Advertise on podcast: The Intentional Leaders Podcast: Helping ambitious leaders gain clarity, communicate with confidence, and lead with intention

Feeling stuck between your best intentions and your most stressful reactions? We unpack a simple, repeatable way to move from autopilot to intentional leadership using the LEAD framework: Look within, Exercise choice, Act with intention, and Deepen connection. If you’ve ever prepared carefully for a feedback conversation only to get derailed by defensiveness, this conversation gives you the tools and language to stay steady and effective. We start by demystifying emotional intelligence and emotional agility in plain terms: emotions are signals, not commands. You’ll learn how to read your body’s cues, name what you’re feeling with precision, and use that information to guide behavior. We break down why your brain’s fast stories skew negative and how a deliberate pause creates the space to choose your response. From there, we translate values into behaviors you can use under pressure—slowing your cadence, asking better questions, and steering the moment toward clarity instead of conflict. Throughout the episode, we share real-world examples leaders face every week, from giving tough feedback to protecting psychological safety when tensions spike. You’ll hear practical prompts like “How is this landing for you?” and “What else could be true?” along with the science-backed habit of “name it to tame it” to regulate your nervous system. The result is a roadmap to build self-trust, become more predictable to your team, and widen your capacity for stress so you can lead with calm, curiosity, and purpose. Ready to practice, not just plan? Grab the worksheet, try the micro-habits, and start building a leadership legacy you can be proud of. If this resonated, subscribe, share the episode with a leader who needs it, and leave a review to help others find the show. Download the Worksheet: https://www.intentionaleaders.com/the-lead-framework-worksheet Connect with Cyndi: https://www.intentionaleaders.com/ Questions? Episode Requests? Send us a message! Ambitious leaders know that real leadership goes far beyond titles—it’s about developing the clarity and mindset to guide others with confidence. In this podcast, you’ll explore what today’s leaders truly need, from navigating everyday problem solving to handling tough moments of workplace conflict with steadiness and respect. Episodes dive into setting healthy workplace boundaries, strengthening workplace collaboration, and building the emotional intelligence and emotional agility that make leadership sustainable. Whether you’re managing a growing team or refining your voice as a decision-maker, you’ll find insights that help you cultivate a resilient growth mindset and elevate your impact.

Feeling like your leadership playbook was written for a world that no longer exists? We dive into Sawubona leadership, a human-first approach rooted in the Zulu greeting “I see you,” and show how it reframes engagement, accountability, and performance without slipping into clichés or corporate speak. Our guest, Susan Inouye —author of Leadership’s Perfect Storm—traces the model’s origins from a Los Angeles mentoring program to adoption across 30+ countries, revealing why a gift-centered culture is a powerful antidote to disengagement and generational friction. Across the conversation, we unpack the difference between leading through labels and leading through gifts, and how that shift makes coaching specific and humane. You’ll hear how every strength has an “other side,” why overused gifts become blind spots, and how to restore balance with targeted practices. We explore practical, somatic ways to make change stick—training your nervous system to stay grounded under pressure—through micro-reps like mindful pauses, releasing the urge to fix, and even a bold trapeze lesson that turned fear of letting go into freedom. The result? Leaders who can be the eye of the hurricane when uncertainty hits. We also connect the dots to today’s workplace realities: AI elevates the value of empathy and relationships; managers who coach outperform those who command; and continuous learning builds cultural agility. You’ll get actionable ideas to strengthen accountability through gift language, design development that fits your context, and normalize uncertainty by making learning a yearly requirement. Ready to help people feel seen, spark better performance, and build a culture that holds together when the waves rise? If this conversation sparked insight, subscribe, share it with a leader who needs it, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Your feedback shapes future episodes and keeps this community growing. Get in Touch with Susan:   Website: https://susaninouye.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susaninouye2  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7G6sjAyzq3UDnumH7L8Zcw  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-inouye-083384b/  Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/susan_inouye/ X: https://x.com/InouyeSusan Questions? Episode Requests? Send us a message! Ambitious leaders know that real leadership goes far beyond titles—it’s about developing the clarity and mindset to guide others with confidence. In this podcast, you’ll explore what today’s leaders truly need, from navigating everyday problem solving to handling tough moments of workplace conflict with steadiness and respect. Episodes dive into setting healthy workplace boundaries, strengthening workplace collaboration, and building the emotional intelligence and emotional agility that make leadership sustainable. Whether you’re managing a growing team or refining your voice as a decision-maker, you’ll find insights that help you cultivate a resilient growth mindset and elevate your impact.

Holiday cheer gets all the headlines, but the real story often includes tension, old patterns, and big expectations. We get honest about the pressure to make everything magical and offer a simple, usable plan to stay grounded when emotions spike. Our five-step PEACE framework—Pause, Examine, Adjust, Choose, Exit or Engage—turns reactive moments into chances for clarity and connection. We start with the body: how a brief pause settles the nervous system and opens space for choice. Then we name what’s real. Beyond happy, sad, and mad, the holidays can stir guilt, resentment, grief, envy, and fatigue. By labeling emotions accurately, we stop fighting ghosts and address the true issue. From there, we examine the stories we carry about tradition, timing, and roles. If your family’s script was written decades ago, it might be time for an edit that honors meaning without clinging to methods that no longer fit. Next, we practice choosing centered responses that align words, tone, and body language. That might look like a gentle boundary, a topic shift, a curious question, or purposeful silence. Finally, we decide when to exit to protect calm or engage to build trust—both valid when chosen with intention. Along the way, we share prompts to identify triggers, plan responses, and give yourself grace when you slip. You can’t control every dynamic, but you can control how you show up, and that choice often shifts the entire room. If you’re ready to trade perfection for presence and turn conflict into clarity, this conversation is your guide. Listen, pick one tool to try at your next gathering, and notice what changes. If it helps, share the episode with someone who needs a little more peace this season, and subscribe or leave a review so we can bring more calm, practical tools to your feed. #HolidayStress #FamilyDynamics #HolidayGatherings #EmotionalIntelligence #EmotionalAgility #EmotionalRegulation #NervousSystemRegulation #RespondNotReact #PauseAndChoose #StayGrounded #InnerCalm #ChoosePeace #BoundariesWithCompassion #HealthyRelationships #PresenceOverPerfection #ConnectionOverConflict #StressManagementTools #CalmUnderPressure #SelfAwareness #ConsciousChoices #LeadYourself #GraceUnderPressure #ClarityAndConnection #PEACEFramework Questions? Episode Requests? Send us a message! Ambitious leaders know that real leadership goes far beyond titles—it’s about developing the clarity and mindset to guide others with confidence. In this podcast, you’ll explore what today’s leaders truly need, from navigating everyday problem solving to handling tough moments of workplace conflict with steadiness and respect. Episodes dive into setting healthy workplace boundaries, strengthening workplace collaboration, and building the emotional intelligence and emotional agility that make leadership sustainable. Whether you’re managing a growing team or refining your voice as a decision-maker, you’ll find insights that help you cultivate a resilient growth mindset and elevate your impact.

