Coaching for Leaders

By Dave StachowiakBusiness Careers Management

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Coaching for Leaders episodes

August 28, 2021 542: Align Your Work With Your Why, with Kwame Marfo
Kwame Marfo
Kwame Marfo is a director at Genentech in the San Francisco area. He is a graduate of the Coaching for Leaders Academy. He joins me in this episode to share how personal values can align intentionally with career choices.
Key Points
Kwame’s dad inspires the work he does today for others.
An effective way to connect with others is to ask what books and podcasts they are listening to. This value of curiosity also came from Kwame’s dad.
Getting diversity of leadership experience is useful to expand beyond an industry perspective.
Establishing a vision gives clarity to what’s most important.
Journaling has helped Kwame reflect on his life and illuminate gaps that lead to action.
Don’t trust the summary.
Resources Mentioned
UnCommon Law
Related Episodes
Start With Why, with Simon Sinek (episode 223)
Craft a Career to Fit Your Strengths, with Scott Anthony Barlow (episode 424)
How to Create Your Personal Vision (free membership required)
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37 min
August 23, 2021 541: Ten Years of Leadership, with Dave Stachowiak
Dave Stachowiak: Coaching for Leaders
In August of 2011, I started Coaching for Leaders as a small, side project. Ten years later, the show — and the community around it — have grown beyond my wildest expectations.
In this conversation, my friend Scott Anthony Barlow of Happen to Your Career celebrates the 10-year anniversary of Coaching for Leaders by interviewing me about my journey.
Key Points
I originally started the podcast as a side project to support a future transition into academia.
Three things that I focused on at the start that are still central today: useful conversations, audio quality, and consistency.
Focusing on quality and depth of conversations is more valuable than trying to hit everything.
I realized at some point that I needed to make an affirmative choice to grow the side project into a business.
Although I had considered a transition away from Dale Carnegie for years, my actual departure was (ironically) a non-event.
Behavior change is a painful but necessary step in the learning process.
There are two ways to bring light into the world. One is to be the light — the other is to reflect it.
Bonus Audio
What I've Learned About Learning
Resources Mentioned
Happen to Your Career
Related Episodes
How to Transform Your Limitations Into Advantages, with Mark Barden (episode 207)
Tom Henschel Interviews Dave (episode 300)
What High Performers Aren’t Telling You, with Scott Anthony Barlow (episode 466)
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39 min
August 16, 2021 540: How to Create Space, with Juliet Funt
Juliet Funt: A Minute to Think
Juliet Funt is a renowned keynote speaker and tough-love advisor to the Fortune 500 who is regularly featured in top global media outlets, including Forbes and Fast Company. She is the founder and CEO of The Juliet Funt Group, helping business leaders and organizations to unleash their full potential by unburdening talent from busywork.
She has earned one of the highest ratings in the largest leadership event in the world, and she has worked with brands such as Spotify, National Geographic, Costco, Pepsi, Nike, and many more. Her new book is titled, A Minute to Think: Reclaim Creativity, Conquer Busyness, and Do Your Best Work.
In this conversation, Juliet and I explore the four assets that many leaders bring to the workplace — and when taken too far, how these assets become risks. Juliet shares four questions we can ask of ourselves (and perhaps of others) that will surface where to start with finding space. Plus, we discuss some of the practical steps leaders can take to influence a culture of margin with their teams.
Key Points
The science is showing what many of us have experienced intuitively: space itself helps us to explore and expand possibility.
Key assets can, if overused, become risks. These risks manifest in four ways: overdrive, perfectionism, overload, and frenzy.
Four questions are useful starting points for controlling risk:
When the risk is overdrive, the question is:
Is there anything I can let go of?
When the risk is perfectionism, the question is:
Where is ‘good enough’, good enough?
When the risk is overload, the question is:
What do I truly need to know?
When the risk is frenzy, the question is:
What deserves my attention?
