Coaching for Leaders

Dave shares the results of the 2025 listener survey and previews what’s next for Coaching for Leaders. If you’re not already getting the weekly update and wish to receive Dave’s forthcoming FocusFive messages, join the free membership for access.

Steve Blank: Blind to Disruption Steve Blank is an Adjunct Professor at Stanford and co-founder of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation. Credited with launching the Lean Startup movement and the curriculums for the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps and Hacking for Defense and Diplomacy, he’s changed how startups are built, how entrepreneurship is taught, how science is commercialized, and how companies and the government innovate. Steve is the author of The Four Steps to the Epiphany and The Startup Owner’s Manual and is the author of his recent article at steveblank.com: Blind to Disruption: The CEOs Who Missed the Future. Leaders may see the future coming, but we aren’t always incentivized to act on it. In this conversation, Steve and I discuss what we can learn from the common patterns of disruption so we don’t miss what’s next. Key Points Resources Mentioned Blind to Disruption: The CEOs Who Missed the Future Related Episodes How to Start Seeing Around Corners, with Rita McGrathHow to Build an Invincible Company, with Alex OsterwalderHow to Pivot Quickly, with Steve Blank Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

Shannon Minifie: Box of Crayons Shannon Minifie is the CEO of Box of Crayons, a learning and development company that helps unleash the power of curiosity to create connected and engaged company cultures. They are the organization behind the bestselling book The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier. Shannon and her team recently released a report along with the Harris Poll titled Navigating a Fractured Workplace: How Relational Curiosity increases engagement, trust, and productivity. Of course, you’ve heard that being curious and coach-like will help in leadership. But sometimes the very thing we think we’re doing well is actually getting in the way. In this conversation, Shannon and I explore the kind of curiosity that leaders often miss. Key Points 5-6 hours of the average workweek is lost to the fear of making mistakes. A strong majority of leaders say employees are expressing a desire for more feedback, and a majority also say that people are unable to receive hard feedback. Relationships are the core of these conflicting messages. Without a relationship of trust, helpful feedback often doesn’t land that way. Intellectual curiosity helps us learn what we don’t know. Relationship curiosity helps the other person learn what they don’t know. Ask yourself: what is my goal in asking this question? Rather than asking a question that starts with a “why,” consider asking a question that starts with a “what.” The 7 Essential Questions: What’s on your mind? And what else? What’s the real challenge here for you? What do you want? How can I help? If you’re saying yes to this, what are you saying no to? What was most useful for you? Resources Mentioned Navigating a Fractured Workplace: How Relational Curiosity Increases Engagement, Trust, and Productivity. Interactive Learning Preview: Invest in the Power of Curiosity The Coaching Habit* by Michael Bungay Stanier Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes These Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237) How to Ask Better Questions, with David Marquet (episode 454) The Way to Be More Coach-Like, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 458) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

Ruchika T. Malhotra: Uncompete Ruchika T. Malhotra is the founder of Candour, a global inclusion strategy firm that has worked with some of the world’s biggest organizations. She’s been recognized multiple times by Thinkers50 and co-wrote one of Harvard Business Review’s top 100 most-read articles in history: Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome. She is the author of Inclusion on Purpose, MIT Press’s top-selling book of 2022 and now her newest book, Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success (Amazon, Bookshop)*. A lot of people think about work as a competition for resources. But what if, by inviting others to the table, you created more for everyone? In this conversation, Ruchika and I explore the opportunity for all of us to uncompete. Key Points Many of us are so socialized to compete that we don’t realize the benefits of collective collaboration. Reach out to someone who inspires you. Praising someone for something awesome about them, without an accompanying ask, is so rare. Display genuine curiosity. Don’t confuse “nice” small talk for depth. Ask bigger questions that get to the heart of who people are. As you build trust, talk numbers. In the professional context, real relationships of trust demand this kind of transparency. Take regular stock of relationships. Take people at their word and also watch how their actions line up – or don’t. Invite others to the table. The bigger your circle, the more you create for everybody. Resources Mentioned Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success by Ruchika T. Malhotra (Amazon, Bookshop)* Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes End Imposter Syndrome in Your Organization, with Jodi-Ann Burey (episode 556) How to Create Inclusive Hiring Practices, with Ruchika Tulshyan (episode 589) Doing Better Than Zero-Sum Thinking, with Renée Mauborgne (episode 641) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

