
Coaching for Leaders
Leaders aren’t born, they’re made. This Monday show helps you discover leadership wisdom through insightful conversations. Independently produced weekly since 2011, Dr. Dave Stachowiak brings perspective from a thriving, global leadership academy, plus more than 15 years of leadership at Dale Carnegie. Bestselling authors, expert researchers, deep conversation, and regular dialogue with listeners have attracted 40 million downloads and over 250K followers on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Activate your FREE membership to access the entire leadership and management library at CoachingforLeaders.com
Latest episodes

Feb 11, 2019 • 39min
395: How to Create Meaningful Gatherings, with Priya Parker
Priya Parker: The Art of Gathering
Priya Parker is a facilitator, strategic advisor, and founder of Thrive Labs, at which she helps activists, elected officials, corporate executives, educators, and philanthropists create transformative gatherings. She is the author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters*.
Key Points
What creates meaning in a gathering is conversation, not the functional details of the event.
We’re often not totally clear on the purpose of our gatherings.
We don’t need to gather more often, but we need to do a better job when we do gather.
Resources Mentioned
The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters* by Priya Parker
The Modern Manager podcast
Book Notes
Download my highlights from The Art of Gathering in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
Use Power for Good and Not Evil, with Dacher Keltner (episode 254)
Have Conversations That Matter, with Celeste Headlee (episode 344)
How to Plan Meetings That Get Results, with Mamie Kanfer Stewart (episode 358)
The Path of Humble Leadership, with Edgar Schein (episode 363)
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Feb 9, 2019 • 30min
394: Create Results Through Personal Leadership, with Kevin McCurdy
Kevin McCurdy
Kevin McCurdy is the Chief Operating Officer of Auto-Chlor System and a longtime listener of the show.
Key Points
Think about the impact you’re having on people and if it’s really the impact you want to have.
Don’t always show up with your own solution, come with the intention to learn and discover the best solution together.
Truly listen to people instead of just thinking about what you want to say to back to them.
Resources Mentioned
The Look and Sound of Leadership
The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier*
Related Episodes
Three Steps To Soliciting Feedback with Tom Henschel (episode 107)
How to Tame Your Inner Critic, with Tara Mohr (episode 232)
The Way to Stop Rescuing People From Their Problems, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 284)
Executive Presence with Your Elevator Speech, with Tom Henschel (episode 316)
A Useful Mindset for New Leaders, with Mark Ipaviz (episode 375)
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Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Feb 4, 2019 • 30min
393: How to Co-Manage With Peers and More Questions, with Bonni Stachowiak
Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed
Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She joins me monthly to respond to listener questions.
Listener Questions
Evelyn asked if you need to be a caretaker first before moving to become a rainmaker.
Samantha wondered if you should always try to save someone who has elected to leave.
Tammy wanted to know our advice for managing along with peers who have different styles.
David asked for our advice for managing student workers.
Resources Mentioned
Drive* by Daniel Pink
Employee Resignations: Counter Offer or Say Goodbye?
When Talent Quits, Don’t Be A Jerk
Related Episodes
An Astronaut’s Guide To Life On Earth with Chris Hadfield (episode 149)
How To Lead The Millennials, with Chip Espinoza (episode 158)
How Superbosses Master the Flow of Talent, with Sydney Finkelstein (episode 236)
What to Do When Somebody Quits, with Molly Moseley (episode 251)
How to Lead Part-Time Staff, with Chris Deferio (episode 289)
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Jan 28, 2019 • 36min
392: Why Men Are Heard and Women Are Liked, with Lois Frankel and Tom Henschel
In this enlightening discussion, guests Lois Frankel and Tom Henschel tackle the disparities in workplace dynamics between men and women. Frankel, a bestselling author and leadership coach, highlights the unique contributions of women, while Henschel emphasizes the responsibility of men to advocate for their female colleagues. They explore unconscious bias, the importance of self-confidence for women, and how corporate culture can foster inclusivity. Together, they inspire listeners to reflect on their roles in promoting gender equity.

9 snips
Jan 21, 2019 • 37min
391: Getting Better at Empathy, with Daniel Goleman
Daniel Goleman: Emotional Intelligence
In 1995, Daniel Goleman published the blockbuster bestselling book Emotional Intelligence*, a book that now has more than 5 million copies in print worldwide in 40 different languages. He’s the author of a series of primers for the competencies of emotional and social intelligence, titled Building Blocks of Emotional Intelligence* and he’s the founder of the Emotional Intelligence Coaching Certification.
Key Points
The three types of empathy:
Cognitive empathy - you can sense what people are thinking
Emotional empathy - you can pick up on other people’s emotions
Empathic concern - people can tell you care about them
Resources Mentioned
Emotional Intelligence* by Daniel Goleman
Building Blocks of Emotional Intelligence* by Daniel Goleman et al.
A Force for Good* by Daniel Goleman and the Dalai Lama
Emotional and Social Competence Inventory
Emotional Intelligence Coaching Certification
Book Notes
Download my highlights from the Empathy primer in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Get the Ideal Team Player, with Patrick Lencioni (episode 301)
Have Conversations That Matter, with Celeste Headlee (episode 344)
Enhance Your Self-Awareness, with Daniel Goleman (episode 353)
The Power of Vulnerability in Leadership, with Jason Brooks (episode 385)
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Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Jan 14, 2019 • 39min
390: Move From Caretaker to Rainmaker, with May Busch
May Busch: Accelerate
May Busch enjoyed a 24-year career at Morgan Stanley, most recently as Chief Operating Officer for Europe. She chaired the firm’s European Diversity Council and was a member of Morgan Stanley’s European Management Committee. She is the author of the book Accelerate: 9 Capabilities to Achieve Success at Any Career Stage*. She’s also the host the Career Mastery Kickstart summit*.
Key Points
Steps to move from caretaker to rainmaker:
Identify the organization’s most important outcomes.
Figure out what you can take action on.
Create a safe space.
Learn from your network what will move the needle the most.
How to find the organization’s values:
Observe
Listen
Ask
Bonus Audio
How to help others become rainmakers
Resources Mentioned
Career Mastery Kickstart Summit*
Accelerate: 9 Capabilities to Achieve Success at Any Career Stage* by May Busch
Eisenhower Grid
Related Episodes
How to Succeed with Leadership and Management, with John Kotter (episode 249)
Three Steps to Great Career Conversations, with Russ Laraway (episode 370)
Leverage Your Defining Moments, with Lynne Whiteford (episode 372)
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Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Jan 7, 2019 • 39min
389: When to Appease a Peer and Questions, with Tom Henschel
Tom Henschel: The Look & Sound of Leadership
Tom Henschel of Essential Communications grooms senior leaders and executive teams. An internationally recognized expert in the field of workplace communications and self-presentation, he has helped thousands of leaders achieve excellence through his work as an executive coach and his top-rated podcast, The Look & Sound of Leadership.
Listener Questions
Caroline asked about whether she should appease a peer by interviewing someone she doesn’t think is a good fit.
Jane asked for suggestions on team diversity.
Susan asked about promoting engagement with her team when there is lots of reluctance.
Mariah wanted our advice on creating an orientation program for her team leads.
Resources Mentioned
StrengthsFinder (Gallup)
Leading Change* by John Kotter
Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
Influence* by Robert Cialdini
Three Steps to Great Career Conversations with Russ Laraway
Being the Boss * by Linda Hill and Kent Lineback
First, Break All the Rules* by Gallup
Related Episodes
Essentials of Adult Development, with Mindy Danna (episode 273)
StrengthsFinder Leadership Demands, with Lisa Cummings (episode 320)
Six Tactics for Extraordinary Performance, with Morten Hansen (episode 337)
How to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear (episode 376)
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Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Dec 31, 2018 • 38min
388: How to Protect Your Reputation, with Sharone Bar-David
Sharone Bar-David: Trust Your Canary
Sharone Bar-David is a leading Canadian expert on workplace incivility and author of Trust Your Canary: Every Leader’s Guide to Taming Workplace Incivility*. She is particularly passionate about her work with abrasive leaders — the highly talented people whose interpersonal style rubs people the wrong way and creates distress in the work environment.
Key Points
The three contexts that pose a risk:
Routine (To mitigate risks, Cultivate)
Sensitive (To mitigate risks, Calculate)
Problem (To minimize damage, Compensate)
Bonus Audio
How to not cross the line
Resources Mentioned
Trust Your Canary: Every Leader’s Guide to Taming Workplace Incivility*
Hey (We’re Not All) Guys! Why I Don’t Use “You Guys”
Related Episodes
How to Tame Workplace Incivility, with Sharone Bar-David (episode 210)
Use Power for Good and Not Evil, with Dacher Keltner (episode 254)
How to Manage Abrasive Leaders, with Sharone Bar-David (episode 290)
How to Make Inclusion Happen, with Deepa Purushothaman (episode 307)
Discover More
Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Dec 24, 2018 • 34min
387: How to Stop Having the Same Problems, with Corrinne Armour
Corrinne Armour: Leaders Who Ask
Corrinne is an accredited Master Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation and a certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming Practitioner. She’s the author and co-author of several leadership books, most recently Leaders Who Ask: Building a Fearless Culture by Telling Less and Asking More*.
Key Points
You’re not developing your people if you’re constantly giving them all the answers.
If you don’t have an awareness of something, you can’t change it.
Ask your reports, “What have you tried so far, and what do you think I’m going to tell you to do?”
Bonus Audio
Why being clever doesn’t always make you a better manager
Resources Mentioned
Leaders Who Ask: Building a Fearless Culture by Telling Less and Asking More*
Special book offer for Australian listeners (Use code: COACHINGFORLEADERS)
Free resources for leaders from Corrinne
Corrinne’s Leaders Who Ask program
Book Notes
Download my highlights from Leaders Who Ask in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Improve Your Coaching Skills, with Tom Henschel (episode 190)
These Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237)
The Way to Stop Rescuing People From Their Problems, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 284)
Discover More
Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

5 snips
Dec 17, 2018 • 38min
386: Unconscious Mistakes Women Make, with Lois Frankel
Lois Frankel, a bestselling author and executive coach, dives into the unconscious mistakes women make in the workplace. She discusses how societal conditioning often leads women to back down in competitive situations. Frankel highlights the importance of focusing on relationships during negotiations and the need to recognize how past experiences impact professional interactions. Additionally, she emphasizes that small behavioral changes can significantly enhance women's visibility and success at work, while also suggesting strategies to effectively negotiate financial outcomes.