The Leadership Growth Podcast

What does it mean to be a “flawless” leader?

And is “flawless” leadership even possible?

Today’s guest believes it is. Christian “Boo” Boucousis is an author, keynote speaker, and CEO of Afterburner, an organization dedicated to building flawless leaders by applying principles and systems fighter pilots use to perform to their exacting standards.

In this conversation with Daniel and Peter, Boo outlines what flawless leadership looks like, how systems can relieve the pressures of leading an organization, and the power of a few small mindset shifts.

Tune in to learn:

• The definition of iterative leadership
• The power of setting objectives and focusing on outcomes
• The right question to ask when it comes to AI

“If a leader can shift from saving the day into designing the wins, then all of a sudden we start to feel good,” says Boucousis. “My work is actually delivering results. This makes me feel good; it feels less like work now. It feels more like action.”

Questions, comments, or topic ideas? Drop us an e-mail at [email protected].

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stewartleadership/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stewartleadership/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stewartleadership

Website: https://www.stewartleadership.com

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6tYdz1gQAxHIQMeNXtkA3z?si=5cf424f1e2954749

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leadership-growth-podcast/id1726606341

Resources and Links

Afterburner, Inc. Website

Christian “Boo” Boucousis LinkedIn Page

The Afterburner Advantage Amazon Page

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

• Leadership Growth Podcast Episode #51: Leading in the Age of AI

https://stewartleadership.com/leading-in-the-age-of-ai/

• The Difference Between Important and Urgent

https://stewartleadership.com/the-difference-between-important-and-urgent/

#leadership #podcast #leadershippodcast #leadershipdevelopment #leadershipcoaching #StewartLeadership #LeadershipGrowthPodcast 

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Complicated. Difficult. Overwhelming.

These are some of the most common words leaders use when facing talent development and succession planning. What positions are most critical, important, or essential? Who are the best candidates for development? And how can you connect it all to an overall strategy?

In today’s episode, Daniel and Peter break it down into a three-step process designed to give organizations a talent development framework that supports an overall strategy.

Tune in to learn:

• How to define a critical position
• How to identify the skills you need to develop
• What a talent profile is and why it’s important

Plus, two tips to help you start your talent development journey, and a few insights about what to do–and what not to do–at a big offsite meeting.

Questions, comments, or topic ideas? Drop us an e-mail at [email protected].

—

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

7 Ways Executives can Champion Learning and Development

5 Benefits of Investing in Leadership Development

6 Steps to Design a Leadership Development Strategy

Why HR Needs to Be Included in Strategic Planning

Elevating Your Role in Talent Strategy Planning

How Offsites can Jumpstart Leadership Development

11 Tips for Successful Team Offsite Meetings

Examples of Talent Philosophy Statements:

• "We believe in fostering a culture of continuous learning and development, empowering our employees to reach their full potential."
• "Our talent philosophy emphasizes the importance of open communication, transparency, and a collaborative environment where everyone's contributions are valued."
• "We are committed to identifying and developing high-potential employees, providing them with opportunities for growth and advancement within the company."

Typically, you can use the following as sentence starters:

• We are committed to ___________.
• We strive to_________.
• We believe in _________.

Consider building statements on any or all of these talent topics:

• Performance
• Development
• Accountability
• Transparency

—

#leadership #podcast #leadershippodcast #leadershipdevelopment #talentstrategy #talentdevelopment #successionplanning #leadershipcoaching #StewartLeadership #LeadershipGrowthPodcast

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Moving into a leadership role involves a lot more than just updating your e-mail signature with your new title.

It requires shifting your mindset from the things that made you a successful individual contributor to things that will make you a successful leader.

In today’s episode of The Leadership Growth Podcast, Daniel Stewart and Peter Stewart take a deep dive into what makes a successful leadership mindset–and how you can develop one.

Tune in to learn:

• How to define work differently as a leader
• What “leader work” looks like
• The “missing piece” that often makes leaders feel they aren’t being strategic
• What leaders can learn from Beyoncé
• The one thing leaders can do to adopt a leader mindset

Questions, comments, or topic ideas? Drop us an e-mail at [email protected].

