PPP 473 | Beyond the Hype: The Science of Impactful Leadership, with Jeffrey Hull & Margaret Moore

Summary

In this episode, Andy welcomes Jeffrey Hull and Margaret Moore, co-authors of The Science of Leadership: Nine Ways to Expand Your Impact. Drawing from over 50 years of leadership research and tens of thousands of studies, Jeff and Meg offer an accessible roadmap for leaders who want to grow in meaningful, evidence-based ways. As coaches and leaders at the Institute of Coaching, they distill complex research into nine practical leadership capacities that help you expand your impact while staying grounded.

In this conversation, they unpack what it means to be a conscious leader and why self-awareness is essential. You’ll hear how cultural context affects leadership perceptions, what it takes to be ready to grow, and how to quiet the "ego noise" that can derail your effectiveness. Whether you're managing a team across time zones or parenting in today’s high-pressure environment, the insights from this episode are deeply practical and immediately usable.

If you're looking for insights on how to lead with more clarity, authenticity, and impact, this episode is for you!

Sound Bites

• "Leadership isn’t about you as much as it is about your impact on others."
• "Motivation and confidence are twin engines that power real growth."
• "Quieting your ego doesn’t make you less effective. It gives you clarity."
• "Cultural norms can shape how leadership is perceived, but respect always translates."
• "Transformational leadership isn’t about having a vision. It’s about co-creating one."
• "Parenting is leadership. And it’s one of the best places to practice these capacities."
• "The book is a self-coaching tool for everyday leaders who want to grow with intention."

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:49 Start of Interview
• 02:00 What From Your Early Life Influenced How You Think About Leadership?
• 08:00 What Types of Leadership Books Make You Shake Your Head?
• 11:08 What Do You Mean by Leadership?
• 17:30 How Do We Know If We're Ready to Grow as Leaders?
• 21:00 How Do Cultural Norms Affect the Practice of These Capacities?
• 25:45 What Does It Mean to Be a Conscious Leader?
• 35:00 What Is a Quiet Ego, and How Do You Quiet Ego Noise?
• 38:30 What Does Transformational Leadership Look Like in Practice?
• 40:30 A Practical Way to Develop This Capacity
• 45:28 What Can Parents Learn From This Book to Lead Better at Home?
• 48:46 End of Interview
• 49:20 Andy Comments After the Interview
• 53:00 Outtakes

Learn More

You can learn more about Jeff, Meg, and their work at ScienceOfLeadership.com.

For more learning on this topic, check out:

• Episode 344 with Peter Bregman about how you can change other people by setting the conditions under which they’re willing to change.
• Episode 416 with Jim Kouzes. He’s been with us four times, each episode exploring research-driven insights on leadership.
• Episode 252 with Marcus Buckingham about the Nine Lies we believe about work and leadership, and what to do about them.

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Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast!

Talent Triangle: Power Skills

Topics: Leadership, Self-Awareness, Coaching, Organizational Behavior, Servant Leadership, Team Culture, Feedback, Psychological Safety, Confidence, Change Readiness, Authenticity, Conscious Leadership, Project Management

The following music was used for this episode:

Music: Echo by Alexander Nakarada License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Fashion Corporate by Frank Schroeter License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license