There’s a commonly held belief that leadership courage is a trait that you either have or you don’t. That only the most rarefied few have what it takes to rally people around them to press ahead and meet the uncertainty - or adversity - that stands before them.

But what if courage is not a rare trait, but instead something every leader can exemplify in everyday moments?

In this episode of "Leadership Biz Cafe," I speak with Alex Budak, award-winning UC Berkeley faculty member and author of "Becoming a Changemaker", about his Harvard Business Review article where he describes the six forms of everyday courage leaders can develop to successfully drive change and lead their organization through periods of adversity.

And a quick note here that this will be the last episode of “Leadership Biz Cafe” for 2025 as I’m taking a break for the month of December.

But I’ll be back in January 2026 with more guests, more Leadership Espresso Shots, and more insights on how you can succeed and grow in your leadership role.

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It seems there's not a lot everyone can agree on these days … except maybe how hard it can be to feel optimistic about things. After all, optimism is something reserved for when things are going well, not something we should expect during periods of uncertainty and disruptive change.

But what if our thinking about optimism is all wrong?

In this edition of my Leadership Espresso Shot series, I share a story from the life of an incredibly successful leader who faced a period of uncertainty much like we're experiencing now, the only difference is that his company was on the verge of bankruptcy.

But it’s what he did next that reveals a powerful lesson for how we should view optimism, especially during periods of uncertainty if we want to ensure we can continue to succeed and grow in the years to come.

I’ve shared this story in some of my leadership keynotes and I can tell you it really does help to inform and re-energize our understanding of what we can and should be doing to effectively lead our team through the fog of uncertainty and change.

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Workplace conflict has doubled since 2008, with over a third of employees dealing with it constantly. But what if the solution isn't eliminating conflict, but transforming it into opportunities for connection and understanding, if not also increasing our own self-awareness?

In this episode of "Leadership Biz Cafe," Karin Hurt and David Dye, founders of Let's Grow Leaders and authors of "Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Workplace Conflict," share their proven framework for turning destructive conflict into constructive conversations.

You'll discover the four dimensions of constructive conflict, learn the 12 GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) powerful phrases that actually work to transforming conflict into connection, and gain practical strategies for handling everything from workplace bullies to passive-aggressive colleagues to overwhelming workloads.

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Leaders everywhere are frustrated with employee accountability as reflected in various attention-grabbing catchphrases like quiet quitting, coffee badging, and micro-shifting. Unfortunately, what we don’t appreciate is that these are the symptoms of a deeper issue - of employees feeling a disconnect with the work they do.

That’s why in this Leadership Espresso Shot, I share a personal story that reveals how leaders encourage organizational accountability by creating conditions for employees to do meaningful work.

Whether you’re struggling with employee accountability or not, this is an important episode that will help you understand what will be needed in the months and years ahead to encourage your employees to commit their best efforts to your organization.

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Most leaders approach AI integration by focusing on the mechanics - which tools to buy, how to write better prompts, or which tasks to automate. But what if this tactical focus is exactly why so many AI initiatives fail to create meaningful transformation?

In this episode of "Leadership Biz Cafe," Faisal Hoque, thought leader and best-selling author of “Transcend: Unlock Humanity in the Age of AI,” challenges us to view AI not as a technology problem to solve, but as a mirror reflecting our collective humanity - and why this understanding changes everything about how we should lead with AI.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most leaders think inclusive teams automatically create belonging. Dr. Beth Kaplan reveals why this assumption is exactly why so many workplace initiatives fail to create genuine connection and leads to the rising levels of anxiety and disconnect we see today.

In this episode of "Leadership Biz Cafe," Dr. Beth Kaplan, who’s been hailed as the world’s leading expert on belonging, shares the critical difference between inclusion (what leaders provide) and belonging (what employees feel), plus practical strategies from her book "Braving The Workplace" on how leaders can create environments where people feel connected to something bigger than themselves without sacrificing who they are.

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Feeling powerless at work while questioning leadership decisions around you? You're not alone - but you might be thinking about power all wrong.

In this edition of my Leadership Espresso Shot series, I use a scientific principle to help us redefine workplace power and how to stop giving away the influence you already possess.

By the episode’s end, you’ll discover why power isn't about your title or position, but about something far more valuable that you control entirely.

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For most leaders, uncertainty is like a storm you weather by cutting costs, delaying decisions, and basically waiting for calmer waters to return. But is it possible that this protective mindset is the very reason why organizations struggle to grow and evolve during periods of uncertainty? In other words, are the difficulties we have with uncertainty less to do with uncertainty itself, and more to do with how we choose to view and respond to it?

In this episode of "Leadership Biz Cafe," my guest Dr. Rebecca Homkes presents her findings and a model that challenges us to rethink uncertainty as the fuel for breakthrough growth rather than an obstacle organizations need to overcome.

Through our discussion of her book, "Survive, Reset, Thrive: Leading Breakthrough Growth Strategy in Volatile Times", Rebecca shares her proven SRT Loop framework - a cyclical three-stage process that will help leaders develop strategies to ensure their organization can withstand and grow whatever setbacks and market shocks that cross their path.

What You'll Learn:

• Why treating uncertainty as temporary is the biggest strategic mistake leaders can make
• How to use the Uncertainty Matrix to categorize and respond to different types of volatility
• The five hard truths about survival that most leaders get wrong
• Rebecca's power moves for creating stable foundations during turbulent times
• How to define your beliefs and test assumptions when you don't have all the data
• The difference between Right to Play and Right to Win (and why confusion kills growth)
• How to identify your Ideal Customer Profile and why narrowing focus drives expansion
• What "must-win battles" are and how to maintain focus as conditions change
• How to use the Black Box of Execution to transition from Reset to Thrive
• Common SRT Leadership Traps and how to avoid them

Whether you're navigating economic uncertainty, industry disruption, or organizational transformation, this conversation will fundamentally shift how you think about leading growth in volatile times.

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For most leaders, workplace conflict is something you should avoid at all costs. While this might sound good in principle, the reality is this mindset limits your team’s ability to reach its full potential.

In this Leadership Espresso Shot, I share a framework of four proven measures that will allow you to create a workplace environment where your employees can effectively transform conflict from emotionally driven disagreements into productive, team-building breakthroughs.

After all, when done right, conflicts don’t tear teams apart, but makes them stronger and better equipped to face what’s next.

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