Resources and Links

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

• 7 Mindset Shifts that will Make You a Great Manager https://stewartleadership.com/7-mindset-shifts-that-will-make-you-a-great-manager/
• Leadership: It’s Not About You Anymore https://stewartleadership.com/leadership-its-not-about-you-anymore/
• Leadership Growth Podcast Episode 43: All Things Delegation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FkUxoYFu1c&list=PLyG0JrhEGeyz-x0jkaNIJtK4kRRiJEH8C&index=43
• How to Hit Your Leadership Recharge Button https://stewartleadership.com/how-to-hit-your-leadership-recharge-button/
• Leadership Growth Podcast Episode 48: Managing Generational Differences https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ2TxmTQeCY&list=PLyG0JrhEGeyz-x0jkaNIJtK4kRRiJEH8C&index=48
• 6 Tips for Improving Your Active Listening Skills https://stewartleadership.com/6-tips-for-improving-your-active-listening-skills/
• 4 Ways to Encourage a Growth Mindset Culture https://stewartleadership.com/4-ways-to-encourage-a-growth-mindset-culture/
• 4 Ways to Encourage a Healthy Failure Culture https://stewartleadership.com/4-ways-to-encourage-a-healthy-failure-culture/

👍Like, Share, and Subscribe to help more leaders make the leap from individual contributor to manager and leader.

#LeadershipPodcast #StewartLeadership #LeadershipGrowthPodcast #ManagerDevelopment #LeadershipDevelopment

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. 

“AI might know more than you, but it doesn’t know better than you,” says Dr. Gena Hoxha in today’s episode.

Gena is the Chief People Officer and Chief AI Officer at Ignitium, a provider of world-class Account-Based Marketing (ABM) programs for enterprise organizations. She holds a PhD in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University and seeks to help leaders pursue AI integration with foresight, not fear.

In this conversation with Daniel and Peter, Gena shares her insights, predictions, and warnings about the current and future state of AI in the workplace.

Tune in to learn:

• Why AI will democratize leadership
• The biggest blind spot leaders have around AI
• How to address AI adoption pressure from senior leaders

“AI is not going to transform anything,” Gena says. “You as a leader–you are going to be the transformation catalyst.”

Learn more in this timely and lively conversation.

Questions, comments, or topic ideas? Drop us an e-mail at [email protected].

In this episode:

:29 – Introduction: Dr. Gena Hoxha

2:00 – Connecting AI and People

8:54 – Identity as a Leader in the AI Era

13:26 – AI as Mirror and Magnifier

18:08 – Is AI Your New Team Member?

23:16 – Using AI to Improve Leadership

27:24 – Addressing AI Pressure from Senior Leaders

33:22 – Embracing and Managing AI Adoption

Resources:

Dr. Gena Hoxha LinkedIn

Ignitium

Gartner Hype Cycle

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

3 Human Needs to Retain Every Employee

6 Trends in Leadership and HR for 2025

10 Ways Our New AI Coach Can Grow Your Career

10 Cool Things Leaders Can Do With An AI Coach

AI-Powered Talent Retention

The AI-Integration Roadmap

Strategic Planning for Unpredictable Times

3 Tips for Leading Through Uncertainty

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. 

“It’s not about kind of handing away our decision-making rights,” says Dr. Reece Akhtar. “It’s about using AI as a tool–emphasis on a tool–to help us become smarter humans, not the other way around.”

Dr. Akhtar is the CEO of Deeper Signals, an end-to-end Soft Skills Intelligence platform designed to help organizations make smarter and fairer talent decisions. He is a contributor to Harvard Business Review and Forbes and co-author of the book, The Future of Recruitment: Using the New Science of Talent Analytics to Get Your Hiring Right.

In today’s episode, Reece joins Daniel and Peter for a look at the current landscape of AI-powered talent management and a discussion about the best balance and approach for integrating AI into an overall talent strategy.

Tune in to learn:

• The three things to get right about using AI in the hiring process
• Why good interviews are still vital to the hiring process
• The one thing to remember when introducing AI into the hiring process

Listeners who want to dip into the AI for HR waters can try the Deeper Signals assessment tool here.

Questions, comments, or topic ideas? Drop us an e-mail at [email protected].

In this episode:

1:07 – Introduction: Dr. Reece Akhtar

1:49 – The State of AI in Hiring

7:34 – Early Adoption to the Next Level

13:53 – Improving the Applicant Experience

23:02 – The Elements of Successful AI Adoption

27:18 – AI and the Interview Process

34:00 – Lightning Round

Resources:

Dr. Reece Akhtar LinkedIn

Deeper Signals

Deeper Signals Candidate Assessment Tool

The Future of Recruitment: Using the New Science of Talent Analytics to Get Your Hiring Right, Amazon

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

3 Human Needs to Retain Every Employee

Developing Employee Personas: A Practical How-To Guide

The 7 Elements of Employee Experience

6 Trends in Leadership and HR for 2025

10 Ways Our New AI Coach Can Grow Your Career

10 Cool Things Leaders Can Do With An AI Coach

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. 

