Episode 287 (Jim is based in Arizona)

In this conversation with Jim Hardwick we explore:

why serving others builds trust faster than traditional selling

how servant leadership strengthens teams without weakening authority

the role of vulnerability in effective leadership

why intentional service creates long-term business growth

how listening to employees improves motivation and retention

the difference between serving from obligation versus passion

why giving time and advice often returns greater value than money

how service creates personal fulfillment beyond financial success

the connection between trust, sales, and sustainable growth

practical ways leaders can serve locally without grand gestures

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About our guest:

Jim welcomes your questions about sales. Enjoy a no-charge conversation with him. 

Call him - 623-451-1080

Email - [email protected]

Jim Hardwick on Linkedin

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Key lessons from this podcast:

serving others builds trust, which is the foundation of sustainable business growth

a servant’s heart shifts leadership from taking to giving without weakening authority

intentional service creates stronger relationships with employees, clients, and communities

vulnerability from leaders encourages honesty, loyalty, and higher engagement

serving employees’ personal goals increases motivation and performance

trust grows when leaders focus on helping rather than selling

service must come from genuine passion, not obligation

giving time, advice, or attention often creates greater long-term value than money

servant leadership improves sales by focusing on solving real problems

meaningful service creates personal fulfillment beyond financial success

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----more----

In these interviews we will explore presentation skills, public speaking, conversation, persuasion, negotiation, sales conversations, marketing, team meetings, social media, branding, self talk and more.

Your host is George Torok

George is a specialist in communication skills. Especially presentation. He’s fascinated by the links between communication and influencing behaviors. He delivers training and coaching programs to help leaders and promising professionals deliver the intended message for greater success.

Connect with George

www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com

https://superiorpresentations.net/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/

https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills

This wasn't an intterview. It was me live on stage with David Copperfield at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. I had no idea that I would learn so much from this experience as a volunteer in his magic act.

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Key Lessons from this experience:

there is no magic, only mastery

perception matters more than reality

people believe what they want to believe

the audience (customer) is always right

preparation and rehearsal create confidence

calm response beats visible stress

great teams move in harmony

hope is a powerful motivator

fun strengthens connection

vulnerability builds trust

technology must support the message, not replace it

self-investment is the real secret

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In this live stage performance we explored:

why mastery beats magic every time

how perception shapes belief

influencing belief without controlling people

respecting the audience while guiding outcomes

the role of rehearsal in consistent performance

responding calmly when things go wrong

building teams that move in sync

using hope as a leadership force

making professionalism fun

why vulnerability strengthens credibility

keeping technology in its proper place

investing in yourself as the ultimate advantage

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----more----

In these interviews we will explore presentation skills, public speaking, conversation, persuasion, negotiation, sales conversations, marketing, team meetings, social media, branding, self talk and more.

Your host is George Torok

George is a specialist in communication skills. Especially presentation. He’s fascinated by the links between communication and influencing behaviors. He delivers training and coaching programs to help leaders and promising professionals deliver the intended message for greater success.

Connect with George

www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com

https://superiorpresentations.net/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/

https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills

Episode 285 (Julian is based in the Orkney archipelago northeast of Scotland)

In this conversation with Julian Tresure we explore:

why listening is a learnable skill rather than a personality trait

the difference between hearing and conscious listening

how personal filters shape what people hear

why senior leaders often struggle most with listening

how validation changes difficult conversations

the impact of poor listening on organizational culture

why diversity of opinion matters more than agreement

how listening supports better decision-making in times of change

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About our guest Julian Treasure:

Julian Treasure is an author and international speaker on sound and communication skills. His five TED talks have been viewed over 150 million times and his book “How To Be Heard” won both Audie and SOVAS awards for best business audiobook. His company The Sound Agency has been helping major global brands to improve their sound since 2003.

Learn more about Julian and his programs at 

https://www.juliantreasure.com/

Books by Julian Treasure

https://www.juliantreasure.com/books

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listening is a learnable skill, not a natural talent

most people significantly overestimate how well they listen

listening is the foundation of effective communication

every person listens through unique filters shaped by experience and emotion

strong emotions reduce the ability to listen well

listening becomes more difficult as people gain seniority and authority

organizations suffer when leaders avoid listening to bad news

validation is essential for productive dialogue and healthy relationships

diversity of opinion strengthens decision-making and resilience

listening helps leaders detect opportunity, danger, and challenge

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----more----

In these interviews we will explore presentation skills, public speaking, conversation, persuasion, negotiation, sales conversations, marketing, team meetings, social media, branding, self talk and more.

Your host is George Torok

George is a specialist in communication skills. Especially presentation. He’s fascinated by the links between communication and influencing behaviors. He delivers training and coaching programs to help leaders and promising professionals deliver the intended message for greater success.

