Why do so many conversations leave people feeling unseen, unheard, and misunderstood? In Episode 262 of The Mindset Game podcast, Vered Kogan speaks with Greg McKeown, New York Times bestselling author of Essentialism and Effortless, about why misunderstanding has become one of the greatest barriers to effective leadership, collaboration, and human connection. Drawing on his doctoral research at the University of Cambridge, Greg introduces the concept of confident misunderstanding and explains why the ability to truly understand another person's perspective may be one of the most important leadership skills of our time. Together, they explore how empathy, curiosity, and deep listening can reduce polarization, strengthen relationships, and improve communication in every area of life. In this conversation, you'll learn:

• How confident misunderstanding creates conflict and limits collaboration
• A simple communication practice that builds trust and connection
• How perspective-taking can transform difficult conversations
• Why people need to feel seen, heard, and understood before they are willing to listen

The conversation takes an unexpected turn when Greg asks Vered to coach him through a real leadership challenge involving a difficult relationship. Together, they explore how to move beyond judgment, step into another person's perspective, and create the conditions for greater understanding. This coaching segment is included in the video version of the episode on YouTube and offers a rare opportunity to experience these principles in action and see how small shifts in perspective can transform the way we navigate difficult conversations. Click HERE to access the video. To learn more about Greg's work, visit GregMcKeown.com or connect with him on LinkedIn. To subscribe to The Mindset Game podcast or leave a review, visit TheMindsetGame.com or click HERE.

How do you build a culture where people genuinely want to contribute? In Episode 261 of The Mindset Game® podcast, Vered Kogan speaks with Adrian Gostick, leadership expert, executive coach, and New York Times bestselling author, about what great leaders do differently to build cultures where people feel valued, engaged, and motivated to do their best work. Drawing on decades of research, Adrian explains why creating a high-performing culture is about far more than setting a vision. It requires giving people a voice, treating them as partners, communicating consistently, and recognizing their contributions along the way. In this conversation, you'll learn:

• How treating employees as partners strengthens commitment and trust
• Why a compelling "why" matters before asking people to change
• How to create buy in when you don't have all the answers

To learn more about Adrian's work, visit AdrianGostick.com or connect with him on LinkedIn. To subscribe to The Mindset Game podcast or leave a review, visit TheMindsetGame.com or click HERE.

Why do even the best change strategies so often fall short? In Episode 260 of The Mindset Game® podcast, Vered Kogan speaks with Dr. Barbara Trautlein, author of Change Intelligence, founder of Change Catalysts, and recipient of the Association of Change Management Professionals' Change Management Consultant of the Year award, about what it really takes to lead change that lasts. Drawing on more than 35 years of experience, Barbara explains why successful change starts with understanding how people experience change. Together, they explore how greater self-awareness, psychological safety, and the ability to adapt your leadership style can reduce resistance, build trust, and create lasting commitment. In this conversation, you'll learn:

• Why change often triggers fear before it sparks innovation
• How developing your Change Intelligence (CQ) can help you lead yourself and others more effectively
• Why psychological safety is essential for successful change
• How balancing the head, heart, and hands creates stronger engagement and better results

To learn more about Barbara's work, visit ChangeCatalysts.com or connect with her on LinkedIn. To subscribe to The Mindset Game podcast or leave a review, visit TheMindsetGame.com or click HERE.

Why are so many capable, high-performing people feeling overwhelmed, distracted, and depleted? In Episode 259 of The Mindset Game® podcast, Vered Kogan speaks with Liane Davey, CEO advisor, keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author, about why workload alone doesn't explain today's epidemic of overwhelm. Drawing on her latest research, Liane introduces the concept of "thoughtload" and explains how rising cognitive demands, emotional strain, and depleted energy reserves are affecting performance, decision-making, and well-being both at work and at home. In this conversation, you'll learn:

• Why thoughtload—not workload—is often the real source of overwhelm
• How distracted attention, unprocessed emotions, and depleted energy undermine performance
• Why effectiveness matters more than productivity in today's knowledge economy
• How creating space for reflection can improve focus, insight, and decision-making

To learn more about Liane's work, visit ThoughtLoad.com or connect with her on LinkedIn. To subscribe to The Mindset Game podcast or leave a review, visit TheMindsetGame.com or click HERE.

Uncertainty doesn't require a perfect strategy. It requires a willingness to act. In Episode 258 of The Mindset Game® podcast, I spoke with Meridith Elliott Powell, Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker, Business Growth Strategist, and Bestselling Author. In our last conversation (Episode 176), we explored how to turn uncertainty into an advantage. This time, we went deeper into perspective, focus, and the power of the mind in navigating change. We explored what actually separates those who get stuck from those who make progress in uncertain times. In this conversation, we discuss: • Why waiting for certainty often leads to more delay and missed opportunity • How clear vision and values guide decisions when you don't have full answers • How to focus on what you can control and let go of what you can't To learn more about Meridith's work, visit valuespeaker.com or connect with her on LinkedIn. To subscribe to The Mindset Game® podcast or leave a review, visit TheMindsetGame.com or click HERE to subscribe and leave a review.

