I’ve been doing this Rising Leader program, podcast, and book, and I’ve been talking, eating, drinking, and sleeping leadership—which is why I think I recently had the weirdest dream. In it, after having gone through a bloody battle, I was crawling. After so much crawling, I came to the feet of God—who, in this dream, appears as a woman—and she gave me a pearl of great wisdom about leadership.In this episode, I discuss what I realized about leadership after journaling about my dream. I also describe why leadership is a decision and a personal choice you make and underscore how to be the person you need to be to get the job done.“You’re a leader because you choose to be—because you stand up. You’re the leader because you’ve crawled the furthest: because you have the gumption to be the leader.” - Mark J. SilvermanThis week on The Rising Leader Podcast:What makes a leaderWhy leadership isn’t a big dealHow leadership is a skill you can learnTraining on the job and the willingness to elevate othersGrab Your FREE Copy: Only 10s BookAre you a busy executive or organizational leader? Do you regularly feel overwhelmed by your to-do list or constantly feel like you’re putting out fires instead of getting the right things done?Then, friend, you need to grab a free copy of my bestselling book, Only 10s: Using Distraction to Get the Right Things Done. This free copy is currently available to all U.S. residents.It’s time to get things off your to-do list and focus on the things that are important to you each day.To grab your free copy of Only 10s, visit www.markjsilverman.com/booksLeader, It’s Time to Rise!Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart RadioBe sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners, like you.Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website.

Michael D. Robinson is the Vice President of Healthcare for North America at VMware, a leading provider of multi-cloud services for all apps—enabling digital innovation with enterprise control. A tech industry veteran, Michael has driven hundreds of thousands in revenue, created billion-dollar business divisions, and supported scores of sales careers. He formerly served as the Vice President for US Health and Life Sciences at Microsoft, where he worked for over 14 years before joining Year Up as an Executive Director in 2016. In addition to his work at VMware, Michael is a managing partner at micro ventures, LLC. and works as the Board Director of NovoDynamics, where he serves as a trusted advisor to the CEO.Michael joins me today to offer his ideas on leadership, authenticity, and aligning with your values. He shares leadership principles from his time in the military that he applies in his work today. He describes how he found his knack for developing other people. He explains how authenticity can help people gravitate toward you and be open to your advice and describes how diversity creates momentum and velocity for organizations. Michael also highlights the value of being true to your convictions and underscores navigating systematic oppression as an African American in corporate America.“The hardest thing as a leader is being accountable and making those course corrections when needed. You have to be on the hook and be accountable yourself.” - Michael D. RobinsonThis week on The Rising Leader Podcast:People capital and the treasure of the relationships I builtMichael’s background and how he became a leader of organizationsManaging up and how Michael discovered that he had a knack for developing other peopleHelping other leaders develop a passion for peopleWhat inspires Michael to create other leadersThe hardest challenges Michael met in the early stages of his leadership careerSpeaking your mind while moving up through the ranksAligning with your values and being confident in your abilities as a leaderMichael’s thoughts on navigating “coop-petition”Being an intrapreneur and getting a business within a business to follow the culture you want to cultivateStaying true to yourself and navigating systematic oppression in organizationsConnect with Michael D. Robinson:VMwareVMware on LinkedInVMware on FacebookVMware on TwitterMichael D. Robinson on LinkedInGrab Your FREE Copy: Only 10s BookAre you a busy executive or organizational leader? Do you regularly feel overwhelmed by your to-do list or constantly feel like you’re putting out fires instead of getting the right things done?Then, friend, you need to grab a free copy of my bestselling book, Only 10s: Using Distraction to Get the Right Things Done. This free copy is currently available to all U.S. residents.It’s time to get things off your to-do list and focus on the things that are important to you each day.To grab your free copy of Only 10s, visit www.markjsilverman.com/booksLeader, It’s Time to Rise!Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart RadioBe sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners, like you.Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website.

Mark C. Crowley is an author, leadership speaker, consultant, and change agent for workplace engagement and culture. He is a regular columnist for Fast Company Magazine and has been published in USA Today, Reuters, Forbes, and the Stanford Social Innovation Review, among other publications. The second edition of his book, Lead from the Heart: Transformational Leadership for the 21st Century, debuted in August 2022 as a #1 Amazon Release. Lead from the Heart has been taught in 10 American universities—including the educational Ph.D. program at the University of Massachusetts Global and the MBA program at the University of Iowa—while his podcast of the same name has ranked in the top 1.5% of all podcasts in the world, with listeners from over 163 countries. Before becoming an author and professional public speaker, Mark worked in financial services and served as the Senior Vice President of Sales Leadership at WaMu Investment Services, Inc. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in English American Literature from UC San Diego and graduated from the graduate-level financial management and leadership program at the University of Washington, Pacific Coast Banking School. Mark joins me today to discuss the power of leading from the heart. He shares his background and why he needs to spread his message. He explains why people are resistant to the idea of leading from the heart. He discusses how we bring our childhood selves into the boardroom. Mark also outlines the four practices related to leading from the heart and highlights the power of letting people know that the work they do is consistently and openly appreciated. “There’s no heart in the business world. It’s all about the mind, rational thinking, analytics, and we’re not at all thinking about the human. We have to come back and bring the heart and the mind into balance.” - Mark C. Crowley This week on The Rising Leader Podcast: ●     Why leaders need to bring heart into the workplace●     The difference between being nice and leading from the heart while being effective●     Dealing with animosity while leading with an open heart in a cutthroat environment●     The satisfaction and importance of knowing who you are●     Operating with our childhood selves in the boardroom●     Grounding and centering yourself when dealing with big, messy egos●     The breakdown that turned me into a coach●     Hiring people for their heart●     Getting to know people personally●     Supporting growth and development●     Institutionalizing recognition, acknowledgment, and appreciation Connect with Mark C. Crowley: ●     Mark C. Crowley Website●     Book: Lead From The Heart: Transformational Leadership For The 21st Century●     Mark C. Crowley on LinkedIn●     Mark C. Crowley on Twitter Grab Your FREE Copy: Only 10s Book Are you a busy executive or organizational leader? Do you regularly feel overwhelmed by your to-do list or constantly feel like you’re putting out fires instead of getting the right things done? Then, friend, you need to grab a free copy of my bestselling book, Only 10s: Using Distraction to Get the Right Things Done. This free copy is currently available to all U.S. residents. It’s time to get things off your to-do list and focus on the things that are important to you each day. To grab your free copy of Only 10s, visit www.markjsilverman.com/books  Leader, It’s Time to Rise! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners, like you. Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website. 

Michael Bungay Stanier is at the forefront of making coaching an everyday leadership behavior.  He is the author of The Coaching Habit ... the best-selling coaching book of this century with over 700,000 copies sold and 1,000+ five-star reviews on Amazon. His new book, The Advice Trap, focus on what it takes to stay curious a little bit longer and tame your Advice Monster.In 2019, he was named the #1 thought leader in coaching, and was shortlisted for the coaching prize by Thinkers50, the “Oscars of management”. He was a Rhodes Scholar.  Michael is also the founder of Box of Crayons ... a learning and development company that helps organizations transform from advice- driven to curiosity-led.Leaders need to be intentional now more than ever. People respond to the strongest signal in the room. They crave certainty (we all crave certainty) and often we can’t offer that. Michael brings his tool box to help us deepen our relationships and source the best leadership style in a time when all of us are not quite our best. Michael’s focus is on building curiosity-based cultures in organizations (and everywhere). Here he shows us that now is the perfect time for curiosity, presence and empathy are super powers.  “The hunger that people have, especially in a time like this is for certainty.” – Michael Bungay Stanier This week on The Rising Leader Podcast: ●     Relationship is the goal of leadership●     “I -It” Relationships vs “I – Though” Relationships●     People respond to the strongest signal in the room.●     Walking the line between the dark and the light to meet people where they are●     Why optimists died first in the concentration camps●     Curiosity leads to you being smarter, more compassionate, present and engaged.●     The Advice Monster – the enemy of curiosity○     The Tell It Monster○     The Save It Monster○     The Control It Monster  Connect with Michael:●     MBS.Works (Michael’s Website)●     The Advice Trap Resources●     How to Tame Your Advice Monster Tedx Talk   Grab Your FREE Copy: Only 10s Book Are you a busy executive or organizational leader? Do you regularly feel overwhelmed by your to-do list or constantly feel like you’re putting out fires instead of getting the right things done? Then, friend, you need to grab a free copy of my bestselling book, Only 10s: Using Distraction to Get the Right Things Done. This free copy is currently available to all U.S. residents. It’s time to get things off your to-do list and focus on the things that are important to you each day. To grab your free copy of Only 10s, visit www.markjsilverman.com/books  Leader, It’s Time to Rise! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners, like you. Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website. 