When most people say they want to “be authentic,” what they really mean is they want to be comfortable, says Dr. Laura Sicola.

But “comfort zones and authenticity have nothing to do with each other when it comes to real performance,” she says.

Laura Sicola is a cognitive linguist, communication expert, speaker, and coach who helps leaders become master influencers. Her TEDx presentation, “Want to Sound Like a Leader?” has been viewed approximately 7 million times.

Laura joins Daniel and Peter today for a deep dive into authenticity and the myths around what it means to be an authentic leader.

Tune in to learn:

• Why discomfort is so important to becoming a more influential leader
• What sound boards can teach us about authenticity
• When code switching is healthy–and when it’s not

Anyone who wants to grow is going to experience discomfort, Laura says. “Embrace the opportunity to consistently challenge yourself in ways that are healthily uncomfortable,” she says.

Questions, comments, or topic ideas? Drop us an e-mail at [email protected].

In this episode:

1:03 – Introduction: Dr. Laura Sicola

2:07 – What Authenticity is NOT

6:50 – Authentic Adaptation

13:07 – The Leadership “Mixing Board”

18:16 – Preferences vs. Values

24:25 – Generational Authenticity

32:04 – Closing Thoughts

Resources:

Dr. Laura Sicola’s Website

“Want to Sound Like a Leader? Start by Saying Your Name Right,” TEDx Talk

Speaking to Influence: Mastering Your Leadership Voice, Amazon

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

Six Secrets to Your Leadership Growth

5 Executive Presence “Superpowers” of Introverted Leaders

6 Tips to Master the Language of Executive Presence

5 Tips to Help You Lead a Global Team

6 Tips to Build a Learning Organization

The Importance of Body Language in Executive Presence

10 Tips That Will Improve Your Presentation Skills

Here Come the Zoomers!

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. 

“Whys unite and whats divide,” says Haydn Shaw.

Haydn is the founder of People Driven Results and the author of Sticking Points: How to Get 5 Generations Working Together in the 12 Places They Come Apart. Hailed by Time Magazine as an expert on cultural differences in the workplace, Haydn focuses on helping generations work together better with a combination of clear insight, humor, and practical advice.

In today’s conversation, Daniel, Peter, and Haydn discuss some of the most challenging aspects of having five generations in the workplace at the same time.

Tune in to learn:

• The new “life stage” that impacts the modern workplace
• Three things leaders can do to improve generational relationships in the workplace
• The value of “leaning into the negative” when it comes to retaining employees

Leaders can bridge a lot of divides simply by being curious, says Haydn. “You go online and find a list of nine things to know about Gen Z–that’s a list of whats, and whats are good, but whats divide us. Whys lead to great conversations.”

Questions, comments, or topic ideas? Drop us an e-mail at [email protected].

In this episode:

:54 – Introduction: Haydn Shaw

4:04 – Life Stages vs. Generational Differences

7:37 – How to Improve Generational Relationships in the Workplace

11:04 – The Role of Empathy and Humility in Managing Generational Differences

19:10 – How to Implement “Co-Mentoring”

29:27 – How to Retain Millennial and GenZ Employees

32:30 – Lightning Round

Resources:

Haydn Shaw LinkedIn

People Driven Results

Sticking Points: How to Get 5 Generations Working Together in the 12 Places They Come Apart

“Why Half of What You Hear About Millennials is Wrong,” TEDx Talk, Haydn Shaw

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

Executive Presence in Gen X Leaders

Here Come the Zoomers!

3 Tips in Working with Your Millennial New Hires

6 Tips for Improving Your Active Listening Skills

5 Retention Metrics Every Leader Should Track

10 Tips to Level Up Your Mentor Relationships

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Imagine being “paid to judge people”!

That’s how today’s guest jokingly describes his role. Tom Verboven is a Senior Director of Client Success at Mercer Talent Enterprise, where he advises clients on how to drive value through effective human capital strategies.

In this conversation with Daniel and Peter, Tom offers his insights and advice for navigating a leadership assessment landscape that now includes artificial intelligence (AI) tools.

Tune in to learn:

• Three shifts in leadership assessment over the last decade
• Three steps leaders should take as they use assessments in the future
• One thing leaders should do to establish an accurate standard of success

We need to embrace both the human and the technological, Tom says. “In the end, a leader is a human and needs to do good with other humans,” he concludes.

Questions, comments, or topic ideas? Drop us an e-mail at [email protected].

In this episode:

:48 – Introduction: Tom Verboven

3:07 – Topic: AI’s Impact on Leadership Assessment

8:30 – The Changing World of Assessment

16:00 – The AI Avatar Experience

22:44 – Can AI Be Too Accurate?

25:03 – Steps for Leaders to Understand the Assessments of the Future

28:09 – Caution Around AI for Assessments

31:42 – The One Thing for a Leader to Establish an Accurate Standard of Success

Resources:

Tom Verboven LinkedIn

Mercer Talent Enterprise

Kahneman, D., Rosenfield, A., et al (2016, October). Noise: How to Overcome the High, Hidden Cost of Inconsistent Decision Making. Harvard Business Review.

What Are the Big 5 Personality Traits?, Very Well Mind

Behind the Headline: Unpacking the Reported Drop in Conscientiousness

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

7 Principles for Character Driven Leadership

The Advantages of an Online 360° Assessment

Six Ways to Leverage the Power of 360° Assessments for Your Leaders

When Should I Use a Lead Now! Assessment?

The Leadership Self-Assessment Question You Need

Stewart Leadership Assessment Services

Stewy: Your AI Leadership Coach

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. 

No one attends a team offsite wanting it to be a failure, says Daniel. Unsuccessful offsites are perceived as “a bad waste of time.”

So what makes an offsite successful–and how can an offsite have a lasting, positive impact on your team or organization?

In this episode, Daniel and Peter break down the elements of a successful team offsite and give suggestions for how to make your next one the best yet.

Tune in to learn:

• The value of including all participants in the planning process
• What an offsite is NOT good for
• Important ground rules that help guide discussion

Plus, some reflections on an insightful quote from Robert Frost, including what it says about delegation and manager wellbeing.

Questions, comments, or topic ideas? Drop us an e-mail at [email protected].

In this episode:

:50 – Insight of the Week

5:23 – Topic: How to Have a Successful Team Offsite

9:46 – The Right Preparation

17:10 – The Right People

20:11 – The Right Facilitator

28:43 – The Great Pivot

32:43 – Ground Rules

37:10 – Lightning Round

Resources:

Robert Frost Biography, The Poetry Foundation

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

How to Hold a Great Strategic Planning Offsite Meeting

6 Reasons Your Next Meeting Should Be an Offsite

Why Your Offsite Needs an Outside Facilitator

How Offsites Can Jumpstart Leadership Development

5 Ways Leaders Can Better Manage Feeling Overwhelmed

The Manager Crisis: 3 Areas that Need Attention

How to Delegate Like a Pro

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. 

As a consultant and coach, Lorraine Armijos, founder of LAR Insights, has observed many leaders struggle to respond when she asks how they measure success.

The first response, she says, “is just a blank stare.” Some leaders gauge success entirely on revenue numbers. And finally, many leaders give a “laundry list of things.”

“It’s really important to start with what problem you’re trying to solve,” says Lorraine. “From there on, start creating that alignment through each layer” of the organization.

In this conversation with Daniel and Peter, Lorraine discusses the elements of leadership success and offers practical advice on how to focus on, collect, and measure the right data.

Tune in to learn:

• The three intangible measures of leadership success
• The slightly unconventional advice Lorraine offers for collecting data
• The one thing all leaders should remember when deciding where to focus their efforts

Ultimately, says Lorraine, leaders need to focus on the things that are within their control. “At every level of the organization, you will have a different level of control,” she says. “Make sure you are focusing on that, because otherwise, it’ll just be frustrating for you.”

Questions, comments, or topic ideas? Drop us an e-mail at [email protected].

In this episode:

:34 – Introduction: Lorraine Armijos

3:25 – The Components of Leadership Success

8:35 – Measuring the Intangibles

16:51 – Gather the Right Data

28:40 – Lightning Round

Resources:

LAR Insights

Lean Six Sigma, Wikipedia

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

52 Leadership Gems: Practical and Quick Insights for Leading Others

3 Questions to Measure the Morale of Your Team

The 7 Critical Vital Signs of Organizational Health

Are Your Learning Initiatives Working?

5 Ways to Build Trust Within Your Organization

The Focused Collaboration Model

Building Psychological Safety At Work: 6 Tips

Whitepaper: The Need to Be Independent: Promoting and Supporting Employee Autonomy

Big Ears are a Must

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.