The hardest part of change isn't deciding to change. It's letting go of old patterns and making the change stick.

In Episode 257 of The Mindset Game® podcast, Vered Kogan speaks with Lisa Broderick, a senior advisor who helps leaders turn strategy into lasting execution, founder of Police2Peace, and co-author with Dr. Marshall Goldsmith of the book Permanence, about why insight alone rarely produces lasting transformation.

Drawing on a year-long study of Marshall Goldsmith's CEO clients, Lisa shares what she discovered about the simple daily practice that helped world-class leaders become the people they wanted to be. When we shift from measuring outcomes to measuring effort, and add real accountability, change becomes a daily practice rather than a one-time decision. In this conversation, you will learn:

• How six daily questions, done in just two minutes a day, can reshape behavior over time
• Why asking "Did I do my best?" is more powerful than asking "Did I succeed?"
• Why self-trust is the foundation for sustainable personal and organizational growth

To learn more about Lisa Broderick, visit lisabroderick.com or explore the book at permanencebook.com. To subscribe to The Mindset Game® podcast or leave a review, visit TheMindsetGame.com or click HERE to subscribe and leave a review.

In complex environments, the leaders who stand out are the ones who make ideas easier to see. In Episode 256 of The Mindset Game® podcast, Vered Kogan speaks with Todd Cherches, CEO of Big Blue Gumball, about how visual thinking can transform the way leaders communicate, influence, and drive change. Drawing on his work in VisualLeadership®, Todd explains why communication becomes more effective when people can picture your message clearly. When leaders translate ideas into images, metaphors, and stories, they create clarity and connection. In this conversation, you will learn:

• Why people process visual information faster and remember it longer
• How metaphors, stories, and simple frameworks can make complex ideas clear
• Practical ways to shift from data heavy communication to meaning driven communication

To learn more about Todd Cherchesl, visit toddcherches.com or find Todd on LinkedIn.

To subscribe to The Mindset Game® podcast or leave a review, visit TheMindsetGame.com or click HERE.

The role of the manager is becoming more complex, and the ability to adapt in the moment is what sets effective leaders apart. In episode 255 of The Mindset Game® podcast, Vered Kogan speaks with Suzie Bishop, Vice President of Product Development at The Center for Leadership Studies, about how leaders can adapt in the moment to bring out the best in people and effectively drive behavior change. Drawing on the Situational Leadership® Model, Suzie explains why effective leadership starts with understanding where someone is—both in their ability and their willingness—and then adjusting your approach in response. When leaders meet people where they are, they create the conditions for development, trust, and stronger results. You can view a visual of the Situational Leadership® Model HERE. Together, they explore what it really takes to lead effectively in dynamic environments. In this conversation, you'll learn:

• Why leadership effectiveness depends on matching your style to the situation
• How misalignment between leadership style and readiness can create stress, disengagement, or missed performance
• What it means to build trust and create safety, especially during change

To learn more about the Situational Leadership® Model, visit situational.com or find Suzie on LinkedIn. To subscribe to The Mindset Game® podcast or leave a review, visit TheMindsetGame.com or click HERE.

Kindness is far from a soft skill — it's a strategic asset. Leaders and professionals who practice genuine kindness foster deeper trust, stronger team cohesion, and higher employee engagement, all of which translate directly into productivity and retention.

In Episode 254 of The Mindset Game® podcast, Vered Kogan speaks with Linda Cohen, international keynote speaker and author of The Economy of Kindness, about how everyday acts of kindness shape workplace culture, leadership effectiveness, and customer experience.

Drawing on decades of work with corporate teams and frontline organizations, Linda shares practical insights including:

• Why employees often leave managers, not organizations
• How curiosity can transform difficult conversations
• What spectrum thinking offers in place of binary reactions
• Why consistent acknowledgment strengthens engagement and trust
• How small moments of kindness influence customer loyalty and brand perception

To learn more about Linda's work, visit lindacohenconsulting.com or find her on LinkedIn. To subscribe to The Mindset Game podcast or leave a review, visit TheMindsetGame.com or click HERE.

AI is no longer a future conversation. It is already changing how decisions are made, how work gets done, and what leaders are being asked to navigate in real time. The challenge is no longer whether to adopt AI, but how to lead people through the uncertainty it introduces. In this episode of The Mindset Game® podcast, Vered Kogan speaks with Tim Creasey, Chief Innovation Officer at Prosci and an internationally recognized authority on change management. With more than two decades at Prosci, Tim has helped shape the organization's research-based methodologies used by leaders around the world to drive adoption and results, with a deep focus on the intersection of individual and organizational change.

Together, they explore what makes AI-driven change fundamentally different and what leaders need to focus on now. In this conversation, you'll learn:

• Why AI adoption does not have a clearly defined future state
• How ongoing learning and uncertainty affect how people engage with AI
• Why AI is best treated as a collaborator rather than a source of answers

To learn more about Tim's work, visit prosci.com or find him on LinkedIn. To subscribe to The Mindset Game podcast or leave a review, visit TheMindsetGame.com or click HERE.