Connect with George

www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com

https://superiorpresentations.net/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/

https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills

Episode 285 (David spends his time between Floirda and Puerto Rico)

In this conversation with David Price we explore:

how a destructive inner narrative keeps people stuck and how to rewrite it

why massive change requires massive action

how relocating or disrupting routine can break old patterns

how listening to successful people accelerates learning and results

how emotional truth drives better communication and better sales

how to uncover the client’s real fears and desires through deeper questions

why vulnerability and honesty strengthen client trust

how to succeed in selling the most intangible product—life insurance

why heart and resilience matter more than experience in entrepreneurship

how refusing to quit transforms long-term outcomes and personal identity

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About our guest, David Price:

David spent nearly 20 years battling addiction and has been clean and sober for 12 years.

He entered the insurance industry in 2018 and became one of the fastest to reach millionaire status.

In 2004 he walked away from a $2 million annual income to rebuild on his own term after challenging how agents were being treated.

Learn more about David and working with him in the life insurance business at:

https://tpglife.com/

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Key lessons from this conversation with David Price:

change demands massive action, not minor adjustments

listen to people who demonstrate results, not those who speak the loudest

emotional self-talk shapes choices, progress, and setbacks

drastic change in environment can break destructive patterns

selling begins with uncovering the client’s emotional reason for buying

effective communication requires truth, clarity, and genuine listening

emotional sales outperform logical sales, especially for intangible products

success in entrepreneurship depends on showing up consistently

heart, resilience, and coachability matter more than experience

momentum grows when you refuse to quit and commit daily to action

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----more----

In these interviews we will explore presentation skills, public speaking, conversation, persuasion, negotiation, sales conversations, marketing, team meetings, social media, branding, self talk and more.

Your host is George Torok

George is a specialist in communication skills. Especially presentation. He’s fascinated by the links between communication and influencing behaviors. He delivers training and coaching programs to help leaders and promising professionals deliver the intended message for greater success.

Connect with George

www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com

https://superiorpresentations.net/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/

https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills

Episode 284 (Gary is based in California)

In this conversation with Gary Ridge we explore:

how humility accelerates learning and strengthens leadership

why saying “I don’t know” unlocks collective intelligence

what servant leadership looks like in practice inside WD-40

how leaders shift from managing to coaching

why culture requires consistency, not charisma

what it means to lead from the “stinky locker room”

how clarity about “what an A looks like” transforms performance

why purpose matters more than product

how to protect culture by removing toxins early

how great leaders help people step into the best version of themselves

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About Our Guest, Gary Ridge:

Garry has 25 years of experience as Chairman and CEO of WD-40 Company. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego, where he teaches the principles and practices of corporate culture in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership program.

He’s the USA Today Bestselling Author of Any Dumb Ass Can Do It and co-author of Helping People Win at Work with Ken Blanchard.

Learn more about Gary Ridge and his services at

https://thelearningmoment.net/

Follow Gary on Linkedin   

https://www.linkedin.com/in/garryridge/

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Key Points from this Conversation with Gary Ridge:

Leadership begins with humility and the willingness to say “I don’t know.”

Great leaders embrace the role of forever learner and forever teacher.

Coaching, not managing, is the true work of effective leadership.

Trust is built in the “stinky locker room,” not the corner office.

Culture requires values, behavior, and consistency — not quick fixes.

Purpose gives meaning beyond the product and unites people around impact.

Clarity about “what an A looks like” prevents conflict and accelerates performance.

Leaders must remove cultural toxins early, even when performance is high.

Ego destroys leadership; empathy and awareness enable it.

Leadership is not about the leader — it is about helping people step into the best version of themselves.

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----more----

In these interviews we will explore presentation skills, public speaking, conversation, persuasion, negotiation, sales conversations, marketing, team meetings, social media, branding, self talk and more.

Your host is George Torok

George is a specialist in communication skills. Especially presentation. He’s fascinated by the links between communication and influencing behaviors. He delivers training and coaching programs to help leaders and promising professionals deliver the intended message for greater success.

Connect with George

www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com

https://superiorpresentations.net/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/

https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills

Episode 283

In this episode we explore:

why vague words prevent listeners from seeing what you mean

how double negatives create confusion and weaken your intent

where emotional trigger words derail your message

how insulting phrases show unintended arrogance

why self-diminishing language lowers your authority

how dishonest openers destroy trust

why clichés signal lazy thinking

when jargon works and when it alienates people

how slang phrases degrade the message

why absolutes distort meaning

how weak adverbs dilute clarity

how filler words clutter your message and add noise

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George Torok is known as The Speech Coach for Executives. He helps business leaders speak with more confidence, clarity and consiness.

