Lead the People

Start with our free behavioral assessment. Go to trypi.com/ltp .

Most organizations believe that more leadership training means better leaders. But for Neil Ifill, author of The Cart Before the Horse, the real problem isn't a lack of programs; it's that the wrong people keep getting access to them.

In this episode, Matt Poepsel sits down with Neil to explore breaks at the manager level, why first-line leaders are the backbone of every organization yet the last to receive meaningful development, and how a running joke among colleagues eventually became a research-backed leadership book. Neil opens up about the gap between top-floor leadership academies and the basket-weaving courses handed to everyone else and what organizations need to do differently. Together, they unpack why going through the motions is easier to spot than most leaders think, and why the most authentic version of yourself is still your greatest leadership asset.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Going Through the Motions: How to recognize when leaders are applying blanket solutions and what genuine investment actually looks like
• The Leadership Access Gap: Why first-line managers are overlooked for development despite being the backbone of execution
• Frameworks That Actually Work: How tools like the Competing Values Framework make complex leadership concepts simple and actionable
• Authentic Leadership: Why starting with who you already are is more powerful than trying to become someone you're not
• Big Company Blind Spots: How organizational size creates tunnel vision that limits leadership growth at every level

Highlights:

(00:00) Meet Neil Ifill

(01:35) The widening gap between leaders and their teams

(02:59) How a lunchtime joke became a leadership book

(11:14) The basket weaving problem in corporate training

(15:00) Why first-line managers get left behind

(19:15) Going through the motions and how to spot it

(20:31) The executive who wasn't afraid to ask for help

(24:46) Building the next generation of genuine leaders

(26:42) Why authenticity is your strongest leadership trait

Resources:
Follow Neil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-ifill-phd-67ba8a5b/

Get Neil’s book, The Cart Before The Horse: Practical Considerations for Workplace Leadership: https://www.amazon.com/Cart-Before-Horse-Considerations-Leadership/dp/1665791500 

Follow Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattpoepsel/

Subscribe to The Predictive Index on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThePredictiveIndex

Created in partnership with Share Your Genius: shareyourgenius.com

Experience it for yourself at trypi.com/ltp .

Start with our free behavioral assessment. Go to trypi.com/ltp .

Most high-achieving leaders believe that working harder is the path to a fulfilling life. But for Kevin Rice, co-founder of Hathaway and host of the CEOs and ABCs podcast, the relentless pursuit of career success nearly cost him the moments that mattered most: at home, with his kids.

In this episode, Matt Poepsel sits down with Kevin to explore the deeply personal journey behind scaling a company to a nine-figure exit while becoming a solo parent to two young children overnight. Kevin opens up about slipping into "robot mode", an emotional shutdown that made him highly productive but completely numb, and the wake-up call that came when selling his company felt like just another Tuesday. Together, they unpack why ambition without presence is a losing game, and how the business frameworks we use at work can make us better parents and partners at home.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Robot Mode: How high achievers emotionally disconnect to survive pressure — and what it silently costs them at home
• Assigned vs. Authentic Leadership: Why the leadership skills that work in the boardroom translate directly to raising kids
• The SPARK Flywheel: A practical framework for building deep connection with your family, inspired by business growth strategy
• The Regulated & Connected Matrix: How to diagnose difficult parenting moments the same way you'd diagnose an underperforming employee
• Shifting Your Intention: How a subtle change in why you show up to work can unlock purpose without quitting your job

Highlights:
(0:00) Meet Kevin Rice

(1:33) Tripling a company's headcount during a pandemic — and not feeling a thing

(3:22) Becoming a solo parent to a newborn and a toddler overnight

(4:16) What "robot mode" really costs high achievers

(5:02) Why the nine-figure exit felt like just another day

(9:54) The inner child work that changed everything

(16:04) Translating corporate frameworks into a parenting playbook

(23:14) Redefining success after the peak

(25:08) How to find purpose without blowing up your career

Resources:
Listen to CEOs and ABCs: ceosandabcs.com
Follow Kevin on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kevinrice

Follow Matt on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mattpoepsel
Subscribe to The Predictive Index on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThePredictiveIndex

Created in partnership with Share Your Genius: shareyourgenius.com

Experience it for yourself at trypi.com/ltp .

