Coaching for Leaders

John Piñeiro, regional sales director, discusses transitioning from peers to manager, incorporating 'Start with Why' and leading with purpose, improving communication and shifting perspectives, discovering and tracking helpful podcast episodes, and his training program covering managing former peers, starting with why, moving the numbers, and creating team guidelines.

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. Questions Emily asked about strategies for growing her career while planning for a future family. Patrick asked our advice on how to communicate effectively when multiple cultures are represented in the room. Scott wondered about the best ways to transition to leading an accounting team, without having that expertise himself. Jennifer asked how she could move up into an executive position. Brian wanted to know what he could do to prevent managers from venting to their employees. Resources Mentioned Mind the (Wage) Gap from HBR Women at Work slide:ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations* by Nancy Duarte Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery* by Garr Reynolds Slidedocs Slideuments So Good They Can’t Ignore You* by Cal Newport Related Episodes How to Listen When Someone Is Venting, with Mark Goulston (episode 91) How to Make Deep Work Happen, with Cal Newport (episode 233) How to Influence Cross-Culturally, with Erin Meyer (episode 286) Notice and Change Dysfunctional Culture, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 327) The Path to Start Leading Your Team, with John Piñeiro (episode 349) How to Create a Team Vision (MemberCast 4) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

David Burkus: Friend of a Friend David Burkus is a best-selling author, a sought-after speaker, and an associate professor of leadership and innovation at Oral Roberts University. His TED talk has been viewed over 1.8 million times, he is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, and he’s now listed on Thinkers50. He’s just released his new book, Friend of a Friend*. Key Points Networking should not just be about meeting total strangers. Constantly providing value to your network doesn’t mean you have to be close friends with everyone. It’s impossible to maintain close ties with everyone in your network. Don’t just rely on close connections, because they’re likely in the same circles as you. Weak ties are more likely to provide valuable information. When networking, it’s fine to start with your close connections to warm up, but you can’t stop there. Don’t let your connections get too dormant — regularly engage with them. Follow people on social media to know what’s going on in their lives, and then send them a personal message. Make your inner circle diverse to be sure you’re getting the wide-ranging insight you need. A diverse network will give you information you wouldn’t otherwise have. Resources Mentioned Friend of a Friend* by David Burkus How To Give and Get The Introductions That Will Transform Your Life and Your Career Book Notes Download my highlights from Friend of a Friend in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes How Superbosses Master the Flow of Talent, with Sydney Finkelstein (episode 236) New Management Practices of Leading Organizations, with David Burkus (episode 253) How to Deal With the Diminishers, with Liz Wiseman (episode 305) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Robbie Samuels: Croissants vs. Bagels Robbie Samuels has been recognized as a networking expert by Inc. and Lifehacker, and is the author of Croissants vs. Bagels: Strategic, Effective, and Inclusive Networking at Conferences.* He’s a member of the National Speakers Association and has been speaking on the topic of inclusive networking for over a decade. He also hosts the On the Schmooze podcast. Key Points If you’re brand new to a conference, scan the floor and look for welcoming people. If you don’t see anyone, get in a line somewhere to meet people. If you’re a regular at the conference, think of yourself as a host. A lot of networking success is about preparation. When you go into a session early, don’t just hop on your phone. Talk to people. When a line forms to talk to a speaker, work the line. It’s a great opportunity for networking. Organizing a networking event at a conference is a great way to meet people. Resources Mentioned 10 Tips for Conference Connections Croissants vs. Bagels* by Robbie Samuels Contactually Quiet* by Susan Cain Book Notes Download my highlights from Croissants vs. Bagels in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes The Secret To Success At Conferences, with Charles Max Wood (episode 73) Get ROI From Professional Associations, with John Corcoran (episode 209) Executive Presence with Your Elevator Speech, with Tom Henschel (episode 316) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Cameron Herold: Vivid Vision Cameron Herold is the founder of the COO Alliance and the author of several books including Meetings Suck* and The Miracle Morning for Entrepreneurs*, co-authored with Hal Elrod. His new book is Vivid Vision: A Remarkable Tool For Aligning Your Business Around a Shared Vision of the Future*. Key Points If you don’t have a good idea of where you want to be going, opportunities could pull you away from what you should be doing. When you’re clear on your direction, you’ll be able to say yes to the right opportunities and no to the wrong opportunities. Most leaders have a vision but they just don’t communicate it clearly. A Vivid Vision is a 4-5 page statement, written in the present tense, about where you see your company in three years. Create a vivid vision for the whole company and individual ones for each business area. Dream up what you’re looking to build and then put together the team and resources to help you do it. Just focus on what you want to do, don’t worry about how you’re going to do it. Resources Mentioned Vivid Vision: A Remarkable Tool For Aligning Your Business Around a Shared Vision of the Future* by Cameron Herold The Miracle Morning for Entrepreneurs* by Hal Elrod and Cameron Herold Book Notes Download my highlights from Vivid Vision in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes Start With Why, with Simon Sinek (episode 223) How to Lead Through Uncertainty and Change, with Jacqueline Farrington (episode 224) Ignite Change Through Storytelling, with Nancy Duarte and Patti Sanchez (episode 268) How to Create a Team Vision (MemberCast 4) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Award-winning journalist Celeste Headlee discusses the politicization of decisions, importance of listening in conversations, and need for empathy. She emphasizes honesty when unsure, finding common ground with questions, and the value of genuine connection. Resources mentioned include her book 'We Need to Talk' and TED Talk on better conversations.

Jordan Harbinger: The Jordan Harbinger Show Jordan Harbinger is the critically acclaimed host of The Jordan Harbinger Show. He interviews legendary musicians to intelligence operatives, iconoclastic writers to visionary change-makers. Then he deconstructs the playbooks of the most successful people and challenges his audience to use those insights in their own lives. Key Points Leaders must be advocates for their team. Charming a superior is typically only good for short-term gains, whereas advocating for your team will lay a foundation for future success. Research people you’re nervous about meeting, and the more you learn, the more you’ll begin to see they’re just normal people. If you’re running a meeting, people want you to set the agenda and control the flow. When there is a power distance, do whatever you can to make the distance feel smaller. Research the person you’re going to meet with and find something you have in common. This is a way to reach out to them and make you stand out. Resources Mentioned The Jordan Harbinger Show Related Episodes How to Listen When Someone Is Venting, with Mark Goulston (episode 91) Eight Ways To Use Power For Good (episode 154) Use Power for Good and Not Evil, with Dacher Keltner (episode 254) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Brenda Bernstein, Founder of The Essay Expert and author of the best-selling book on LinkedIn profiles, shares her expertise on maximizing LinkedIn for networking. She emphasizes the importance of personalizing connection requests and contributing valuable content. Brenda highlights the platform’s visibility in Google and offers strategies for showcasing professional influence. She also discusses using LinkedIn for student internships, reinforcing that LinkedIn is more than a resume—it's about building authentic connections and engaging actively with others.

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. In this conversation, Tom shares the strategies he uses to help executive leaders benefit from 360 degree feedback. You will discover the right mindset to enter into, effective ways to process 360 degree feedback, and what to do going forward. Key Points A 360 gives you feedback from people above you, your peers, and people below you. 360s can be career transformative. A 360 almost always goes alongside coaching. 360s are not a performance management tool. If 360s are not done well, they can become dangerous and people are very cautious giving real feedback. Don’t try to figure out who said what. Instead, focus on the overall themes. The results of a 360 generally should not be totally new information for receivers. They’ve probably already heard the feedback before. Bonus Audio How to select your 360 raters A few of Tom’s best 360 stories Resources Mentioned DiSC Inventory Myers-Briggs Type Indicator StrengthsFinder Related Episodes Three Steps to Soliciting Feedback, with Tom Henschel (episode 107) How to Improve Your Coaching Skills, with Tom Henschel (episode 190) How to Grow Your Professional Network, with Tom Henschel (episode 279) Executive Presence With Your Elevator Speech, with Tom Henschel (episode 316) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Liz Wiseman: Rookie Smarts Liz Wiseman is listed on the Thinkers50 ranking and named as one of the top 10 leadership thinkers in the world and recipient of the 2016 ATD Champion of Talent Award. She is the author of three best-selling books, including Multipliers* and Rookie Smarts*. Key Points When we’re outside of our area of expertise, we have a leaner’s advantage that helps us think outside the box. When veterans look at tough situations, they look inside. Rookies look to the outside, which often makes them more flexible and creative. It’s more critical to be able to access what’s in other people’s heads than to keep everything in your own. In today’s fast-paced world, we’re constantly doing things that have no precedent. In this environment, it’s better to be a quick learner than to try to know everything. When we make mistakes but admit and then fix them, we end up with even happier customers and stakeholders. It’s good for you to say yes to things you don’t totally know how to do because it keeps you in a healthy rookie mindset. Resources Mentioned Living and Working With Child-like Wonder (Liz’s TED talk) Rookie Smarts* by Liz Wiseman Multipliers* by Liz Wiseman Book Notes Download my highlights from Rookie Smarts in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes How to Get Way Better at Accepting Feedback, with Sheila Heen (episode 143) How to Manage Former Peers, with Tom Henschel (episode 257) How to Lead Part-Time Staff, with Chris Deferio (episode 289) How to Deal With the Diminishers, with Liz Wiseman (episode 305) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.