Coaching for Leaders
Self-Improvement
About
Leaders aren’t born; they’re made. Many leaders reach points in their careers where what worked yesterday doesn’t work today. This Monday show helps leaders thrive at these key inflection points. Independently produced weekly since 2011, Dr. Dave Stachowiak shares insights from a decade of leading a global leadership academy, plus more than 15 years of leadership at Dale Carnegie. Bestselling authors, proven leaders, expert thinkers, and deep conversation have attracted 50 million downloads and over 300,000 followers. Join the FREE membership to search the entire leadership and management library by topic at CoachingforLeaders.com
Episodes
- 781: Bonni and Dave Reflect on Recent Episodes
Bonni Stachowiak and Dave reflect on recent episodes of Coaching for Leaders. They discuss questions, feedback, and insights that have emerged from past conversations, including topics such as defining success and the impact of one's actio…
- 780: Moving From Self-Sabotage to Self-Mastery, with Shirzad Chamine
Shirzad Chamine, author of "Positive Intelligence," discusses how leaders can move from self-sabotage to self-mastery. He explains how overused strengths can become weaknesses and introduces the concept of saboteurs, such as the Controller…
- 779: How to Address Bad Behavior, with Nilofer Merchant
Nilofer Merchant, a top management thinker and author, shares strategies for leaders to address bad behavior within organizations. She discusses how to clarify acceptable behavior and interrupt misconduct effectively, emphasizing the role…
- 778: How to Help People Flourish, with Marcus Buckingham
In this episode of Coaching for Leaders, Marcus Buckingham explores how leaders can help people flourish in their careers. He highlights the role of love in the workplace and introduces a sequence of five feelings that contribute to a thri…
- 777: How to Help Employees Handle Tough Moments, with Anthony Klotz
Anthony Klotz, an organizational psychologist, shares insights on how leaders can assist employees during tough career moments. He emphasizes the importance of managers in buffering negative effects and enhancing positive outcomes of profe…
- 776: Forge Connections That Help You Thrive, with Neri Karra Sillaman
Neri Karra Sillaman, an entrepreneur and academic, shares insights on building strong connections for thriving in business and life. She draws on lessons from immigrant entrepreneurs, emphasizing resilience, purpose, and diversity in stren…
- 775: How to Motivate Younger Employees, with David Yeager
In this episode of Coaching for Leaders, David Yeager discusses how to motivate younger employees. He explores recent research and practices, emphasizing the importance of a mentor mindset, offering both high standards and strong support,…
- FINAL DAY to apply for the Academy
Today, March 20th, is the final day to apply to the Coaching for Leaders Academy. Applications can be submitted at coachingforleaders.com/academy.
- The Five Things That Get in Leaders’ Ways
This episode of Coaching for Leaders discusses five common challenges leaders encounter, such as reluctance to ask for help and the assumption that knowledge dictates behavior.
- 774: What Innovative Leaders Do Different, with Linda Hill
Linda Hill, a leading expert in leadership and innovation, shares insights on how successful leaders drive innovation within their organizations. She outlines the key practices of innovative leaders, emphasizing the importance of creating…
- From Command and Control to Serve and Support, with Marisol Bello
In this episode of Coaching for Leaders, Marisol Bello shares her experience transitioning from a command and control leadership style to one of serving and supporting. She discusses this shift as an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academ…
- 773: How to Align Your Motivation, with Nir Eyal
Nir Eyal, author of "Beyond Belief," explores how our beliefs can impact our motivation and limit our potential. He discusses aligning beliefs to help us move forward and achieve breakthrough results.
- How to Get Better at Listening, with Bill Mayo
Bill Mayo shares his experience improving listening skills in professional and personal settings. He joins Dave to discuss his journey and provide insights.
- 772: How to Measure Your Meeting’s Success, with Rebecca Hinds
In this episode of Coaching for Leaders, Rebecca Hinds shares insights on measuring meeting success. She introduces the concept of Return on Time Invested (ROTI) and other metrics, emphasizing the importance of evaluating meeting effective…
- 771: Fixing Fairness in the Workplace, with Lily Zheng
Lily Zheng joins Coaching for Leaders to discuss fixing fairness in the workplace. She emphasizes systemic change over individual behavior, highlighting the importance of understanding and storytelling in initiatives. Zheng also advises ag…
- 770: How to Make Change Irresistible, with Phil Gilbert
In this episode, Phil Gilbert, author of "Irresistible Change," explores how to make change irresistible. He discusses shifting from mandated change to offered change, focusing on sustained cultural adoption, and branding change initiative…
- 769: How to Connect Better with Remote Colleagues, with Charles Duhigg
In this episode of Coaching for Leaders, Charles Duhigg discusses how to improve connections with remote colleagues. He outlines three types of conversations and how to engage in them effectively in a remote-first work environment.
- 768: Evolving from Business Partner to Value Creator, with JP Elliott
JP Elliott, an experienced HR executive and host of the Future of HR podcast, shares insights on how HR leaders can evolve from business partners to value creators. He emphasizes the importance of thinking like a CEO, designing future-focu…
- 767: Being Nice May Not Be Kind, with Graham Allcott
Graham Allcott, author and founder of Think Productive, explains the difference between being nice and being kind in leadership. He emphasizes that kindness involves telling people what they need to hear, leading to psychological safety in…
- 766: Using AI to Make Networking Easier, with Ruth Gotian
In this episode, Ruth Gotian explores how artificial intelligence can be leveraged to simplify the administrative aspects of professional networking, enabling individuals to concentrate on building meaningful relationships. She provides pr…
- 765: How to See What’s Holding You Back, with Marty Dubin
Marty Dubin, a clinical psychologist and author of "Blindspotting," joins Coaching for Leaders to discuss how leaders can identify and overcome obstacles. The episode explores common identity blindspots and offers strategies for personal a…
- 764: Stop Solving Your Team’s Problems, with Elizabeth Lotardo
Elizabeth Lotardo, a consultant and writer, discusses how leaders can stop solving problems for their teams. She explains that enabling team members to solve their own problems helps with skill development and scalability. The conversation…
- 763: Leading with Poise When the Stakes are High, with Eileen Collins
Eileen Collins, former astronaut and the first American woman to command a space mission, discusses leading with poise under pressure. She shares insights from her career, including how to stay grounded during critical moments and focusing…
- 762: Show Up Better, Faster, with Claude Silver
Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX, joins the show to discuss strategies for improving professional performance. She shares insights on how to identify and change negative self-talk, encouraging listeners to embrace authenticity…
- Listener Survey Results
Dave shares the results of the 2025 listener survey and previews future plans for Coaching for Leaders. Listeners can join the free membership for access to weekly updates and FocusFive messages.
- 761: Notice Disruption and Innovate Through It, with Steve Blank
Steve Blank, an Adjunct Professor at Stanford and co-founder of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, discusses disruption and innovation. He shares insights from his work on the Lean Startup movement and his article "B…
- 760: The Kind of Curiosity Leaders Often Miss, with Shannon Minifie
In this episode, Shannon Minifie, CEO of Box of Crayons, discusses the concept of relational curiosity and its importance for leaders. She explains how this type of curiosity can increase engagement, trust, and productivity in the workplac…
- 759: The Way to Build Collective Power, with Ruchika T. Malhotra
In this episode, Ruchika T. Malhotra, author of "Uncompete," discusses the benefits of collective collaboration over competition. She shares insights on building trust, fostering genuine relationships, and inviting others to create more op…
- 758: How to See What Others Miss, with Kirstin Ferguson
Kirstin Ferguson, author of "Blindspotting: How to See What Others Miss," discusses how to identify and address blind spots to improve leadership. She explores mindsets and practices that help uncover biases and offers insights on balancin…
- 757: The Key Elements of a Powerful Personal Brand, with Goldie Chan
Goldie Chan, author of "Personal Branding for Introverts," discusses the five essential elements for building a powerful personal brand. She offers insights on how to begin developing your own personal brand.
- 756: When It Feels Like You Don’t Belong, with Muriel Wilkins
In this episode of Coaching for Leaders, Muriel Wilkins discusses the common feeling of not belonging in leadership roles. She offers ways for leaders to break this cycle by defining their value, engaging with their teams, and building sup…
- 755: How to Lead a Meaningful Cultural Shift, with David Hutchens
In this episode, David Hutchens explains how leaders can utilize storytelling to foster shared meaning, maintain culture, and promote organizational change. He emphasizes the importance of moving beyond logistics and focusing on human and…
- 754: Five Steps to Solve a Problem, with Monica Chartier
In this episode, Monica Chartier discusses a five-step design thinking process for problem-solving. She outlines how to apply empathy, define the problem, ideate solutions, prototype, and adapt through testing.
- 753: The Key Norm of a High-Performing Team, with Vanessa Druskat
Vanessa Druskat, author of "The Emotionally Intelligent Team," discusses how belonging and mutual understanding are key norms for high-performing teams, beyond individual talent. She explains why leaders should prioritize fostering these e…
- 752: How to Start the Top Job, with Scott Keller
Scott Keller, a senior partner at McKinsey and co-author of "A CEO For All Seasons," shares advice on successfully starting a new leadership position. He emphasizes the importance of a listening tour and establishing a single narrative for…
- 751: Leadership Through Our Common Humanity, with Neil Ghosh
In this episode of Coaching for Leaders, Neil Ghosh shares insights on leadership and building impact. He discusses his book, "Do More Good," and emphasizes the importance of learning and growth across different perspectives.
- 750: Six Questions Every Leader Should Ask Themselves, with Margaret Andrews
In this episode, Margaret Andrews shares six questions leaders should ask themselves for self-understanding. She emphasizes that managing oneself is crucial for leading others effectively, drawing from her course MYLO (Manage Yourself to L…
- 749: How to Balance Positive and Constructive Feedback, with Mark Crowley
Mark Crowley joins Coaching for Leaders to discuss how to balance positive and constructive feedback. He highlights an ideal positivity ratio of 4:1 for supporting employee well-being while fostering growth.
- 748: What Really Matters for Team Success, with Colin Fisher
In this episode, Colin Fisher discusses what really matters for team success. He explains that 60% of group effectiveness is determined by structure, 30% by launch, and 10% by expert coaching. Fisher also shares insights from his book, "Th…
- 747: How to Get Out of a Rut, with Anne-Laure Le Cunff
In this episode of Coaching for Leaders, Anne-Laure Le Cunff, neuroscientist and author, explores how to overcome ruts through tiny experiments. She explains how focusing on small outputs and using tools like "Plus Minus Next" can help in…
- 746: How to Make Small Talk with Executives, with Lorraine K. Lee
In this episode of Coaching for Leaders, Lorraine K. Lee shares strategies for effective small talk with executives. She offers guidance on preparing for conversations, maintaining positive energy, and creating balanced interactions.
- 745: How Music Can Help Us Lead, with Mort Sherman
Mort Sherman, former Senior Associate Executive Director of the American Association of School Administrators and co-author of "Resonant Minds," explores the transformative power of music in leadership. Learn how to use music to nurture te…
- 744: Where Being Selfish is Better, with Jenny Wood
Jenny Wood, who had an 18-year career at Google, discusses how being "selfish" can be beneficial for leaders. She redefines selfishness as having the courage to pursue what you want, and advises leaders against over-committing to their org…
- 743: How to Teach Your Expertise to Others, with Roger Kneebone
Roger Kneebone, author of Expert: Understanding the Path to Mastery, joins the show to discuss how experts can effectively teach their knowledge to others. He shares insights on recognizing expertise, focusing on key learning areas, and th…
- 742: The Problem Leaders Have With Authenticity, with Sabina Nawaz
Sabina Nawaz, an executive coach, discusses authenticity in leadership. She explores how leaders sometimes use authenticity as an excuse rather than calibrating their actions and offers insights on how to avoid this trap and show up more g…
- 741: Getting Better at Transparency, with Minda Harts
Minda Harts, bestselling author and workplace consultant, discusses the importance of transparency in the workplace. She shares insights on how leaders can communicate more effectively, even when delivering difficult news, and build trust…
- 740: How to Lead Organizational Change, with Michael Bungay Stanier
In this episode, Michael Bungay Stanier, author of "The Coaching Habit," discusses how to lead organizational change. He shares insights on approaching change, including key mindsets, starting points, and the importance of experimentation…
- 739: What Leaders Should Learn from Taylor Swift, with Kevin Evers
In this episode of Coaching for Leaders, Kevin Evers, Senior Editor at Harvard Business Review, explores the strategic genius of Taylor Swift. He discusses how her approach to fan engagement, adaptability, and antifragility offers valuable…
- 738: How to Partner Well with AI, with Faisal Hoque
Faisal Hoque, author of "Transcend," discusses how leaders can effectively partner with AI. He highlights the importance of asking better questions, maintaining a beginner's mindset, and embracing uncertainty when working with AI to unlock…
- 737: How to Fundraise for Leaders Who Never Wanted to Fundraise, with Alice Ferris
In this episode of Coaching for Leaders, Alice Ferris discusses how leaders can become more effective at fundraising. She shares insights on strategic planning, developing fundraising skills, and the practical execution needed to achieve f…