Love and Leadership is taking a break this week, but we're re-airing one of our favorite early episodes to help you set the tone for the new year! In this episode, Kristen and Mike dive into the evolving concept of leadership presence. They explore how traditional notions of executive presence are shifting, with a growing emphasis on emotional intelligence, authenticity, and inclusivity. Drawing from Kristen's improv-inspired leadership model, they discuss practical ways to enhance awareness, authenticity, and connection in leadership roles. This episode gives leaders at all levels practical tips to build a leadership style that works well in today's work world. Listeners will come away with actionable strategies to boost their leadership effectiveness and create more meaningful connections with their teams.

Highlights:

• The changing landscape of executive presence over the past decade
• The misconception that charisma is necessary for effective leadership
• The growing emphasis on inclusivity and respect for others in leadership 
• The importance of authenticity in modern leadership 
• The role of bias in leadership perceptions and decision-making 
• Kristen's AdLib leadership presence model: awareness, authenticity, and connection 
• The importance of mindfulness and different levels of listening in leadership 
• Understanding and managing your inner judge to foster authenticity 
• The power of "Yes, And" in building trust and fostering creativity
• How to recognize and appreciate team members effectively
• Leadership as an ongoing journey of learning and growth 

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• HBR: The New Rules of Executive Presence by Sylvia Ann Hewlett
• Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
• Good to Great by Jim Collins
• The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Gary Chapman and Paul White

Podcast Website: www.loveandleadershippod.com
Instagram: @loveleaderpod

Follow us on LinkedIn!
Kristen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenbsharkey/
Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-s-364970111/

Learn more about Kristen's leadership coaching and facilitation services: http://www.emboldify.com

As the year winds down, Kristen shares her tried-and-tested process for conducting a personal annual review - a practice she's refined over 15 years. Whether you're reflecting on your career progression or contemplating personal growth, this episode offers a straightforward approach to evaluating your year and setting meaningful goals for 2025. Plus, Mike shares his perspective on performance reviews from his executive experience and why the Marine Corps' evaluation system stands out as a model of excellence.

Want to make 2025 your best year yet? Download Kristen's free 20-page Personal Annual Review workbook and follow along with this episode. The workbook includes guided exercises, reflection prompts, and the full "Wheel of Life" assessment tool to help you create a clear vision for the year ahead. And, follow it up with a free 30-minute coaching session with Kristen (available for January only). 

Episode Highlights:

• The perfect timing of the week between Christmas and New Year's for reflection and planning
• A simple but effective three-part process for conducting your personal annual review
• The importance of celebrating wins and acknowledging challenges from the past year
• How to use the "Wheel of Life" coaching tool to evaluate different areas of your life
• Tips for setting measurable goals while staying flexible in your approach
• The value of identifying energy-giving and energy-draining activities
• Why writing things down by hand can lead to deeper insights
• The power of choosing a theme word for your upcoming year

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Free Personal Annual Review Workbook: llpod.link/2024review
• Book your free 30-minute coaching session with Kristen (exclusive January 2025 offer)
• The Gap and the Gain by Dan Sullivan & Dr. Benjamin Hardy
• Jocko Podcast: 174 with Echo Charles
• Marine Corps Evaluation Form
• Sahil Bloom: The Personal Annual Review

Podcast Website: www.loveandleadershippod.com
Instagram: @loveleaderpod

Follow us on LinkedIn!
Kristen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenbsharkey/
Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-s-364970111/

Learn more about Kristen's leadership coaching and facilitation services: http://www.emboldify.com

What makes some organizations inspire fierce loyalty while others just seem to exist? In this episode, Kristen and Mike dive into Simon Sinek's groundbreaking book "Start With Why," exploring how truly great leaders and companies create lasting success by focusing on their purpose rather than just their products. Through compelling examples from Apple to Martin Luther King Jr., they break down why people don't buy what you do - they buy why you do it. Whether you're building a business, leading a team, or trying to make a bigger impact, this episode reveals how starting with your "why" can transform your approach to leadership and create genuine, lasting connections with both customers and employees.

