Do Something Different: A Leadership Podcast

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At a senior level, jobs aren't posted... they're whispered. Join CEO of Whispered Andy Mowat for this conversation on how to run a successful job search. 

You'll learn:

• Why clarity and specificity are critical to an effective executive job search
• The counterintuitive reason why narrowing your focus actually creates more opportunities
• How to take control of interviews and stand out as a candidate
• Networking approaches that build authentic relationships without feeling transactional
• Strategies to maintain confidence throughout the often isolating job search process

Listen to discover how to find opportunities that align with your unique strengths and career aspirations.

Duration: 17 minutes

Learn more about Whispered at whispered.com

Follow Andy Mowat at LinkedIn.com/in/amowat

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn. 

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Most professionals claim they want to be respected as leaders, but they act like they want to be liked. This disconnect prevents many talented individuals from achieving their full leadership potential and earning the respect they desire. Discover why the behaviors that feel most comfortable may be the very ones limiting your effectiveness as a leader.

You'll learn:

• The five critical questions to assess whether you prioritize being liked over being respected
• Why conflict avoidance and people-pleasing damage your leadership credibility
• How to recognize when your desire for approval is undermining your effectiveness
• Practical strategies to shift from likability-focused to respect-worthy behaviors
• The connection between accountability and helping others grow

Listen to discover how to overcome the natural tendency to seek approval, and instead develop the courage to lead with conviction.

Duration: 11 minutes

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn. 

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Despite best intentions, many high achievers make suboptimal decisions in the workplace. The combination of stress, information overload, social pressure, and authority figures creates an environment where even the smartest professionals fall into predictable decision-making traps. These patterns—often the very same behaviors that brought early career success—become the invisible barriers preventing advancement to higher leadership levels.

You'll learn:

• The seven factors that make you stupid when it comes to decision-making
• Why continuing to use approaches that worked in the past limits your future growth
• How inertia becomes the hidden blocker to making better choices
• A powerful 3-step framework for breaking through decision paralysis

Listen to discover how shifting your decision-making approach can transform your effectiveness as a leader and position you for greater impact with less stress—even in high-pressure environments.

Duration: 15 minutes

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn. 

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Influence is about changing how others think and act, not simply directing them what to do. Discover why transformational influence—the kind that creates lasting change and builds strong relationships—requires a completely different approach than the transactional tactics many resort to.

You'll learn:

• The difference between authority and influence
• Why common influence "hacks" often backfire
• The Triangle of Influence that drives transformational influence
• Three tactical behaviors to be more influential today

Listen to discover how mastering the art of true influence can transform your effectiveness as a leader and position you to create meaningful change—even when you don't have formal authority.

Duration: 23 minutes

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn. 

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Many accomplished professionals hit a ceiling not because they lack skills, but because they overuse "pleaser" behaviors that undermine their executive presence. 

This episode exposes how an over-reliance on being likeable and getting along - qualities that may have served you well early in your career - can actually diminish your leadership impact.

Through real coaching scenarios, learn why expanding your behavioral range beyond "nice" is crucial for authentic leadership presence. Discover how you can maintain your naturally friendly style while developing the capacity to command attention and respect when needed. The solution isn't about becoming less authentic - it's about becoming more complete in how you show up as a leader.

Key themes:

• How pleasing others can diminish authority
• Why being liked isn't the same as being respected
• The cost of avoiding necessary tension
• Simple behaviors to command more respect

Listen to discover how breaking free from the "nice" trap could be your biggest leadership breakthrough.

Duration: 15 minutes

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn. 

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What is executive presence, and why do so many talented leaders struggle to develop it? That is the theme of this conversation with Cindy Skalicky.

Through practical examples and proven frameworks, this episode reveals why focusing solely on technical expertise and data can actually undermine leadership effectiveness, and how authentic storytelling and human connection create lasting impact.

Key themes:

• Why technical excellence alone doesn't translate to executive presence
• The balance between analytical and emotional intelligence in leadership
• How personal storytelling builds trust and engagement
• Practical techniques for commanding attention and respect

Listen to discover why your next presentation or meeting could be an opportunity to transform how others perceive your leadership.

Duration: 27 minutes

Cindy Skalicky, founder and head coach of On Point Communications, has helped clients raise millions in venture capital funding, secure next-level invitations to speak to global audiences, and win high-stakes deals from partnerships through M&A. A specialist in rhetorical theory, Cindy is an expert at assessing messages – and the speakers who deliver them – to determine their collective persuasive value.

She has presented to thousands of executives on a global level, teaching them how to apply and integrate her proven methods which are step-by step, easy to follow, and produce results fast. 

Follow Cindy on LinkedIn or check out her podcast, Red Light Green Light. 

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn. 

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This episode tackles the counterintuitive truth about high achievement: doing more isn't always the path to greater success. Learn why many successful professionals get trapped in patterns of overwork and discover the CALM framework for breaking free from this cycle.

Through real-world examples of executives who transformed their approach to work, the episode reveals how strategically working less can lead to better outcomes, including faster decision-making, improved team performance, and career advancement.

Key themes:

• The paradox of achieving more through doing less
• Breaking free from achievement-driven work patterns
• The importance of strategic disengagement
• A practical framework for sustainable high performance

Listen to discover why "working harder" may be the very habit that blocks your career growth.

Duration: 15 minutes

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn. 

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The ingrained belief that "my work speaks for itself" - while admirable - is not true. It may be a major factor keeping you from reaching your full potential and gaining the recognition your contributions deserve. Learn why "the work speaks for itself" doesn't work, and how to authentically speak up about your accomplishments.

Key themes:

• Why letting work "speak for itself" becomes limiting as you advance
• How ingrained messages about humility can hold us back
• Breaking free from the discomfort of self-promotion
• Powerful tools to start speaking up for your accomplishments 

Listen to learn why what got you here won't get you there - and how to make the mindset shift needed for greater leadership impact.

Duration: 24 minutes

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn. 

Send us Fan Mail

Many high achievers struggle with deeply empowering their team. Learn why letting go might be the key to unlocking your next level of leadership. Rather than focusing on doing more, explore how doing less - strategically - could transform both your effectiveness and your team's engagement.

Key themes:

• Why control can become a career liability
• The hidden cost of "adding value" to every situation
• Breaking the cycle of micromanagement
• A practical framework for effective delegation

Listen to discover how mastering the art of letting go could be your biggest breakthrough as a leader.

Duration: 20 minutes

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn. 

Send us Fan Mail

Do you consistently avoid doing things you know would make you more successful? In this episode, Rusty tackles the hidden truth about why high achievers struggle to implement important changes. Learn why defaulting to "I need more discipline" or "I don't have time" completely misses the point, and discover a new way to understand what's really holding you back.

Key themes:

• Why smart people think they need more discipline
• How success patterns can become invisible barriers
• The real reason behind procrastination on important goals
• A practical framework for breaking free from ineffective habits

Duration: 26 minutes

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn.