We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Daniel Doerksen for a practical and thought-provoking conversation about management, leadership, and the critical role managers play in creating healthy workplaces.

Daniel is the co-author of You Can Manage: A Practical Guide to Becoming the Manager Everyone Wants and a leadership consultant with a deep passion for helping organizations become places where people can thrive. In this episode, we explore why work so often falls short of its potential - and what managers can do to close the gap.

Together, we dig into;

👉 Why so many people feel disengaged at work (and why that matters for individuals, teams, and organizations)

👉 The surprising influence managers have on employee wellbeing, engagement, and performance

👉 Why most managers are promoted without training, and the challenges that creates

👉 The five essential practices of effective management: Start with You, Invest in People, Build the Team, Advance the Work, and Strengthen the Organization

👉 How managers can move beyond individual leadership and unlock the power of teams

👉 Why clarity, alignment, and accountability are foundational to healthy team culture

👉 Practical approaches to improving decision-making and reducing organizational bottlenecks

👉 How silos form, and what leaders can do to build stronger cross-functional relationships

👉 The difference between managing performance and enabling performance

👉 Why self-care isn't optional for leaders, and how your wellbeing directly impacts the people around you

This conversation is an honest exploration of what it takes to be an effective manager in today's workplaces. Daniel brings together research, real-world experience, and practical tools that managers can immediately apply to build stronger teams, healthier organizations, and more meaningful work experiences.

If you're a manager, aspiring leader, or someone responsible for helping teams perform at their best, this episode offers actionable insights, fresh perspectives, and a compelling reminder that great management is a skill that can be learned.

Learn more about The Co. → a leadership development community for impact-conscious and power-curious leaders.

We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Monica Pauls for a deeply practical conversation about designing and facilitating high-impact meetings.

Monica is the Chair of the Department of Child Studies and Social Work and an Associate Professor at Mount Royal University. In this episode, she joins us (along with Nic Etheridge Calder) in real-time to workshop an upcoming full-day team meeting, exploring the very real challenges leaders face when trying to create meetings that are engaging, productive, and genuinely meaningful.

Together, we dig into;

This conversation is an honest behind-the-scenes look at the complexity of leading collaborative spaces - especially in environments where relationships are strong, but underlying tensions or disengagement may still exist beneath the surface.

If you lead teams, facilitate meetings, or are trying to create spaces where people feel genuinely included, heard, and invested, this episode offers practical tools, thoughtful reflection, and a powerful reminder that great meetings rarely happen by accident.

If you're listening from Calgary, Alberta (before June 18th, 2026) - join us for an afternoon workshop exploring Power, Equity, Bias and AI.

In this episode of The Leaderful Podcast, we sit down with Christian Ortiz, an Afro-Indigenous decolonial social scientist, technologist, and founder of Justice AI GPT, the first decolonial AI framework designed to confront systemic bias at its roots. Drawing on decades of experience in digital transformation, systems thinking, and decolonial research, Christian explores how bias operates not just at an individual level, but as part of the invisible operating systems that shape our workplaces, relationships, leadership, and society.

This conversation dives into the intersections of power, language, bias, leadership, and AI - and what becomes possible when leaders begin questioning the systems they’ve inherited rather than simply adapting to them.

Together, Jeff and Christian unpack how implicit conditioning shapes the way we lead, communicate, and make decisions, and why meaningful organizational change requires more than surface-level diversity initiatives or individual bias training.

In this episode, we explore:

If you’re a leader navigating complexity, culture, equity, or organizational change - and you’re curious about how power and bias shape the systems around you - this episode offers a thoughtful, challenging, and deeply human conversation about what it means to lead with greater awareness and responsibility.

Learn more about The Co. → a leadership development opportunity for impact-conscious and power-curious leaders.

In this episode of The Leaderful Podcast, we sit down with Janet Livingstone, an Internal Family Systems-informed coach and facilitator with global experience helping leaders develop emotional intelligence, navigate complexity, and unlock deeper self-awareness. Drawing on her work across cultures and industries (from Central Europe to Asia), Janet shares a rich perspective on how leadership is shaped by context, identity, and the unseen inner dynamics we all carry.

This conversation moves beyond surface-level leadership advice and into the inner world of leaders: the parts of ourselves that drive behaviour, the emotions we avoid, and the patterns that quietly shape our teams.

Together, we explore how developing emotional intelligence isn’t a solo pursuit, but a collective, relational practice - and how leaders can create the conditions for more honest, human, and effective collaboration.

In this episode, we explore:

If you’re a leader navigating complexity, culture, or change - and are ready to look inward as a path to leading outward more effectively - this episode offers both practical insight and a powerful reframe of what leadership really requires.

Learn more about The Co. → a leadership development opportunity for impact-conscious and power-curious leaders.

WORKSHOP ALERT: Join Nic, Laura and Jeff for "The Aligned Board", a hands-on 2-part virtual workshop designed to help board members step into their power with wisdom and skill.

Learn more here (spring and fall 2026 dates available).

In this episode of The Leaderful Podcast, we sit down with Nic Etheridge Calder and Laura Istead to explore one of the most critical (and often overlooked) dynamics in the social impact sector: the relationship between boards and executive teams.

Drawing on their lived experience as board members, executive leaders, and advisors, Nic and Laura unpack what gets in the way of alignment, why even well-intentioned boards struggle, and what it takes to build trust, clarity, and shared purpose at the top of an organization.

This conversation moves beyond governance models and into the real, human dynamics that shape board effectiveness - power, communication, expectations, and culture. From disengaging meetings and unclear roles to overfunctioning board members and under-supported executive directors, we explore the patterns that quietly undermine impact, and the practical ways leaders can begin to shift them.

In this episode, we explore:

If you’re a board member, executive director, or leader navigating complexity in the nonprofit sector, this episode offers grounded insights and practical tools to help you build a more aligned, effective, and human-centred leadership system.

Learn more about The Co. -> a leadership development opportunity for impact-conscious and power-curious leaders.

Check out The Aligned Board -> a workshop for nonprofit board members to align their good intentions with their impact on the organization and team they support.

In this episode of The Leaderful Podcast, we sit down with Nic Etheridge Calder, founder of Invoke Coaching, to explore how leaders can design and facilitate meetings that actually move the needle. Drawing on years of experience in leadership development and team facilitation, Nic brings a practical and human-centred lens to one of the most overlooked aspects of organizational life: meetings.

Together, we unpack the “6 P’s of High-Impact Meetings” - a simple but powerful framework for transforming meetings from routine, mediocre time-fillers into intentional, engaging, and outcome-driven spaces. This conversation goes beyond agendas and logistics, diving into the deeper dynamics that shape how teams gather, make decisions, and collaborate.

In this episode, we explore:

Why most meetings fail (and how lack of clarity around purpose quietly derails outcomes)

How to rethink inclusion and ensure the right people (not just more people) are in the room

The hidden influence of power dynamics - and how they shape who speaks, who stays silent, and what decisions get made

Why facilitation is a critical leadership skill, not an optional add-on

How presence, energy, and pace can make or break a meeting’s effectiveness

Practical ways to redesign your meetings so they lead to real clarity, ownership, and action

If you’ve ever left a meeting wondering what was accomplished - or sensed that your team is capable of more than what shows up in the room - this episode offers a clear, actionable framework to rethink how you gather and lead.

Learn more about The Co. -> a leadership development opportunity for impact-conscious and power-curious leaders.

In this episode of The Leaderful Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Amanda Aguilera, Executive Director of the Right Use of Power Institute, to explore what it really means to understand and navigate power in our leadership, our relationships, and our systems.

Drawing on decades of experience, Amanda shares a deeply nuanced perspective on power - not as something we possess, but as a dynamic present in every interaction - and how this shift can fundamentally change the way we lead and relate.

This conversation moves beyond simplified, binary thinking and into the complexity of real leadership: the tensions between vulnerability and responsibility, the impact of power differentials, and the importance of cultivating what Amanda calls “right relationship.”

Together, we unpack how our assumptions about power shape our behaviour, our organizations, and ultimately, our ability to build trust and navigate conflict in meaningful ways.

In this episode, we explore:

Why understanding power as a dynamic (not a possession) changes everything

The concept of “right relationship” and why it’s never a fixed state

How leaders can balance vulnerability with responsibility (and why both matter)

The hidden ways power shows up through roles, status, and systems

Practical ways to distribute power more equitably without losing accountability

The importance of slowing down to examine mental models and assumptions

Why doing this work in a community, not alone, is essential

If you’re a leader navigating complexity, power dynamics, or cultural change, this episode offers a powerful reframe and practical insights to support more conscious, human-centred leadership.