Kirstin Ferguson: Blindspotting Kirstin Ferguson has been recognized globally by Thinkers50 as one of the top 50 management thinkers in the world and is the recipient of the 2023 Distinguished Leadership Award. She was an officer in the Royal Australian Air Force, and then went on to lead an international consulting firm as CEO, before serving on the boards of major publicly listed, private, and non-profit organizations. She is the author of Women Kind, Head & Heart, and her newest book Blindspotting: How to See What Others Miss (Amazon, Bookshop)*. If we stop to think about it, always all of us recognize that we have blind spots. Given that reality, anything we can do that helps us see what others might miss will help us lead better. In this conversation, Kirsten and I explore the mindsets and practices that will help us uncover more of our blind spots. Key Points Experts are better at knowing when they are right, but also less likely to show appropriate doubt when they could be wrong. There’s a time to be a seeker and a time to be a knower. Both are important in different situations, but leaders in many situations would benefit from more seeking. Blindspotting is about calibration, not hesitation. Accept your intellectual limitations. A key way to do this is saying these four words more: “I don’t know yet.” Disentangling your ego will help your blind spot better. Shift away from your pride a bit by separating yourself from your knowledge and expertise. Hunt down your biases. Admitting they exist is step one. Model vulnerability by talking about your past mistakes both with yourself and with others. Resources Mentioned Blindspotting: How to See What Others Miss by Kirstin Ferguson (Amazon, Bookshop)*. Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes Getting Better at Reading the Room, with Kirstin Ferguson (episode 651) How to Find What’s Missing, with Jeff Wetzler (episode 732) How to Teach Your Expertise to Others, with Roger Kneebone (episode 743) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

Goldie Chan: Personal Branding for Introverts Goldie Chan is the founder of Warm Robots, a social media strategy and creative agency, and she is herself a creative, keynote speaker, author, and cancer survivor. She was named the “Oprah of LinkedIn” by Huffington Post, and her creative video channel won LinkedIn Top Voice for Social Media. She is the author of Personal Branding for Introverts (Amazon, Bookshop)*. Many of us aspire to have a powerful personal brand, but it’s not always clear where to start. In this conversation, Goldie and I zero in on the five elements that matter most – and what you can do to get started. Key Points Five C’s of personal branding: Clarity: Surface it by determining three words you want to be associated with. Consistency: The internet is for introverts. Find the medium where you can show up often and that plays to your strengths. Competency: Rather than promoting yourself, promote the ideas and practices you stand for through your experience. Confidence: Ego is when you shout who you are to a room, and confidence is when you know who you are in a room. Community: Join in on conversations with people discussing what you care about. Find these communities or build your own. Resources Mentioned Personal Branding for Introverts by Goldie Chan (Amazon, Bookshop)*. Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes The Four Critical Stories Leaders Need For Influence, with David Hutchens (episode 148) The Way to Get Noticed by Key Stakeholders, with Daphne E. Jones (episode 614) Your Reputation is Your Currency, with Maha Abouelenein (episode 703) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

