Coaching For Leaders

Lisa Cummings: Lead Through Strengths 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. We explore several steps for making this a reality and feature her new Stronger Teams training for individuals and teams who want to do this more intentionally. Use code CFL10 for a 10% tuition discount if you decide the program is right for you. Key Points 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

Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed 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. 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. Resources Mentioned How to Stop Worry and Start Living* by Dale Carnegie The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People* by Stephen Covey Related Episodes How to Listen When Someone Is Venting

Tasha Eurich: Insight 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. Key Points Internal and external self-awareness are both critical — and different. Improving both is important for most leaders. “Research sho

Willie Jackson 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. Key Points 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. Bonus Audio The Languag

Jim Mattis: Call Sign Chaos 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. Key Points Creating “focused telescopes” outside the normal chain of command were useful in discovering concerns that might not otherwise have become known. Keep k

Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed 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. 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. Resources Mentioned 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 Related Episodes Seven Principles for Leading People Older Than You, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 59) An Astronaut’s Guide To Life On

Lori Gottlieb: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone 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. Key Points It’s important to make the transition from “idiot compassion” to wise compassion — and to find others who can do that for u

Art Markman: Bring Your Brain to Work 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. Key Points Metacognition is the awareness of one’s own knowl

Michal Holliday: United States Air Force 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. Key Points “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

Mark Allen: Pepperdine University 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 what 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. Key Points 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 int

Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed 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. 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. Resources Mentioned 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 Dr

Tom Henschel: The Look & Sound of Leadership 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. Key Points 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 issues and lead w

Denice Hinden: Managance Consulting & Coaching 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. Key Points Six p

Nir Eyal: Indistractable 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. Key Points 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 yo

Rita McGrath: Seeing Around Corners 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. Key Points Strategic inflection points feel like they happen overnight, but in reality there are many indicators over time that inflect

Amy McPherson: Advisors for Change 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. Key Points 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 z

Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed 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. Key Points 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 w

Pete Mockaitis: How to be Awesome at Your Job 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. Key Points 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 delive

Ginger Hardage: Unstoppable Cultures 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. Key Points The five lies Ginger has uncovered about culture: Culture is someone else’s j

Leonardo Baumworcel: Hospital São Lucas 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. Key Points 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. Resources Mentioned Leading Change* by John Kotter Our Iceberg Is Melting* by John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber Related Episodes The Power of Vulnerability in Leadership, with Jason Brooks (episode 385)