Beth Perlman is the Managing Director and Chief Information Officer Advisor at Think, a national technology and operations management consulting practice. As an experienced executive, Beth has an in-depth background in management combined with operational and administrative expertise. She is the former VP and Program Director at Gartner, where she worked with Fortune 100 C-level executives. She graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems and Finance. Beth joins me today to discuss the role of leaders as influencers. She describes her background and recounts how working under a poor leader inspired her to become a great leader. She explores the value of adapting your language according to the team you’re managing and explains how she evolved her language through trial and error and working with her peers. Beth also highlights why it’s okay to lose, underscores the value of forming coalitions in an organization, and offers advice on leading a team through a crisis. “As a leader, your job is about influence more than anything else. And once you build credibility, it’s easier to convince people.” - Beth Perlman This week on The Rising Leader Podcast: ●     Beth’s background and what inspired her to want to lead people●     The challenges she met as the teams she led got bigger●     Taking responsibility for your communication skills as a leader●     Stacking the deck, the power of building laterally, and using influence to form coalitions●     Fostering relationships at the C-suite level●     Why you need to avoid becoming your team’s bottleneck●     Having a safe space to hold conversations and face challenging questions as a group●     Building traction and what it takes to be a trusted advisor to the CEO●     “I” versus “we” and speaking with one voice●     Staying in the game when you’re getting beaten up●     Losing gracefully and the importance of always looking forward●     Minimizing business risk and leading your team through a crisis Resources Mentioned: ●     Podcast: The Unwritten Rules | Seeking Validation & Finding Your Career Fit with Beth Perlman Connect with Beth Perlman: ●     Think●     Think on LinkedIn●     Think on Facebook●     Think on Twitter●     Beth Perlman on LinkedIn Grab Your FREE Copy: Only 10s Book Are you a busy executive or organizational leader? Do you regularly feel overwhelmed by your to-do list or constantly feel like you’re putting out fires instead of getting the right things done? Then, friend, you need to grab a free copy of my bestselling book, Only 10s: Using Distraction to Get the Right Things Done. This free copy is currently available to all U.S. residents. It’s time to get things off your to-do list and focus on the things that are important to you each day. To grab your free copy of Only 10s, visit www.markjsilverman.com/books  Leader, It’s Time to Rise! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners, like you. Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website. 

William Branum is a Navy SEAL veteran and the founder of Naked Warrior Recovery. During his 26 years of service in the United States military, William has honed his leadership skills, cultivated his mindset, and gained invaluable experience in high-pressure situations. He served as a sniping instructor during his tenure. He led teams on several operations, from protecting interim Iraqi elected officials to undersea missions that required approval from the US President. After his service, William committed himself to share the lessons he learned with others as a speaker, author, business leader, and leadership advisor. His mission to serve others led him to found Naked Warrior Recovery, a CBD company focused on the recovery of veterans and first responders. William joins me today to discuss the NAKED mindset. He explains why he fears being onstage—despite his ability to go into military combat—and describes our daily war with mediocrity. He highlights the value of confronting fear and doing uncomfortable things. He explains why learning to follow is a crucial component of being a leader and reveals what’s missing in the leadership of many organizations. He also outlines three Navy SEAL leadership secrets and what it takes to lead a team of leaders. “The key to being a leader is being able to follow first.” - William Branum This week on The Rising Leader Podcast: ●     The importance of exposing and confronting fear●     Mediocrity and how to kill it●     Competing in kindness and gratitude●     Our responsibility to cultivate focus in a distracting world●     The NAKED mindset and the value of taking off your ego●     Saving a child in the Grand Canyon during a blizzard●     How learning that fatigue is an emotion can build discipline●     Driving culture in an organization and leading a team of leaders●     Addressing healthy and unhealthy conflicts between team members●     The impact of toxicity on organizations●     William’s work with veterans Resources Mentioned: ●     Podcast: Win the Day | Earn Your Trident Every Day with William Branum●     Book: Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention—and How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari●     Book: The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self by Michael Easter Connect with William Branum: ●     NW Recovery●     5 Seal Secrets●     William Branum on LinkedIn●     William Branum on Instagram●     Email: servuce@nw-recovery.com Grab Your FREE Copy: Only 10s Book Are you a busy executive or organizational leader? Do you regularly feel overwhelmed by your to-do list or constantly feel like you’re putting out fires instead of getting the right things done? Then, friend, you need to grab a free copy of my bestselling book, Only 10s: Using Distraction to Get the Right Things Done. This free copy is currently available to all U.S. residents. It’s time to get things off your to-do list and focus on the things that are important to you each day. To grab your free copy of Only 10s, visit www.markjsilverman.com/books   Leader, It’s Time to Rise! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners like you. Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website.

Anton Gunn is an international speaker, expert on leadership and workplace culture, and the world’s foremost authority on socially conscious leadership. A former advisor to President Barack Obama, Anton currently serves as the CEO of 937 Strategy Group LLC, a management consulting and professional services firm that helps executives and teams build world-class cultures in their organizations. Anton is also a former SEC football player and the first African American in history to be elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives from District 79. He holds a Master’s degree in Social Work and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of South Carolina. Anton joins us today to discuss the characteristics of great leaders and what it takes to build world-class companies. He describes his experience in advocacy work and explains how to help people believe in themselves by finding passion, purpose, and expertise to create opportunities. He highlights the power of understanding people and their motivations. Anton also explains why authenticity is essential when leading peers and outlines how leaders can transform their organization’s company culture in 100 days. “Serve first, then empower people. Give them the tools, information, and resources to determine their own destiny.” - Anton Gunn This week on The Rising Leader Podcast: ●     Anton’s origin story and the experiences that developed his mindset for leadership●     His advocacy and community organizing work and what it taught him about leadership●     The cornerstones of leadership and team culture●     The value of teaching people to believe in themselves●     How to build great teams in any organization●     How to make people believe in their potential as leaders●     Teaching others the importance of empathy and human connection●     Transforming your organization’s culture in your first 100 days as a leader●     “Cooper-tition” and leading among a group of powerful peers●     Service, empowerment, and legacy Resources Mentioned: ●     Podcast: Grow Strong Leaders and Teams: Leading from the Presidential Principles with Anton Gunn Connect with Anton Gunn: ●     Anton Gunn Website●     Book: Just Lead: 44 Actions to Break Down Barriers, Boost Your Retention, and Build a World-Class Culture●     937 Strategy Group on LinkedIn●     Anton Gunn on LinkedIn●     Anton Gunn on Instagram●     Anton Gunn on Facebook●     Anton Gunn on Twitter●     Email: Info@AntonGunn.com Grab Your FREE Copy: Only 10s Book Are you a busy executive or organizational leader? Do you regularly feel overwhelmed by your to-do list or constantly feel like you’re putting out fires instead of getting the right things done? Then, friend, you need to grab a free copy of my bestselling book, Only 10s: Using Distraction to Get the Right Things Done. This free copy is currently available to all U.S. residents. It’s time to get things off your to-do list and focus on the things that are important to you each day. To grab your free copy of Only 10s, visit www.markjsilverman.com/books Leader, It’s Time to Rise! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners, like you. Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website.

