• Home
  • Episodes
  • Books for Leaders
  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Contact Us
  • Our Sponsors
  • Blog
  • Our Newsletter
The Leadership Podcast

The Leadership Podcast

We Study Leaders

TLP511: What 500 Top Leaders Taught Us — And Why It’s Not What You Think

May 13, 2026

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-511.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

What happens when you spend 10 years interviewing some of the world’s top leaders? After 500 interviews with CEOs, generals, founders, bestselling authors, athletes, and elite performers, Jim Vaselopulos and Jan Rutherford discovered a surprising pattern. The most successful leaders were NOT the most polished, they were the most self-aware, adaptable, and relentlessly committed to…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: adaptive leadership, business leaders, Business Leadership, CEOs, emotional intelligence, entrepreneurship, Executive Coaching, executive leadership, high performance, Jan Rutherford, Jim Vaselopulos, leadership development, Leadership Lessons, leadership mindset, leadership myths, Leadership Podcast, leadership skills, Leadership Strategies, lessons from leaders, Personal Growth, self awareness, success mindset, Team Leadership, The Leadership Podcast, what makes a great leader

TLP505: Why Leadership Coaching So Often Fails

April 1, 2026

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-505.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

TLP505: Why Leadership Coaching So Often Fails
Will Linssen is the CEO of Global Coach Group, and the author of “Triple Win Leadership Coaching: The Coach’s Guide to More Impact, More Coaching, and More Clients.”
In this conversation, Will challenges the traditional model of leadership coaching. Too often, coaching focuses on the leader while leaving the team out of the equation—one reason why team satisfaction frequently remains low even when leaders feel they’ve made progress.
Will explains how great coaches assess coachability before the work even begins, why ego is often the biggest barrier to meaningful change, and what leaders in global, multicultural environments consistently misunderstand about communication and feedback.
We also explore the impact of AI on leadership. Will argues that decades of accumulated expertise are losing their advantage. The leaders who will thrive going forward aren’t the ones with all the answers—they’re the ones who know how to ask the right questions.
If you’ve ever wondered why leadership development often fails to stick inside organizations, this conversation offers a candid look at what’s missing—and what needs to change.
Find episode 505 on The Leadership Podcast, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: 360 feedback, AI and leadership, behavioral change, coachability, coaching methodology, coaching roi, coaching success rate, coworker feedback, cross-cultural leadership, Executive Coaching, global leadership, leadership coaching, leadership development, Leadership Podcast, leadership skills, leadership tips, leadership transformation, leading with questions, management coaching, organizational change, Team Leadership, team performance, the coach group, triple win, will linssen

TLP503: 7 Hidden Beliefs That Sabotage Leaders (And How to Break Them) – with Muriel M. Wilkins

March 18, 2026

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-503.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

TLP503: 7 Hidden Beliefs That Sabotage Leaders (And How to Break Them) – with Muriel M. Wilkins
Muriel M. Wilkins is the founder and CEO of Paravis Partners, host of the HBR podcast, Coaching Real Leaders, and author of “Leadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential.”

Muriel makes the case that lasting leadership change doesn’t come from better tactics. It comes from changing the hidden assumptions driving those tactics in the first place.

Drawing on research with over 300 coaching clients, Muriel introduces seven hidden blockers—simple, pervasive beliefs that quietly sabotage even the most capable leaders. She explains why high performers are especially vulnerable, why action bias becomes a liability at the top, and what “doing the inner work” actually looks like when you’re in the thick of real pressure and expectations.

This is one of the most practically grounded conversations we’ve had on self-awareness, sustainable change, and what it really takes to lead at the next level.

