Lead & Follow

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Full transcript and show notes: https://www.sharnafabiano.com/2026/08/19/leading-through-invitation-creating-meaningful-participation-flora-bowley/

How do you lead a creative workshop without deciding in advance what participants should create, feel, or discover? Artist and creative guide Flora Bowley designs one-day gatherings with simple prompts and light structure, then leaves enough open space for participants to shape the experience themselves.

Flora Bowley is an artist, author, and creative guide who has spent years facilitating art-based gatherings. Her upcoming tour, The Creative Revolution, brings this approach to a series of one-day events designed to create connection and collaboration through art.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How simple prompts can give a group direction without controlling the outcome
• How to balance structure and free time in a collaborative gathering
• What makes creative collaboration feel alive—and what gets in its way
• Why invitation can create participation so effectively 

Connect with Flora Bowley

Website: https://florabowley.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/florabowley/

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Sharna Fabiano is the author of Lead & Follow: The Dance of Inspired Teamwork and host of the Lead & Follow Podcast. She helps founders, solopreneurs, and new leaders build strong collaborative relationships and successful teams. 

Get a discounted coach session with Sharna with promo code PODCAST
https://www.sharnafabiano.com/coaching/

Order the book: Lead & Follow
https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Follow-Dance-Inspired-Teamwork/dp/1646632796/

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https://www.buzzsprout.com/1735834/support

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Full transcript and show notes: https://www.sharnafabiano.com/2026/07/29/how-to-lead-ai-before-it-leads-you-ai-literacy-elena-filatova/

Most conversations about AI ask "how do we control it?" Sharna Fabiano asks a more useful question: how do you lead AI so it doesn't end up leading you? In this episode, she talks with Elena Filatova about the mechanics behind how AI actually generates answers — and why understanding those mechanics is what keeps a human in the lead role, instead of quietly following whatever the model produces.

Elena Filatova spent seven years at Google in data infrastructure and business intelligence before going independent. She now runs BCB Code Labs, where she builds AI-driven applications and helps businesses automate with AI, and teaches AI literacy.

You'll learn:

•  How one changed word can completely change an AI's response, and the mechanism behind it
• Why AI "hallucinations" aren't mistakes — they're a statistical feature, not a bug, and why that changes how much you should trust an answer
• A simple technique — assigning AI a "persona" — for sharper, more targeted answers
• Why asking AI to "make a list" is a more useful prompt than it sounds
• Where to draw the line between real human-AI collaboration and wasteful "AI slop"

Episode References

Attention is All You Need (2017), Google Research

Connect with Elena

www.bcbcodelabs.com

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Sharna Fabiano is the author of Lead & Follow: The Dance of Inspired Teamwork and host of the Lead & Follow Podcast. She helps founders, solopreneurs, and new leaders build strong collaborative relationships and successful teams. 

Get a discounted coach session with Sharna with promo code PODCAST
https://www.sharnafabiano.com/coaching/

Order the book: Lead & Follow
https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Follow-Dance-Inspired-Teamwork/dp/1646632796/

Support the Show!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1735834/support

Send Fan Mail by Text!

Full transcript and show notes: https://www.sharnafabiano.com/2026/07/29/managing-up-how-executive-assistants-shape-executive-decision-making/

What if some of the most influential people in an organization aren't the ones making the final decision? Drawing on his research into executive assistants and his experience designing leadership development for the FDIC, Dr. Basil Read explains how influence flows through conversations, priorities, timing, and access—not just organizational charts. The discussion explores why organizations make better decisions when influence isn't confined to people with formal authority.

Basil Read is a retired U.S. Navy Captain, consultant, and Professor of Practice in Troy University's PhD in Global Leadership program. He designed a leadership development curriculum for employees at every level of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), helping transform the agency from the bottom to the top of employee satisfaction rankings. His research examines how executive assistants shape executive and board decisions through communication, prioritization, and gatekeeping.

You'll learn:

• What managing up really means—and why it's a critical skill for executive assistants and emerging leaders 
• How executive assistants influence executive and board decision making without formal authority 
• Why the FDIC trained every employee—not just managers—and what other organizations can learn from the results 
• How language, timing, and prioritization shape the decisions leaders ultimately make 
• Practical ways to increase your influence, regardless of your title or position 

Episode References 

J. Basil Read, III, “Followership at the FDIC: A Case Study”
https://www.emerald.com/jole/article-pdf/13/4/136/10069009/v13_i4_c14.pdf

Ira Chaleff, The Courageous Follower
https://irachaleffauthor.com/

Connect with Basil Read
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-basil-read-iii-ph-d-a1274b23/

Support the show

*
Sharna Fabiano is the author of Lead & Follow: The Dance of Inspired Teamwork and host of the Lead & Follow Podcast. She helps founders, solopreneurs, and new leaders build strong collaborative relationships and successful teams. 