Resources Mentioned
The Busyness Test
A Minute to Think: Reclaim Creativity, Conquer Busyness, and Do Your Best Work* by Juliet Funt
Interview Notes
Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
The Power of Solitude, with Mike Erwin (episode 308)
How to Change Your Behavior, with BJ Fogg (episode 507)
How High Achievers Begin to Find Balance, with Michael Hyatt (episode 522)
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40 min
August 09, 2021 539: The Path Towards Trusting Relationships, with Edgar Schein and Peter Schein
Edgar Schein and Peter Schein: Humble Inquiry
Edgar Schein is Professor Emeritus of MIT's Sloan School of Management. He is the recipient of the Distinguished Scholar Practitioner Award from the Academy of Management, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Leadership Association, and the Lifetime Achievement Award in Organization Development from the International OD Network.
Peter Schein is COO of the Organizational Culture and Leadership Institute. He provides counsel to senior management on organizational development challenges facing private and public sector entities worldwide. He is a contributing author to the 5th edition of Organizational Culture and Leadership and co-author of Humble Leadership and The Corporate Culture Survival Guide.
The pair co-founded the Organizational Culture and Leadership Institute and have written several books together, including two in the Humble Leadership series. They’ve recently released the second edition of Humble Inquiry: The Gentle Art of Asking Instead of Telling*.
In this conversation, Edgar, Peter, and I explore the four relationship levels and invite leaders to move professional relationships from level 1 to level 2. A key entry point for this is to artfully reveal some of the things we tend to conceal. We discuss some practical steps to take — and the benefit for leaders and organizations.
Key Points
The four relationship levels:
Level –1: Domination/exploitation
Level 1: Transactional (professional distance)
Level 2: Personal (openness and trust)
Level 3: Intimacy
We all conceal things. A useful way to build a relationship is for people to open up more of their concealed selves.
A relationship is dance — improv if you will. We need to be willing to share the mic with the other party.
Open-ended questions like, “What’s different today?” can help people to show up in the way they want to.
Traditionally, we expected the person with more status to take the first step. That doesn’t necessarily need to be the case.
Notice your own motivations, interventions, and contributions to the relationship.
Resources Mentioned
Humble Inquiry: The Gentle Art of Asking Instead of Telling* by Edgar Schein and Peter Schein
The Organizational Culture and Leadership Institute
Interview Notes
Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
The Path of Humble Leadership, with Edgar Schein and Peter Schein (episode 363)
How to Ask Better Questions, with David Marquet (episode 454)
Your Leadership Motive, with Patrick Lencioni (episode 505)
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39 min
August 02, 2021 538: Help a Know-It-All Behave Better, with Mark Goulston
Mark Goulston: Talking to Crazy
Mark Goulston is a Founding Member of the Newsweek Expert Forum and a Marshall Goldsmith MG100 Coach, who works with founders, entrepreneurs and CEOs in dealing with and overcoming psychological and interpersonal obstacles to realizing their full potential.
He is the host of the My Wakeup Call podcast and was a UCLA professor of psychiatry for more than twenty years and is also a former FBI hostage negotiation trainer. One of his many bestselling books is Talking to 'Crazy': How to Deal with the Irrational and Impossible People in Your Life*.
In this conversation, Mark and I discuss some of the key principles that are effective in diffusing difficult or irrational behavioral. When that behavior is coming from someone who seems to be a know-it-all, we explore three steps that will help you guide them towards better behavior.
Key Points
In his book, Mark writes about know-it-alls:
They don’t say, “People think I’m a jerk, and I need to change my behavior.” Instead, they say, “People dislike me because they’re stupid and incompetent.” This convinces the know-it-alls that they need to double down on quashing the spirits of their victims.
If you treat people like they are nuts are you are not, they will just bite down deeper on their thinking. Lean into their irrationality to change the dynamic.
Most people react to know-it-alls by becoming defensive or sullen. You’re better to take to opposite approach.
Start by genuinely recognizing the talents and know-it-all brings to the workplace.
Lead a conversation about behavior change with them by first leading with a genuine compliment about their talents.
