The Mike Method

This special episode brings together key moments from past conversations exploring one of the most important and often overlooked leadership skills: communication.

Not just how we speak, but how we listen. How we respond when we are triggered. How we repair conflict. And how we build relationships rooted in clarity, curiosity, and trust.

Across these conversations, we move beyond surface level advice and into the mechanics of real connection. From managing emotional reactions and staying present in a distracted world, to learning how charisma, attention, and honest dialogue shape the way we relate to each other.

Together, these perspectives offer a practical guide for communicating in a way that strengthens relationships at work, at home, and everywhere in between.

• Mike Desjardins on the ABC method for managing triggers and choosing intentional responses in the moment
• Ahna Boley on designing conversations for attention and presence in a world full of distraction
• Milam Miller on redefining charisma as the ability to make others feel seen, heard, and remembered
• Adrienne Giffen on why meaningful conversation matters more than ever and how it reconnects us
• Jayson Gaddis on the conflict repair cycle and the communication skills that build stronger relationships over time
• Michael Bungay Stanier on understanding what brings out our best and how to intentionally shape the relationships that matter most

• Why emotional awareness is the foundation of effective communication
• How attention and presence shape the quality of conversations
• The difference between reacting and responding in moments of tension
• Practical tools for navigating conflict and repairing relationships
• How curiosity and listening create psychological safety
• Why intentional conversations lead to stronger, more resilient relationships

Episode Resources:

Ahna Boley Episode

Milam Miller Episode

Jayson Gaddis Episode

Michael Bungay Stanier

ViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedIn

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Oura Ring

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This special episode brings together some of the most meaningful moments from past conversations on AI, leadership, and the future of work, woven into one cohesive guide for building real literacy without losing the human side of how we think, decide, and create.

Drawing from episodes with Kian Gohar, Dr. Hilary Currie, Carly Moir, Alex Brueckmann, and Nicholas Ning, we explore what it really means to move beyond the hype and work with AI as a thinking partner. Instead of approaching it as just another tool, this conversation invites leaders to engage with it as something that can expand perspective, challenge assumptions, and support better decisions.

Along the way, we unpack how leadership is evolving alongside technology, why human capabilities like creativity and emotional intelligence matter more than ever, and how intentional learning and experimentation help teams move from hesitation to confidence.

In this episode, we explore

What real AI literacy looks like inside organizations

Why treating AI as a thinking partner changes decision making

The growing importance of creativity, presence, and emotional intelligence

How leaders can design learning experiences that move teams from uncertainty to capability

The role of experimentation in responsible and effective adoption

How multimodal AI is reshaping communication, collaboration, and learning

Reflection questions

Where am I approaching AI as a tool instead of a thinking partner

What human capabilities will matter most in my leadership as technology evolves

How can I create space for experimentation without pressure for immediate mastery

What would building real confidence with AI look like for me or my team

Featured conversations include

Kian Gohar on shifting from using AI as a search engine to engaging it as a collaborator that expands thinking

Dr. Hilary Curry on the human skills that become more valuable as technology reshapes work

Carly Moir on how people build confidence with new tools and what makes learning stick

Alex Brueckmann on integrating AI into strategy with clarity, intention, and experimentation

Nicholas Ning on workforce transformation and building AI literacy at scale

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ViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedIn

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Oura RingWhat happens when the business you built starts running you?

In this episode of The Mike Method, Mike Desjardins sits down with entrepreneur, author, and Pinnacle Global Network CEO Allison Maslan for a candid conversation about the success trap many founders quietly experience. Allison shares the shocking wake up call that forced her to rethink everything after literally running herself over with her own car, and how that moment became the turning point that changed the way she approached leadership, scale, and life.

With 40 years of entrepreneurial experience and 10 companies built, Allison has helped more than 150,000 founders and leadership teams scale their businesses without becoming trapped inside them. Together, Mike and Allison explore why growth alone does not create freedom, how founders become the bottleneck without realizing it, and what it actually takes to evolve from being the hero or octopus leader into a visionary CEO.

They also unpack Allison’s five phases of scaling, seeker, pioneer, ringleader, co-creator, and visionary, and explain why delegation so often fails when leaders are not clear on outcomes, ownership, and metrics.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why so many entrepreneurs feel trapped by the very success they worked to create

• The difference between the hero, the octopus, and the visionary CEO

• Allison’s five phases of scaling and how to identify where you are now

• Why delegation breaks down when leaders are unclear on success metrics

• How to build a founder independent company that creates more freedom and enterprise value

• Why enjoying the journey matters just as much as reaching the goal

Episode Resources:

• Download Allison Maslan’s Operational Scalability ebook
• Learn more about Pinnacle Global Network
• Get Allison’s book Scale or Fail
• Listen to the Scale It Method Podcast
• ViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedIn
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If you have ever wondered why some environments drain you while others bring you fully online, this conversation will land.

Entrepreneur and author Nigel Bennett has spent decades building high performing companies while navigating ADD and dyslexia, challenges that many entrepreneurs quietly share. Over time, he discovered that the key was not trying to eliminate those traits, but building systems that allow their strengths to work in your favor.

