Transforming Brilliant Jerks into Leaders: Luis Velasquez’s Coaching Strategies and Resilience

My guest for Episode #299 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Luis Velasquez, an executive coach in Silicon Valley and a Stanford Graduate School of Business facilitator. He's also the founder of Velas Consulting.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Once a university professor and research scientist, Luis helps mid-level managers to C-suite executives around the world learn, adapt, grow, and thrive by helping them how to reframe their challenges and take the most beneficial next step. 

His new book, available now, is Ordinary Resilience: Rethinking How Effective Leaders Adapt And Thrive.

Luis is a contributor to Harvard Business Review and Fast Company, and was featured in best-selling author Dorie Clark’s book, The Long Game. An avid endurance athlete, he runs marathons, ultra marathons, and ironman triathlons. 

In today's episode, Luis shares his journey from being a university professor and research scientist to becoming a trusted leadership coach in Silicon Valley and a facilitator for the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Luis discusses his new book, Ordinary Resilience: Rethinking How Effective Leaders Adapt and Thrive, and outlines his unique resilience formula—commitment plus persistence multiplied by optimism. He explains that resilience isn't about bouncing back but about unlocking the inherent ability to adapt and thrive by continuously reframing challenges and learning from experiences.

Luis also opens up about a significant mistake in his coaching career. He recounts a time when he delivered 360-degree feedback in a way that was too direct and decontextualized, which led a client to become defensive and ultimately resulted in his contract being terminated. This experience taught him the importance of providing feedback within the context of an individual’s aspirations and personal growth, rather than simply relaying raw perceptions.

The conversation further explores his approach to transforming challenging personalities—like the so-called “brilliant jerks”—into effective leaders, and how embracing and learning from mistakes is key to unlocking resilience and driving both personal and professional growth.

Questions and Topics:

• How long is an ultramarathon compared to a standard 26.1-mile marathon?
• Given your diverse career, what is your favorite mistake—and what did you learn from it?
• Should we express our degree of certainty when stating facts?
• How do you define resilience in leadership?
• How do you identify and connect with high-value, challenging employees—is it via referrals or direct outreach?
• How often do you coach not only the “brilliant jerk” but also intervene with their teams?
• What role does fear play as a catalyst for growth—is it simply about reframing it?
• Have you observed leaders effectively fostering optimism among their teams?
• What does “embrace the suck” mean to you, and why is it a pivotal concept in your book?