Once that is established, describe how their actions are self-defeating in a way that reinforces the strength you’ve highlighted.
Resources Mentioned
Talking to 'Crazy': How to Deal with the Irrational and Impossible People in Your Life* by Mark Goulston
My Wakeup Call podcast with Mark Goulston
Interview Notes
Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Listen When Someone Is Venting, with Mark Goulston (episode 91)
How to Manage Abrasive Leaders, with Sharone Bar-David (episode 290)
Where You May Be Provoking Anxiety, with Erica Dhawan (episode 528)
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33 min
July 26, 2021 537: How to Engage Remote Teams, with Tsedal Neeley
Tsedal Neeley: Remote Work Revolution
Tsedal Neeley is a professor at the Harvard Business School. Her work focuses on how leaders can scale their organizations by developing and implementing global and digital strategies. She has published extensively in leading scholarly and practitioner-oriented outlets and her work has been widely covered in media outlets such as the BBC, CNN, Financial Times, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, and The Economist.
She was named to the Thinkers50 On the Radar list for making lasting contributions to management and is the recipient of many other awards and honors for her teaching and research. She is the author of Remote Work Revolution: Succeeding from Anywhere*.
In this conversation, Tsedal and I explore what the research shows us about productivity and fear around remote work. We highlight three key principles that leaders can lean in on in order to engage remote teams better. Plus, Tsedal provides practical examples on how almost any leader can put these principles into action.
Key Points
The research has been clear for decades that employees are more productive working remotely.
Surveillance software and services are almost always a poor direction for leaders and organizations.
Leaders should structure unstructured time for informal interactions — and should be the ones who initiate these conversations.
Emphasize individuals and individual differences, even more so than you might in person. Avoid referring to people by their membership in subgroups.
In addition to not shutting down conflict, leaders in remote settings need to force it, so the best ideas can emerge on the team.
Resources Mentioned
Remote Work Revolution: Succeeding from Anywhere* by Tsedal Neeley
Tsedal Neeley’s website
Interview Notes
Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)
Transitioning to Remote Leadership, with Tammy Bjelland (episode 509)
The Way Out of Major Conflict, with Amanda Ripley (episode 529)
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37 min
July 19, 2021 536: How to Make One-on-Ones Valuable, with Jonathan Raymond
Jonathan Raymond: Good Authority
Jonathan Raymond is the founder of Refound, where he and his team work with organizations to create a company culture based in personal growth. He’s the author of the book Good Authority: How to Become the Leader Your Team Is Waiting For*. He's also the creator of the Accountability Dial and the courses Good Accountability and Good Alignment.
In this conversation, Jonathan and I discuss the importance of starting with the purpose for a role when considering how to approach one-on-ones. We frame the importance of elevation and linking professional activities with personal growth. Plus, we invite leaders to begin with a few, practical steps.
Key Points
Begin with the purpose of the role. Clarity on expectations and personal growth will both come from there.
Utilize curiosity to begin to align on expectations and what’s next.
Elevation is a key competency for managers in one-on-ones. Help employees link what the role needs and how their personal growth aligns to it.
Be willing to stay flexible on how often and how long you meet for. There are times when more interaction may be wise, but one-on-ones should not take over your professional life as a manager.
Few managers do this well. Even small movement to get better at supporting your employees can provide big returns in retention.
Resources Mentioned
Good Alignment course*
Good Accountability course*
Good Authority: How to Become the Leader Your Team Is Waiting For by Jonathan Raymond
Related Episodes
How to Balance Care and Accountability When Leading Remotely, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 464)
How to Define a Role, with Pat Griffin (episode 517)
How to Help People Thrive, with Jim Harter (episode 532)
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38 min
July 12, 2021 535: The Art of Constructing Apologies, with Sandra Sucher
Sandra Sucher: The Power of Trust
Sandra Sucher is an internationally recognized trust researcher and professor of management practice at Harvard Business School. She studies how organizations build trust and the vital role leaders play in the process. Before joining Harvard, she was a business executive for 20 years, served on corporate and nonprofit boards, and has been Chair of the Better Business Bureau.
