Coaching for Leaders

Keith Ferrazzi is the founder and CEO of Ferrazzi Greenlight, a management consulting and team coaching company that works with many of the world’s biggest corporations. A graduate of Harvard Business School, Keith rose to become the youngest CMO of a Fortune 500 company during his career at Deloitte, and later became CMO of Starwood Hotels.

Keith is a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Fortune and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Who’s Got Your Back* and Never Eat Alone*. He’s the author of the new book, Leading Without Authority: How the New Power of Co-Elevation Can Break Down Silos, Transform Teams, and Reinvent Collaboration*.

In this conversation, Keith and I discuss the importance of co-elevation in leadership. We also explore the six deadly sins that leaders should avoid — and discuss why it’s all on you, especially at the start.

Six deadly excuses leaders should avoid:

1. Ignorance: there’s no excuse to sit back and do nothing.
2. Laziness: do not abdicate your responsibility to lead.
3. Deference: beware hiding the truth just to defer to the organizational chart.
4. Playing the victim: avoid running away or resigning to self-pity.
5. Cowardice: if someone scares you, it’s probably an opportunity to grow.
6. Indulgence: stop indulging resentments as they often hold back your career and limit personal and professional success.

Resentment leaves us blind and powerless; it’s been compared to drinking poison and hoping the other person will die.

Download my highlights from Leading Without Authority in PDF format (free membership required).

• The Choice for Compassion, with Edith Eger (episode 336)
• How to Motivate Leaders, with John Maxwell (episode 452)
• How to Create Great Relationships, with Colleen Bordeaux (episode 455)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Elizabeth is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the United Nations Foundation, leading the Foundation’s next generation of work to support the United Nations. She is a diplomat and thought leader who has worked on the frontlines of peace processes, played an influential role in UN policy innovations from peacebuilding to the Sustainable Development Goals, and helped build public-private partnerships to solve global challenges at scale.

Before joining the Foundation, Elizabeth served for several years at the U.S. Mission to the UN in New York. She was Principal Policy Advisor and Counselor to the Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations and later served as the U.S. Ambassador to the UN Economic and Social Council and Alternate Representative to the UN General Assembly.

In this conversation, Elizabeth and I discuss the short and long term goals of the UN Foundation. In addition, we explore how Elizabeth’s team raised $200 million in the face of COVID-19, how she works with impatient optimists, and the importance of leading with kindness.

• The COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund has raised over $200 million for relief efforts.
• Leaders should work to lead with kindness in every sector.
• Many high-performing leaders are natural impatient optimists, always pushing for change.
• COVID-19 is front of mind for most of us, but we cannot let it override our organization’s strategic goals.

• COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO
• Elizabeth Cousens Has Raised Over $200 Million for the World Health Organization (Mostly) in Her Pajamas

• Leadership in the Midst of Chaos, with Jim Mattis (episode 440)
• How to be Diplomatic, with Susan Rice (episode 456)
• How Great Teams Find Purpose, with David Burkus (episode 481)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

David Hutchens help leaders find and tell their stories. Stephen M.R. Covey says, “David has the ability to convey key messages in a way that is both simple and profound.”

He has taught the Storytelling Leader program all over the world at some of the most influential organizations — and he’s written many books, including most recently the Circle of the 9 Muses* and The Leadership Story Deck*. He is the co-creator with Susan Gerke of the GO Team program.

In this conversation, David and I explore the importance of storytelling, especially during uncertain times. David teaches us the framework of the kinds of stories leaders can tell for continuity, novelty, and transition. Leaders can use one of all of these frameworks to help connect and inspire during difficult times.

The continuity story highlights identity, values, and founding principles — things that will never change.

Example:

• What’s a time we held our values, even though it came with a cost?

The novelty story shows what is new and focuses attention on innovation and possibility.

Example:

• What’s a time you saw something valuable that we don’t have here? But imagine if we did.

The transition story dives in on change and learning — and illuminates a journey of shared progress.

Examples:

• What’s a time you saw someone make a personally courageous decision to change?
• We tried something, it didn’t work, and we learned something valuable.
• Here’s a time we solved a tough problem.

• GO Team program
• Leadership Story Deck* by David Hutchens
• Circle of the 9 Muses: A Storytelling Field Guide for Innovators and Meaning Makers* by David Hutchens
• David’s email: David@DavidHutchens.com

• How Storytelling Helps You Lead, with Sandie Morgan (episode 51)
• The Four Critical Stories Leaders Need For Influence, with David Hutchens (episode 148)
• Practical Storytelling That Isn’t Awkward, with David Hutchens (episode 228)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Michael is an attorney and partner at Silverman Shin & Byrne in New York, one of the largest minority owned law firms in the State of New York. Michael’s primary areas of focus include tort and commercial litigation defense. He serves clients in a broad range of matters, including attorney malpractice, personal injury torts, insurance, business formation, securities and cyber liability claims.

He is a member of the New York State Bar Association and of several committees. Michael is also a member of the Puerto Rican Bar Association and the Defense Research Institute. He provides legal advice to various civic associations and youth ice hockey organizations in Long Island. He’s also a member of the Coaching for Leaders Academy.

• Trying to do everything yourself in leadership is like mowing a lawn with a pair of scissors.
• A critical shift for leaders to make is “time of possession” in the conversation. Work to have the other party speaking more.
• The answers people give to my questions are the answers to their own questions.
• Delegating well means that more time emerges to support others with skill development.
• Making time to be present for people also allows you more time for deep work.

• Michael Byrne on LinkedIn
• Silverman Shin & Byrne

• These Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237)
• Effective Delegation of Authority, with Hassan Osman (episode 413)
• How to Ask Better Questions, with David Marquet (episode 454)

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Robbie helps companies leverage subscription pricing, digital community and freemium to build deeper relationships with customers. She has been quoted on business issues in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Consumer Reports, and many others. She has created and starred in eight video courses in collaboration with LinkedIn Learning on business topics ranging from innovation to customer success and membership.

She is the author of The Membership Economy*, a book that has been named a top 10 marketing book of all time by BookAuthority. She recently released her new book, The Forever Transaction: How to Build a Subscription Model So Compelling, Your Customers Will Never Want to Leave*.

In this conversation, Robbie and I discuss the shift to subscriptions and memberships in many industries in recent years. We address implications for leaders who are considering strategy on making changes to how they do business — as well as some of the tactical steps. Finally, Robbie highlights some of the myths and best practices when beginning with subscriptions.

• There’s been a significant shift to memberships and subscriptions in recents years in many industries.
• It’s critical for organizations considering a move in this direction to create and articulate a forever promise.
• Be cautious about simply building existing products and services under a membership banner.
• It’s critical to speak to your best customer.
• Beware of treating members worse than strangers or taking advantage of your most loyal customers.

• Free downloads of Robbie’s keynote presentation slides, membership manifesto, and book chapter.

Download my highlights from The Forever Transaction in PDF format (free membership required).

• How to Start Seeing Around Corners, with Rita McGrath (episode 430)
• How to Build an Invincible Company, with Alex Osterwalder (episode 470)
• How to Pivot Quickly, with Steve Blank (episode 476)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide*.

• Kierstin asked for suggestions (books, individuals) for starting her leadership journey — and also how to navigate leading people who are older than her.
• Bridgette wondered if we had suggestions on funding priorities, vision, and bringing others into leadership roles.
• Michael asked our advice on handling confrontations between departments.

• The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations* by James Kouzes and Barry Posner
• How to Win Friends and Influence People* by Dale Carnegie
• The Empowered Manager: Positive Political Skills at Work* by Peter Block
• Personal History* by Katharine Graham
• The Post

• What Search Dogs Teach About Engagement, with Jan Frazee (episode 25)
• Seven Principles for Leading People Older Than You, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 59)
• Your Permission to Screw Up, with Kristen Hadeed (episode 338)
• How to Deal with Opponents and Adversaries, with Peter Block (episode 328)
• How to Create Meaningful Gatherings, with Priya Parker (episode 395)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Michael is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Michael Hyatt & Company. He has scaled multiple companies over the years, including a $250M publishing company with 700+ employees and his own leadership development company that has grown over 60% year over year for the past 4 years. Under his leadership, Michael Hyatt & Company has been featured in the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies in America for three years in a row.

He is also the author of several New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling books, including Platform*, Living Forward*, Your Best Year Ever*, and Free to Focus*. He enjoys The Double Win with his wife of 40+ years, five daughters, and nine grandchildren. He recently released his newest book: The Vision-Driven Leader: 10 Questions to Focus Your Efforts, Energize Your Team, and Scale Your Business*.

In this conversation, Michael and I discuss where to start once you’ve created an initial vision. Michael invites us to engage those that don’t like change and take the time to listen. In addition, getting buy-in from your boss is essential — your vision should align with their goals and those of the organization.

• Start with your direct reports who don’t like change. Be quick to listen, slow to speak.
• Make the distinction between risky vs. stupid.
• Bosses don’t like surprises. You have to commit first.

When I had a boss, I had a basic rule: Don’t take a swing unless I’m confident I’ll hit the ball. -Michael Hyatt

• Know your customer. Make sure the vision is helping your boss — and the organization — achieve their goals.

Before you schedule a time to pitch your proposal, answer the question: how is my Vision Script going to help my boss achieve their goals? If you can’t answer that question, you’re not ready to make the pitch. -Michael Hyatt

• Anticipate the objections you’re likely to receive and be ready for them.
• Once you’ve got buy-in on a vision, stop. Don’t oversell it.
• When you’re starting to get tired of hearing yourself talk about the vision, that’s an indicator that you’re on the right track.

• Vision Driven Leader bonus resources

Download my highlights from The Vision-Driven Leader in PDF format (free membership required).

• How to Get Noticed in a Noisy World, with Michael Hyatt (episode 40)
• How to Create a Vivid Vision, with Cameron Herold (episode 345)
• Embrace a Just Cause, with Simon Sinek (episode 473)
• How to Create Your Personal Vision (free membership required)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

David’s work is changing how companies approach innovation, collaboration, and leadership. He is the award-winning author of four books and offers a fresh perspective on how to improve our organizations and build better teams by blending the most current research in psychology, sociology, economics, and network science.

His books have been translated in more than a dozen languages and his work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, USAToday, Fast Company, and more. He has consistently been named one of the world’s top business thought leaders by Thinkers50 and his TED Talk has been viewed over 2 million times. He is the author of the audiobook, Pick a Fight: How Great Teams Find a Purpose Worth Rallying Around*.

In this conversation, David and I discuss why picking a fight is a powerful motivation, but important to do with wisdom. Most organizations won’t benefit from starting fights with rivals. Instead, discover one of three fights that will support a cause worth fighting for.

• Avoid fights with rivals.

Picking a fight is a powerful motivator; but leaders need to pick their fight wisely. Instead of someone to fight, they need to find a cause worth fighting for.

Three kinds of fights that are useful for leaders to engage in:

• The Revolutionary Fight
• The Underdog Fight
• The Ally Fight

• 3 Days To A More Motivated And Aligned Team

Download my highlights from Pick a Fight in PDF format (free membership required).

• The Power of Weak Connections, with David Burkus (episode 347)
• How to Clarify What’s Important, with Ron Williams (episode 410)
• Embrace a Just Cause, with Simon Sinek (episode 473)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Laura Huang is an associate professor at the Harvard Business School. Her research examines interpersonal relationships and implicit bias in entrepreneurship and in the workplace. She is the creator of #FindYourEdge, an initiative dedicated to addressing inequality and disadvantage through personal empowerment.

Her award-winning research has been featured in the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Forbes — and she was named one of the 40 Best Business School Professors Under the Age of 40 by Poets & Quants. She’s the author of the book Edge: Turning Adversity into Advantage*.

In this conversation, Laura and I discuss the value of constraints, why hard work isn’t enough, and the reason you’re not selling out when reclaiming an awareness of yourself. We also explore why it’s essential for you to be able to tell your story.

• “Be yourself” is sometimes bad advice.
• You’re not selling out when you reclaim an awareness of yourself.
• Bring value — and also be sure that people KNOW you bring value.
• Self awareness can sometimes encumber our ability to guide.
• Don’t passively let others write your narrative — write your own narrative and guide other’s view of you. Let your past make you better, not bitter.

• Edge: Turning Adversity into Advantage* by Laura Huang

Download my highlights from Edge in PDF format (free membership required).

• Leverage Your Defining Moments, with Lynne Whiteford (episode 372)
• The Value of Being Uncomfortable, with Neil Pasricha (episode 448)
• The Way to Influence Executives, with Nancy Duarte (episode 450)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Emily is an executive coach and software engineering manager. She has led teams and advised other managers for years. She’s seen the difference a truly passionate leader and manager can make for their team and the world around them.

Like a lot of managers and coaches, she’s had a front row seat to the patterns that cause a lot of leaders to overwork and over stress. She is the author of the guide The 7 Leadership Lies and she’s the host of the Emotional Leadership podcast. She’s also a member of the Coaching for Leaders Academy.

In this conversation, we discuss some of the common lies that leaders tend to tell themselves that lead to frustration and impostor syndrome. Then, we explore better ways to frame these beliefs, to lead with more confidence and effectiveness.

Lie #1: I’m supposed to do everything I, my manager, or my team can think of.

Truth: A leader’s job is about prioritization – and that means prioritizing how we spend our own time as well.

Lie #2: There’s a timeline.

Truth: There is no rush. Work gets much easier when we turn off the unneeded sense of emergency. Prioritization is the aim.

Lie #3: Emotions don’t belong at work.

Truth: Every action we take is driven by an emotion. You are going to experience emotions at work – that or you’ll be staring at a wall all day without a single thought in your mind. Turning them off isn’t an option. Learning to allow your emotions and use them to your advantage is critical for your success as a leader.

Lie #4: I’m supposed to have an answer for any problem or question a team member asks.

Truth: A manager’s role is to help your team solve problems, not to solve problems for your team.

• The 7 Leadership Lies
• Anger + Allowing Strong Emotions with Vivien Yang (Emotional Leadership podcast)

• How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)
• What to Do With Your Feelings, with Lori Gottlieb (episode 438)
• The Way to Be More Coach-Like, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 458)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide*.

• Joseph asked our opinion about this HBR IdeaCast on StrengthsFinder: Stop Focusing on Your Strengths
• Matt asked about using personality assessments when coaching an athletic team.
• Mike wondered the best way to approach conducting internal podcast interviews of employees.

• Brené Brown: The Call to Courage (Netflix special)
• StrengthsFinder training for individuals and teams* (use code CFL10 for a 10% tuition discount)
• Blubrry podcast hosting*

• How to Know What to Ask, with Andrew Warner (episode 198)
• How Teams Use StrengthsFinder Results, with Lisa Cummings (episode 293)
• How to Talk to People Who Have Power, with Jordan Harbinger (episode 343)
• Journey Towards Diversity and Inclusion, with Willie Jackson (episode 441)
• Changed My Mind (Dave’s Journal)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Pat Flynn is a father, husband, and entrepreneur who lives and works in San Diego, California. He owns several successful online businesses and is a professional blogger, keynote speaker, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. He’s the host of the Smart Passive Income and AskPat podcasts, which have earned a combined total of over 60 million downloads, multiple awards, and features in publications such as The New York Times and Forbes.

Pat is the author of the book Let Go: How to Transform Moments of Panic into a Life of Profits and Purpose. You can find him at Smart Passive Income.

In this conversation, Pat and I discuss the events leading up to his layoff in 2008, how he processed the change at the time, and what he did to respond purposely. Plus, he has reminders for leaders considering layoffs and many resources for those who’ve gone through it themselves.

• Plans are good and necessary to have, but they shouldn’t be written in stone.
• When the unexpected happens, keep moving.
• If you find yourself leading an organization and the future is uncertain, don’t say or pretend otherwise.
• A core value of Pat’s organization: embrace the process.

• Online Business Toolkit: Free resources from Pat Flynn’s team during COVID-19
• The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles* by Steven Pressfield

Download my highlights from Let Go in PDF format (free membership required).

• Ten Ways to Pick Yourself Up When You’re Beaten Down (episode 85)
• How to Tame Your Inner Critic, with Tara Mohr (episode 232)
• Your Attitude Defines Your Altitude, with Howard “H” White (episode 384)
• Keep Going (Dave’s Journal)
• If You Can, Move Your Feet (Dave’s Journal)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Steve Blank is a Silicon Valley serial-entrepreneur and academician. He is recognized for developing the Customer Development methodology, which launched the Lean Startup movement. Steve is also the co-founder of E.piphany.

His Google Tech talk, The Secret History of Silicon Valley, offers a widely regarded insider’s perspective on the emerging Silicon Valley’s start-up innovation. He’s also published three books: The Four Steps to the Epiphany*, Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost, and The Startup Owner’s Manual*.

In this conversation, Steve and I discuss the steps that leaders should take when making pivots. We explored the importance of creating a Minimal Viable Product or Minimum Viable Service, followed quickly with customer discovery, rapid testing, and refinement.

What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger. -Friedrich Nietzsche

To pivot quickly:

• Create a MVP (Minimal Viable Product) or MVS (Minimum Viable Service).
• Conduct customer discovery: validate your idea by speaking with existing/potential customers about the new product/service.
• Do rapid testing: get your work into the hands of existing/potential customers quickly. Don’t try to get it perfect right out of the gate.
• Refine your offering: use fast feedback to make the product/service better.

• Seven Steps to Small Business Recovery
• The Virus Survival Strategy For Your Startup
• How To Keep Your Company Alive – Observe, Orient, Decide and Act
• Customer Discovery In the Time Of the Covid-19 Virus

• Ideas Worth Stealing From Top Entrepreneurs, with Dorie Clark (episode 318)
• Serve Others Through Marketing, with Seth Godin (episode 381)
• How to Build an Invincible Company, with Alex Osterwalder (episode 470)
• If You Build It, They Will Come (Dave’s Journal)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Stacey Barr is a specialist in strategic performance measurement and evidence-based leadership. She is the creator of PuMP®, a performance measurement methodology that routinely transforms measurement cynics into its greatest advocates.

Stacey is also the author of two books, Practical Performance Measurement: Using the PuMP® Blueprint for Fast, Easy, and Engaging KPIs, and Prove It!: How to Create a High Performance Culture and Measurable Success.

In the conversation, Stacey and I explore the struggles of holding people accountable for quantitative results, including behaviors that often lead to unintended consequences. Instead, she invites leaders to hold people accountable for monitoring, interpretation, and action.

Holding people accountable for quantitative results tends to lead employees to:

• Choosing measures of what they are already good at
• Choosing easy targets
• Manipulating the numbers to make the measures look good
• Having lots of excuses for why targets are missed

Our typical definition of accountability drives the wrong behavior.

Instead, hold people accountable for:

1. Monitoring the important results: when someone is responsible for a specific business result, like problem resolution or accuracy of advice or eliminating rework, they can be accountable for routinely monitoring that result with a performance measure.
2. Interpreting their measures: when someone is responsible for monitoring a performance measure, they can be accountable for interpreting what that measure is telling them about the business result it measures.
3. Initiating action when action is required: when someone is responsible for interpreting a performance measure, they can be accountable for deciding what kind of action is needed, if at all.

• Download a free copy of Stacey’s book, Practical Performance Measurement
• What is a KPI Owner Accountable For? by Stacey Barr
• Measure For Collaboration, Not Competition by Stacey Barr
• Case Study: Reducing Administrative Waste With a Single Powerful Performance Measure by Stacey Barr
• Reach out to Stacey with questions at info@staceybarr.com

Download my highlights from Practical Performance Measurement in PDF format (free membership required).

• Effective Delegation of Authority, with Hassan Osman (episode 413)
• Performance Measurement That Gets Results, with Stacey Barr (episode 419)
• How to Balance Care and Accountability When Leading Virtually, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 464)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Elena Kornoff is a founder partner of Surf City Still Works, an independent craft distillery dedicated to supporting talented artists and sharing the spirit of California. She’s been a listener of the show the past few years and now a member of the Coaching for Leaders Academy.

In this conversation, Elena and I discuss the massive disruption that COVID-19 made to their business and how her team responded with flexibility in a time of change. We also explore how to be a leader and still be yourself, despite our common perception of leadership. Plus, the invitation from Elena to ask for help when you need it.

• Surf City Still Works is an independent craft distillery founded in 2017 to support talented artists and share the spirit of California.
• Past failures are an important teacher in how to pivot quickly.
• Successful leaders may show up as inspiring and charismatic — and they also are supportive and quiet. Research shows that both styles can lead well.
• When you need help, ask for it. There are people in your network you are able and willing, but they need to know.

• Surf City Still Works
• For sales outside the State of California, email Elena and her team at tastingroom@surfcitystillworks.com
• Coaching for Leaders Academy

• The Value of Pivoting for Growth, with Beth Garrison (episode 351)
• Permission to Be Yourself, with Bar Schwartz (episode 414)
• Leadership Through Massive Change, with Elizabeth Lilla (episode 463)
• Embrace a Just Cause, with Simon Sinek (episode 473)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Simon Sinek is an unshakable optimist. He is best known for popularizing the concept of WHY, which he described in his first TED Talk in 2009. That talk went on to become the second most watched TED Talk of all time, today surpassing 50 million views.

His interview on millennials in the workplace propelled his name to be the fifth most searched term on YouTube in 2017. Simon is the author of five bestselling books, including Start With Why*, Leaders Eat Last*, and his newest book, The Infinite Game*.

In this conversation, Simon and I discuss why he doesn’t believe these are unprecedented times, the difference between a finite and infinite game, and the distinction between a why and a just cause. We also detail how to uncover a just cause and five standards that an effective just cause must meet.

Our products and services are some of the things we use to advance our cause. They are not themselves the cause. -Simon Sinek

A just cause embraces five standards:

• For something: affirmative and optimistic.
• Inclusive: open to all those who would like to contribute
• Service-oriented: for the primary benefit of others
• Resilient: able to endure political, technological and cultural change
• Idealistic: big, bold and ultimately unachievable

In the infinite game, the only real competitor is yourself. -Simon Sinek

• The Infinite Game* by Simon Sinek
• Live Online Classes by Simon Sinek

Download my highlights from The Infinite Game in PDF format (free membership required).

• Start With Why, with Simon Sinek (episode 223)
• How to Create a Vivid Vision, with Cameron Herold (episode 345)
• Tie Leadership Development to Business Results, with Mark Allen (episode 435)
• Leadership Through Massive Change, with Elizabeth Lilla (episode 463)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide*.

• Be apparent about the purpose of your meeting: connect, align, decide, ideate/brainstorm, plan, or produce. Discover more from Mamie Kanfer Stewart.
• You need to be more apparent and intentional about timing, transitions, and facilitation in an online meeting than with an in-person one.
• Use a service like BombBomb* for video messages that don’t require live interaction.
• Unless background noise or size of the meeting prevents it, invite people to “unmute” so you can have richer dialogue without interruption.
• Alert people if they have audio issues. Get headsets for your team, if possible. We use and recommend the Jabra Evolve line* of USB headsets.
• Number one rule for lighting: position light in front of you and not behind you. If the front light can be natural (i.e. facing a window) even better.

• BombBomb* (free 14-day trial)
• How to Combat Zoom Fatigue by Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy
• COVID-19 and Videoclassism by Taharee Jackson

• How to Lead Meetings That Get Results, with Mamie Kanfer Stewart (episode 358)
• Seven Tools to Create Margin and a New Podcast (episode 411)
• The Power of Why Over How, with Gina Bianchini (episode 460)
• Connecting Over Video (The Look & Sound of Leadership)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Lois Frankel is the President of Corporate Coaching International, and is a bestselling author, executive coach, and an internationally-recognized expert in the field of leadership development for women. She has appeared on Larry King Live, The Tavis Smiley Show, The Today Show, and many other places to discuss her New York Times bestselling books, Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office*, Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich*, and Nice Girls Just Don’t Get It*.

She has served diverse clients such as The Walt Disney Company, Amgen, The World Bank, McKinsey & Company, Inc., Northrop Grumman, and many others. Her newest audiobook just released is titled Nice Girls Don’t Speak Up or Stand Out: How to Make Your Voice Heard, Your Point Known, and Your Presence Felt*.

In this conversation, Lois and I discuss why saying no is so important, key tactics in doing it with professionalism and grace, and some useful language we can leverage. We also explore why we end up saying yes to work that others don’t really care that much about and how we can be our own worst enemy on saying yes.

In response to an invitation:

As much as I would love to attend, my calendar is already over-scheduled for that week.

In response to a statement that may have some truth to it but that won’t change your position:

Be that as it may, it doesn’t change the fact that I’m not able to provide you with a loan at this time.

In response to someone asking you to do something that actually benefits them more than you:

Thank you for thinking of me. Unfortunately, I am not able to take advantage of your kind offer.

In response to someone you care about and to whom who you genuinely wish you could say yes:

If I could I would. I really value our relationships and wish the situation was different.

In response to someone asking for yet another favor:

Although I’ve been able to help you out in the past, this time I just don’t have the bandwidth.

In response to a somewhat unreasonable request:

I’m sure you understand that I receive many similar requests and that I’m just not able to be of help at this time.

In response to someone who uses flattery to get you to accept their request:

I’m flattered and at the same time I’m not able to accept your gracious offer.

When you are genuinely sorry that you must decline:

I’m so sorry that this isn’t going to work out. I hope it might in the future.

• Nice Girls Don’t Speak Up or Stand Out: How to Make Your Voice Heard, Your Point Known, and Your Presence Felt* by Lois Frankel

• Unconscious Mistakes Women Make, with Lois Frankel (episode 386)
• Why Men Are Heard and Women Are Liked, with Lois Frankel and Tom Henschel (episode 392)
• How to Negotiate When Others Have Power, with Kwame Christian (episode 416)

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Alex is obsessed with making strategy, innovation, and entrepreneurship simple, practical, and applicable. He invented the Business Model Canvas, co-founded Strategyzer.com, and lead authored Business Model Generation which sold a million copies in 30 languages. He’s one of the top-ranked management thinkers in the world by Thinkers50.

He is the author of the book, The Invincible Company: How to Constantly Reinvent Your Organization with Inspiration From the World’s Best Business Models*.

In this conversation, Alex and I explore the distinction between exploration and exploitation that invincible organizations must hold in tandem. Alex teaches us the five most common myths of the innovation journey and what leaders can do to compete and stay relevant in a changing world.

Myths of the innovation journey:

• Myth 1: The most important part of the innovation and entrepreneurship journey is to find and execute the perfect idea.
• Myth 2: The evidence will show you a clear path forward why you systematically test ideas. The solution will magically emerge if you just test and adapt your idea often enough.
• Myth 3: A small number of big bets will lead to a large return.
• Myth 4: The skills required to explore a new business and to manage an existing one are pretty similar. Business is business.
• Myth 5: Innovation teams are renegades or pirates that are out to disrupt the old business. They need to operate in stealth mode to survive inside a company.

Invincible Companies constantly reinvent who they are and where and how they compete in order to stay relevant and ahead.

• The Invincible Company: How to Constantly Reinvent Your Organization with Inspiration From the World’s Best Business Models* by Alex Osterwalder
• Innovation Project Scorecard: Evidence Trumps Opinion

• How to Transform Your Limitations Into Advantages, with Mark Barden (episode 207)
• The Way to Nurture New Ideas, with Safi Bahcall (episode 418)
• How to Start Seeing Around Corners, with Rita McGrath (episode 430)

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Greg McKeown is the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less*. His book is frequently listed as #1 Time Management book on Amazon and challenges the core assumptions about achievement to get to the essence of what really drives success.

His writing has appeared in or been covered by The New York Times, Fast Company, Fortune, HuffPost, and many others. He is among the most popular bloggers for the Harvard Business Review and LinkedIn’s Influencers group: averaging a million views a month.

In this conversation, Greg and I discuss why success can be such a poor teacher and how to avoid what Jim Collins calls, “The undisciplined pursuit of more.” We explore how the principles of journalism can help us arrive at what’s essential and why journaling may be the place to start.

Being a journalist of your own life will force you to stop hyper-focusing on all the minor details and see the bigger picture.

• Success is a poor teacher and may lead to the undisciplined pursuit of more.
• Essentialists listen for what is not being explicitly stated. They read between the lines.
• Nonessentialists hear what is loud. Essentialists listen for the signal in the noise.
• Journaling is a useful practice to begin reviewing what is coming up in your life and discovering the leads you may be missing.
• Make time every 90 days to review and determine what’s next.

• Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less* by Greg McKeown
• Essentialism podcast
• Simple Productivity: How to Accomplish More With Less with Greg McKeown

Download my highlights from Essentialism in PDF format (free membership required).

• Getting Things Done, with David Allen (episode 184)
• How to Make Deep Work Happen, with Cal Newport (episode 233)
• Six Tactics for Extraordinary Performance, with Morten Hansen (episode 337)
• Finding Joy Through Intentional Choices, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 417)

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Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide.

• Matt wondered when it’s appropriate to show emotion during a difficult time.
• Selah asked our advice about communication strategies through COVID-19.
• Amber wanted to know what she could do to support a manager who is causing stress for others during the pandemic.

• Netflix Special: The Call to Courage with Brené Brown
• Hope for the Flowers* by Trina Paulus

• Start With Why, with Simon Sinek (episode 223)
• What to Do With Your Feelings, with Lori Gottlieb (episode 438)
• How to Balance Care and Accountability When Leading Virtually, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 464)
• How to Lead a Virtual Team, with Susan Gerke (episode 465)

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Andrew is a CPA and consultant at CFOAndrew who advises leaders and businesses on financial questions and change. He supports organizations in navigating taxes, investments, insurance, business strategy, operations, mergers and acquisitions, and accounting.

• Know the difference between deferred demand and lost demand and consider that in your strategy going forward.
• Leverage is meant to protect a business, not save it.
• Hedging is the most important thing you can do with your money.
• Business owners and leaders should consider unemployment programs and, in The United States, Emergency Sick Pay, Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance, and the Paycheck Protection Program.

Use the formula P=40 to 70, in which P stands for the probability of success and the numbers indicate the percentage of information acquired. Once the information is in the 40 to 70 range, go with your gut. -Colin Powell

• CFOAndrew

• Improve Your Financial Intelligence, with Joe Knight (episode 244)
• How to Approach Corporate Budgeting, with Jody Wodrich (episode 355)
• Four Rules to Get Control of Your Money, with Jesse Mecham (episode 356)
• Dumb Things Smart People Do With Money, with Jill Schlesinger (episode 396)

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Scott Anthony Barlow is the founder of Happen to Your Career. He’s been featured on CNBC, Yahoo, CareerBuilder, Fast Company, and Huffington Post and various colleges and universities as a top expert on career happiness. He’s held executive roles in human resources, business development, and career coaching.

Scott is the host of the Happen to Your Career podcast, featuring the career stories of many successful professionals. He and his team have worked with over 25,000 people to help them stop settling, find their signature strengths, and start doing meaningful work they are enamored with.

High performers leave organizations because:

• Work is no longer meaningful. They’ve accomplished their goals and now they’re looking for much more meaningful work, projects and challenges.
• Flexibility and autonomy are missing. The “when” and “how” people work is becoming incredibly important.
• They have outgrown the role. They perceive that just because they’ve outgrown the role that there is no where else to go in the organization.

What leaders can do:

• Help candidates find what’s meaningful for them.
• Create opportunities to work when and how they want.
• Help people create their own role.

• Finding the Career That Fits You (Scott’s FREE 8-Day Video Course)
• The Ultimate Guide to Using Your Strengths to Get Hired

• How to Figure Out Your Career, with Scott Anthony Barlow (episode 259)
• Three Steps to Great Career Conversations, with Russ Laraway (episode 370)
• Effective Delegation of Authority, with Hassan Osman (episode 413)

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Susan Gerke has been the president of Gerke Consulting & Development. She has worked with global teams and has certified facilitators around the world to deliver management, leadership, and team offerings. Susan is co-creator of GO Team, a training suite for organizations to power team performance.

• Out of sight sometimes means out of mind. Perception of communication will be less than you think.
• Interactions over the phone/video feel more formal than they do in person, at least at the start.
• You don’t find out about things virtually as quickly as you do face to face.
• Figure out how to make space for different kinds of styles and personalities. A virtual environment tends to amplify these differences.
• Remember to have expectation setting conversations with family members.
• Some people will call you every day and some people won’t ever reach out proactively. That’s normal — find a pattern that works for each relationship.

• GO Team
• Survey results: community input on leading/working virtually

• The Four Unique Types of Teams, with Susan Gerke (episode 138)
• How to Create Team Guidelines, with Susan Gerke (episode 192)
• How to Balance Care and Accountability When Leading Virtually, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 464)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Jonathan Raymond is the founder of Refound, where he and his team work with organizations to create a company culture based in personal growth. He’s the author of the book Good Authority: How to Become the Leader Your Team Is Waiting For*.

Jonathan’s team recently released The Good Accountability course* to help leaders have great feedback conversations with their teams. If you are working to get better at accountability, it’s the most useful framework I know of to balance care for people and accountability for results.

In this conversation, Jonathan and I discuss the Accountability Dial, how it’s most useful when leading virtually, and the importance of taking the first step.

You don’t get to look good and grow at the same time.

• Assume positive intent, regardless of where you are on the accountability dial.

The Accountability Dial:

• The Mention: In real-time (if possible), pull them aside to offer an observation about an undesired behavior.
• The Invitation: Provide 2-3 examples of how that behavior is a pattern or theme they can work on.
• The Conversation: Use your weekly one-on-ones to dive into how the pattern is holding them back.
• The Boundary: Collaborate together to decide next steps and set a timeline for making a change.
• The Limit: Before giving up, have one more heart-to-heart to give them a final chance for meaningful change.

• The Good Accountability course*
• Good Authority: How to Become the Leader Your Team Is Waiting For* by Jonathan Raymond
• Refound (Jonathan’s firm)

Download my highlights from Good Authority in PDF format (free membership required).

• Five Steps to Hold People Accountable, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 306)
• Effective Delegation of Authority, with Hassan Osman (episode 413)
• How to Start Managing Up, with Tom Henschel (episode 433)
• The Way to Be More Self-Aware, with Tasha Eurich (episode 442)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Elizabeth Lilla is the owner of Metro Stars Gymnastics. With her husband Erik, she has owned and operated gymnastics facilities for 13 years. She was named the Nebraska Occupational Therapy Association’s Practitioner of the Year for developing the Special Stars Program at her facilities.

Liz has previously served as the USA Gymnastics Nebraska State Chair, and loves sharing the sport of gymnastics with boys and girls of all ages. She is also a member of the Coaching for Leaders Academy.

In this conversation, Liz shares the struggle of owning a small business that had to close its physical doors due to COVID-19. She tells the story of her business, the struggle in leading change in recent weeks, and their early success in pivoting to Metro Stars Online.

• Metro Stars Gymnastics has a long success story of serving kids and families for 13 years, until COVID-19 shut their doors.
• Liz and Erik made the difficult decision to retain their full-time staff and pay salaries, despite having almost no revenue incoming.
• Working to innovate quickly, Liz and their leadership team tested a new, online instruction format to help kids and families stay engaged during this difficult time.
• Metro Stars Online has already connected with hundreds of customers and, more importantly, allowed kids to stay connected to the important work of physical, emotional, and mental well-being.

• Metro Stars Online

• How to Be a Non-Conformist, with Adam Grant (episode 238)
• How to Start Seeing Around Corners, with Rita McGrath (episode 430)
• How to be Diplomatic, with Susan Rice (episode 456)
• The Power of Why Over How, with Gina Bianchini (episode 460)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide*.

• Toni asked about the best way to deal with people who don’t want to grow.
• Russ wanted our opinion on the best way to interview potential new hires.
• Sami wondering about the best way to utilize personality assessments.
• Laura asked our opinion on taking a step back in compensation for a job position she really wants.

• StrengthsFinder training for individuals and teams* (use code CFL10 for a 10% tuition discount)
• How the Best Bosses Interrupt Bias on Their Teams by Joan Williams and Sky Mihaylo

• How to Get the Ideal Team Player, with Patrick Lencioni (episode 301)
• How to Challenge Directly and Care Personally, with Kim Scott (episode 302)
• Get Smart About Assessments, with Ken Nowack (episode 371)
• How to Motivate Leaders, with John Maxwell (episode 452)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Tina Payne Bryson is a psychotherapist and the Founder/Executive Director of The Center for Connection, a multidisciplinary clinical practice, and of The Play Strong Institute, a center devoted to the study, research, and practice of play therapy through a neurodevelopment lens.

Tina is the author with Dan Siegel of two New York Times bestsellers, The Whole-Brain Child* and No Drama Discipline*, each of which has been translated into over forty languages. She’s recently released with Dan their newest book, The Power of Showing Up: How Parental Presence Shapes Who Our Kids Become and How Their Brains Get Wired*.

In this conversation, Tina and I explore what it means to show up for kids and why it’s more than just being physically present. We discuss the distinction between being seen vs. being shamed. Plus, practical actions that parents, family members, and other caregivers can take to empower children.

Our research and experience suggest that raising happy, healthy, flourishing kids requires parents to do just one key thing. It’s not about reading all the parenting best sellers or signing your kids up for all the right activities. You don’t even have to know exactly what you’re doing. Just show up.

• Intensive parenting is problematic not only because of the pressure it puts on parents, but because some research suggests that all this exhausting parental striving may not be the best way to raise children.
• Showing up is more than just being physically present.
• Many people don’t have the advantage of relationships. They grew up in families where almost all of the attention was focused on external and surface-level experiences.
• Let your curiosity lead you to take a deeper dive and make space and time to look and learn.
• A child’s brain is changing and changeable.

• The Power of Showing Up: How Parental Presence Shapes Who Our Kids Become and How Their Brains Get Wired* by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
• Tina Payne Bryson
• The New Adolescence: Raising Happy and Successful Teens in an Age of Anxiety and Distraction* by Christine Carter
• Wildhood: The Astounding Connections between Human and Animal Adolescents* by Barbara Natterson-Horowitz and Kathryn Bowers

• How to Reduce Drama With Kids, with Tina Payne Bryson (episode 310)
• Align Your Calendar to What Matters, with Nir Eyal (episode 431)
• Family Productivity, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 453)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Gina Bianchini is the Founder & CEO of Mighty Networks*. She is an expert on network effects. Mighty Networks is a pivot from the enterprise-only platform Mightybell, which powered communities for Intuit, American Express, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Mighty Networks has unlocked the opportunity to elevate the rapidly growing world of creators with a purpose. Gina and Mighty Networks have been featured in Fast Company, Wired, Vanity Fair, Bloomberg, and The New York Times.

In this conversation, Gina and I discussed the importance of a big, specific mission for an organization. In addition, the necessity to stay dedicated to that mission, especially during difficult times. Plus, she remindes us of the value in bringing all stakeholders along with that mission.

We are a master class in having a mission and deciding it is important no matter what is happening elsewhere.

Mission and Purpose

• Mission and purpose need to be big — and be specific.
• Make a clear distinction between “why” and “how.”
• Engage all stakeholders with the mission, including customers, contractors, and vendors.

• Mighty Networks*

• Start With Why, with Simon Sinek (episode 223)
• How to Create a Vivid Vision, with Cameron Herold (episode 345)
• How to Clarify What’s Important, with Ron Williams (episode 410)
• Seven Tools to Create Margin and a New Podcast (episode 411)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Hortense is an Executive Leadership Coach and the President and Founder of JAY Consulting. She works with C-suite executives from Fortune 500 companies, supporting them in their development and leadership by working with them on the alignment between their personal values and their professional activities.

Hortense is part of the Marshall Goldsmith’s prestigious 100 Coaches Project. She has been selected to receive a Thinkers 50 coaching award for excellence in her field. She is the author of several articles about leadership and coaching in such publications as Leader to Leader.

She is the author of the book Aligned: Connecting Your True Self with the Leader You’re Meant to Be*.

We are often blind to these invisible lines running throughout our lives.

• Reflecting on the role models others have admired in their lives can provide insight on what they value.
• Fictional characters, colors, animals, tress, and even countries can also provide insight into values.
• Wisdom from Peter Drucker: “Tell me what you value, and I might believe you. But show me the twists and turns of your life and I’ll show you what you really value.”

• Aligned: Connecting Your True Self with the Leader You’re Meant to Be* by Hortense le Gentil

Download my highlights from Aligned in PDF format (free membership required).

• Enhance Your Self-Awareness, with Daniel Goleman (episode 353)
• Three Steps to Great Career Conversations, with Russ Laraway (episode 370)
• What to Do With Your Feelings, with Lori Gottlieb (episode 438)
• The Way to Be More Self-Aware, with Tasha Eurich (episode 442)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Michael Bungay Stanier is at the forefront of shaping how organizations around the world make being coach-like an essential leadership competency. His book The Coaching Habit* is the best-selling coaching book of this century, with over 700,000 copies sold and 1,000+ five-star reviews on Amazon.

He’s the author of the new book The Advice Trap: Be Humble, Stay Curious, and Change the Way You Lead Forever*.

In this conversation, Michael and I discuss why advice is overrated and often displays poor leadership. Michael shows us how to avoid coaching ghosts and dealing with people who can’t stop talking. Plus, we explore how to keep people engaged in the conversation, become more coach-like, and qualify advice when the time is right to give it.

Advice is overrated. Not advice itself. There’s a time and a place for good advice. The problem is the default habit of giving advice. -Michael Bungay Stanier

The Advice Trap: The more I give them advice, the more they want my advice.

Three reasons your advice doesn’t get results:

1. You’re solving the wrong challenge.
2. You’re proposing a mediocre solution.
3. You’re displaying poor leadership.

Avoid coaching the ghost (the person note present) and yarning (excessive conversation that isn’t leading anywhere productive).

To keep people engaged in the conversation, use the TERA principles:

• Tribe: Be on their side.
• Expectation: Show them the future.
• Rank: Raise them up.
• Autonomy: Give them the choice.

When you do give advice, consider diminishing it with:

• “Here’s my best guess…”
• “I may be wrong…”
• “This is just one idea/option/thought…”

• The Advice Trap: Be Humble, Stay Curious, and Change the Way You Lead Forever* by Michael Bungay Stanier
• The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever* by Michael Bungay Stanier
• MBS.works

Download my highlights from The Advice Trap in PDF format (free membership required).

• The Way to Stop Rescuing People From Their Problems, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 284)
• How to Stop Having the Same Problems, with Corrinne Armour (episode 387)
• Leadership in the Midst of Chaos, with Jim Mattis (episode 440)
• How to Ask Better Questions, with David Marquet (episode 454)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide*.

• Chris asked for ideas on changing behavior after hearing that his questions/challenges were being perceived as aggressive.
• Steve wanted to know if there are times when you shouldn’t lead.
• Colin asked for advice on supporting a colleague who is looking into leadership certificate programs.
• Jill wondered how I select guests for the show.

• How to Get Way Better at Accepting Feedback, with Sheila Heen (episode 143)
• How to Succeed with Leadership and Management, with John Kotter (episode 249)
• The Choice for Compassion, with Edith Eger (episode 336)
• Leadership vs. Management (The Look & Sound of Leadership)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Susan Rice served as the United States ambassador to the United Nations during President Barack Obama’s first term in office. She was later appointed by President Obama as National Security Advisor, a position she held until the end of his presidency.

Today she is the Distinguished Visiting Research Fellow at the School of International Service at American University, a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times.

She is the author the New York Times bestseller Tough Love: My Story of Things Worth Fighting For*. In this conversation, Susan and I discuss how her upbringing shaped her skills at mediation, the course corrections she navigated in her career to get better, and how she ensured all perspectives were heard inside President Obama’s National Security Council meetings.

• Susan’s early experience mediating the arguments between her parents helped her develop resilience that would be useful later.
• It’s helpful to separate the behavior from the person. Address inappropriate behavior, and keep it in context with the larger relationship.
• “You can get a long way leading a team, even if many members of the team don’t actually agree with the direction you’re steering towards, if they feel that their advice, perspective, recommendations have truly been heard and appreciated.”
• When facilitating a critical meeting, ensure the principal attendees receive reading points and preparation well in advance.
• Humor, an iron fist, or a velvet glove are all useful tools at the right times. Experience helps you determine what’s best in the moment.
• Wisdom from Susan’s dad: “You can’t let other people define you, for you.”

• Tough Love: My Story of Things Worth Fighting For* by Susan Rice

Download my highlights from Tough Love in PDF format (free membership required).

• How to Manage Abrasive Leaders, with Sharone Bar-David (episode 290)
• The Way to Have Conversations That Matter, with Celeste Headlee (episode 344)
• How to Negotiate When Others Have Power, with Kwame Christian (episode 416)
• Leadership in the Midst of Chaos, with Jim Mattis (episode 440)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Colleen Bordeaux is a best-selling author, speaker and human capital consultant based in Chicago. She has been published everywhere from the Chicago Sun Times to the Huffington Post and has been endorsed by New York Times columnist and past guest Barry Schwartz and Sunday Times bestselling author Louise Parker.

Her popular blog has reached more than 200,000 readers and she leads a women’s mastermind group in Chicago. She is the author of the new book: Am I Doing This Right?: A Philosophical Guide to Life in the Age of Overwhelm*.

In this conversation, Colleen and I discuss the power of relationships — and some of the key principles for cultivating the very best relationships to support you, both professionally and personally.

You are the same today that you are going to be in five years except for two things: the people with whom you associate, and the books you read. -Charles Jones

To be nobody but yourself in a world which does its best, day and night, to make you everyone else, is to fight the hardest battle any human being can fight and never stop fighting. -e.e. cummings

Six steps to improving the relationships you cultivate:

1. Assess your own crab-status.
2. Take stock of who you’re spending time with.
3. Consider who you’re not spending time with, but want to be spending time with.
4. Evaluate these relationships based on what you need in your life.
5. Eliminate or manage the relationships that aren’t working to create more space for the ones you need.
6. Create a relationship mantra (Colleen’s is below):

My relationships are the best gift I’ve been given, and they are my biggest responsibility. The primary purpose of each of my relationships is to help each other become better versions of ourselves by sharing our authentic experiences, perspectives, and gifts. I will be open to new connections, because that is a source of growth in life—and I will seek and cultivate friendships that bring me to life, and distance myself from relationships that drain me and influence me to betray my values. I aspire to have the kind of quality relationships that inspire others in how they approach developing, growing, and cultivating this important area of their lives. -Colleen Bordeaux

• Am I Doing This Right?: A Philosophical Guide to Life in the Age of Overwhelm* by Colleen Bordeaux

Download my highlights from Am I Doing This Right? in PDF format (free membership required).

• How to Grow Your Professional Network, with Tom Henschel (episode 279)
• The Way to Build Relationships at Conferences, with Robbie Samuels (episode 346)
• Grow Beyond What is Safe, with John Corcoran (episode 362)
• How to Create Meaningful Gatherings, with Priya Parker (episode 395)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

David Marquet is the former commander of the U.S.S. Santa Fe, a nuclear-powered attack submarine. Under David’s command, the ship had an impressive turnaround, achieving the highest retention and operational standings in the Navy.

David is the author of the bestseller Turn the Ship Around: A True Story of Turning Followers Into Leaders* and has just released his new book, Leadership is Language: The Hidden Power of What You Say and What You Don’t*.

In this conversation, David and I explore the seven sins of questioning. David shares the story of the ill-fated El Faro and how we can discover better information in leadership by making the shift from self-affirming to self-educating.

A leading question comes from a place of thinking the person is wrong, or that you have the answer. I hear this a lot from people who think they have the right answer but don’t want to use say so, so they use the Socratic method as a “teaching moment.” It’s annoying and arrogant.

Self-affirming questions are often binary questions with a special motivation: to coerce agreement and make us feel good about the decision we have already made.

Seven Ways to Ask Better Questions:

1. Instead of question stacking, try one and done.
2. Instead of a teaching moment, try a learning moment.
3. Instead of a dirty question, try a clear question.
4. Instead of a binary question, start the question with “what” or “how.”
5. Instead of a “why” question, try “tell me more.”
6. Instead of a self-affirming question, try self-educating questions.
7. Instead of jumping to the future, start with the present, past, then future.

• Leadership is Language: The Hidden Power of What You Say and What You Don’t* by David Marquet
• Turn the Ship Around: A True Story of Turning Followers Into Leaders* by David Marquet
• David Marquet’s website

• Find Courage to Speak When It Matters Most, with Allan McDonald (episode 229)
• These Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237)
• The Path of Humble Leadership, with Edgar Schein and Peter Schein (episode 363)
• How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide*.

• Create margin by under-scheduling family and kid commitments. Our default setting is to have a limited about scheduled on weekends.
• We collaborate on schedules by using shared iCloud calendars as a family. Acuity Scheduling* supports both of us professionally in automating scheduling to ensure conflicts are rare.
• We both use systems to capture ideas and activities before we decide to move on them. The Drafts app helps both of us do this quickly. Bonni keeps a “someday/maybe” list and Dave keeps an “incubation” list.
• We get the kids involved with household responsibilities, so everybody learns to contribute and share daily work.
• Take time to put on your leadership hat to make decisions about what’s important. Then, you can manage from there.

• The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide* by Bonni Stachowiak
• Full Focus Planner* from Michael Hyatt
• Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World* by David Epstein
• Who Killed the Weekend? by Katrina Onstad
• Kourosh Dini: Mind, Music, & Productivity
• Streaks app

• Getting Things Done, with David Allen (episode 184)
• How to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear (episode 376)
• Finding Joy Through Intentional Choices, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 417)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

John Maxwell is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, coach, and speaker who has sold more than thirty-one million books in fifty languages. He has been identified as the #1 leader in business by the American Management Association and the most influential leadership expert in the world by Business Insider and Inc. magazine.

He is the founder of The John Maxwell Company, The John Maxwell Team, EQUIP, and the John Maxwell Leadership Foundation, organizations that have trained millions of leaders from every country of the world. He is the author of the new book The Leader’s Greatest Return: Attracting, Developing, and Multiplying Leaders*.

In this conversation, John and I discuss his work to develop leaders and the distinctions between motivating followers and motivating leaders. We also explore the seven key motivations of leaders that John has uncovered.

• Successful people have discovered what they are good at. Successful leaders discover what other people are good at.
• “I didn’t have any sudden big hits early in my career. I wasn’t a home run hitter. My secret was to get up to bat every day and just try to get on base consistently.” -John Maxwell
• “You can have everything in life you want if you’ll just help enough other people get what they want.” -Zig Ziglar

The Seven Motivations of Leaders:

1. Purpose: leaders want to do what they were created to do.
2. Autonomy: leaders want the freedom to control their lives.
3. Relationships: leaders want to do things with others.
4. Progress: leaders want to experience personal and professional growth.
5. Mastery: leaders want to excel at their work.
6. Recognition: leaders want others to appreciate their accomplishments.
7. Money: leaders want to be financially secure.

• The Leader’s Greatest Return: Attracting, Developing, and Multiplying Leaders* by John Maxwell

Download my highlights from The Leader’s Greatest Return in PDF format (free membership required).

• Ten Steps to Create a Recognition Program, with Michelle Smith (episode 80)
• Start With Why, with Simon Sinek (episode 223)
• The Scientific Secrets of Daily Scheduling, with Daniel Pink (episode 332)

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Scott’s work is intended to consistently answer this question: what’s the best way to learn? This has led him to take on two year-long experiments in learning: The MIT Challenge, where he attempted to learn MIT’s 4-year computer science curriculum without taking classes, and The Year Without English, where he worked with a friend to learn four languages in one year.

Scott is the author of the new book, Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career*. In this conversation, Scott and I discuss what ultralearners do differently, the importance of transfer in learning, and four key tactics to enhance directness.

• Transfer is critical for learning, but most formal education programs don’t address it.
• “Many ultralearners who have specialized in a smaller subset of fields are masters at transfer; no doubt this is largely due to their depth of knowledge, which makes transfer easier to accomplish.”
• The key to ultra learning is to enhance directness.

Four tactics for enhancing directness:

1. Project-based learning (producing something)
2. Immersive learning (such as language immersion)
3. Flight simulator method (like how pilots learn to fly)
4. Overkill approach (intentional making it harder than a real use scenario)

Download my highlights from Ultralearning in PDF format (free membership required).

• Six Tactics for Extraordinary Performance, with Morten Hansen (episode 337)
• How to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear (episode 376)
• Permission to Be Yourself, with Bar Schwartz (episode 414)
• How to Know What You Don’t Know, with Art Markman (episode 437)

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Nancy Duarte is a communication expert who has been featured in Fortune, Time Magazine, Forbes, Fast Company, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and many others. Her firm, Duarte, Inc., is the global leader behind some of the most influential visual messages in business and culture.

Nancy has written many best-selling books, including Slide:ology*, Resonate*, and Illuminate*. She is the author of the new book DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story*.

In this conversation, Nancy and I discuss the realities of executive life, how executives are measured, and why you should expect to be grilled when briefing them. With intentional preparation, you’ll be prepared to more successfully influence executives both inside the organization — and with your customers.

• “The higher their level of authority, the more structured and brief your approach should be.” -Nancy Duarte
• Time is an essential asset for executives. Appreciating how much they work to maximize efficiency can help you align better with their world.
• Craft a recommendation that’s brief and easily skimmable. Leave time for questions and expect to be grilled.
• Executives are measured on money (revenue/profit and costs), market (market share and time to market), and exposure (retention and risk).
• Know how executives plan to consume information. Tailor your message and medium to align with these preferences.

• DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story* by Nancy Duarte
• Duarte DataStory

Download my highlights from DataStory in PDF format (free membership required).

• Success on Presentation Day, with David Sparks (episode 159)
• Ignite Change Through Storytelling, with Nancy Duarte and Patti Sanchez (episode 268)
• Executive Presence with Your Elevator Speech, with Tom Henschel (episode 316)
• Get Your Emails Read (Dave’s Journal)

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Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She joins me monthly to respond to listener questions.

• Susan asked for advice on some of the challenges she is facing with an aging workforce.
• Nellie wondered if she should report a difficult situation before she moves onto another opportunity.
• Thiaga asked how Dave manages to read lot of books and how he remembers the key message from these books.
• Robert asked about the best way to position his experience as a faculty member when applying for a role as an administrator.

• Digital Reading by Bonni Stachowiak
• The First 90 Days* by Michael Watkins
• Big Rocks by Steven Covey

• How To Create A Personal Knowledge Management System, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 129)
• How to Lead a 100-Year Life, with Lynda Gratton (episode 266)
• Five Steps to Hold People Accountable, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 306)
• How to Make Your Work More Visible, with John Stepper (episode 397)
• Help People Learn Through Powerful Teaching, with Pooja Agarwal (episode 421)

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Neil Pasricha helps people live happy lives. He is the New York Times-bestselling author of The Happiness Equation and The Book of Awesome series, which has been published in ten countries, spent over five years on bestseller lists, and sold over a million copies.

He’s a Harvard MBA, one of the most popular TED speakers of all time, and after ten years heading Leadership Development at Walmart he now serves as Director of The Institute for Global Happiness. He is the author of the new book, You Are Awesome: How to Navigate Change, Wrestle with Failure, and Live an Intentional Life.

In this conversation, Neil and I explore the importance of being uncomfortable to drive professional development. We discuss both of our journeys through mediocrity and how those times helped us to serve many more people today.

• “I know see that my anger stemmed from my deep disappointment in myself.”
• “I didn’t see it then and I wouldn’t see it for at least ten years that the P&G failure helped me to get more comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
• “What we often think of evolution as ‘destroying and replacing’ the past is actually transcending and including.”

• You Are Awesome: How to Navigate Change, Wrestle with Failure, and Live an Intentional Life* by Neil Pasricha
• Neil’s blog

Download my highlights from You Are Awesome in PDF format (free membership required).

• Essentials of Adult Development, with Mindy Danna (episode 273)
• How to Be a Happier Person, with Neil Pasricha (episode 334)
• Six Tactics for Extraordinary Performance, with Morten Hansen (episode 337)
• Neil Armstrong’s Other Landings (Dave’s Journal)

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Shelley Winner is a Restorative Justice Activist whose goal is to change the world, reduce crime, and advocate for justice involved people all while helping companies improve productivity and revenues.

She is also a technology specialist, is very active in the restorative justice movement in San Francisco and wants to educate the public about the benefits of hiring the formerly incarcerated. Through her work with Winner’s Circle, she is closing the gap between soon to be released inmates and technology companies by developing and delivering training to inmates and helping technology companies create internships for justice involved individuals.

In this conversation, Shelley shares her story of moving from incarceration to successful employment in the technology industry. We highlight how some organizations are leading in this work and what the research shows about companies that are helping to unlock the formerly incarcerated workforce.

• “There isn’t anyone you couldn’t learn to love once you’ve heard their story.” -Fred Rogers
• 95% of people incarcerated will be released back to communities. The formerly incarcerated are five times more likely to be unemployed than the general population.
• “Within organizations that have hired those with a criminal record, 82% of managers rate the value workers with a criminal record bring to the organization as similar to or greater than that of those without a record.” -Society for Human Resource Management
• Be an advocate. Research what other organizations are doing on this. Begin by reading the SHRM report.

• Hiring the Formerly Incarcerated is Best for Your Team (Shelley’s TED talk)
• Winner’s Circle (Shelley’s organization)
• Getting Talent Back to Work by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
• Out of Prison & Out of Work: Unemployment Among Formerly Incarcerated People by Prison Policy Initiative
• Embracing Formerly Incarcerated Workers: Things HR Should Consider by CareerMinds
• Facts & Trends by The National Reentry Resource Center
• Big Tech’s Newest Experiment in Criminal-Justice Reform in The Atlantic
• The Last Mile
• JPMorgan Chase Joins Second Chance Efforts to Reduce Obstacles to Employment

• Sin by Silence, with Olivia Klaus (episode 103)
• Find Courage to Speak When It Matters Most, with Allan McDonald (episode 229)
• The Choice for Compassion, with Edith Eger (episode 336)
• How to Get Moving, with Scott Harrison (episode 374)

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Jim Kirkpatrick is co-owner of Kirkpatrick Partners. He is an expert in training evaluation and the creator of the New World Kirkpatrick Model. He trains and consults for corporate, government, military, and humanitarian organizations around the world.

Jim co-authored three books with his late father, Don Kirkpatrick, who is credited with creating the Kirkpatrick Model. He also has written four books with Wendy Kirkpatrick, including Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Training Evaluation*.

In this conversation, Jim and I explore the details of the New World Kirkpatrick Model. Many leaders miss the critical nature of focus on level 4 (results) and level 3 (behavior). We examine these two levels in detail and show leaders how they can take practical steps to link training with results.

• Ask yourself this when considering results: “Is this what the organization exists to do, deliver, or contribute to its customers or society, at a high level?”
• Level 4 (Results): The degree to which targeted outcomes occur as a result of the training and the support and accountability package.
• Level 3 (Behavior): The degree to which participants apply what they learned during training when they are back on the job.
• Level 2 (Learning): The degree to which participants acquire the intended knowledge, skills, attitude, confidence and commitment based on their participation in the training.
• Level 1 (Reaction): The degree to which participants find the training favorable, engaging and relevant to their jobs.

