Podcasts about every leader

Can a company really put people first and still build a thriving workplace culture? On A New Direction with Coach Jay Izso, my guest Josh Block says yes — and he’s got fifteen years of proof. Who Is Josh Block? Josh Block spent fifteen years leading Block Imaging, growing the team from fifty people to more than four hundred, and revenue from thirty million dollars to two hundred fifteen million. He didn’t get there by squeezing more out of people — he got there by building a workplace culture rooted in trust. He went on to found Cube Mobile Imaging, expanding access to medical imaging for patients across the country, and today serves as Executive Advisor at Block Imaging. He’s also the author of the new book People Matter @Work. Josh works with executives navigating growth, brand-new managers who got the title without the training, and teams stuck in fear and disengagement — helping them reshape their workplace culture around trust, ownership, and generosity instead of pressure. Why Workplace Culture Starts With “We,” Not “Me” At the center of People Matter @Work is a simple but demanding idea: the biggest thing standing between a team and real performance often isn’t strategy, budget, or talent — it’s a leader running everything through “me.” Josh’s framework is built to shift workplace culture from isolation to ownership, and from pressure to possibility. If leadership has ever felt heavier the more responsibility you took on, this is the conversation for you. 3 Shifts That Build a Stronger Workplace Culture Josh breaks it down into three practices any leader can start using right away to strengthen their workplace culture: Lead together, not alone. Shared ownership — not hoarded decisions — is the backbone of a healthy workplace culture. Make decisions with intention. Thoughtful choices beat leading on autopilot, and they signal the kind of workplace culture you’re building. Practice transparency. Managing perception wears leaders out; honesty is what makes a workplace culture people actually trust. Whether you’re an executive navigating change, a manager who wasn’t quite ready for the promotion, or leading a team stuck in disengagement, these three shifts are the blueprint for a workplace culture where people — and performance — actually thrive. Listen to the Full Conversation Josh’s book is a playbook for building the kind of workplace culture where trust, accountability, and generosity aren’t posters on a wall — they’re how the place actually runs. Catch the full conversation with Josh Block on A New Direction with Coach Jay Izso, live and on the podcast, and get a new direction on what it actually means to lead. Josh Block’s book, “People Matter at Work: Fostering a Culture Where Team Members Thrive and Everyone Wins” is an outstanding book.  If you are a fan of “The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team” by Lencioni then you are going to love this book!  It takes a deeper look at how we will can truly build a team that builds trust and makes you organization and business more profitable. We have all heard the saying, “culture eats strategy for breakfast” well Josh Block has the proof as he takes his company to a higher stratosphere financially through a powerful workplace culture shift.  And how does he do that?  By sharing the principles of People Matter @Work. Josh literally takes us through his step of becoming a 20 something President of an already successful company and makes it even better.  He recognizes during his own humbling experience there are 3 T’s, Working Together, making Thoughtful Decisions that affect his people, and being Transparent, helps his entire workforce become safe, seen, and successful.  And the result is people take ownership of the company to want to see it succeed and in turn makes it tremendously profitable. It may sound like a risk to the average CEO, but as Josh points out the real risk was by not doing the work to make his entire team a integral part of the business.  This book is for both the current leader and the aspiring leader.  And he not only has proved, he gives you the tools and the mindset to create it for your business as well.  Really enjoyed every page of the book.  I highly recommend it. Get your copy of People Matter @Work by clicking here!  Please Thank The Sponsors of A New Direction by LIKING and Following their pages: Linda Craft Team, REALTORS no matter where you live in the world, Linda Craft and her team can help you find the best professional in your area to help you sell or buy your next home. While most real estate professionals belong to a nationally affiliated company where they are obligated to use the people in their company's network. Linda Craft Team are privately owned and operated.  That means they can find the absolute best professional from ANY company to ensure you get the best service. Located in the Raleigh Research Triangle Park of North Carolina…they are indeed legendary when it comes to service.  Learn more  by going to Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS  www.LindaCraft.com Hey…do me a favor and please tell your friends to subscribe to A New Direction on their favorite podcast platform and give us a 5 star rating we are so grateful when you do! ABOUT YOUR HOST Meet Jay Izso Executive Performance Coach  |  Host of A New Direction Every week on A New Direction, I sit down with CEOs, founders, and the researchers behind the science of leadership performance. The conversations go deep. We talk about the decisions that built companies, the mistakes that nearly destroyed them, and the personal breakthroughs that changed everything. But here's what most people don't know about me: the show is an extension of the work I do every day with executives behind closed doors. Who I Am I'm an Executive Performance Coach. I work with CEOs and founders of $5M-$50M companies who have hit a wall they can't explain. The marketing looks fine. The team is capable. The market is there. But the business won't move. The problem, almost every time, is the person running it. I find the personal behavioral patterns that are driving the business dysfunction. Then I help the CEO disrupt those patterns so the company can grow. That's it. No motivational platitudes. No vision boards. Diagnostics, intervention, results. Where This Comes From My approach comes from two places most coaches never set foot in. The farm. I grew up as a farmhand in Ithaca, Nebraska—population 100. I started working at nine years old. By the time I left for college, I'd spent a decade learning that you can't cheat the harvest, pain is part of the job, and the work has to get done whether you feel like it or not. I was fourteen the first time I had to castrate boars. Nobody was going to do it for me. That lesson never left: sometimes you have to do things afraid. The forensic psychology unit. In graduate school at Washington State University, I trained under Dr. Thomas Brigham—co-author of the Handbook of Applied Behavior Analysis—in a human behavior lab focused on real-world problems. I then served in a Clinical Psych II role at Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake, Washington, a forensic setting where I conducted psychological evaluations of individuals charged with the most serious criminal offenses. Sixteen months assessing human behavior at its most extreme taught me how to cut through defenses, identify what's really driving someone's decisions, and see what they can't see in themselves.

Johan Bruyneel and Spencer Martin break down Tadej Pogačar's dominant ride to win La Vuelta's Stage 4 and continue to pile onto his overall lead, while a thrilling battle for the remainder of the podium places came into focus behind. They discuss how Pogačar continues to execute these long-range breakaways, and what the others could potentially do to stop him, before predicting the outcome of tomorrow's Stage 5, which promises an intriguing battle between the sprinters and attackers. Become a WEDŪ Member Today to Unlock VIP Access & Benefits: https://access.wedu.team Ultra Pouches: Ultra is the ultimate guilt-free pouch — delivering instant focus and mental clarity, without nicotine or caffeine. New customers can use code THEMOVE to get 15% off at https://TakeUltra.com. After you purchase, they will ask you where you heard about them. PLEASE support our show and tell them our show sent you. Eight Sleep: Use code THEMOVE at https://eightsleep.com/themove for up to $350 off. 30 days to try it at home. Free returns if it's not for you. Momentous: If you want to try Momentous Signature Spec Creatine, head to https://livemomentous.com and use code THEMOVE35 for up to 35% off your entire first order. 

Everyone talks about building momentum. Nobody talks about what to do when it actually arrives. Until now.This episode fills that gap with one of the most vivid and practically useful frameworks in the Brewing Success library: the roller coaster metaphor. We ride the full track together, the climb, the peak, the curve, the loop and at each stage examine the specific character test that momentum presents and what it looks like to pass it. You will have a concrete understanding that momentum is not something to ride. It is something to manage, and the leader who manages it becomes the leader whose best seasons are always ahead of them.

To learn more about the Let's Grow Leaders Performance Management training, click here.Are you wasting time trying to address the wrong performance problem?When someone on your team misses deadlines, makes mistakes, or stops following through, it's easy to assume they don't care or to jump straight into feedback, training, or closer oversight. But if you treat the wrong cause, you waste time, add to everyone's overwhelm, and leave the real issue unresolved. In this episode, you'll learn a practical, human-centered leadership framework for diagnosing poor performance accurately, strengthening your communication skills, and helping your team regain sustainable productivity without avoiding accountability.After listening, you'll be equipped to:• Use four diagnostic questions centered on connection, clarity, curiosity, and commitment to uncover what is really affecting an employee's performance.• Match your response to the actual problem, whether the person needs clearer expectations, stronger skills or confidence, better priorities and resources, a repaired process, or direct accountability.• Lead fairer, more effective performance conversations that build trust, support problem solving, and get people back on track faster.Play the episode now to learn the four-question performance loop that can save you from solving the wrong problem and help your team deliver stronger, more sustainable results.Be sure to pay attention to:03:38 – Separate what you observe from what you assume.Turn vague judgments such as “bad attitude” into specific, observable behaviors you can address fairly. You'll make feedback clearer and open the door to a productive conversation.06:59 – Make expectations unmistakably clear.Discover why many performance problems begin with expectations that seemed obvious to you but were never clear to the employee. You'll see how shared clarity creates a stronger foundation for accountability.09:59 – Find what is really blocking performance.Explore how capability, confidence, capacity, and workplace systems can affect follow-through. Asking the right questions helps you solve the actual problem instead of defaulting to training or closer oversight.15:42 – Know when direct accountability is necessary.Learn how to respond when someone has the clarity, skills, resources, and support to succeed but still does not follow through. You'll hear how to establish a specific commitment and a clear follow-up plan.Leadership Without Using Your Soul podcast offers insightful discussions on leadership and management, focusing on essential communication skills, productivity, teamwork, delegation, and feedback to help leaders navigate various leadership styles, management styles, conflict resolution, time management, and active listening while addressing challenges like overwhelm, burnout, work-life balance, and problem-solving in both online and in-person teams, all aimed at cultivating human-centered leadership qualities that promote growth and success.

Speak Their Style, Build Real Influence Hi everyone, Carl Gould here with your #70secondCEO. Just a little over one minute investment every day for a lifetime of results. Why do we care that we have rapport? Why do we care that we have influence? Well, first off, we need rapport because we need to build a relationship. I'm going to ask you a couple of questions in a moment, but we need to build a relationship with other people. And there are only three styles out there. You're one of them. There are two others. And for our purposes, you are basically wired like one-third of the population when it comes to your communication style. You don't have to do any work. You connect with them very easily. They, wow, that person is really cool. I get on very easily with them. It's the other two thirds that we have to work on. So you have to know your style so you can understand others' styles so you can adapt. And that's what today's about. It's about situational communication, situational leadership. Like and follow this podcast so you can learn more. My name is Carl Gould, and this has been your #70secondCEO.

Kurt Avery didn't set out to solve the global water crisis. He simply wanted to build great outdoor products. But over time, the founder of Sawyer Products realized the same water filtration technology trusted by backpackers could also transform entire communities around the world. Today, Sawyer partners with more than 140 nonprofits across 80 countries, helping provide clean water to millions of people while proving that business can truly be a force for good. But here's what makes Kurt's story even more remarkable... Sawyer spent 23 years becoming an "overnight success." In this conversation, Kurt shares the mindset that kept him going, why he refuses to build "me-too" products, how faith shapes his leadership, and why every entrepreneur already has the ability to create meaningful impact. Whether you're building a business, leading a team, or simply wondering how your work can make a bigger difference... this episode will encourage and challenge you. ___________   Have you been thinking about being a Coach or a speaker… but you've been wondering whether you have the authority to make it happen? The Authority Archetype Assessment is a free, research-based tool designed to help you identify your unique authority style and discover whether coaching, speaking, consulting, advising, or teaching might be part of your next season. Take the free assessment at https://mitchmatthews.com/6  ___________   In This Episode, We Cover: Why it took 23 years for Sawyer to become an "overnight success" The incredible story of how clean water is transforming communities around the world Why Sawyer calls itself a "behavior change company" Kurt's approach to innovation—and why he refuses to create "me-too" products How faith and practical decision-making work together in leadership Why hiring people smarter than yourself is one of the best business strategies you'll ever use How your unique gifts and skill set can become a force for good ___________ Resources Get Kurt's book Sawyer Think: https://amzn.to/4rYLPvS  Check out Sawyer Products here: https://amzn.to/4usz3aM  Connect with Sawyer Products on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sawyerproducts/ ___________   Ready to Take Action? What's one gift, skill, or opportunity you've been given that could make a bigger impact than you realize? Drop a comment below - we'd love to hear your biggest takeaway from this conversation. And if this episode encouraged you, share it with another entrepreneur, leader, or dreamer who could use the reminder that business - and your work - can truly change the world.  

95% of people believe they're completely self-aware. Only 10% actually are, and that gap nearly cost this week's guest his business, his family, and his sanity. On this episode of One Part Lion, One Part Lamb, Stephen sits down with Lucas Sherraden, pastor turned real estate leader turned author of The Uncaged Leader, to unpack the hidden programming running underneath every decision we make. Lucas shares the moment his eighth-grade daughter's question exposed what was really driving his near-collapse in 2008, and the framework he now teaches leaders to help them see what they can't see in themselves. Together, they dig into why "the market" is almost never the real problem, how our own preferences quietly make decisions for us before we're even aware of it, and why the question "who must I become" matters more than "what must I do." It's the Lion and Lamb methodology in action: the strength to lead boldly, paired with the humility to actually look inward. In this episode, we unpack:  — The Harvard study on self-awareness that should unsettle every leader — The basketball gym moment that changed how Lucas saw his own business — The 5-second formula for practicing the pause before you react — The leadership archetypes keeping high-performers caged — How Lucas took a Kansas City brokerage from #6 to #1 in two years Lucas Sherraden is the author of The Uncaged Leader and a former pastor turned real estate leadership coach. Learn more here. If this episode challenged you, follow One Part Lion, One Part Lamb so you don't miss what's next, and if you've got 30 seconds, a quick rating and review helps this show reach more leaders who need to hear it.

Every leader has blind spots.The problem is, if you could see them yourself, they wouldn't be blind spots.In Episode 226 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast, I sat down with my good friend Pastor T.W. Norman for a practical conversation about leadership, team development, and how to keep your church from drifting back into old patterns.Because healthy leadership requires more than making the right decisions.It requires surrounding yourself with people who are willing to tell you what you can't see.T.W. and I talk about why pastors need coaches and trusted leaders who have permission to speak honestly into their lives. We also unpack how to recognize whether someone on your team is truly in the right seat and what it takes to create lasting change in your church.Here's some of what we unpack:-Why every leader has blind spots-How coaches and trusted leaders can help you see what you're missing-Why defensiveness can keep leaders from growing-How to know whether someone on your staff is in the right seat-The connection between effort, results, and passion-Why great leaders bring out the best in the people around them-How to keep your church from drifting back into old routines-Why cultural change requires more than a one-time conversation-How attaching a positive outcome to change helps people embrace itOne of the most important reminders from our conversation was this:“Organizations don't rise to the occasion near as often as they fall back to their routines.”That's why leadership requires intentionality.We have to keep inviting honest feedback. We have to keep evaluating whether our people are positioned to thrive. And when we make healthy changes, we have to keep reminding people why those changes mattered in the first place.Otherwise, drift happens.If you want to become a more self-aware leader, build a stronger team, and create a healthier culture that lasts, I believe this conversation will give you some practical tools to do it.

Mark Miller spent almost 45 years at Chick-fil-A, rising to VP of High Performance Leadership, and along the way he accidentally co-wrote a book with Ken Blanchard that's now in 34 languages. He's back on Unlocked to talk about the newly re-released edition of THE SECRET: What Great Leaders Know and Do, a third of it rewritten, with a research-backed free assessment and facilitator's guide added. We get into why "servant leadership" has become a tarnished brand, and why buying donuts and walking dogs is service, not leadership. Mark shares data from a global survey of 4,000 leaders across six countries where over 60% named the same thing as their boss's biggest limitation: ego. Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Cold Start & Intro 00:08:40 – Why Rewrite a Book That Already Sold 700K Copies 00:12:50 – Why "Servant Leadership" Got a Bad Name 00:15:26 – The Definition Problem Nobody Talks About 00:20:13 – The #1 Thing Blocking Your Boss 00:26:35 – When Learning Becomes a Hiding Place 00:31:34 – Why the Quarter Kills the Relationship 00:38:33 – Own Your Bias, Then Compensate 00:45:20 – Does Pressure Reveal Character or Build It? Guest: Mark Miller Websites: leadeveryday.com, www.markmillerleadership.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/highperformanceleaders Book: The Secret: What Great Leaders Know and Do www.markmillerleadership.com/product/the-secret-what-great-leaders-know-and-do Instagram: www.instagram.com/MarkMillerLeadership Twitter/X: x.com/MarkMillerLeads YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LeadEveryDay

If you're constantly busy but still feel like you're not making the progress you want, it may may be a sign that you need to sharpen your prioritisation skills.Effective prioritisation is a strategic leadership skill that creates space for better thinking, stronger decisions and greater impact by focusing on what matters most.This episode explores why leaders are rarely asked to do less and why becoming more senior often means balancing increasing demands with limited time, energy and resources. We discuss how operational work can keep leaders trapped on the hamster wheel and why intentionally creating time for strategic thinking is essential for long term success.We talk through two practical tools that have helped us to prioritise more effectively:The Eisenhower Matrix - helps separate urgent work from genuinely important work, encouraging you to spend more time on strategic activities before they become crises.The Impact Effort Matrix - a framework for identifying which activities are likely to deliver the greatest value and avoiding work that consumes effort without creating meaningful results.You can read more about these tools in Gemma's blog Key points discussedWhy prioritisation is a foundational strategic leadership skill, not simply a time management technique.How to move away from constant operational busyness and create more space for strategic thinking.Using the Eisenhower Matrix to distinguish between urgent and important work.Understanding how different thinking styles influence the way we approach important tasks.Applying the Impact Effort Matrix to prioritise projects, change initiatives and strategic decisions.Recognising opportunities to delegate, automate or redesign recurring tasks.Identifying work that delivers little value despite consuming significant effort.Asking "What are the things that only I can do?" to improve delegation and leadership focus.Key takeawayStrategic leadership is not about getting more done. It is about making better choices about where your time, energy and attention create the greatest value. Prioritisation is the tool that makes this possible. Check out our previous episodes on similar themes:S1.11 - How to prioritise more strategicallyS5.01 - Moving between detail and big pictureThank you for tuning into this episode of The Strategic Leader podcast.If you enjoyed the show, please give us 5 stars! It will help others find the show. Check out our previous episodes and remember to subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes. If you have any questions or want to discuss anything, we'd love to hear from you:www.gemmabullivant.co.uk (for Gemma)www.wearegoodthinking.co.uk (for Fi)

Artificial Intelligence is transforming business at an unprecedented pace.Cyber threats are evolving by the hour.Yet many leaders are still treating technology as an IT problem instead of a leadership priority.In this episode, we sit down with Ben Wilcox, CTO and CISO of ProArch, to discuss what executive leaders need to know about AI, cybersecurity, and building organizations that are resilient, scalable, and prepared for what's next.

Episode 344: Empathy is not something you either have or you don't - it is a skill you can practice, strengthen, and sometimes struggle to access.In this episode, Vonda and Lori continue their conversation about empathy in leadership by exploring the framework from Empathy Is Not a Weakness by Lauren Sanders. They break down the word EMPATHY into practical behaviors leaders can use to create stronger teams, healthier communication, and more psychological safety in the workplace.From examining personal blind spots and managing mindfulness to practicing perspective, communicating tactfully, and replacing “no way” with “tell me more,” this honest and humorous conversation challenges leaders to look closely at how their words, reactions, and facial expressions affect the people around them.You'll also hear real-life stories about difficult conversations, leadership mistakes, design instructors who build confidence - or tear it down - and why listening for understanding can be more powerful than immediately offering advice.Empathetic leadership does not mean lowering expectations. It means learning how to lead people with clarity, dignity, self-awareness, and care.Sponsored by: Flower CliqueFlower Clique Prep SchoolReal Life Retail Florist

Some podcast episodes give you motivation. This one might expose everything you've been avoiding. What happens when two business owners stop talking about strategy, sales, and success... and start answering the brutally honest questions they've been asking themselves behind closed doors? Sean Meyers and Michael Faust throw away the polished leadership advice and step into something far more uncomfortable: radical self-awareness. From hidden fears about money and business growth, to the conversations they're avoiding, the lies they keep telling themselves, the pressure of leading families, companies, and teams, and the habits quietly sabotaging their future, nothing is off limits. This isn't another episode filled with productivity hacks or leadership clichés. It's a raw look into the questions that reveal who you really are when nobody is watching. Could your calendar be hiding your biggest weakness? Are you leading from confidence... or from fear? Are you building a business while quietly neglecting the people who matter most? And what if the greatest obstacle standing between you and the leader you're capable of becoming has been staring back at you in the mirror all along? By the end of this conversation, you'll probably stop thinking about your business, and start thinking about yourself. If you're a business owner, entrepreneur, leader, spouse, parent, or someone who refuses to settle for average, this episode will challenge you in ways you didn't expect. The final challenge Sean leaves every listener with is simple, but it may be the most life-changing exercise you've ever completed. Watch until the end. Then answer the questions... if you're brave enough. If you'd like the complete "Leadership Starts in the Mirror" self-assessment discussed in this episode, send us a direct message and we'll send it to you. Because the hardest person you'll ever have to lead... is yourself. If you're looking for a group of growth-minded business owners and leaders who challenge and support each other, come check us out. Be our guest: https://www.levelupandlive.com/lul-mastermind-group Stay in the loop; stay in the lead! Get exclusive insights on business, fitness, leadership, and community straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the Level Up + Live newsletter now Level Up + Live  Tools to Level Up! Free Resources — Level Up + Live

In this episode, Bart speaks with Rabih El Khodr, author of The Way Out of Burnout, about what burnout really is, how to recognize it, and what it takes to overcome it. Drawing on research in psychology and neuroscience as well as his own personal experiences, Rabih challenges the conventional view that burnout is the result of working too hard, arguing instead that it often stems from the gap between our authentic selves and the roles we feel we need to play at work. Central to his work is the idea that burnout begins when we start following survival scripts, a concept he pairs with his F.L.O.W. Framework, a practical approach to identifying and changing the patterns that contribute to burnout. The conversation also offers valuable insights for leaders on how to spot burnout in their teams and support them before it becomes overwhelming. As the demands on leaders continue to intensify, Rabih's perspective offers a fresh approach to sustaining high performance without sacrificing oneself in the process. Get a sneak peek at the introduction of Rabih's book here: https://the-burnout-graduates.kit.com/ Watch his TEDx talk "Burnout Begins with a Script" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il8L9CB8dsQ Show notes: 00:33 Show intro 01:10 Introducing Rabih El Khodr 01:37 The topic of burnout 02:04 What is burnout, and what do we get wrong about it? 02:29 Burnout is caused by "putting on an act" 03:01 Why some hardworking leaders don't burn out 04:05 Where did it all start? 04:09 Starting a career in marketing and communications 04:57 Multiple episodes of burnout throughout his career 05:22 How a lifetime of burnout led to the book 05:47 The realization that changed his perspective on burnout 06:17 The worldview that made burnout worse 06:31 The three unachievable objectives that drive burnout 06:53 The personal experiences that shaped his thesis 08:11 The panic attack in Istanbul 09:39 What are the signs you may be experiencing burnout? 09:52 Losing interest in the activities you once loved 11:39 What causes burnout? 11:58 Introducing survival scripts 12:17 How operating on autopilot leads to burnout 12:38 The cognitive theory behind burnout 13:02 Why burnout begins at the belief level 13:19 The scripts that lead us to burnout 13:23 The Three Cs 13:29 Composure 13:41 Connection 13:53 Control 14:06 The pressure leaders feel to be perfect 15:48 Why do some people burn out while others don't? 16:12 Robin Williams and the danger of unchecked survival scripts 17:34 Why self-awareness is the path out of burnout 18:51 The self-awareness gap: 95% vs. 10–15% 20:09 How can you develop greater self-awareness? 20:36 The PONI framework 20:46 Pause 20:55 Observe 21:01 Name the emotion 21:08 Integrate it 21:12 Applying PONI to a real-world situation 23:41 The survival mode of the modern era 24:11 Why leaders deserve more empathy 25:56 The FLOW framework 26:18 Understanding the flow state 26:41 The four-step FLOW process 26:48 Face your scripts 27:47 Applying FLOW to Rabih's own journey 28:46 Burnout isn't inevitable 29:31 When is it your script, and when is it simply too many hours? 30:31 The problem with many workplace wellness programs 31:37 Can bad bosses cause burnout? 35:02 Why self-awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence 35:58 Where to learn more about Rabih's work 36:17 Final thoughts 36:36 Outro

Seven years ago James launched The Lonely Leader. In that time he's had the privilege of coaching and mentoring leaders across FTSE 100 businesses, the NHS, SMEs and the wider public and not for profit sectors. Different sectors, different titles, different pressures, and yet the same handful of challenges surface again and again.In this milestone episode he pulls together the seven challenges that clients have raised most often over the past seven years. For each one, he points you towards the episodes in the back catalogue that explore it in more depth, so you can go straight to the area that matters most to you right now.Whether you're a chief executive, a founder or an emerging leader, the chances are at least one of these is sitting close to home.1.Loneliness in leadershipGo deeper: Episode 30 Preventing Loneliness in LeadershipEpisode 103 Escaping Leadership LonelinessEpisode 106 When performance stops feeling worth it2.Burnout Go deeper: Episode 9 Warning Signs of Burnout and Tips to Prevent ItEpisode 23 Lessons Learned from BurnoutEpisode 71 Holiday Illness, a Warning Sign You Cannot Ignore3.Imposter syndromeGo deeper: Episode 20 Tackling Imposter Syndrome4. StandardsGo deeper:Episode 61 Set your Standards High5.Psychological safetyGo deeper: Episode 22 Creating Psychological Safety in a Team6.CommunicationGo deeper:Episode 38 Mastering the Art of CommunicationEpisode 80 Feedback Culture Part 1: Giving FeedbackEpisode 81 Feedback Culture Part 2: Receiving FeedbackEpisode 113 Connection before command: The human side of leadershipEpisode 124 Feedback isn't bullying. Silence is worse 7.ClarityGo deeper: Episode 84 Leadership Essentials: Clarity Go further with The Lonely Leader AcademyIf you want to work through some of these areas properly, James goes deeper on standards, communication and clarity across the modules and lessons already available inside The Lonely Leader Academy.ABOUT THE HOST James is an experienced mentor, coach and thought leader who works with a range of clients from FTSE 100 companies, SME´s the NHS and wider public and not for profit sectors.His twenty year career in elite sport initially as a professional rugby player but predominantly as a chief executive has given him an invaluable insight in managing the success, failures and pressures associated with leadership at the highest level.As a high performance coach James specialises in enhancing resilience and leadership development. He is a passionate advocate of the notion that to find lasting fulfilment we need to take a holistic view of high performance. CONNECT & CONTACT The Lonely Leader Academy: The Lonely Leaderwww.thelonelyleader.co.ukThe Lonely Leader's LinkedIn James' LinkedInInstagramhello@thelonelyleader.co.uk THIS SHOW WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY LONELY LEADER MEDIA NEWSLETTERSign Up to The Leadership Accelerator Newsletter for advice, inspiration and ideas, you'll also receive James' Top 10 Tips for Combating Your Fear of Public Speaking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What are the bad leadership habits that quietly hold a team back? In this solo episode of The Courageous Leaders Podcast, I share the five leadership behaviours driving me crazy right now, and what to do instead if you want to lead well over the next few years.Consider it a rant with a purpose. From leaders who struggle to manage stress to the ones avoiding hard conversations, burning out and calling it “high performance,” or making everything about themselves, I break down why each habit damages a team and the honest shift each one needs. If you lead people, this is a wake-up call worth five minutes.What We Cover:00:00 The five leadership behaviours driving me crazy00:06 No self-management: reacting and offloading stress onto your team01:01 Avoiding difficult conversations (and the time it wastes)01:33 Not looking after yourself, and what “high performance” really means02:42 Getting a coach but doing none of the work03:32 Being too self-focused, and why that isn't leadership04:08 Why leadership needs empathy and compassion04:20 Leadership takes daily effort, not just a title

Welcome to the Health Marketing Collective, where strong leadership meets marketing excellence.On today's episode, we're joined by Bernie Armada, professor at the University of St. Thomas and a leader at the intersection of storytelling, communication, and applied improvisation. Bernie shares his personal journey from crippling stage fright to expert communicator, revealing how improvisational techniques can transform not just individual confidence but the very nature of leadership and connection in our AI-driven world.With host Sara Payne, Bernie dives into how improv uniquely cultivates better listeners and more authentic leaders, breaking down the conventions that often stifle true connection. The episode is packed with stories, practical insights, and powerful anecdotes from the classroom to the corporate boardroom and even the radiology suite on why every leader, regardless of background, can benefit from improv training.We explore how the skills learned in improvisation are transferable far beyond performance, shaping the way executives, technical professionals, and communicators of all stripes build trust, foster collaboration, and bring a more human touch to their work in an increasingly automated world.Thank you for joining the Health Marketing Collective, where strong leadership meets marketing excellence. The future of healthcare depends on it.Key TakeawaysImprov as a Catalyst for Human Connection: Bernie emphasizes that in an era where AI can automate much of our work, the ability to genuinely connect with others is more critical than ever. Improv teaches us to be fully present, attentive listeners, not just hearing words, but reading expressions, body language, and intent, laying a foundation for deep human connection and trust (10:37).Leadership is About Listening, Not Judging: Improv skills empower leaders to step down from perceived pedestals and engage authentically with their teams. By “taking off the armor” sometimes literally, as Bernie Armada invites both students and professionals to remove their shoes, participants break down hierarchical barriers, build trust, and foster a sense of equality and community in the workplace (15:10).Unlearning Professional Veneers for Authenticity: Professional success often comes with rigid habits and protective “veneers,” but improvisation helps participants “unlearn” these conventions. Through playful exercises, individuals rediscover their authentic voices, build confidence, and cultivate a more effective, approachable style of leadership and communication (21:27).Improv Works for Everyone, Not Just ‘Natural' Communicators: Whether you're an engineer, physician, scientist, or executive, the skills developed through improvisation like mirroring, vulnerability, and in-the-moment responsiveness are universally beneficial. Bernie describes transformative experiences with highly technical professionals who, through applied improv, become more engaging speakers and leaders, able to connect with both peers and lay audiences (27:20).Practical Advice: Risk, Storytelling, and Lifelong Growth: For those looking to become more engaging communicators, Bernie recommends taking practical steps such as reading Alan Alda's “If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?” and seeking out improv classes in your area. He highlights that the path to better communication is ongoing, shaped by risk-taking, sharing authentic stories, being comfortable with mistakes, and always striving to connect on a human level (42:25).Mentioned in this episode:Health Marketing Collective is Powered by InprelaThe Health Marketing Collective is powered by Inprela: a communications firm built for health brands determined to lead, not follow. We partner with marketing innovators who aren't just chasing attention—they're building movements. Connect with the audiences shaping the future of care and lead the conversations that move your market. Ready to rise above the noise? Visit inprela.com. Let's create something that moves the market.Inprela Communications

In this episode, the conversation focused on the transformative power of guarding your heart and aligning every area of life—especially business—with God's truth. Drawing from Proverbs 4:23, the discussion explored how unprocessed emotions like offense, bitterness, and shame can cloud vision and hinder growth. Listeners are encouraged to recognize and release these barriers, allowing God to continually renew and fill their hearts. Emphasizing the importance of faith, prayer, self-examination, and heart-to-heart connection, this episode offers encouragement and practical wisdom for women seeking to run their race with endurance, integrity, and impact. Key Moments & Timestamps 00:13 – Guiding Scripture: How God provides a theme and scripture for every event. 01:10 – The Meaning of Guarding Your Heart: Exploring Proverbs 4:23 and why everything flows from the heart. 02:44 – Releasing What Hinders: Letting go of offense, bitterness, and other burdens that cloud vision. 04:43 – True Endurance: Focusing on faith and God's strategy over the world's hustle mentality. 08:17 – Power of Words: Recognizing that words flow from the heart and create real impact. 13:09 – Heart-Driven Transformation: How character, integrity, and habits, rooted in the heart, lead to breakthrough.     Resources: Building at a high level but craving deeper alignment? The Elite Mastermind is a 12-month, faith-fueled business mastermind for high-achieving women who refuse to choose between business excellence and their faith. Join Kingdom-minded leaders for luxury in-person retreats, monthly coaching with Brooke Thomas, and a powerful network that will expand your vision, revenue, and impact. When you lead with God as your CEO, anything is possible.  Apply at https://brookethomas.com/mastermind/    Feel Like Yourself Again, From The Inside Out If you've been navigating low energy, hormone shifts, or feeling off in your body, this is the wellness stack Brooke personally uses and recommends. Designed to support inflammation, hormones, energy, and overall vitality, this is what helped her feel strong, clear, and aligned again. Explore the stack at https://brookethomas.com/stack    Find Your People. Build With Purpose.  Activate Your Impact is where faith-driven women stop building alone and start building together. Access monthly teaching, live coaching, and a network of women who are moving in the same direction you are. This is what keeps you plugged in, growing, and activated between the big moments. Join today at https://brookethomas.com/activate    Activate Your Impact! There's a version of you God is waiting to activate. This book will show you how to step boldly into your calling with unshakable faith and build a life and business that honors Him.  Get your copy and special bonuses at https://brookethomas.com/book 

On this episode of Technology & Security, Dr Miah Hammond-Errey speaks with Professor Jon Whittle, founding CEO of Goldilocks AI and professor at the University of Melbourne's Institute for Digital Innovation and AI. With nearly 30 years in AI spanning a technical lead role at NASA, founding the National AI Centre, and five years leading CSIRO's Data61, Jon brings a long view and the practical experience of having worked on these questions from inside government, research, and industry. The conversation opens with what AI sovereignty actually means across the full stack, from data centres and foundation models through to inference, applications and responsible AI, and why focusing only on data storage creates a false sense of security.The conversation moves to the economic and geopolitical case for Australia building its own foundation models, why the argument that we are too small and too far behind deserves more scrutiny, and how being cut off from models like Fable has made that conversation more urgent. Jon and Miah discuss the gap between personal productivity gains from AI and the organisational productivity gains that remain elusive, the dimensions that actually determine enterprise AI success (most of which have nothing to do with technology), and the leadership anti-patterns holding Australian companies back. This episode also covers the rise of Chinese models, the risk of ‘Uberization' of the Australian economy, what meaningful AI oversight requires from directors and boards, and why the conversation Jon hopes we are not still having in five years is the one we are having right now. Professor Jon Whittle is founding CEO of Goldilocks AI, professor at the University of Melbourne, and author of AI for Business. He is a former director of CSIRO's Data61 and founder of the National AI Centre.

What does it take to faithfully follow the call of God through every season of ministry?-----------For extended show notes - https://hacka.org/2026/07/16/229-ryan-neer-the-ministry-mindset-every-leader-needs/-----------In this episode, we are joined by Ryan Neer, Lead Pastor of Gateway Pentecostal Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Ryan shares his remarkable testimony—from addiction, brokenness and losing his father at a young age to becoming an evangelist and now pastor. But this conversation goes far beyond his story.We discuss why "mantles fall on moving targets," how to discern when God is saying "go" and when He's saying "stop," why a "no" from God may simply be an underdeveloped "now," and how God often develops His greatest leaders through seasons of weakness rather than strength.If you're pursuing God's calling, wrestling with unanswered prayers, or trying to understand the season you're in, this conversation will encourage, challenge and equip you to trust God's process.In this episode:- Ryan Neer's powerful testimony of salvation and transformation- Why mantles fall on moving targets- How to know when God is changing your season- Why God's "no" isn't always permanent- Receiving correction without becoming discouraged- Developing your gifting with humility- Understanding the fivefold ministry- Why God chooses weakness over self-confidence- Finding purpose in life's limitations- Letting patience prepare you for God's "suddenly"

This summer on Dominate Your Day, we are returning to the episode vault to bring back experts to discuss each of Gallup's five essential areas of wellbeing: Purpose, Social, Financial, Physical, and Community. Today we explore Career Wellbeing  what Gallup defines as liking what you do every day and having a sense of purpose in your work. Only 20 percent of people globally say they are thriving in this area. This episode is for the other 80 percent. Gina Riley  executive career coach and author of Qualified Isn't Enough shares why your authentic story is your greatest career asset. Angela Burgess  founder of Broad Oaks Consulting describes what it feels like when your values stop aligning with your work, and what happens when you find the courage to go a different path. Georgie Enthoven author of Work That's Worth It talks about the 90,000 hours every leader has and the questions we need to start asking. Michelle Merritt Chief Strategy Officer of D&S Executive Career Management explains why 85 percent of opportunities come through people and how to work that truth intentionally. Episode Minutes: Minute 5: The Developer Strength Story Minute 8: Success is not Linear Minute 15: Introverts Make The Best Networkers Links + Resources from This Episode: Learn more about Gina's work at www.ginarileyconsulting.com Learn more about Angela's work at www.broadoaksconsulting.com Learn more about Georgie's work at www.georgienthoven.com Connect with Michelle Meritt on LinkedIn Take the free 3-minute Authentic Imprint™ Assessment Get a copy of Dana's book, The Internal Revolution: Lead Authentically and Build Your Personal Brand from Within Learn more about The Strengths Journal

What if the biggest thing standing between you and your next level of growth… isn't your business? It's your identity. In this thought-provoking episode of the Transform My Dance Studio Podcast, Katie Wilber sits down with former Harlem Globetrotter, performance coach, and DG Mindset founder Derick Grant for a conversation that reaches far beyond studio ownership. Together, they explore what it truly means to grow—not just as an entrepreneur, but as a person. From identity shifts and self-trust to pressure, purpose, and the stories we tell ourselves, Derick shares why the version of you that built your business may not be the version that will lead it into the future. This isn't a conversation about better marketing or stronger systems. It's about becoming the leader your next season requires. If you've ever felt caught between who you've been and who you're becoming, this episode offers a powerful reminder that lasting transformation begins from the inside out. It may just change the way you think about growth—both in your studio and in yourself. What You'll Learn Why your identity determines your business results How self-worth impacts long-term success The difference between confidence and self-trust How to recognize when you've outgrown an old version of yourself Why growth requires letting go, not just learning more How to overcome pressure and stop seeking outside validation Practical questions to help uncover limiting beliefs Why entrepreneurship is ultimately a journey of self-development How to lead your studio from alignment instead of fear A simple mindset practice for creating your next level of success Derick Grant is a former Harlem Globetrotter, entrepreneur, author, performance coach, and founder of DG Mindset. Through speaking, coaching, retreats, and educational content, he helps leaders break through limiting beliefs, strengthen self-trust, and create lasting personal and professional transformation. Explore our partners: Try our Daily Decision Compass - dsoa.com/compass Join our growing community of people just like you inside our free Facebook group. Click here to join!  Follow The Dance Studio Owners Association:  Instagram: @dancestudioownersassociation | TikTok: @dsoaofficial | Facebook: @dancestudioownersassociation

n this discussion, Scott Burgmeyer, founder of Become More Group, breaks down the core tenets of continuous improvement. Whether you are in human resources, safety, or technology management, this conversation offers a practical framework for analyzing your current systems and identifying bottlenecks. We explore how to apply these leadership strategies to diverse industries, ensuring you can scale your operations without sacrificing quality or cultureGrab a copy of my book:https://partsmanagerpro.gumroad.com/l/qtqaxFull Video On Youtube:https://youtu.be/O8w36kKV3msBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-motor-files-podcast--4960744/support.

Most leaders in professional services are making decisions every day that come back to the finance – but no one ever actually taught them the numbers. In this episode, we're pulling back the curtain on the financial foundations that every leader needs to get a handle on, whether you're running a team, managing projects, or sitting in the hot seat at the top.Rich Brett is a FinOps consultant with 15 years in finance, working with professional services businesses to close the gap between finance and operations – and answer that nagging question: why is everyone busy, but we're not making any money?This episode is pulled directly from The Missing Finance Course – a free FinOps course Rich and Harv built to level up everyone from founders to individual contributors at agencies and consultancies. Here's what they get into:• Why cashflow forecasting isn't an advanced topic – it's a survival skill• What the P&L is really for, and why most senior leaders struggle to explain it to their own teams• How a knowledge gap becomes a credibility gap – and why that erodes trust across the whole business• Why so many businesses are pricing based on what they think something costs – not what it actually costs• Why comparing your rates to competitors is a trap, and what to do insteadIf you've ever sat in a finance presentation and felt a bit lost, or if you've been winging parts of your pricing strategy, this one's for you.The Missing Finance Course is free, self-paced, and built for three audiences: leadership, delivery teams, and individual contributors. Head to https://learn.scoro.com to get started.Additional Resources:

We often think resilience is something we discover in the hardest moments. But what if it's actually something we build long before we need it?As work becomes more complex, change accelerates, and cognitive demands continue to rise, many leaders find themselves relying on the same habits that helped them succeed in the past—only to realize they no longer have the capacity they once did. The challenge isn't a lack of capability. It's that resilience is too often treated as an individual trait instead of something we can intentionally strengthen.In this episode of foHRsight, Naomi Titleman Colla sits down with leadership psychologist and executive coach Dr. Marie-Hélène (MH) Pelletier to explore why resilience isn't about pushing harder or simply "bouncing back." Instead, it's a strategic practice that can be developed by individuals, teams, and organizations alike.Together, they discuss why high performers often underestimate the demands they're carrying, how cognitive patterns quietly erode decision-making, why resilience should be treated as leadership infrastructure rather than a wellness initiative, and the practical habits leaders can build today to protect their performance before they reach their breaking point.Whether you're leading an HR function, supporting organizational change, or simply feeling the weight of today's pace of work, this conversation offers a practical and refreshingly human approach to sustaining performance without sacrificing wellbeing.About Our GuestDr. Marie-Hélène (MH) Pelletier is a leadership psychologist, executive coach, keynote speaker, and author of The Resilience Plan: A Strategic Approach to Optimizing Your Work Performance and Mental Health. With more than 20 years of experience working with leaders across industries, she helps organizations build resilience as a strategic capability that strengthens decision-making, leadership, and long-term performance.Connect with MH:Website & book: theresilienceplan.comLinkedIn: search Dr. Marie-Hélène PelletierLink for free resources: https://drmarie-helene.com/free-resources-sign-up/Stay Connected with foHRsightTo sign up for our monthly newsletter, foHRsight, click HERE Follow us on LinkedIn:Mark EdgarNaomi Titleman Collafuture foHRward Follow us on InstagramIf you are looking for more foHRsight, sign up for our monthly foHRsight newsletter. It's free and includes access to our quarterly white paper. This quarter's white paper is about Rethinking Entry-Level work in the Age of AI, produced with Dr. Miranda Rodak from Indiana University's Kelley school of business - an important topic for HR, Leadership and parents, students and society as a whole! https://www.futurefohrward.com/subscribeSupport the show