As an advisor to the Edelman Trust Barometer, her research has been featured in several national publications. She is the author with Shalene Gupta of the book, The Power of Trust: How Companies Build It, Lose It, Regain It*.
In this conversation, Sandra and I explore the three elements of a good apology in the professional setting. We also look at additional elements the research suggests may be useful in many places in our lives. Finally, Sandra highlights some ways we can do better on empathy in order to avoid situations where we destroy trust.
Key Points
Combine three elements for a good apology, especially in a professional setting:
Acknowledgment of responsibility: The offender makes a statement that demonstrates they understand their part in the trust betrayal.
Explanation: The offender describes the reasons for the problem.
Offer of repair: The offender offers a solution for rebuilding trust.
In addition, consider three more elements for apologies in any scenario:
Expression of regret: The offender expresses how sorry they are.
Declaration of repentance: The offender promises not to make the same mistake again.
Request for forgiveness: The offender explicitly asks for pardon.
To interrupt the reality that leaders tend to struggle with empathy:
Reflect in writing with as much detail as possible about the people and situation in question.
Ask yourself, “Am I being fair?”
Resources Mentioned
The Power of Trust: How Companies Build It, Lose It, Regain It* by Sandra Sucher and Shalene Gupta
The Power of Trust website
Interview Notes
Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
Use Power for Good and Not Evil, with Dacher Keltner (episode 254)
The Choice for Compassion, with Edith Eger (episode 336)
The Way Into Difficult Conversations, with Kwame Christian (episode 497)
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39 min
July 05, 2021 534: How to Deal With an Unsupportive Colleague, 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 is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide*.
Listener Questions
Mark asked our advice on how to navigate a sensitive situation with an unsupportive colleague.
Geraldine wondered about how to implement management accountability with public sector employees.
Samuel asked about building personal capacity.
James asked if we were aware of resources for a leadership body of knowledge.
Resources Mentioned
7 Habits of Highly Effective People* by Stephen Covey
Getting Things Done* by David Allen
Center for Creative Leadership
Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership
How to Win Friends and Influence People* by Dale Carnegie
The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations* by James Kouzes and Barry Posner
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
Related Episodes
Eight Ways To Use Power For Good (episode 154)
How to Balance Care and Accountability When Leading Remotely, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 464)
How to Say No Without Saying No, with Lois Frankel (episode 471)
How to Create Your Personal Vision (free membership required)
Discover More
Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.
40 min
June 28, 2021 533: How to Build Confidence, with Katy Milkman
Katy Milkman: How to Change
Katy Milkman is an award-winning behavioral scientist and professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She hosts Charles Schwab’s popular behavioral economics podcast Choiceology, and is the co-founder and co-director of The Behavior Change for Good Initiative.
Katy has worked with or advised dozens of organizations on how to spur positive change and her research is regularly featured in major media outlets such as The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and NPR. She is the author of the book, How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be*.
In this conversation, Katy and I explore the research on confidence. We highlight some of the key tactics we can use to enhance our own feelings of confidence. Plus, we explore some of the ways that leaders may be able to support confidence-building in others.
Key Points
Self doubt affects our ability to take action.
Our expectations shape reality. How we think about something affects how it is.
Leaders can support those with less confidence by inviting them to be a mentor or coach for others.
Set ambitious goals, but allow yourself a limited number of emergency passes when you slip up.
Focus on personal experiences that make you feel successful or proud.
Resources Mentioned
How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be* by Katy Milkman
Interview Notes
Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
The Way to Make New Behaviors Stick, with Marshall Goldsmith (episode 196)
The Way to Be More Coach-Like, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 458)
How to Change Your Behavior, with BJ Fogg (episode 507)
Discover More
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40 min

About Coaching for Leaders

From the publisher's feed

Leaders aren’t born; they’re made. Many leaders reach points in their careers where what worked yesterday doesn’t work today. This Monday show helps leaders thrive at these key inflection points.…