In this conversation, Mike Desjardins and Nigel explore what happens when identity, work, and pressure collide. Nigel shares a defining moment early in his career that forced a difficult decision: leave the path he was on or stay and risk losing himself in it.

Nigel Bennett is the author of Take That Leap: Risking It All for What Really Matters. He has been a member of MIT’s Gathering of Titans for over a decade, the Entrepreneurs’ Organization for nearly two decades, and received the British Columbia Institute of Technology’s Distinguished Alumni Award. His company has also received multiple innovation awards for breakthroughs in oil spill response technology.

Together, they unpack Nigel’s GIFT model for ADD, Gratitude, Ignore, Focus, Test, and explore why confidence is often built through experimentation, repetition, and supportive routines rather than certainty.

In this episode, you will learn:

• A turning point moment that changed Nigel’s career direction

• Why ADD can become a strength when you build around it

• The GIFT model: Gratitude, Ignore, Focus, Test

• How fear decreases through repetition and practice

• Why rest is a performance strategy, not a reward

• A morning routine that supports nervous system stability and better decisions

Episode Resources:

• Nigel Bennett’s GIFT ADD model link
• Nigel Bennett’s book, Take a Leap
• BCIT alumni article featuring Nigel’s story
• ViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedIn
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This special episode brings together some of the most meaningful moments from past conversations on nervous system regulation, purpose, and leadership, woven into one cohesive guide for staying ambitious without losing yourself.

Drawing from episodes with Lee Holden, Dr. David B. Wolf, Lynn Sumida, Anna Brooks, and Lisa Dion, we explore what it really means to move from have, do, be to be, do, have. Instead of chasing goals to feel worthy, this conversation invites you to let your goals become an expression of who you already are.

Along the way, we unpack how the nervous system shapes our decisions, relationships, and leadership presence, why connection creates a deeper sense of safety than control, and how purpose is often something we notice rather than something we force.

• Lee Holden on energy, emotion, and how shifting your internal state changes how you show up
• Dr. David B. Wolf on becoming before achieving and redefining success from the inside out
• Lynn Sumida on hidden patterns, protection, and the nervous system’s role in self sabotage
• Anna Brooks on what regulation really means and why curiosity only lives in a grounded state
• Lisa Dion on leadership as borrowing a nervous system and creating safety in teams

• The shift from have, do, be to be, do, have
• Why big achievements can still feel hollow and how to change that pattern
• What nervous system regulation actually is and what it is not
• How connection creates safety in leadership and relationships
• Practical ways to return to presence when you feel activated or stuck
• Why purpose often reveals itself through joy, energy, and alignment

• What goal am I chasing that I am hoping will finally make me feel enough
• If my goals were an expression of who I am instead of proof of worth, what would change
• Where in my life could I lead with more presence instead of pressure

If you have ever reached a milestone and wondered why it does not feel the way you thought it would, this episode is an invitation to slow down, reconnect, and remember that the journey is the goal.

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Your resume can look strong while your inner world is still reacting to old patterns.

In this episode of The Mike Method, Mike sits down with Susan Schmitt Winchester, executive coach and co-author of Healing at Work, to explore how early experiences shape the way we respond to authority, stress, and conflict at work.

With over 36 years of corporate leadership experience, including serving as Chief HR Officer for Applied Materials and Rockwell Automation, Susan now helps leaders address the unconscious beliefs and stress responses that influence performance, culture, and relationships.

Together, they unpack:

• Why reactions at work can feel bigger than the moment
• How perfectionism and people pleasing develop as protection strategies
• Practical tools to create more choice under pressure
• A powerful shift from judgment to compassion in leadership

If you have ever wondered why certain situations activate you more than they should, this conversation offers clarity and practical next steps.

Episode Resources:

Susan: Website / LinkedIn

Tackling Perfectionism at Work (Tedx talk)

Healing at Work

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Your story isn’t the truth of who you are. It’s a map of your soul’s curriculum.

In this episode of The Mike Method, Mike sits down with Celinne da Costa, author, speaker, and master coach who helps high-achieving leaders rewrite the invisible narratives shaping their decisions, influence, and impact. Celinne is a transformational leadership coach who helps high-achieving leaders bridge their inner truth with outer expression. Through her unique blend of neuroscience, subconscious reprogramming, and storytelling expertise, she guides CEOs, executives, and visionary professionals to lead with authentic magnetism and create meaningful impact. Her holistic approach has empowered Fortune 150 executives and industry leaders to communicate with confidence, lead with purpose, and build influential legacies. A licensed NeuroChange Solutions consultant under Dr. Joe Dispenza and featured expert in Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Business Insider, Celinne's mission is to guide leaders in creating positive change by living, leading, and communicating from deep soul alignment.

Celinne’s work blends deep inner transformation with practical tools. Drawing from modalities like NLP and hypnotherapy, she helps executives move out of survival mode and back into conscious choice. At the center of this conversation is a powerful idea: your life keeps repeating the lesson until you integrate it.

Together, Mike and Celinne explore:

• Why the map is not the territory

• How old identity stories hijack leaders in high-stakes rooms

• What it takes to neutralize emotional charge so you can respond rather than react

• The shift from “I’m becoming” to “I choose that I am” and why that language matters

Celinne also shares the origin story behind her upcoming book, The Burning Ground — a ten-year journey that began when she left a prestigious New York life, couch-surfed across 18 countries, stayed with 70 strangers, and consciously dismantled the identity she had built in order to discover what remained underneath.

This episode is about identity, alignment, and the courage to lead from who you truly are — not from who you were conditioned to be.

Episode Resources:

Celinne Da Costa: Website / Substack / Facebook Page

Sonos

Peloton

ViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedIn

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AI is not replacing recruiters. It is reshaping how great hiring happens.

In this episode of The Mike Method, Mike sits down with Andrea Tjoeng-Davey, CEO of Scout Talent Group, a global SaaS organization serving clients across Australia, Canada, and the United States. With a career spanning recruitment operations, product development, and HR technology, Andrea has spent years helping organizations build smarter, more human centered hiring systems while leading teams through the rapid evolution of AI in talent acquisition.

Together, Mike and Andrea explore what really changes when AI becomes embedded in the hiring process rather than sitting on the sidelines. They discuss how accessible generative AI tools are transforming recruitment workflows, candidate experiences, and the way organizations make talent decisions.

Andrea shares why AI should support human judgment rather than replace it, how leaders can use technology to reduce bias and improve efficiency, and what candidates need to know to stand out in an AI influenced job market. The conversation also highlights the importance of authenticity and human connection in a world where AI is screening AI.

If you care about the future of work, hiring well, and leading through technological change with intention, this conversation offers thoughtful insight and practical guidance.

Episode Resources:

Andrea Tjoeng-Davey

Scout Talent

ViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedIn

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muse

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If you think there is a better version of you that you need to become, this conversation begins with a simple reminder. You are already enough.

In this episode of The Mike Method, Mike Desjardins sits down with Michelle Masters for a deep and thoughtful exploration of where our beliefs about worth come from and how they quietly shape the way we lead, relate, and move through the world. Michelle Masters is an internationally acclaimed bestselling author and one of the foremost facilitators of change in the world. A personal development trainer and coach since 1995, her expertise lies in a unique fusion of neuroscience-based change techniques, family constellation work, and quantum transformation modalities.

In this conversation Michelle shares why so many of these patterns are formed early in life, why willpower and surface level affirmations often fall short, and what it can actually take to reach the deeper layers where change begins. Together, they explore the role of the nervous system, subconscious patterning, EMDR, and neuroplasticity in creating lasting shifts. The conversation looks at how old wiring can show up as stress, health challenges, financial tension, and relationship strain, even when we feel like we are doing all the right things.

Michelle also offers practical ways to begin working with these patterns, inviting listeners to take personal responsibility for their own healing journey and to notice what becomes possible when the interference starts to lift. On the other side of this work, she describes a life that feels lighter, more connected, and often surprisingly easeful.

Key Takeaways

• You are enough right now, and self acceptance can open the door to meaningful change
• Beliefs about worth often take shape early in life and can run quietly in the background for years
• Lasting transformation starts by working with deeper patterns, not just surface habits
• Neuroplasticity allows the brain to form new connections and support new ways of being
• Tools like EMDR can be part of the process, alongside other approaches to healing and growth
• Old patterns can influence stress, health, money, and relationships without us realizing it
• Taking ownership of your own journey can create space for clarity and possibility
• When deep interference is removed, life can begin to feel lighter and more aligned

🎧 Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts.

Episode Resources:

Michelle Masters: Website

Money Magic by Michelle Masters

Rewire Your Money Reality Course

Read the first chapters of Monday Magic here

ViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedIn

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Leadership Circle

Vega

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At some point you realize your biggest leadership constraint is not your strategy or your skill set. It is how you show up when your ego gets involved.

In this episode of The Mike Method, Mike Desjardins sits down with Eric Kaufmann, chairman of the board at Dr. Bronner’s, executive coach to leaders at Verizon, Facebook, SunPower, and Circle, and creator of the Conscious Operating System, a framework for helping leaders see the patterns that quietly shape their decisions and relationships.

Eric brings together executive rigor and decades of Zen training to explore ego myopia, the habit of losing awareness of ego in real time and how it can weaken trust, feedback, and collaboration. Mike and Eric talk through why people pleasing becomes a hidden power leak, how boundaries and clear requests create healthier teams, and why “say more” might be one of the most effective leadership moves you can make.

The conversation also unpacks the three ego needs leaders often carry: the need to be right, the need to be liked, and the need to have might, along with the upgrade path Eric teaches through wisdom, love, and innate power.

• What ego myopia looks like in daily leadership
• How feedback and self-awareness reveal blind spots
• The cost of defaulting to yes and how to set clean boundaries
• Curiosity as an alternative to defensiveness and certainty
• Making your yes a full body yes instead of a quiet obligation

If this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone who leads alongside you.

Episode Resources:

Eric Kaufmann: LinkedIn

Four Virtues of a Leader by Erin Kaufmann

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