Learn more about communication coaching with George at https://speechcoachforexecutives.com/

Arrange for weekly presentations tips at https://toroktips.com/

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Key Learning Points from George

eliminate vague words like “stuff” and “things” because they communicate nothing

avoid double negatives which confuse listeners and weaken your intent

beware emotional trigger words that create unintended reactions

drop insulting phrases that imply superiority over your audience

stop using self-diminishing phrases that reduce your credibility

remove dishonest or insincere qualifiers that signal lack of authenticity

avoid clichés that show lazy thinking and add no value

use technical jargon only with those who understand it

remove slang terms that degrade your message and your audience

limit absolutes, which are usually inaccurate exaggerations

avoid weak adverbs like “very,” “really,” and “pretty”

eliminate filler words that clutter your message and reduce clarity

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----more----

In these interviews we will explore presentation skills, public speaking, conversation, persuasion, negotiation, sales conversations, marketing, team meetings, social media, branding, self talk and more.

Your host is George Torok

George is a specialist in communication skills. Especially presentation. He’s fascinated by the links between communication and influencing behaviors. He delivers training and coaching programs to help leaders and promising professionals deliver the intended message for greater success.

Connect with George

www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com

https://superiorpresentations.net/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/

https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills

Episode 282 (Roz is based in Florida)

In this coversation with Roz Usheroff we explore:

how authenticity shapes executive presence

why emotional intelligence matters more than polish

how leaders can support people through AI-driven uncertainty

the rise of “quiet cracking” and what it signals

why psychological safety fuels innovation

where charisma comes from and how it works

the power of host behavior in building trust

how leaders can read the room and adjust

why embracing imperfections increases credibility

how to seek useful feedback without creating defensiveness

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About our guest Roz Usheroff:

Roz is the founder of the Usherfoll Institute whose core mission is to help people discover and understand their unique talens and embrace their leadership capabilities that lead to both personal and corporate profitability.

She is host of The Roz Usheroff Podcast that is designed for professionals who want to enhace their leadership presence, personal brand and career trajectory by developing executive presence.

Learn more about Roz and her services at https://usheroff.com/

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Key Lessons from this conversation with Roz Usheroff:

authenticity is the foundation of executive presence and differentiation

emotional intelligence is more important than polish or perfection

leaders must help people navigate fear, uncertainty and AI disruption

psychological safety drives innovation and engagement

charisma is not extroversion; it is the ability to connect and make people feel seen

host behavior builds trust, approachability and stronger leadership presence

leaders must read the room, adapt and adjust based on emotional cues

perfection erodes connection; humanity strengthens credibility

feedback must be sought strategically through third-party questions

avoid being an “advice monster”; ask deeper questions before offering solutions

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----more----

In these interviews we will explore presentation skills, public speaking, conversation, persuasion, negotiation, sales conversations, marketing, team meetings, social media, branding, self talk and more.

Your host is George Torok

George is a specialist in communication skills. Especially presentation. He’s fascinated by the links between communication and influencing behaviors. He delivers training and coaching programs to help leaders and promising professionals deliver the intended message for greater success.

Connect with George

www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com

https://superiorpresentations.net/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/

https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills

Episode 281 (Jeff is based in Maine)

In this conversation with Jeff Wetherhold we explore:

why 88% of change initiatives fail and what leaders consistently overlook

how treating change as a communication challenge shifts results

how ambivalence, not resistance, explains employee behaviour

how motivational interviewing helps leaders reduce resistance

why reflections help people reveal their own motivations

why benefits must be discovered rather than declared

how top-down directives undermine trust and buy-in

how leaders can engage skeptics without burning out

why individual conversations drive organizational change

how leaders can begin using these tools immediately

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About our guest, Jeff Wetherfold:

Jeff has 20+ years understanding what helps or hinders change for people and organizations. He is a former behvioral science researcher who has learned and worked extensively in the fields of change management, process improvement, motivational interviewing and leadership communication.

Learn more about Jeff and hisspeaking, training and coaching services at https://www.jeffwetherhold.com/

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Key lessons from this conversation with Jeff:

in this conversation we explore why 88% of organizational change fails and what leaders overlook

in this conversation we explore why change is primarily a communication challenge, not a technical one

in this conversation we explore how leaders mistakenly assume employees hold fixed attitudes toward change

in this conversation we explore the concept of ambivalence and why every person has reasons both for and against change

in this conversation we explore why top-down change efforts almost always fail

in this conversation we explore how motivational interviewing helps leaders move people toward change

in this conversation we explore why leaders need more reflections and fewer questions

in this conversation we explore how to identify and amplify employees’ intrinsic motivations

in this conversation we explore why benefits must be defined by employees, not assumed by leaders

in this conversation we explore why organizational change succeeds only when individuals choose to change

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----more----

In these interviews we will explore presentation skills, public speaking, conversation, persuasion, negotiation, sales conversations, marketing, team meetings, social media, branding, self talk and more.