Muriel Wilkins: Leadership Unblocked Muriel Wilkins is the founder and CEO of Paravis Partners and a sought-after C-suite adviser and executive coach with a twenty-year track record of helping senior leaders take their performance to the next level. She is the coauthor of Own the Room and the host of the Harvard Business Review podcast Coaching Real Leaders. She’s just released her newest book, Leadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential (Amazon, Bookshop)*. You may have spent years aiming for the leadership role you now have. But now, once you’re in the job, it can be really disorienting to feel like you don’t belong. In this conversation, Muriel and I explore this reality that a lot of leaders face and what do when you run into it. Key Points Feeling like you don’t belong is a normal and common reality at inflection points in your career. A vicious cycle can emerge: you’re waiting to be included while others are waiting for you to engage. While you can’t control others, you can break the part of the pattern you have control of. Even when you believe that not belonging is triggered by sexism, racism, and ableism, it doesn’t serve you to hold onto that belief. Define your value proposition. What gets missed when you don’t show up? Remind yourself of shared goals or values with the group. This prevents the small stuff from distracting you as much. Identify a few supportive people and build relationships with them. Resources Mentioned Leadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential by Muriel Wilkins (Amazon, Bookshop)* Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes How to Start a Big Leadership Role, with Carol Kauffman (episode 617) How to Start Better With Peers, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 635) The Habits That Hold Leaders Back, with Marshall Goldsmith (episode 696) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

David Hutchens: Story Dash David Hutchens works with leaders around the world to find, craft, and tell their most urgent stories for the purpose of creating shared meaning, preserving culture, disseminating learning, and speeding change in organizations. He has taught the Storytelling Leader program at some of the most influential organizations, including NASA, Paypal, Loreal Paris, Cisco, Walmart, Google, and FedEx. He’s written many books, including the Circle of the 9 Muses, Story Dash, and The Leadership Story Deck. When organizational change is happening, leaders need to be intentional about lining up with culture, especially if it’s the time to shift that culture just a bit. We often do the logistics well, but we miss the power of both the human and emotional connections. In this episode, David and I discuss how story can help us make a meaningful shift. Key Points The organizations that are being intentional about culture are also being intentional about story. Getting beyond the logistics of changes and leaning first into humanity and emotion help people frame cultural shifts. Leaders go first. Embodied stories from leaders are surprising, counter-cultural, and repeatable. Asking for stories is rarely sufficient. Instead, invite stories through intentional prompts like, “Tell me about a time you felt more engaged, alive, and happiest in your work here.” Received stories are the ones told by employees. Adding an emotion word to an invitation such as, “What’s a time you were proud?” often surfaces more genuine stories. David is now a Coaching for Leaders expert partner. Connect with him to discover how he might support your organization in making a meaningful cultural shift via our partners page or email him directly at david@davidhutchens.com. Resources Mentioned Circle of the 9 Muses: A Storytelling Field Guide for Innovators and Meaning Makers by David Hutchens (Amazon, Bookshop)* Story Dash: Find, Develop, and Activate Your Most Valuable Business Stories…In Just a Few Hours by David Hutchens (Amazon)* Leadership Story Deck by David Hutchens (Amazon)* Related Episodes Leadership Means You Go First, with Keith Ferrazzi (episode 488) How to Start Finding Useful Stories, with David Hutchens (episode 593) How to Bring Out the Best in People, with Donna Hicks (episode 724) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

Monica Chartier: Coaching for Leaders Fellow Monica Chartier is a group product manager in the technology industry. Her work has centered on supporting a global product experience, getting a million visitors a day. In addition to her e-commerce and technical experience, she indexes heavily on coach-like leadership with her team and also inside our community as one of our Coaching for Leaders Fellows. In this conversation, Monica and I explore a need inside the Coaching for Leaders membership community and how we used the design thinking process to approach it. We outline the five key steps we followed and how you might do the same to address a problem inside your own organization. Key Points Five steps to solve a problem using design thinking: Empathy: Start with Intentional Listening and Observation. Define: Clarify the Real Problem to Solve. Ideate: Co-Create Ideas and Form Testable Hypotheses. Prototype: Start Small, Learn Fast. Test, Learn, and Adapt: Make Iteration a Leadership Habit. Access Monica’s detailed guide (PDF download) Resources Mentioned Monica Chartier on LinkedIn Related Episodes The Way to Make Struggles More Productive, with Sarah Stein Greenberg (episode 569) How to Prevent a Team From Repeating Mistakes, with Robert “Cujo” Teschner (episode 660) How to Lead Engaging Meetings, with Jess Britt (episode 721) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