Ever worked for someone who made you feel small on purpose? We unpack the rise of fear-based leadership—why it’s suddenly everywhere, how it disguises itself as “tough love” or mission-driven care, and what it costs teams in creativity, trust, and retention. With coach and author Kate Lori, we translate the playbook of control into plain language and offer a counterplay that preserves your energy, agency, and integrity. We start by defining fear-based leadership through real-world patterns: shaming, rigidity, moving goalposts, and the velvet-glove approach that cloaks dominance in benevolence. Then we connect the cultural dots—media narratives and high-profile executives that have normalized a harsher style—and explore why stressed leaders default to fight, freeze, or fawn. You’ll learn how chronic threat hijacks the brain, why innovation collapses under fear, and how to spot subtext when words don’t match motives. From there, we get practical. Kate shares resilience moves that actually work: using humor as strategic resistance, protecting information that could be weaponized, and treating attention and availability as levers. We dig into the ethical difference between manipulation and influence, showing how to nudge outcomes without losing your values. For leaders who see fearful patterns in themselves, we offer hopeful steps—expanding the window of tolerance, rebuilding self-trust with daily reps, and embracing the “kindergarten lessons” of apologies, friendship, and trust-building. We close by charting a better path: strengths-based leadership. Unblock your team, amplify their talents, and share power so performance follows. If you’ve felt stuck in a fear-driven culture, you’ll leave with a clearer map, sturdier boundaries, and a renewed belief that you can be powerful without becoming hard. If this resonated, subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway—what’s one lever you’ll pull first? Preorder Kate's book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR1G981Y/ref=sr_1_2?https://www.amazon.com/Unbreakable-Thrive-Under-Fear-Based-Leaders-ebook/dp/B0FQ71FW72/ref=sr_1_1Connect with Kate: https://www.instagram.com/kateunbreakablelowry/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579366067469https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinejlowry/ Connect with Cyndi: www.intentionaleaders.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinejlowry/ Questions? Episode Requests? Send us a message! Ambitious leaders know that real leadership goes far beyond titles—it’s about developing the clarity and mindset to guide others with confidence. In this podcast, you’ll explore what today’s leaders truly need, from navigating everyday problem solving to handling tough moments of workplace conflict with steadiness and respect. Episodes dive into setting healthy workplace boundaries, strengthening workplace collaboration, and building the emotional intelligence and emotional agility that make leadership sustainable. Whether you’re managing a growing team or refining your voice as a decision-maker, you’ll find insights that help you cultivate a resilient growth mindset and elevate your impact.

Trust rarely fails with a crash; it thins out through tiny cuts. We unpack how unclear or ignored boundaries chip away at relationships and show practical ways to rebuild trust with clarity, courage, and compassion. Using Brene Brown’s BRAVING as a guide, we broaden trust beyond reliability to include accountability, the vault, integrity, nonjudgment, and generosity—starting with boundaries as the first move. We walk through ten common boundary violations leaders often miss: intrusions on privacy, work-life overreach, role oversteps, dismissed emotions, wasted time, autonomy squeezes, tech misuse, neglected health needs, broken confidentiality, and cultural disrespect. You’ll hear why most of these slips are unintentional—and why intent doesn’t erase impact. Then we translate awareness into action with simple scripts to name a violation, explain the effect, and ask for a new agreement without blaming motives. For teams, we offer clear norms that lower friction: quiet hours, meeting purpose and limits, response-time windows, decision rights, and explicit rules for confidential topics. We share how to model integrity by owning mistakes quickly, how to practice nonjudgment and generosity during feedback, and how to protect autonomy by focusing on outcomes over micromanagement. The result is a culture where people feel safe to speak up, bring energy to the work that matters, and protect the values that keep them well. If this conversation helps you rethink boundaries and trust, subscribe, share it with a colleague who needs it today, and leave a quick review so others can find the show. Tell us: which boundary will you clarify this week? #TrustBuilding #WorkplaceBoundaries #LeadershipSkills #EmotionalIntelligence #BRAVING #BreneBrownInspired #PsychologicalSafety #HealthyTeams #TeamCulture #AccountabilityAtWork #IntegrityInLeadership #Nonjudgment #GenerousAssumptions #WorkplaceRespect #CommunicationSkills #LeadershipDevelopment #BoundarySetting #RepairingTrust #WorkplaceWellbeing Questions? Episode Requests? Send us a message! Ambitious leaders know that real leadership goes far beyond titles—it’s about developing the clarity and mindset to guide others with confidence. In this podcast, you’ll explore what today’s leaders truly need, from navigating everyday problem solving to handling tough moments of workplace conflict with steadiness and respect. Episodes dive into setting healthy workplace boundaries, strengthening workplace collaboration, and building the emotional intelligence and emotional agility that make leadership sustainable. Whether you’re managing a growing team or refining your voice as a decision-maker, you’ll find insights that help you cultivate a resilient growth mindset and elevate your impact.

Strategy doesn’t fail for lack of ideas—it fails at the handoff to execution. We bring in OKR expert and Wave Nine founder Philipp Schett to show how to close that gap with clear goals, shared rituals, and a culture that trades micromanagement for ownership. Philipp’s journey from Germany to Silicon Valley reframed his thinking: great companies don’t win because they dream better; they win because they execute better. That mindset shift powers the conversation as we dig into OKRs done right—less about perfect wording, more about changing team behavior, building trust through transparency, and making alignment a weekly practice. We unpack the patterns behind “set and forget” goals, and why town halls and slide decks rarely produce real alignment. Philipp introduces three simple rituals that compound: Monday calibrate to focus on outcomes for the week, Friday celebrate to make progress visible and energizing, and quarterly resets to protect priorities without hiding behind annual vagueness. We explore accountability with a human tone—say what you’ll do, do what you said—using one-on-ones for tough conversations and public forums for recognition. You’ll hear how co-creating OKRs prevents dehumanizing top-down mandates, why OKR champions are key to scaling across functions, and how nonprofits can turn passion into measurable impact with the same playbook. If you’ve ever watched goals vanish by week three, wrestled with cross-functional friction, or confused motion with progress, this episode offers a practical operating system: verify understanding instead of assuming it, make work visible to accelerate trust, and anchor execution in rhythms your team can keep. Subscribe, share this with a leader who needs clearer focus, and leave a review telling us which ritual you’ll start this week. Get in Touch with Phillipp Schett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipp-schett/ #OKRs #LeadershipExecution #BuildTrust #TeamAlignment #MondayCalibrate #LeadershipPodcast #ExecutionCulture Questions? Episode Requests? Send us a message! Ambitious leaders know that real leadership goes far beyond titles—it’s about developing the clarity and mindset to guide others with confidence. In this podcast, you’ll explore what today’s leaders truly need, from navigating everyday problem solving to handling tough moments of workplace conflict with steadiness and respect. Episodes dive into setting healthy workplace boundaries, strengthening workplace collaboration, and building the emotional intelligence and emotional agility that make leadership sustainable. Whether you’re managing a growing team or refining your voice as a decision-maker, you’ll find insights that help you cultivate a resilient growth mindset and elevate your impact.

Ryan Gottfredson explains the transformational journey from being focused solely on doing better to becoming better as a human being, drawing on his research and latest book. He introduces the distinction between our "doing side" (talents, knowledge, skills) versus our "being side" (quality of our internal operating system), showing how genuine transformation requires upgrading who we are, not just what we do. • Most developmental efforts focus on the doing side, but transformational growth requires improving our being side • Vertical development upgrades our internal operating system to respond more effectively to challenges • The becoming better journey starts with awakening to our current wiring and how it affects our responses • Most organizations promote high-doing leaders without considering their being side quality • Microsoft's transformation under Satya Nadella demonstrates the power of high-being leadership • 70% of adults have experienced trauma that has wired their nervous system for self-protection • Surface-level strategies like meditation and deeper approaches like mindset work can help refine our internal operating system • The goal is becoming a "brighter light" in our spheres of influence through personal transformation Reach out to Ryan if you take his mindset assessment or read his book "Becoming Better" – he's offered to connect with listeners and discuss your results. Questions? Episode Requests? Send us a message! Ambitious leaders know that real leadership goes far beyond titles—it’s about developing the clarity and mindset to guide others with confidence. In this podcast, you’ll explore what today’s leaders truly need, from navigating everyday problem solving to handling tough moments of workplace conflict with steadiness and respect. Episodes dive into setting healthy workplace boundaries, strengthening workplace collaboration, and building the emotional intelligence and emotional agility that make leadership sustainable. Whether you’re managing a growing team or refining your voice as a decision-maker, you’ll find insights that help you cultivate a resilient growth mindset and elevate your impact.