Your host is George Torok

George is a specialist in communication skills. Especially presentation. He’s fascinated by the links between communication and influencing behaviors. He delivers training and coaching programs to help leaders and promising professionals deliver the intended message for greater success.

Connect with George

www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com

https://superiorpresentations.net/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/

https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills

Episode 280 (Mark is based in Georgia)

In this conversation with Mark Murphy, we explore:

why you don’t have to like your teammates to perform well together

how forced fun can kill real teamwork

the five essential roles that make up every high-performing team

how to diagnose what’s missing when your team is stuck

why adaptive leadership means the best person leads in each situation

how understanding others’ strengths makes collaboration easier

why leaders should stop trying to fill every role themselves

how team diversity creates synergy instead of friction

what new team leaders often get wrong

how real teamwork feels more like training for a marathon than going to a party

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About our guest, Mark Murphy:

Mark is a New York Times bestselling author with books, Hiring for Attitude, Hundred Percenters and his latest, Team Players: The Five Critical Roles Your Need to Build a Winning Team.

You can learn more about Mark, his books, reserch and programs at his website

https://www.leadershipiq.com/

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Key Lessons from this conversation with Mark Murphy:

teams don’t need to be friends to be effective

fake team-building activities can actually hurt performance

high-performing teams rely on five critical roles: director, achiever, stabilizer, trailblazer, harmonizer

it’s okay not to like everyone on your team—focus on results, not relationships

leadership on great teams is adaptive—who leads changes based on the situation

knowing your strengths and appreciating others’ roles builds trust and efficiency

team balance matters more than team bonding

great leaders don’t try to play every role—they delegate and empower others

when teams stall, identify which missing role is causing the blockage

success is measured by outcomes, not by how much fun the team has

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----more----

In these interviews we will explore presentation skills, public speaking, conversation, persuasion, negotiation, sales conversations, marketing, team meetings, social media, branding, self talk and more.

Your host is George Torok

George is a specialist in communication skills. Especially presentation. He’s fascinated by the links between communication and influencing behaviors. He delivers training and coaching programs to help leaders and promising professionals deliver the intended message for greater success.

Connect with George

www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com

https://superiorpresentations.net/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/

https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills

Episode 279 ( Martha is based in San Diego, CA)

In this conversation with Martha Lawrence, we explore:

how the culture of positivity shaped Ken Blanchard’s leadership philosophy

why The One Minute Manager changed how organizations lead and communicate

how to apply “catch people doing things right” both at work and at home

the fine line between genuine praise and shallow flattery

what “servant leadership” really means in practice

how leaders can help team members by asking better questions

how Martha Lawrence turned trauma into meaningful creative work

why apologizing and letting go of ego strengthen leadership

how Ken Blanchard modeled love and humility in leadership

how positivity and purpose can transform organizations and lives

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About our guest Martha Lawrence:

She's a vertern book editor who has edited hundreds of book including major bestsellers - Feel the Fear and Do it Anyways and The One Minute Enrepreneur.

As the executive editor at Blanchard, she worked with business guru, Ken Blanchard for over two decades.

Learn more about Martha and her new book at https://marthalawrence.com/

Books by Ken Blanchard https://www.kenblanchardbooks.com/

Wow! More resources from Ken Blanchard https://www.blanchard.com/

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Key Lessons from this conversation with Martha Lawerence:

Positive leadership is rooted in valuing people as much as results.

The One Minute Manager principles — clear goals, one-minute praising, and one-minute redirects — remain timeless leadership tools.

Catching people doing things right is more effective than focusing on mistakes.

Praise in public, criticize in private — simple rule, powerful impact.

Servant leadership means inverting the hierarchy: leaders serve their teams.

Leadership is learned behavior; empathy and humility can be practiced.

The best leaders help others grow by asking, “How can I help you do your job better?”

Adversity can become the catalyst for purpose and contribution.

Apologizing well is a leadership strength, not a weakness.

Real leaders let go of ego — as Ken Blanchard says, ego means “edging good out.”

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----more----

In these interviews we will explore presentation skills, public speaking, conversation, persuasion, negotiation, sales conversations, marketing, team meetings, social media, branding, self talk and more.

Your host is George Torok

George is a specialist in communication skills. Especially presentation. He’s fascinated by the links between communication and influencing behaviors. He delivers training and coaching programs to help leaders and promising professionals deliver the intended message for greater success.

Connect with George

www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com

https://superiorpresentations.net/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/

https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills