Whether you are a professional coach, a consultant, an HR leader, or simply a manager trying to influence the C-suite, you need to know how to interact with people at the highest levels of an organization .

Many talented professionals hold themselves back from these conversations. They assume they need more credentials or a better "model." But high-level leaders do not care about your certifications. And if you try to use standard behavioral tactics with them, they will show you the door.

In this special live Masterclass recording, we dive deep into the psychology of interacting with top-tier executives . You will learn exactly what C-suite leaders are actually looking for in an advisor, and how to position yourself to earn their trust.

In this episode, you will learn:

-The "Executive Mask": Why CEOs build armor to survive, the 3 types of masks they wear (Competence, Resilience, Control), and why your ability to break through it dictates your influence.

-The Behavioral Trap: Why standard frameworks (like asking, "What are your goals?") fail with executives, and why you must learn to coach their identity, not just their behavior .

-The 3 Keys to High-Level Influence: How to develop the Credibility to get in the room, the Tools to break the mask, and the Presence to tell a $2 billion CEO the unvarnished truth .

-Live Coaching: Listen as I challenge "Bob," a consultant, to stop accepting meetings at the bottom of the ladder and start demanding time with the CEO .

Resources

-Questions on this? Ask me in the Leadership Mindset 2.0 community on LinkedIn or Facebook

-want to coach c-level leaders confidently? Sign up here

Who is the one person you need to get on your side right now?

There is always someone - an investor, a boss, a peer, or a difficult employee - who you need to make a decision in your favor.

Most leaders try to influence people using logic. They present facts, data, and ROI. And often, they fail.

Why? Because they don’t understand Leverage.

In this episode, I break down the single most important psychological tool for persuasion. "Leverage" isn't about manipulation; it is about understanding the deep-seated drives, fears, and aspirations that actually cause a human being to say "Yes."

In this episode, you will learn:

-The Definition of Leverage: Why "What's in it for me?" is deeper than just money or status (it’s often about safety, legacy, or belonging)

-Personality-Based Influence: How to adjust your leverage based on the 4 Leadership Types (Commanders want to win; Visionaries want to be cool; Collaborators want harmony) .

-The "Expense Report" Tactic: A real-world example of helping a team member understand why they need to do their admin on time

-The "Move Away" vs. "Move Towards" Driver: Why some people are motivated by looking smart, while others are motivated by not looking stupid (and why you must know the difference)

💪 The Challenge for This Week:

-Pick one person you have been struggling to influence.

-Stop pitching your agenda.

-Identify their Leverage: Ask yourself, "What are they afraid of losing? What do they deeply need to gain?" (Is it fairness? Respect? Safety?) .\

-Put it into action

Resources

-Questions on this? Ask me in the Leadership Mindset 2.0 community on LinkedIn or Facebook

-Get Live Coaching: Move from listening to doing inside the Growth Leaders Collective. Start your $1 trial at RMichaelAnderson.com/GLC

"You can do everything right and still lose the candidate in the final week."

The period between "Making the Offer" and "Day 1" is the danger zone. This is when candidates get cold feet, receive counter-offers from their current bosses, or simply ghost you.

In Part 3 (The Finale) of our Hiring Masterclass, Michael Bailey and I wrap up with the critical final steps to lock in your A player and get them excited to start.

In this episode, we cover:

-Making the Offer: Why compensation alone isn't enough—personalize the offer based on what you learned matters to them during the interview.

-Don't Get Cheap: The costly mistake leaders make by negotiating down at the finish line. A players deliver massive ROI—pay them fairly.

-Trust Your Gut: Why you must listen to your intuition, even when a candidate looks perfect on paper. Michael shares cautionary tales of ignoring that inner voice.

-The Anti-Ghosting Protocol: Specific pre-boarding steps to keep candidates excited between offer and Day 1—welcome gifts, early laptop delivery, first-week agenda, and desk setup.

Plus, hear key takeaways from business leaders who realized their hiring process needed a complete overhaul.

Michael Bailey is a Growth Consultant with over 20 years of experience helping SMEs scale successfully by building strong people strategies. As former CFO and People Director at MOMs Organic Market, he helped scale the business from 3 to 7 stores while maintaining its purpose-driven culture. He's also worked with Urban Leisure Group (named one of the Guardian's Best Places to Work in London) and The Better Food Company, where he prioritized people alongside profits.

Contact Michael:

1. Website: www.elzeard.co.uk
2. LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bailey3

Mentioned in this episode:

C-Level Coaching Masterclass

Join the upcoming masterclass "How to Confidently Coach C-Level Leaders (Even If You’ve New To It)" on Feb. 25th 4PM UK / 8 AM PST using the link below:

2026 Coach Masterclass

People are watching you through a magnifying glass.

As a leader, everything you do is amplified. A casual comment about "opening an office in LA" can turn into a company-wide rumor within an hour. Being five minutes late to a meeting can undermine your entire speech about "integrity."

It takes months to earn respect, but only a few bad habits to lose it.

In this episode, we flip the script. Instead of telling you how to be a great leader, I am going to teach you the 5 Fastest Ways to Lose Respect. By identifying these traps, you can audit your own behavior and stop the leaks in your leadership.

In this episode, you will learn:

-The Hypocrisy Trap: Why asking your team to do things you don't model (like punctuality) makes them roll their eyes at your values .

-The "Secondary Priority" Signal: Why bumping a 1:1 meeting or delaying a salary conversation tells your employee "You don't matter to me" .

-The Authority Paradox: Why acting like you "know it all" (or conversely, knowing nothing) kills team confidence .

-The "Firefighter" Mistake: Why getting stuck in the weeds and failing to be strategic makes your team see you as just another peer with a fancy title.

-The Clarity Gap: How vague expectations force even your best employees to fail because they don't know the parameters of success .

💪 The Challenge for This Week: Audit yourself against the "Anti-Playbook."

-Reflect: Look at the 5 ways to lose respect. Which one are you currently guilty of?

-The Fix:

-Are you canceling meetings? Stop moving them.

-Are you inconsistent? Stick to one message.

-Are you unclear? Sit down and define the expectations.

Resources

-Join the Conversation: Join our Leadership Mindset 2.0 community on LinkedIn or Facebook

-Get Live Coaching: Move from listening to doing inside the Growth Leaders Collective. Start your $1 trial at RMichaelAnderson.com/GLC

Mentioned in this episode:

C-Level Coaching Masterclass

Join the upcoming masterclass "How to Confidently Coach C-Level Leaders (Even If You’ve New To It)" on Feb. 25th 4PM UK / 8 AM PST using the link below:

2026 Coach Masterclass

"Past performance is the best predictor of future performance."

Most interviews are flawed because they rely on hypothetical questions ("What would you do if...?"). A skilled candidate can fake a hypothetical answer. They cannot fake a chronological track record.

In Part 2 of our Hiring Masterclass, Michael Bailey and I move from preparation to execution. We tackle the two hardest parts of the funnel: finding A-Players who aren't looking for jobs, and conducting an interview that acts as a "truth serum."

In this episode, you will learn:

-The Virtual Bench: Why you must constantly recruit at trade shows and dinners before you have an opening, so you never start from scratch .

-The "Entrepreneurial CPA" Strategy: How Michael wrote a job ad so unique it was featured in the business book Scaling Up, and how you can use "low hurdles" to filter out B-Players immediately .

-The Phone Screen: The 30-minute filter that saves you hours of wasted interview time.

-The "Threat of Reference Check" (TORC): A psychological tactic used early in the interview that compels candidates to tell you the unvarnished truth about their weaknesses .

-The Chronological Interview: The deep-dive format (1.5 to 3 hours) where you walk through their last 5 jobs in order. We explain why candidates let their guard down after minute 40 and give you full candour.

Resources:

-Get the Templates: Download the Job Scorecard and Interview Templates mentioned in this episode inside the Growth Leaders Collective at RMichaelAnderson.com/GLC

Michael Bailey is a Growth Consultant with over 20 years of experience helping SMEs scale successfully by building strong people strategies. As former CFO and People Director at MOMs Organic Market, he helped scale the business from 3 to 7 stores while maintaining its purpose-driven culture. He's also worked with Urban Leisure Group (named one of the Guardian's Best Places to Work in London) and The Better Food Company, where he prioritized people alongside profits.

Contact Michael:

1. Website: www.elzeard.co.uk
2. LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bailey3

Mentioned in this episode:

C-Level Coaching Masterclass

Join the upcoming masterclass "How to Confidently Coach C-Level Leaders (Even If You’ve New To It)" on Feb. 25th 4PM UK / 8 AM PST using the link below:

2026 Coach Masterclass

"The real job of a CEO is to go from one uncomfortable conversation to another."

If you are procrastinating a phone call, letting a deadline slide, or avoiding an underperforming employee because you don't want to "rock the boat," you are not protecting the team—you are hurting them.

Many leaders suffer from "Nice Guy Syndrome." We think that by avoiding conflict, we are keeping the peace. But in reality, we are losing respect.

In this episode, we break down why your brain is neurologically wired to avoid these conversations and how to overcome it every time.

In this episode, you will learn:

1. The "Nice Guy" Trap: Why trying to be liked usually results in being disrespected, and why your team actually caves accountability .
2. The Psychology of Avoidance: How "Conditional Parenting" and the ego's need for safety cause us to procrastinate on high-value conversations .
3. The ARC Framework: A 3-step process (Awareness, Response, Compassion) to navigate conflict without blowing up.
4. Curiosity vs. Blame: How to start a difficult conversation so the other person doesn't get defensive (hint: be specific, not general) .
5. The "Silence" Trick: Why you must stop talking after asking a hard question and let the silence do the heavy lifting .

💪 The Challenge for This Week:

-Identify: Who is the one person you have been avoiding? (A peer, an underperformer, or even a boss).

-Compose: How do you want your energy to be? (Curious, not accusing).

-Schedule: Put it on the calendar today. Do not wait for the "right time." .

Resources:

-Join the Conversation: Join our Leadership Mindset 2.0 community on LinkedIn or Facebook

-Get Live Coaching: Move from listening to doing inside the Growth Leaders Collective. Start your $1 trial at RMichaelAnderson.com/GLC

Mentioned in this episode:

C-Level Coaching Masterclass

Join the upcoming masterclass "How to Confidently Coach C-Level Leaders (Even If You’ve New To It)" on Feb. 25th 4PM UK / 8 AM PST using the link below:

2026 Coach Masterclass

"I can't give my team any more work—they are already drowning."

If you have ever said that, you are likely falling into the Martyr Trap. You try to protect your team by taking on the extra work yourself, but all you are doing is becoming the bottleneck and burning yourself out.

In this Live Q&A Session, we tackle two of the most common stressors in leadership: Influence and Overwhelm.

I answer real questions from the Growth Leaders Collective about how to get other departments (who don't report to you) to actually do their job, and how to dig your team out of a hole when everyone is stretched thin.

In this episode, you will learn:

-Expectations vs. Agreements: Why "pretty much" having an agreement is the same as having no agreement at all, and how to lock in commitments with peers .

-The "Martyr" Trap: Why "saving" your team from work actually hurts their growth and turns you into their personal assistant.

-The "Strategic No": How to ruthlessly audit your calendar and help your overwhelmed team do the same (hint: you can usually delete 20-40% of the tasks) .

💪 The Challenge for This Week:

The Calendar Audit.

-For You: Go through your task list and ruthlessly delete or renegotiate everything that isn't strategic.

-For Your Team: Find one overwhelmed employee. Schedule 45 minutes with them and help them find3 things they can stop doing or hand off immediately .

Resources

-Join the Conversation: Join our Leadership Mindset 2.0 community on LinkedIn or Facebook

-Get Live Coaching: Move from listening to doing inside the Growth Leaders Collective. Start your $1 trial at RMichaelAnderson.com/GLC

Mentioned in this episode:

C-Level Coaching Masterclass

Join the upcoming masterclass "How to Confidently Coach C-Level Leaders (Even If You’ve New To It)" on Feb. 25th 4PM UK / 8 AM PST using the link below:

2026 Coach Masterclass

Hiring is the most expensive gamble you make as a leader - and when you get it right, it makes everything else easier.

The problem is that research shows that 46% of new hires fail within 18 months. The cost isn't just the salary—it's the lost momentum, the cultural damage, and the months it takes to fix the mistake.

In this special 3-part Masterclass Series, I am joined by Michael Bailey—an expert in scaling SMEs and building high-performance cultures—to break down the "5 Steps to Hiring Right."

In Part 1, we tear down the traditional "Post and Pray" method and teach you the Preparation Phase. You will learn why "Job Descriptions" are useless and how to replace them with a "Scorecard" that defines exactly what winning looks like.

In this episode, you will learn:

-The 50/50 Gamble: Why traditional hiring has a failure rate of nearly 50% and how to stack the odds in your favor .

-Defining "A-Players": Why you don't just want a superstar (who might be a jerk)—you want the right superstar who aligns with your values .

-The Scorecard Method: The exact framework to define the Mission, Outcomes, and Competencies for a role before you ever speak to a candidate .

-The Hiring Hierarchy: Why you must prioritize Values > Wills > Skills (in that order).

-The Speed Trap: How to map your timeline so you don't lose top talent to faster competitors.

Resources:

-Get the Templates: Download the Job Scorecard and Interview Templates mentioned in this episode inside the Growth Leaders Collective at RMichaelAnderson.com/GLC

Michael Bailey is a Growth Consultant with over 20 years of experience helping SMEs scale successfully by building strong people strategies. As former CFO and People Director at MOMs Organic Market, he helped scale the business from 3 to 7 stores while maintaining its purpose-driven culture. He's also worked with Urban Leisure Group (named one of the Guardian's Best Places to Work in London) and The Better Food Company, where he prioritized people alongside profits.

Contact Michael:

1. Website: www.elzeard.co.uk
2. LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bailey3

Mentioned in this episode:

C-Level Coaching Masterclass

Join the upcoming masterclass "How to Confidently Coach C-Level Leaders (Even If You’ve New To It)" on Feb. 25th 4PM UK / 8 AM PST using the link below:

2026 Coach Masterclass

"They clearly want my job."

It is one of the most uncomfortable situations in leadership: A direct report who is talented but insubordinate, networking with your boss, and actively trying to bypass you.

Most leaders shrink back because they feel threatened. But the truth is, if they are walking all over you, it is because they tested your power and you failed the test.

In thisLive Q&A Session, we tackle the "sharp edges" of leadership—from handling political saboteurs to fixing a team that refuses to make decisions without you.

In this episode, you will learn:

-The "Usurper" Strategy:How to handle an employee who oversteps boundaries (hint: you have to challenge them back to earn their respect) .

-The Ownership Framework:How to stop your team from checking in with you for confirmation on everything.

-The "Microsoft" Story:A personal confession of how I was accidentally poisoning my own company culture by complaining about a vendor—and how I fixed it .

-Saying the Unsaid:Why you must confront false allegations and sabotage head-on, even if it feels "unprofessional" to bring it up .

💪 The Challenge for This Week:The "Victim" Audit.

-Reflect:Where is your team currently showing up as a victim?

-The Shift:Bring this up to your team. Communicate it, come up with a plan.

-The Agreement:Get a clear commitment from them on showing up in ownership, then hold them accountable.

Resources

-Join the Conversation: Join our Leadership Mindset 2.0 community on LinkedIn or Facebook

-Get Live Coaching: Move from listening to doing inside the Growth Leaders Collective. Start your $1 trial at RMichaelAnderson.com/GLC

Mentioned in this episode:

C-Level Coaching Masterclass

Join the upcoming masterclass "How to Confidently Coach C-Level Leaders (Even If You’ve New To It)" on Feb. 25th 4PM UK / 8 AM PST using the link below:

2026 Coach Masterclass

We often think that experience makes us bolder. But psychologically, the opposite is often true. As leaders get older and more successful, they stop taking risks because they are terrified of damaging their identity as a "winner." We call this The Curse of Experience.

In Part 2 of this interview series, Michael breaks down the internal psychology of the leader. We move from the tactics of Part 1 into the deep mental frameworks needed to handle high-stakes pressure without burning out.

In this episode, you will learn:

-The Curse of Experience: Why successful leaders become risk-averse to protect their ego, and how to fight it.

-The ARC Model: A 3-step psychological framework (Awareness, Response, Compassion) to stop reacting and start leading during a crisis.

-Imposter Syndrome Reframe: Why feeling like a fraud is actually a good sign that you are pushing your leadership range.

-Defining Stress: The realization that stress is simply "trying to control what is out of your control".

The Challenge The Stress Audit: Next time you feel your chest tighten, stop and ask yourself: "What am I trying to control right now that is actually out of my control?" (e.g., a customer's reaction, the economy). Remind yourself that you can only control your own thoughts, behaviors, and actions.

Resources

-Join the Conversation: Join our Leadership Mindset 2.0 community on LinkedIn or Facebook

-Get Live Coaching: Move from listening to doing inside the Growth Leaders Collective. Start your $1 trial at RMichaelAnderson.com/GLC

Mentioned in this episode:

C-Level Coaching Masterclass

Join the upcoming masterclass "How to Confidently Coach C-Level Leaders (Even If You’ve New To It)" on Feb. 25th 4PM UK / 8 AM PST using the link below:

2026 Coach Masterclass