A day that changes lives forever – that’s how veterans describe their experience on the Badger Honor Flight. This mission honors those who served by taking them to Washington D.C. to visit the memorials built in their honor. Flight Operations Director Jody McClain takes us behind the scenes of this remarkable program that has transformed the lives of over 5,000 veterans. With precision and compassion, she coordinates every detail—from transportation logistics to ensuring veterans receive the recognition many never got when returning home.  The stories Jody shares are deeply moving: a Vietnam veteran finally finding the strength to face the memorial wall with his service dog’s support, and another realizing the depth of his healing by saying, “I didn’t know how broken I was. You helped fix me.” These moments of closure capture the heart of the Badger Honor Flight mission—healing, honor, and connection. Perhaps most emotional of all is the welcome home ceremony. Thousands gather at airports with music, flags, and thunderous applause.  For many, especially Vietnam veterans, it’s the first time they’ve ever been publicly thanked. The tradition of “mail call” on the return flight, where veterans receive heartfelt letters of gratitude, often moves them to tears. With 126 hubs across 44 states, the Badger Honor Flight continues this vital mission free of charge to veterans, relying on donations, volunteers, and community support. Whether by writing a letter, volunteering, or attending a welcome home ceremony, we all have a role in honoring those who served.  Volunteer & Donate: badgerhonorflight.org #BadgerHonorFlight #Veterans #VeteranStories #MilitaryHeroes #WelcomeHome #Gratitude #NeverForget #HonorAndRemember #ServiceAndSacrifice #VeteranSupport Questions? Episode Requests? Send us a message! Ambitious leaders know that real leadership goes far beyond titles—it’s about developing the clarity and mindset to guide others with confidence. In this podcast, you’ll explore what today’s leaders truly need, from navigating everyday problem solving to handling tough moments of workplace conflict with steadiness and respect. Episodes dive into setting healthy workplace boundaries, strengthening workplace collaboration, and building the emotional intelligence and emotional agility that make leadership sustainable. Whether you’re managing a growing team or refining your voice as a decision-maker, you’ll find insights that help you cultivate a resilient growth mindset and elevate your impact.

Forget everything you thought you knew about collaboration. It's not about getting everyone to agree—it’s about creating something entirely new together. In this eye-opening episode, we explore the misconceptions that hold teams back from practicing collaborative leadership and uncover what it really takes to lead effectively in today’s environment. Most people score surprisingly low on collaboration skills when assessed with tools like the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Inventory. Why? Because true collaborative leadership is a learned behavior that many of us were never taught. Instead, we default to giving in, taking charge, or seeking compromise—none of which create innovative solutions. Real collaboration requires understanding what people truly need, value, and worry about, then building a shared vision that honors diverse perspectives. One of the biggest myths we dispel is the need for 100% consensus. That painful process where everyone sits in a room until complete agreement is reached? It’s unnecessary and often counterproductive. Collaborative leadership thrives on healthy conflict—where reserved team members speak up authentically and outspoken individuals practice deep listening. Especially in distributed teams, intentional practices are needed to foster this kind of productive exchange. As leaders, our challenge is to create the safety and structure that allows true collaborative leadership to flourish. Can you set clear expectations that welcome diverse viewpoints? Can you respond to disagreement with curiosity rather than defensiveness? These are the skills that separate teams that simply coordinate tasks from those that deliver breakthrough solutions. Share this episode with colleagues and let us know how these ideas have shifted your view of collaborative leadership in action. Download the Collaborative Conflict Guide Share our article on collaborative conflict Questions? Episode Requests? Send us a message! Ambitious leaders know that real leadership goes far beyond titles—it’s about developing the clarity and mindset to guide others with confidence. In this podcast, you’ll explore what today’s leaders truly need, from navigating everyday problem solving to handling tough moments of workplace conflict with steadiness and respect. Episodes dive into setting healthy workplace boundaries, strengthening workplace collaboration, and building the emotional intelligence and emotional agility that make leadership sustainable. Whether you’re managing a growing team or refining your voice as a decision-maker, you’ll find insights that help you cultivate a resilient growth mindset and elevate your impact.

Ever feel like something's missing despite all your achievements? You're not alone. This conversation with Dr. Sharon Spano uncovers the fascinating connection between leadership effectiveness and human development that explains why even successful leaders can feel unfulfilled. Dr. Spano, a strategist and thought leader who specializes in integrating leadership with human development, reveals how our relationship with time and money profoundly shapes our leadership capacity. She explains the twelve stages of adult development and why understanding your current stage is crucial for breaking through limitations. Most compelling is her observation that many high-achievers are unconsciously motivated by past trauma, creating patterns that limit their potential until addressed. The discussion weaves through powerful distinctions between scarcity and abundance mindsets, showing how fear-based decision making differs from confidence-based leadership. Dr. Spano shares illuminating examples from her client work, including how seemingly small childhood experiences can dramatically impact leadership style decades later. Her approach doesn't dwell on past trauma but instead helps leaders make meaning from experiences to create transformative growth. What sets this episode apart is Dr. Spano's framework for understanding leadership challenges through developmental stages rather than just skills or competencies. She offers practical insights on moving beyond "the emptiness of success" toward genuine fulfillment and purpose. Whether you're feeling stuck in your leadership journey or simply curious about how to reach your highest potential, this conversation provides a roadmap for growth that extends far beyond traditional leadership development. Discover why witnessing yourself in the moment is the key to transformation—and how becoming your best self creates ripple effects that can change your organization, family, and ultimately the world. Ready to grow through leadership instead of just in it? This episode is your starting point. Connect with Sharon: https://sharonspano.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonspano/ Questions? Episode Requests? Send us a message! Ambitious leaders know that real leadership goes far beyond titles—it’s about developing the clarity and mindset to guide others with confidence. In this podcast, you’ll explore what today’s leaders truly need, from navigating everyday problem solving to handling tough moments of workplace conflict with steadiness and respect. Episodes dive into setting healthy workplace boundaries, strengthening workplace collaboration, and building the emotional intelligence and emotional agility that make leadership sustainable. Whether you’re managing a growing team or refining your voice as a decision-maker, you’ll find insights that help you cultivate a resilient growth mindset and elevate your impact.

Ever found yourself stuck in a comfortable rut? Turns out, that's not laziness—it's complacency, and it might be the biggest barrier between you and your true potential. Chris Robinson, Executive Vice President of Maxwell Leadership, joins us to completely reframe how we understand complacency. Forget what you thought you knew—complacency isn't about being lazy or apathetic. It's what Robinson calls "secret places of satisfactory success" where we've become content with being good but not great. "Complacency looks like busyness, feels like comfort, and sounds like excuses," Robinson explains, detailing how this subtle enemy has been the downfall of empires, companies like Kodak, and even racing legends. The most dangerous part? We often don't recognize it in ourselves because we're still productive, just not intentionally growing toward our potential. Drawing from his upcoming book "From Fifth to Drive," Robinson shares his powerful seven-step framework for breaking free from complacency: clarity, gathering information, filtering, guidance, relationships, action, and evaluation. Each step builds upon the last to create momentum toward true excellence. The simplest version? "Learn a little bit, do a little bit"—an iterative process that, when combined with specific mentorship, creates breakthrough growth. Whether you lead a multinational company, a small team, or just yourself, this conversation challenges you to identify your own "rumble strips"—those warning signals that you're drifting off course. Are you allowing routine to replace reflection? Saying "later" more than "now"? Losing energy for what once inspired you? These might be signs that you're settling for good enough when greatness awaits. Ready to move from drift to drive in your career and life? Take Robinson's complacency quiz at drifttodrivequiz.com and pre-order his book, releasing September 2nd. Your potential is waiting—don't let complacency keep you from reaching it. Contact Chris:  ChrisRobinsonSpeaker.com  https://www.linkedin.com/in/speakerchrisrobinson/ Questions? Episode Requests? Send us a message! Ambitious leaders know that real leadership goes far beyond titles—it’s about developing the clarity and mindset to guide others with confidence. In this podcast, you’ll explore what today’s leaders truly need, from navigating everyday problem solving to handling tough moments of workplace conflict with steadiness and respect. Episodes dive into setting healthy workplace boundaries, strengthening workplace collaboration, and building the emotional intelligence and emotional agility that make leadership sustainable. Whether you’re managing a growing team or refining your voice as a decision-maker, you’ll find insights that help you cultivate a resilient growth mindset and elevate your impact.

What if the most powerful tool for business success isn't a new technology or strategy, but simply creating environments where people can bring their whole selves to work? In this compelling conversation, Olivia Stewart reveals how inclusive leadership directly impacts employee engagement, innovation, and organizational performance. Stewart brings a unique psychological perspective to workplace dynamics, having witnessed the evolution of employee engagement metrics since the early 1990s. She challenges leaders to see diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging not as separate initiatives but as fundamental leadership responsibilities. "This is not something you're doing in addition to your job," she explains. "This is your job." Using a brilliant orchestra conductor metaphor, Stewart illustrates how leaders harmonize diverse talents without playing any instruments themselves. The conductor merely "waves a stick around," yet transforms individual excellence into collective brilliance through direction and clear communication. Similarly, inclusive leaders create environments where innovation naturally emerges from diverse perspectives. Most provocatively, Stewart identifies the hidden cost of non-inclusive workplaces: cognitive drain. When employees spend approximately 10% of their mental capacity hiding aspects of their identity or feeling unsafe to speak up, that's brain power not devoted to solving problems or driving results. "If I'm using my brain space that way, I'm not giving it to the cause," she notes. Through concrete examples and practical advice, Stewart outlines key inclusive behaviors: active listening that suspends judgment, clear communication that considers diverse learning styles, and consistent accountability that reinforces expectations. These behaviors require intention, practice, and sometimes uncomfortable conversations, but they directly enhance decision-making quality and team performance. Ready to transform your leadership impact? Subscribe now and discover how small shifts in leadership behavior can dramatically improve your team's engagement, innovation, and results. Contact Olivia Stewart here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-williams-stewart-000225/ Cyndi Wentland: www.intentionaleaders.com Try the Intentional Problem Solving Course for FREE: https://www.intentionaleaders.com/intentional-problem-solving-leaders-course Questions? Episode Requests? Send us a message! Ambitious leaders know that real leadership goes far beyond titles—it’s about developing the clarity and mindset to guide others with confidence. In this podcast, you’ll explore what today’s leaders truly need, from navigating everyday problem solving to handling tough moments of workplace conflict with steadiness and respect. Episodes dive into setting healthy workplace boundaries, strengthening workplace collaboration, and building the emotional intelligence and emotional agility that make leadership sustainable. Whether you’re managing a growing team or refining your voice as a decision-maker, you’ll find insights that help you cultivate a resilient growth mindset and elevate your impact.

Heather Plett, co-director of the Center for Holding Space, shares her powerful insights on the transformative practice of "holding space" and introduces the concept of being a "grounded guide" in today's leadership landscape. • The practice of holding space involves walking alongside others in their experiences without trying to control, direct, or judge them • Holding space begins with self-awareness and presence before extending to others • Nature connection and stillness practices help ground leaders in presence • Seeing and honoring people's innate potential requires overcoming cultural biases about productivity • The "grounded guide" approach helps leaders navigate liminal spaces of transformation • Facing your shadows and biases is essential for evolving as a leader • Leadership development must include emotional, psychological and spiritual growth • Community and accountability partnerships prevent ego-driven leadership • Slowing down often reveals wisdom that productivity-focused mindsets miss • Adult development continues throughout life and impacts organizational and societal well-being Get in touch with Heather: Website: https://centreforholdingspace.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherplett/ Book: The Art of Holding Space Substack: atenderspace.substack.com Questions? Episode Requests? Send us a message! Ambitious leaders know that real leadership goes far beyond titles—it’s about developing the clarity and mindset to guide others with confidence. In this podcast, you’ll explore what today’s leaders truly need, from navigating everyday problem solving to handling tough moments of workplace conflict with steadiness and respect. Episodes dive into setting healthy workplace boundaries, strengthening workplace collaboration, and building the emotional intelligence and emotional agility that make leadership sustainable. Whether you’re managing a growing team or refining your voice as a decision-maker, you’ll find insights that help you cultivate a resilient growth mindset and elevate your impact.

Speed without direction is just wasted energy. That's the powerful truth at the heart of my conversation with Simon Severino, founder of Strategy Sprints and a master at helping leaders master resilience in times of uncertainty by navigating complexity with confidence and intention. From his home base in Vienna, Simon brings a refreshingly practical approach to leadership that blends endurance athlete discipline with entrepreneurial agility. He cuts through the noise about strategy with striking clarity: "You can be the fastest person in a marathon, but if you're running in the wrong direction, that's not helpful." What leaders truly need is velocity—speed with the right direction. The Strategy Sprints method he's developed tackles this challenge head-on. Every Monday, team members identify their most crucial task. By Friday, they report what they've accomplished and—perhaps most importantly—what they've learned from their mistakes. This creates what Simon calls "positive loops" that generate energy rather than depleting it, a concept he's successfully implemented across twenty different industries. What makes Simon's approach particularly valuable in today's environment is his emphasis on decision-making under uncertainty. He challenges the traditional leadership model of exhaustive planning and analysis, arguing instead for experiential learning and quick adaptation. Leaders today face a radically compressed timeline, often making twenty decisions per hour with incomplete information. To navigate this reality, Simon recommends tracking decisions with probability assessments and developing an emotional reset capacity that allows you to move forward without carrying baggage from previous decisions. The framework is elegantly simple: maintain only a rough three-year vision and laser focus on weekly execution. Everything in between is deliberately eliminated. This creates the space for both strategic direction and tactical agility—exactly what today's unpredictable business environment demands. Ready to transform how you lead through uncertainty? Explore Simon's approach through his book "Strategy Sprints" or visit his website where you can experience his methodology firsthand with a seven-day free trial. Your team's resilience, clarity, and impact may depend on it. Questions? Episode Requests? Send us a message! Ambitious leaders know that real leadership goes far beyond titles—it’s about developing the clarity and mindset to guide others with confidence. In this podcast, you’ll explore what today’s leaders truly need, from navigating everyday problem solving to handling tough moments of workplace conflict with steadiness and respect. Episodes dive into setting healthy workplace boundaries, strengthening workplace collaboration, and building the emotional intelligence and emotional agility that make leadership sustainable. Whether you’re managing a growing team or refining your voice as a decision-maker, you’ll find insights that help you cultivate a resilient growth mindset and elevate your impact.

Problem solving might be the most underrated leadership skill – one we use daily but rarely examine critically. How much time do you spend tackling problems each week? And more importantly, how many of those "problems" are actually legitimate issues versus complaints, venting, or whining? This episode challenges leaders to distinguish between genuine problems (those with measurable gaps and consequences) and vague complaints that lack substance. A real problem sounds like "Our turnover is 20% above industry standard" rather than "Our morale sucks." Without this crucial distinction, we waste valuable time and energy on issues that can't be meaningfully addressed. The 1-3-1 model offers a streamlined approach to problem solving: identify the specific problem, generate creative solutions that break from conventional thinking, and implement effectively. But the most surprising insight might be how our brains form problem-solving patterns early in our careers that become automatic – meaning we solve problems the same way for decades without evaluating whether our approach still works. Even worse, by positioning yourself as the ultimate problem-solver, you might unwittingly create "learned helplessness" in your team, undermining their growth while overwhelming yourself. Critical thinking emerges as the foundation of effective problem solving – focusing on logic rather than emotion, eliminating biases, and recognizing that decision-making is its own discipline with various approaches suited to different situations. Are you using the right decision-making style for each challenge? Ready to transform your approach?  Take our new course in Intentional Problem Solving available now: https://www.intentionaleaders.com/intentional-problem-solving-leaders-course Questions? Episode Requests? Send us a message! Ambitious leaders know that real leadership goes far beyond titles—it’s about developing the clarity and mindset to guide others with confidence. In this podcast, you’ll explore what today’s leaders truly need, from navigating everyday problem solving to handling tough moments of workplace conflict with steadiness and respect. Episodes dive into setting healthy workplace boundaries, strengthening workplace collaboration, and building the emotional intelligence and emotional agility that make leadership sustainable. Whether you’re managing a growing team or refining your voice as a decision-maker, you’ll find insights that help you cultivate a resilient growth mindset and elevate your impact.