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: action bias, belief systems, c-suite leadership, coaching real leaders, Executive Coaching, fixed mindset, hbr podcast, hidden blockers, high performance leaders, inner work, leadership assumptions, leadership behavior, leadership beliefs, leadership blind spots, leadership book, leadership burnout, leadership change, leadership clarity, leadership coaching tips, leadership curiosity, leadership development, leadership effectiveness, leadership growth, leadership habits, leadership mindset, leadership plateau, Leadership Podcast, leadership skills, leadership strategy, leadership transformation, leadership unblocked, michael singer, muriel wilkins, paravis partners, personality and beliefs, scaling up, self reflection, Self-awareness, the untethered soul, thinkers50

TLP489: Quitting – Knowing When to Walk Away

December 10, 2025

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-489.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

Annie Duke is a three-time bestselling author, decision strategist, and former professional poker champion. She holds a PhD in cognitive psychology and is co-founder of the Alliance for Decision Education. Annie’s latest best-selling book is “Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away.” In this episode, Annie reveals why knowing when to walk away…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: accountability, annie duke, cognitive psychology, cost benefit analysis, decision making, Executive Coaching, Goal Setting, grit, innovation, Jan Rutherford, Jim Vaselopulos, kill criteria, leadership, mental time travel, opportunity cost, optimism bias, poker, psychological distance, Quit The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away, quitting, sunk cost fallacy, The Leadership Podcast, thinking in bets, uncertainty, venture capital

TLP481: The New Language of Leadership with Michael Ventura

October 15, 2025

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-481.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

Michael Ventura is an entrepreneur, author of “Applied Empathy: The New Language of Leadership”, and advisor to leaders at organizations including the ACLU, Google, Nike, and the UN. He has taught emotionally intelligent leadership at Princeton, West Point, and Esalen. In this episode, Michael explores why our natural childhood empathy fades as adults due to…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Applied Empathy, business results, cognitive empathy, emotional intelligence, empathetic leadership, empathy training, Executive Coaching, GE case study, Jan Rutherford, Jim Vaselopulos, leadership archetypes, leadership development, leadership skills, Michael Ventura, Organizational Culture, patient experience, retention strategies, team development, The Leadership Podcast, West Point

TLP477: Myths About Intuition with Sara Sabin

September 17, 2025

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-477.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

Sara Sabin is an executive leadership and intuition coach. In this episode, she shares her core philosophy that leadership starts with mastering your internal world. Sara describes how leaders can rewire thought patterns through simple daily exercises, explaining the neuroscience behind how small efforts compound for dramatic confidence improvements.  She tackles the biggest intuition myth…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: ai laziness, artificial intelligence, brain rewiring, critical thinking, Darley, emotional regulation, Executive Coaching, intuition, Jan Rutherford, Jim Vaselopulos, leadership development, neuroscience, sara sabin, self regulation, The Leadership Podcast

TLP472: Embracing Uncertainty with Dr. Margaret Heffernan

August 13, 2025

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-472.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

Dr. Margaret Heffernan has written six books including “Willful Blindness: Why We Ignore the Obvious at Our Peril” and “Uncharted: How to Navigate the Future,” both widely recognized as top business books. Dr. Heffernan returns to the Leadership Podcast with insights from her new book “Embracing Uncertainty: How writers, musicians and artists thrive in an…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: adaptive leadership, artists and business, board leadership, business books, Business Strategy, CEO insights, creative leadership, decision making, embracing uncertainty, Executive Coaching, experiential learning, failure and learning, innovation leadership, intuition in leadership, leadership development, Leadership Podcast, leadership retreat, Listening skills, live music and leadership, managing uncertainty, Margaret Heffernan, mindful leadership, organizational leadership, planning vs spontaneity, risk management, Strategic Planning, validation and leadership, Vulnerability in Leadership, wandering for insights

TLP464: Become the Boss You Want to Be with Sabina Nawaz

June 11, 2025

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-464.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

Sabina Nawaz is a top-tier executive coach who works closely with C-suite leaders and teams in Fortune 500 companies, government organizations, nonprofits, and universities globally. She’s also the author of “You’re the Boss: Become the Manager You Want to Be (and Others Need).” In this episode, Sabina discusses how power can distort perception, making leaders…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: authority, burnout, business, C-suite, coaching, empathy, Executive Coaching, leadership, leadership development, management skills, manager, power dynamics, pressure, Self-awareness, self-management, stress management

TLP462: Overcome Your Fear of Being Seen with Linda Ugelow

May 28, 2025

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-462.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

Linda Ugelow is the author of “Delight in the Limelight: Overcome Your Fear of Being Seen and Realize Your Dreams.”  In this episode, Linda shares how fear often stems from past experiences, and how leaders can reframe internal narratives to demonstrate more confidence.  She dives into the power of self-acceptance and how it shapes leadership…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: confidence, emotional intelligence, empowerment, Executive Coaching, fear of speaking, Growth Mindset, inner voice, leadership, personal development, public speaking, Self-awareness, self-expression, vulnerability

TLP457: The Power of Positive Sleep with Giles Watkins

April 23, 2025

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-457.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

Giles Watkins—coach, speaker, and author of “Positive Sleep: A Holistic Approach to Resolve Sleep Issues and Transform your Life (Positive Wellbeing).” In this episode, he explores why quality sleep is essential for high performance, decision-making, and long-term success. He dives into sleep’s role in workplace culture—how it affects performance, decision-making, and even global business operations….

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: cognitive performance, Executive Coaching, high performance, leadership, productivity, sleep habits, sleep science, wellness, workplace culture

  • 1
  • 2
  • ...Next Page
iTunes
Spotify
Audible
SoundCloud
iHeartRADIO

Instagram Feed

westudyleaders

#leadership #leadershiptraining #leader #westudyleaders

Seven beliefs that block every high performer. Mur Seven beliefs that block every high performer. Muriel M. Wilkins spent 22 years coaching C-suite leaders and kept seeing the same patterns surface. The problem isn't that these beliefs exist. It's that they stop working when the context changes, and most leaders don't notice until the damage is done. Which one do you recognize in yourself? Full episode 503 on The Leadership Podcast. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-503?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#LeadershipPodcast #HiddenBlockers #LeadershipUnblocked #ExecutiveCoach #MindsetWork #LeadershipMindset #SelfAwareness #CoachingConversations #ThinkBetter #LeadFromWithin
Most people only recognize disruption when it's ma Most people only recognize disruption when it's massive. Patrick Leddin says the small ones matter just as much. A hallway conversation. A bad performance review. An unexpected no. All of it counts. All of it is an opening if you're willing to look at it that way.This one is worth your commute. Episode 507 is out now. https://bit.ly/TLP-507?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #disruption #leadershippodcast #leadershipdevelopment #westudyleaders #disrupteverything #mindset #leadershipcoach #growthmindset
Every leader who has ever complained about people Every leader who has ever complained about people leaving should sit with that for a minute. It is not a generational problem. It is not an attitude problem. When you stop offering growth, you stop offering a reason to stay. The ones who left probably told you that on the way out. Most organizations just were not listening. The full conversation with Steve Cadigan on Episode 506 of The Leadership Podcast is worth your commute. https://bit.ly/TLP-506?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#Leadership #TalentStrategy #TheLeadershipPodcast #FutureOfWork #SteveCadigan
Purpose is one of the most talked about topics in Purpose is one of the most talked about topics in leadership right now and also one of the most misunderstood. Maria Brinck makes a distinction that reframes the whole conversation. She is not talking about finding purpose. She is talking about building it. And the difference between those two things changes everything about how you lead and how you live. Episode 510 of The Leadership Podcast is out now. This is one worth clearing your schedule for. https://bit.ly/TLP-510?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#Purpose #Leadership #TheLeadershipPodcast #LeadershipDevelopment #Podcast
Disruption is not always about blowing things up. Disruption is not always about blowing things up. Sometimes the most disruptive move in the room is refusing to follow the crowd. Patrick Leddin breaks this down in a way that actually reframes how you think about change and leadership.We went deep on this in Episode 507. Don't miss it. https://bit.ly/TLP-507?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #disruption #leadershiplessons #westudyleaders #disrupteverything #leadershipdevelopment #leadershipcoach #changeleadership #leadershippodcast
Jack Welch said if the outside world is changing f Jack Welch said if the outside world is changing faster than the inside, the end is near.Steve Cadigan applies that same logic directly to how you manage people. Most talent playbooks were built for a slower world and nobody has updated them. That gap between how fast things are moving outside and how slow things move inside is exactly where the problem lives. If that lands, the full episode will hit harder. Steve Cadigan on Episode 506 of The Leadership Podcast. https://bit.ly/TLP-506?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#Leadership #HR #TalentStrategy #TheLeadershipPodcast #SteveCadigan #FutureOfWork
Thank you to our listeners! The Leadership Podcast Thank you to our listeners! The Leadership Podcast is now #2 in Sales Weekly and ranked in the top 10 in multiple Goodpods charts. We appreciate your support! #Leadership #Podcast #Goodpods
Before Will Linssen coaches anyone he runs them th Before Will Linssen coaches anyone he runs them through this. Three simple questions that tell him almost immediately whether this person will be in the 95% who change or the ones who waste everyone's time. The answer has nothing to do with skill level or title. Full episode here - https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-505?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #aileadership #futureofleadership #leadershipdevelopment #westudyleaders #theleadershippodcast #shorts #executivecoaching
One of the hardest things Nick Black ever faced ha One of the hardest things Nick Black ever faced had nothing to do with combat.One week after one of the most intense firefights of the deployment, one of those men took his own life.And a year later, Nick read something that broke him open completely.More servicemen and women were dying by suicide than in combat.He still does not fully know what to do with that.But it changed the entire direction of his life.What do you think leaders most often miss when it comes to the people right in front of them?The full episode is up now. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-513?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershippodcast #leadership #stopsolidersuicide #veteranmentalhealth #militaryleadership #podcast #mentalhealth #service #leadershipdevelopment #shorts
TLP505: Why Leadership Coaching So Often Fails Ou TLP505: Why Leadership Coaching So Often Fails Our latest episode with Will Linssen https://bit.ly/TLP-505?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders&utm_content=TLP505%3A%20Why%20Leadership%20Coaching%20So%20Often%20Fails #leadership #leadership, #leadershipcoaching, #executivecoaching, #leadershipdevelopment, #coaching, #teamperformance, #triplewin, #coachingworks, #leadershipskills, #managementtips, #aileadership, #organizationalchange, #westudyleaders, #theleadershippodcast, #leadingwithquestions
Most people compare socialism's ideals to capitali Most people compare socialism's ideals to capitalism's reality. That's not a fair fight.Dr. Bill Kline shared something that sticks. When you live inside a system, you see every flaw. Every crack. Every problem.But the system you've never experienced? That one still looks perfect.That gap shapes how people think, argue, and lead.This is a conversation worth having. https://bit.ly/TLP-509?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersIf this landed, go listen to the full conversation. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-509?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#capitalism #leadership #businessethics #freemarkets #leadershipdevelopment #tlp509
Matt Cavanaugh is not telling you to never quit. H Matt Cavanaugh is not telling you to never quit. He's saying the wisdom of any decision can only be judged from the finish line, not the middle of the race. And that the fastest thing that kills a team is a leader who stops believing before the sentence is over.That's worth thinking about this week. Full episode live now. https://bit.ly/tlpyt508?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #quit #endurance #militaryleadership #leadershiplessons #mattcavanaugh #bestscarwins #theleadershippodcast #resilience #growthmindset
Matt Cavanaugh wasn't running 620 miles through ex Matt Cavanaugh wasn't running 620 miles through extreme deserts for himself.He was running to prove that life after kidney donation is full. That someone watching from Montana might decide to climb onto a transplant table themselves. That his daughters would see their dad do something everyone told him was impossible.And in the middle of a sandstorm in the Atacama Desert, beat up and eating chili pistachios because he was too tired to cook, he got a message from a stranger named Bryce in Montana saying he signed up to donate.That's what a real mission looks like.This one's worth blocking out time for. https://bit.ly/TLP-508?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #missiondriven #purposedriven #militaryleadership #leadershipdevelopment #theleadershippodcast #mattcavanaugh #bestscarwins #servantleadership #selfimprovement
Most leaders frame failure as the opposite of winn Most leaders frame failure as the opposite of winning. Matt Cavanaugh says that framing is the whole problem.Win, learn, or die. No other outcomes exist. And that one shift changes how you look at every setback you've been carrying around.The leader who avoids failure avoids judgment.You'll want to hear him say this in his own words. https://bit.ly/tlpyt508?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #failure #growthmindset #militaryleadership #leadershipdevelopment #mattcavanaugh #bestscarwins #theleadershippodcast #mindset #resilience
Most people treat disruption like a storm they jus Most people treat disruption like a storm they just have to survive. Patrick Leddin spent years studying the people who don't. And what he found is that the gap between leaders who get buried by change and leaders who use it has nothing to do with talent or timing. It starts with one question: are you willing to pause long enough to see what's actually in front of you?Episode 507 is out now. Go give it a listen. https://bit.ly/TLP-507?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersThe full conversation will change how you think about this. Episode 507 is out now. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-507?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #disruption #disrupteverything #patrickleddin #leadershipdevelopment #militaryleadership #theleadershippodcast #westudyleaders #growthmindset #changemanagement
Most coaches talk about coachability but almost no Most coaches talk about coachability but almost nobody checks for it before they start. Will Linssen does, and he says two things kill it every time. One is ego. The second one is more external and honestly makes a lot of sense when you hear it. Catch the full episode https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-505?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershipcoaching #coachability #executivecoaching #leadership #westudyleaders #theleadershippodcast #shorts
Our guest in this week's episode is Will Linssen, Our guest in this week's episode is Will Linssen, he has coached over 100,000 leaders across six continents. 95% of them got measurably better. Not self-reported. Confirmed by their coworkers.So what is everyone else missing?If your team isn't noticing your growth, Will's answer about it is simple and kind of uncomfortable. Click the link to listen to TLP505 with Will Linssen. https://bit.ly/TLP-505?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersWatch it on YouTube- https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-505?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #leadershipcoaching #executivecoaching #leadershipdevelopment #coaching #teamperformance #theleadershippodcast #westudyleaders #triplewin #willlinssen
You think you know how you'll react under fire unt You think you know how you'll react under fire until the stuff actually hits the fan. Admiral McRaven says pressure doesn't build character, it reveals it. The good news? The more you face it, the better you get at not falling apart. Every chance to lead is a chance to find out who you really are, not who you think you are.Listen: https://bit.ly/TLP-500?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#Leadership #Pressure #AdmiralMcRaven #Character #TheLeadershipPodcast #NavySEAL #LeadershipDevelopment #Episode500
Big news! The Leadership Podcast is now #2 in Sale Big news! The Leadership Podcast is now #2 in Sales Weekly, #3 in Sales Monthly, #5 in Management Monthly, #6 in Military History Weekly, and #8 in Sales All Time on Goodpods. Thank you for your amazing support! #Leadership #Podcast #Goodpods
You emailed them. You cc'd HR. You told yourself y You emailed them. You cc'd HR. You told yourself you handled it. Mark Morgenfruh calls this keyboard cowboy leadership and it's more common than most leaders want to admit. The second one, happy talk, is even worse because it feels like kindness. Episode 502 will make you rethink both. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-502?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #leadershipdevelopment #remoteleadership #workplaceculture #theleadershippodcast #neverfireanyone #leadershipcoach
Follow on Instagram

Recent Posts

  • TLP513: The Leadership Cost of Isolation with Nick Black
  • TLP512: Winning at Work, Losing at Home
  • TLP511: What 500 Top Leaders Taught Us — And Why It’s Not What You Think
  • TLP510: Why Your Organization Keeps Getting the Same Results (No Matter What You Change)
  • TLP509: Capitalism Without Ethics Is Just Chaos

Recent Comments

  • Anonymous on TLP511: What 500 Top Leaders Taught Us — And Why It’s Not What You Think
  • Anonymous on TLP508: Your Scars Are Your Resume
  • Anonymous on TLP505: Why Leadership Coaching So Often Fails
  • Anonymous on TLP504: Why Your Team Is Still Disengaged
  • Anonymous on TLP503: 7 Hidden Beliefs That Sabotage Leaders (And How to Break Them) – with Muriel M. Wilkins

Tags

adaptability assumptions athletics business change coaching communication corporate crucible culture Curiosity decision making education emotional intelligence entrepreneur financial history humor innovation interview Jan Rutherford Jim & Jan Jim Vaselopulos leader leadership leadership development Leadership Podcast military neuroscience Patagonia Personal Growth philosophy practitioner productivity relationships resilience speaker sports stories team development teamwork thought leader trust veterans workplace culture

Copyright © 2026 Rafti Advisors, LLC & Self-Reliant Leadership, LLC - All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy