In this CIO After Dark conversation, co-hosted by Katherine Lord, we sit down with Matt Becker—coach, facilitator, and champion of leadership development—to uncover his secret sauce for creating lasting change inside organizations.

For Matt, it all comes down to three words: curiosity, care, and critical thinking. He believes a true coaching culture starts with curiosity, thrives on compassion, and creates ripple effects that build stronger leaders at every level.

We explore:

Why curiosity and compassion are the foundation of every strong coaching culture

How coaching builds critical thinking and decision-making across teams

The myth of “perfect listening” and what active listening really looks like in practice

Why silence and trust are essential leadership tools

How coaching frees leaders to lead—and empowers teams to think for themselves

Matt brings warmth, honesty, and deep insight into what it really means to create a culture where people grow through conversation.

#Leadership #CoachingCulture #CriticalThinking #OrganizationalDevelopment #LeadershipDevelopment #TeamCoaching #CoachingSkills #FutureOfWork #LeadershipPodcast

In this special CIO After Dark episode, we sit down with Michelle Chambers, founder of Teams Matter, to uncover her secret sauce of leadership—and why team coaching is some of the hardest, most rewarding work a leader can do.

With over 30 years in organizational development, Michelle shares her insights on how real transformation happens between leaders, not just within them. She talks about holding space, creating safety, and helping teams build the kind of trust and reflection that lead to lasting results.

We explore:

Why team coaching is far more complex—and powerful—than individual coaching

How leaders can hold space without rushing to solve

What “systems thinking” really looks like in practice

The habits that keep her grounded as a coach and leader

Why stillness and reflection are the underrated superpowers of high-performing teams

This episode is a masterclass for leaders and coaches ready to step beyond performance and into transformation.

🎧 Episode out now.

#Leadership #CoachingCulture #TeamCoaching #OrganizationalDevelopment #LeadershipDevelopment #FutureOfWork #LeadershipPodcast

In this inaugural episode of CIO After Dark, recorded live at ICF Converge 2025, we sit down with Michelle Davis and Saskia Houwing, the dynamic coaching duo from Wipfli, who are transforming how internal coaching works in professional services.

Michelle and Saskia's journey from doubling their team size (from one to two!) to serving 3,200 employees reveals what it takes to build a coaching culture that sticks. Their secret sauce? Psychological safety, radical openness, and the entrepreneurial mindset to continuously experiment and evolve.

We explore:

How internal coaches create trust and confidentiality in their own organizations

The "small but mighty" approach to scaling coaching impact

Why psychological safety is the non-negotiable foundation for coaching success

Moving from fear-based to growth-based coaching cultures

The art of meeting organizations exactly where they are

Michelle and Saskia remind us that building a coaching culture isn't about having all the resources—it's about being agile, visible, and relentlessly focused on adding value where it matters most.

#InternalCoaching #CoachingCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #ICFConverge2025 #OrganizationalCoaching #PsychologicalSafety #ExecutiveCoaching #CharacterMattersCoaching #CIOAfterDark #LeadershipPodcast

In this episode of Leadership: The Secret Sauce, we sit down with Bethany Peters, a leadership coach and educator who’s passionate about developing leaders with a coaching mindset.

Bethany’s journey from teaching English as a Second Language to leadership development shaped the way she sees coaching—as both a skill and a language. Her secret sauce lies in helping leaders cultivate curiosity, care, and emotional intelligence so they can lead with presence, empathy, and purpose.

We explore:

- What it really means to develop a coaching mindset as a leader

- How curiosity and genuine care transform workplace relationships

- The parallels between learning a language and learning to coach

- The art of asking powerful questions and creating space for silence

- How early mentors shaped Bethany’s belief in the power of listening and reflection

Bethany reminds us that leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about asking better questions and creating environments where people can think, grow, and thrive.

#Leadership #CoachingMindset #EmotionalIntelligence #LeadershipDevelopment #CoachingCulture #LeadershipPodcast

In this episode of Leadership: The Secret Sauce, we sit down with Marcus Dudley—a leader, coach, and innovator who is helping organizations navigate the intersection of people, technology, and change.

Marcus shares why his secret sauce is built on adaptability and innovation—and why leaders can no longer afford to simply “manage what already exists.” For him, true leadership is about vision: seeing what could be, and creating space for others to do the same.

We also dive into:

Why AI is a critical leadership skill—and what it really means in practice

How innovation sets leaders apart from managers

The role of adaptability in navigating constant change

Why creating space for people’s ideas is one of the most underrated leadership skills

Practical ways leaders can free up time to focus on people and strategy

Marcus brings both provocation and practicality, making this a must-listen for leaders, coaches, and HR professionals who want to stay relevant in a rapidly changing world.

#Leadership #Innovation #AI #FutureOfWork #LeadershipDevelopment #Coaching #LeadershipPodcast

We’ve reached the final stage in our Coaching Culture series—the Organic Coaching Culture.

At this point, coaching isn’t a program, an initiative, or a box to check. It’s the predominant management style of the organization. Leaders, supervisors, and employees at every level embrace coaching conversations as the way to work, lead, and develop others.

We unpack:

Why organic coaching cultures are often called the “holy grail” of leadership development

How safety, trust, and continuous conversations define the experience

Why promotions are one of the clearest signals of whether coaching is truly embedded

The role of frontline supervisors and executives in sustaining coaching over time

How organizations can balance coaching with accountability and results

If you’ve ever wondered what a mature coaching culture looks like—and how to tell if you’re really there—this episode will help bring the journey full circle.

#CoachingCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #OrganizationalGrowth #TalentDevelopment #HRStrategy #LeadershipPodcast

We’re back with Episode 4 of our Coaching Culture series, where we explore the five models of coaching cultures and what leaders can learn from them.

In this episode, we dive into the Centralized with Organizational Competence model. At this stage, coaching is no longer a side program—it becomes integrated with HR processes, leadership development, and organizational strategy. Internal coaching capability is developed, standardized vendors are engaged, and diagnostic tools help measure impact.

We unpack:

Why building coaching capability is as much about culture as it is about programs

How to decide when to invest in internal coaching and when to leverage external partners

The role of technology and AI in enabling scale and measurement

What sustainability looks like—through community of practice, confidentiality, and ongoing development

How internal and external coaches can work together to keep quality and trust high

If your organization is ready to move beyond decentralized efforts and truly embed coaching into the way leaders grow, this episode will help you see what it takes.

#CoachingCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #OrganizationalGrowth #TalentDevelopment #HRStrategy #LeadershipPodcast

We’re back with the third installment of our Coaching Culture series, where we’re exploring the five models of coaching cultures that organizations use—and what leaders can learn from them.

In this episode, we dive into the Decentralized with Organizational Standards model. At this stage, organizations begin to establish consistent qualification requirements for coaches—such as certifications or standards—while still allowing business units to choose their own coaches. It’s a “best of both worlds” approach that balances structure with autonomy.

We unpack:

Why this stage can feel like chaos from the outside—but often works well for the leaders involved

The importance of giving leaders a voice in the coaching process so they become true advocates

How certification and standards add credibility to coaching, without stifling flexibility

The tough question of what to do with “beloved coaches” who don’t meet new requirements

The emerging role of a coaching center of excellence to guide, mentor, and evaluate coaches

If your organization is introducing standards while still giving leaders choice—or you’re wondering how to strike the right balance between consistency and flexibility—this episode will resonate with you.

🎧 Episode 3 is out now.

#CoachingCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #OrganizationalGrowth #TalentDevelopment #CoachingAtWork #LeadershipPodcast

We’re back with Episode 2 in our Coaching Culture series! In this series, we’re exploring the five different models of coaching cultures that show up in organizations—how they work, where they get stuck, and what leaders can learn from them.

In this episode, we dive into the Decentralized Model. In this stage, each business unit or division selects its own coaches and vendors. HR may provide some oversight or input, but decisions remain largely autonomous. This creates both opportunity and risk.

We unpack:

How coaching looks different depending on whether a business unit leans operational or strategic

Why alignment matters—between individual coaching, team needs, and organizational goals

The role HR can play in supporting coaching without being seen as “compliance-driven”

What happens when a bad coaching experience in one unit ripples across the organization

The importance of measuring effectiveness without breaking confidentiality

If your organization is in a decentralized stage—or if you want to understand how coaching cultures evolve beyond the startup/ad-hoc model—this episode is for you.

#CoachingCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #OrganizationalGrowth #CoachingAtWork #HRStrategy #TalentDevelopment

We’re launching a brand-new series on Coaching Culture! Over the next several episodes, we’ll explore the five different models of coaching cultures that show up in organizations—how they work, where they fall short, and what leaders can learn from them.

In this first episode, we dive into the Ad-hoc / Startup model—the earliest stage of a coaching culture. It’s often described as the “Wild West,” where coaching decisions are made close to the point of impact and usually by referral. Leaders may get coaching, but it often lacks alignment with organizational goals or consistency across the business.

We unpack:

Why coaching at this stage can feel reactive rather than strategic

The hidden costs of ad-hoc coaching, including “forever coaching” and lack of alignment

How startups can use coaching as bespoke development when formal training programs don’t exist

What leaders and HR need to watch for when introducing coaching without a system

If you’re in the startup stage of your company—or you want to understand how coaching cultures develop from the ground up—this episode is for you.

#CoachingCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #StartupCulture #CoachingAtWork #OrganizationalGrowth #TalentDevelopment