While John O’Brien’s interest in stress management was in part driven by his executive father’s inability to successfully manage stress, the messages in this podcast are important to people at all levels of organizational life. John, founder of Activate Success, joins host Brian Gorman to discuss the impact that stress can have on our bodies and our lives, ways in which stress can be managed, and what can be done to help reduce the impact that stress can have. 

In this episode, Quantuvos coach Barbara Blatz-Stone and Qonversations host Brian Gorman get into a lively, and deep, discussion that raises important questions to generate self-awareness for the listener. “What is your connection with purpose?” “Does purpose require a connection outside of self?” “What happens when meaning, values, and purpose are not available in your current role?” If you are approaching a transition, or know someone who is, this episode can be an important catalyst for fostering reflection and clarity.  

We talk to one another all the time. We talk with one another much more rarely. Intentional conversations are about aligning intent and talking with. In this episode, Quantuvos coach Harris Ginsberg joins host Brian Gorman to explore the why of intentional conversations and what is required to have a successful one. They also share stories of some of the more surprising intentional conversations that they have had with their clients. 

What do you do if you don’t know your purpose? What’s the value of having those difficult conversations that let you really know your co-workers, and let them really know you? As a leader, what can you do to ensure that your team members’ purpose and passion are in alignment with what you are trying to accomplish? In this highly personal conversation, these are among the questions that Quantuvos coach Whitney Marshall and Qonversations host Brian Gorman explore. 

In the right environment, healthy conflict can flourish. And when healthy conflict flourishes, it allows the best of each team member to surface. In this episode, Quantuvos coach Christopher Arnold and host Brian Gorman discuss the role that leaders all too often play in creating the wrong environment through the words that they use. This Qonversation challenges some of the most common mindsets in the workplace including “there’s no ‘I’ in team” and the cultural habit of “we” rather than “I” statements. 

For decades, Quantuvos coach Edward Marshall, PhD, has worked with senior leaders seeking to improve the performance of their teams. In this episode, Edward and host Brian Gorman discuss the effects of fear-based vs. trust and principle-based leadership, the impact of each on psychological safety, and – in turn – the formation and successful performance of collaborative. As Edward states during the conversation, “The key distinctive characteristic of collaboration that distinguishes it from every other paradigm of leadership is the construct of ownership.” Collaborative teams own their culture and they own their outcomes. 

When researching leadership, James Kouzes and Barry Posner asked followers, “Why do you follow?” Quantuvos coach David Keating joins host Brian Gorman to discuss the four universal traits of leaders that Kouzes’ and Posner’s research uncovered, some of the actions associated with each of those traits, and how, as coaches, we support leadership growth.  

Quantuvos coaches Shannen Coleman Siciliano and Robert Naylor join host Brian Gorman for this deeply personal and insightful conversation. With the question, “Why is it important to support leaders of color any differently than supporting other leaders,” the discussion begins by exploring workplace norms and the impact they can have on those who are outside the norm. Whether it is being seen as “other than” or stereotyped as representative of an entire category of employees, the responsibility of being a leader of color is significant and the support required to succeed cannot be ignored. 

With our natural desire to feel in control, uncertainty is generally not welcomed. Even for those who seek “high adventure,” a great deal of time and effort goes into establishing control over what to expect and preparing for the unexpected. But uncertainty is an inevitable part of our professional as well as personal lives. In this episode of Qonversations, Quantuvos coach Caryn Anthony and host Brian Gorman explore what can be done to reduce the level of uncertainty in the situations that we face as well as how we can better accept the uncertainty that remains. 

The Beckhard-Harris formula for change (D x V x F > R) is at the heart of this conversation between Jackie Sherman and host Brian Gorman. Unpacking each element of the formula (Dissatisfaction, Vision, First Steps, and Risks and Resistance), they explore why each element of the formula is essential and how the formula can be applied to create the energy needed for change to succeed.