at Work, an organizational efficiency consultancy to organizations big and small. She is a globally recognized warrior in the battle of effectiveness versus reactive busy-ness. In our conversation we look at the diminishing cycle of busyness and exhaustion we can all find ourselves in; what she means by “white space” and why it's so essential at a personal and an organizational level; and why a critical question is “how much is enough?”

Ron Carucci is co-founder and managing partner of Navalent, where he works with CEOs and executives pursuing transformational change for their organizations, leaders and industries. In this episode, Ron explores the importance of picking client partners and constructing transformational journeys.

My friend Sally Hogshead is a New York Times bestselling author and world-class branding expert. Her book How the World Sees You: Discover Your Highest Value Through the Science of Fascination is based on the premise that to become more successful, you do not have to change who you are—you have to become more of who you are. It's an excellent book, and an amazing tool for gaining insight into how others see you. I'm revisiting this interview for the #GWP300 celebration because it's filled with actionable tips and insights. And I want to hear from you! What's your favourite line or takeaway? Share it by either commenting below or tweeting me @BoxofCrayons with the hashtag #GWP300 for your chance to receive a gift from me. Over the next few weeks, we'll be randomly selecting 10 participants and sending them a coupon for a free ebook version of The Coaching Habit. In this interview, Sally and I discuss: The benefits of shifting from looking at yourself to looking at how others see you. How to identify what you naturally do best. How to make your success more predictable. What traits high performers share. How to capitalize on what you do best. Discover more at MBS.Works

Dorie Clark has been described by no less than the New York Times as an expert in self-reinvention and helping others make changes in their lives. If you're known for something, you're more likely to be valued; and if you're valued, you're more likely to get through whatever's ahead. In our conversation we talk about why we shouldn't get tripped up on the whole idea of “a personal brand”; why, if you build it, they won't come; the necessity of creating content, and how to start even if you don't know where to start; the power of social proof; and why networking really isn't as bad as you probably think it is.

I'm very excited to be speaking to Eric Klein. He has been part of my mastermind group for the past 10 years or more, and is a real pioneer in mindful leadership and coaching. He was talking about bringing mindfulness into the workplace before "mindfulness" was even discussed in the corporate world.

Philip Zimbardo is a psychologist and a professor emeritus at Stanford University. He's probably best known for his book The Lucifer Effect, which is a powerful and disturbing look at why good people do bad things, based on the findings of the Stanford Prison Experiment. His latest initiative is the Heroic Imagination Project, where he looks at the psychology of heroism and, in particular, at why some people act heroically on behalf of those in need.

Bina Venkataraman is the editorial page editor of The Boston Globe and a fellow at New America. She served as a senior adviser for climate change innovation in the Obama White House, was the director of Global Policy Initiatives at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. She is the author of a terrific book, The Optimist's Telescope: Thinking Ahead in a Reckless Age. In our conversation we talk about the power of a vividly imagined future; how to deal with vulnerable decision points; lessons learned from professional poker players; and both the flaws and usefulness of the marshmallow test.

After 10 years of heading Leadership Development at Walmart, where he was responsible for CEO onboarding, executive development and intelligent management across all levels of the organization, Neil Pasricha now serves as director of the Institute for Global Happiness. He has dedicated the past 15 years of his life to developing leaders and creating global programs inside the world's largest companies.

If you've ever felt that someone has been rude or uncivil to you at work, I think you'll really enjoy today's conversation. My guest is Christine Porath, associate professor of management at McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University and author of the new book Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace. It's a fantastic read in which Christine gets to the heart of what's behind on-the-job rudeness, what it costs us all and what we can do about it. I'm thrilled to dive into this meaty — and very timely — topic with her.

Dr. Lisette Nieves is an experienced social entrepreneur, a leader in the world of education and a clinical professor at NYU, where she teaches education leadership and policy. See how she helps people learn, develop their potential and spark something new.

Bonnie St. John was the first African American to win medals in a winter Olympic competition, a Rhodes Scholar, and served in the White House as a Director of the National Economic Council. Today, Bonnie travels the globe as a keynote speaker, Fortune 500 leadership expert, and bestselling author. In our conversation we dive into the principles, strategies and tactics of micro-resilience; explore how someone from San Diego ends up winning skiing medals; look into the power of what happens in between the moments of performance; and how to stay focused on “the next turn”, whatever that may be for you.

The Simplicity Survival Handbook, I got the opposite: a book that is practical, easy to read and focused at the heart of what matters. It's worth picking up even if it's just for the tip on how to delete 75% of your emails. In this interview Bill and I tackle why editing is a critical skill in today's world, how to use a courage-a-meter, why 1440 is the most important number you need to know … and advice on who should mentor you. If you are looking for tips on how to simplify your life and focus on your true purpose, this interview is for you. https://www.mbs.works/

Rita McGrath is a popular speaker, an author and a long time faculty member at Columbia Business School. She's been on the Thinkers 50 ranking for global management thinkers for more than a decade, and recently was ranked the number one thinker in strategy. In our conversation we look at the temptations and delusions of certainty; the power of Discovery Driven Planning; how to work back from the future; and why intelligent failure is a critical component of success.

Jim Knight, president of the Instructional Coaching Group, has spent more than a decade studying instructional coaching. He's changed the way teachers teach, and significantly improved the way students learn. In this conversation, Jim and I discuss: Why simplicity is the key to going viral and spreading ideas. Which “this is broken” moment changed Jim's approach to teaching. The importance of “selective incompetence.” How instructional coaching positions the teacher as a partner. The key principles of partnership, and the difference between “dialogical coaching” and “facilitative coaching.” RESOURCES Visit Jim's website at instructionalcoaching.com. Read his blog at radicallearners.com.

Marshall Goldsmith has been acclaimed by many organizations and institutions as one of the great thinkers and coaches in business and in HR. His 2007 book, What Got You Here Won't Get You There was a New York Times bestseller and the Wall Street Journal's number one business book in 2007, and Marshall's recent book Succession looks like it will have the same level of success. I'm constantly struck by his generosity of spirit as well as his wisdom, and Marshall demonstrates both in this interview.

If we're going to get through this, we need to manage conflict as best we can. That's why it's so important to listen to Liane Davey. She is an organizational psychologist who advises leaders on both strategy and team effectiveness. In our conversation we talk about why we're biologically wired to avoid conflict (see, it isn't just me!); the price we pay for accumulating “conflict debt”; the delusion of “picking your battles”; when sweating palms can be helpful; and how to best harness the power of validation and reciprocity.

Chris Ducker is a serial entrepreneur and bestselling author. He's also launched and grown three businesses that house over 400 full-time employees, internationally. In this interview, Chris explains the connection between being a Youpreneur and who you are, how you're working, how you want to work, and who you want to work with.

Rita was a twenty-five year old veteran at Southwest Airlines, a two-time recipient of The President's Award for Outstanding Achievement, and in her final role at Southwest Airlines she served as director of The University for People. SWA is of course a beacon in the world of Great Work and Rita shares insights from her time there in this interview. Meantime, she continues to be heavily involved with the American Society of Training and Development, while heading her own consultancy, QVF Partners, a consulting firm committed to helping organizations create people-focused cultures. Rita is also author of Destination Profit, which makes a strong correlation between the power of employee engagement and organizations becoming more profitable.

Few people have an established model of resilience, based on empirical evidence and tested in both the business and academic worlds. Dr Taryn Marie Stejskal is the unicorn. In this episode we get into what's wrong with bouncing back; the five practices of resilient people; the distinction between choice and control; how Kevin Bacon may have shot himself in the foot; why the mindset “everything happens for a reason” drives us both crazy … and just what it means to over-egg a pudding.