Highlights:

• The Golden Circle concept: Understanding the critical difference between what you do, how you do it, and why you do it
• Why manipulation tactics like price cuts and promotions might work short-term but won't build lasting loyalty
• The fascinating neuroscience behind decision-making and how the limbic brain influences our choices
• The Law of Diffusion of Innovation and why you need to reach 15-18% market penetration before achieving mass success
• How great organizations maintain consistency between their why, how, and what across all aspects of their business
• The importance of finding and developing leaders who share your organization's core why
• The "Celery Test" - a practical framework for making decisions that align with your organization's purpose
• Why success can actually be the biggest challenge for maintaining your organizational why
• The difference between achievement (getting what you want) and success (knowing why you want it)
• The power of finding and articulating your personal why as a leader\

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Start with Why by Simon Sinek 
• Simon Sinek's 2009 TED Talk: "How Great Leaders Inspire Action"
• Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
• Influence by Robert Cialdini
• Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
• Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 

Podcast Website: www.loveandleadershippod.com
Instagram: @loveleaderpod

Follow us on LinkedIn!
Kristen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenbsharkey/
Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-s-364970111/

Learn more about Kristen's leadership coaching and facilitation services: http://www.emboldify.com

Ever wonder what truly makes a great leadership team tick? Kristen shares insights from her recent team coaching certification program and breaks down the research-backed conditions that create outstanding teams. Drawing from Ruth Wageman and Richard Hackman's work on senior leadership teams, Mike and Kristen explore how the setup of a team accounts for 60% of its eventual success - far more than what happens once the team is already working together. Through analogies to orchestras and kitchens, they unpack what makes teams truly interdependent and how leaders can create the right conditions for their teams to thrive.

Highlights:

• The definition of a real team and why reporting structures alone don't make a team
• The four types of teams: informational, consultative, coordinating, and decision-making
• Why less than 7% of teams actually agree on who is part of the team
• The three essential conditions for team effectiveness: a real team, clear purpose, and right people
• How empathy and integrity are the two most important predictors of leadership team success
• Key behaviors to watch for when selecting (or removing) team members
• Why team norms and clear behavioral expectations matter more than values statements
• The importance of having the right team size and support systems in place

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Senior Leadership Teams by Ruth Wageman, Debra A. Nunes, James A. Burruss, and J. Richard Hackman
• Start with Why by Simon Sinek
• Boundaries for Leaders by Henry Cloud
• Integrity by Henry Cloud
• Episode 20: Leading Through Uncertain Times with Tushar Pandit

Podcast Website: www.loveandleadershippod.com
Instagram: @loveleaderpod

Follow us on LinkedIn!
Kristen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenbsharkey/
Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-s-364970111/

Learn more about Kristen's leadership coaching and facilitation services: http://www.emboldify.com

Leadership isn't just about hitting the numbers - it's about how you get there. Through candid stories from his 25+ years in human resources, Chief People Officer Tushar Pandit challenges common misconceptions about workplace culture and HR. He explains why foosball tables and kombucha aren't company values (though he enjoys kombucha), why measuring employee engagement isn't enough, and what it really takes to build an organization where people want to stay and grow. This conversation dives into why the "Chief People and Culture Officer" title misses the mark, how to lead through constant change, and what it means to truly care for your team while driving business results.

About Tushar:

Tushar Pandit is a values and culture catalyst People Executive with 25+ years of broad and deep experience in the tech-enablement space: from start-ups through multi-nationals, and VC/PE-backed privately-held to publicly-traded. He is currently the Chief People Officer at SPINS, the leading provider of retail consumer insights, analytics and consulting for the Natural, Organic and Specialty Products Industry. He’s an enabler with a principle focus to be a strategic, people leader: to lead with data to enhance an organization's sustainable and scalable long-term growth and success – all within a social and collaborative enterprise environment! 

Highlights:

• How an internship at a law firm unexpectedly led Tushar to discover his passion for HR and people operations
• Why the Chief People Officer role has evolved beyond "getting a seat at the table" into driving organizational transformation
• The problem with treating culture as HR's responsibility - and why every leader needs to own it
• How to handle high performers who get results but leave "20 dead bodies behind"
• Why work-life balance is a myth - and what work-life management looks like instead 
• The importance of letting people be adults and trusting them to manage their time
• Why the best leaders believe more in your potential than you do yourself
• How to lead through VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) in today's business environment
• The danger of the phrase "that's the way we've always done it" - and why change management matters more than ever

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Follow Tushar Pandit on LinkedIn
• SPINS (Tushar’s company)
• Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
• Give and Take by Adam Grant

Podcast Website: www.loveandleadershippod.com
Instagram: @loveleaderpod

Follow us on LinkedIn!
Kristen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenbsharkey/
Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-s-364970111/

Learn more about Kristen's leadership coaching and facilitation services: http://www.emboldify.com

When 36-year-old Mike Abrashoff took command of the USS Benfold in 1997, he faced a demoralized crew that openly jeered their departing captain. Instead of sticking with the Navy's traditional command-and-control leadership style, Abrashoff decided to revolutionize how he led. His radical approach? Trust his crew, listen to their ideas, and make their lives better. The results were unprecedented - taking a ship with low morale and poor performance and transforming it into what many considered the best damn ship in the Navy. In this episode, Mike and Kristen break down Abrashoff's leadership philosophy and how his innovative approaches from 25 years ago remain remarkably relevant today.

Highlights:

• What drives people to leave organizations: lack of dignity, inability to make an impact, not being listened to, and lack of responsibility
• The "Washington Post test" for decision-making: would you be comfortable seeing your actions on the front page?
• Three key questions for leaders when things go wrong: Were goals clear? Were there enough resources? Was training sufficient?
• Breaking down hierarchy by modeling the behavior you want to see from others
• Creating a climate of trust through collaboration over competition
• Building people up through praise, opportunity, and improved quality of life
• Taking calculated risks that empower your team to show initiative
• How focusing on people development led to exceptional combat readiness

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• It's Your Ship by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff
• Start With Why by Simon Sinek 
• Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek 
• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie 
• Dare to Lead by Brené Brown 
• Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink

Podcast Website: www.loveandleadershippod.com
Instagram: @loveleaderpod

Follow us on LinkedIn!
Kristen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenbsharkey/
Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-s-364970111/

Learn more about Kristen's leadership coaching and facilitation services: http://www.emboldify.com

What if you could make better decisions with less stress? Kristen and Mike go deep into the science of decision-making, exploring why it's such a crucial leadership skill and sharing practical frameworks to help you decide with confidence. They reveal surprising research showing that leaders make around 35,000 decisions daily and that 85% of leaders have experienced decision distress in the past year. But there's hope - by understanding cognitive biases, using structured processes, and learning when to delegate decisions, you can dramatically improve your decision-making abilities. Whether you're struggling with decision fatigue or want to help your team make better choices, this episode offers concrete tools you can start using today.

Download your free PDF of the BRIEFED decision-making framework reviewed in the episode: llpod.link/decision

Highlights:

• Why quick, authoritative decision-makers are often seen as more effective leaders
• The optimal amount of information needed before making a decision (hint: it's not 100%)
• How System 1 (fast) and System 2 (slow) thinking affect our choices
• Common cognitive biases that impact decision-making, including anchoring bias and sunk cost fallacy
• Introduction to the BRIEFED decision-making framework for complex decisions
• A practical matrix for knowing which decisions to make yourself vs delegate to your team
• Why debriefing after important decisions is crucial (and often skipped)

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Download the BRIEFED Decision-Making Framework
• Oracle Study: The Decision Dilemma
• MIT Sloan Review: Effective Leaders Decide About Deciding
• The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier
• Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
• Iron-Sharpened Leadership by John L. Gronski
• Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
• It's Your Ship by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff
• Playing to Win by A.G. Lafley

Related Episodes:

• #2 The New Playbook for Leadership Presence
• #5 A Leader’s Guide to Imposter Syndrome
• #9 Leadership Book Club: The Coaching Habit

Podcast Website: www.loveandleadershippod.com
Instagram: @loveleaderpod

Follow us on LinkedIn!
Kristen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenbsharkey/
Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-s-364970111/

Learn more about Kristen's leadership coaching and facilitation services: http://www.emboldify.com

In this guest interview episode, Rebecca Yang, Director of Engineering at HubSpot, shares her unconventional journey to tech leadership and reveals seven uncommon leadership principles that have shaped her success. From her early days in client services to leading a 50+ person engineering team, Rebecca opens up about how embracing authenticity and overcoming personal challenges has made her a more effective leader. Her refreshing take on leadership - including why micromanagement isn't always bad and why you shouldn't trust your gut with feedback - offers valuable insights for leaders at all levels.

About Rebecca:
Rebecca Yang is a Director of Engineering at HubSpot, leading the Breeze Intelligence group. She joined HubSpot in 2023 through the Clearbit acquisition, where she previously served as VP of Engineering. She's passionate about cultivating high performance engineering cultures. Rebecca's teams focus on shipping innovative, impactful customer-facing solutions.

Highlights:

• How coming out as a queer woman early in her career shaped her leadership style, particularly around transparency and authenticity
• The unique culture of engineering teams and how it allows for greater self-expression and authenticity
• Why psychological safety starts with how we handle critical feedback - both giving and receiving it
• A deep dive into Rebecca's "7 Uncommon Leadership Principles"
• How Rebecca successfully led her team through a challenging one-third reduction in workforce by being transparent about the "why"
• The importance of "Debate, Decide, Unite" in building team alignment
• Why leaders must own difficult messages rather than deflecting responsibility

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Rebecca Yang’s LinkedIn Profile
• Stay SaaSy Blog: Don’t Create Chaos
• Dharmesh Shah's "Debate, Decide and Unite" Framework

Podcast Website: www.loveandleadershippod.com
Instagram: @loveleaderpod

Follow us on LinkedIn!
Kristen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenbsharkey/
Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-s-364970111/

Learn more about Kristen's leadership coaching and facilitation services: http://www.emboldify.com

Kristen and Mike break down Marshall Goldsmith's influential book "What Got You Here Won't Get You There." While they praise the practical advice and behavioral frameworks in the book, they also challenge some of its core assumptions and discuss how leadership development has evolved since its 2007 publication. Through their analysis, they reveal how seemingly small behavioral habits can make or break a leader's effectiveness - and why changing these habits requires more than just willpower. The episode offers both practical tips for behavior change and a thoughtful critique of traditional executive coaching approaches, making it valuable for anyone looking to grow as a leader.

Highlights:

• The 20 workplace habits that can derail successful leaders and why "winning too much" tends to be the most common and destructive behavior
• How successful leaders typically exhibit 6-8 of these habits, and why identifying your one or two biggest problem areas is crucial for development
• The surprising reason why stopping negative behaviors can be more effective than trying to develop new positive ones
• A detailed breakdown of Goldsmith's seven-step change process, including how to gather feedback, apologize effectively, and follow through consistently
• Why traditional approaches to leadership development might oversimplify complex psychological factors like imposter syndrome and internal motivation
• The concept of "feedforward" and how this future-focused alternative to traditional feedback can create more openness to change
• How the simple act of saying "thank you" can transform the way you receive feedback and criticism
• An analysis of whether the book's somewhat rigid approach and lack of nuance still serves modern leaders effectively

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith
• Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink
• How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
• Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
• It's Your Ship by Michael Abrashoff
• Good to Great by Jim Collins
• The First 90 Days by Michael D. Watkins

Podcast Website: www.loveandleadershippod.com
Instagram: @loveleaderpod

Follow us on LinkedIn!
Kristen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenbsharkey/
Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-s-364970111/

Learn more about Kristen's leadership coaching and facilitation services: http://www.emboldify.com

What's the real difference between a manager and a leader? While technical skills and industry knowledge matter, emotional intelligence often makes or breaks leadership effectiveness. In this episode, Kristen breaks down the Genos six key competencies of emotional intelligence and how they show up in leadership, while Mike adds his perspective (using an enlightening feelings wheel). Through practical examples and even a few Star Trek references, they explore how emotional intelligence impacts everything from decision-making to team performance. Whether you've heard of EI before or this is all new territory, you'll walk away understanding exactly what emotional intelligence looks like in action and how to start improving yours today.

Download your free PDF companion to this episode, featuring the Genos emotional intelligence model and 18 tips for boosting your EI: https://llpod.link/ei

Highlights:

• The history of emotional intelligence and how it became such an important leadership skill
• Why emotional intelligence can be learned (with the right approach) 
• The research-backed benefits of emotional intelligence for leadership effectiveness
• A breakdown of the six Genos emotional intelligence competencies: self-awareness, awareness of others, authenticity, emotional reasoning, self-management, and inspiring performance
• How to actually improve your emotional intelligence through reflection, feedback, and intentional habit formation
• The balance between showing authenticity and managing emotions as a leader
• The critical importance of understanding both emotional and logical information in decision-making

Links & Resources Mentioned

• Free PDF: 18 Ways to Boost Your Emotional Intelligence
• Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
• Harvard Business Review: What Makes a Leader by Daniel Goleman
• Genos International
• Iron Sharpened Leadership by John Gronski
• Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
• Feelings Wheel 2 Pack (from Amazon)

Podcast Website: www.loveandleadershippod.com
Instagram: @loveleaderpod

Follow us on LinkedIn!
Kristen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenbsharkey/
Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-s-364970111/

Learn more about Kristen's leadership coaching and facilitation services: http://www.emboldify.com