Learn more about The Co. → a leadership development opportunity for impact-conscious and power-curious leaders.

In this episode of The Leaderful Podcast, we sit down with Mike Derricott, a seasoned municipal executive and former Chief Administrative Officer for the Town of Cochrane, to explore the realities of leading complex public-serving organizations.

Drawing on his experience guiding rapidly growing municipalities, Mike shares candid insights about leadership under pressure - where competing stakeholder expectations, rapid growth, and public accountability collide. From navigating the tension between collaboration and decisiveness to building cultures of accountability in human-centred organizations, this conversation explores what it really takes to lead when the work is messy, political, and deeply consequential.

Together, we unpack the subtle dynamics that shape leadership teams: the discomfort of using power responsibly, the risks of consensus-driven decision-making, and the importance of creating clear expectations for behaviour and performance.

This conversation moves beyond leadership theory and into the practical realities of building mature, high-performing teams in complex systems.

In this episode, we explore:

Why consensus-based decision making can quietly erode accountability

The hidden risks of prioritizing process over outcomes in public organizations

How leaders can balance collaboration with decisive action

Why effective teams must develop a tolerance for “messiness” and discomfort

The difference between welcoming people and accepting all behaviours

Why accountability is one of the greatest forms of respect a leader can offer

If you lead in government, nonprofits, or any mission-driven organization, this episode offers grounded wisdom about building cultures that are both human-centred and high-performing.

Learn more about The Co. → a leadership development community for impact-conscious and power-curious leaders.

In this episode of The Leaderful Podcast, we sit down with James Docherty, Assistant Deputy Fire Chief at the Calgary Fire Department, to explore what leadership looks like when the stakes are real, the pressure is high, and the margin for error is slim.

Drawing on decades of experience leading in complex, high-risk environments, James shares grounded insights on decision-making, trust, accountability, and culture - and what leaders in any sector can learn from emergency services.

This conversation moves beyond theory and into the lived realities of leadership: the moments that test us, the habits that shape culture, and the responsibilities that come with authority.

In this episode, we explore:

How leaders can balance decisiveness with humanity and care

Why feedback must be normalized long before problems arise

The hidden leadership failures behind many performance issues

How culture change really happens — and why it can’t be forced

The role of humility, awareness, and presence in building trust

If you’re a leader navigating complexity, growth, or change, this episode offers practical wisdom you can apply immediately.

Learn more about The Co. -> a leadership development opportunity for impact-conscious and power-curious leaders.

In this episode of The Leaderful Podcast, we’re joined by Virginia Hervey and Denise Manderson, longtime leaders at Hull Services, for a grounded conversation about trauma-informed leadership, sector capacity, and leading in complex human systems.

Virginia and Denise share Hull’s evolution from a primarily campus-based care model to a broad continuum focused on early intervention, prevention, and building resilience within families, communities, and systems. Rather than positioning Hull as the answer to every challenge, they articulate a clear commitment to building capacity across the sector, so fewer families require intensive interventions.

The conversation also explores Hull’s leadership and culture work with The Ally Co., which began as a search for leadership training and quickly became something deeper. They reflect on the importance of slowing down, co-creating leadership development that truly fits the organization, and having honest conversations about power, intention, and impact. Shared language, reflective practice, and relationship-centred leadership emerge as critical levers for culture change.

Zooming out, the episode tackles persistent nonprofit sector challenges - burnout, retention, system overload, and competing demands - and offers a hopeful, practical case for more intentional, collaborative, and power-conscious leadership.

This episode is a must-listen for leaders working in trauma-exposed, mission-driven environments who want their leadership to reflect the care, dignity, and outcomes they’re striving to create.

🔍 Also covered in this episode:

Translating evidence-based and clinical models into everyday practice

Why intention vs. impact is a core leadership skill

How shared language shapes culture and accountability

The role of leadership development in reducing burnout and supporting retention

Why early intervention and prevention matter for long-term impact

Learn more about The Co. -> a leadership development opportunity for impact-conscious and power-curious leaders.