Get a discounted coach session with Sharna with promo code PODCAST
https://www.sharnafabiano.com/coaching/

Order the book: Lead & Follow
https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Follow-Dance-Inspired-Teamwork/dp/1646632796/

Support the Show!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1735834/support

Send Fan Mail by Text!

Full transcript and show notes: https://www.sharnafabiano.com/2026/07/29/the-future-of-leadership-why-great-teams-need-more-than-leaders-robert-kelley/

What if the future of leadership isn't about finding stronger leaders—but about creating better ways for people to work together?

Leadership pioneer Robert Kelley returns to explore how organizations, communities, and citizens are moving beyond traditional leader-follower models toward more collaborative, adaptive ways of solving problems. As political polarization grows and workplaces become more complex, this conversation asks a timely question: What does responsible leadership look like when authority alone is no longer enough?

Robert Kelley is Distinguished Service Professor of Management at Carnegie Mellon University and author of the groundbreaking book The Power of Followership. His research transformed how organizations think about leadership by showing that the quality of collaboration—not just the quality of leaders—determines long-term success. In this conversation, he shares how his thinking has evolved and why the future belongs to organizations that cultivate shared responsibility and collective action. 

You'll learn:

• Why traditional leadership models are becoming less effective in today's world 
• How teams can move beyond manager-subordinate roles 
• How the idea of responsible citizenship is changing 
• How collaborative decision-making strengthens organizations and communities 
• What the next generation of leadership may look like in business and society

Episode References

Strongmen, Ruth Ben-Ghiat

 

Connect with Robert Kelley

www.kelleyideas.com

Support the show

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Sharna Fabiano is the author of Lead & Follow: The Dance of Inspired Teamwork and host of the Lead & Follow Podcast. She helps founders, solopreneurs, and new leaders build strong collaborative relationships and successful teams. 

Get a discounted coach session with Sharna with promo code PODCAST
https://www.sharnafabiano.com/coaching/

Order the book: Lead & Follow
https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Follow-Dance-Inspired-Teamwork/dp/1646632796/

Support the Show!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1735834/support

Send Fan Mail by Text!

Full transcript and show notes: https://www.sharnafabiano.com/2026/07/29/psychological-safety-isnt-only-your-bosss-job-how-teams-actually-build-it-kinsey-hansen/

We usually hear that psychological safety as something leaders create for their teams. In this episode, Sharna explores new research with Dr. Kinsey Hansen that demonstrates something different–that every member of a team has a part in establishing and maintaining it. The co-creation of psychological safety happens in everyday interactions among all team members, not only the formal leader, and shapes the culture of an organization. 

Kinsey is an Associate Professor at Angelo State University, where she serves as Program Coordinator for the Master of Arts in Administrative Leadership and teaches in the Student Development and Leadership program. She is part of the team that designed and launched ASU's Doctorate of Education in Transformative Leadership and now serves as a dissertation chair.

You'll learn:

• Why psychological safety is a shared responsibility, not just a leader’s task
• How every person influences whether others feel free to share their perspective, make mistakes, and challenge established ideas
• Practical ways to create more openness, trust, and collaboration right now

Episode References

Amy Edmondson, The Fearless Organization

Amy Edmondson, Teaming

Global Followership Conference

Connect with Kinsey Hansen
Angelo State University

Support the show

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Sharna Fabiano is the author of Lead & Follow: The Dance of Inspired Teamwork and host of the Lead & Follow Podcast. She helps founders, solopreneurs, and new leaders build strong collaborative relationships and successful teams. 

Get a discounted coach session with Sharna with promo code PODCAST
https://www.sharnafabiano.com/coaching/

Order the book: Lead & Follow
https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Follow-Dance-Inspired-Teamwork/dp/1646632796/

Support the Show!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1735834/support

Send Fan Mail by Text!

Full transcript and show notes: https://www.sharnafabiano.com/2026/07/29/how-ceos-and-boards-build-trust-the-relationship-that-shapes-organizations-otto-henfling/

The relationship between a CEO and a board of directors can determine whether an organization thrives or struggles. What happens when we start seeing governance as a collaborative relationship?

In this episode, Sharna talks with governance advisor Otto Henfling about the trust, communication, and shared responsibility required for CEOs and boards to work effectively together. They explore why great governance is not just about accountability and oversight—it is about creating the conditions for better decisions, strategic alignment, and mission-driven leadership.

Otto Henfling is a consultant and governance advisor in Australia with more than 20 years of experience in the for-purpose sector, including 15 years as a CEO and extensive board experience. His work focuses on governance, role clarity, risk, and strategic alignment between leaders and the organizations they serve. 