I do everything I can to be the best person I can be. I meditate, journal, and go to workshops, all to cultivate love and kindness in my heart and to be honest, fair, and supportive toward others. But, despite everything I do, I remain human—and being human means, I still screw up. I still let people down, hurt them, or even gossip. And at work—with all the ambition, pressure, and anxiety—it’s especially easy to screw up and neglect our emotional intelligence. Does this sound like you, too? Luckily, there’s a remedy. In this episode, I discuss Alcoholics Anonymous’ 10th Step—also known as the Personal Inventory—and what it teaches about what to do when we screw up. I also highlight the inevitability of making mistakes and share some instances in my life where I screwed up, let someone down, and took responsibility for it. “You can’t be perfect. You’re going to screw up. Expect it, and know that you can fix it. So go forth, go live your life and, if you screw up, fix it.” - Mark Silverman This week on The Rising Leader Podcast: ●     Imperfection and trying to be the best version of ourselves●     Why letting people down is inevitable●     AA’s 10th Step and how to make things right after screwing up Grab Your FREE Copy: Only 10s Book Are you a busy executive or organizational leader? Do you regularly feel overwhelmed by your to-do list or constantly feel like you’re putting out fires instead of getting the right things done? Then, friend, you must grab a free copy of my bestselling book, Only 10s: Using Distraction to Get the Right Things Done. This free copy is currently available to all U.S. residents. It’s time to get things off your to-do list and focus on the things that are important to you each day. To grab your free copy of Only 10s, visit www.markjsilverman.com/books Leader, It’s Time to Rise! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners like you. Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website.

John Sapone is the Senior Vice President of Sales at Snowflake, a technology company dedicated to mobilizing data with near-unlimited scale, concurrency, and performance. Before joining Snowflake in 2019, John served in various roles at ServiceNow, including Vice President Americas of Commercial Sales, Vice President of North America Commercial Sales, and Vice President of US Commercial Sales. He formerly served as the Vice President of Sales at Nimble Storage and Xsigo Systems, as well as the Divisional Vice President of Sales at EMC. He also worked as the Vice President of Sales at Data Domain before joining EMC in 2010. John graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Science degree in IST. John joins me today to discuss his career journey to becoming a sales leader. He describes how helping others succeed empowers him as a leader. He reveals the characteristics of a natural leader and explains the true responsibility of leaders. He discusses how knowing what you really want to achieve can help you gain trust as you move up an organization’s ranks and highlights the value of career experience. John also underscores the secrets to managing disputes in a team and what everyone needs to do to become a successful executive in a company. “Natural leaders lead naturally. When I’m watching a sales team from afar, I can tell you who’s going to be the next leader—the ones to whom their peers go.” - John Sapone This week on The Rising Leader Podcast: ●     John’s background and what made him want to be a sales leader●     How he rose as the Director of Sales at Data Domain●     John’s passion for empowering others●     The responsibility of leaders●     Leading among a group of peers and the characteristics of a natural leader●     Teaching others the value of collaboration over competition●     Butting heads in a leadership team and how to settle a dispute among peers●     Taking feedback from 360 reviews●     Becoming a “doer” and what it takes to be a trusted resource and go-to person●     Thinking about what success means and being true to yourself and your significant other Connect with John Sapone: ●     Snowflake●     Snowflake on LinkedIn●     Snowflake on YouTube●     Snowflake on Facebook●     Snowflake on Twitter●     John Sapone on LinkedIn Grab Your FREE Copy: Only 10s Book Are you a busy executive or organizational leader? Do you regularly feel overwhelmed by your to-do list or constantly feel like you’re putting out fires instead of getting the right things done? Then, friend, you need to grab a free copy of my bestselling book, Only 10s: Using Distraction to Get the Right Things Done. This free copy is currently available to all U.S. residents. It’s time to get things off your to-do list and focus on the things that are important to you each day. To grab your free copy of Only 10s, visit www.markjsilverman.com/books Leader, It’s Time to Rise! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners, like you. Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website.

Trying to convince your kids to eat more vegetables? Sales. Showing your significant other how much you love and value them? Sales. Convincing your team to get on board with a new idea? You’ve guessed it—sales. No matter where, how, or with whom, everything that we do in the world is sales. And many people—myself included—sometimes get upset at the idea that they must always sell, despite its usefulness as a skill. In this episode, I share why we may want to consider overcoming our resentment over sales skills. I explain why everyone needs a coach—or a friend to have in their corner. I also highlight the role of curiosity in becoming better communicators and why I refer to sales as “the process of enrollment.” “Let go of the resentment that you have to sell everywhere you go. Just know that being a human being is an enrollment process in everything.” - Mark Silverman This week on The Rising Leader Podcast: ●     Working on my Rising Leaders program●     How we use sales skills in our everyday lives●     Visible versus invisible work●     Turning selling into a game Resources Mentioned: ●     Book: The Unwritten Rules of Women's Leadership: Step into Your Power, Write Your Own Rules and Succeed in Your Career by Helen Appleby