Vanessa Druskat: The Emotionally Intelligent Team Vanessa Druskat is an associate professor at the Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire. She advises leaders and teams at over a dozen Fortune 500 and Fortune Global 500 companies and wrote the best-selling Harvard Business Review article (with S. Wolff) on emotionally intelligent teams that has been chosen many times for inclusion in HBR’s most valued articles. She is the author of The Emotionally Intelligent Team: Building Collaborative Groups that Outperform the Rest (Amazon, Bookshop)*. It’s easy to assume that a good start for a great team is getting the smartest people together. That does help, but it’s not the critical factor in whether a team performs. In this conversation, Vanessa and I discuss why the word belonging makes such a difference. Key Points Raw talent of the individual and their own interpersonal skills don’t predict team performance. Belonging is critical for team performance. Leaders often miss this because they already feel like they belong. Team members understanding each other is the first and most critical norm. Beginning meetings with check-ins or gallery walks helps people understand each other, even if it’s not discussed extensively. Inviting people to bring everyday objects to illustrate a more complex point helps make understanding accessible. The leader sets the tone, but it’s the interaction between team members that makes the difference. Resources Mentioned The Emotionally Intelligent Team: Building Collaborative Groups that Outperform the Rest (Amazon, Bookshop)* by Vanessa Druskat Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes How to Engage Remote Teams, with Tsedal Neeley (episode 537) Team Collaboration Supports Growth Mindset, with Mary Murphy (episode 695) How to Help People Connect at Work, with Wes Adams (episode 735) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

Scott Keller: A CEO For All Seasons Scott Keller is a senior partner at McKinsey, where he coleads the firm’s global CEO Excellence work within the Strategy & Corporate Finance Practice and serves as a global leader in the Organization Practice. He’s a New York Times bestselling author and trusted advisor to boards, CEOs, and senior leadership teams, with whom he guides multiyear, enterprise-wide transformations that shape the future of institutions. His colleagues and him are the authors of the new book, A CEO For All Seasons: Mastering the Cycles of Leadership (Amazon, Bookshop)*. One of the most critical phases of taking on the top job is what you do at the start. Whether it’s stepping into the role as president, general manager, executive director, owner, or CEO, starting well can make all the difference. In this conversation, Scott and I explore how to begin in the best way possible. Key Points One-third to one-half of new CEOs are considered to be failing within eighteen months of taking the role. Many wish they’d handled the transition differently. New CEOs enter a reality distortion field of many bosses (the board), no peers, and ultimate accountability for everything. The best CEOs guard against this by not making it about them. Ask questions that aren’t about you, but the organization. Instead of, “How will I know if I’m successful?” ask, “How will we know if we’re winning?” Beginning with a listening tour is essential. People will tell you things when you’re new that they’ll never say two or three years later. Create a fact-based, one version of the truth. Once you know it, keep to a single narrative for everyone. Err towards complete candor in the toughest realities. Prepare intensely for moments of truth, when they need to happen. Set clear boundaries and stay extremely disciplined. Your narrative and first moves should guide how you frame these. Resources Mentioned A CEO For All Seasons: Mastering the Cycles of Leadership (Amazon, Bookshop)* by Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, Vikram Malhotra, and Kurt Strovink Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes How Top Leaders Influence Great Teamwork, with Scott Keller (episode 585) How to Genuinely Show Up for Others, with Marshall Goldsmith (episode 590) How to Start a Big Leadership Role, with Carol Kauffman (episode 617) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