You'll learn:

• How to make the CEO-board relationship an effective partnership
• How trust and open communication improve board effectiveness and decision-making 
• Why CEOs need both leadership authority and the ability to listen strategically 
• How boards can support CEOs without undermining their leadership 
• Why the future of leadership depends on more collaborative relationships

Episode References

Christian Monö, Why We Follow

S2 E21: Natural Followership - Chris Monö

S4 E4: Collaborationship is our Superpower - Chris Monö

Joseph Rost, Leadership for the Twenty-First Century

Global Followership Conferences

www.globalfollowership.com

Connect with Otto Henfling

 Trusted Leadership Consulting: trustedleadership.com.au

 Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/ottohenfling/

Support the show

*
Sharna Fabiano is the author of Lead & Follow: The Dance of Inspired Teamwork and host of the Lead & Follow Podcast. She helps founders, solopreneurs, and new leaders build strong collaborative relationships and successful teams. 

Get a discounted coach session with Sharna with promo code PODCAST
https://www.sharnafabiano.com/coaching/

Order the book: Lead & Follow
https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Follow-Dance-Inspired-Teamwork/dp/1646632796/

Support the Show!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1735834/support

Send Fan Mail by Text!

Full transcript and show notes: https://www.sharnafabiano.com/2026/07/29/the-tango-waits-for-you-chapter-4-night-of-spirits/

The Tango Waits For You is a 4-part documentary series that tells the story of the first year of building a brand-new tango community in Long Beach, California.  It’s both my story, of losing a dream and finding it again, and it’s also a story of dozens of people coming together by chance in a way that feels like it was truly meant to be. It’s a story full of friendship, connection, trust, and discovery, all the things we seek together on the dance floor. Being together in person is so important right now. Whether you dance tango or not, I hope you enjoy these episodes.

Chapter 4: Night of Spirits -  LB Tango hosts its first ritual milonga for the greater LA tango community, in celebration of Dia de los Muertos.

Episode References

“Tar Liom Siar,” written and performed by Moya Brennan, Lynne Earls, and Cormac de Barra. Produced and recorded by Lynne Earls, from the album Timeless. 

Long Beach Tango
https://www.sharnafabiano.com/tango

Altar Milonga (Photos by Andrei Andreev)
https://www.sharnafabiano.com/altar-milonga

Elena's Elixirs
https://elenaselixirs.com/

Altar Society Brewing & Coffee Co.
https://altarsocietybrewco.com/

Mike Cokley, Altar Society General Manager
[email protected]

Wisdom of the past (by Elena's Elixers)
Ilegal Joven Mezcal • Largo Bay Coquito Liqueur • Cacao Liqueur • Fresh Lime Juice • Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur • Egg White • Aztec Cacao Bitters

Garnished with fresh nutmeg and floating marigold

From the high deserts of Oaxaca to the sun-warmed shores of the Caribbean, this cocktail traces an invisible thread through the Americas—where every region honors those who came before. In Mexico, marigolds (cempasúchitl) carpet the paths for Día de los Muertos. Guatemala flies giant barriletes for Día de Todos Los Santos. Bolivia shapes bread into guaguas de pan for Día de Todos los Difuntos. Peru, Ecuador, El Salvador—each has its own name, its own ritual, yet all share the same November vigil.

This drink brings together ingredients with no obvious reason to meet, yet they dance in surprising harmony.

Un Abrazo Final (by Elena's Elixers)
Tequila Reposado • Malbec • Fresh Lime Juice • Grenadine • Araceli Marigold Liqueur • Fernet-Branca

Sea salt rim, finished with a spritz of rose and marigold for fragrance

On Día de los Muertos, the veil between worlds grows thin. The living and the dead draw close—not in sorrow, but in celebration, in one final dance of remembrance. This cocktail honors that tender moment when memory becomes presence, when those we've lost feel near enough to touch.

Salt crystallizes like tears along the rim. Fernet-Branca whispers bitter truths of departure. Grenadine holds the sweetness of stolen moments, while Malbec bleeds with the complexity of love and loss. Tequila and marigold become golden offerings, guiding souls homeward, while rose and marigold scent lingers at the threshold between worlds.

Support the show

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Sharna Fabiano is the author of Lead & Follow: The Dance of Inspired Teamwork and host of the Lead & Follow Podcast. She helps founders, solopreneurs, and new leaders build strong collaborative relationships and successful teams. 

Get a discounted coach session with Sharna with promo code PODCAST
https://www.sharnafabiano.com/coaching/

Order the book: Lead & Follow
https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Follow-Dance-Inspired-Teamwork/dp/1646632796/

Support the Show!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1735834/support

Send Fan Mail by Text!

Full transcript and show notes: https://www.sharnafabiano.com/2026/07/29/beyond-traditional-leadership-how-collaboration-expands-our-capacity-to-lead-sharna-fabiano-amy-lombardo/

This is a reverse interview with coach and author, Amy Lombardo, originally recorded for the podcast, Human Not Hacked.  

