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Avoid costly hiring mistakes! Use these 5 interview questions to expose bullsh!t and find real talent. We spend a lot of time thinking about how to attract and retain the best people.But we all know how fickle the hiring process can be… recruiting talent is an imprecise science, which is why you have to get really good at interviewing.This is where you get the opportunity to meet your potential employees face to face. The interview is your best opportunity to separate the most talented candidates from the ones who just talk a good game.In this episode, I give you an interview technique that's guaranteed to identify the people who have actually done what they say they've done, and expose those who are just full of sh!t.Links mentioned in this episode:The Economist article:What Questions Would You Ask a Candidate in a Job Interview?No Bullsh!t Leadership episode:Ep.343: 6 Proven Tactics for Hiring Top TalentLBT link:Leadership Beyond the TheoryWikipedia links:Brian KellyLSU FootballCompetency-Based Recruitment————————FREE QUIZ: I've developed a 3-question quiz that'll give you a free personalised podcast playlist tailored to where you are right now in your leadership career!Click here to take the 30-second quiz now to get your on-the-go playlist————————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.

When Rebecca Gray '94 arrived at her first duty station, she thought she was ready to lead — until a senior master sergeant told her to get a coffee cup and led her away from the safety of her desk. “You've got to know who people are, so that you know how to relate to them,” he told her. That simple moment became the foundation of her entire leadership journey.    SHARE THIS PODCAST LINKEDIN  |  FACEBOOK    REBECCA'S TOP 5 LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS 1. Lead With Authentic Connection Genuinely care about your team members as people, not just colleagues—know their stories, show real interest in their lives, and let authenticity drive your leadership style. This builds trust and drives engagement. 2.Adapt and Balance Across Life's Seasons Recognize that leadership and career paths aren't always linear. It's important to intentionally adapt your role and focus to meet the current stage of your life, whether that means prioritizing family, professional growth, or personal health. 3. Translate Core Values Across Environments Military leadership lessons—like accountability, communication, and team cohesion—are just as powerful in civilian life. Carry these values into new environments and roles, and tailor them to fit each unique context. 4. Empower Others Through Example Be a “working leader” by setting the pace and modeling the behaviors you want to see. Encourage your team's growth by giving responsibility, asking for input, and trusting them to rise to new challenges—even if it means letting them make mistakes. 5. Continuous Self-Development Fuels Leadership Commit to lifelong learning and personal development through regular habits—like reading, exercise, and reflection. Maintaining intellectual curiosity and a growth mindset not only strengthens your leadership but also inspires others to do the same.   CHAPTERS 0:00:04 – Introduction to the Podcast and Guest Rebecca Gray 0:00:29 – The Coffee Cup Lesson: Early Leadership and the Influence of Senior Master Sergeant Kennedy 0:01:48 – Authentic Connection: Lessons Carried From the Military to Corporate Leadership 0:03:32 – The Power of Authenticity and Understanding Team Members' Lives 0:04:49 – Translating Military Leadership Lessons to the Corporate World 0:07:58 – Creating Team Connection in Remote and Fast-Paced Environments 0:11:47 – Memorable Military Leadership Influences 0:13:24 – Balancing Military Service, Family, and Career Transitions 0:16:53 – Career as Seasons: Crafting Balance and Intentionality 0:19:19 – Navigating Critical Career Junctures and Embracing Change 0:22:18 – Building Confidence and Trusting Yourself 0:23:46 – Fostering Confidence and a ‘Go Mentality' on the Team 0:25:39 – Leading and Aligning Family and Professional Goals 0:27:28 – Practicing Continuous Learning and Personal Development 0:28:32 – Advice to Emerging Leaders: Value Well-Roundedness and Humility 0:29:43 – Reflections on Alumni, Family Connection, and Leadership Beyond the Academy 0:30:15 – Closing Thoughts on Leadership, Service, and Authentic Paths ABOUT REBECCA BIO Rebecca Gray ‘94, Boingo Wireless senior vice president and general manager, leads a division providing soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines connectivity wherever they go. Alongside her military service, she's held leadership roles at Fortune 200 companies in energy, media and telecommunications — including Southern Company and Comcast NBCUniversal — and has volunteered with multiple nonprofits. Her focus is on innovation that strengthens communities and keeps people connected. A three-time All-American springboard diver, Gray started her Air Force journey as a recruited athlete at the U.S. Air Force Academy. After graduation, she trained as a World Class Athlete and competed for Team USA at the 1995 World Games in Rome. She's served in key leadership roles across the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, including deputy wing commander at the 111th Attack Wing in the Pennsylvania ANG, as well as director of staff for the Georgia ANG. She's also a graduate of the Secretary of Defense Fortune 500 Corporate Fellowship Program and earned her doctorate after studying around the globe in Israel, England, India and China. She and her husband — an Air Force Academy '93 grad — married at the Cadet Chapel in 1994. They have three daughters: Jasmine, a junior at Bates College; Grace, a sophomore at Centenary University; and Kennedy, a freshman at NJIT. Their Yorkie, Cookie, has become a seasoned traveler, having visited all but two states in the continental U.S.   CONNECT WITH REBECCA LINKEDIN BONIGO WIRELESS   CONNECT WITH THE LONG BLUE LINE PODCAST NETWORK TEAM Ted Robertson | Producer and Editor:  Ted.Robertson@USAFA.org Send your feedback or nominate a guest: socialmedia@usafa.org   Ryan Hall | Director:  Ryan.Hall@USAFA.org  Bryan Grossman | Copy Editor:  Bryan.Grossman@USAFA.org Wyatt Hornsby | Executive Producer:  Wyatt.Hornsby@USAFA.org      ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS     FULL TRANSCRIPT OUR SPEAKERS Guest, Rebecca Gray '94  |  Host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   Naviere Walkewicz  00:04 Welcome to Long Blue Leadership, where we explore the lessons of leadership through the lives and stories of Air Force Academy graduates. I'm your host, Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99. When Rebecca Gray walked into her first duty station after graduating from the Academy, she thought she was ready to lead. But it wasn't a general, a colonel or a policy manual that changed her view of leadership. It was a senior master sergeant named Patrick J. Kennedy and a coffee cup.   Rebecca Gray  00:29 He said, “You're doing this all wrong. You need to be out, out, out.” He told me, “Go grab a coffee cup.” I didn't drink coffee at the time, so he goes, “Go get some water. Stop being difficult.” And he walked me around and said, “This is this is what matters. You've got to know who people are, so that you know how to relate to them.” That really shaped me.   Naviere Walkewicz  00:50 That simple moment became the foundation for how Rebecca has led her teams ever since. From the Air Force to corporate boardrooms, from public service to private equity, Rebecca Gray, USAFA, Class of '94, has led across nearly every domain — active duty, Reserve and Guard — and built a remarkable second career spanning nonprofit work, education and now executive leadership. Her path has been shaped by transformational moments, moments that taught her how to connect, to trust herself and to lead with conviction. Rebecca, welcome to Long Blue Leadership.   Rebecca Gray  01:23 Thank you so much for having me. It's just a privilege to be here. Thank you for what you're doing for the grads, for the parents, for alumni, all of that. It's really impressive.   Naviere Walkewicz  01:31 Oh gosh. Really appreciate that. And I think, you know, that clip was so wonderful to hear. And I think we should just jump right in to that moment in time, kind of winding back the clock when you were just really transformed in your leadership style by your senior enlisted leader. Can we talk about that?   Rebecca Gray  01:48 I was just, had just graduated, and, as you said, my first duty assignment, and the only officer in the shop. And so senior master sergeant, which is one rank below chief — so the top, one of the top senior enlisted advisers in my shop, and we went for a walk and he really just taught me how to connect with the troops, to connect with people, walk around, get to really know them. And I'll have to tell you the first time I did it, I did a pass through, I went through the motions, if you will. And, you know, I came back, I was like, “Oh, OK, I did it. I did it. I'm all… I'm good, and have done my leadership duty for the day.” And he asked me, he said, “Who got a new car?” And I mentioned the airman's name of who got a new car. He goes, “What color was the car and what was the type of car?” And I was like, “Oh, OK.” And he goes, “So you didn't really care.” And I thought that's true, that's actually accurate. I needed to really care about what his first car was, and was it a truck? Was it a sedan? What was it? And so that really shaped me into really caring in a way that's already in your heart. But how do you express that in a leadership capacity? And so that changed the course of my 30-plus years in the military and then in corporate.   Naviere Walkewicz  03:07 What a powerful story. I mean, we can actually visualize you walking around. And as you know, graduates, we are kind of like, you know, task-minded. We're going to get this done. And you did it. You check the box. But to go down that next level, how do you see that actually becoming actionable across, you know, all leadership levels, you know, where you're actually walking the walk with your troops, so to speak. Can you talk about that a little bit more?   Rebecca Gray  03:32 Well, I think you have to be authentic, and be your authentic, you know, be authentic in your heart and what you're really doing. And if you don't have that, then people can feel it. People can tell if they don't feel your connection or your care concern for them. I think that really just mirrored an opportunity for me to put the two together. To your point, we're very task-minded, results-driven. When you graduate, very results-driven. It still impacts me every day, to be results, but you were doing it alongside of other people who have lives and who have things going on in their personal and professional lives, and we bring that to the table too, and really connecting with that and how to motivate people, how to encourage, how to walk with people and help them get to the results that they need to do, you know, as part of your team.   Naviere Walkewicz  04:29 Maybe, can you share an example of how you're using this? You said this has impacted you over the past 30 years. You know, it seems very clear — we're in an in middle military setting, and you're, you know, amongst your troops, you're leading beside them, you're understanding. How does that translate now and where you're at in the corporate world, at your level of leadership. What does this look like?   Rebecca Gray  04:49 I think that's a really good question, because when you look at it, you can see it very easily in the military. It plugs and plays very easily. Once you understand and you put it all together and you can develop it. You get a opportunities to develop that every day, if you will, every day you get that opportunity. But I think when you translate it into civilian life — and we all end up having a civilian life after the military — whether it's, you know a first-term enlistment, whether it's your first duty assignment, you fulfill your active-duty commitment from the Academy, whatever those years are. Whether you, you know, finish your 20 or what have you, you do transition out of military life at some point in time.   Naviere Walkewicz  05:37 Let's talk about what you're doing right now. I think it's important for our listeners to understand what that looks like and, you know, how you're leading in that space.      Rebecca Gray  05:44 Oh my gosh. I am so excited about what I do. It's the best job I've ever had. It's a great company that I work for. I work for Boingo Wireless. And what I do — my job at the company is to do anything that relates to the military. So we provide connectivity to over 100 bases around the world. I've got an incredible team that many of them have served, either as a veteran retiree or still serving. You have to understand what they know. What is their background? Where have they been? Where have they served, so to speak? What companies have they worked in? What role, leadership roles? What technology have they been around? What schools have they been to? All those things, and then also some of their things that are going on in their personal life so that you understand what's bringing them to work every day to support their personal and professional goals. And so you have to translate that, take that military experience and put that into the civilian workforce. And I think it's very powerful. It's so natural. I really actually don't think about it as much because you've developed it so such a tried and true part of who your character becomes, that coming back into civilian life and transitioning back into it, it's a great opportunity to bring all of those skill sets and move right into that — in leading teams, in learning that new chain of command, if you will, in corporate. And so that's a really powerful thing, and it feels like it's an enjoyable part of my day is the people I get to work with, the quality of people I get to work with. If I don't have that connection, I feel like I'm missing something at the end of the day.   Naviere Walkewicz  07:36 Can you share an example in which to that level that, you know, that the senior master sergeant said, “Did you know what type of car it was?” Where you've actually got to that level with someone, maybe in your civilian career, and how that has… Have you seen that actually make an impact on either performance or the results, or really just their own worth?   Rebecca Gray  07:58 Well, I think that's an interesting question. I think that can be played in two different areas. If you're in the office, there's an ability to be connected just by having lunch together, by having coffee, you know, you're in and you're around and about, and physically, there's just a different kind of energy when you're around people. So my team, we get together at some regular intervals that we set as a team for the year. We do one big, we call it an all-hands, an annual meeting, we're going to Vegas this year, and we're going in February. And so we're bringing the entire team; everybody's coming out of the field, everybody's coming from around the world, and they're all coming. We're meeting in Vegas, and we're going to spend a couple days together talking about what we accomplished last year, what we're going to do in the future, and then we also do some learnings, and, you know, things like that, some technology growth opportunities and things like that. So that's one thing that shows that you use… You're going to spend some budget dollars to really ensure that people know how you feel and how you value them as being part of this team, and making sure… I spend every other week planning this for a year and we do that every other week, and we talk about the hotel, we talk about the food, we, you know — our team-building exercises, the agenda, the T-shirts, the design of those, every detail, because I want my team to walk away at the end of that — we'll probably have over 100 people in the room — and I want everyone to walk out of that knowing that they are a valuable member of the team. So that's one thing we do, you know, on my team. And then on Monday mornings, we have a staff meeting every Monday morning, a team meeting, and the first question of the day is, “What did you do for the weekend?” And that's where we learn about all kinds of, you know, really fun things about people and what they're doing, what they're doing with their family, or who they're, you know, trying to date, or, you know, buying a new house, or, you know, all kinds of things that you learn. And then also you develop that within the team, because other people hear that question, and otherwise it's very transactional. This is what you do. This is what you can do for me. And in this fast-paced technology world, taking that time at the beginning of the meeting to say, “Let's take a pause, and I want to hear about you.” And so to me, that's another small thing, but a very powerful thing. In a fast-paced technology space, I think it's even more critical to take a pause, to take a stop and take a breath and realize the people that we're working with are… It's a gift to have this opportunity to work with one another, and I want them to feel a part of the team, even though we're in a remote setting, because most of my team is in the field. And so in that remote setting, that is even more critical, I think. So I think there's both, you know… When you're in the office, there's one way to do things, and then when you're in this more remote setting that we are — and then we're in a fast-paced technology setting. It's moving all the time, and sometimes you get into more activity and results and results and activity, and you accomplish one thing, and you're on to the next and, and that's… I don't know if that wheel spinning so fast is always, you know, healthy.   Naviere Walkewicz  11:15 Well, I really appreciate how you actually gave very specific examples of this leadership in action, because you're right: In this pace and in this remote kind of setting that many of us operate in, being able to still find that human touch and that connection to what you were speaking about that went all the way back to, you know, the senior master sergeant. But I'm sure you also had leaders throughout your military career that also exemplified some of this. Can you share any other moments while you're in uniform, where you saw some of these leadership traits that you really wanted to embody and that you've carried through your career to date?   Rebecca Gray  11:47 Gen. Hosmer was the, I think he was the calm when I was at the Academy, and he would walk around with his A-jacket. So you didn't really know if he was a cadet or not, because once you put your hat on, you can't tell. But, and you know, “Oh my gosh, it was a general just walked past me.” But he knew people's names. He remembered my name, and he remembered it for four years, and it was just a powerful moment that I remembered on my graduation, when we walked through the line with your parents, and you're doing that reception, and he said, “Rebecca, congratulations. Well done, and you did great.” And all those kinds of you know things. And I'll never forget that walk, whether he was walking on the Terrazzo and called my name, whether he remembered it going through a line of 1,000 people with all their parents, and you know, all of that. And I think that's always stuck with me, that level of remembering somebody's name, remembering who they are, that really was powerful to me early on in my military career.   Naviere Walkewicz  12:48 Oh, thank you for sharing that, because those are the moments that so many people can connect with that really do imprint on them and how they are as leaders, you know, and I'm curious, because…   Rebecca Gray  12:57 That's a good word, “imprint.” That's a really good word, “imprint.”   Naviere Walkewicz  13:03 Yeah, it feels that way. Thank you. Thank you. You know, I would love to dive into your Air Force career and the decision to transition out, because I just imagine in the way that you have done so many incredible things that your time in the military was very successful. Can you talk about what that was and then the decision to transition, why that came about and why you made it?   Rebecca Gray  13:24 That's a very powerful decision. It's a big decision to come into the military, and it's a big decision when it's time to leave. And those are hard decisions. And sometimes you leave too early, sometimes you stay in too long. You know, different things like that. But for me, it was my husband was a '93 grad. So I'm '94 he was '93 we got married at the Cadet Chapel right after I graduated in September. I share that because my husband and I were dual spouse, joint spouse. We were just talking about it the other day, because we just celebrated — it was our 31st wedding anniversary — and we looked at it and we said, “Gosh, you know, what a ride we've had.” And we got to know each other. We were in the same cadet squadron. We were both in 29 for three years and sophomore through senior year. And we both looked at each other. We were going to get separated. I was going to do a remote to Korea. He was going to Malstrom in Montana, and my follow on was Vegas, at Nellis. And so we realized we were going to be as separated for a few years, and that was a really big decision for us, because we loved the military, we loved our lifestyle, we loved our friends, we loved the camaraderie and all the things that you love, and we realized, where does that fit with our marriage and how do we pull this off? And so I think along the way, we've really tried to drive a commitment to service. We both went off active duty. We decided to go into the Reserve together, and then I eventually went into the Guard. So I ended up serving active duty, Guard and Reserve, which was really wasn't done back in the day.   Naviere Walkewicz  15:04 No, I was going to say…   Rebecca Gray  15:07 No, that was not done. I mean, you stay active duty for 20 years. You stay Reserve. You might do active duty and then Reserve, but to finish up and get to your 20… But I had three little children, and so I was able to do the Reserve. And so I think what's great about the military is, if you are open to looking at your career and seeing it as a different stages and phases of your life and letting it shape and form around that too, there are ways to serve. That was the way I felt called to serve. I think other people, active duty is the way to go, or Reserve or Guard is the way to go, you know, straight through. But for me, it gave me the flexibility, and I found that it was a lot of fun to do it that way. I got to learn different things in each of the different statuses, if you will. And I was able to put a whole career together with three little kids, and, you know, 31 years of marriage.   Naviere Walkewicz  16:04 Well, I think as a leader, those decision points — and it sounds like you were really well grounded in, you know, what do we want to commit to. Commitment to service, a commitment to each other. But I think what is so special about your career, when you look at it in seasons or in stages, is you've had some incredible opportunities to still continue to thrive professionally, even as those stages change. And if you wouldn't mind sharing some of that, because I think there's times when listeners feel like, “If my trajectory is not vertical, like in one path that you know, that everyone kind of recognizes as the path, then it's not successful.” But to your point, if you look at it in stages, and what is this stage, how do I evolve in this stage? In this stage? And maybe it's not always directly vertical, but we're still moving in it at an angle. I think it's powerful for our listeners to hear, if you don't mind sharing what that's been like.   Rebecca Gray  16:53 I made a very intentional decision to serve as a squadron commander in a certain season. So I wanted to build a life that had different components to it, and to do that, that meant you have to be intentional about that if you want to stay on one path. And I think as this world gets more complex, the technology is moving very fast. You want to stay balanced. I think the only way you can stay balanced in life is to really have different components of your life. There's a time to be a squadron commander, there's a time to be a senior leader. There's a time to be an individual contributor and there's a time to say this is, you know, for whatever myriad of reasons, health or family dynamics, or you're going through a degree program. And so you have to kind of make those things to ebb and flow appropriately. And I wanted to put those building blocks and pieces together to make something really interesting and a reason to wake up in the morning and something that got me out of bed. I do Squadron Officer School. I do, you know, ACSC, and then War College. And so you can end up checking these boxes and checking, you know, different assignments and different levels. Just like you graduate from college, you got to meet certain, you know, credit requirements and different kinds of classes and things like that. So I'm not saying it's a negative, but it shouldn't be a mindset. It should be just the way you need to get certain things done.   Naviere Walkewicz  18:17 And by the way, Sgt. Kennedy would come back and be like, “This is not enough, ma'am.” So, but you know what I really loved about what you just described? This might be the first time I've heard the description of balance, because you did it in a way that — you talked about balance being almost having holistic, a holistic view of various pillars. And there's times when you know you're bringing one of the forefront, so you're not ever saying they're in balance, where they're all, you know, equitable or like, everything is just, you know, the scale is exactly the same on both sides. But what you're saying is, there's time when you're bringing stuff to the forefront, but I'm really aware of the all of those pieces, and I think that is such a wonderful way to look at balance. Which brings me to this question of, you know, you have approached your career and, you know, being a mother and a wife was such, you know, a unique view. When did you know it was time to add onto your plate in this nonprofit space? And then you go, you know, going… So it just seems like you've made these decisions at critical points. How do you measure when that next point is supposed to come around and you take that leap?   Rebecca Gray  19:19 Sometimes, life gives you that opportunity to take a step back and say, “OK, I'm now at a critical juncture. What do I want to do?” That can be your, you know, your health, or a family dynamic, or you get accepted into a program and you want to do this. When I got accepted into that secretary of defense corporate fellowship program that's basically Air War College in residence. You can imagine doing Air War College in residence as a Guard member was very prestigious, an incredible opportunity, and then they sucked me into this fellowship opportunity. But that really changed my trajectory, because at the time, I was in nonprofit, and it pulled me out, put me back in uniform for one year. That was a one-year commitment to do War College in that capacity. And then it was after that I decided to move into corporate. And so I think there's certain times when you get those moments, and what I think is, people race through those — I think they race through that moment. And instead to take a stop and a pause and say, “Do I want to make a change at this moment? Do I want to do this?” I really didn't want to make that change. I didn't want to come out of nonprofit at the time. I didn't want to do War College in residence. I didn't want to do some of those things. And instead, I took it and I said, “I don't know where this is heading, but I'm OK with where this is gonna go.” And I don't think sometimes you need to know all those pieces before you make those decisions. And I think — because then if you need that, you're never going to have it. I mean, you just don't. And so for me, it's always a moment where you stop and you say, “This is an opportunity for me to change where I live, to change my career, to change a family dynamic.” Do you add another kid? Do you, you know, stop at three? You know, what do you do? I think what I have tried to really do is stop and really have it like, really, I really take it… Really take that moment and have that moment and say, this is a moment for me to say, is, “What do I need to change? What do I want to change?” Or nothing? Do I want — I keep going, but I have made that decision.   Naviere Walkewicz  21:30 Well, what I'm hearing from that is a level of confidence in yourself that you've probably developed over time. From, you know, the different interactions you've had from… I mean, wearing so many hats has probably actually given you a stronger confidence in what you're able to accomplish, what your capacity is when you don't really know what's all around you, so to speak, you don't have all the answers. Can we talk a little bit about when you knew that, or when you recognize that in yourself? Because when you made those decisions and you said you walked through those doors with your eyes wide open, you're essentially betting on yourself, right? You have built this trust and confidence in your ability. Can you talk about what that looks like? How you came to that? Because I think there's times where our listeners have this doubt, this self-doubt, so let's talk about that.   Rebecca Gray  22:18 If you have good, good people around you, you ask for good advice. You have a, I think, a faith that can ground you. And you know that you've been given these gifts and this skill set, and you've made certain mile markers in life. I think it just builds over time.   Naviere Walkewicz  22:39 Would you say that you recognized, I guess, betting on yourself and confidence in yourself early in the years when you started diving and recognized, “Wow, this is scary, but OK,” right? Or was it more developed later?   Rebecca Gray  22:52 I started diving when I was 10, and you know, I would be up there on the diving board. I was a little 10-year-old, and sometimes you couldn't get walked down the board. You were terrified. My coach would sit there and she would say, “OK, we're gonna go — 1, 2, 3,” and you go, you learn how to walk down that diving board, and you learn how to do things that you you're not really confident on, and you're not really… But once you master it, it's really fun. It's probably from, I think, diving, athletics, I think does that to you. You know, whether you're chasing that soccer ball and you got to go up against somebody bigger, whether you're in football, and you got to go off up against… My husband was a fullback at the Air Force Academy, and so he went up against lineman at Notre Dame and Ohio State and things like that. And he goes, “It was terrifying.” And so… But when the whistle blows and the play calls called you. You go and so you develop that strength some somehow along the way to push through.   Naviere Walkewicz  23:46 How have you developed those that have come under your care as a leader that maybe didn't have that athletic background? How do you teach them that? How do you instill in them that “go” mentality, that, you know, fear is just your body's response, gets your blood, you know, your blood flowing. How do you do that as a leader?   Rebecca Gray  24:03 I think, I think you do it by going out ahead and standing out there, and maybe you're the only one out there, so to speak, ahead of it, ahead of the team, in believing whatever direction you need to go, whatever new business direction you need to go in, or what new product line you need to develop, or what new revenue goals do you need to accomplish? And you have to go out there, and you've got to do it yourself. I'm probably more of a working leader than a leader that manages. I'm not the best manager, if you will, but I can get out in front. But I think, for me, it's just been leading out in the head, going out there and saying, this is the direction, building that conversation across the team leaders to make sure we're aligned, to make sure we're thinking the same thing. Are you reading the market the way I'm reading the market? Are you reading some of these leadership decisions within the industry that we're reading? And are we seeing this the same way — bouncing those ideas off and then developing that and that groundswell to really go for it.   Naviere Walkewicz  25:06 I want to ask you this question that's tied to this idea of understanding your capacity, your capabilities, your talents, your strengths, betting on yourself, and how you've been able to do that while you still successfully have a 31-year marri… right? Like a marriage and a family that has to also buy into those decisions. What does that look like as a leader when you're making those decisions, when you have children and a family or a spouse, you know? How do you navigate that when they also have their goals?   Rebecca Gray  25:39 Oh, it's so deep. It's so deep because…   Naviere Walkewicz  25:43 It's real because this is what they're facing. You know, all of our leaders are facing these questions.   Rebecca Gray  25:47 It is, it is. You're facing these decisions back at home, and what you've got to manage at home. You know, my husband, I really lead, and we lead by example — that we take care of our business and we do our things. And as soon as the girls were able to do a lot of things for themselves, we gave them that responsibility. That really helped. I think your kids are pretty capable, and they're really strong and they're very smart and they're wise, and they can feel the energy in the room. They can feel your commitment to them.   Naviere Walkewicz  26:19 Well, I mean, I think what I heard through all that as well, is having those values aligned like you do, and then really communicating and then just championing the responsibility and the capabilities of your family members. It seems like, you know, you don't only just do that at work, but what I'm hearing is you've done this and the home life as well, and it's continued to just really evolve your family in such a beautiful way. So thank you for sharing that with us. Because I think that's really powerful and sometimes when our listeners feel like, “Gosh, I don't know how to make this decision,” I think if you start from that place of, “Are we aligned? Do we know what our core, you know, piece is,” go from there, it seems like you've been able to navigate that really well. Thank you for sharing that. Well, I want to ask you something that you're doing every day, because as leaders… And I'm not sure what your thoughts are on this, maybe you can share, but a lot of people will talk about how “I'm always learning. I'm continuing to learn, even as a leader, I'm still learning every day.” Can you share if that's how you feel, and if so, what are you doing on a daily basis to just be a better version of yourself as a leader, professional, etc.?   Rebecca Gray  27:28 I think when you work out and you get a really good workout, and whatever that is, walking or, you know, at the gym or lifting, or whatever that is, biking or swimming — I think for me, that exercise and reading — those are probably the two things that I really work a lot on, and making sure that's just part of the day. You know, a lot of times we don't have to think too much about eating because we get hungry. But, you know, once you start exercising a lot, and you read a lot, and you have that quiet time — when you don't have it, you miss it, and so you almost get hungry for it. And so to create that consistency, so you can create that hunger. If you do skip it, or you want to skip it. Even when I travel for work, I do it. The girls know that if we're in a hotel, I'm going to go run down to the gym for a little bit. They'll come with me or not, but that's something I'm going to do regardless. And then the reading is really, really critical.   Naviere Walkewicz  28:20 You know, one of the things we also love to ask, and maybe this is a better way to ask it, is, if you were to give advice to your daughters on what they could do today to be better leaders for tomorrow, what would that be?   Rebecca Gray  28:32 I don't know if it's a goal to be a leader, but I think it's a goal to develop and be really well rounded, really solid, because you will default to being the leader. If you have that strength, you have that intellectual capacity, you have the humility. But I think having that humility is really, really critical, the well-roundedness, having different aspects to your life. You know, it can't all be just school and homework, and it needs to be whatever that is music or athletics or, you know, what have you in your faith community or something, you've got to have a well-rounded… because things come and go in your life.   Naviere Walkewicz  29:12 Well, I love how you really put that together. Because I think the key thing was, you know, I don't know that they're necessarily aspiring to be a leader, but if they aspire to be well rounded and that kind of a wholesome approach, they will be the leader in the room. And I just, I just love that, because it just makes it so clear, right? I thought that was incredible. Well, we're coming up at our time, and I just have loved this conversation. Is there anything we didn't cover that you just like, this is a time, like, we want to make sure we didn't miss anything that you would like to share.   Rebecca Gray  29:43 What you're really focused on is really powerful. And connecting the alumni, connecting the families, so that they understand what their child is going through at the Academy is really important. Realizing there's life out of the Academy, and you still need to serve, and you still need to contribute, and there's a way, there's a lot of lessons that we had at those four critical years of our life that can carry us. And I think you're really highlighting that and giving us the space to share some of that. So really appreciate that.   Naviere Walkewicz  30:15 Well, I appreciate you saying that, and I just have to share with our listeners: You know, what I've really taken away from today's conversation is that leadership begins in small moments, a cup of coffee, a conversation, you know, choosing to listen, but it grows through courage, you know, the courage to step into uncertainty, which you've done, to serve where others maybe wouldn't, and to believe in your path, even if it looks unconventional.   Rebecca Gray  30:38 It has, yeah, even if it looks unconventional, that's OK. It's OK too.   Naviere Walkewicz  30:43 And I love that you talked about how it wasn't about the titles, but it was really about the experiences and kind of having that full picture of you and the confidence to bet on yourself. So this has just been a privilege to be with you on Long Blue Leadership I want to thank everyone for listening to this Long Blue Leadership episode. If you know others that are really growing in their leadership journeys and could benefit from this, please share it with them. We love having all of you listen to these wonderful lessons on leadership from our Air Force Academy graduates. So Rebecca, again, thank you so much. We will see you another time, but for now, I'm Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99. Thanks for joining us.   KEYWORDS Rebecca Gray, leadership lessons, authentic leadership, Air Force Academy, military to corporate transition, women leaders, team connection, career development, executive leadership, Boingo Wireless, building confidence, personal growth, leadership podcast, work-life balance, empowering teams, transformational leadership, continuous learning, squadron commander, leadership journey, remote team management, military experience, family and career balance, purpose-driven leadership, leading by example, leadership advice, mentoring, professional development, inspirational stories, alumni connections, values-driven leadership.       The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation    

When nothing feels black and white, these principles keep your leadership unshakable! A lot of the principles I espouse in No Bullsh!t Leadership are quite categorical… in order to convey the principles clearly and concisely, I explain them in a rather singular manner: “Do this! Don't do that!” But nothing is that black and white, and the complexity and uncertainty of the environment can erode your confidence and weaken your resolve.If you want to have a deeper dive into how to be confident in the face of extreme uncertainty, have a listen to Ep.273: It's Never Black and White.————————FREE QUIZ: I've developed a 3-question quiz that'll give you a free personalised podcast playlist tailored to where you are right now in your leadership career!Click here to take the 30-second quiz now to get your on-the-go playlist————————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/————————Our mission here at Your CEO Mentor is to improve the quality of leaders, globally.

Lieutenant Colonel Oakland McCulloch shares powerful insights from his 23 years in the U.S. Army and beyond — from servant leadership and humility to building trust, character, and purpose. Discover how true leadership transcends titles, transforms people, and leaves a lasting legacy.00:36- About LTC (R) Oakland McCullochRetired Lieutenant Colonel Oakland McCulloch is the author of the 2021 release, Your Leadership Legacy: Becoming the Leader You Were Meant to Be.Oak is also an internationally recognized speaker who gives talks on leadership and success.

How to spot (and stop) the koalas sabotaging your culture: nepotists, jerks, and ass-kissers. In Australia, koalas are a protected species. When one of the leaders in our No Bullsh!t Leaders Club started talking about the “koalas” in his company, I knew exactly what he meant.Working with koalas can be infuriating. They don't play by the same rules, or observe the same cultural standards as everyone else. It's almost as if they're trying to see how far they can go before someone brings them into line.And the more they get away with, the more emboldened they become.In this episode, I explore three different breeds of koala:The founder's nephewThe talented jerkThe ass-kisserI give you some vital tips to deal with each breed, whether they work in your team, or they're just an annoying peer you have to live with.Links mentioned in this episode:No Bullsh!t Leadership episodes:Ep.240: The Talented JerkEp.314: Surviving Office PoliticsHigh-Performance Leadership Program link:Leadership Beyond the Theory————————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/————————Our mission here at Your CEO Mentor is to improve the quality of leaders, globally.

Leaders who earn trust fast get freedom to execute! Whether you're trying to build trust with the people in your team or the leaders above you, there are certain behaviours you have to demonstrate in every single interaction.Using the CEO / Board relationship as a model, in this Moment I reveal the 6 things you can do to build trust with the leaders above you.If you want to have a deeper dive into how to quickly build high-trust relationships, have a listen to Ep.54: Managing the Board.————————FREE 5 DAY LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE: Want to boost your leadership capability? This challenge will start you down the path of improving your leadership confidence and skills—if you're willing to put in the work!Start the free 5 Day Leadership Challenge today: https://yourceomentor.com/challenge————————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/————————Our mission here at Your CEO Mentor is to improve the quality of leaders, globally.

In this deeply moving episode of WAHNcast, host Ashley Northcutt sits down with Michele Stowe, founder of Skyrocket Coaching and former COO of Mercy Housing, and Shannon Wallis, founder and managing director of Cascade Leadership and former global director of High Potential Leadership Development at Microsoft. Together, they explore how profound loss can reveal the truest forms of leadership. Drawing from their essays in the new anthology Lives Lost and Leadership Found, Michelle reflects on the legacy of Sister Lillian Murphy, the visionary CEO of Mercy Housing, while Shannon shares lessons learned from her mother's journey through resilience, disability, and love. This conversation challenges the notion that leadership is about titles — instead, it's a practice rooted in presence, empathy, and action. From “assuming positive intent” to “underlooking” others, Michele and Shannon remind us that leadership begins in the smallest acts of compassion. Tune in for insights that connect loss, love, and legacy — and rediscover the heart of what it means to lead.  And get your copy of Lives Lost and Leadership Found and Shannon's new book, WE the Change: Launching Big Ideas and Creating New Realities, on our website.

AI is coming for your job…or is it?Right now, boards and CEOs are being sold the dream that AI will replace thousands of people, slash costs, and magically boost profit. Meanwhile, leaders like you are stuck in the middle, trying to keep customers happy and deliver real results with tools that are still hallucinating and half-baked.So how do you cut through the hype and work out what is actually useful for your team, your customers, and your career?In this episode, I'm joined by AI strategist and product expert James Killick. James has been working with AI long before it was cool, helping businesses weave it into real products and real workflows, not just shiny demos.We get into questions that are front of mind for every modern leader:How reliable is AI really, and when should you absolutely keep a human in the loop?Why 80 to 90 percent of corporate AI initiatives are failing, and how to avoid being one of themWhat AI will automate first, and what will remain uniquely human for much longer than people thinkHow to become an AI orchestrator who manages both people and AI agents to get better results; andThe single biggest mindset shift you need if you want to stay relevant in the AI eraWe also talk about very practical stuff: Which parts of your business to tackle first…how to train your people without turning them into rogue prompt cowboys...and how to use AI to dramatically increase your speed and impact, without handing your brain over to the machine.If you are a leader who wants to use AI to amplify your edge rather than erase it, this episode is for you.****** James has put together an INSANELY valuable free resource for our listeners, which you can check out here! ******————————FREE QUIZ: I've developed a 3-question quiz that'll give you a free personalised podcast playlist tailored to where you are right now in your leadership career!Click here to take the 30-second quiz now to get your on-the-go playlist————————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/————————Our mission here at Your CEO Mentor is to improve the quality of leaders, globally.

In today's environment, clarity isn't a luxury—it's a multiplier that unlocks every dollar you've invested in your people. -Salima Hemani  Designing Organizations That Breathe: How Structure Shapes Culture, Leadership, and Impact.  With Salima Hemani  Here's the truth most leaders don't realize: You're already shaping your organization's culture and performance every single day—whether you know it or not.  Every leader needs some understanding of organizational design's impact. Not to become an OD expert or efficiency consultant, but because aligning structure with culture and creating environments where people do their best work is fundamentally your responsibility. When budgets tighten, teams feel stuck, and your best people start leaving despite world-class training programs, the problem often isn't your strategy or your talent—it's the invisible architecture determining how work actually gets done.   In this conversation, Salima Hamani reveals why 75-80% of organizational redesigns fail (hint: it's not about the org chart), and more importantly, how leaders at every level can create the clarity that becomes their organization's greatest competitive advantage.   In this episode, Salima shares:  • Why great organizational design grows leaders, not just organizes them - How one company created "natural stretch zones" through project-based structure that elevated middle managers without another training program  • The warning signs your structure is holding back performance - When people have the right skills, clear values, and beautiful org charts but still can't get results, decisions made, or forward momentum  • Why the org chart is just 10% of organizational design - The critical elements most leaders miss: operating models, governance frameworks, decision rights, and how information actually flows  • How to measure the ROI of clarity - One government agency dropped project delays by 70% simply by clarifying decision pathways and governance (not just redrawing boxes)  • The questions leaders need to ask before any redesign - Why spending time on strategic clarity upfront saves months of frustrated implementation later    The bottom line: You don't need to become an organizational design expert, but you do need to understand that structure either amplifies or constrains everything else you're trying to achieve. The best training programs, the most talented people, and the clearest strategy all fall flat without the structural clarity that lets people actually use them. Organizational design isn't something to delegate and forget—it's the scaffolding that determines whether your leaders can truly lead, whether your investments in people pay off, and whether your organization can breathe and grow rather than suffocate under its own weight.    About Salima: Salima Hemani, MBA, PCC, SHRM-SCP,  is an accomplished organizational strategist, executive coach, and human capital advisor with over 25 years of experience leading large-scale transformation, organizational design, and leadership alignment initiatives. She is the Founder and President of SZH Consulting, an organizational and leadership development firm serving Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and mission-driven organizations.    Salima brings a rare blend of strategic insight and operational depth, having served as both an internal executive and external consultant guiding C-suite teams through growth, restructuring, and culture evolution. Her expertise spans strategy execution, organizational design, leadership development, and executive team coaching - anchored in systems thinking, data-driven insights, and a people-first approach.  A trusted thought partner to CHROs and senior leaders, Salima is known for her ability to turn complexity into clarity and create space for bold, actionable dialogue. She frequently speaks on topics including leading through change and building organizations that thrive.  Connect with Salima: https://www.linkedin.com/company/szh-consulting-llc/ A Leadership Beyond exists to support the alignment between the business strategy and people strategy - to drive results with people not at the expense of people (Talent Optimization). Subscribe to our podcast to join the Leadership Beyond Community of Conversation and hear insights from thought leaders and human development experts leading the way in the field of Talent Optimization.  We are grateful to you and always eager to hear from you! To learn more visit https://aleadershipbeyond.com Tom & Adrienne      

What makes a great leader? Olympian Sherry Winn and executive Aaron Battista explore how true leadership begins with understanding yourself first.In this episode, they discuss:Why self-awareness is the foundation of strong leadershipHow confidence and humility work hand in handLessons from real-world experience—not theoryIt's a thoughtful conversation about leadership, growth, and the mindset needed to make a lasting impact. Listen now and discover how the best leaders lead from within.#TALRadio #Leadership #SelfAwareness #PersonalGrowth #OlympicMinds #WinningLeadership #SherryWinn #Touchalife#TALRadio

Is your team pushing back? Uncover upward bullying and take control as stronger leader.We hear a lot these days about work-related anxiety, which can easily lead to claims of bullying and harassment. But we rarely hear about the impact this has on leaders like you, who bear the brunt of people's personal problems in the workplace.For many companies, the explosion in stress-related claims has pushed them to pursue more conservative HR policies, playing right into the hands of the small but powerful minority who are happy to engage in upward bullying.If you want to go deeper on how to deal with passive aggressive resistance from below, have a listen to Ep.345: Upward Bullying.————————FREE QUIZ: I've developed a 3-question quiz that'll give you a free personalized podcast playlist tailored to where you are right now in your leadership career!Click here to take the 30-second quiz now to get your on-the-go playlist————————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/————————Our mission here at Your CEO Mentor is to improve the quality of leaders, globally.

Send us a textEpisode # 150: Leadership in finance isn't a title—it's a practice. We dive into what turns any role in accounting, FP&A, or audit into a force for strategic impact, starting with the four pillars that anchor meaningful change: influence, grow your people, deliver results, and see the future. Along the way, we unpack how to turn data into decisions, build trust with senior leaders, and convert operational friction—like a chaotic month end—into a reliable, learning-driven process.We start by reframing influence as earned alignment. You'll hear how to show up with validated numbers, a sharp point of view, and a concise ask that respects executive time. Then we get practical about developing talent: mentoring for strategic thinking, cross-training on the business model, and running blameless reviews that raise the team's ceiling. Execution takes center stage with tactics to speed the close, improve forecast accuracy, and translate variances into action. Finally, we step into forward-looking leadership—tracking external signals that matter, setting crisp scenarios, and aligning decisions to both profitability and purpose.If you're ready to elevate your impact, this conversation will help you become the partner your organization needs: people-centered, data-driven, and ethically grounded. Please connect with me on:1. Instagram: stephen.mclain2. Twitter: smclainiii3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiiiFor more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy:  financeleaderacademy.com.Support the show

Every leader faces recurring challenges, the kinds of problems that don't go away, they just evolve as you grow!In this rapid-fire Q&A, Marty and Em tackle 9 of the most common leadership issues that came in from our listeners across Instagram, LinkedIn, and email. From surviving a toxic boss and getting out of the weeds as your business scales, to knowing when “checking for standards” becomes control, this episode is packed with practical, real-world solutions.You'll hear how to:Tackle micromanagement without triggering conflictShorten the overthinking cycle after tough situationsHold firm on your value-ranked priorities when new tasks pile inBalance strengths with blind spots that could block your progressionBuild trust with your team and step back without losing controlGive feedback that lands (even with sensitive team members)Grow when your own boss gives little or no feedbackEach answer is sharp, tested, and rooted in experience, no fluff, no theory. Just the real conversations leaders everywhere are having right now!————————FREE QUIZ: I've developed a 3-question quiz that'll give you a free personalized podcast playlist tailored to where you are right now in your leadership career!Click here to take the 30-second quiz now to get your on-the-go playlist————————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/————————Our mission here at Your CEO Mentor is to improve the quality of leaders, globally.

This week on The Olympic Minds: Leadership Beyond Limits, host Sherry Winn, 2-time Olympian and leadership coach is joined by Andrew Ting, a global expert in legal and business strategy who believes that legal strategy is business strategy.Together, they dive into how powerful legal leadership can fuel growth, spark innovation, and transform organizations in an ever-changing world.

If you're struggling to work out how to manage your boss, it's probably because you've never truly assessed the situation. You have to know who you're dealing with, and what makes them tick.In this Moment, I reveal the questions you can ask yourself to work out exactly what type of boss you have. Only then, can you understand how to manage up effectively.If you want to go deeper on how to build the most productive relationship you possibly can with your boss, have a listen to Ep.162: Managing Up.————————FREE QUIZ: I've developed a 3-question quiz that'll give you a free personalized podcast playlist tailored to where you are right now in your leadership career!Click here to take the 30-second quiz now to get your on-the-go playlist————————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.

In this episode of The Authority Company Podcast, Joe Pardavila talks with Dr. Midhat Zwayen, president of Dijlah Consulting Engineers and author of Leadership Beyond Borders: A Western Executive's Guide to the Iraqi Business Mindset. Dr. Zwayen shares how his upbringing during Iraq's transformation—from a modern, globally connected nation to decades of dictatorship and back toward recovery—shaped his views on leadership, resilience, and collaboration. He explains how Western executives can engage meaningfully in Iraq's rebuilding economy, the misconceptions that keep investors away, and why early partnerships matter for multinational growth.They discuss: * Iraq's evolving relationship with the West and lessons from its modern history * How Iraq's new generation and technology are reshaping business culture * What Western leaders should know before entering the Iraqi market * Why understanding local culture is key to long-term successA rare, candid look into leadership across borders—and how cultural understanding can drive opportunity and progress. Watch now to learn how Dr. Zwayen is helping bridge worlds and redefine leadership in one of the oldest civilizations on Earth.

Get buy-in fast, and learn how to consult without slowing change or losing momentum. I've spoken quite a bit over the years about organisational change, particularly as it relates to leading people through major disruption.Humans aren't particularly adaptable, which is why a whole industry of organisational change management theory arose in the mid-1990s.In this episode, I take a slightly different angle on change, as I explore the question, “How much input should you take from the affected parties before implementing large, organisational changes?”I answer some big questions, like:How do you get buy-in from your people, without slowing the process down?What's the best way to get the right information from your team?How can you improve your chances of maximising value from the change?I'll also give you my 5 rules for getting consultation right when you're executing any major change initiative.————————FREE QUIZ: I've developed a 3-question quiz that'll give you a free personalized podcast playlist tailored to where you are right now in your leadership career!Click here to take the 30-second quiz now to get your on-the-go playlist————————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.

 Presence is more that just being there. -Malcolm S. Forbes If you're a leader, coach, or communicator seeking to elevate your presence and influence, this episode is a masterclass in showing up with clarity, confidence, and authenticity. Sue Reynolds Frost—Managing Director of Sloan Group International and co-author of Deliberate Mindset—joins us on the Leadership Beyond podcast to unpack the art and science of executive presence. With warmth, candor, and strategic insight, she shares how leaders can align their message, mindset, and somatic cues to inspire trust and drive impact. Highlights from our conversation with Sue: Defining Executive Presence: Sue reframes it as a learnable skill rooted in clarity, confidence, and positive intent—not just charisma or polish. Somatic Presence Explained: She breaks down how physicality, tone, and vocal delivery shape how others perceive us—especially in high-stakes moments. Common Pitfalls & Coaching Tips: From filler words to incongruent body language, Sue offers practical strategies to build unconscious competence over time. The Power of Pause: Learn how intentional silence and breath can enhance clarity, invite engagement, and calm your nervous system. Feedback as a Growth Tool: Sue shares two simple ways to get real-time feedback—peer observation and self-recording—to accelerate development. Mindset Matters: She emphasizes that skill-building must be paired with a deliberate mindset to avoid self-sabotage and unlock authentic confidence. Whether you're presenting to a boardroom or mentoring a rising leader, Sue's insights offer a roadmap to show up with purpose and presence. Ready to level up your leadership voice?This episode is your invitation. Connect with Sue: (7) Sue Reynolds-Frost | LinkedIn Sloan Group International: https://www.sloangroupinternational.com Authored by Sue: Mastering Executive Presence with Sue Reynolds Frost https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinessdevelopmentcouncil/2025/08/11/your-body-is-your-message-how-somatic-presence-builds-credibility/ Deliberate Mindset: How Thinking Differently Can Help You Succeed In High-Stakes Presentations And Conversations: Hornstein, Jeff, Reynolds-Frost, Sue, Reiner, Ruth: 9781973719632: Amazon.com: Books A Leadership Beyond exists to support the alignment between the business strategy and people strategy - to drive results with people not at the expense of people (Talent Optimization). Subscribe to our podcast to join the Leadership Beyond Community of Conversation and hear insights from thought leaders and human development experts leading the way in the field of Talent Optimization.  We are grateful to you and always eager to hear from you! To learn more visit https://aleadershipbeyond.com Tom & Adrienne

We all get things wrong, sometimes… but if we apologised every time we made a mistake, we'd be forever grovelling to someone. If you never apologise, you'll seem arrogant, disconnected, and out of touch… but if you apologise too much, you'll appear weak, indecisive, and ineffective. When should you drive forward confidently, and when should you take a step back and show remorse for the impact this can have on your people?If you want to go deeper on how to strike the balance between decisiveness and self-reflection, have a listen to Ep.188: It's Hard to Say Sorry.————————FREE QUIZ: I've developed a 3-question quiz that'll give you a free personalized podcast playlist tailored to where you are right now in your leadership career!Click here to take the 30-second quiz now to get your on-the-go playlist————————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/————————Our mission here at Your CEO Mentor is to improve the quality of leaders, globally.

Are your people truly empowered, or just waiting for permission? Find out here. “Empowerment” is a word that seems to be used in an increasingly offhanded, throw-away fashion. When that happens, it loses both its meaning and its power.But, despite the dumbing down of empowerment, it's still one of the most critical ingredients of execution.If you can't empower your people effectively, you'll stymie them; they'll never willingly accept the level of accountability that would supercharge their results, if only they knew how to embrace it.In this episode, I uncover some of the nuances of empowerment which, even though you may not be aware of them, are probably holding your people back and diminishing your own effectiveness. Going a layer deeper here, I reveal the #1 killer of empowerment, and I give you my 3 pro tips to stop you from disempowering your people.————————FREE QUIZ: I've developed a 3-question quiz that'll give you a free personalized podcast playlist tailored to where you are right now in your leadership career!Click here to take the 30-second quiz now to get your on-the-go playlist————————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/————————Our mission here at Your CEO Mentor is to improve the quality of leaders, globally.

Protecting your people feels kind…until it destroys their resilience and results.As the older generation vacates the workforce, companies are making way for fresh talent, new ideas, and different ways of working.This brings with it a number of challenges, as we transition from a workforce that has historically been compliant and robust, to one that has an elevated sense of entitlement, and a worrying lack of resilience.How do you balance your duty of care for your people, with the obligation you have as a leader to optimise team performance?If you want to go deeper on how to take people where they don't necessarily want to go, have a listen to Ep.328: Building Resilience Into the Fragile.————————FREE QUIZ: I've developed a 3-question quiz that'll give you a free personalized podcast playlist tailored to where you are right now in your leadership career!Click here to take the 30-second quiz now to get your on-the-go playlist————————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/————————Our mission here at Your CEO Mentor is to improve the quality of leaders, globally.

Just two years ago, AI was a shiny new object in L&D, with most professionals dabbling in small pilots and content creation experiments. The latest findings reveal an inflection point: the majority of L&D teams are now actively using AI, not merely testing it.This week, on the podcast are Donald H. Taylor and Eglė Vinauskaitė, the minds behind a groundbreaking new report, "AI & Learning 2025: Race for Impact." We're exploring the rapid changes AI is bringing to Learning and Development (L&D), from early experimentation to widespread implementation, and what it means for the future of work.In this conversation, you'll hear about the three distinct futures for L&D departments, how AI is moving beyond simple content creation into qualitative analytics and adaptive learning, and why team culture and leadership are crucial for success. We also dig into some big philosophical questions: How do we keep humans at the center of tech-driven workplaces? And how will AI reshape the very definition of value in L&D?This episode is packed with insights, data, and stories from organizations at the forefront of change. So, get ready to rethink how learning happens and how impactful workplace transformation can be.You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...[00:00] How AI is transforming Learning and Development.[05:40] Transition from experimentation to mainstream implementation of AI in L&D.[13:31] Debunking the maturity model.[16:03] AI integration culture in organizations.[25:07] AI's impact on L&D values.[38:54] Necessity for L&D to demonstrate clear impact and unique value beyond content.[47:36] Leadership Beyond the L&D silo.[52:25] Introduction of the “transformation triangle”: three potential strategic futures.The Rapid Evolution of AI in L&DAI usage still predominantly supports content creation and design, but there's an intriguing rise in more sophisticated applications, especially data analysis, dynamic feedback, and even AI-driven coaching. For L&D leaders, the big question is no longer “should we use AI?” but “how can we use it to unlock deeper value for our organizations?”What Sets Successful L&D Teams Apart?A critical insight from the report is the role of mindset and organizational culture in successful AI adoption. Teams thriving with AI aren't necessarily bigger or better-resourced; they are “open” teams, led by individuals who embrace risk, imperfect information, and proactive change. These leaders are comfortable experimenting without knowing all the answers, an essential trait for the current landscape.True transformation requires more than tech skills; it demands business acumen, a robust understanding of performance, and an ability to integrate learning with business strategy. L&D teams must move from being passive order-takers to strategic partners, actively shaping how people develop and perform.AI: Threat or Opportunity for Traditional L&D Roles?For some, the rise of AI in learning is unnerving. Tasks once considered core, like instructional design or content creation, can increasingly be automated, often cheaper and faster than before. Taylor cautions that unless L&D professionals shift their value proposition from content production to driving true impact, their roles risk being diminished or redefined.But there is an opportunity for L&D to expand its influence. Rather than being relegated to the background, teams can now focus on performance support, skills stewardship, and facilitating human growth, areas where strategic thinking and deep expertise are critical and cannot be automated away.Three Futures for L&D: Skills Authority, Enablement Partner, Adaptation EnginePerhaps the most provocative segment of the episode introduced three possible “futures” for L&D roles in the AI era:Skills Authority: L&D becomes the custodian of skills, owning skill taxonomies, plumbing, and strategic workforce development. This future demands advanced expertise in identifying, building, and tracking capabilities crucial to business success.Enablement Partner: Here, L&D empowers employees across the organization to create their own learning solutions. The team shifts from direct content delivery to building infrastructure, processes, and trust, letting expertise flourish where it's needed most.Adaptation Engine: The most radical scenario, where L&D is absorbed into cross-functional teams focused on rapid business adaptation. Learning professionals blend with design, tech, and operations to solve holistic problems, making learning indistinguishable from broader performance improvement.While AI will eventually become as invisible as electricity, the human element in learning, facilitation, creativity, and stewardship remains paramount. The priority for leaders now is to harness AI thoughtfully, ensuring it serves genuine learning and performance goals rather than just delivering faster horses. Resources & People MentionedAI in L&D: The Race For ImpactAI in L&D (4 Reports) Connect with Donald H. Taylor and Eglė VinauskaitėEgle Vinauskaite on LinkedIn Donald H Taylor on LinkedIn Connect With Red Thread ResearchWebsite: Red Thread ResearchOn LinkedInOn FacebookOn TwitterSubscribe to WORKPLACE STORIES

In this conversation, Laurent Pierre Jr., Senior Vice President of Global Customer Support at Precisely, demonstrates the power of aligning business strategy with people strategy—and how viewing business problems through a human-centric lens transforms not only operations but culture. With a career spanning IBM, Microsoft, and NielsenIQ, Laurent's stories reveal how technology, data, and people come together to drive meaningful, sustainable change. Episode Highlights People, Process, and Technology—Intertwined: Laurent emphasizes that sustainable transformation demands balance and integration across all three, not treating the people side as an afterthought. From Data to Trust: He shares how Precisely ensures data integrity—helping clients build the trust and accuracy essential for AI and automation to work effectively. Bridging Silos: Real business problems, he explains, are rarely just "tech problems." They're solved by breaking down organizational silos and facilitating communication between global teams. Change Readiness and Human Impact: Laurent offers insights on assessing people's readiness for change—recognizing both the skill gaps and the emotional aspects of transformation. Leading Beyond Boundaries: Through examples like team members who transcend their formal roles, he shows how empowering people to solve problems wherever they exist fuels engagement and innovation. Laurent's approach reminds us that technology doesn't drive transformation—people do. Connect with Laurent: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurentpierrejr/ A Leadership Beyond exists to support the alignment between the business strategy and people strategy - to drive results with people not at the expense of people (Talent Optimization). Subscribe to our podcast to join the Leadership Beyond Community of Conversation and hear insights from thought leaders and human development experts leading the way in the field of Talent Optimization. We are grateful to you and always eager to hear from you! To learn more visit https://aleadershipbeyond.com Adrienne & Tom

Are your long-tenured employees blocking performance? Here's how real leaders respond. Every organisation has them…long-standing employees (“lifers”) who have built their personal reputation and perceived value on a deep knowledge of the business.They've also built a power base using this knowledge that they're reluctant to surrender… and they won't do that without a fight.If you're brought into an organisation with a mandate for change, then making that change is exactly what you have to do. Sometimes, though, the lifers aren't really inclined to help.We've produced a number of episodes over the years on change resistance, and it may be worth your while to go back and explore some of them.Just remember: The people who built the house can't renovate it;No Noise = No Change; andYou WILL have to shoot a hostage (metaphorically speaking)You can even explore how to read the play from your boss… When the CEO says he wants culture change, does he really mean it?!In this episode, I address specifically how to handle the lifers, whose driving instinct will be to resist any change, and bring down the leader who's attempting to implement it!————————FREE QUIZ: I've developed a 3-question quiz that'll give you a free personalized podcast playlist tailored to where you are right now in your leadership career!Click here to take the 30-second quiz now to get your on-the-go playlist————————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/————————Our mission here at Your CEO Mentor is to improve the quality of leaders, globally.

What does it really take to lead beyond limits?The wait is over! The first episode of The Olympic Minds: Leadership Beyond Limits—hosted by Sherry Winn, 2x Olympian, championship coach, and executive mentor to top global leaders—is now live.In this powerful opening conversation, Sherry speaks with a Cybersecurity and IT Executive who has transformed Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) from an audit checkbox into a true business advantage.Together, they explore how leaders can:

What if expecting more isn't harsh, but the most caring thing a leader can do? If you want to produce outstanding results, there is no easy path… for you or your people. Are you the type of leader who sets people up to achieve difficult things? Or do they dictate the terms?If you don't set an expectation of excellence, there are devastating implications for both team performance and individual job satisfaction.If you want to go deeper on how to take people where they don't necessarily want to go, have a listen to Ep.245: Drive for Performance? Or Bullying?.————————Get the insider edge with the No Bullsh!t Leadership Hub on Skool - completely FREE!Join like-minded leaders who love the podcast and dive into exclusive resources, real conversations, and weekly challenges designed to sharpen your leadership game.Don't miss out, join now!————————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/————————Our mission here at Your CEO Mentor is to improve the quality of leaders, globally.

If AI can do a $440k job better than Deloitte, what does that mean for consultants?Of all the industries that are on the chalkboard for major disruption by AI, the consulting sector must be high up in the batting order.You'd think that, right now, consulting firms would be keener than ever to demonstrate their value, and extend their longevity: anything to prolong the mystique that surrounds what they do.Interesting, then, to read about the report that Deloitte submitted to an Australian federal government department, which had been largely generated by AI. And they charged the client $440,000 for the privilege!Is this public relations nightmare a distant early warning for the consulting industry? Is it the shape of things to come in an AI-driven world?————————

I've heard leaders at all levels say something like, “Marty, I have a staff member who's a high performer, but their behaviour is just awful!”If you relate to this, then in all likelihood you're not actually dealing with a high performer: what you have, is a talented jerk!If that talented jerk is in a leadership role, you should err on the side of intolerance, rather than allowing their bad attitude to permeate through the team.If you want to go deeper on how to lead these difficult personalities, have a listen to Ep.240: The Talented Jerk.————————FREE QUIZ: I've developed a 3-question quiz that'll give you a free personalised podcast playlist tailored to where you are right now in your leadership career!Click here to take the 30-second quiz now to get your on-the-go playlist————————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/————————Our mission here at Your CEO Mentor is to improve the quality of leaders, globally.

Even the best leaders fail without strong management. Here are 6 lessons for phenomenal results.This episode started with a Simon Sinek post on LinkedIn, and ended up being one of the most practical, implementation-focused episodes I've ever produced.The Sinek article was titled, 5 Things Managers Do That Leaders Never Would. It got me thinking again about the fundamental nature of leadership and management. The very best leaders understand why high order management skills are core to their success.In my early executive roles, I was a much better leader than I was a manager… and that was a problem. On a few occasions, I was blindsided by substandard performance.My path to success wasn't about becoming a better leader. It was about working out how to manage my people more tightly, without becoming a micromanager, or overfunctioning for them. In this episode, I share that journey with you. I revisit the leadership vs. management debate that so many people seem to be fixated on; I offer some insights from my own journey; and I give you six practical tips to help you in your quest to consistently produce phenomenal results. ⭐️ DOWNLOAD THE FREE PDF THAT ACCOMPANIES THIS EPISODE: 6 Strategies for Consistently Producing Phenomenal Results ⭐️————————FREE QUIZ: I've developed a 3-question quiz that'll give you a free personalised podcast playlist tailored to where you are right now in your leadership career!Click here to take the 30-second quiz now to get your on-the-go playlist————————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/————————Our mission here at Your CEO Mentor is to improve the quality of leaders, globally.

Learn why your boss might not be telling you the truth, and how to spot real feedback. Feedback is a gift… but, can you believe what you're told?It's rare to find a leader who gives consistent, high-quality feedback. It's even rarer to find a company where feedback is part and parcel of the culture.This is why it's so important to know how to read the play – the context is all-important. If you want to go deeper on how to interpret any feedback you're given, have a listen to Ep.327: Your Boss Is Probably Lying To You.————————FREE QUIZ: I've developed a 3-question quiz that'll give you a free personalised podcast playlist tailored to where you are right now in your leadership career!Click here to take the 30-second quiz now to get your on-the-go playlist————————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/————————Our mission here at Your CEO Mentor is to improve the quality of leaders, globally.

In this episode of SparX, Mukesh Bansal sits down with Roopa Kudva, former head of CRISIL and Omidyar Network India, to discuss her new book Leadership Beyond the Playbook and her powerful reflections on leadership.Roopa shares why leadership is not about following fixed frameworks but about writing your own playbook, shaped by values, lived experiences, and conscious choices. They explore:The toughest transition from middle to top management and why so few make itHow leaders can build breadth of experience and step out of silosWhy authenticity and developing your unique leadership identity matter more than copying stylesThe barriers that hold women back from leadership roles and what it will take for India to change thatWhy mental health is a critical leadership issue and how leaders can normalize conversations around itThe role of reflection, sponsors, and executive coaches in accelerating leadership growthRoopa also shares stories from her own journey, from pioneering credit ratings in India, to asking for the Chief Ratings Officer role at CRISIL, to driving impact investing at scale, and why she believes leadership is both deeply personal and a national imperative.If you are curious about how leaders are made, the challenges of growing into bigger roles, and what it takes to build an authentic leadership path in today's world, this episode is a must watch.

Talk is cheap. Discover the 3-step process to align leadership values with actions. You can stick your values in a glossy brochure or an annual report…you can talk about them in your town hall meetings…you can make them part of the onboarding process… But your people don't care what you say your values are: they only care what you do when the chips are down.That's when the real test comes…because, make no mistake, your people are watching you. They see the difference between what you say and what you do, and any inconsistencies will reverberate through your culture.Quite often, though, this principle is not as straightforward as we're led to believe.There's a big difference between the values that you hold dear and use to guide your behaviour, and the values that you expect someone else to live by.You need to know that difference, and lead accordingly. ————————FREE QUIZ: I've developed a 3-question quiz that'll give you a free personalised podcast playlist tailored to where you are right now in your leadership career!Click here to take the 30-second quiz now to get your on-the-go playlist————————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/————————Our mission here at Your CEO Mentor is to improve the quality of leaders, globally.

Build resilience by pairing optimism with hard truths. Master the Stockdale Paradox today!The strongest, most resilient leaders are optimistic, by nature. Rather than being blindly optimistic, though, they are incredibly pragmatic.Instead of worrying, retreating, or avoiding, the best leaders step into the problem… they face it, and deal with it head on. If you want to go deeper on how you can remain optimistic, while staying grounded enough to chart a path through the most difficult challenges, have a listen to Ep.107: Resilience, Faith, and Optimism.————————FREE QUIZ: I've developed a 3-question quiz that'll give you a free personalised podcast playlist tailored to where you are right now in your leadership career!Click here to take the 30-second quiz now to get your on-the-go playlist————————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/————————Our mission here at Your CEO Mentor is to improve the quality of leaders, globally.

Win trust fast, prove credibility, and lead with impact in your first 90 days of any new role. If you've just been promoted…or if you anticipate a promotion sometime in the next 12 months…or even if you were promoted some time ago, but don't feel as though you have solidly established your credibility in the new role, you're going to find this episode invaluable.Breaking your first 90 days up into three distinct one-month phases, I outline specifically what you need to do to ensure a smooth and successful transition… whether it's an internal or an external promotion.During that critical first 90 days, your team, your peers, and your boss will be watching you, and trying to answer one very important question: “Was it a good decision to promote you, or was it just another hiring mistake?”PS: You can download our Blindspot Identifier tool - a fantastic free resource to help you work out what things might hold you back at any new level! ————————

Unlock peak performance with the 3 keys every leader must use: Challenge, Coach, Confront.The Challenge, Coach, Confront framework is the foundational toolkit for setting expectations, helping people to meet those expectations, and responding when they don't.Many leaders have the skills to challenge and coach…but the real key to improved performance is what you choose to do when one of your people doesn't perform. Everyone in the team calibrates their own personal standard against the low water mark that you establish when you don't deal with underperformance head on.If you want to go a bit deeper into how you can prevent your team's performance from slipping, have a listen to Ep.57: Challenge, Coach, Confront.————————

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!Leadership Beyond the Checklist: How “Being” Leaders Create Value and Navigate ComplexityWhat does it really mean to become better—not just at what we do, but in who we are?In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Ryan Gottfredson, a best-selling author and leadership professor whose work has transformed the way we think about growth. Ryan explains why most leadership training focuses too much on “doing” and not enough on “being”—and how that shift makes all the difference in navigating complexity, creating value, and leading others in meaningful ways.We talk about the difference between dependent, independent, and interdependent thinking, why constructive criticism is such a powerful test of our growth, and how true leadership is less about checking boxes and more about becoming someone others genuinely want to follow.If you've ever wondered how to elevate your mindset, strengthen your leadership, or simply become a better version of yourself, this conversation is packed with insights you won't want to miss.

Stop flying blind! Here's how leaders uncover the real truth happening below them. Every day CEOs, boards of directors, and even middle managers are blindsided by things that happen below them that they didn't know about, or failed to anticipate.If you're a leader of leaders, you know how difficult it can be to navigate multiple layers in your team's hierarchy. Any information that you try to disseminate is diluted at each layer, as it makes its way down to the front line.But this is even more problematic when information is coming up to you from below. Leaders at every level sanitise the information to put a favourable spin on it, and make the information seem more appealing.Often, by the time you uncover the real story, it's too late - you don't see the inevitable crash until you wake up in the middle of the wreckage!Download the FREE downloadable PDF we've made for this episode 'Your 4-Point Checklist To Uncover What's Happening Below You' by clicking here.————————

One line in Martin Buber's I and Thou stopped Jim Ferrell in his tracks. It made him realize that leadership isn't inside the individual — it lives in the space between us. That insight became his new book, You and We: A Relational Rethinking of Work, Life, and Leadership. In it, Jim argues that progress doesn't come from sameness, but from uniting across difference. In this episode, Jim and Dart discuss the four laws of relation, why relation is not the same as relationships, and how leaders can shift attention from individuals to the “between.”Jim Ferrell is a leadership consultant, founder of Withiii Leadership, and bestselling author of several leadership classics. He has spent nearly 30 years working with leaders and organizations around the world.In this episode, Dart and Jim discuss:- Relation vs. relationships- The four laws of relation- Why progress depends on difference- How individualistic leadership fails- What happens when we ignore the “between”- Levels of relation: division to compounding- Practices that move leaders toward integration- How relation reshapes how we see ourselves and others- And other topics…Jim Ferrell is the founder of Withiii Leadership and author of You and We: A Relational Rethinking of Work, Life, and Leadership. Prior to Withiii, he co-founded and led the Arbinger Institute, where he authored international bestsellers including Leadership and Self-Deception and The Anatomy of Peace. His work on leadership, culture change, and conflict resolution has shaped organizations from Apple, Google, and Nike to the White House and U.S. Treasury. A graduate of Yale Law School, Jim has also served as an adjunct professor on law and leadership at Brigham Young University. He is recognized as one of the most influential voices in relational leadership and organizational change.Resources Mentioned:You and We: A Relational Rethinking of Work, Life, and Leadership, by Jim Ferrell: https://www.amazon.com/You-We-Relational-Rethinking-Leadership/dp/1637747330I and Thou, by Martin Buber: https://www.amazon.com/I-Thou-Martin-Buber/dp/1578989973Withiii Leadership: https://www.withiii.com/Get discounted tickets to the Responsive Conference, featuring past Work for Humans guests Bree Groff and Simone Stolzoff – September 17–18, Oakland, CA. Use code “11fold”: https://www.responsiveconference.com/ticketsRegister to attend the UWEBC Conference, where Dart keynotes the HR track alongside Ethan Mollick and Nancy Giordano – September 30, University of Wisconsin: https://uwebc.wisc.edu/conference/registration/Connect with Jim:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslferrell/Work with Dart:Dart is the CEO and co-founder of the work design firm 11fold. Build work that makes employees feel alive, connected to their work, and focused on what's most important to the business. Book a call at 11fold.com.

In this eye-opening episode of the Paisa Vaisa podcast, host Anupam Gupta sits down with the legendary Roopa Kudva, former MD of Crisil and author of Leadership Beyond the Playbook. Roopa shares her extraordinary journey from growing up in Assam and Meghalaya with almost no exposure to the business world to becoming a veteran business leader and a formidable force in Indian finance. She provides a rare, honest look at what it was like to be a CEO during the 2008 Global Financial Crisis and how she navigated its challenges. This conversation is packed with invaluable insights for everyone, from young professionals considering the "100-hour work week" to seasoned founders seeking to build long-term value. Roopa also discusses her transition into impact investing and reveals the most common blind spots she sees in startups. From a small town to the boardroom: Roopa Kudva's journey to becoming a finance pioneer. The woman who built Crisil: How she led the company to grow its revenue and market cap by multiples. Surviving the GFC: Roopa reveals the crucial lessons she learned about trust and prudence during the 2008 financial crisis. From CEO to startup investor: Why she made the bold leap into tech and impact investing. Startup advice from a veteran: Roopa shares the biggest blind spots founders and investors need to watch for. Work-life integration, not balance: Her powerful take on building a career that gives you meaning. Inside the boardroom: The truth about what makes an effective board and independent director. Her leadership playbook: An introduction to her book and its practical guide to crafting your own career path. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Micromanagement kills performance. Here's how to lead without paralysing your team.You've all probably worked for a micromanager at some point in your career. It's not fun.What makes leaders feel as though they have to micromanage? Is it a fundamental lack of trust? Or an inability to let go of control?Whatever the reason, you need to make sure that you're not that leader.If you want to go a bit deeper into how to stay out of your people's knitting, have a listen to Ep.264: Controlling Without Micromanaging.————————

Learn how to build high-performing teams by setting and enforcing clear standards. The colourful expression "It's Easier To Rein In a Stallion Than To Flog a Donkey" gives you pretty much everything you need to know about talent management and team performance.But it's advice that's rarely heeded by leaders.We spend an inordinate amount of time trying to get people to reach a level of performance that, quite often, they simply have no interest in achieving.It sucks our time, our energy, and our will, and it makes every day feel a lot harder than it should be.In this episode, I make the case for building talent, and creating a team where people are expected to meet the minimum acceptable standard… or find a less demanding job somewhere else.————————

Leadership Lessons from Show Business In this episode, Tom and Adrienne chat with Steven Puri and trace his unexpected path from a “code monkey” in Northern Virginia to an Academy Award–winning visual-effects producer and later a tech entrepreneur. Steven shares how he bridged left-brain engineering and right-brain creativity on films like Independence Day, Braveheart, and several David Fincher projects. He reflects on lessons learned in Hollywood—managing creatives, nurturing “lightbulb” moments, and building culture—that carry over into hybrid and remote leadership. Long before remote work became a buzzword, Steven was orchestrating VFX teams across studios in Los Angeles, London, and Sydney, balancing creative, financial, and logistical mindsets over distance—an early test of distributed leadership that today's managers face. Throughout the conversation, candid anecdotes like the famed “Bart” trailer story illustrate why inviting every voice can spark game-changing ideas. As our work (and often our brains) has scattered in today's culture, Steven is dedicated to bringing us the tools for intentional focus. Here are a few of the gems gleaned from this fun and flowing conversation: Embrace Diverse Talents: Success in both film and tech comes from uniting creatives, technical experts, and business minds around a shared goal, much like assembling a movie crew. Manage Creativity with Intention: Great leaders know how to create the right environment for creativity—sometimes by giving people more than one project, or by encouraging "rubber ducking" (talking through problems out loud). Best Idea Wins Culture: The most effective teams foster a safe space where anyone, regardless of role, can contribute ideas—echoing Steven Spielberg's approach of valuing input from everyone, even the “coffee boy.” Hire for Passion and Culture Fit: Skills can be developed, but passion and alignment with the team's mission are essential. Hiring the right people is more important than micromanaging. Purposeful Markers and Storytelling: Leaders should set clear markers and use storytelling to help teams understand where they are and where they're going, just as a film uses acts and foreshadowing. Active Listening is Key: The best leaders practice active listening, seeking feedback from users, team members, and even critics, and using it to improve. Leadership is a Practice: Leadership isn't just a set of concepts—it's something you do and refine every day, much like honing a craft in show business. Steven is the Founder and CEO of The Sukha Company with the mission to help millions of people find their focus, achieve more and have a healthy work life. Steven's career started as a newscaster/interviewer for the #1 youth news show in the DC/Baltimore market (on WTTG-TV) and then as a junior software engineer & Thomas J. Watson Scholar at IBM.  After attending USC in Los Angeles, he began working in film production and produced computer-generated visual effects for 14 movies including Independence Day which won the Academy Award for Visual Effects.   Steven's first tech company was Centropolis Effects that produced those CGI effects, and he eventually sold it to the German media conglomerate Das Werk when he was 28. Steven then produced some indie films and eventually went studio-side to develop and produce live-action features as a VP of Development & Production at 20th Century Fox (running the Die Hard and Wolverine franchises) and an EVP at DreamWorks Pictures for Kurtzman-Orci Productions where he worked on Star Trek, Transformers and more. After Fox, Steven returned to building tech companies and founded The Sukha Company - ‘sukha' means ‘happiness from self-fulfillment' in Sanskrit.  The Sukha is a focus app that bundles all the tools necessary to have a focused experience and a healthy, productive workday. Steven lives in Austin, TX now. Connect with Steven: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-puri/. The Suhkha Company:  https://www.thesukha.co A Leadership Beyond exists to support the alignment between the business strategy and people strategy - to drive results with people not at the expense of people (Talent Optimization). Subscribe to our podcast to join the Leadership Beyond Community of Conversation and hear insights from thought leaders and human development experts leading the way in the field of Talent Optimization.  We are grateful to you and always eager to hear from you! To learn more visit https://aleadershipbeyond.com Adrienne & Tom

Send us a textThe project management landscape stands at a pivotal moment—not just technologically, but demographically. With approximately 15 million (25 million per a 2021 PMI report) new project management positions emerging globally by 2030 (half from retirements in Western nations), we face a critical knowledge transfer challenge as experienced professionals exit the workforce. This conversation with John Connolly explores how this demographic shift creates a pressing need for mid-career development and leadership cultivation. We dive deep into the fundamental difference between the skills that earn promotion (task execution) versus those needed for leadership success (strategic thinking, stakeholder management, and team development). This transition from "doer" to "leader" represents one of the most challenging career pivots many project managers face. While artificial intelligence dominates headlines as a transformative force in project management, we challenge the notion that AI will compensate for the wisdom and judgment being lost through retirement. AI functions admirably as a tool for efficiency but falters when expected to replace human discernment, critical thinking, and relationship management. As John provocatively states, "The pyramids were built without process groups"—reminding us that the essence of project management has always been the human ability to align diverse stakeholders toward a common goal. We also explore the importance of organizational learning through lessons-learned processes. Despite being relegated to the smallest process group in traditional frameworks, knowledge management represents an underappreciated engine for organizational excellence. The ability to transform documented lessons into applied wisdom separates exceptional organizations from mediocre ones. For project managers plotting their professional growth, the message is clear: invest in developing human-centered capabilities. While technical proficiency matters, the highest return will come from strengthening the skills machines cannot replicate—strategic communication, leadership presence, and the ability to navigate ambiguity. Your future self will thank you for focusing on these timeless fundamentals. Episode Links:Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnconnolly058/Book a call with John: https://tidycal.com/johnpconnolly/30Download the PMI report: Narrowing the Talent GapPM-Mastery Links: For a full podcast episode list, visit here: PM-Mastery Podcast Episodes. For a full list of blog posts, go here: PM-Mastery Blog Posts Become a PURE PM: https://pm-mastery.com/pure Check out Instructing.com for all your PM course needs: https://www.instructing.com/?ref=bd5e5c Get your free PDU Tracker here: https://pm-mastery.com/resource_links/

The #1 performance lever leaders ignore: single-point accountability. I was recently asked a compelling question by one of the leaders in our Leadership Beyond the Theory community: “If accountability is so critical to performance, why haven't I come across it before?”This is a leader who already has an MBA… he's participated in a variety of leadership courses… and he's read all the classic leadership books.The answer stems from the fact that hard things are often avoided in corporate cultures. And, make no mistake, strong accountability can only be found on the road less travelled.In this episode, I go deep on why your team is probably falling short, and how bridging the accountability gap can fix this.I give a run down on why single point accountability is the number one driver of execution excellence; I look at the three reasons why leaders (and organisations) are so reluctant to talk about it; and I give you my 5 practical steps for creating a strong, single-point accountability culture – no blame / no excuses! ————————If you're ready to build the kind of accountability culture I talk about in this episode, you'll love our flagship program Leadership Beyond the Theory. Doors to the next cohort open in just a few weeks! Join the waitlist now to secure priority access and make sure you don't miss your chance to take your leadership to the next level! ————————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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this powerful episode of The Brand Called You, Gautam Mukerjee—author, teacher, and spiritual thinker—explores why 20th-century principles fail today. They uncover how quantum physics, Indic scriptures, and a shift from control to creativity are reshaping leadership, innovation, and purpose in the modern organization.00:41- About Gautam MukerjeeGautam is an author of a book titled The Ananda Crucible, a business compass for the 21st Century.He's an entrepreneur, teacher and writer.His public teachings include the Bhagavad Gita, Modernity, Three Dimensions of the Mahabharat, The Story of Jazz and many more. 

Send us a textWhat does it truly mean to lead with social impact? Dr. Daphne Watkins, researcher, professor, and executive coach, takes us on a profound journey exploring leadership that prioritizes uplifting marginalized voices over personal advancement.Drawing from her remarkable career transition—from two decades researching Black men's health to coaching leaders across racial and cultural differences—Dr. Watkins illuminates how coaching can transform leaders into powerful agents of social change. She defines social impact leadership not as holding power or titles, but as "giving voice to the voiceless" and creating meaningful legacies that extend beyond individual achievement.The conversation tackles head-on the challenges facing diversity and inclusion work today. Rather than abandoning critical progress during DEI backlash, Dr. Watkins describes how leaders are "pivoting"—maintaining their commitment to equity while adapting their approaches. Her practical insights include creating psychological safety in coaching relationships and using identity mapping exercises to help leaders understand how their backgrounds shape their leadership styles.Most compelling is Dr. Watkins' nuanced exploration of privilege—how we all carry it in different contexts, often without recognition. As a self-described "data nerd" measuring coaching effectiveness through "ripple effects," she demonstrates how seemingly individual leadership transformations can cascade through organizations and communities. Her current research with leaders of color heading research institutes further reveals untold pathways to influence and impact.Ready to examine your own leadership through a social impact lens? This conversation offers both the challenge and the roadmap. Connect with Dr. Watkins at daphnewatkins.com and discover how your leadership can create meaningful change in a world desperately needing voices for the voiceless.Watch the full interview by clicking here.Find the full article here.Learn more about Daphne Watkins here. #datanerdGrab your free issue of choice Magazine here - https://choice-online.com/

Unlocking Quantum Awareness: Elevate Leadership Beyond Ego with Daphne Michaels DaphneMichaels.com About the Guest(s): Daphne Michaels is a pioneering force in leadership transformation, renowned for her expertise in the development of quantum awareness and ultra consciousness in leaders and organizations. With over two decades of hands-on experience, Michaels is celebrated as the "CEO Maker" due to her remarkable ability to elevate leaders to new heights of consciousness and achievement. She is a bestselling author, nationally syndicated columnist, and a highly sought-after advisor known for guiding small business owners and CEOs through transformative practices. Her former role as a licensed psychotherapist has enriched her understanding of human potential, and her dedication to helping individuals overcome ego and embrace unity consciousness is central to her work. Episode Summary: In this enlightening episode of The Chris Voss Show, host Chris Voss welcomes visionary leader Daphne Michaels to explore deep insights into quantum awareness, ultra consciousness, and the transformation of leadership paradigms. The conversation pivots around the profound concept of connecting leaders with their higher consciousness to foster exponential growth within organizations. Michaels illuminates listeners on the essence of moving beyond ego, tapping into human potential, and embodying a deeper connection to the universe for enriched personal and professional development. Michaels elaborates on her unique methodologies derived from decades of experience, emphasizing the importance of overcoming ego via ultra consciousness. She introduces the concept of quantum awareness and its relation to the energetic anatomy of individuals, drawing parallels with quantum physics and higher dimensions of reality. Her innovative approaches address both organizational structures and individual human potential, aiming to guide leaders in embodying a more harmonious and visionary role. Chris and Daphne further discuss practical implementations of these theories in business contexts, the indispensability of integrating AI, and the broader implications for societal evolution. Key Takeaways: Quantum Awareness: Understanding life on an energetic level can transform leadership and personal development. Ultra Consciousness: Moving beyond self-awareness to connect with the universe for heightened potential. Ego Transcendence: The importance of freeing oneself from ego-driven limitations to embrace genuine human connectivity. Multi-dimensional Leadership: Explore dimensions beyond traditional thinking to access untapped sources of creativity and flow. Integration of Technology: The critical role of AI in contemporary business practices for sustainable development. Notable Quotes: "Ego, at its seven-year-old level, often drives us unknowingly and limits our capacity for true fulfillment." "Quantum awareness and ultra consciousness connect us to the universe, helping us transcend beyond mundane self-awareness." "Shifting to a higher frequency allows profound personal transformation, enabling leaders to meet their greater potential." "The death of the spirit occurs when the ego consistently drinks its own Kool-Aid, hindering genuine progression." "Today, more than ever, understanding and leveraging AI is imperative for every business looking to innovate its future."

Episode #358 // The biggest cost item on most P&Ls is labour. You'll probably spend more money this year paying people than you will on any other operating expense. But do you know what you're paying for? And do you know how to get the most from this major investment of your company's resources?We've had several questions from the leaders in our current cohort of Leadership Beyond the Theory on the relationship between remuneration, motivation, and performance.That's why, in this episode, I'm going to give you a definitive overview of how remuneration works. It gets pretty complicated in parts, so to make it easier, we've produced a free downloadable PDF (it's 13 pages, we didn't leave anything out), which has the complete remuneration guideLet's face it, you're making decisions that affect people's livelihoods, so it's important you know what you're doing.From base salary, to STI's…from long-term share options to sign-on bonuses…My goal is to completely demystify remuneration for you, so that you can be more judicious about how you apply financial rewards!————————

This episode discusses the benefits of ASHP membership from the perspective of a student, seasoned practitioners, and professors. Speakers hope to inspire others to continue their involvement throughout their pharmacy career as a way to gain skills and further their careers and contribute to the advancement of the profession. The information presented during the podcast reflects solely the opinions of the presenter. The information and materials are not, and are not intended as, a comprehensive source of drug information on this topic. The contents of the podcast have not been reviewed by ASHP, and should neither be interpreted as the official policies of ASHP, nor an endorsement of any product(s), nor should they be considered as a substitute for the professional judgment of the pharmacist or physician.

Episode 353 // Over the last several years, Em has had countless conversations with the leaders in our global community. One of the trends she's recognised lately is the breaking point that many leaders reach as they get promoted to more senior roles.Many natural leaders have the ability to wing it… at least for a while. But eventually, they realise that it takes more than good instincts to lead confidently.In this Q&A episode, we explore some of the most compelling questions from these conversations:What does it take to be successful, as your leadership role becomes broader and more demanding? And what happens when you suddenly find yourself too far removed from the technical work to rely upon your own individual brilliance?————————What's next?If you're reading this and thinking, “I've hit my ceiling” - you haven't. You've just reached the point where instinct and effort aren't enough. That's exactly where structured leadership development pays off.Our June cohort of Leadership Beyond the Theory opens this month. We kick off Module 1 on June 16.Inside the program:You'll get the full No Bullsh!t Leadership frameworkYou'll have direct access to me through weekly Q&A sessionsYou'll build the skills to lead with confidence, credibility, and clarity