Neil Ghosh: Do More Good Neil Ghosh is a seasoned executive whose expertise spans the nonprofit, government, philanthropic, and private sectors. With 30+ years of experience, he has successfully launched and scaled both nonprofit and for-profit ventures, building teams, business models, partnerships, and strategies to drive impact and support vulnerable populations in more than 50 countries. His book is Do More Good: Inspiring Lessons from Extraordinary People (Amazon, Bookshop)*. There are many differences in the world today, and those differences influence leaders just like everybody else. That’s why Neil Ghosh has this invitation for us: “Never let age or ideology come between learning and growth.” In this conversation, Neil and I explore how we can lean in on great leadership through our common humanity. Key Points In anyone we know, we can always find one positive attribute that we can learn from. Never let age or ideology come between learning and growth. The Dalai Lama reminds us to offer compassion and kindness, regardless of whether the recipient is in need. Give back without expecting fanfare. Help people get what they want through peer mentoring. Use your platform to promote unity and to be an advocate for others. Befriend people who have different views. Join or start a book club that intentionally selects books from diverse viewpoints. Resources Mentioned Do More Good: Inspiring Lessons from Extraordinary People (Amazon, Bookshop)* by Neil Ghosh Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes How to Connect with People Better, with Charles Duhigg (episode 670) Turning Down the Temperature on Outrage, with Karthik Ramanna (episode 711) How to Bring Out the Best in People, with Donna Hicks (episode 724) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

Margaret Andrews: Manage Yourself to Lead Others Margaret Andrews is a seasoned executive, academic leader, speaker, and instructor. Her course MYLO (Manage Yourself to Lead Others) has become the most popular professional development program at Harvard. She is the author of Manage Yourself to Lead Others: Why Great Leadership Begins with Self-Understanding (Amazon, Bookshop)*. Virtually every book, course, and program on leadership begins with self-understanding. That’s no accident; it’s because managing ourselves helps us lead others more effectively. In this episode, Margaret and I explore the six key questions that will help you manage yourself better. Key Points When people are asked to describe the attributes of their best bosses, 85% of the responses highlight interpersonal skills. Our differences are our features, not our flaws. Knowing yourself well helps you lead others better. Six Questions for Self-Understanding: Who, and whose thinking, has shaped you as an individual? What situations and events have helped shape your perspective? What does success look like for you? What are your core values, and how have these values changed throughout your life? To what extent are you aware of—and allow yourself to feel—your emotions? What feedback have you received over the years about how your actions and behaviors impact others? Resources Mentioned Manage Yourself to Lead Others: Why Great Leadership Begins with Self-Understanding by Margaret Andrews (Amazon, Bookshop)* Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes Enhance Your Self-Awareness, with Daniel Goleman (episode 353) The Way to Be More Self-Aware, with Tasha Eurich (episode 442) Discover Who You Are, with Hortense le Gentil (episode 459) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

Mark Crowley: The Power of Employee Well-Being Mark Crowley is a pioneer in workplace leadership, a speaker, and the bestselling author of Lead from the Heart. He is the host of the Lead from the Heart podcast. His new book is The Power of Employee Well-Being: Move Beyond Engagement to Build Flourishing Teams (Amazon, Bookshop). When I talk with leaders, many of them tell me that it’s really hard to decide on how much recognition to give people vs. constructive or critical feedback. In this conversation, Mark and I highlight the ideal ratio to calibrate our communications so that we support people’s well-being while also helping them grow. Key Points Despite the focus on employee engagement, actual engagement scores are the same or worse than a decade ago. Post-COVID, there’s a massive move towards employee well-being. This is good for both the organization and the employee. An ideal positivity ratio is 4:1 in many relationships. That’s four positive interactions for every constructive or critical interaction. We react more strongly to negative influence than positions once, thus the need for a ratio favoring the positive. Positive interactions include optimism, enthusiasm, solutions orientation, encouragement, kindness, thoughtfulness, approachability, interest, and appreciation. Leaders still must make unpopular decisions, set expectations, and give critical feedback. Positive interactions are in addition to these, not instead of. Resources Mentioned The Power of Employee Well-Being: Move Beyond Engagement to Build Flourishing Teams (Amazon, Bookshop)* by Mark Crowley Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404) Gallup Findings on the Changing Nature of Work, with Jim Harter (episode 409) The Way to Notice People Better, with Zach Mercurio (episode 733) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

Dave speaks with Tracey Gardner, an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy, on the critical nature of making space in order to adapt to change. Apply to the Coaching for Leaders Academy by Friday, September 12th.

Apply to the Coaching for Leaders Academy by Friday, September 12th. In this episode, Dave shares five ways to help leaders thrive through inflection points, including: Redirect vs. respond Set team norms Ask a second question Picture tomorrow’s commitment today Hold a funeral

Colin Fisher: The Collective Edge Since his days as a professional jazz trumpet player, Colin Fisher has been fascinated by group dynamics. Today, he is an Associate Professor of Organizations and Innovation at University College London's School of Management, researching the hidden processes of helping groups and teams in situations requiring creativity, improvisation, and complex decision-making. He is the author of The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups (Amazon, Bookshop). Most of us assume that the best thing we can do for our teams is to be a great coach as they’re working together. That absolutely helps, but the research says that only 10% of group effectiveness is what we do once the team is underway. In this conversation, Colin and I explore how to get a lot better at the other 90%. Key Points The house always wins. If the structure isn’t right for the team to succeed, little else matters in the long run. Leaders tend to put a majority of their attention on coaching teams in progress instead of the more significant work at the start of structuring and launching teams. Work on fixing structural problems before you focus on fixing the process. 60% of group effectiveness is determined by structure, 30% by the launch, and 10% by expert coaching. Critical for structure is the team goal being clear, important, and challenging. Be sure to document it. Negotiate roles, tasks, and jobs to support structure. Determine early how to articulate progress and highlight small wins. Ask yourself if the group has the right people to achieve the objective. Deep diversity that supports the goal is essential. Surface discussions about norms at the start, especially related to communication and storage of information. At a team launch, articulate why everyone is there, discuss key norms, and schedule a midpoint to reflect and align. Resources Mentioned The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups (Amazon, Bookshop) by Colin Fisher Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes How to Create Team Guidelines, with Susan Gerke (episode 192) How to Generate Quick Wins, with Andy Kaufman (episode 496) How to Increase Team Performance Through Clarity, with David Burkus (episode 657) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

Dave speaks with Elham Bidar, an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy, on the importance of balancing both technology and people in leadership. Apply to the Coaching for Leaders Academy by Friday, September 12th.

Anne-Laure Le Cunff: Tiny Experiments Anne-Laure Le Cunff is an award-winning neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and writer. She is the founder of Ness Labs and author of its widely read newsletter, a researcher at the ADHD Research Lab, and an advisor for the Applied Neuroscience Association. She is the author of Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World*. We all get into a rut sometimes. Once we notice we’re in one, our tendency is to work really hard to get out of it. In this conversation, Anne-Laure and I explore how starting with something tiny is often the better bet. Key Points SMART goals assume we know exactly where we’re heading. Most of the time, that’s not clear. A tiny experiment focuses on outputs instead of outcomes. To build more comfort with uncertainty, find one small place to experiment. Our brain uses growth loops to constantly adjust our trajectory. We don’t go in circles; we grow in circles. Improving growth isn’t about knowledge or skill, it’s thinking about your thinking, questioning your responses, and knowing your mind. A simple, 5-minute tool is Plus Minus Next. It surfaces what’s working, what’s not, and your next steps. Resources Mentioned Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World* by Anne-Laure Le Cunff Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes How to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear (episode 376) How to Change Your Behavior, with BJ Fogg (episode 507) How to Create Space, with Juliet Funt (episode 540) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

Dave speaks with Anna Bellini, an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy, on how to stop a behavior in order to move forward. Applications to the Coaching for Leaders Academy will open the first week of September. Visit the Academy page to request an early invitation.