• Kirkpatrick Community: Free Resources
• Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Training Evaluation* by Jim and Wendy Kirkpatrick

• Aligning Training with Business Objectives

• Effective Delegation of Authority, with Hassan Osman (episode 413)
• Help People Learn Through Powerful Teaching, with Pooja Agarwal (episode 421)
• Tie Leadership Development to Business Results, with Mark Allen (episode 435)

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On this SaturdayCast, longtime listeners Mindy, Jeff, and Andrew join Dave to discuss how they’ve worked together to support each other in their leadership development. They share the importance of setting expectations in advance, getting external perspective, and celebrating key milestones.

• Getting people together outside of the organization/industry is helpful for objective perspective.
• “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” -Jim Rohn
• There’s the temptation to think, “What could I possibly offer?” Almost always, each person is able to offer a lot more than they expected.
• Say “thank you” when someone offers something, even if you’re not sure it’s useful.
• It is important to celebrate significant milestones.

• The Coaching Habit* by Michael Bungay Stanier

• These Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237)
• How to Create Meaningful Gatherings, with Priya Parker (episode 395)
• How to Make Your Work More Visible, with John Stepper (episode 397)

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Lisa Cummings is the founder and CEO of Lead Through Strengths, a firm that exists to help people find and use their strengths at work. Lisa and her team serve large teams and organizations to help them leverage the results of the CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) assessment. She is also the host of the popular Lead Through Strengths podcast.

In this conversation, Lisa and I discuss the value of bringing continual learning into existing team meetings.

• Consistency of team learning over time, each if for only a few minutes in each interaction, can make substantial progress.
• If possible, begin a meeting with a learning component.
• Help connect the dots for people between their natural talents and the work in front of them in the organization.
• When you ask people to think of others who they admire, be specific.

• CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) assessment
• Activity: What Do You Want to Be Remembered For? in PDF format (free membership required).
• The Ultimate Guide to Using Your Strengths to Get Hired

• Five Effective Ways to Train the People You Lead (episode 31)
• How Teams Use StrengthsFinder Results, with Lisa Cummings (episode 293)
• How to Lead Meetings That Get Results, with Mamie Kanfer Stewart (episode 358)
• One Alternative to Standing Meetings

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Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She joins me monthly to respond to listener questions.

• Robert asked how he could support other leaders in his organization to do better, while also supporting his own career.
• Harrison was wondering how he could handle a situation with a difficult client.
• Gregory wanted to know how to support team members when they are on-site with a customer and not available to connect.
• Chris asked what he could do to get more feedback on what should happen with training and development activities.

• How to Stop Worry and Start Living* by Dale Carnegie
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People* by Stephen Covey

• How to Listen When Someone Is Venting, with Mark Goulston (episode 91)
• Performance Measurement That Gets Results, with Stacey Barr (episode 419)
• Tie Leadership Development to Business Results, with Mark Allen (episode 435)
• Keep Your Ideas From Being Stolen (Dave’s Journal)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Tasha Eurich is an organizational psychologist, researcher, and New York Times best-selling author. Thinkers50 has named her one of the top 30 emerging management thinkers in the world and a top 50 world leader in coaching. She was selected by Marshall Goldsmith for his exclusive “100 Coaches” project to advance the practice of leadership.

Tasha’s TEDx talks have been viewed more than three million times. She is the author of the book Insight: The Surprising Truth About How Others See Us, How We See Ourselves, and Why the Answers Matter More Than We Think.

In this conversation, Tasha and I discuss the critical nature of self-awareness and the tendency most people have to stay mum about the truth. She shows us how to discover loving critics who will help you get better — and what you can do and say to support useful feedback coming your way.

• Internal and external self-awareness are both critical — and different. Improving both is important for most leaders.
• “Research shows that people are perfectly willing to tell white lies when they’re easier than the cold, hard truth.”
• Loving critics are people who have mutual trust with you, have sufficient exposure to the behavior you want feedback on and a clear picture of what success looks like, and are willing and able to be brutally honest with you.
• It’s critical to be specific in the questions you ask, seeking feedback. Prime the pump by zeroing in on only one or two areas at a time.

• What Others See

• 5-minute Insight Quiz
• Insight: The Surprising Truth About How Others See Us, How We See Ourselves, and Why the Answers Matter More Than We Think* by Tasha Eurich

Download my highlights from Insight in PDF format (free membership required).

• How to Get Way Better at Accepting Feedback, with Sheila Heen (episode 143)
• Five Steps to Hold People Accountable, with Jonathan Raymond(episode 306)
• How to Process Your 360 Degree Feedback, with Tom Henschel (episode 341)
• What to Do With Your Feelings, with Lori Gottlieb (episode 438)

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Willie Jackson is a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant and facilitator with ReadySet, a boutique consulting firm based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is a frequent writer and speaker on the topics of workplace equity, global diversity, and inclusive leadership.

Willie founded an online magazine for black men called Abernathy in 2015, growing the publication from initial concept to over 400 articles and thousands of subscribers. He also served as Technical Lead of Seth Godin’s altMBA program.

In this conversation, Willie and I discuss getting started on the journey with diversity and inclusion, what leaders can do to be more mindful, and some of the missteps that I’ve made along the way.

• Most of us have good intentions — and intentions alone do not ensure we make the impact we want.
• We don’t rise to the level of our ambition. We sink to the level of our training.
• You will make mistakes, regardless of how mindful and intentional you are.

• The Language of Inclusivity

• Scene on Radio podcast
• White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism* by Robin DiAngelo
• Fatal Invention: How Science, Politics, and Big Business Re-create Race in the Twenty-first Century* by Dorothy Roberts
• The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration* by Isabel Wilkersons
• Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America* by Ibram Kendi
• How to Be an Antiracist* by Ibram Kendi

• How to Handle Workplace Bullying, with Jill Morgenthaler (episode 172)
• How to Tame Workplace Incivility, with Sharone Bar-David (episode 210)
• How to Make Inclusion Happen, with Deepa Purushothaman (episode 307)

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Jim Mattis served more than four decades as an infantry officer in the United States Marines, rising to the rank of 4-star general. In 2017, he was nearly unanimously confirmed as the 26th Secretary of Defense of the United States, a position he held for almost two years.

Today, he is a distinguished fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and the author of the new book with Bing West: Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead*.

In this conversation, Jim and I discuss his career in the Marines and the leadership lessons that emerged during combat. Jim shares the mistake he made in soliciting support for his plan to capture Osama Bin Laden in Tora Bora and discusses how he handled disagreements on strategy in Fallujah. Finally, Jim recommends three books and reflects on the greatest threat to America today.

• Creating “focused telescopes” outside the normal chain of command were useful in discovering concerns that might not otherwise have become known.
• Keep key stakeholders in the loop with these three questions: What do I know? Who needs to know? Have I told them?
• “You cannot order someone to abandon a spiritual burden they’ve been wrestling with.”
• Even in a war zone, command was only a small portion of the daily tasks. Most of the time was spent coaching.
• “History teaches that we face nothing new under the sun.” Books will help you take advantage of the accumulated experiences of leaders who came before you.

• Meditations* by Marcus Aurelius
• Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant* by Ulysses S. Grant and Mark Twain
• Long Walk to Freedom* by Nelson Mandela

Download my highlights from Call Sign Chaos in PDF format (free membership required).

• The Way to Stop Rescuing People From Their Problems, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 284)
• Develop Leaders Before You Leave, with David Marquet (episode 405)
• Influence Through Overlapping Networks, with Sandie Morgan (episode 422)
• How to Start Seeing Around Corners, with Rita McGrath (episode 430)

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Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She joins me monthly to respond to listener questions.

• David asked about how to replace his manager who’s had 20 years of experience.
• Said wondered what he should do to overcome the fear of leading someone smarter than him.
• James asked about the best ways to prepare how more opportunities to influence others.

• Leaders Need “User Manuals” – and What I Learned By Writing Mine
• What If You Had to Write a “User Manual” About Your Leadership Style?
• Business Model Generation* by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur

• Seven Principles for Leading People Older Than You, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 59)
• An Astronaut’s Guide To Life On Earth, with Chris Hadfield (episode 149)
• Do This for a Productive Week (episode 180)
• How to Create Team Guidelines, with Susan Gerke (episode 192)
• How to Actually Move Numbers, with Chris McChesney (episode 294)
• The Path to Start Leading Your Team, with John Piñeiro (episode 349)
• Develop Leaders Before You Leave, with David Marquet (episode 405)

Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.