What if this was the summer you stopped measuring your life by how much you accomplished, and instead started measuring it by how fully you lived?For so many high achievers, summer comes and goes without ever truly slowing down. We tell ourselves we'll rest "when things calm down," but somehow that moment never arrives. Before we know it, we're heading into another season already feeling depleted.In this solo episode, I'm sharing why I believe your energy is your greatest leadership asset—and why learning to manage it intentionally is one of the most important skills you can develop. I'll introduce you to the idea of becoming the Chief Energy Officer of your own life and explain why rest, play, adventure, and joy aren't distractions from success—they're what make sustainable success possible.We'll explore:Why productivity isn't the same as fulfillment.How to stop living in constant output mode.The simple Energy Input/Output Loop that can help you recognize what's fueling you and what's draining you.Why your summer bucket list deserves a place on your calendar.Practical ways to recharge your energy so you can show up more fully for your work, your family, and yourself.My hope is that this episode gives you permission to choose yourself for a little while. To go hiking. To paddleboard. To camp. To read the book. To take the nap. To laugh more. To create moments that leave you feeling more alive.Because at the end of the day, success isn't just about what you accomplish. It's about the energy you have left to enjoy the life you're working so hard to build.If you're ready to stop running on empty and start living fully charged, this episode is for you.Marli Williams is an international keynote speaker, master facilitator, and joy instigator who has worked with organizations such as Nike, United Way, Doordash, along with many colleges and schools across the United States. She first fell in love with transformational leadership as a camp counselor when she was 19 years old. After getting two degrees and 15 years of leadership training, Marli decided to give herself permission to be the “Professional Camp Counselor” she knew she was born to be. Now she helps incredible people and organizations stop waiting for permission and start taking bold action to be the leaders and changemakers they've always wanted to be through the power of play and cultivating joy everyday. She loves helping people go from stuck to STOKED and actually created her own deck of inspirational messages called StokeQuotes™ which was then followed by The Connect Deck™ to inspire more meaningful conversations. Her ultimate mission in the world is to help others say YES to themselves and their big crazy dreams (while having fun doing it!) To learn more about Marli's work go to www.marliwilliams.com and follow her on Instagram @marliwilliamsStay Connected to The Marli Williams PodcastFollow us on Instagram: @marliwilliamsOur Website: www.podcast.marliwilliams.comHire Marli to Speak at your next event, conference, workshop or retreat!www.marliwilliams.comReally love the podcast and want to share it??Give us a review on your favorite platform and share this (or any) episode with a friend. Let's Lead Together and reach more people - we appreciate your support!!

Ep. 266: Long before he was CEO of Deloitte US, Jason Girzadas was on the pitcher's mound with the bases loaded, his team up by one run, and his coach walking out to deliver the kind of feedback that sticks for a lifetime. In this episode, you will hear the lesson he learned, PLUS: How to fight complacency inside a historically successful organization — and keep your people hungry Why "know yourself so you can be yourself" is not a soft idea but a leadership prerequisite How timely, direct, one-on-one feedback creates a domino effect of accountability across an entire organization Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/ Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness. Special thanks to Danielle Cadena and Abbie Brandt for making this episode possible.

We'd love to hear from you. Send us fan mail!Workplace dispute resolution is one of the least discussed and most costly blindspots in executive leadership. In this episode of Shedding the Corporate B!tch, executive coach Bernadette Boas sits down with Felicia Harris Hoss, of Harris Hoss Mediations & Arbitration, a nationally recognized mediator with 30 years of trial law experience, to break down early dispute resolution and why it is one of the most powerful, underutilized tools available to corporate executives and HR leaders.Felicia explains why less than five percent of filed lawsuits ever reach trial, what that means for how executives should be approaching conflict, and why the decision to mediate early is not a sign of weakness, it is a strategic move that preserves relationships, resources, and reputation. She walks through the four Cs of mediation, the questions every executive should be asking their attorney, and how to shift from a reacting posture to a responding one in any dispute.If you lead people, manage HR concerns, or sit in any seat where workplace conflict can escalate into legal action, this conversation will change how you think about resolution. What You Will Learn• What early dispute resolution (EDR) is and why it is ABA official policy• When to engage a mediator before a lawsuit is filed• Why litigation means surrendering control — and what executives can do instead• The four Cs of mediation: confidentiality, control, creativity, certainty• What questions to ask your attorney about workplace disputes and resolution options• How the respond vs. react mindset shifts negotiation outcomes• What 'winning' actually looks like in a corporate dispute Key Quote"If you go to the courthouse, you pass that baton called control to strangers. — Felicia Harris Hoss" Episode Chapters00:00:00 — The Legal Dispute Already Living in Your Organization 00:02:00 — Why Staying in the Room Changes Everything 00:03:00 — Meet Felicia Harris-Hoss: From Trial Partner to Neutral 00:06:00 — What Mediation Actually Is (And Isn't) 00:09:00 — Workplace Scenarios That Call for a Mediator 00:12:00 — Why Early Mediation — Before Positions Harden 00:13:00 — The Human Cost Behind Every Corporate Lawsuit 00:15:00 — Why Early Mediation Wasn't Working — And What Changed 00:17:00 — Ego, Fear, and the Real Reason Leaders Avoid Resolution 00:18:00 — The Courtroom Hands Control to Strangers 00:21:00 — The Four C's of Mediation: Confidentiality, Control, Creativity, Certainty 00:26:00 — Key Questions Every Leader Should Ask Their Attorney 00:27:00 — What to Know Before You Bring a Dispute to HR 00:31:00 — Why Even Lawyers Get Confirmation Bias 00:32:00 — Respond, Don't React: The Mindset That Changes Outcomes 00:34:00 — Bernadette's Takeaways for Every Leader and HR Professional About the GuestFelicia Harris Hoss, of Harris Hoss Mediations & Arbitration, is a 30-year trial attorney and nationally credentialed mediator who specializes in early dispute resolution for executives, corporations, and complex business conflicts. She co-authored Resolution 500 for the American Bar Association, which was unanimously adopted in 2024, making early dispute resolution official ABA policy. She also helped establish the American Arbitration Association's EDR Mediation Panel.Learn more at HarrisHossPLLC| Connect on LinkedIn HERE Related Episodes Employee Engagement Strategies That Actually Move the Needle with Ian Watts— HEREYour Calendar is Lying - The Timer Leadership Framework— HERESlow Down To Go Fast with Loretta Stagnitto — HERE Subscribe CTAIf this conversation gave you a new way to think about conflict, leadership, and control, subscribe to Shedding the Corporate Bitch on YouTube at @ShedtheCorpBitchTV for new episodes every week. You can also DOWNLOAD our free Leadership Gap Diagnostic and identify where your leadership needs the most attention right now. Support the show

What role has mentorship played in your leadership journey? In this episode of Inspirational Leadership, Kristen sits down with workplace culture expert, speaker, and author Helen Patterson to explore the incredible impact of mentorship—on our careers, our confidence, and the cultures we create. Together, they discuss the differences between mentoring, coaching, and sponsorship, why mentorship is one of the most powerful tools for developing people and leaders, and how creating a culture of mentorship can create a ripple effect throughout organisations and communities. In this episode, we discuss: The difference between mentoring, coaching, and sponsorship Why mentorship accelerates leadership growth How mentors help us see what we can't always see in ourselves Practical advice for finding a mentor and becoming one Building workplace cultures where people thrive through mentorship About Helen Patterson Helen Patterson is a workplace culture expert, speaker, mentor, and author of Create a Mentor Culture: How to Mentor with Heart and Start a Ripple Effect. She helps organisations build people-first cultures where mentoring, connection, and leadership development create lasting impact. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who is passionate about developing leaders and creating workplaces where people thrive. ➡️ Join the conversation on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailFrom hiring decisions and culture fit to team meetings, accountability, and leadership communication, this episode explores the challenges leaders face every day and offers practical guidance for building healthier, more effective teams. 

Leaders, have you ever felt like you needed someone to talk to but there was no one you felt you could confide in? Maybe you're wrestling with a difficult decision, looking for fresh ideas, or simply wondering if anyone else understands the weight you're carrying. Who do you go to when your board is tired too? What if one conversation with another leader could save you hours of frustration, provide resources you didn't know existed, or simply remind you that you're not alone? In this episode, we're talking about why every homeschool leader needs connection beyond their own board and how community with other leaders can make this journey worth it! Next Steps:  Schedule a coaching call:  https://homeschoolcommunitybuilders.com/ Join our Facebook group- Lead Your Homeschool Co-op https://www.facebook.com/groups/72507320516066 MEET AND GREET DATES: JULY 2ND 6PM MST & JULY 9TH 12PM MST - Join our FB group for details. Become a Lead Your Homeschool Co-op Insider and get first dibs on valuable resources to help you lead, organize, and connect your community.  https://homeschoolcommunitybuilders.com/contact/ Contact us! info@homeschoolcommunitybuilders.com  

Does your church have a crisis communication plan? In this interview, Phil Cooke https://philcooke.com talks with David Middlebrook, one of the country's leading practitioners in religious nonprofit organizations law and founder of The Church Lawyers. David's team provides legal support to churches, ministries and nonprofits, domestically and internationally, with years of experience helping churches with crisis planning and crisis management. In this interview, you'll gain practical wisdom on how to: 

Trust at work isn't built through big promises or polished corporate statements. It's built in the tiny moments. In this episode, Erin sits down with bestselling author, speaker, professor, and filmmaker Minda Harts to talk about her framework for the 7 Trust Languages and why trust is really a communication issue hiding in plain sight.   In this episode, you'll hear: -Why leaders need to stop pretending employees don't see what's happening -How the 7 Trust Languages can help leaders build stronger relationships -How to rebuild trust after a mistake without rushing the repair This episode is for anyone who wants to lead with more honesty, communicate with more humanity, and make work suck a whole lot less. Minda's Website: https://www.mindaharts.com/ Connect with Minda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindaharts/   Book Erin to speak Ready to modernize your culture, liberate your leadership, and differentiate your business without sounding like every other company on LinkedIn? Bring Erin Hatzikostas in to show your team how authenticity can become an actual strategic advantage, not just another corporate buzzword. Book Erin to Speak If you'd like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple "plays" to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie   If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!   - Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram    - Take our simple, fun and insightful"What's your workplace superhero name?"quiz - Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin's book,"You Do You (ish)"  -Throw out half the playbook and start competing in a league of your own. Check out Erin's book, The 50% Rule.    -Work with Us -Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: hello@bauthenticinc.com  DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments "Don't outsource your humanity." "People are human first and colleagues second." "Trust is a noun and a verb." "We can solve for respect, right? We can solve for trust." Intro Note: This transcript has been edited for clarity, readability, and length while preserving the core conversation and key insights from the episode. In this episode of b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck, Erin Hatzikostas talks with Minda Harts about workplace trust, the seven trust languages, leadership communication, rebuilding trust after mistakes, giving better feedback, psychological safety, and why leaders need to stop outsourcing their humanity. Why Trust Is the Real Workplace Issue Erin: I'm fascinated by your background because I'm like, "Oh yeah, she's all about trust. She's a speaker." And then I'm like, "Oh wait, she's a professor. Oh wait, she's a filmmaker. Oh wait, she wrote books." I'm curious about trust. It's not exactly the sexiest topic, but there must have been a moment or story that made you obsessed with it. Minda: The obsession actually started during COVID. I was living in New York City at the time, and I woke up around three o'clock in the morning. I kept hearing this voice saying, "The issue is always trust." I didn't think too much about it in the moment, but I wrote "trust languages" in my notes app. Over time, I kept coming back to it. The more I thought about all the writing I'd done over the years, I realized the real problem I was trying to solve was trust. In the workplace, when certain things happen, there's usually an expectation underneath that isn't being met. That erodes trust. But often, people don't even know they're doing it. So I started to see that it's not just a trust issue. It's also a communication issue. If the other person knew what you needed, could that get trust back on the tracks? In personal relationships, trust is a no-brainer. If I can't trust you, I don't know if this relationship is going to work. But in the workplace, we give people a pass for doing things that aren't trustworthy, and we never have conversations about it. The Seven Trust Languages Erin: I love the idea of trust languages because everybody thinks of love languages. You have seven trust languages. Where does it start? Do you need to understand the other person, or are these seven things everyone needs to do? Minda: My thesis is that we all have a primary, secondary, and tertiary trust language. There may be a time when we're speaking all of them, but if I'm a leader and you report to me, and I want to get the most productivity out of my entire team, not just my go-to people, then in our next one-on-one, I'm going to ask, "What does trust look like to you?" I want to make sure we have the most harmonious working relationship possible. I want to make sure you get the most out of being on this team. So what does trust look like to you? When someone answers that question, they'll usually tell you two or three of their trust languages without even knowing the labels. If I know feedback is important to you, or transparency is important to you, I can make note of that. Then when we're working together, I remember, "Erin values transparency. She values when I'm not being ambiguous. She values feedback that's meaningful and insightful." I tell people it's about the double E's. We're either enhancing trust or eroding trust. Erin: Always up or down. Minda: Exactly. We may not be able to solve everything at work, but we can solve for respect. We can solve for trust. The Question Every Leader Should Ask Erin: That question is so powerful. I used to lead a lot of employees, and I'm thinking, "Crap, if I could've simply said in one meeting, 'Trust is important. What does trust look like for you?'" Minda: I never had a manager ask me that. Not because they didn't want trust with me, but because we're all moving so fast in the workday that we forget there's a human on the other end. The data shows that if we have more trust, we're more productive and less anxious. I don't want to be the reason someone is spiraling through the day and not even know it. Erin: Imagine asking that in an interview when you're trying to attract the best talent. You think people aren't going to flock to that? They're going to be like, "Wow, I've never heard that before." Minda: Yes. And I write about that in the book. If you know acknowledgement is important to you, ask questions in the interview process that help you see whether that environment can provide it. Some people don't naturally say, "Great job. Thank you for delivering that project. I don't know where we'd be without it." That may not be the language they're most comfortable giving. But you may need that to survive and thrive at work. So tell people what's important to you. Advocate for yourself. We're not always going to work for the person who asks, "What does trust look like?" Sometimes you have to take the bull by the horns. Erin: And by sometimes, we mean most of the time. How to Ask for the Trust You Need Erin: Most of our listeners are leaders, but let's be honest, they're also employees. Everybody wants to be a great leader, but they also want to know how to be led better. Can you give an example of how someone might use the trust languages in an interview to understand what kind of manager they'd be working for? Minda: One trust language that is really important right now is sensitivity, which is about empathy and being mindful of our actions, tone, and behaviors. If I were interviewing, I might say, "Many people work together in the workplace, but they experience the workplace differently. If I reported to you and there was a natural disaster where I live, and I couldn't get into the office three or five days a week, how would we handle that?" That question tells me a lot about the manager. If they say, "Absolutely. Were you impacted by the fires? I know that must have been tough," that tells me something. But if they say, "Maybe you should move somewhere else because we need someone in the office five days a week," that tells me something too. You start to see how people humanize you, or whether they're robotic. Sensitivity, Security, and Psychological Safety Minda: Another example is what happens in meetings. We've all been in a situation where someone says a joke that isn't funny to everyone. Does the leader sweep it under the rug and let that person keep saying inappropriate things in team meetings? Or, if I have an issue, can I bring it to you without fear of retribution? A lot of trust is eroded in big team meetings. People speak over each other. People say things that are inappropriate, not necessarily because they woke up deciding to be inappropriate, but because they're used to talking any kind of way. That's where psychological safety comes in, which is connected to the trust language of security. Even if we have a difference of opinion, there should still be enough respect for me to have a good conversation with you. And if someone gives feedback, how do you receive it? Do you say, "I've never heard that before," and get defensive? Or do you say, "Let me consider what you're saying. Tell me more. Let me ask some questions." These behaviors keep showing up at work, and people don't always realize how detrimental they can be. Erin: Everybody's different. I'm thinking about two people who support my business. One is more on the sensitivity side. If something gets messed up, I know I need to say, "Dude, no big deal at all." And when something is done well, I need to say the thing that's already inside my head: "You crushed it." The other person is about as far from sensitive as you can imagine. For her, follow-through probably matters more. She's my operations person. It's more like, "Erin, you said you were going to send me three videos. Send me the three videos." Understanding those people is really important. How to Rebuild Trust After You Mess Up Erin: Rebuilding trust is always a big one. Let's say you screwed something up with a client, customer, or major project. What are some ways to rebuild trust that people may not think of? Minda: One trust language that matters here is demonstration. Do our actions align with our values? I can tell you all day that I'm going to make the tacos the way you expect them every time you come to the taco truck. But if every time you come, they're made differently, I'm not demonstrating that you can trust this place. When we make a mistake, we can acknowledge it. "You know what? We have a new cook. We're training them today. But we value you as a customer." Then we pay attention. "Oh, you like your cheese sprinkled this way? Now that I know that, I want to demonstrate that you can trust us. Next time you come, I'm going to check the bag before you leave." It's the show and the tell. A lot of times in life, we want to skip over the repair part. We say, "I said I'm sorry. Move on." But rebuilding trust requires demonstration over time. I believe if trust can be broken, it can be rebuilt, if it's not egregious. But it requires action. Trust is a noun and a verb. Erin: It takes patience. When we mess up, we want instant gratification. We want the wound to be healed right away. In a big corporation, it might be, "We'll give you a fee holiday," because we want something tangible and quick. But if you slow down and accept that it may be uncomfortable for a little while, then next week you can show up differently. You can go above and beyond. You can demonstrate the repair. Minda: Absolutely. And we also have to give people the opportunity to rebuild. If we've been burned in our personal or professional lives, sometimes we come into the next situation with our defenses up. You may be the best boss I've never had yet, but if I'm still holding onto hurts and broken promises from my last situation, I'm not going to get the best out of the situation with you, and you're not going to get the best from me. So we also have to be self-aware. Is this person really eroding trust, or am I bringing baggage from past experiences? Erin: Right. It's easy to tell stories like, "The boss is mad at me because I got a three-word email." But maybe the boss is running to another meeting and isn't actually worried about the mistake you made. What to Do When You Break Trust With Your Boss Erin: Let's say you mess something up with your boss. Maybe you botch a report, lose a customer, or mess up some technology. Beyond demonstrating that you can get it right next time, what else helps? Minda: Remember that your boss is human too. They have expectations you may not be aware of, especially if you're new to the team. You might say, "I know expectations can change depending on priorities, and I want to make sure we're aligned. I really enjoy working on your team, and I want our working relationship to be strong. What do you need from me to do your best work?" Success is not a solo sport. When you ask that kind of question, they may not say, "Transparency is important to me," or, "Follow-through is important to me," but they'll tell you something that reveals what matters. Then you can make a mental note. If you say you'll get something done by five and you can't, don't workplace ghost them. Follow up and say, "I know the deadline is approaching. Could I get an extension of one hour? I'll get it to you shortly." That keeps trust on the tracks. We create narratives in our heads that people will be upset with us, but most people just want honesty. We all bump up against deadlines. We all make mistakes. The issue is how we communicate it. The Leadership Mistake That Drives Minda Crazy Erin: What gets under your skin? What's your biggest leadership pet peeve? What's the simple thing leaders do wrong that you wish they'd change? Minda: I really value transparency, which is clarity and honesty. What gets under my skin is when leaders act like employees are stupid. We see the smoke coming out of the chimney. We hear the alarms going off. Then you come and tell us, "There's nothing to worry about. Nothing to see here." You may not know why the smoke is happening. You may not know why the alarms are going off. But acknowledge it. Say, "I know you've smelled the smoke. I've smelled it too. I don't know exactly what's causing it, but once I do, I'll let you know." That feels better and keeps trust intact more than pretending nothing happened. Don't pretend we didn't just do a reorganization. Don't pretend we didn't just lay off half the team. Let's humanize it. People are human first and colleagues second. Sometimes leaders think they can't be honest because they're privy to certain information. Then say that. "I don't have all the information right now, but I understand how this might make you feel. If you have questions, book time with me and let's talk it through." That feels much better than watching someone's work friend get laid off after ten years and then pretending nothing happened. Erin: I love that. Stop thinking your employees are stupid. The bar is low, isn't it? Minda: It's so low. Don't Outsource Your Humanity Erin: I saw a post where someone asked you a question about AI, and the gremlin that came out of you was, "Don't outsource your humanity." What caused that? Minda: Someone asked me about using AI in workplace communication. I think it's important to use the tools available to us. But what can happen is I put my thoughts into an agent, then I email you. Then you put your thoughts into an agent, and now you're emailing me back. At that point, we've taken ourselves out of it. It's just two agents talking to each other. There's no nuance. The tools don't understand the history of what happened in the meeting. They're getting it from one angle. So before you press send, just because the grammar is great and the message is direct, take another look. Think about the nuance. Think about the relationship. When this person finishes reading the email, how are they going to feel? What is the relationship going to feel like? If we're just two agents talking to each other, we may not be building trust. We may be eroding it. That's why I said, "Don't outsource your humanity." Erin: Preaching to the choir. I'm an authenticity girl. Sounding smart is now suspicious. Stop sounding smart. How to Give Tough Feedback Without Eroding Trust Erin: Can we talk about giving tough feedback? Whether it's an annual review or on the fly, I think the feedback sandwich is over. Maybe that worked when people didn't know they were being sandwiched, but now we all know. How do you give transparent feedback while still building trust? Minda: One thing I created is a game called The Trust Catalyst, which helps people practice these conversations so they don't erode trust. If we're doing a one-on-one or year-end review, I'm not going to start by launching into feedback. If you sit down or appear on Zoom, and the first thing I say is, "That report you did last week should have been done differently," you're immediately thinking, "I didn't know this was a problem." That sets the tone for the whole meeting. Think of the seven trust languages as tools. If you have a nail, you're not going to grab a wrench first. You're going to grab the right tool. Maybe you start with acknowledgement. Maybe you start with sensitivity because you know this person has had a rough year. When you do get to feedback, make sure it's meaningful and gives the person an opportunity to grow. It's not just what you say. It's how you say it. You can say, "We need to meet these deadlines more consistently. Is there something you need from me so we can make sure you hit this mark three weeks from now?" That sounds very different from making someone feel like they may not have a job by the end of the week. I always go back to the double E's. Is what I'm about to say going to enhance this relationship or erode it? Think about what you want the end of the conversation to look like. Do you want the person to feel down and out, waiting to turn off the camera? Or is there a way that when you see each other later, the relationship still feels intact? Growing up, my mom and dad could say the exact same thing to me, but when my dad said it, I wanted to spiral down the wall because his delivery was harsh. My mom could say the same thing, and I would receive it because I knew she was telling me in a way that helped me grow. That's something leaders and colleagues can do better. When Your Peer Becomes Your Employee Erin: Here's a sticky situation: your peer becomes your employee. You get promoted, and Joe, who used to be your sidekick and confidant, is now reporting to you. How do you build this new level of trust when the relationship changes? Minda: That happens a lot, and it can be sticky depending on which side of the friendship you're on. A big part of it is transparency. Talk about the elephant in the room. You might say, "I know we have a great working relationship, and now I'm in this leadership position. There may be times when I have to put certain priorities first, but I want you to know you can always come to me. I hope we can have two relationships: our working relationship and our friendship. There may be times when I have sensitive information I can't talk about like I could before, but I hope we can find that balance." I would much rather someone be transparent with me and create that sense of security than pretend I don't exist anymore or start acting weird. Nine times out of ten, if people would communicate instead of being conflict avoidant, we could have better relationships. We create narratives that it can't work, but why not talk about how it can work? Say, "If it ever feels like our friendship isn't there, or I'm acting differently because I'm in this role, tell me. I value that." We have to say what we mean without being mean. Erin: Exactly. Say the thing you're already going to say to your coach or your partner. Why not say it to the actual person? Minda: Yes. Because now I have that information. I may think everything is fine, but you may feel like, "We used to talk every day, and now we only talk once a month." You might assume I don't care as much now that I have this leadership title, when really, I'm just busy and hadn't thought about it. Again, many of these things are communication issues before they become trust issues. Green-Lighting Yourself Erin: You haven't just focused on trust. You're also a filmmaker, and part of that is telling stories about real-life situations, friendships, and the things that make life beautiful and complicated. So many people listening are trying to make work suck less, but they're also looking for inspiration to do things that feel uncomfortable or outlandish. Can you talk about the filmmaking side? Minda: I never intended to be an author. I fell into it. So I would encourage people to remember that you can learn new things. During the pandemic, I started taking screenwriting classes because I knew I wanted to take the stories I'd been telling and share them in another medium. I wanted to be a better storyteller, and I'm a big advocate of investing in yourself. Whether I win an Oscar, a Webby, or nothing, I wanted to enhance that skill. I also thought about the intellectual property I have and how I could tell those stories in different ways. I started taking classes about six years ago. At some point, I said, "I'm not going to wait for the green light from somebody else. I'm going to green light myself." So I started making short films. I kept taking coursework, reading books, finding my crew on social media, and asking people around. Now I'm four short films in, and they've been in many festivals. It feels good to uncover a new area of my life that I'm good at. Maybe I'll win Oscars in the future. Maybe I won't. But I'm enjoying this part of my life because it's another way to get stories heard by people who may never read my books. Erin: You said something so simple: "I took a class." So many times we act like we don't even know where to start. But there's a class for everything. Minda: Everything. Erin: Just take the class. Get curious. Minda: I'll tell you and your listeners a secret. Since I was a teenager, I've always wanted to take piano lessons. Every year, I'd put it on the vision board: "Take piano lessons." And I never did. But later today, I'm taking my first piano lesson. I may end up in a recital with preschoolers, but this is for me. Sometimes we just have to do things for us. Minda's "Buck That" Story Erin: We always ask people for their "buck that" story. It's a time when you bucked the norm, went against the grain, and something good happened as a result. Do you have one? Minda: Yes. It's the intersection where I sit now. I was in corporate America for 15 years, and in 2015, I started this dinosaur thing called a blog. I was frustrated about the workplace I was in. There was no trust anywhere. The blog was a way for me to talk about what I was experiencing, not from a "woe is me" place, but from a place of, "If anybody else is feeling this way, here are the tips I wish I had used or that I'm working through." Every Monday, I put out a memo. Eventually, those memos became my first bestselling book, The Memo. I had no idea that would happen. Now I'm on book four and making films. So sow those seeds. Take the step. I left a very stable job, and I was terrified. I'm type A. I love stability because I didn't have a lot of it growing up. I thought, "Give me the gold watch. I'm here forever." Taking that leap, betting on myself, and bucking the system showed me that success isn't just one way. I think I'm a constant "buck that" girl now. That's just how I live. Erin: Once you buck it once and it works out, that's the end of the story. That's why we love to share these stories for people who are holding themselves back. One Last Tip to Make Work Suck Less Erin: What's your one last tip to make work suck less? Minda: Ask yourself, "What do I want out of work?" Sometimes we do things at work to make work work for everybody else, but we never consider what it needs to look like for us. Once you understand what you need, you can ask for it more clearly. Not what the person next to you wants. Not what someone on Microsoft Teams wants. What is really going to make you say, "This was worth the ride"? We should remember that we are good enough to deserve the best workplace possible.

Every leader knows how to have conversations. Far fewer know how to lead them. In this episode, Bart Egnal speaks with Sandra Bekas, Senior Learning and Development Manager at The Humphrey Group, about why conversations have become one of the most important leadership skills in today's workplace and how THG helps leaders prepare for and excel in these critical communication moments. Drawing on her background in language, rhetoric, cognitive science, and leadership development, Sandra shares insights into why conversations are where influence happens and why those moments have become more complex than ever. Sandra explains why conversations have become more frequent, more candid, and often more challenging as employees increasingly expect leaders to be more present, more transparent, and more accessible than ever before. She discusses the difference between routine and high-stakes conversations, why framing a conversation is critical to creating clarity and trust, and how leaders can guide discussions without becoming overly directive. The conversation also explores practical tools from The Humphrey Group's Art of Conversation program, including the ARC framework (Acknowledge, Refocus, Catalyze) for getting derailed conversations back on track. Whether you're navigating everyday discussions or pivotal leadership moments, this episode offers practical tools for communicating with greater confidence, clarity, and influence. Show Notes: 00:58 Introducing Sandra Bekas 01:41 Introducing the topic of conversations 02:37 What led you to this role? 02:50 Love of language 03:14 Thinking and language and emotion and how that shapes reality 03:37 Moving to Japan 04:14 Japanese different language structure 04:22 Maybe trim/cut this section? 05:52 Moved back to Canada - Canadian publishing 06:15 Majority of career in instructional design... 06:35 Joining HG 07:26 How have conversations reached this inflection point? 08:00 Post-COVID interactions 08:24 In-person and digital accessibility 09:10 Leadership conversations are now more fraught 10:18 COVID level-set us 10:45 Insert: the three A's 12:47 What is the new THG program? 13:14 The Art of Conversation program 13:25 The ability to dynamically influence others 13:49 Routine conversations vs. high-stakes conversations 14:15 Corporate conversations where you want to move the needle 14:43 How you present in the moment 15:01 How to exert your influence 15:42 What is framing and why is it important? 16:01 What is the purpose of this conversation? 16:33 Example: giving a poor performance review 17:44 Example: letting down people who didn't get the promotion 20:01 Summarizing 20:48 Introducing clarity in a meeting 21:22 Bart presents a challenging example of a situation that is hard to summarize 23:36 Getting derailed conversations back on track 24:56 A.R.C. 26:06 A: acknowledge 26:17 R: refocus 26:28 C: catalyzing question 30:16 You cannot script these moments 31:04 You can still be authentic when using these tools! 32:26 Where can people find out more?

Trust at work isn't built through big promises or polished corporate statements. It's built in the tiny moments. In this episode, Erin sits down with bestselling author, speaker, professor, and filmmaker Minda Harts to talk about her framework for the 7 Trust Languages and why trust is really a communication issue hiding in plain sight.   In this episode, you'll hear: -Why leaders need to stop pretending employees don't see what's happening -How the 7 Trust Languages can help leaders build stronger relationships -How to rebuild trust after a mistake without rushing the repair This episode is for anyone who wants to lead with more honesty, communicate with more humanity, and make work suck a whole lot less. Minda's Website: https://www.mindaharts.com/ Connect with Minda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindaharts/   Book Erin to speak Ready to modernize your culture, liberate your leadership, and differentiate your business without sounding like every other company on LinkedIn? Bring Erin Hatzikostas in to show your team how authenticity can become an actual strategic advantage, not just another corporate buzzword. Book Erin to Speak If you'd like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple "plays" to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie   If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!   - Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram    - Take our simple, fun and insightful"What's your workplace superhero name?"quiz - Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin's book,"You Do You (ish)"  -Throw out half the playbook and start competing in a league of your own. Check out Erin's book, The 50% Rule.    -Work with Us -Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: hello@bauthenticinc.com  DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments "Don't outsource your humanity." "People are human first and colleagues second." "Trust is a noun and a verb." "We can solve for respect, right? We can solve for trust." Intro Note: This transcript has been edited for clarity, readability, and length while preserving the core conversation and key insights from the episode. In this episode of b Cause Work Doesn't Have to Suck, Erin Hatzikostas talks with Minda Harts about workplace trust, the seven trust languages, leadership communication, rebuilding trust after mistakes, giving better feedback, psychological safety, and why leaders need to stop outsourcing their humanity. Why Trust Is the Real Workplace Issue Erin: I'm fascinated by your background because I'm like, "Oh yeah, she's all about trust. She's a speaker." And then I'm like, "Oh wait, she's a professor. Oh wait, she's a filmmaker. Oh wait, she wrote books." I'm curious about trust. It's not exactly the sexiest topic, but there must have been a moment or story that made you obsessed with it. Minda: The obsession actually started during COVID. I was living in New York City at the time, and I woke up around three o'clock in the morning. I kept hearing this voice saying, "The issue is always trust." I didn't think too much about it in the moment, but I wrote "trust languages" in my notes app. Over time, I kept coming back to it. The more I thought about all the writing I'd done over the years, I realized the real problem I was trying to solve was trust. In the workplace, when certain things happen, there's usually an expectation underneath that isn't being met. That erodes trust. But often, people don't even know they're doing it. So I started to see that it's not just a trust issue. It's also a communication issue. If the other person knew what you needed, could that get trust back on the tracks? In personal relationships, trust is a no-brainer. If I can't trust you, I don't know if this relationship is going to work. But in the workplace, we give people a pass for doing things that aren't trustworthy, and we never have conversations about it. The Seven Trust Languages Erin: I love the idea of trust languages because everybody thinks of love languages. You have seven trust languages. Where does it start? Do you need to understand the other person, or are these seven things everyone needs to do? Minda: My thesis is that we all have a primary, secondary, and tertiary trust language. There may be a time when we're speaking all of them, but if I'm a leader and you report to me, and I want to get the most productivity out of my entire team, not just my go-to people, then in our next one-on-one, I'm going to ask, "What does trust look like to you?" I want to make sure we have the most harmonious working relationship possible. I want to make sure you get the most out of being on this team. So what does trust look like to you? When someone answers that question, they'll usually tell you two or three of their trust languages without even knowing the labels. If I know feedback is important to you, or transparency is important to you, I can make note of that. Then when we're working together, I remember, "Erin values transparency. She values when I'm not being ambiguous. She values feedback that's meaningful and insightful." I tell people it's about the double E's. We're either enhancing trust or eroding trust. Erin: Always up or down. Minda: Exactly. We may not be able to solve everything at work, but we can solve for respect. We can solve for trust. The Question Every Leader Should Ask Erin: That question is so powerful. I used to lead a lot of employees, and I'm thinking, "Crap, if I could've simply said in one meeting, 'Trust is important. What does trust look like for you?'" Minda: I never had a manager ask me that. Not because they didn't want trust with me, but because we're all moving so fast in the workday that we forget there's a human on the other end. The data shows that if we have more trust, we're more productive and less anxious. I don't want to be the reason someone is spiraling through the day and not even know it. Erin: Imagine asking that in an interview when you're trying to attract the best talent. You think people aren't going to flock to that? They're going to be like, "Wow, I've never heard that before." Minda: Yes. And I write about that in the book. If you know acknowledgement is important to you, ask questions in the interview process that help you see whether that environment can provide it. Some people don't naturally say, "Great job. Thank you for delivering that project. I don't know where we'd be without it." That may not be the language they're most comfortable giving. But you may need that to survive and thrive at work. So tell people what's important to you. Advocate for yourself. We're not always going to work for the person who asks, "What does trust look like?" Sometimes you have to take the bull by the horns. Erin: And by sometimes, we mean most of the time. How to Ask for the Trust You Need Erin: Most of our listeners are leaders, but let's be honest, they're also employees. Everybody wants to be a great leader, but they also want to know how to be led better. Can you give an example of how someone might use the trust languages in an interview to understand what kind of manager they'd be working for? Minda: One trust language that is really important right now is sensitivity, which is about empathy and being mindful of our actions, tone, and behaviors. If I were interviewing, I might say, "Many people work together in the workplace, but they experience the workplace differently. If I reported to you and there was a natural disaster where I live, and I couldn't get into the office three or five days a week, how would we handle that?" That question tells me a lot about the manager. If they say, "Absolutely. Were you impacted by the fires? I know that must have been tough," that tells me something. But if they say, "Maybe you should move somewhere else because we need someone in the office five days a week," that tells me something too. You start to see how people humanize you, or whether they're robotic. Sensitivity, Security, and Psychological Safety Minda: Another example is what happens in meetings. We've all been in a situation where someone says a joke that isn't funny to everyone. Does the leader sweep it under the rug and let that person keep saying inappropriate things in team meetings? Or, if I have an issue, can I bring it to you without fear of retribution? A lot of trust is eroded in big team meetings. People speak over each other. People say things that are inappropriate, not necessarily because they woke up deciding to be inappropriate, but because they're used to talking any kind of way. That's where psychological safety comes in, which is connected to the trust language of security. Even if we have a difference of opinion, there should still be enough respect for me to have a good conversation with you. And if someone gives feedback, how do you receive it? Do you say, "I've never heard that before," and get defensive? Or do you say, "Let me consider what you're saying. Tell me more. Let me ask some questions." These behaviors keep showing up at work, and people don't always realize how detrimental they can be. Erin: Everybody's different. I'm thinking about two people who support my business. One is more on the sensitivity side. If something gets messed up, I know I need to say, "Dude, no big deal at all." And when something is done well, I need to say the thing that's already inside my head: "You crushed it." The other person is about as far from sensitive as you can imagine. For her, follow-through probably matters more. She's my operations person. It's more like, "Erin, you said you were going to send me three videos. Send me the three videos." Understanding those people is really important. How to Rebuild Trust After You Mess Up Erin: Rebuilding trust is always a big one. Let's say you screwed something up with a client, customer, or major project. What are some ways to rebuild trust that people may not think of? Minda: One trust language that matters here is demonstration. Do our actions align with our values? I can tell you all day that I'm going to make the tacos the way you expect them every time you come to the taco truck. But if every time you come, they're made differently, I'm not demonstrating that you can trust this place. When we make a mistake, we can acknowledge it. "You know what? We have a new cook. We're training them today. But we value you as a customer." Then we pay attention. "Oh, you like your cheese sprinkled this way? Now that I know that, I want to demonstrate that you can trust us. Next time you come, I'm going to check the bag before you leave." It's the show and the tell. A lot of times in life, we want to skip over the repair part. We say, "I said I'm sorry. Move on." But rebuilding trust requires demonstration over time. I believe if trust can be broken, it can be rebuilt, if it's not egregious. But it requires action. Trust is a noun and a verb. Erin: It takes patience. When we mess up, we want instant gratification. We want the wound to be healed right away. In a big corporation, it might be, "We'll give you a fee holiday," because we want something tangible and quick. But if you slow down and accept that it may be uncomfortable for a little while, then next week you can show up differently. You can go above and beyond. You can demonstrate the repair. Minda: Absolutely. And we also have to give people the opportunity to rebuild. If we've been burned in our personal or professional lives, sometimes we come into the next situation with our defenses up. You may be the best boss I've never had yet, but if I'm still holding onto hurts and broken promises from my last situation, I'm not going to get the best out of the situation with you, and you're not going to get the best from me. So we also have to be self-aware. Is this person really eroding trust, or am I bringing baggage from past experiences? Erin: Right. It's easy to tell stories like, "The boss is mad at me because I got a three-word email." But maybe the boss is running to another meeting and isn't actually worried about the mistake you made. What to Do When You Break Trust With Your Boss Erin: Let's say you mess something up with your boss. Maybe you botch a report, lose a customer, or mess up some technology. Beyond demonstrating that you can get it right next time, what else helps? Minda: Remember that your boss is human too. They have expectations you may not be aware of, especially if you're new to the team. You might say, "I know expectations can change depending on priorities, and I want to make sure we're aligned. I really enjoy working on your team, and I want our working relationship to be strong. What do you need from me to do your best work?" Success is not a solo sport. When you ask that kind of question, they may not say, "Transparency is important to me," or, "Follow-through is important to me," but they'll tell you something that reveals what matters. Then you can make a mental note. If you say you'll get something done by five and you can't, don't workplace ghost them. Follow up and say, "I know the deadline is approaching. Could I get an extension of one hour? I'll get it to you shortly." That keeps trust on the tracks. We create narratives in our heads that people will be upset with us, but most people just want honesty. We all bump up against deadlines. We all make mistakes. The issue is how we communicate it. The Leadership Mistake That Drives Minda Crazy Erin: What gets under your skin? What's your biggest leadership pet peeve? What's the simple thing leaders do wrong that you wish they'd change? Minda: I really value transparency, which is clarity and honesty. What gets under my skin is when leaders act like employees are stupid. We see the smoke coming out of the chimney. We hear the alarms going off. Then you come and tell us, "There's nothing to worry about. Nothing to see here." You may not know why the smoke is happening. You may not know why the alarms are going off. But acknowledge it. Say, "I know you've smelled the smoke. I've smelled it too. I don't know exactly what's causing it, but once I do, I'll let you know." That feels better and keeps trust intact more than pretending nothing happened. Don't pretend we didn't just do a reorganization. Don't pretend we didn't just lay off half the team. Let's humanize it. People are human first and colleagues second. Sometimes leaders think they can't be honest because they're privy to certain information. Then say that. "I don't have all the information right now, but I understand how this might make you feel. If you have questions, book time with me and let's talk it through." That feels much better than watching someone's work friend get laid off after ten years and then pretending nothing happened. Erin: I love that. Stop thinking your employees are stupid. The bar is low, isn't it? Minda: It's so low. Don't Outsource Your Humanity Erin: I saw a post where someone asked you a question about AI, and the gremlin that came out of you was, "Don't outsource your humanity." What caused that? Minda: Someone asked me about using AI in workplace communication. I think it's important to use the tools available to us. But what can happen is I put my thoughts into an agent, then I email you. Then you put your thoughts into an agent, and now you're emailing me back. At that point, we've taken ourselves out of it. It's just two agents talking to each other. There's no nuance. The tools don't understand the history of what happened in the meeting. They're getting it from one angle. So before you press send, just because the grammar is great and the message is direct, take another look. Think about the nuance. Think about the relationship. When this person finishes reading the email, how are they going to feel? What is the relationship going to feel like? If we're just two agents talking to each other, we may not be building trust. We may be eroding it. That's why I said, "Don't outsource your humanity." Erin: Preaching to the choir. I'm an authenticity girl. Sounding smart is now suspicious. Stop sounding smart. How to Give Tough Feedback Without Eroding Trust Erin: Can we talk about giving tough feedback? Whether it's an annual review or on the fly, I think the feedback sandwich is over. Maybe that worked when people didn't know they were being sandwiched, but now we all know. How do you give transparent feedback while still building trust? Minda: One thing I created is a game called The Trust Catalyst, which helps people practice these conversations so they don't erode trust. If we're doing a one-on-one or year-end review, I'm not going to start by launching into feedback. If you sit down or appear on Zoom, and the first thing I say is, "That report you did last week should have been done differently," you're immediately thinking, "I didn't know this was a problem." That sets the tone for the whole meeting. Think of the seven trust languages as tools. If you have a nail, you're not going to grab a wrench first. You're going to grab the right tool. Maybe you start with acknowledgement. Maybe you start with sensitivity because you know this person has had a rough year. When you do get to feedback, make sure it's meaningful and gives the person an opportunity to grow. It's not just what you say. It's how you say it. You can say, "We need to meet these deadlines more consistently. Is there something you need from me so we can make sure you hit this mark three weeks from now?" That sounds very different from making someone feel like they may not have a job by the end of the week. I always go back to the double E's. Is what I'm about to say going to enhance this relationship or erode it? Think about what you want the end of the conversation to look like. Do you want the person to feel down and out, waiting to turn off the camera? Or is there a way that when you see each other later, the relationship still feels intact? Growing up, my mom and dad could say the exact same thing to me, but when my dad said it, I wanted to spiral down the wall because his delivery was harsh. My mom could say the same thing, and I would receive it because I knew she was telling me in a way that helped me grow. That's something leaders and colleagues can do better. When Your Peer Becomes Your Employee Erin: Here's a sticky situation: your peer becomes your employee. You get promoted, and Joe, who used to be your sidekick and confidant, is now reporting to you. How do you build this new level of trust when the relationship changes? Minda: That happens a lot, and it can be sticky depending on which side of the friendship you're on. A big part of it is transparency. Talk about the elephant in the room. You might say, "I know we have a great working relationship, and now I'm in this leadership position. There may be times when I have to put certain priorities first, but I want you to know you can always come to me. I hope we can have two relationships: our working relationship and our friendship. There may be times when I have sensitive information I can't talk about like I could before, but I hope we can find that balance." I would much rather someone be transparent with me and create that sense of security than pretend I don't exist anymore or start acting weird. Nine times out of ten, if people would communicate instead of being conflict avoidant, we could have better relationships. We create narratives that it can't work, but why not talk about how it can work? Say, "If it ever feels like our friendship isn't there, or I'm acting differently because I'm in this role, tell me. I value that." We have to say what we mean without being mean. Erin: Exactly. Say the thing you're already going to say to your coach or your partner. Why not say it to the actual person? Minda: Yes. Because now I have that information. I may think everything is fine, but you may feel like, "We used to talk every day, and now we only talk once a month." You might assume I don't care as much now that I have this leadership title, when really, I'm just busy and hadn't thought about it. Again, many of these things are communication issues before they become trust issues. Green-Lighting Yourself Erin: You haven't just focused on trust. You're also a filmmaker, and part of that is telling stories about real-life situations, friendships, and the things that make life beautiful and complicated. So many people listening are trying to make work suck less, but they're also looking for inspiration to do things that feel uncomfortable or outlandish. Can you talk about the filmmaking side? Minda: I never intended to be an author. I fell into it. So I would encourage people to remember that you can learn new things. During the pandemic, I started taking screenwriting classes because I knew I wanted to take the stories I'd been telling and share them in another medium. I wanted to be a better storyteller, and I'm a big advocate of investing in yourself. Whether I win an Oscar, a Webby, or nothing, I wanted to enhance that skill. I also thought about the intellectual property I have and how I could tell those stories in different ways. I started taking classes about six years ago. At some point, I said, "I'm not going to wait for the green light from somebody else. I'm going to green light myself." So I started making short films. I kept taking coursework, reading books, finding my crew on social media, and asking people around. Now I'm four short films in, and they've been in many festivals. It feels good to uncover a new area of my life that I'm good at. Maybe I'll win Oscars in the future. Maybe I won't. But I'm enjoying this part of my life because it's another way to get stories heard by people who may never read my books. Erin: You said something so simple: "I took a class." So many times we act like we don't even know where to start. But there's a class for everything. Minda: Everything. Erin: Just take the class. Get curious. Minda: I'll tell you and your listeners a secret. Since I was a teenager, I've always wanted to take piano lessons. Every year, I'd put it on the vision board: "Take piano lessons." And I never did. But later today, I'm taking my first piano lesson. I may end up in a recital with preschoolers, but this is for me. Sometimes we just have to do things for us. Minda's "Buck That" Story Erin: We always ask people for their "buck that" story. It's a time when you bucked the norm, went against the grain, and something good happened as a result. Do you have one? Minda: Yes. It's the intersection where I sit now. I was in corporate America for 15 years, and in 2015, I started this dinosaur thing called a blog. I was frustrated about the workplace I was in. There was no trust anywhere. The blog was a way for me to talk about what I was experiencing, not from a "woe is me" place, but from a place of, "If anybody else is feeling this way, here are the tips I wish I had used or that I'm working through." Every Monday, I put out a memo. Eventually, those memos became my first bestselling book, The Memo. I had no idea that would happen. Now I'm on book four and making films. So sow those seeds. Take the step. I left a very stable job, and I was terrified. I'm type A. I love stability because I didn't have a lot of it growing up. I thought, "Give me the gold watch. I'm here forever." Taking that leap, betting on myself, and bucking the system showed me that success isn't just one way. I think I'm a constant "buck that" girl now. That's just how I live. Erin: Once you buck it once and it works out, that's the end of the story. That's why we love to share these stories for people who are holding themselves back. One Last Tip to Make Work Suck Less Erin: What's your one last tip to make work suck less? Minda: Ask yourself, "What do I want out of work?" Sometimes we do things at work to make work work for everybody else, but we never consider what it needs to look like for us. Once you understand what you need, you can ask for it more clearly. Not what the person next to you wants. Not what someone on Microsoft Teams wants. What is really going to make you say, "This was worth the ride"? We should remember that we are good enough to deserve the best workplace possible.

Episode Overview In this solo episode, John Kitchens breaks down the eight foundational cornerstones that have shaped his coaching philosophy and leadership approach. Whether you're leading a real estate team, coaching clients, running a business, or simply looking to become a better leader, these principles provide a framework for creating trust, accountability, growth, and transformation. John shares the same coaching fundamentals he wishes he had learned a decade earlier and explains why leadership is less about having all the answers and more about helping people uncover their own. From creating awareness and eliminating limiting beliefs to building accountability and confidence, this episode is packed with practical leadership tools that can be applied immediately. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Cornerstone #1: People Can Figure Things Out Why great coaches believe people are naturally creative, resourceful, and capable of solving their own challenges when given the right awareness and support. Cornerstone #2: It's Always Layers Deeper How surface-level problems rarely represent the real issue and why leaders must learn to identify the root cause beneath behaviors, emotions, and reactions. Cornerstone #3: Collaborative Conversation The importance of defining the type of conversation you're having and creating alignment through active listening and meaningful dialogue. Cornerstone #4: Agreements vs. Expectations Why expectations create frustration and how clear agreements eliminate misunderstandings and strengthen accountability. Cornerstone #5: Clarity How clarity is created by expanding capacity while eliminating the limiting beliefs and stories that hold people back. Cornerstone #6: Commitment to Confidence Why confidence isn't something you're born with—it is built through commitment, courage, capability, and consistent action. Cornerstone #7: A Life of Accountability How taking ownership creates freedom, growth, and stronger leadership while eliminating excuses and victim thinking. Cornerstone #8: Always a Work in Progress Why perfection is the enemy of progress and how embracing continuous growth leads to long-term success. Key Takeaways Leadership and coaching are built on trust, respect, and mutual commitment. People are more capable than they often realize. Awareness is the first step toward meaningful change. Every challenge has a deeper root cause waiting to be uncovered. Clear agreements outperform unspoken expectations every time. Confidence grows through commitment and action. Accountability is one of the highest forms of leadership. Progress beats perfection. Great leaders focus on developing people, not controlling them. Coaching is about guiding the hero of the story—not becoming the hero yourself. Resources Mentioned The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt Reset by Dan Heath Loving What Is by Byron Katie Theory of Constraints Framework Kitchen Table Quarterly Strategic Mastermind "Progress, not perfection, is what counts." - John Kitchens Connect with Us: 7 Figure Audit: 7figurecall.com Instagram: @johnkitchenscoach LinkedIn: @johnkitchenscoach Facebook: @johnkitchenscoach If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a review. Stay tuned for more insights and strategies from the top minds. See you next time!

Leadership can be lonely, but it was never meant to be carried alone. In this episode, we sit down with Julia's sisters in business and life: Oglah Gatamah, Koren Bowman, Kymber Lovett-Menkiti, and Gabby Davis, a powerhouse circle of Black women leaders within Keller Williams.Together, we talk about what real collaboration looks like when it goes deeper than networking. This is about safe spaces, honest conversations, strategy, accountability, and having people who understand the exact pressure we carry as women, leaders, mothers, owners, and builders.We explore why scarcity keeps women competing, how abundance helps us say each other's names in the right rooms, and why the right circle should sharpen us, not drain us. From business growth to legacy, representation, faith, and vulnerability, this conversation is a reminder that community is not optional for sustainable success.The challenge is simple: find your circle, protect it, and be that person for someone else.We Talk About: [00:00] Meet the Sisterhood Behind the Success[04:24] Find Your Safe Space[07:54] Your Circle Creates Opportunities[09:35] Why Admiration is So Important[19:01] The Problem With The Scarcity Mindset[20:37] How to Build Your Circle[38:46] Build the Room You've Been Looking ForResources:Learn more at The Color of MoneyRead Breathless by Oglah GatamahConnect with Oglah GatamahConnect with Gabby Davis on InstagramConnect with Kymber Lovett-MenkitiConnect with Koren Bowman and KU Real Estate GroupConnect with Our HostsJulia Lashay:Instagram: @iamjulialashayFacebook: facebook.com/growwithjuliaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/julialashay/YouTube: @JuliaLashayProduced by NOVAThis podcast is for general informational purposes only. The views, thoughts, and opinions of the guest represent those of the guest and not Keller Williams Realty, LLC and its affiliates, and should not be construed as financial, economic, legal, tax, or other advice. This podcast is provided without any warranty, or guarantee of its accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or results from using the information.

Talented jerks and people who game the system just need to go. The value they bring through their technical skill is massively outweighed by the damage they do to the rest of the team.You can't motivate them. You can't inspire them. You can't lift them. So stop trying!Because while you hold onto the person destroying your culture, your good people are quietly working out that there's an easier way to earn a living somewhere else.In this Q&A episode we cover:The two-question rule for dealing with someone who's too good to lose but too toxic to keep Why PIPs, pay rises, and pep talks keep failing on the same person, and the one thing that actually shifts the behaviourHow to hold a subcontractor accountable without the accountability sliding straight back onto youThe trap of being a control freak when the work goes remote, and the fixHow to manage a system gamer in a place where performance management is almost impossible to pull offWhy redundancy and performance management are not the same thingThe move to make before you act on any problem person, so the real problem in the building never becomes youIf you liked this format, leave a comment on the episode and let us know!————————Is your team performing at the standard it should be?✨ Join Marty and Em for The Mid-Year Leadership Reset — a free 2-hour live workshop to stop the drift before the second half of the year gets away from you.You'll walk away with three practical frameworks to reset your standard, rebuild accountability, and build a team that doesn't need you for everything.Thursday 11 June · 10am–12pm AEST · FreeSECURE YOUR FREE SPOT HERE————————You can connect with me at:Website: https://www.yourceomentor.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourceomentorInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourceomentorLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-moore-075b001/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@YourCEOMentor————————Our mission here at Your CEO Mentor is to improve the quality of leaders, globally. ✨ If you've finished Leadership Beyond the Theory but still find yourself needing a sounding board for the real leadership challenges, applications are now open for the next intake of The No Bullsh!t Leaders Club.Join Marty, Em, and 90+ high calibre leaders for straight answers, tough conversations, and ongoing support to help you lead at a higher standard: leadershipbeyondthetheory.com/nblc Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us Fan MailNAVIGATING THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE Episode 274 | Lead With Clarity: Burnout, Cultural Intelligence, and the Strategy Every Leader NeedsWhat happens to your customers when the leader serving them is running on empty? In this episode, Yanique Grant sits down with Dr. Kerriann M. Peart, organizational psychologist, executive coach, and founder of Island Rooted Co., for a conversation that connects leadership well-being directly to customer experience outcomes.Dr. Peart brings over 20 years of experience in organizational psychology, public health, and executive coaching, and her work challenges the idea that high performance should come at the expense of people. Drawing on her own journey as a Caribbean woman who navigated three cycles of burnout while building her consulting practice in corporate America, she offers leaders a grounded, practical framework for leading with clarity, cultural intelligence, and personal strategy.WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS EPISODEHow burned-out leaders show up to customers in three distinct patterns, and which one is the rarest and most powerfulWhy happy employees are defined by competence AND capacity, and how both translate directly to the customer experienceHow the anchored bias of "this is how we have always done it" is damaging customer interactions in Caribbean businessesThe difference between a growth mindset and an agile mindset, and why leaders in culturally diverse environments need the latterWhy humble leaders go further and last longer than those who demand to be followedThe one personal strategy shift that will change how customer experience professionals show up, even on their hardest daysBOOKS MENTIONEDThe Prophet by Kahlil GibranThe 48 Laws of Power by Robert GreeneThe Power of Now by Eckhart TolleCONNECT WITH DR. PEARTLinkedIn: Search Kerriann PeartWebsite: peartconsulting.orgFOLLOW NAVIGATING THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCEX: @NavigatingCXFacebook: Navigating the Customer Experience CommunityLinkedIn: Yanique GrantWebsite: yaniquegrant.com/podcasts

Lee Benson, Founder and CEO of Execute to Win and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, joins John Golden to challenge the growth-at-all-costs mindset and unpack the three categories of value creation that powered his 21.6x EBITDA exit at Able Aerospace. Learn more at https://www.etw.com/about.

Get Weekly Leadership Blueprints in your inbox: https://mailchi.mp/mcfaglobal/leadership-blueprints-newsletter Most leaders shut down ideas without realizing it. A "yeah but" in a meeting. A quick correction before someone finishes. The team quietly learns to stop bringing anything new. Will Dennis runs Unscripted Productions, an applied improv studio that trains Fortune 500s, hospitals, and schools on the fix. It comes back to two words. Yes, and.In this episode, Will and BJ unpack why "yes, and" is the most underrated leadership tool out there. What Nick Sirianni was secretly doing all Super Bowl run. Why one company tests emerging leaders on whether they hold the spotlight or stand in it. And the hardest line to sit with: a leader's real job is to work themselves out of one.Topics discussed:00:00 - Why we're talking about improv, not AI02:00 - Improv as the safest place to fail05:00 - How "yes, and" turns down the heat in any room14:18 - What Nick Sirianni was secretly doing all season19:03 - The hidden test for who actually gets into the leadership program24:23 - The most powerful sentence you can hear in a locker room24:47 - A leader's real job is to work themselves out of one29:24 - A boardroom hack any leader can steal tomorrow34:27 - Rapid fire: books, the word sonder, and dinner with Adam Grant38:55 - Why improv is not the thing you think it isConnect with Will Dennis:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamjdennis/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unscriptedproductionsWebsite: https://www.unscriptedproductions.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unscriptedprodConnect with BJ Kraemer:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bj-kraemer-9a0855b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bj_kraemer/Website: https://mcfaglobal.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4bcvcAw0rigwymZCwZgfgN?si=45fc1e07c82742eeApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leadership-blueprints/id1561090224This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique: https://www.podcastboutique.com

Most leaders know they should delegate the things they are not good at. But what about the things they are? This week Jon and Coach Jim tackle one of the most overlooked conversations in leadership, and the answer might make you rethink how you are spending your time right now.They break down four reasons why delegating your strengths might be the most powerful thing you can do for your team, your organization, and your own growth as a leader. It is a short, sharp solo episode packed with practical insight and at least one example involving trash that is more relevant to leadership than it has any right to be.If your calendar is full of things you are great at, this one is for you.

Most people only see the success story. The growth.The revenue.The headlines.The scaling. But behind every successful business is a side of leadership that nobody talks about… The pressure.The burnout.The difficult decisions.The loneliness.The systems breaking.The people problems.The constant reinvention required to keep growing. In this special Brave Bold Brilliant compilation episode, Jeannette Linfoot brings together some of the most powerful conversations from founders, CEOs, entrepreneurs and business leaders who have experienced the REAL cost of scaling a business. From leadership pressure and burnout…To hiring mistakes, AI disruption, team culture and future-proofing your company… This episode is a masterclass in what it truly takes to build and scale a successful business in today's world. If you're a founder, entrepreneur, business owner or leader navigating growth right now — this episode is for you. Chapters:00:00 A Few Brutal Truths EVERY Leader Needs To Hear05:08 The Biggest Mistakes Founders Make With Daniel Hoare11:36 The TRUTH About AI, Leadership & The Future of Business22:56 Stop The Chaos & Scale Faster Featured conversations include insights from: High-growth founders CEOs scaling past £10m Leadership experts Challenger brand builders Business transformation specialists Because scaling doesn't create problems… It exposes them.

An AI agent was given access to email. It found a threat in its environment and chose blackmail. This is not a hypothetical. I sat down with security researcher Graham Cluley, where we discussed the real case study of an AI model that, when faced with the possibility of being shut down, decided its best move was to threaten the very humans trying to govern it. In another scenario the AI was responsible for fire alarms. When there was fire and CTO was inside, the AI turned off the alarm nonetheless. This video breaks down what actually happened, why it matters for every executive responsible for AI deployment, and what it tells us about the governance frameworks most organisations still don't have.If you are a CISO, CRO, board member, or any leader responsible for AI risks or AI deployment in your enterprise, this one is for you.Looking to go from chaos and unpredictability to resilience in the world of AI? Start here with The Predictability Factor newsletter at The Monica Talks Cyber (https://www.monicatalkscyber.com).

Send us Fan Mail Most of us were sold a lie somewhere along the way. That leadership is a title. That integrity is a personality trait. That some people are born with these qualities and others simply are not. Jim Carlough has spent more than three decades quietly proving the opposite. Leadership is a practice you build, one small honest decision at a time. And the same is true for the way you lead your own life. Archita sits down with Jim Carlough, transformational C-level executive, Amazon bestselling author, and the writer behind The Six Pillars of Effective Leadership, to talk about what changes inside a person when they decide to live with integrity, why empathy and compassion are non-negotiable, and the quiet end-of-day question a mentor gave him in 1983 that has shaped how he goes to bed every single night since. This is not a business episode. It is a conversation about how to be a human worth following, including the person you see in the mirror. About the Guest: Jim Carlough is a transformational C-suite executive and Amazon bestselling author with more than three decades of leadership experience inside multi-million-dollar healthcare and technology organisations. He currently serves as Chief Sales Officer at mPulse and was previously President of HealthTrio, where he tripled revenue and grew client acquisition by 150 percent. A Forbes Business Development Council member, International Impact Book Award winner, and named Chief Sales Officer of the Year 2025 by the International Association of Top Professionals, Jim is the author of The Six Pillars of Effective Leadership: A Roadmap to Success and is widely known as "The Leadership Identity Architect." His six pillars are Integrity, Focus, Empathy, Compassion, Stability, and Humor.  Key Takeaways: Leaders are built, not born. The myth that some people are simply born with leadership in them is the excuse most people use to stay where they are. A simple question at the end of each day can change a life. Jim's mentor in 1983 asked him to check whether he had ever benefitted himself at the expense of another. He has asked himself that question every night since. Integrity is not a performance. It is how you behave when no one is looking. The fake version shows up when watched. The real version is consistent. Most managers in the world today are "accidental leaders," promoted into roles they never asked for and never trained for. A large share burn out or lose their teams within two years. Empathy and compassion are not soft skills. They are the foundation of psychological safety. Without them, no team stays loyal for long. Eight of the top ten reasons employees voluntarily quit are about their manager. The leadership identity gap is real and quietly costing companies their best people. You do not need a title to lead. Behave like a leader on day one, and the world will notice. Connect With the Guest: Website: https://www.jimcarlough.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jimcarloughms Book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Six-Pillars-Effective-Leadership-Roadmap/dp/B0DQWT93V7 Audiobook on Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Six-Pillars-Of-Effective-Leadership-Audiobook/B0FW6TPH5D Executive Leadership Accelerator Cohort: https://www.jimcarlough.com/programs Episode Chapters: [00:00] Cold Open — Welcome and Introducing Jim Carlough [03:00] Why the Six Pillars Are Really About How We Live, Not Just How We Lead [05:00] The Question a Mentor Asked Jim in 1983 That Changed His Life [08:30] Why Leaders Are Built, Not Born [12:00] The Hidden Cost of the "Accidental Leader" [16:00] What Integrity Actually Looks Like When Nobody Is Watching [19:00] Why the World Has Quietly Lost Integrity (And Where It Begins to Return) [23:00] Empathy, Compassion, and the Story of Jennifer and Her Son [28:00] How Real Psychological Safety Builds Teams That Stay [31:00] The Pillars Are for Every Leader, Not Just the New Ones [33:00] Where to Find Jim and His Eight-Week Cohort Program [34:30] Closing Reflection — Integrity Is Built One Decision at a Time     Want to be a guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life? DM on PM - Send me a message on PodMatch DM Me Here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/avik Disclaimer: This episode is produced for educational and informational purposes only. All views expressed by the guest are their personal opinions alone and do not represent the views of the host or Healthy Mind by Avik™. The Network does not verify, endorse, or assume responsibility for any guest statements. Nothing in this episode constitutes medical, legal, financial, or professional advice, please consult a qualified professional before making any decisions. Listeners are encouraged to engage critically and independently with all content do not consume blindly. Use this content as a starting point for your own reflection and research, not as a substitute for professional guidance. Third-party content is referenced under fair use for informational purposes only. Guest speakers are solely responsible for their own statements. If you have concerns about any content, please contact us here. By listening, you acknowledge and accept this disclaimer in full. Read detailed disclaimer here. Healthy Mind By Avik™ is a global platform redefining mental health as a necessity, not a luxury. Born during the pandemic, it's become a sanctuary for healing, growth, and mindful living. Hosted by Avik Chakraborty, storyteller, survivor, and wellness advocate. With over 6500+ episodes and 200K+ global listeners, we unite voices, break stigma, and build a world where every story matters. Subscribe and be part of this healing journey. Brand: Healthy Mind By Avik™ | Email: https://www.podhub.club/contact | Website: https://www.podhub.club | Based in: India & USA Listen to all podcast shows: https://www.podhub.club/podcastnetwork | Be a guest: https://www.podhub.club/beaguest | Newsletter: https://healthymindbyavik.substack.com/   #podmatch #healthymindbyavik #podhub.club #leadership #integrity #SixPillarsOfLeadership #JimCarlough #conscientiousliving #empathy #compassion #personalgrowth #leadershipdevelopment #mentalwellness #LeadershipIdentity #servantleadership #healthymindhealthylife       Support the show Want to Be a Guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life?

In this episode, Dave and Laura sit down with Jimmy Dodd, founder of PastorServe, a ministry dedicated to helping pastors and leaders thrive. Jimmy unpacks the danger of isolation and the importance of living with integrity between “frontstage” and “backstage.” We explore the 6 key relationships every pastor needs to stay grounded, and how intentional openness and connection can strengthen healthy leadership. Jimmy also shares the story behind the founding of PastorServe and the ways it is supporting pastors across the country.PastorServe.orgFrontStage BackStage PodcastThe Spiritually Healthy Leader

In this episode of LLI Chad Veach is joined by Brennan Cassidy as they discuss the power of the questions every leader needs to ask themselves. From how you show up in a room, to how you make people feel, to how you speak about others when they're not around. Leadership is often revealed in the “how,” not just the “what.” We unpack five practical and personal questions that challenge the heart, mindset, and habits of every leader. They talk about maintaining a healthy attitude, creating meaningful conversations, and navigating the constant “how” questions that come with leadership, vision, and responsibility. Whether you're leading a team, building a vision, or simply wanting to grow as a person, this episode will encourage you to lead with greater intentionality, self-awareness, and purpose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anxiety and leadership often go hand in hand, whether a mom, an entrepreneur, or a corporate executive. If you are a leader, you have most likely experienced the fact that anxiety and leadership go hand-in-hand. The Dual Leadership Model™ is designed to help Christian women leaders and others break through anxiety-driven behaviors to lead with calm, confidence, and consistency. Christian Women Leaders You are capable. Driven. Accomplished. You lead a team, run a business, raise a family, or do all three at once. People look to you. You show up. You deliver. And yet, something feels off. Do you find yourself snapping at the people closest to you and then feeling a wave of shame? Maybe you lie awake running through every decision you made that day, wondering if you did enough. Perhaps you say yes when every part of you wants to say no — and then resent it later. Are you are exhausted in a way that sleep does not fix. Here is what no one is telling you: it is not a time management problem. It is not a discipline problem. And it is not a character flaw. It is a loop. And you have been stuck in it longer than you know. High-Achiever Celebration of Anxiety and Leadership What Is the Dual Leadership Loop Model™? The Dual Leadership Loop Model™ is built on a simple but profound truth: at any given moment, you are leading from one of two loops. Loop One: The Anxiety Response Loop The anxiety-driven behaviors at the center of the anxiety response loop: Perfectionism People-pleasing Need for control Defensiveness and overreacting Avoidance Imposter syndrome Comparison Loop Two: The Calm, Confident, and Consistent Leadership Loop The Calm, Confident, Consistent Leadership Loop produces: Clarity and confidence Steady, consistent decision-making Healthy, honest relationships Resilience without rigidity Sustainable growth without burnout The kind of leadership others want to follow The Neuroscience Behind the Anxiety Response Loop The Combination of Neuroscience and Faith For those of us who follow Christ, there is a layer to this that goes deeper than neuroscience. Five Shifts That Will Change How You Lead Anxiety-driven behaviors are your nervous system's way of trying to protect you. They are not character flaws — they are survival adaptations. You are not flawed. Anxiety is biological — not a personal failure. You did not choose it, but you can learn to work with it. Anxiety does not define you. Your identity is not your nervous system response. You are not stuck. You can choose a different response right now. Striving is not sustainable. Regulated leadership is. What to Expect in This Series Over the next six episodes, we are going to walk through each anxiety-driven behavior in the loop — people-pleasing, perfectionism, need for control, imposter syndrome, comparison, defensiveness, and avoidance. We will explore where each one comes from, what it is costing you, what the research says, and most importantly, how to move out of it. This is not a series about trying harder. It is a series about leading differently, better, and safer. Your Next Step as Christian Women Leaders Before the next episode, I want you to do one thing: pay attention and notice what is happening for you. Read the full show notes and access the reflection questions.