Curious Minds at Work

Making changes in our own lives is hard enough. It’s even more challenging when we need to lead our teams or organizations to do it. That’s why I invited Dan Heath back to the podcast. Dan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Made to Stick, Switch, and The Power of Moments. This time he’s here to talk about his latest book, Reset: How to Change What’s Not Working. Dan shares powerful stories of leaders who’ve helped their teams and organizations make high-impact changes. He discusses the tools they used and leverage points they prioritized. This book takes change management to a whole other level.   Related Links What’s the Goal of the Goal? Dan Heath on Innovative Problem Solving (interview) Dan Heath on Creating Moments that Matter (interview) The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.

Most of us dislike networking. At its best, it’s exhausting. At its worst, it can feel inauthentic, even manipulative. But what if it didn’t have to be that way? What if, instead, we could focus on helping others in ways that, in the long run, benefit us, as well? Rosalind Chow is an associate professor of organizational behavior and theory at Carnegie Mellon University. She’s learned that when we use our status to sponsor others, we gain status and sponsorship for ourselves. Her findings can fundamentally change how we think – and feel - about networking. In this conversation, I talk to Rosalind about her book, The Doors You Can Open: A New Way to Network, Build Trust, and Use Your Influence to Create a More Inclusive Workplace. It’s an inspiring playbook for helping others – and ourselves. Related Links ‘Sponsorship’ – Not Mentorship – Will Help You Land a Job Out of College Interview with Alison Fragale The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.

Dan Dworkis, an emergency room physician and professor of emergency medicine, shares his expertise on leadership during high-pressure situations. He discusses the essential mindset required to navigate emergencies, distinguishing between 'crisis natives' and 'crisis tourists.' Dworkis emphasizes the Stoic philosophy of embracing fate and personal stories to foster team resilience. He also explores strategies like pre-mortems for anticipating challenges and the importance of curiosity in team dynamics. Ultimately, he highlights accepting imperfection as a means to facilitate progress.

As you move up in leadership roles, you gain more power. Initially, you may take it in stride, thinking it’s something you earned and something you’d never let get in the way of being the manager you want to be. But as the pressure to perform grows, the gap in power between you and your team creates blind spots that can erode these relationships. Former Microsoft executive and Fortune 500 coach, Sabina Nawaz, experienced these challenges in her own career and, today, she coaches executives working through them. It’s why she wrote the book, You’re the Boss: Become the Manager You Want to Be (and Others Need). And in this conversation, she shares tools to help leaders manage their blind spots. Related Links To Make a Habit, Try Micro Habits How to Build a Relationship between Your Employee and Your Boss Interview with Mithu Storoni on Working Smarter The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.

Managing up is crucial for your success. It’s about knowing your career goals and aligning them with your manager’s needs and priorities. Yet it’s a skill we’re rarely taught and one we rarely see done well.   For Melody Wilding, this gap in how to manage her career became clear when it caused her to lose her job. It’s what made her want to write her latest book, Managing Up: How to Get What You Need from the People in Charge. In this conversation we talk about how to get aligned with your manager on what’s most important to them in ways that also help you, how to engage in effective networking, and how to promote yourself in the workplace. Related Links Why Managing Up is the Most Critical Career Skill in 2025 4 Signs You’re too Emotionally Invested in Your Work (and How to Fix It) Skip-Level Meeting Success: How to Connect with Your Boss’s Boss The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.

In this insightful discussion, Charles Feltman, a leadership coach and author of "The Thin Book of Trust," unpacks trust as a complex, four-dimensional construct rather than a simple yes or no. He highlights how vulnerability intertwines with trust and outlines a framework of care, sincerity, reliability, and competence essential for fostering team dynamics. Feltman also dives into the neuroscience behind trust, emphasizing the importance of self-trust and effective communication in building strong workplace relationships.

We’re all virtual communicators. Even if we don’t work remotely, we’re texting, using social media, and making phone calls. But the question is, are we good at it? Do we know the best practices that can set us apart? Andrew Brodsky can teach us. He’s a management professor and virtual communication expert. In this episode, we discuss his book, Ping: The Secrets of Successful Virtual Communication. We talk about ways to build trust, increase likability, and manage digital conflicts. He shares insights we can immediately put into action. Related Links Your Company is Watching You. And Probably Doing It All Wrong. The Rules for Making a Good Impression on Zoom and Emails No, Remote Employees Aren’t Becoming Less Engaged The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.

In this engaging discussion, Chris Lipp, the author of "The Science of Personal Power," shares his insights on finding true inner strength. He emphasizes that personal power stems from self-belief and responsibility, rather than external titles or wealth. Listeners will learn how curiosity fuels personal empowerment and leadership, and how to navigate challenging social interactions. Chris also offers practical strategies for building confidence in high-stakes situations, all aiming to create a more fulfilling life anchored in internal rather than external validation.

Adam Galinsky is a social psychologist and the Paul Calello Professor of Leadership and Ethics at Columbia Business School. He believes leaders are made, not born, and he’s spent decades proving it. In this interview, we talk about his findings and how they apply to today’s leaders. We also discuss his latest book, Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others. In it, he shares three characteristics people repeatedly bring up when describing truly great leaders: they act as visionaries, exemplars, and mentors. Adam’s written an insightful guide for current and aspiring leaders looking to take their craft to the next level. Related Links How to be an Inspirational Force in an Infuriating World One Small and Powerful Thing You Can Do to be a More Inspiring Leader Interview with leadership expert Frances Frei The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.

Conversations play a big role in our personal and professional lives. It’d be hard to build or maintain a relationship without them.   That’s why Alison Wood Brooks, Harvard Business School Professor and conversation expert, has written the book, Talk: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves. She’s found that if we improve our conversations, even a little, the results can be game changing. In this interview, we talk about the framework she’s developed to help us do that. We also discuss how to improve our one-on-one and group conversations. Finally, we learn effective ways to manage difficult conversations, including apologies. Related Links How to Have the Perfect Conversation – and Why It’s Good for You Desperate for Better Dialogue? Interview with Jeff Wetzler on Deepening Connections The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.