Coaching for Leaders

Lori Gottlieb is a psychotherapist and New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone*. In addition to her clinical practice, she writes The Atlantic’s weekly Dear Therapist advice column and contributes regularly to The New York Times and many other publications.

Lori has written hundreds of articles related to psychology and culture, many of which have become viral sensations. She is a sought-after expert in media appearing on The Today Show, Good Morning America, and NPR’s “Fresh Air.”

In this conversation, Lori and I explore what to do with our feelings, how make the transition from idiot compassion towards wise compassion, and where a therapist can help. When a therapist is the right resource, Lori teaches us how to gain the most from therapy by stepping into both vulnerability and accountability.

• It’s important to make the transition from “idiot compassion” to wise compassion — and to find others who can do that for us.
• Sometimes people say they want to stop the difficult feelings, but you can’t mute some feelings without muting all of them.
• We keep secrets from our therapists — and we keep secrets from ourselves. The more we are able to be vulnerable, the more we are able to help ourselves.
• Insight alone is not valuable without accountability to do better with new insight.
• What matters most in the success of therapy is the relationship with your therapist, more so than any other factor or credentials.

• Maybe You Should Talk to Someone* by Lori Gottlieb
• Dear Therapist in The Atlantic

• How to Tame Your Inner Critic, with Tara Mohr (episode 232)
• Four Steps to Get Unstuck and Embrace Change, with Susan David (episode 297)
• The Way to Have Conversations That Matter, with Celeste Headlee (episode 344)

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Art Markman is the Annabel Irion Worsham Centennial Professor Centennial Professor of Psychology and Marketing at the University of Texas at Austin. He is also the Founding Director of the Program in the Human Dimensions of Organizations, which brings the humanities and the social behavioral sciences to people in business.

Along with Bob Duke, Art hosts the radio show Two Guys on Your Head for KUT Radio in Austin, also available as a podcast. He’s the author of many books, most recently: Bring Your Brain to Work: Using Cognitive Science to Get a Job, Do it Well, and Advance Your Career*.

In this conversation, Art and I explore the science behind what we know and how we can both better recognize what we don’t know and increase our knowledge in that area. Research shows that others are one of our best sources of knowledge and we discuss how to make intentional connections through mentoring to accomplish this.

• Metacognition is the awareness of one’s own knowledge.
• The Dunning-Kruger explains how sometimes feels like we know more about something than we actually do.
• The success of expert generalists demonstrates the value of leveraging connections with others in the organization and industry.
• The most powerful source of knowledge is the people around you.
• Traditional mentoring programs aren’t ideal since they are inorganic.
• Seek these five kinds of people when building a team that can mentor you: coach, superstar, connector, librarian, and teammate.

• Bring Your Brain to Work: Using Cognitive Science to Get a Job, Do it Well, and Advance Your Career* by Art Markman

Download my highlights from Bring Your Brain to Work in PDF format (free membership required).

• How to Find a Mentor (episode 105)
• How to Grow Your Professional Network, with Tom Henschel (episode 279)
• What You Gain By Sponsoring People, with Julia Taylor Kennedy (episode 398)

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Mike is a 26-year career military officer and colonel in the United States Air Force. He’s been a commander at the squadron and group level. Today, he is chief of engineering overseeing design and construction across the entire Pacific theatre. He’s also a longtime listener of Coaching for Leaders.

In this conversation, Mike and I discuss how his view of leadership has changed over time and how he’s used personal leadership to guide his journey. We highlight how he’s inspired vivid visions in his organization, created team expectations, and embrace a culture of more immediate coaching and feedback.

• “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” -Viktor Frankl
• “The unexamined life is not worth living.” -Socrates
• Vision statements often end up in a drawer. The vivid vision process taught by Cameron Herold has helped the vision to come alive.
• Giving coaching and feedback more immediately is essential for learning and cultivating the right culture. “When I see something, I do something.”
• There is a time and place for order-giving. Spending more time coaching, giving feedback, and listening well helps build trust for orders to be followed when that time comes.

• Man’s Search for Meaning* by Viktor Frankl
• Vivid Vision* by Cameron Herold
• Radical Candor* by Kim Scott

• How to Create Team Guidelines, with Susan Gerke (episode 192)
• The Way to Make New Behaviors Stick, with Marshall Goldsmith (episode 196)
• How to Make Deep Work Happen, with Cal Newport (episode 233)
• How to Challenge Directly and Care Personally, with Kim Scott (episode 302)
• The Power of Solitude, with Mike Erwin (episode 308)
• How to Create a Vivid Vision, with Cameron Herold (episode 345)
• The Way to Stay Grounded, with Parker Palmer (episode 378)

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Mark Allen is an educator, speaker, consultant, and author who specializes in talent management, corporate universities, and human resources. He is the author of Aha Moments in Talent Management*, The Next Generation of Corporate Universities*, and The Corporate University Handbook*.

Mark is a professor at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and Management, where he also serves as Academic Director of the Master of Science in Human Resources program. He is also a senior faculty member of the Human Capital Institute.

In this conversation, Mark and I explore the changing demographics of the workforce and why it matters for talent acquisition and leadership development today. Mark shares the key strategies he uses with clients to ensure that leadership development ties directly to organizational results.

• 10,000 baby boomers a day are turning 73 and will continue to do so for the next 18 years. The competition for talent will become even more intense than it is today.
• Research shows that 60-90% of all learnings from development programs are never used on the job.
• Leadership development programs should not be designed to create better leadership. Leadership is not a business outcome – it’s a means to an end.
• Begin with the end in mind. What’s the business result your leadership development program aims to achieve? Get alignment there before you start building or hire someone to build it.
• Use the 70-20-10 rule to develop people. 70% of time doing experiential learning, 20% of time in coaching and mentoring, and 10% classroom instruction.

• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People* by Stephen Covey
• Evaluating Training Programs: The Four Levels* by Donald Kirkpatrick and James Kirkpatrick
• Mark’s consulting work

• The Best Way to Do On-the-Job Training (episode 32)
• How to Use Strategy and Evaluation in Training, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 33)
• How to Hire a Trainer or Training Company, with Aaron Kent (episode 35)
• Three Strategies To Build Talent In Your Organization, with Mark Allen (episode 155)

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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.

• Jules asks about how transparent she should be with her boss on her long-term career aspirations.
• Megan is wondering what she can do when reporting to a leader who seems to have checked out.
• Mason facilitated a strategy meeting with his team is asks for our advice on how he might improve.
• Julie’s organization is changing and she is seeking input on the best path forward to determine if her current team can go the distance.

• 11 Ways to Facilitate Great Conversations
• How to Better Control Your Time by Designing Your Ideal Week by Michael Hyatt
• Audio Course: How to Create Your Personal Vision
• Drive* by Daniel Pink
• The Empowered Manager* by Peter Block
• Analyzing Performance Problems* by Robert F. Mager and Peter Pipe
• Gallup’s StrengthsFinder instrument

• How Teams Use StrengthsFinder Results, with Lisa Cummings (episode 293)
• How to Deal with Opponents and Adversaries, with Peter Block (episode 328)
• How to Lead an Offsite, with Tom Henschel (episode 377)
• Align Your Calendar to What Matters, with Nir Eyal (episode 431)

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Tom Henschel of Essential Communications grooms senior leaders and executive teams. An internationally recognized expert in the field of workplace communications and self-presentation, he has helped thousands of leaders achieve excellence through his work as an executive coach and his top-rated podcast, The Look & Sound of Leadership.