What if becoming a better leader is not about gaining more control—but learning how to connect more deeply with yourself and others?

In this conversation, Sharna Fabiano and Amy Lombardo explore a different approach to leadership: one rooted in presence, trust, collaboration, and the ability to move fluidly between leading and supporting. Through the lens of dance, creativity, coaching, and embodied practice, they challenge the idea that leadership is something one person does to others. Instead, they explore leadership as something created between people.

Amy Lombardo is the founder of Brilliance Coaching Academy and a leadership coach who integrates somatic practices, deep listening, and inclusive leadership approaches. Together, Amy and Sharna discuss how releasing the need to always be in control can open new possibilities for authentic leadership, stronger relationships, and greater collective achievement. 

You'll learn:

• How traditional ideas about power and leadership limit what teams can achieve 
• Why the ability to both lead and support others strengthens outcomes
• Why presence and awareness are essential leadership skills 
• How embodied practices can improve communication and connection 
• What happens when we stop trying to control every outcome 
• Why great collaboration requires trust, responsiveness, and openness 
• How expanding your definition of leadership creates new possibilities for teams and communities

Amy Lombardo
https://amylombardo.com/

Brilliance Coaching Academy
https://coach-brilliance.com/

Human, Not Hacked: The Anti-Self Help Podcast
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-human-not-hacked-the-anti-297892497/

Support the show

*
Sharna Fabiano is the author of Lead & Follow: The Dance of Inspired Teamwork and host of the Lead & Follow Podcast. She helps founders, solopreneurs, and new leaders build strong collaborative relationships and successful teams. 

Get a discounted coach session with Sharna with promo code PODCAST
https://www.sharnafabiano.com/coaching/

Order the book: Lead & Follow
https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Follow-Dance-Inspired-Teamwork/dp/1646632796/

Support the Show!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1735834/support

Send Fan Mail by Text!

Full transcript and show notes: https://www.sharnafabiano.com/2026/07/29/the-tango-waits-for-you-chapter-3-community/

The Tango Waits For You is a 4-part documentary series that tells the story of the first year of building a brand-new tango community in Long Beach, California. It’s both my story, of losing a dream and finding it again, and it’s also a story of dozens of people coming together by chance in a way that feels like it was truly meant to be. It’s a story full of friendship, connection, trust, and discovery, all the things we seek together on the dance floor. Being together in person is so important right now. Whether you dance tango or not, I hope you enjoy these episodes.

Chapter 3: Community -  We start teaching two simultaneous classes, add a monthly práctica, and the group dynamic takes on a life of its own.

Episode References

Altar Milonga: Night of Spirits - Monday, Nov. 3
https://www.sharnafabiano.com/tango

Tango Resources & LB Tango Schedule
https://www.sharnafabiano.com/tango

Altar Society Brewing & Coffee Co.
https://altarsocietybrewco.com/

Mike Cokley, Altar Society General Manager
[email protected]

Support the show

*
Sharna Fabiano is the author of Lead & Follow: The Dance of Inspired Teamwork and host of the Lead & Follow Podcast. She helps founders, solopreneurs, and new leaders build strong collaborative relationships and successful teams. 

Get a discounted coach session with Sharna with promo code PODCAST
https://www.sharnafabiano.com/coaching/

Order the book: Lead & Follow
https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Follow-Dance-Inspired-Teamwork/dp/1646632796/

Support the Show!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1735834/support

Send Fan Mail by Text!

Full transcript and show notes: https://www.sharnafabiano.com/2026/07/29/the-tango-waits-for-you-chapter-2-altar-society/

The Tango Waits For You is a 4-part documentary series that tells the story of the first year of building a brand-new tango community in Long Beach, California. It’s both my story, of losing a dream and finding it again, and it’s also a story of dozens of people coming together by chance in a way that feels like it was truly meant to be. It’s a story full of friendship, connection, trust, and discovery, all the things we seek together on the dance floor. Being together in person is so important right now. Whether you dance tango or not, I hope you enjoy these episodes.

Chapter 2: Altar Society -  Partnership with a local venue provides an opportunity for Long Beach Tango to expand and grow.

Episode References

Tango Resources & LB Tango Schedule
https://www.sharnafabiano.com/tango

Altar Society Brewing & Coffee Co.
https://altarsocietybrewco.com/

Mike Cokley, Altar Society General Manager
[email protected]

Support the show

*
Sharna Fabiano is the author of Lead & Follow: The Dance of Inspired Teamwork and host of the Lead & Follow Podcast. She helps founders, solopreneurs, and new leaders build strong collaborative relationships and successful teams. 

Get a discounted coach session with Sharna with promo code PODCAST
https://www.sharnafabiano.com/coaching/

Order the book: Lead & Follow
https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Follow-Dance-Inspired-Teamwork/dp/1646632796/

Support the Show!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1735834/support