Coaching For Leaders

Adam Galinsky: Inspire Adam Galinsky is the Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Paul Calello Professor of Leadership and Ethics at the Columbia Business School. He co-authored the book Friend & Foe and his TED talk, How to Speak Up for Yourself, is one of the most popular of all time with over 7 million views. He's the author of Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others. Leaders can delegate many things, but vision is not one of them. Most every leader needs to be able to articulate the future. In this conversation, Adam and I explore the building blocks to get better at inspiring others. Key Points Every leader has the potential to be inspiring. We can choose to get better. Whatever a leader says, either positive or negative, will be amplified. When values are brought front and center, they inspire behavior that creates a better future. Inspiring leaders offer a big picture, optimistic view of the future. Make visions simple and vivid. Simplicity is the key to ince

Sunita Sah: Defy Sunita Sah is an award-winning professor at Cornell University and an expert in organizational psychology, leading groundbreaking research on influence, authority, compliance, and defiance. A trained physician, her research and analyses have been widely published in leading academic journals and media entities including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Harvard Business Review, and Scientific American. She is the author of Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes*. We often think of defiance as a snap judgement. Yet, it’s so much more nuanced and purposeful than it often appears. In this conversation, Sunita and I explore the common patterns of defiance and how we can all do a better job of standing up for ourselves. Key Points We follow bad advice – even when we know it is obviously bad – to avoid appearing unhelpful. Defiance means acting in accordance with your true values when there is pressure to do otherwise. True defiance is not a snap judgement; it’s a process.

Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed Bonni is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, Dean of Teaching and Learning and Professor of Business and Management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, she was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. Bonni is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide*. Listener Questions Josh asked about helpful practices for setting chat groups in the workplace, especially for remote workers. Lily was curious about the best way to structure a first session of a new innovation group and also how to help people engage. Nicole wondered how she might navigate a situation with a particular donor who is asking for more support than is typical. Resources Mentioned The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters* by Priya Parker The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable* by Patrick Lencioni Sunrise, Sunset from Fiddler on the Roof Related

Jennifer Garvey Berger: Changing on the Job Jennifer Garvey Berger is cofounder and CEO of Cultivating Leadership, a consultancy that serves executives and teams in the private, non-profit, and government sectors. Her clients include Google, Microsoft, Novartis, Wikipedia, and Oxfam International. She is the author of four leadership books, including now in it’s second edition, Changing on the Job: How Leaders Become Courageous, Wise, and Steady in an Anxious World*. We often think about feedback as something we give to someone else. What if, in addition to that, feedback is an opportunity for both parties to learn and grow. In this conversation, Jennifer and I explore how this can open a door to some of the best leadership work we do. Key Points If we view feedback as only giving our truth to someone else, we’ve missed a huge opportunity for growth. Start by separating what happened from the interpretation of what happened. Asking Get curious about your own response: what made you react so strongly?

Anne Chow: Lead Bigger Anne Chow was the CEO of AT&T Business and the first woman of color CEO in AT&T’s 140+ year history, responsible for leading a $35B global operating unit of over 35,000 people. She was named to Fortune’s Most Powerful Women in Business twice and today serves on a number of boards, including FranklinCovey, 3M, and CSX. She is the author of Lead Bigger: The Transformative Power of Inclusion. We all know the importance of values, but it’s often hard to know where to begin when clarifying them with a team. In this conversation, Anne and I explore how to align on values that support a great culture and move towards a vision. Key Points Values and ideologies are distinct. Leading bigger means honoring diverse ideologies while aligning on core values. Bigger leaders have the courage to admit and cite situations where they fall short. When asking people to craft values, invite them to start by individually considering their personal values. When discussing values as a group, highlight

Karthik Ramanna: The Age of Outrage Karthik Ramanna is a professor of business and public policy at University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government, where he has served as director of one of the world’s most diverse leadership programs. Previously a professor at Harvard Business School, he studies how organizations and leaders build trust with stakeholders. He is the author of The Age of Outrage: How to Lead in a Polarized World. In a lot of ways, leadership is better than it was a generation ago. One way that it isn’t better? Figuring out how to lead effectively in an increasingly polarized world. In this conversation, Karthik and I explore what leaders can do to turn down the temperature on outrage. Key Points We tend to frame effective leadership as heroic. In times of outrage, the virtue of temperance becomes essential. A leader will never fully address the demands made of them, regardless of how well they act. Even when a leader resolves problems, they will be viewed as part of the problem.

David De Cremer: The AI-Savvy Leader David De Cremer is the Dunton Family Dean of the D'Amore-McKim School of Business and professor of management and technology at Northeastern University. He's also an affiliated faculty member at the Institute for Experiential AI at Northeastern University and an affiliated researcher at the Center for Collective Intelligence at MIT. His newest book is titled The AI-Savvy Leader: Nine Ways to Take Back Control and Make AI Work*. We’ve all heard the warnings that AI is going to take our jobs. That’s certainly a possibly in the long-term, but the story emerging, at least for now, is looking a little different. In this episode, David and I discuss how leaders can use AI to augment, not replace, human intelligence. Key Points AI is substantially different than prior digital transformations, and adoption efforts are failing at alarming rates. Instead of leading, too often leaders are being too deferential to data and analytics teams. Your expertise is exactly what your o

Keith Ferrazzi: Never Lead Alone Keith Ferrazzi is an entrepreneur and global thought leader in high-performing teams and Chairman of Ferrazzi Greenlight and its Research Institute. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Who’s Got Your Back and bestsellers like Never Eat Alone, Leading Without Authority, and Competing in the New World of Work. His newest book with Paul Hill is titled Never Lead Alone: 10 Shifts from Leadership to Teamship*. Whenever I’m having a conversation with someone about getting better at coaching, it’s almost always through the lens of, “How do I do it well?” In this conversation, Keith and I explore another perspective most of us miss: how does the team do coaching better for each other. Key Points Good leaders give feedback and hold people accountable. Great leaders ensure the team gives feedback and holds people accountable. Teamship starts right at the start. Organizations like e.l.f. Beauty begin these practices during onboarding. We over index on mindset. Start

Charles Feltman: The Thin Book of Trust Charles Feltman is the founder of Insight Coaching. He has over 25 years of professional experience coaching, facilitating, consulting to, and training people who lead others. He is the author of The Thin Book of Trust: An Essential Primer for Building Trust at Work*. It’s a reality of life that we need to interact with some people we’d rather not. And it’s absolutely a reality of leadership, that sometimes we need to have a conversation with someone we don’t quite trust. In this episode, Charles and I explore how to prepare so it goes better for both parties. Key Points The four assessment domains of trust include care, sincerity, reliability, and competence. Seven steps to prepare for a conversation: Identify the assessment(s) you are concerned with. Define the standard you are using. Identify the specific actions or behaviors that have led to your assessment of distrust. Consider what you are doing that may be contributing to the situation. Determine

Stephen M. R. Covey: Trust & Inspire Stephen M. R. Covey is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and former CEO of Covey Leadership Center. He led the strategy that propelled his father’s book, Dr. Stephen R. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, to become one of the two most influential business books of the 20th Century, according to CEO Magazine. He's the author The Speed of Trust and more recently Trust & Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others*. Despite everything we know about good leadership, a lot of places still operate in a command and control mindset. In this conversation, Stephen and I explore the key ways to shift from command and control to trust and inspire. Key Points In spite of all progress, most leaders today are still operating from a command and control mindset. The carrot and stick approach still dominates most organizational cultures and tactics. The biggest barrier to becoming a Trust & Inspire leader is when we think we al

Shandy Welch: Leadership Coach Shandy Welch is an executive leadership coach. Her coaching focus is around humanizing leadership and re-engaging individuals and teams to inspire change and innovation. She is also a Coaching for Leaders Fellow. Most leaders find themselves — at least occasionally — in conversations with people who intimidate them. In this SaturdayCast, Shandy and I share what’s worked for us and how it might help you have better conversations. Key Points Nervousness is your friend. If you feel it, that means you care. Try to get the butterflies flying in formation. You are there because you are the best person to be there. Full stop. People with visibility will expect you've done your homework. If they’ve put something out into the world, they want you to find it. Preparation helps you improvise. “You've got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail.” -Charlie Parker Alwa

Steve Dennis: Leaders Leap Steve Dennis is a strategy consultant, advisor, speaker, and author focused on transformational leadership and the impact of digital disruption. He is the president of SageBerry Consulting and host of the Remarkable Retail podcast. He's the author of the book Remarkable Retail and his newest book Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption. Every leader needs to stay relevant in order to serve well. In this conversation, Steve and I explore the mindset and tactics that will help us lead in the context of an ever-changing world. Key Points Self-sufficiency is a virtue, until it’s not. Learning to ask for help is a key practice for leaders. Be cautious about a deserving attitude. High expectations may be correlated with low resilience. Seek insight everywhere. It’s no longer sufficient just to gain ideas from direct competitors. Turning pro means showing up and doing the work, especially when we don’t feel like it. We must go through discomfort, not

Seth Godin: This is Strategy Seth Godin has published 21 bestselling books that have changed the way people think about work. He writes one of the most popular blogs in the world, and two of his TED talks are among the most popular of all time. His blog is at seths.blog and his newest book is titled This is Strategy. Seth writes this: “It’s not clear to me why business plans are the way they are, but they’re often misused to obfuscate, bore, and show an ability to comply with expectations.” In this conversation, Seth and I explore the key components of a modern business plan. Key Points Big problems require small solutions. We often skip strategy because most of us have trained our whole lives for tactics. A modern business is clear about systems and the status quo. Use the system if you intend to change the system. Assertions are the heart of a business plan. Leaders need to have empathy for someone else’s “better.” Articulating alternatives helps you stay resilient when some of your assertions a

Maha Abouelenein: 7 Rules of Self-Reliance Maha Abouelenein is an American Egyptian with more than 30 years of global communications experience advising global corporate giants, startups, governments, CEOs and high networth individuals. She is the CEO of Digital and Savvy, a strategic communications consulting firm with offices in the States and Dubai. Maha is the author of 7 Rules of Self-Reliance: How to Stay Low, Keep Moving, Invest in Yourself and Own Your Future*. One of the definitions of the word currency in Merriam-Webster’s dictionary is, “General use, acceptance, or prevalence.” All of us want to be both accepted and prevalent in the work we get to do. In this conversation, Maha and I discuss how your reputation is perhaps the most important currency of all. Key Points Personal brand isn't about self promotion, it's about leadership. Rather than promoting yourself, promote the ideas that you stand for. Reputation is currency. It’s the only thing you truly own and its value comes from how oth

Jonathan Raymond: Good Authority Jonathan Raymond is the founder of Refound and Ren AI. He helps leaders make work a better place, one conversation at a time. He’s the author of the book Good Authority: How to Become the Leader Your Team Is Waiting for and hosts the podcast of the same name. He's also the creator of The Accountability Dial, used by many in our community to support healthy accountability in their organizations. With all the tools and technology we have access to, it’s so easy to fall in the trap of mostly being transactional. Yet, leadership is at its best when it elevates above the transaction and builds the broader relationship. In this conversation, Jonathan and I discuss how to make that shift. Key Points While the pandemic helped us shift in some helpful ways, it also created an environment where leaders don’t always feel safe with healthy accountability. The most healthy conversations have consequences if change does not happen. The primary obstacle to holding people accountable

Dan Dworkis: The Emergency Mind Dan Dworkis is Chief Medical Officer at The Mission Critical Team Institute. He's an emergency physician who helps individuals and teams apply knowledge under extreme pressure and perform at their best when it matters the most. He is the author of The Emergency Mind: Wiring Your Brain for Performance Under Pressure*. Every leader, at least occasionally, faces emergencies. In an emergency, the only way out is through. In this conversation, Dan and I explore the mindsets and tactics that will help us handle the most difficult situations. Key Points Emergencies are not just worse bad days. They are liminal — the only way out is through. Apply graduated pressure. Never allow suffering to be wasted. By going a bit slower, you notice where and why failures happen. Label an emergency with language that both recognizes the urgency of the situation and your faith in the team to resolve it. The room is always smarter than any one person in it. Tell people what problem they are

Andrew C.M. Cooper: The Ethical Imperative Andrew C.M. Cooper is an executive leader and apologist for compassionate business practices. He led as a history-making first Millennial and Black executive to serve as General Counsel of UPS Airlines, the world’s largest logistics airline with over 20,000 employees. His team was essential to the success of Operation Warp Speed, the United States’ pandemic vaccine relief effort. He's the author of The Ethical Imperative: Leading with Conscience to Shape the Future of Business*. We all know the power of relationships to help us grow. However, we don’t always seek out some of the non-traditional relationships that might help most. In this conversation, Andrew and I discuss three types of people we often overlook that will help us grow. Key Points Many of us invest in organic, traditional relationships. Those are important, but not sufficient in such a dynamic world. Invest 30% of your time into relationships that will add skills, knowledge, or insights you can’t

Laura West: Coaching for Leaders Fellow Laura West is a seasoned leader and researcher with many years experience executing and training others in data analysis and strategy. She's led large teams across several organizations, holds a Ph.D. in linguistics, and is an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy. She was selected as one of our new Coaching for Leaders fellows and has taken on a leadership role in supporting our current Academy members. What do you do when you get a request from a stakeholder, but don’t have the resources to fulfill it? That’s a reality almost every leader faces. In this conversation, Laura and I discuss both the mindset and tactics that will help you respond well. Key Points Rather than an immediate “no,” spend an hour working through some steps to creatively problem solve around the request. Show your work. When you respond, share who you’ve talked with and what’s already been considered to respond to the request. Present options by summarizing 2-4 paths forward and your r

Steven Rogelberg: Glad We Met Steven Rogelberg is an organizational psychologist, holding the title of Chancellor’s Professor at UNC Charlotte for distinguished national, international and interdisciplinary contributions. He is an award-winning teacher and recipient of the Humboldt Award for his research on meetings. He is the author of Glad We Met: The Art and Science of 1:1 Meetings*. Many us appreciate the value of 1:1 meetings with employees. For a lot of managers, it’s one of their biggest time commitments. And yet, nobody ever taught us how to do it. In this conversation, Steven and I discuss how to actually structure an effective 1:1. Key Points First and foremost, a 1:1 meeting is for the direct report. A set schedule for 1:1’s with your team reduces bias by ensuring you connect with everyone, consistently. A loose framework is better than a lock-step agenda. Two approaches help: the manager proposing a core question or listing out topics that the direct report brings. Avoid status update me

Susan Salomone tells us how she decided to shift with a new team. Applications are open to the Coaching for Leaders Academy through Friday, September 13th. Discover details and apply.