Start with our free behavioral assessment. Go to trypi.com/ltp .

Most leaders believe that projecting confidence means hiding their doubts. But for Tyler Dickerhoof, author and personal development coach, the walls we build to conceal our fears and insecurities are the very things keeping us from connecting with, and truly leading, the people around us.

In this episode, Matt Poepsel sits down with Tyler to explore the deeply personal journey behind his new book, The Things We Hide. Tyler opens up about the defining moment at age 14 that shaped decades of intense, guarded behavior and the locker room epiphany that finally cracked it open. Together, they unpack why vulnerability isn't weakness, and why the things we think we're hiding are almost always already visible to everyone else.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The Four Walls: How intensity, isolation, inactivity, and insensitivity show up as defense mechanisms rooted in fear and insecurity
• Authentic vs. Toxic Vulnerability: Why "going first" as a leader creates psychological safety without oversharing or losing credibility
• Windows in Your Walls: How to invite honest feedback and start seeing yourself the way others actually do
• The BEST Framework: A practical model for showing up as your best self in service of those around you

Highlights:

(0:00) Meet Tyler Dickerhoof

(2:05) Why the things we hide block our ability to lead and connect

(8:10) The farming accident that changed everything

(9:58) Intensity as a wall and when strengths become liabilities

(13:50) The four walls: intensity, isolation, inactivity, and insensitivity

(16:11) Putting windows in your walls and asking what others see

(18:50) The BEST framework and leading by example

(25:11) Three pillars: recognize, own, and reframe

Resources:

Visit Tyler's website: tylerdickerhoof.com

Pre-order The Things We Hide: thethingswehidebook.com

Follow Matt on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mattpoepsel

Follow Predictive Index on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/the-predictive-index

Subscribe to The Predictive Index on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThePredictiveIndex

Created in partnership with Share Your Genius: shareyourgenius.com

Experience it for yourself at trypi.com/ltp .

Start with our free behavioral assessment. Go to trypi.com/ltp .

When organizations face a crossroad, the instinct is often to stick to the familiar and double down on what worked yesterday. But for Peter Georgariou, founder and CEO of karmadharma, true growth happens in the "empty room"—the space where leaders have the courage to visualize a future unburdened by the past.

In this episode, Matt Poepsel sits down with Peter to explore the integration of strategy, creativity, and people. Peter shares why he views his firm as "Deloitte for do-gooders," the necessity of leading from the heart in a world that is "breaking as a species," and how purpose-driven businesses can navigate the complex balance between making a profit and making a difference.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The Integrated Stool: Why strategy, creative, and people must be treated as one cohesive idea rather than separate departments
• Living in the Gray: How to build the risk profile necessary to take "small bets" in an unpredictable market
• Creativity as a Lens: Moving beyond logos and fonts to use creative thinking as a problem-solving tool for business models
• The ROI of Purpose: Navigating the complexity of B Corp status and why the next generation is "voting with their wallets"

Highlights:

(0:00) Meet Peter Georgariou

(02:15)Deloitte for Do-Gooders: The 10-year journey of karmadharma

(07:30) The Empty Room

(11:21) Reclaiming creativity in business 

(15:38) Why people and culture are a soul-level calling

(19:23) Purpose-led orientation

(25:29) Left Brain, Right Brain, and Heart

Resources:

Visit karmadharma’s website: karmadharma.ca

Follow Peter on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/petergeorgariou

Follow Matt on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mattpoepsel

Follow Predictive Index on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/the-predictive-index

Subscribe to The Predictive Index on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThePredictiveIndex

Created in partnership with Share Your Genius: shareyourgenius.com

Experience it for yourself at trypi.com/ltp .

Start with our free behavioral assessment. Go to trypi.com/ltp .

When we’re drowning in Slack notifications and back-to-back Zooms, most of us just try to "productivity-hack" our way out of it. But Jessica DeAngelo, founder of Hike to Become, says we’ve got it all backward. We don’t need a better app; we need to leave the phone in the car and hit the dirt.

In this episode, Matt Poepsel chats with Jessica about her book, The Wild Advantage. They dig into why your best business ideas usually happen after 30 minutes in the woods, how to beat the "convenience paradox" that’s making us all feel isolated, and the "Wet Butt Big Idea" that changed Jessica’s life. If you've ever felt like you’re "losing the plot" on your work or your life, this conversation is the wake-up call you need.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The "HIKE" Method: A simple daily ritual to stop the "drift" and get your focus back
• Your Brain on Nature: The neuroscience of why fresh air actually makes you a better problem solver
• Unplugged Leadership: Why the best "whiteboarding session" might actually be a 45-minute trail walk
• The 30-Minute Reclaim: How stepping away from your desk actually gives you two hours back in your day

Highlights:

(00:19) Meet “Chief Hiking Officer” Jessica DeAngelo

(00:10) The wake-up call: "Mom, put down your phone"

(06:22) Beautiful offices are still “boxes” 

(13:16) The "Wet Butt Big Idea" 

(15:51) "HIKE" Challenge rules

(20:48) 30 minutes to reset your brain

(24:11) Taking the boardroom to the trail

Resources:

Follow Jessica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-deangelo-mba/

Visit Jessica’s official website: https://jessicadeangelo.com/book

Get the book: The Wild Advantage: Why Your Brain on Nature is Your Boldest Business Move

Join the challenge: Text HIKE to 33777

Follow Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattpoepsel/

Follow Predictive Index on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-predictive-index/

Subscribe on YouTube: The Predictive IndexYouTube · The Predictive Index1.8K+ followers

Created in partnership with Share Your Genius: https://shareyourgenius.com/

Experience it for yourself at trypi.com/ltp .

Start with our free behavioral assessment. Go to trypi.com/ltp .

When bravery is mistaken for fearlessness, leaders often feel like frauds the moment they experience a racing heart or sweaty palms. But according to U.S. Marine Corps veteran and leadership expert Jill Schulman, bravery isn't the absence of fear, it’s the willingness to act in spite of it.

In this episode, Dr. Matt Poepsel sits down with Jill to discuss the science behind The Bravery Effect. They explore how bravery is a physical muscle that can be trained, the biological "activation energy" that comes from being told you can't succeed, and why the modern obsession with comfort is actually a causal predictor of anxiety and depression.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The Science of Scared: Reframing fear as "rocket fuel" that prepares your body for peak performance.
• The Mentor Mindset: Why the kindest act for a team is balancing high standards with unwavering support.
• The Neurological Workout: How acting in the presence of fear physically reshapes and strengthens your brain.
• The Comfort Trap: Why "experiential avoidance" and seeking ease are direct predictors of anxiety and depression.
• Activation Energy: Using external discouragement as a catalyst to prove others wrong and fuel your goals.
• The 75-Year-Old Mentor: A simple mental exercise to bypass immediate fear by consulting your future self.

Highlights:
(00:00) Meet Jill Schulman
(00:10) Bravery isn’t fearlessness
(03:50) The “watch me” catalyst
(10:10) High expectations aren’t mean
(17:10) Stress can be fuel for performance
(20:15) The comfort trap
(25:20) Doing it scared

Resources:

Follow Jill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillaschulman/

Jill’s website: https://www.jillschulman.com

Follow Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattpoepsel/

Follow Predictive Index on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-predictive-index/

Subscribe to The Predictive Index on YouTube! https://youtube.com/@thepredictiveindex?si=zyj8aS18Z_1HMrVp

Created in partnership with Share Your Genius: https://shareyourgenius.com/ 

Experience it for yourself at trypi.com/ltp .

Start with our free behavioral assessment. Go to trypi.com/ltp .

In this episode, Matt Poepsel sits down with Daphne to discuss The Leadership Trilogy, a three-book collection designed to help leaders at every level lead with clarity and confidence. They explore the critical shift from “tasking” to “coaching,” empowering a stressed team through simple changes in conversation, and commanding executive presence regardless of one’s official title.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Highlights:

(00:00) What Coaching Really Means
(00:49) Meet Daphne B. Latimore
(02:01) The employee journey as an ecosystem
(07:16) Relate and equate
(12:46) Behavior as the driver of culture
(16:03) Coaching mindset for managers
(23:13) Demystifying executive presence
(23:26) Leading without a title

Resources:

Follow Daphne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphneblatimore/
Daphne’s website: https://dblatimore.com/

Follow Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattpoepsel/

Follow Predictive Index on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-predictive-index/

Subscribe to The Predictive Index on YouTube! https://youtube.com/@thepredictiveindex?si=zyj8aS18Z_1HMrVp

Created in partnership with Share Your Genius: https://shareyourgenius.com/

Experience it for yourself at trypi.com/ltp .

Start with our free behavioral assessment. Go to trypi.com/ltp .

Jevon Wooden, CEO of BrightMind Consulting Group, is a speaker, coach, and author of two books, including From Functional to Phenomenal. A Bronze Star recipient and Army veteran, his expertise in leadership and business strategy has been featured in Forbes, Inc., and Fast Company.

Key Takeaways:

From Our Sponsor:

The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI, including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels, across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com.

Additional Resources:

Follow Jevon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jevonwooden/

Follow Jevon on Instagram: https://instagram.com/jevonspeaks

From Functional to Phenomenal (book): https://jevonwooden.com/functionaltophenomenal/

Follow Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattpoepsel/

Subscribe to The Predictive Index on YouTube! https://youtube.com/@thepredictiveindex?si=zyj8aS18Z_1HMrVp

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/posts/?feedView=all

Learn more about PeopleForward Network: http://www.peopleforwardnetwork.com/

Experience it for yourself at trypi.com/ltp .

Start with our free behavioral assessment. Go to trypi.com/ltp .

Alaina G. Levine, CSP, is a professional speaker, corporate comedian, science writer, coach, and author of books, including Networking for Nerds, which beat out Einstein for an award (REALLY!), and Create Your Unicorn Career. As an expert in STEM workforce and career development, she travels the planet collaborating with organizations who want to recruit, retain, and grow their STEM talent and leverage the power of their STEM unicorns. NASA said she is worth her weight in gold! She has spoken 1000+ times for clients in 35 US states, 16 nations and on 5 continents, and has written 500+ articles for publications like Scientific American, National Geographic News Watch, and the World Economic Forum. Alaina is the winner of over 20 business awards, including the Tucson Leader of the Year award (previously bestowed upon a former US Surgeon General), and the Johnson Lecturer in Science Communications at Penn State University. She studied Arabic, Egyptology, and mathematics at the American University in Cairo as a US Department of Defense Boren Fellow, and holds bachelors degrees in mathematics and anthropology from the University of Arizona. And here's a fun fact: as an undergraduate, she was a championship billiards player and competed in national tournaments under her nickname, Lady Dyn-o-mite.

Key Takeaways:

From Our Sponsor:

The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI, including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels, across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com.

Additional Resources:

Follow Alaina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alainaglevine/

Follow Alaina on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alaina.levine

Follow Alaina on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alainaglevine/ 

Visit her website: https://alainalevine.com/ 

Take a look at her book: https://www.amazon.com/Create-Your-Unicorn-Career-Practical/dp/B0GDRNNG8G/ Email Alaina: [email protected]

Follow Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattpoepsel/

Subscribe to The Predictive Index on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thepredictiveindex?si=zyj8aS18Z_1HMrVp

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/posts/?feedView=all

Learn more about PeopleForward Network: http://www.peopleforwardnetwork.com/

Experience it for yourself at trypi.com/ltp .

Start with our free behavioral assessment. Go to trypi.com/ltp .

Daria Rudnik is a Team Architect and Executive Leadership Coach, author of CLICKING, and co-author of The AI Revolution.

A former Chief People Officer and ex-Deloitte professional, she brings over 15 years of international executive experience. Having lived in three countries and worked with clients across six continents, Daria has helped leaders from Fortune 500 companies and fast-growing startups navigate global financial crises, wars, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Daria helps leaders build high-performing teams in a world of rapid change and disruption. She does this through a mix of team and leadership coaching, and an AI-powered coaching tool she developed.

Key Takeaways:

From Our Sponsor:

The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI, including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels, across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com.

Additional Resources:

Follow Daria on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariarudnik

Follow Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattpoepsel/

Subscribe to The Predictive Index on YouTube! https://youtube.com/@thepredictiveindex?si=zyj8aS18Z_1HMrVp

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/posts/?feedView=all

Learn more about PeopleForward Network: http://www.peopleforwardnetwork.com/

Experience it for yourself at trypi.com/ltp .