Recently, I’ve received a number of questions about “managing up” and “coaching up.” In this conversation, Tom and I discuss the art and practice of managing up, how it is different than coaching up, and where to focus your mindset and time for the best results to influence effectively.

• Managing up happens when you want to influence how you’re perceived by your manager. Coaching up happens when you want to create change in the relationship with your manager.
• A useful phrase to start with when speaking truth to power: “I think differently about that…”
• Set aside the emotion when addressing a business issue and lead with data and evidence.
• “Appeal to the nobler motives.” -Dale Carnegie
• Come to the table with solutions — or at least a first step. Most people know this rule, but far fewer do it consistently.
• Ask yourself: how is my boss being measured for success?
• A cardinal rule when managing up: take more off your boss’s plate that you add to it.

• How is your boss being measured?

• How to Win Friends and Influence People* by Dale Carnegie
• Managing Your Boss by John Gabarro and John Kotter

• How to Handle a Boss Who’s a Jerk, with Tom Henschel (episode 164)
• Managing Up (The Look & Sound of Leadership)
• Managing Your Boss (The Look & Sound of Leadership)
• Upward Feedback (The Look & Sound of Leadership)
• Green Lights Always Change (Dave’s Journal)

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Denice is the president of Managance Consulting & Coaching, a firm that helps transform organizations with provocative strategic planning and coaches leaders and leadership teams. She was lead researcher and co-designer of Executive Transition Management (ETM), a now widely used methodology for effectively supporting nonprofits through leadership transitions.

Denice is the author of The Nonprofit Organizational Culture Guide: Revealing the Hidden Truths that Impact Performance* and Taking Leadership to the Next Level: A Year of Stimulating Essays to Discover More Joy in Leading & Inspiring Others* has a tremendous amount of experience helping leaders and boards find alignment and succeed.

In this conversation, Denice and I discuss the purpose of a board and how leaders can build relationships with board members. We explore the importance of transparency, how to keep initiatives moving forward, and the practice of regularly providing context.

• Six purposes of a board: (1) set policy and direction, (2) monitor operations for compliance and mission, (3) represent the organization, (4) serve as strategy partners, (5) keep records for the organization, and (6) develop current and future leaders.
• Leaders who lean into full transparency with their boards will build relationships that weather difficult times.
• Be cautious of making assumptions about what board members want to know.
• When meeting one on one, communicate what has happened in conversations with other board members to help keep things moving forward.
• Connecting board members to context regularly will help them find movement, especially when the board is in a volunteer capacity.

• The Nonprofit Organizational Culture Guide: Revealing the Hidden Truths that Impact Performance* by Denice Hinden
• Taking Leadership to the Next Level: A Year of Stimulating Essays to Discover More Joy in Leading & Inspiring Others* by Denice Hinden

• How to Increase Your Conversational Intelligence, with Judith Glaser (episode 271)
• Executive Presence with Your Elevator Speech, with Tom Henschel (episode 316)
• How to Find Confidence in Conflict, with Kwame Christian (episode 380)

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Nir Eyal is one of the most respected experts on the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. The MIT Technology Review has called him, “The Prophet of Habit-Forming Technology.”

He previously authored the Wall Street Journal bestseller Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products* which received tremendous traction in the technology and entrepreneurial communities. Now, he’s turned his attention to how we can control our attention in a world of complexity.

His new book, Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life*, challenges some of the traditional misconceptions about distractions. In this conversation, Nir and I discuss the practical steps on how to align your calendar with what matters most.

• Being a professional is doing what you say you’re going to do.
• Most people don’t know what they are going to do. Research shows only a third of Americans keep a daily schedule.
• If you don’t plan your time, someone else will plan it for you.
• Look to executive leaders for inspiration on being intentional with time.
• Move away from the to-do list and instead begin the discipline of timeboxing your calendar.

• Resources Nir mentioned in our conversation
• Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life* by Nir Eyal

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

• Getting Things Done, with David Allen (episode 184)
• How to Transform Your Limitations Into Advantages, with Mark Barden (episode 207)
• The Way to Stop Spinning Your Wheels on Planning (episode 319)

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Rita McGrath is a best-selling author, a sought-after speaker, and a longtime professor at Columbia Business School. She is one of the world’s top experts on innovation and growth and is one of the most regularly published authors in the Harvard Business Review. Rita is consistently ranked among the top 10 management thinkers in the world and was ranked #1 for strategy by Thinkers50.

Rita is the author of the bestseller The End of Competitive Advantage*. Her newest book is titled Seeing Around Corners: How to Spot Inflection Points in Business Before They Happen*.

In this conversation, Rita and I explore how it feels like change happens overnight, but why that’s not usually accurate. We detail four basic stages of inflection points, why it’s critical to be present at the edges, and what leaders can do practically to see around corners.

• Strategic inflection points feel like they happen overnight, but in reality there are many indicators over time that inflection points are coming.
• The four basic stages of almost every inflection point: hype, dismissive, emergent, maturity.
• Snow melts from the edges. The most effective leaders can and will see this if they are present at the edges.
• To see early warning signs, create information flows that reach directly from leaders offices into the frontlines of the business.
• Create incentives that reward useful (and awkward) information.
• Talk to the future that is unfolding now. There are people, customers, and businesses where the future is already happening.

• Seeing Around Corners by Rita McGrath
• Rita McGrath on LinkedIn
• Breaking Up the Degree Stranglehold: Disruption in Higher Education
• Only the Paranoid Survive* by Andrew Grove

Download my highlights from Seeing Around Corners in PDF format (free membership required).

• How to Lead a 100-Year Life, with Lynda Gratton (episode 266)
• The Truth and Lies of Performance Management, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 361)
• The Way to Nurture New Ideas, with Safi Bahcall (episode 418)

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Amy McPherson is the managing partner and founder of Advisors for Change. Since 2007, Advisors for Change has developed financial management systems for non-profit organizations so they can spend more time on their mission and less time on their administration.

Amy is also a member of the Coaching for Leaders Academy. After discovering this podcast three years ago, Amy sought a practical way to implement the leadership ideas she was discovering.

In this conversation, Amy and I discuss how her aim to create more margin for her family has driven more intention for staff development, coaching, and transparency. We also discuss what she’s discovered from expert guests and how she utilized the framework of the Academy to create movement.

• The seven questions from The Coaching Habit provided a framework for the kind of culture that would best serve the non-profit partners of Advisors for Change.
• Shifting focus from lagging indicators to leading indicators helped zero in on the behaviors needed today for success tomorrow.
• Find the bigger “why” behind what you are doing. In Amy’s case, her leadership growth was fueled by her desire to spend more time with her teenage children.
• The Coaching for Leaders Academy provided Amy with the framework for deliberate, consistent movement on what was most important for the business.

• Advisors for Change
• Amy McPherson on LinkedIn

• These Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237)
• How Teams Use StrengthsFinder Results, with Lisa Cummings (episode 293)
• How to Actually Move Numbers, with Chris McChesney (episode 294)
• How to Challenge Directly and Care Personally, with Kim Scott (episode 302)
• Growth Mindset Helps You Rise From the Ashes, with Jeff Hittenberger (episode 326)

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 joins me monthly to respond to listener questions.

In this episode, Bonni and I celebrate Coaching for Leaders recently passing the milestone of 10 million episode downloads since we began airing this podcast in 2011. Today, this podcast is regularly ranked as a Top 50 business show on Apple Podcasts.

The growth of the show has been the direct result of listeners like you who have put your trust in us to support your development. As a result, we invited listeners to be featured in this episode by telling us what they’ve gained from the show.

Thank you for supporting Coaching for Leaders and for sharing it with others in your professional network. There is no greater compliment to our work.

• Essential Communications with Tom Henschel
• StrengthsFinder with Isabeau Iqbal
• Lead Through Strengths with Lisa Cummings
• Sequentia Solutions with Steve Chase
• Aid for Aid Workers with Torrey Peace

• The Power of Introverts, with Susan Cain (episode 44)
• How to Improve Your Coaching Skills, with Tom Henschel (episode 190)
• These Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237)
• How to Write a Killer LinkedIn Profile, with Brenda Bernstein (episode 285)
• Move From Theory to Practice, with Steve Schroeder (episode 369)
• Unconscious Mistakes Women Make, with Lois Frankel (episode 386)

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

Pete Mockaitis is an award-winning trainer and coach who helps professionals perform optimally at work. He hosts the How to be Awesome at Your Job podcast, a show that has been downloaded eight million times and consistently ranks as a top business show in Apple Podcasts.

Pete facilitates training for organizations on enhanced thinking and collaboration to increase clarity and reduce rework. He helps teams save an average of 1.4 hours per person per week.

In this conversation, Pete and I explore some of the key mindsets and questions that are helpful when getting alignment with your boss. We explore the areas you’ll want to generate clarity, as well a few key questions to consider.

Six areas where clarity is critical:

• Deliverables
• Timing
• Process
• Resources
• Audience
• Motive

Questions you may consider when getting alignment with your boss:

• How do you want this to look when complete?
• What does the organization value on metrics and deliverables?
• What’s an example of a time this expectation was not met?
• What metrics are my boss being measured on for their own success?

• How to be Awesome at Your Job

• Seven Principles for Leading People Older Than You, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 59)
• How to Influence Numerous Stakeholders, with Andy Kaufman (episode 240)
• Effective Delegation of Authority, with Hassan Osman (episode 413)

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

Ginger Hardage is the former senior vice president of culture at Southwest Airlines. She led a team responsible for building and sustaining the organization’s legendary culture and communications enterprise, resulting in 23 consecutive years on Fortune’s list of Top 10 Most Admired Companies in the World.

Today, Ginger leads Unstoppable Cultures, a firm designed to help organizations create and sustain cultures of enduring greatness. She facilitates the annual Unstoppable Cultures Fellowship to help leaders of all kinds take practical steps to create the culture that will help their organization thrive.

In this conversation, Ginger and I discuss the five lies she’s seen come up again and again in her work with leaders who are struggling with culture. Perhaps most importantly, Ginger emphasizes that leaders need not accept the default culture, but should work to define the culture.

The five lies Ginger has uncovered about culture:

1. Culture is someone else’s job.
2. Our values are on the wall.
3. Culture is fluffy.
4. If I empower my employees, I might lose control.
5. We can’t afford culture.

• Defining a culture

• Unstoppable Cultures Fellowship

• The Four Critical Stories Leaders Need For Influence, with David Hutchens (episode 148)
• Notice and Change Dysfunctional Culture, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 327)
• How to Create an Unstoppable Culture, with Ginger Hardage (episode 350)

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Leonardo Baumworcel is the director of Hospital São Lucas in Brazil. He oversees a 200-bed hospital and emergency room seeing 10,000 patients a month. He also oversees the work of 2,500 staff. He is a cardiologist by training and a recent alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy.

• One way to utilize the podcast is to leverage if for staff training to get the entire team on the same page.
• Resilience is key when working to achieve your vision through change — beware of giving up too quickly.
• Leaders need to establish the frameworks and limitations for what to do — and then help people to have the freedom to work within it.
• Peer mentoring allows both leaders to learn from each other, instead of limiting the professional development to one person.

• Leading Change* by John Kotter
• Our Iceberg Is Melting* by John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber

• The Power of Vulnerability in Leadership, with Jason Brooks (episode 385)
• How to Create an Unstoppable Culture, with Ginger Hardage (episode 350)
• How to Succeed with Leadership and Management, with John Kotter (episode 249)
• Move From Theory to Practice, with Steve Schroeder (episode 369)

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

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.

• Many people frame career choices only as, “Should I take this offer or not?” or, “Should I quit this job and go and get another?”
• Skills are not necessarily strengths. People who are successful and happier are spending more time in their strengths.
• The CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) assessment is a useful tool for getting clarity.
• Change to a role/company that allows you spend more time in your strengths or decide to design your career from the inside.
• Stop pursuing marginal improvements of your weaknesses.

• The Ultimate Guide to Using Your Strengths to Get Hired*
• 8-Day Video Course to Figuring Out What You Love
• StrengthsFinder training for individuals and teams* (use code CFL10 for a 10% tuition discount)

• How to Figure Out Your Career, with Scott Anthony Barlow (episode 259)
• How Teams Use StrengthsFinder Results, with Lisa Cummings (episode 293)
• Move From Caretaker to Rainmaker, with May Busch (episode 390)

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 joins me monthly to respond to listener questions.

• Samantha asks about how to confront an employee who is not willing to take direction for her.
• Cathy is wondering how she can lead on a team where she does not have formal authority.
• Amir is seeking advice on how to step into a director role with confidence and managing former peers.
• Kelly asks about responding to stakeholders who give suggestions when it doesn’t align with organizational strategy.

• Let’s Get Real or Let’s Not Play* by Mahan Khalsa, Randy Illig, and Stephen R. Covey
• Working Wardrobes*

• How to Manage Former Peers, with Tom Henschel (episode 257)
• How to Actually Move Numbers, with Chris McChesney (episode 294)
• The Path to Start Leading Your Team, with John Piñeiro (episode 349)
• Finding Joy Though 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.

Sandie Morgan is the director of the Global Center for Women and Justice at Vanguard University of Southern California. She is recognized globally for her expertise on combatting human trafficking and working to end violence against women. Sandie is professor, researcher, and partner to many organizations and agencies across the globe including governments, law enforcement, and non-profits.

Since 2011, she has hosted along with me the bimonthly Ending Human Trafficking podcast which was recognized by The National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth at the Department of Health and Human Services as a great way to “get up to speed on human trafficking.”

• Culture often changes from the top down. Engage “elites” who are outside of the centermost position of prestige.
• Find avenue of agreement instead of focusing on differences.
• Influence happens in exciting ways when the networks of elites and the institutions they lead overlap.
• Change will mean conflict — don’t be scared of this.
• The more diverse your partnerships are, the stronger your net is going to be.

• Why learning from elites is so important

• To Change the World* by James Davison Hunter
• How to Win Friends and Influence People* by Dale Carnegie
• Global Center for Women and Justice
• 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report

• How Storytelling Helps You Lead, with Sandie Morgan (episode 51)
• How to Collaborate Across Organizations, with Kirsten Foot (episode 215)
• How to Grow Your Professional Network, with Tom Henschel (episode 279)
• The Power of Weak Connections, with David Burkus (episode 347)

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

Pooja Agarwal is an expert in the field of cognitive science and is passionate about bridging gaps between education and the science of learning. She is the founder of RetrievalPractice.org and Assistant Professor at the Berklee College of Music, teaching psychological science to exceptional undergraduate musicians.

She also serves as a consultant and facilitates professional development workshops on the science of learning around the world. Pooja is the author with Patrice Bain of the book Powerful Teaching: Unleash the Science of Learning*.

In this conversation, Pooja and I discuss the key strategies that leaders can use in order to maximize their effectiveness as teachers. Since almost every leader is responsible for talent development in some capacity, becoming a more powerful teacher will help you develop others more successfully.

• The three stages of the learning process are encoding, storage, and retrieval. We tend to focus too much on getting information into peoples’ heads (encoding) and not enough on getting it out (retrieval).
• Stop reviewing past discussions and meetings. Instead, invite people to recall and articulate prior interactions.
• Cramming works, but only in the short-term. For long-term retention, spacing is much more effective.
• There is no significant evidence that visual, auditory, and kinetic preferences correlate to actual learning. Instead, effective learning combines all these methods.

• Why struggling is a good thing for learning

• RetrievalPractice.org
• PowerfulTeaching.org
• Powerful Teaching: Unleash the Science of Learning*
• Are You a Visual or an Auditory Learner? It Doesn’t Matter

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

• The Best Way to Do On-the-Job Training (episode 32)
• These Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237)
• Essentials of Adult Development, with Mindy Danna (episode 273)
• 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.

Johanna Nalau is an adaptation scientist researching the ins and outs of climate change adaptation. She is an Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow and the Adaptation Science Theme Leader at Cities Research Institute at Griffith University.

She’s also the lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 6th Assessment Report, Working Group II. Johanna writes about climate adaptation and everyday leadership on her own blog and is an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy.

In this conversation, Johanna and I discuss how she found her voice as a developing leader and how she took action through her writing and other professional activities to help others.

• Never underestimate the importance of having a group you can just bounce ideas off of.
• The most transformative way to build leadership is to start with the people below you who are the future leaders.
• Blogging is a great way to synthesize you thoughts while also being helpful for others.

• Johanna’s blog: Climate Adaptation & Everyday Leadership
• Stand Out* by Dorie Clark
• Great at Work* Morton Hansen
• Digital Minimalism* by Cal Newport

• How to Write a Killer LinkedIn Profile, with Brenda Bernstein (episode 285)
• Ideas Worth Stealing From Top Entrepreneurs, with Dorie Clark (episode 318)
• Six Tactics to Achieve Extraordinary Performance, with Morten Hansen (episode 337)
• How to Reclaim Conversation, with Cal Newport (episode 400)
• The Way to Nurture New Ideas, with Safi Bahcall (episode 418)

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 this conversation, Stacey and I discussed some of the common mistakes that leaders and organizations make with performance measurement. We also explore what well-formulated performance measures have. Plus, Stacey has kindly made her book available for free to our listening audience.

Common mistakes in performance measurement:

• Initiatives are not performance measures
• Events or milestones are not performance measures
• Measures of activity completion are not performance measures
• Sources of data are not performance measures
• A few vague words don’t make a performance measure

Well-formulated performance measures have:

• A method of comparison that we can use to tell whether performance is good or not
• A base of objective evidence that gives a reasonably accurate and reliable picture of current performance
• A sufficient degree of granularity to detect small but important changes in performance to which we should respond
• Relevance to the organization’s priorities
• The ability to show changes in performance levels over time, giving us enough context to avoid short-sightedness

• Download a free copy of Stacey’s book, Practical Performance Measurement
• The PuMP® Approach to Performance Measurement and KPIs

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

• How to Actually Move Numbers, with Chris McChesney (episode 294)
• How to Leverage People Analytics, with Jenny Dearborn (episode 323)
• The Truth and Lies of Performance Management, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 361)

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

Safi Bahcall is a second-generation physicist and a biotech entrepreneur. He co-founded a biotechnology company developing new drugs for cancer, leading its IPO and serving as its CEO for 13 years.

He worked with President Obama’s council of science advisors on the future of national research. Safi is the author of the book Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries*.

In this conversation, Safi and I discuss how leaders can work intentionally to nurture new ideas through three key practices. If you are an innovator (or leading an innovation team) and hearing the voices of the naysayers, this framework will help you begin nurturing new ideas more successfully.

• A loonshot is a neglected project, widely dismissed, its champion written off as unhinged.
• The ice cube is an analogy for the soldiers and artists in the organization. This is called phase separation.
• The most effective leaders view their work as gardeners, gently cultivating news ideas and investigating with genuine curiosity.
• Leaders who have a heart for both their soldiers and their artists will support a dynamic equilibrium in their organizations.
• Most innovation fails in the transfer between the artists and the soldiers.
• Steve Jobs is an example of a leader who, for many years, refused to show heart — but discovered it later with fantastic success.

• Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries* by Safi Bahcall

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

• The Four Critical Stories Leaders Need For Influence, with David Hutchens (episode 148)
• How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)
• Get Better at Deep Listening, with Oscar Trimboli (episode 408)

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 joins me monthly to respond to listener questions.

• Don’t spend time feeling guilty about things you have to cut.
• Focus on quality over quantity.
• Your priorities will change over time.
• Sometimes even good things can crowd out what is really important.

• The Checklist Manifesto* by Atul Gawande
• Getting Things Done* by David Allen
• TripIt
• PackPoint
• Ending Human Trafficking podcast

• How Storytelling Helps You Lead, with Sandie Morgan (episode 51)
• Getting Things Done, with David Allen (episode 184)
• How to Reduce Drama With Kids, with Tina Payne Bryson (episode 310)
• How to Be a Happier Person, with Neil Pasricha (episode 334)

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

Kwame Christian is a business lawyer and the Director of the American Negotiation Institute. His TEDx Talk, Finding Confidence in Conflict, was the most popular TED Talk on the topic of conflict of 2017.

Today, he’s working extensively with procurement departments within companies to help them make better deals. Kwame hosts the top negotiation podcast, Negotiate Anything and is the author of the book Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life*.

In this conversation, Kwame and I discuss walking into a negotiation situation when someone else has more leverage, power, or authority. Yes, there are still many things you can do to influence a positive outcome for both parties — and we detail several practical actions almost anybody can take.

• Preparation before entering into negotiation is essential. Research supports that you will do better, even if the tables are tilted to one side.
• Finding what is publicly available about the other party before you go into a conversation can be very useful to both parties.
• Our tendency is to give things away before we are even certain the other party wants them.
• Your self-awareness and emotional state are key to acknowledge going into negotiation. Beware feeling too positive about the potential outcome.

• Kwame’s Ultimate Negotiation Guide
• Negotiate Anything podcast
• Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life* by Kwame Christian
• Thinking Fast and Slow* by Daniel Kahneman

Download my highlights from Finding Confidence in Conflict in PDF format (free membership required).

• Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It, with Chris Voss (episode 262)
• Negotiation Tactics for Results, with Kwame Christian (episode 311)
• Enhance Your Self-Awareness, with Daniel Goleman (episode 353)

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

Chris Deferio is a cafe quality specialist who has dedicated 20 years of his life to working in and studying specialty coffee retail. He is also the creator and host of the industry leading podcast, Keys to the Shop, which gives listeners insights, inspiration, and tools to grow as specialty coffee professionals.

Chris previously appeared on the show to help us get more perspective on managing part-time staff. In this conversation, Chris and I explore some of the practical steps that small business owners and general managers can take in order to support employee retention.

• Be mindful of the realities of turnover in a small business, but don’t let it stop you from thinking about the future and investing in people.
• Yes, hire for attitude — and also have an eye to future potential as the business grows.
• Ask people this question in interviews: “Where did you contribute to dysfunction in your prior organization?”
• Make an investment in people beyond the paycheck. This could be learning, culture, competitions, or more. There are ways to do this without tremendous expense.
• Practice intentional breaks in your rhythm, since nobody else in your business is likely to do this.

• Keys to the Shop podcast
• Good to Great* by Jim Collins
• Good Authority* by Jonathan Raymond
• Chris Deferio’s consulting

• Three Steps To Soliciting Feedback, with Tom Henschel (episode 107)
• How to Lead Part-Time Staff, with Chris Deferio (episode 289)
• Six Tactics to Achieve Extraordinary Performance, with Morten Hansen (episode 337)
• How to Connect Personal Growth to Business Outcomes, with Jonathon Raymond (episode 373)

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

Bar Schwartz is a member of the Coaching for Leaders Academy. She’s a software engineer by training and today a consultant and coach who lives and works in Berlin. Bar helps leaders to look differently on how they lead people to create meaningful work — and building structures that put people first.

When Bar joined the Academy last year, she quickly set a goal to capture a few ideas in writing. This goal led to her writing a book in just a few short weeks. More importantly, she discovered the power of consistent movement in creating future opportunities.

Since this episode originally aired, Bar’s book has been published as Leadership in a Time of Continuous Technological Change: Align, Strengthen, and Mobilize Your Team*. As a result, it is no longer available as a free download.

• Your team will be more productive if it feels connected.
• It’s not hard to find questions if you listen.
• Small, manageable steps are more likely to lead to long-term success.

• How to work in your strengths

• Bar Schwartz on LinkedIn
• Leadership in a Time of Continuous Technological Change: Align, Strengthen, and Mobilize Your Team* by Bar Schwartz
• Happen to Your Career podcast by Scott Anthony Barlow (bonus audio)

• How to Know When to Move On (episode 175)

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

Hassan is a project management office leader at Cisco, where he leads a team of over 150 project and program managers on delivering complex projects across the world. He’s also served as a management consultant at Ernst & Young (now EY), where he led projects and programs for the largest enterprises.

He’s the author of Effective Delegation of Authority: A (Really) Short Book for New Managers About How to Delegate Work Using a Simple Delegation Process. In this episode, Hassan and I discuss the three stages of delegation, the critical importance of planning, and how to leverage delegation as a development opportunity.

Also impressive is the ten books Hassan has published while working full-time as a manager at a Fortune 100 company. He teaches others how to do it on his Writer on the Side podcast.

• Before you begin the delegation process, decide on the outcomes you need and the right person to get you there.
• Set expectations for goals, not actions.
• Use checkpoints to ensure progress and adjust frequency for experience and visibility.
• Summarize delegation meetings in writing after they occur.
• The real work of managers is to define the work, before it starts.

• Effective Delegation of Authority: A (Really) Short Book for New Managers About How to Delegate Work Using a Simple Delegation Process* by Hassan Osman
• Writer on the Side podcast

Download my highlights from Effective Delegation of Authority in PDF format (free membership required).

• Start Influencing Virtual Teams, with Hassan Osman (episode 234)
• The Way to Stop Rescuing People From Their Problems, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 284)
• Five Steps to Hold People Accountable, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 306)

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 joins me monthly to respond to listener questions.

• Elizabeth asked about a tricky issue with an underperforming team member she inherited.
• Gordon wondered what he could do to support resilience during a time of massive change.
• Leona asked how she might think about the disconnect from what her organization espouses and what she sees in practice.
• Anthony was curious about when it’s appropriate to ask “why” and when it’s not.

• Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It … and Why the Rest Don’t* by Verne Harnish
• Scaling Up Growth Tools
• Analyzing Performance Problems* by Robert F. Mager and Peter Pipe

• How to Succeed with Leadership and Management, with John Kotter (episode 249)
• How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)
• How to Clarify What’s Important, with Ron Williams (episode 410)

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

I am often asked about the tools and technology behind our work. As we’ve updated our systems over the past year, I’ve identified seven tools that may also be helpful for you in creating more margin.

Used thoughtfully, tools like these help us automate the things we can automate so we can spend more time doing the things we should never automate. Here are seven that may help:

Acuity Scheduling* powers our all our calendars and serves as a 24/7 scheduling assistant. Automated reminders, time zone adjustments, rescheduling, and video meeting integration happen seamlessly.

TextExpander* saves us tons of time each day to quickly populate documents, emails, forms, and other repeatable typing so we can respond to others faster and with more accuracy. The link above will provide you a 20% discount.

1Password* helps us create unique and strong password for every account. Plus, there families and teams programs allow us to share passwords with others who need access.

Pipedrive* is the customer relationship management system that’s just right for us. Powerful enough to visually help us to track every business conversation, but simple enough to be affordable and practical. The link above will provide access for a free trial.

ConvertKit* gives our listeners a lot more choices on the kind of emails they receive. Plus, it provides its own automation to help your organization build its brand. This link above will provide access for a free trial.

SaneBox* automatically filters our email so we can prioritize what’s most important. Plus, tons of other reminder tools come along with it. The link above will save you $15 if you decide to try it out.

WP Engine* is the leader in WordPress managed hosting and now powers all of our sites. This link above will save you 10% hosting or three months free over a year.

I announced a project titled Dave’s Journal. It’s a new podcast airing episodes of five minutes or less. The goal of each entry is to capture a valuable insight or reflection for leaders.

Subscribe to Dave’s Journal on your favorite platform:

• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Overcast
• Stitcher

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

Ron Williams is a veteran business leader, turn-around expert, and advocate for value creation. Today he is chairman and CEO of RW2 Enterprises and also a member of the board of directors for American Express, The Boeing Company, and Johnson & Johnson.

Ron is the former chairman and CEO of health insurance giant Aetna. When he joined Aetna in 2001, its loss from continuing operations was $292 million, with earnings per share at a loss of $0.46. In 2011, the year he stepped down as Chairman, Aetna’s full-year operating earnings were $2 billion, with operating earnings per share of $5.17.

In this conversation, Ron shares wisdom from his book, Learning to Lead: The Journey to Leading Yourself, Leading Others, and Leading an Organization*. Ron discusses his own leadership journey and how he asked the right questions to inspire a successful turn-around at Aetna. He also shares the reason for avoiding “why” questions and the value that knowledge maps provided at Aetna.

Ron’s five kinds of questions that help challenge your organization’s reality:

• Highlight key problems
• Clarify the facts
• Probe an underlying story
• Suggest alternatives
• Drill down to basics

In addition, Ron suggested:

• Ask questions that start with “what” instead of “why.”
• Utilize knowledge maps to support business literacy for complex issues.
• Make yourself better every year by aiming for 15% improvement.

• Learning to Lead: The Journey to Leading Yourself, Leading Others, and Leading an Organization* by Ron Williams

Download my highlights from Learning to Lead in PDF format (free membership required).

• The Way to Grow Your Leadership Career, with Ron Wallace (episode 267)
• Executive Presence with Your Elevator Speech, with Tom Henschel (episode 316)
• How to Create an Unstoppable Culture, with Ginger Hardage (episode 350)

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

Jim Harter is the Chief Scientist for Workplace at Gallup. He has led more than 1,000 studies of workplace effectiveness, including the largest ongoing meta-analysis of human potential and business unit performance. He is the co-author with Jim Clifton of the new book, It’s the Manager: Gallup Finds That the Quality of Managers and Team Leaders is the Single Biggest Factor in Your Organization’s Long-Term Success*.

Millennials and Generation Z have influenced the changing nature of work. Six key findings from Gallup:

1. People don’t just work for a paycheck — they want a purpose.
2. People are no longer pursuing job satisfaction — they are pursuing development.
3. People don’t want bosses — they want coaches.
4. People don’t want annual reviews — they want ongoing conversations.
5. People don’t want a manager that fixates on their weaknesses.
6. People say, it’s not my job — it’s my life.

• It’s the Manager: Gallup Finds the Quality of Managers and Team Leaders is the Single Biggest Factor in Your Organization’s Long-Term Success* by Jim Clifton and Jim Harter
• CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) assessment
• Gallup Access

Download my highlights from It’s the Manager in PDF format (free membership required).

• These Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237)
• How Teams Use StrengthsFinder Results, with Lisa Cummings (episode 293)
• Three Steps to Great Career Conversations, with Russ Laraway (episode 370)

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

Oscar is a mentor, coach, speaker, and author. He was a director at Microsoft for over a decade and headed up the MS Office division in Australia. Today, he works with leadership teams and their organizations on the importance of clarity to create change, how to embrace the digital economy, and the role values play in the achievement of your purpose. He is the author of Deep Listening: Impact Beyond Words*.

• Listen beyond the words that are said and try to determine what the speaker is really trying to say.
• The more senior you are, the more listening you’ll do.
• Ask the speaker: “Tell me more” or “What else are you thinking?” or “How long have you been thinking about that?”
• To be a great listener, you have to create a space where you’re available to listen.
• For every hour you listen, you need to spend another hour in action.
• Leaders often are not great at hearing all the opinions in the room.

• Three tips to becoming a better listener

• The 5 Myths of Listening
• Deep Listening: Impact Beyond Words* by Oscar Trimboli

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

• How to Be a Non-Conformist, with Adam Grant (episode 238)
• How to Increase Your Conversational Intelligence, with Judith Glaser (episode 271)
• How to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear (episode 376)

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

Bonni Stachowiak is Dave’s life partner and best friend, business professor, past executive leader, and the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.

• Brad asked about supporting a team member who’s being taken advantage of by someone else in the organization.
• Mark is wondering about how to help an existing team move on to being a high-performing team.
• Ashish asked about how to determine more in the interviewing process.
• Craig wanted perspective on how to be more visible.

• The Empowered Manager* by Peter Block
• Essentialism* by Greg Mckeown

• How to Deal with Opponents and Adversaries, with Peter Block (episode 328)
• The Path to Start Leading Your Team, with John Piñeiro (episode 349)
• Develop Leaders Before You Leave, with David Marquet (episode 405)
• How to Work With an Executive Recruiter, with Becky deSouza (episode 406)

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

Becky is a partner with Conexus Talent Acquisition Solutions and has dedicated her career of 20+ years to developing effective solutions for Talent Development and Recruiting. Becky spent 11 years running DreamWorks Animation’s Corporate Recruiting team. Today she leads the human resources recruiting practice with Conexus.

• Recruiting firms can be regional, industry-specific, or functional.
• Look to your network for leads, but be careful when networking with your colleagues.
• Work to fully engage with your recruiter.
• Be honest with your recruiter, even if you aren’t totally ready to commit.
• Always keep your LinkedIn profile updated since it can serve as a type of resume.
• Make sure your web and social presence is consistent with the expectations of your desired job.
• Check your privacy settings on social media.

• Becky deSouza on LinkedIn

• How to Figure Out Your Career, with Scott Anthony Barlow (episode 259)
• How to Write a Killer LinkedIn Profile, with Brenda Bernstein (episode 285)
• How to Get the Ideal Team Player, with Patrick Lencioni (episode 301)
• How to Find Your Calling, with Ken Coleman (episode 352)

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, a book USA Today called one of the 12 best business books of all time.

• Accomplishment is the production, leadership is building production capacity in your team.
• Understanding the purpose of the organization is the key to unlocking empowerment.
• You’ll suffer the consequences of your behavior if you couple the behavior with the outcome.

• Turn the Ship Around: A True Story of Turning Followers Into Leaders* by David Marquet
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People* by Stephen R. Covey

Download my highlights from Turn the Ship Around! in PDF format (free membership required).

• Start With Why, with Simon Sinek (episode 223)
• Turn Followers Into Leaders, with David Marquet (episode 241)
• How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)
• Retrieval Practice, with Pooja Agarwal (episode 421)

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

Amy Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School. She has been recognized by the Thinkers50 global ranking of management thinkers for many years and was honored with their Talent Award in 2017. Amy is the author of several, highly regarded books on teaming and psychological safety, including her newest book, The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation and Growth*.

• Psychological safety varies a lot even inside of an organization.
• More effective teams may appear to make more mistakes, but it’s likely those teams are just more comfortable reporting mistakes.
• Instead of calling it an error, call it an accident. And rather than calling it an investigation, call it a study.
• It’s fine to say, “I don’t know” when appropriate because it signals to others that it is okay to admit when they don’t know something.
• If somebody shares a problem, say thank you and then ask how you can help.
• Leaders should be concerned if they’re not hearing bad news.

• The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation and Growth* by Amy Edmondson
• Amy Edmondson faculty page

Download my highlights from The Fearless Organization in PDF format (free membership required).

• Find Courage to Speak When It Matters Most, with Allan McDonald (episode 229)
• Turn Followers Into Leaders, with David Marquet (episode 241)
• The Path of Humble Leadership, with Edgar Schein (episode 363)

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

Gretchen Rubin explores happiness and good habits and is the author of several books, including the block-buster New York Times bestsellers, Better Than Before*, The Happiness Project*, Happier at Home*, and The Four Tendencies*. She is the author also of the new book Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter and Organize to Make More Room for Happiness*.

• When people have control over their stuff, they feel more in control of their lives.
• If you need a physical reset, do 10 jumping jacks.
• Your physical needs will override your emotional needs.

• Internal Time* by Till Roenneberg

Download my highlights from Outer Order, Inner Calm in PDF format (free membership required).

• How to Make Deep Work Happen, with Cal Newport (episode 233)
• The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, with Daniel Pink (episode 332)
• How to Reclaim Conversation, with Cal Newport (episode 400)

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 joins me monthly to respond to listener questions.

• Peter asked about how to support a team member going through a difficult situation.
• Mike wondered what strategies he could use to avoid being a micro-manager.
• Roger asked about advice on next steps after an executive role didn’t work out.
• Ali asked for input on assessments for executive presence.
• Thomas wanted input on how to better design surveys.

• Hope for the Flowers* by Trina Paulus
• Double Loop Learning
• The Look & Sound of Leadership podcast by Tom Henschel

• How to Delegate Work Effectively (episode 117)
• The Way to Lead After a Workplace Loss, with Andrew Stenhouse (episode 142)
• Get ROI From Professional Associations, with John Corcoran (episode 209)
• How to Move From Victim to Victor, with John Sanei (episode 366)
• Get Smart About Assessments, with Ken Nowack (episode 371)
• Unconscious Mistakes Women Make, with Lois Frankel (episode 386)

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

Sheila Miller-Nelson is owner of Midian Consulting. She’s dedicated to helping people learn how to truly connect to create better relationships and enhance leadership. She’s a former trainer with Dale Carnegie and her experience in communication and leadership coaching spans more than 25 years.

• We will often learn a lesson but because it seems trivial, we don’t remember it for the next time.
• The way you practice determines how you perform.
• Write down what you want to be known for and then share that with others.
• The ability to humble yourself and admit when you’ve missed the mark will give you compassion for others when they fail.

• Midian Consulting

• How to Become a Champion, with Jeff Spencer (episode 186)
• Leverage StrengthsFinder for Your Team, with Lisa Cummings (episode 293)
• The Truth and Lies of Performance Management, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 361)

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

Cal Newport is a computer science professor at Georgetown University who studies the theory of distributed systems. In addition to his academic work, he writes about the intersection of technology and culture. He’s the author of six books including Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World and Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World.

• The human brain is very sophisticated in how it navigates social dynamics using voice and visual cues. Digital interactions bypass the brain’s ability to see these cues.
• Social media interactions might make you think you’re being social, but you can still lonely because your brain doesn’t count these interactions the same as person-to-person interactions.
• Digital interactions are not bad, but they can crowd out more important real-world interactions.
• Make sure tech is serving the things that are important in your life, rather than just using it as an escape from your life.
• Small steps tend not to work when transitioning to digital minimalism. A better way is to take a 30-day break from consuming digital content and then rebuild your digital life from scratch.

• Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World* by Cal Newport
• Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age* by Sherry Turkle
• Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other* by Sherry Turkle

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

• How to Make Deep Work Happen, with Cal Newport (episode 233)
• The Power of Solitude, with Mike Erwin (episode 308)
• Have Conversations That Matter, with Celeste Headlee (episode 344)
• 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.

Dan O’Connor is a multi-faceted actor, improviser, writer, and director. He is the founder and Producing Artistic Director of the critically acclaimed Impro Theatre. Dan is the author, with Jeff Katzman, of Life Unscripted: Using Improv Principles to Get Unstuck, Boost Confidence, and Transform Your Life*.

• When we meet someone for the first time, there is a narrative that happens between us.
• “If you’re interested, you’re interesting.”
• Oftentimes, people in meetings aren’t engaged in the conversation and are only waiting for the other person to stop talking.
• If you make the effort to really listen to your customers, you’ll be able to engage in customized sales because you’ll truly understand what their needs are.

• Life Unscripted: Using Improv Principles to Get Unstuck, Boost Confidence, and Transform Your Life* by Jeff Katzman and Dan O’Connor
• Dan O’Connor
• Impro Theatre

Download my highlights from Dan’s book in PDF format (free membership required).

• The Four Critical Stories Leaders Need For Influence, with David Hutchens (episode 148)
• How to Increase Your Conversational Intelligence, with Judith Glaser (episode 271)
• How to Close the Power Distance Gap, with Jordan Harbinger (episode 343)

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

Julia is Executive Vice President and Director of Publications at the Coqual. She has co-authored Disabilities and Inclusion, Mission Critical: Unlocking the Value of Veterans in the Workforce, and The Power of the Purse: Engaging Women for Healthy Outcomes, on women and health. Coqual recently released a new report, titled, The Sponsor Dividend.

• A sponsor actively advocates for the career of their protege.
• If you’re looking for a sponsor, be very clear on where you want to go in your career.
• Sponsors want to be sure they can trust the protege to deliver on the opportunities the sponsor presents.
• Sponsors do better when they have a protege who has complementary skills to their own.

• The Sponsor Dividend: Key Findings

• How to Help the Underdog Thrive, with Terry Lipovski (episode 275)
• How to Make Inclusion Happen, with Deepa Purushothaman (episode 307)
• How to Connect Personal Growth to Business Outcomes, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 373)
• Why Men Are Heard and Women Are Liked, with Lois Frankel and Tom Henschel (episode 392)

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

John developed Working Out Loud, a practice that helps people be more effective, access more opportunities, and feel happier at work. Over several years, a small movement has formed based on his self-published book*, TEDx talk, and a peer support method that’s spread to over 40 countries and companies like Bosch, Daimler, BMW, and Siemens.

• Behavior change is about small steps, peer support, celebration along the way, and continual feedback.
• Changes start with only one tiny step. Do that until it gets easy, then take the next step.
• Peer support is a major part of habit change. Peer support gives you structure, shared accountability, and emotional support.

• Start a Working Out Loud Circle
• Martha Beck
• Drive* by Daniel Pink
• Everybody Matters* by Bob Chapman and Raj Sisodia

Download my highlights from Working Out Loud in PDF format (free membership required).

• How to Be a Non-Conformist, with Adam Grant (episode 238)
• The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, with Daniel Pink (episode 332)
• Six Tactics to Achieve Extraordinary Performance, with Morten Hansen (episode 337)
• How to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear (episode 376)
• 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.

Jill Schlesinger is the Emmy-nominated Business Analyst for CBS News, the host of the Jill on Money podcast and of the nationally syndicated radio show, Jill on Money, which won the 2018 Gracie Award for Best National Talk Show. She has been recognized as a Top 10 LinkedIn Influencer and a Top 10 LinkedIn Voice. She’s the author of The Dumb Things Smart People Do with Their Money: Thirteen Ways to Right Your Financial Wrongs*.

• Not all financial professionals are looking out for you. Make sure they are held to the fiduciary standard at all times.
• Before seeing a financial professional, make sure you’ve already paid off consumer debt, you’ve built an emergency reserve fund, and you’re maximizing your retirement fund contributions.
• Prioritize your own retirement savings before setting aside money for your children’s tuition.
• Make sure the cost of a degree is worth the expected income.

• The Dumb Things Smart People Do with Their Money: Thirteen Ways to Right Your Financial Wrongs* by Jill Schlesinger
• Mark Kantrowitz
• Jill On Money

Download my highlights from The Dumb Things Smart People Do with Their Money in PDF format (free membership required).

• Improve Your Financial Intelligence, with Joe Knight (episode 244)
• How to Manage Your Money, with Jill Schlesinger (episode 322)
• How to Approach Corporate Budgeting, with Jody Wodrich (episode 355)
• Four Rules to Get Control of Your Money, with Jesse Mecham (episode 356)

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Priya Parker is a facilitator, strategic advisor, and founder of Thrive Labs, at which she helps activists, elected officials, corporate executives, educators, and philanthropists create transformative gatherings. She is the author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters*.

• What creates meaning in a gathering is conversation, not the functional details of the event.
• We’re often not totally clear on the purpose of our gatherings.
• We don’t need to gather more often, but we need to do a better job when we do gather.

• The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters* by Priya Parker
• The Modern Manager podcast

Download my highlights from The Art of Gathering in PDF format (free membership required).

• Use Power for Good and Not Evil, with Dacher Keltner (episode 254)
• Have Conversations That Matter, with Celeste Headlee (episode 344)
• How to Plan Meetings That Get Results, with Mamie Kanfer Stewart (episode 358)
• The Path of Humble Leadership, with Edgar Schein (episode 363)

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Kevin McCurdy is the Chief Operating Officer of Auto-Chlor System and a longtime listener of the show.

• Think about the impact you’re having on people and if it’s really the impact you want to have.
• Don’t always show up with your own solution, come with the intention to learn and discover the best solution together.
• Truly listen to people instead of just thinking about what you want to say to back to them.

• The Look and Sound of Leadership
• The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier*

• Three Steps To Soliciting Feedback with Tom Henschel (episode 107)
• How to Tame Your Inner Critic, with Tara Mohr (episode 232)
• The Way to Stop Rescuing People From Their Problems, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 284)
• Executive Presence with Your Elevator Speech, with Tom Henschel (episode 316)
• A Useful Mindset for New Leaders, with Mark Ipaviz (episode 375)

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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.

• Evelyn asked if you need to be a caretaker first before moving to become a rainmaker.
• Samantha wondered if you should always try to save someone who has elected to leave.
• Tammy wanted to know our advice for managing along with peers who have different styles.
• David asked for our advice for managing student workers.

• Drive* by Daniel Pink
• Employee Resignations: Counter Offer or Say Goodbye?
• When Talent Quits, Don’t Be A Jerk

• An Astronaut’s Guide To Life On Earth with Chris Hadfield (episode 149)
• How To Lead The Millennials, with Chip Espinoza (episode 158)
• How Superbosses Master the Flow of Talent, with Sydney Finkelstein (episode 236)
• What to Do When Somebody Quits, with Molly Moseley (episode 251)
• How to Lead Part-Time Staff, with Chris Deferio (episode 289)

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Lois Frankel is the President of Corporate Coaching International, a bestselling author, executive coach, and an internationally-recognized expert in the field of leadership development for women. She is the author of the 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*.

Tom Henschel of Essential Communications grooms senior leaders and executive teams. An internationally recognized expert in the field of workplace communications and self-presentation, he has helped thousands of leaders achieve excellence through his work as an executive coach and his top-rated podcast, The Look & Sound of Leadership.

• You can’t control anyone but yourself.
• What women contribute to the workplace is different but equal to what men contribute.
• Things are slightly better for women these days, but not by much.
• Men must be advocates for women in the workplace.

• Why you shouldn’t coach a woman to act more like a man

• Lois Frankel on LinkedIn
• The Look & Sound of Leadership podcast by Tom Henschel
• Keynote: Why Men Are Heard and Women Are Liked
• Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office* by Lois Frankel
• The Confidence Code* by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman

• How Women Make Stronger, Smarter Choices, with Therese Huston (episode 255)
• How to Connect Personal Growth to Business Outcomes, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 373)
• Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers, with Lois Frankel (episode 386)

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In 1995, Daniel Goleman published the blockbuster bestselling book Emotional Intelligence*, a book that now has more than 5 million copies in print worldwide in 40 different languages. He’s the author of a series of primers for the competencies of emotional and social intelligence, titled Building Blocks of Emotional Intelligence* and he’s the founder of the Emotional Intelligence Coaching Certification.

The three types of empathy:

• Cognitive empathy – you can sense what people are thinking
• Emotional empathy – you can pick up on other people’s emotions
• Empathic concern – people can tell you care about them

• Emotional Intelligence* by Daniel Goleman
• Building Blocks of Emotional Intelligence* by Daniel Goleman et al.
• A Force for Good* by Daniel Goleman and the Dalai Lama
• Emotional and Social Competence Inventory
• Emotional Intelligence Coaching Certification

Download my highlights from the Empathy primer in PDF format (free membership required).

• How to Get the Ideal Team Player, with Patrick Lencioni (episode 301)
• Have Conversations That Matter, with Celeste Headlee (episode 344)
• Enhance Your Self-Awareness, with Daniel Goleman (episode 353)
• The Power of Vulnerability in Leadership, with Jason Brooks (episode 385)

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May Busch enjoyed a 24-year career at Morgan Stanley, most recently as Chief Operating Officer for Europe. She chaired the firm’s European Diversity Council and was a member of Morgan Stanley’s European Management Committee. She is the author of the book Accelerate: 9 Capabilities to Achieve Success at Any Career Stage*. She’s also the host the Career Mastery Kickstart summit*.

Steps to move from caretaker to rainmaker:

1. Identify the organization’s most important outcomes.
2. Figure out what you can take action on.
3. Create a safe space.
4. Learn from your network what will move the needle the most.

How to find the organization’s values:

1. Observe
2. Listen
3. Ask

• How to help others become rainmakers

• Career Mastery Kickstart Summit*
• Accelerate: 9 Capabilities to Achieve Success at Any Career Stage* by May Busch
• Eisenhower Grid

• How to Succeed with Leadership and Management, with John Kotter (episode 249)
• Three Steps to Great Career Conversations, with Russ Laraway (episode 370)
• Leverage Your Defining Moments, with Lynne Whiteford (episode 372)

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

Tom Henschel of Essential Communications grooms senior leaders and executive teams. An internationally recognized expert in the field of workplace communications and self-presentation, he has helped thousands of leaders achieve excellence through his work as an executive coach and his top-rated podcast, The Look & Sound of Leadership.

• Caroline asked about whether she should appease a peer by interviewing someone she doesn’t think is a good fit.
• Jane asked for suggestions on team diversity.
• Susan asked about promoting engagement with her team when there is lots of reluctance.
• Mariah wanted our advice on creating an orientation program for her team leads.

• StrengthsFinder (Gallup)
• Leading Change* by John Kotter
• Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
• Influence* by Robert Cialdini
• Three Steps to Great Career Conversations with Russ Laraway
• Being the Boss * by Linda Hill and Kent Lineback
• First, Break All the Rules* by Gallup

• Essentials of Adult Development, with Mindy Danna (episode 273)
• StrengthsFinder Leadership Demands, with Lisa Cummings (episode 320)
• Six Tactics for Extraordinary Performance, with Morten Hansen (episode 337)
• How to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear (episode 376)

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