Ever feel like your leadership team isn’t in tune, or that you hit the wrong note with people at work? Today’s guest says the world of jazz has the answers. In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth explores what leaders can learn from jazz musicians with Dr. Michael Y. Brenner, CEO of Right Chord Leadership. They discuss Dr. Brenner’s new book, Strike the Right Chord, and the connection he makes between musical harmony and effective leadership. If you are tired of the same old leadership cliches, transport yourself in this episode to the world of jazz, where you’ll see your leadership challenges through a refreshingly different and powerful new lense.

SHOW NOTES

Mike’s path

• The record that changed his trajectory: “They’re making that up as they go? I gotta learn how to do that!”
• Copy writing, working at QVC, and his hard truth about leadership

Lessons for leaders

• How jazz musicians approach their craft
• Keys to collaboration: “Jazz attitude” and walking the line between structure and chaos
• A novel new framework: Mike’s CHORD model for leadership
• What jazz teaches us about different profiles working in harmony – and how Mike uses DISC to help teams do that in practice
• Lessons from Mike’s doctoral research in Canada: what leaders learn from artists
• “When you hit the wrong note, it's the next note that makes it good or bad.”

Dealing with the messy part of leadership

• Is the goal of leadership to achieve harmony?
• Respect, support – and the need for tough love
• The key to managing egos and managing up: “Serve the music”
• Why we still get crappy leaders who don’t embody the qualities Mike describes
• A novel way to think about authenticity: Having a “foundation of voice” but being able to adapt to the situation

BIO AND LINKS

As founder and CEO of Right Chord Leadership, Dr. Michael Brenner collaborates with leaders and teams to strengthen the essential skills needed for peak performance. He achieves this by drawing on more than 25 years of experience as an international leadership consultant, executive coach, keynote speaker, and educator, and more than 40 years as a professional musician. Michael holds a doctorate in Adult Learning and Leadership from Columbia University and a master’s degree in Adult and Organizational Development from Temple University. He plays in two bands based in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Strike the Right Chord is his first book.

Connect with Dr. Michael Y. Brenner

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelybrenner/
• Right Chord Leadership: https://rightchordleadership.com
• Get Mike’s Book, Strike the Right Chord: https://rightchordleadership.com/resources/
• Speaker Reel: https://rightchordleadership.com/speaking/
• Email: michael [at] rightchordleadership.com

Organizations, People and Resources Referenced

• Episode dedicated to the memory of Michael Senturia: https://music.berkeley.edu/news/department-mourns-passing-emeritus-professor-michael-senturia
• Al Jarreau: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Jarreau
• The Columbia Coaching Conference: https://www.columbiacoachingconference.org
• Banff Institute: https://www.banffcentre.ca
• Whiplash, the movie: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2582802/
• Christian McBride: https://www.christianmcbride.com
• Dr. John Schaffner interview on 97% Effective: https://redcircle.com/shows/97-effective/ep/4fae4e9f-bdbf-4cab-8aa5-298544b3651c
• Pat Metheny: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3t58jfUhoMLYVO14XaUFLA?si=H-meVhdFQlqWxQSvjf7O1g

More from 97% Effective

• Michael’s Award-winning Book: Get Promoted: What You’re Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective

Every misunderstanding contains a small “miss” in how we communicate—and Jon Wortmann, today’s guest, can show you how to fix that. Jon’s work helps you make the small adjustments to connect better with everyone in your life, and elevate your leadership. In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth speaks with Jon Wortmann, executive coach and sports performance coach, about his latest book “The Nine Tendencies.” They walk through practical ways to understand our tendencies, adjust your communication style, and deal with the most challenging people. Jon also discusses his work as a minister and sports performance coach, which will get you thinking more deeply about your spiritual life and the habits of peak performers.

SHOW NOTES

Jon’s path from minister to peak performance coach

• The mental health challenges that led him to the ministry
• How “learn how to calm my brain” gave him first-hand experience in his field
• The decision to go from minister to full-time coach
• On where Americans are increasingly spiritual: “I have more conversations about spiritual life, ironically, as an executive coach than I did some weeks in a spiritual community.”
• The Chaplain at Carleton College that helped Jon the most: “To not know where you have options is where the problem was.”

Insights from his book, The Nine Tendencies

• Hard truth about communication: People need to get really good at getting to the point
• Does your audience want the details first, or the bottom line first?
• How Jon’s communication got him fired by his CEO client
• Is awareness of your communication tendencies enough for you to make a switch?
• “Personality lives on a spectrum, tendencies are binary”
• The Nine Tendencies: The way we think, how we add color, the way we share ideas
• Does Jon overlook body language?
• How Jon’s book is different and the main message he wants readers to take away
• What to do if someone else’s communication pattern drives you nuts

Practical Communication Tips

• How to assess our tendencies, those of others—and the ultimate metric of communication success
• People value you more when you adjust to their communication style
• Three ways to handle someone is difficult to communicate with
• How remote work impacts our Nine Tendencies

Insights from his work as a chaplain and sports performance coach

• Lessons from his spiritual teaching: Everybody is great, but nobody has helped most people find those things
• “Every brain is different”
• Does Jon miss his spiritual work?

BIO AND LINKS

Jon Wortmann is an executive coach and trainer, author, and sports performance coach. A graduate of Carleton College and Harvard University, his books, Mastering Communication at Work and Hijacked by Your Brain, were #1 best-sellers in 22 categories on Amazon. He has delivered over 3500 trainings in 13 verticals with global clients on 46 topics including communication, resilience, and trust. His professional golfers play on every professional tour, and he was voted a coach of the year in Big East conference with UCONN Golf in 2021. His new book, The Nine Tendencies, systematically defines the critical communication adjustments which transform relationships and teams.

Connect with Jon

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-wortmann-81a9471/
• His new book, free download -- The Nine Tendencies: The Little Adjustments that Build Trust in Every Communication https://www.ninetendencies.com
• Jon’s other bestselling books: https://tinyurl.com/ye23f2z3

Organizations, People and Resources Referenced

• Adam Sandler’s movie Grownups: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e01NVCveGkg
• Chaplain Jewelnel Davis: https://provost.columbia.edu/people/jewelnel-davis
• How Mehrabian’s famous study on body language gets misinterpreted: https://tinyurl.com/mr2j5mzh
• Quick Switching: https://quickswitching.com
• Jon’s talk: “Frenzied: How to Step Back from the Short Loop” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiOQHnI_ztE

More from 97% Effective

• Michael’s Award-winning Book: Get Promoted: What You’re Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective

Most leaders work 1-1 with executive coaches – but few use them to coach their entire leadership team. In this episode, 97% Effective host Michael Wenderoth explores the emerging field of leadership team coaching with David Matthew Prior, who has been at the forefront of organizational coaching for more than two decades. Michael and David discuss the science of effective teams—and how team coaches help leaders turn a collection of executives into a true team. David also shares his own path into the coaching world–and where traditional executive coaches must shift their approach to effectively serve leaders and their teams. If you are a leader or team member—or a coach or consultant who supports leadership teams—you’ll gain practical insights on how to assess and increase a team’s effectiveness.

SHOW NOTES

• The Rise of Leadership Team Coaching
• David’s path from banker to actor to coach—and the surprising way his professional training as an actor has helped him coach teams
• Recent trends driving the need for team coaching
• How team coaching and group coaching differ: “All teams are groups, but not all groups are teams”
• The importance of designing and structuring teams: “You can’t just show up and hope that the magic is going to occur.”

The Science of Effective Teams

• Hard truth: there’s little evidence that simply coaching team behaviors improves team performance.
• The 3 core elements of an effective team—and the 6 conditions that influence its effectiveness
• The multiple roles a team coach must play: facilitator, educator, consultant, and coach
• The 60:30:10 rule: where team coaches actually spend their time

Lessons from “crashing and burning” in David’s early coaching engagements

• The one condition where David spends most of his team coaching effort
• What effective teams and geese have in common
• The two signals David hones in on at the outset, to best assess a team’s dynamics
• How a team coach handles internal team politics
• The importance of speaking truth to leaders, and why team coaches need to have their own external support team

David on Teaching Coaches and AI

• “Coaches want a playbook--how to execute it—but it’s more complex than that.”
• Why David is seeking to bring more human capabilities into the team coaching space

BIO AND LINKS

David Matthew Prior, MCC, BCC, ACTC, brings 25 years of organizational coaching experience as a Master Certified Coach (ICF credentialed) based in the New York City Metropolitan area. His work in coaching executive and senior leadership spans internationally and across dozens of industries. Leveraging experience in coaching, finance, ethics training, and theater performance, David has had the honor to structure and teach in the organizational coaching program at Columbia University, guide and coach more than 1,000 senior leaders in more than 30 countries, train 5,000+ executive coaches and create results for more than 100 organizations. He is the founder of Getacoach.com, where he can be reached.

Connect with David

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmatthewprior/
• His website: www.GetaCoach.com

Organizations, People and Resources Referenced

• Columbia 3CP: https://www.tc.columbia.edu/coachingcertification/
• David’s teaching at University of Texas at Dallas: https://obcc.utdallas.edu/news/team-coaching-practitioner-program/
• Christine Thornton’s book: Group and Team Coaching (3rd ed): https://tinyurl.com/3bs873vx
• Peter Hawkins, the “five disciplines” model of team coaching. Editor of: Leadership Team Coaching in Practice (2nd ed): https://a.co/d/0cWsgxZl
• Richard Hackman, pioneer on the science of teams: https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/leading-teams/9781633691216/
• The Six Conditions for Team Effectiveness (Hackman’s framework): https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-63546-5_19
• Mary Beth O’Neill. Her book: Executive Coaching with Backbone and Heart (2nd ed): https://a.co/d/00CAdCfe
• John Whittington, Henley Business School: https://www.henley.ac.uk/people/john-whittington
• The Columbia Coaching Conference: https://www.columbiacoachingconference.org
• Dr. Michael Jabbour: https://www.columbiacoachingconference.org/speaker/dr.-michael-j.-jabbour
• Ruth Wageman’s book: Senior Leadership Teams: What it Takes to Make Them Great https://a.co/d/0cOBISxw

More from 97% Effective

• Michael’s Award-winning Book: Get Promoted: What You’re Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective

In the past year, host Michael Wenderoth saw a huge jump in Stanford MBAs pursuing an alternative career path. When he sought to learn more, everyone pointed him to today’s guest, Ruby Au, a 2025 Stanford Business School graduate who chose the search fund path. In this episode of 97% Effective, Michael and Ruby discuss search funds, the hot alternative path to entrepreneurship, and why it is experiencing a surge in interest among MBAs, top talent—and investors looking for strong returns. Most people are familiar with private equity and venture capital, but far fewer understand search funds, so Michael and Ruby break down the nuts and bolts of the model, where entrepreneurs raise capital to search for, acquire, and operate an existing small business. Ruby also shares insights she gained from hundreds of coffee chats with industry insiders. If you feel constrained by working in big companies—but don’t have the stomach for a risky start-up, you’ll want to listen to this episode. Search—and Ruby’s insights—may open your eyes to the growth and impact that can come from the small, unsexy businesses that quietly power our economy.

 SHOW NOTES

What Search Funds Are – and How They Work

• How Ruby discovered search, and why it felt like a best-fit
• What search fund investors are looking for in the entrepreneurs and companies they back
• The “search phase” and the “acquisition/operating” phase
• Why “boring” companies that don’t make headlines can be great businesses
• Why many business sellers see search as a unique succession plan

Why Search Funds Are Taking Off – and Where They Are Going

• “An asset class that started to post 35% IRRs”
• The most successful search outcome of all time: from roadside rescue to that little purple logo at your Amazon checkout
• As money pours in, does mentorship and the traditional model scale?

Ruby’s Insights – What You Won’t Find in Reports

• How Ruby was taken off guard by the close-knit search ecosystem
• Why she started her blog Succession Story
• Ruby’s sector focus and what she wants to get out of her search process
• 3 insider insights: How new investors are challenging the traditional search model; how to find the right business for you; and how search can reshape how you view social impact

BIO AND LINKS

Ruby Au is a search fund entrepreneur and Principal at Succession Story LLC. Her career began in Nairobi, Kenya, where she founded an edtech venture acquired in 2020. She later launched the African office for San Francisco-based Endless Computers and served as Head of North America for the green search engine, Ecosia. Ruby graduated summa cum laude with dual degrees in Business Administration and Environmental Studies from the University of Southern California and holds an MBA from Stanford, where she served on the leadership of Stanford's Search Fund Club. Ruby enjoys SCUBA diving, salsa dancing, boxing, and traveling, having visited over 35 countries across five continents.

Connect with Ruby

• Her search fund: https://www.successionstory.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruby-au/
• Substack: Succession Story: Becoming a Search Fund Entrepreneur: https://successionstory.substack.com

People and Things referenced

• H. Irv Grousbeck: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/faculty/h-irving-grousbeck
• Asurion – The Greatest Search Fund Deal of all time: https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/12/business/smallbusiness/12hunt.html
• Ruby’s list of search fund investors: https://successionstory.substack.com/p/the-wonderful-world-of-search-fund
• So Good They Can’t Ignore You (Cal Newport): https://a.co/d/0cefCIku
• Stanford Business School’s Search Fund Center: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/experience/about/centers-institutes/ces/research/search-funds
• IESE’s International Search Fund Center: https://www.iese.edu/entrepreneurship/search-funds/

More from 97% Effective

• Michael’s Award-winning Book: Get Promoted: What You’re Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective

Most women have lived as the side dish – supporting everyone else while putting themselves last. When I shared that line with my wife, she didn’t hesitate: “That’s me.” In this episode of 97% Effective, I speak with Deborah Grayson Riegel — executive coach, leadership communications expert, and co‑creator of TheMeMenu, a new personal growth platform designed for women over 50 who are ready to reclaim agency, imagination, and momentum in their lives. Deb shares how she teamed up with celebrity chef Carla Hall to build something that blends coaching, creativity, and AI — all through the metaphor of cooking and their Six Flavor framework. We discuss what’s different for women 50+, how AI can democratize coaching (and where humans still matter most), and what partners can actually do — practically — to support the women they love. I also share what surprised me most in this conversation — including what I learned after asking my own wife what actually helps (hint: “How can I help?” isn’t always it). By the end of this episode, you’ll see cooking as a powerful lens for work and life. While The ME Menu is designed for women over 50, the key message — navigating obligation and agency — applies to anyone ready to write their next chapter.

SHOW NOTES

TheMeMenu story

• Why so many women spend decades as the “side dish,” what it means to reclaim main-dish energy – and why that matters
• How Deb connected with Carla Hall, celebrity chef, and why the collaboration clicked so well
• What TheMeMenu actually is: A way of thinking and being + 6-week self-paced coaching program + An AI-powered “Sous Chef” for spot-coaching
• What makes TheMeMenu unique: Built by women over 50 for women over 50, Carla Hall’s “secret sauce”, and a mission to democratize access to coaching
• Why Deb sees AI as a complement to human coaching, not a replacement

Inside the Collaboration

• Deb, Carla, and Kirsten: three women, three strengths
• Their creative process: cooking vs baking
• Why “nothing works if the raw ingredients aren’t good”
• The importance of creating their “mise en place”
• Over 100 iterations – and why “there’s no such thing as done”
• Building a product while the technology was still emerging

Practical Takeaways

• What partners, spouses, kids, and friends can most do to support the women in their lives
• Two powerful questions to ask – and 1 micro-behavior that matters
• Why “How can I help?’ can be taxing – and why it’s often better to just make offers
• Thinking in terms of a lifelong conversation, not a one-time check-in
• Lightning Round laser insights: Deb on the hard truth about personal change, the key to collaboration, the power of her summer in Spain, and the focus of her new book, Aim High and Bounce Back: A Successful Woman’s Guide to Rethinking and Rising Up from Failure

BIO AND LINKS

Deborah Grayson Riegel, MSW, PCC is a keynote speaker, leadership communications expert, executive coach, and author. She is the co-creator of TheMeMenu.com, a self-paced coaching platform designed to help women reclaim purpose and momentum in midlife and beyond. Deb is a regular contributor for Harvard Business Review, Inc., Psychology Today, Forbes, and Fast Company – and author of multiple books include Go to Help, Overcoming Overthinking, and her newest book, Aim High and Bounce Back (2026), which explores how women experience failure differently — and how to rise after setbacks. She is a certified executive coach (ICF PCC) and holds a BA from University of Michigan and MSW from Columbia University.

Connect with Deb

• TheMeMenu: https://www.thememenu.com/about
• Deb’s website: https://deborahgraysonriegel.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahgraysonriegel/
• Deb’s new book, with Fiona Macaulay – Aim High and Bounce Back: A Successful Woman’s Guide to Rethinking and Rising Up from Failure https://a.co/d/05NJJNcn

People and Things referenced

• Carla Hall, celebrity chef: https://carlahall.com
• Stanford Business School WIM groups: https://tinyurl.com/yc6zssc2
• Halle Barry at the DealBook Summit: https://tinyurl.com/ymmcuk54
• What exclaiming “poo-poo-poo” means (Jewish expression): https://tinyurl.com/yn6ny9t3
• Hybrid Intelligence: 2025 Columbia University Coaching Conference https://tinyurl.com/4ss3s2cr
• “Mise en place” (French culinary phrase for “putting in place”): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mise_en_place

More from 97% Effective

• Michael’s Award-winning Book: Get Promoted: What You’re Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective

Most leaders were taught to leave their emotions at the door. Today’s guest says that advice isn’t just outdated — it’s costly. In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth sits down with Dina Denham Smith, executive coach and bestselling author of Emotionally Charged, to unpack why emotional skill is now a core leadership capability, not a “soft” add-on. Drawing on behavioral science and her work as an executive coach and strategic advisor, Dina explains why emotions are data, how leaders unknowingly perform massive emotional labor, and what it really takes to manage triggers, prevent burnout, and unlock performance. As Dina puts it: “Emotions are money.” By the end of this conversation, you’ll see why ignoring emotions is bad for you and bad for business – and what to do instead.

SHOW NOTES

Dina’s story — and why this work matters

• One surprising thing about Dina you won’t find on the internet
• How Emotionally Charged would have helped Dina earlier in her own career
• What sparked Dina’s interest in the science of emotions
• How the pandemic and technology shifts dramatically increased the emotional demands placed on leaders

Core ideas from Emotionally Charged

• The key takeaway: Emotions are information
• “Emotions are money”: how feelings directly translate into performance, retention, and results
• The biggest myth Dina wants to retire: that emotions get in the way of good business decisions
• What “emotional labor” really means — and why research shows leaders perform as much of it as customer service professionals (and in more complex ways)
• The three layers of every emotion: physiology, cognition, and behavior
• Why suppressing emotions is like trying to hold beach balls underwater

Practical tools you can use immediately

• Beach balls, masks, and “letting it all hang out”: finding the right balance at work
• Why expanding your emotional vocabulary dramatically improves self-regulation
• Dina’s BRAVE framework for managing triggers in real time: Breathe, Refocus, Accept, Verbalize, Engage
• Restoration (not “self-care”): four evidence-based ways leaders recover from emotional strain: Detachment, Relaxation, Mastery, Control

Power, leadership, and team culture

• Why leaders consistently underestimate their emotional impact
• How power amplifies everything you feel and show
• Why everyone cues off their leader’s emotional signals (often unconsciously)
• How leaders can normalize emotional expression on their teams — without turning meetings into complaint sessions
• Simple ways managers can reset emotional culture inside their own sphere of influence
• Dina’s reminder: emotional skills are learnable — and improvable at any stage of your career.

BIO AND LINKS

Dina Denham Smith is an executive coach and strategic advisor who helps senior leaders build their capacity, scale their impact, and thrive in complexity. For more than a decade, she has partnered with executives at some of the world’s most successful companies, helping them navigate the demands of operating at the highest levels. Dina holds an MS in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, and she is credentialed by both the ICF and EMCC as an executive and team coach. A prolific thought leader, Dina has published more than 60 articles on leadership for Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Forbes, and other premium outlets. She is the lead author of Emotionally Charged: How to Lead in the New World of Work (Oxford University Press, 2025).

Connect with Dina

• Website: https://dinadsmith.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dina-denham-smith/
• Her book: https://dinadsmith.com/book/

People and Books Referenced

• Dr. Alicia Grandey — Dina’s co-author https://psych.la.psu.edu/people/aag6/
• Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker https://a.co/d/07CbSJAY

More from 97% Effective

• Michael’s Award-winning Book: Get Promoted: What You’re Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective

“If you want the social benefits of being authentic, how you feel inside may have very little to do with it.” At work, we like to believe we’re evaluated on substance. In reality, we’re constantly being judged on how we perform— how authentic we seem, how prepared we appear, and how natural we look like in our role. In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth speaks with Alexa Samaniego, Presentation Coach and Doctoral Researcher at Stanford University, about how we judge performances and performers — and why those judgments matter far more than most people realize. Drawing from behavioral research, one-on-one presentation coaching, and her background in theater and the performing arts, Alexa challenges some of the most comforting things we believe (“just be yourself,” “don’t over-rehearse,” “there’s universal best practices for presenting”) and replaces them with a more honest view of how credibility, competence, and connection are actually earned. This is not an episode about becoming fake. But it will get you thinking differently about how you show up at work if you want to better influence outcomes. You’ll leave this episode with a much more realistic understanding of how you’re really judged — and how to work with that reality, rather than against it.

SHOW NOTES

• Alexa’s path from theater and the creative arts to doctoral research and presentation coaching
• How her background in performance shapes the research questions she studies
• What organizational behavior research looks like in practice: an overview of the PhD arc
• Why most people under-rehearse presentations — despite clear benefits of repetition
• Why fear of “sounding fake” leads people to underperform
• Alexa’s two distinct definitions of authenticity: authentic to self vs. authentic to role
• Why being perceived as authentic matters more than feeling authentic
• Spontaneity and consistency as two key drivers of being seen as authentic
• How researchers measure authenticity and test perceptions in lab and field settings
• The uncomfortable truth: social benefits depend on how you come across, not how you feel
• Why we are always playing roles at work — and why separating intentions from behaviors matters
• “It only feels inauthentic because it’s not habitual yet”
• Insights from actors on how to step into a role without losing yourself
• The “outside-in” effect: how dress, voice, and physical behavior shape perception
• Tradeoffs between authenticity, polish, and competence at work
• Alexa’s third research stream: the double-edged sword of being (and looking) prepared
• When preparation signals competence — and when it backfires as “trying too hard”
• Why “everything depends”: how Alexa’s coaching changed after doing her research
• How universal presentation advice can fail across gender, culture, and context
• Drawing from the outside world: how Alexa’s theater background differentiates her research lens
• Horror films, storytelling, and what they reveal about authenticity and self-expression
• Alexa’s hard truth: research is powerful, but techniques must be practiced before being used in high-stakes settings

BIO AND LINKS

Alexa Samaniego is a Presentation Coach and a doctoral researcher in Organizational Behavior (Micro) at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Her research is inspired by her background in theatre and the performing arts, and examines how speakers and audiences judge others. Her research informs her work as a presentation coach in the Stanford Oral Communication Program and with TEDxStanford. Prior to beginning her PhD, Alexa worked as a research associate at Achievers Workforce Institute and Columbia Business School. She received her BS in Business Psychology from UC San Diego and her MS in Applied Psychology from San Diego State University. Alexa also specializes in portrait photography and creating short horror films.

Connect with Alexa

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexa-samaniego/
• Email: alexasam [at] stanford.edu
• Website: https://www.alexasamaniego.com
• Stanford Profile: https://profiles.stanford.edu/alexa-samaniego

People, Ideas and Films Referenced

• Erving Goffman:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erving_Goffman
• Yasmin Williams (double-necked guitar performance): https://www.yasminwilliamsmusic.com/media-horizon
• Covering, the concept (Wharton): https://tinyurl.com/353c7p8u
• 1408, horror film: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0450385/
• Erica Bailey: https://haas.berkeley.edu/faculty/erica-r-bailey/
• Brian Lowery: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/faculty/brian-lowery
• Benoît Monin: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/faculty/benoit-monin
• Alexa’s short films Too Late and 5 Weeks to Transform Your Life: https://www.alexasamaniego.com/art

More from 97% Effective

• Michael’s Award-winning Book: Get Promoted: What You’re Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective

Who has your back at work? Do you feel like you’re constantly walking a tightrope – high up, with the spotlight on you, and no net? That’s how many people, including senior executives, describe their experience at work – and what led Devon McConnell, an executive coach and psychotherapist, to explore what drives that stress and burnout. In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth speaks with Devon about her research and coaching work examining how key relationships at work – especially with our boss – shape stress, burnout, and performance. They discuss what individuals and organizations can do to better navigate conflict and pressure at work, and why stress is so often driven by relationships rather than workload. Devon explains attachment theory in clear, practical terms, shares techniques to help you manage relational conflict and regain a sense of agency, and offers a thoughtful look at how AI could improve feedback and reduce unnecessary workplace anxiety. You’ll leave this episode with a clearer understanding of what’s really driving your stress, new ways to navigate tough relationships and conflict at work —and, at a minimum, knowing that Devon and Michael will always have your back.

SHOW NOTES:

• The trend Devon noticed in her executive coaching practice that led her to research stress and burnout
• Attachment science: what it really says, why it matters across different spheres of life, and how it’s often oversimplified
• Why having key figures as safe havens enables us to explore, take risks, and perform under pressure
• The dependency paradox: why being able to rely on others actually increases autonomy and independence
• How attachment science helps explain why trust—especially in leaders—is so critical
• Why your personality is not fixed: how we develop attachment strategies early in life, and how new experiences can reshape them
• The connection to Amy Edmondson’s work on psychological safety—and why different language (e.g., trust vs. pyschological safety) often lands better with senior executives
• A leadership metaphor that resonates: the importance of being a steady pilot in turbulent conditions
• How emotional labor—not workload—is a major driver of burnout
• “The higher you rise, the more how you manage yourself and your relationships defines your success—and how you feel about your success”
• Practical tools from Devon, including:
• o A powerful daily question: “What conversation are you not having—and with whom?”
• o How to diagnose whether your boss is a primary source of your stress—and why that awareness matters
• o How to use the Karpman Drama Triangle to understand conflict dynamics and make small shifts to regain agency
• Navigating dependency, influence, and workplace politics more effectively
• A bright spot: how AI — used thoughtfully — could improve feedback and reduce workplace stressors
• Why conflict-avoidant bosses can cause more harm than openly difficult and abusive ones
• Devon’s latest work developing and testing an AI-enabled 360 feedback tool
• How her training in psychology and therapy has shaped her work as an executive coach

BIO AND LINKS:

Devon Forster McConnell is an executive coach and psychotherapist who works with CEOs and senior leaders on presence, influence, conflict management, and sustaining performance under pressure. She also researches, writes, and hosts the My Robot Boss podcast on the future of leadership in an AI-driven world and interventions for burnout and anxiety. Prior to coaching, Devon spent 20 years in Fortune 50 leadership roles at BlackRock and Wells Fargo Advisors. Devon is based in San Francisco, where she works with leaders and organizations globally.

Connect with Devon:

• Devon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devonmcconnell/
• Website: https://devonmcconnell.com
• Podcast: My Robot Boss: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-robot-boss/id1831832043

Research & Frameworks Referenced:

• Devon’s research presentation at the Columbia Coaching Conference (Judith E. Glaser Award finalist): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOnDg1ZQ2_s
• Attachment theory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attachment_theory
• The dependency paradox (randomized controlled trial): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17279849/
• Psychological safety (Amy Edmondson): https://amycedmondson.com/psychological-safety/
• The Karpman drama triangle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karpman_drama_triangle
• Dr. Becky Kennedy (Good Inside): https://www.goodinside.com/about/

More from 97% Effective:

• Michael’s book, Get Promoted: What You’re Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back:
• https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Watch this episode on the 97% Effective YouTube channel:
• https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective

What holds you back, but more importantly what springs you forward? In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth speaks with Khanh-Linh Le, entrepreneur and host of the Forest Builders podcast. Khanh-Linh shares how she left prestigious corporate jobs in France and Vietnam to dive into the world of chocolate entrepreneurship – then later made the equally tough decision to leave that venture behind. Khanh-Linh speaks to the importance of asking what you actually want, why showing up and “daring to do” is your critical first step – and how convincing yourself, and repetition, is a key unlock to projecting confidence as an entrepreneur. You’ll leave this episode with a much deeper appreciation for the power that lies within you.

SHOW NOTES:

• When Khanh-Linh’s passion awoke: “The power of the smell of chocolate to get you to feel and see things in a different way”
• Why do you want power?
• The dark side of chocolate
• “With time I’ll get closer”: The career shift from management consulting in France to chocolate in Asia
• Serendipity and Synchronicity: The 4 AM bus ride and chance encounter with Gricha
• Using coaching as an opportunity to step back and ask what you actually want
• How Khanh-Linh “dared” and took the next step
• “A lot of time you just need to show up”
• How Khanh-Linh sees power and influence as critical to entrepreneurship
• Communication insights for Entrepreneurs: Convincing yourself, repetition, projecting confidence
• Patience and calmness: Reflections on projecting confidence as a Vietnamese French female entrepreneur
• The power of a support group: Khanh-Linh and the female entrepreurs of Saigon
• “Would a man censor himself?” – Khanh-Linh on how women often need to get out of their own way
• Making the choice to let go
• Khanh-Linh reflects on the power of podcasting to open doors, help you find inspiration – and show the world what you are into
• Get started and dare to show up!

BIO AND LINKS:

Khanh-Linh Le is an entrepreneur and host of the Forest Builders Podcast. She is based in France where she supports food companies and their transition to regenerative supply chains. She previously co-founded the Cocoa Project in Vietnam and worked for McKinsey and Anheuser-Busch InBev. Khanh-Linh is from France and holds master's degrees in international management and business at HEC Paris and CEMS.

• Khanh-Linh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khanhlinh-chocolate/
• The Forst Builders Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/49xSK5SlZ2xvTwLIAgSDNz?si=a4bec083e9a54305
• The Cocoa Project: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-cocoa-project/
• The Female Entrepreneurs of Saigon: https://www.facebook.com/fesaigon/
• “Chocolateman: Harnessing Power to Create Sustainable Business Practices” (EP#22 with Gricha Safarian on 97% Effective): https://redcircle.com/shows/86fcd90d-083e-4af2-9bc8-6d52fb981ae1/ep/4caaa1d9-0fa2-42a4-89e1-3ef10739c889
• Michael’s Award-Winning book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Watch this episode on video, the 97% Effective Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective

What does neuroscience tells us about the brain-body connection? How we can utilize that knowledge to thrive amid times of uncertainty, change and fear? In this episode of 97% Effective, Michael speaks with Julia Bunyatov, executive leadership coach and founder or Sirmio. Julie discusses her work with Wall Street executives and how she applies neuroscience insights to her coaching practice. She shares how mindfulness, curiosity and optimism are the keys to leading amid uncertainty – and to approaching the important question of how we are changing as leaders with the emergence of AI. Discussed: her latest articles, how to best eliminate the brain’s prediction errors, optimism vs toxic positivity, and what it means to thrive and “create magic.”

SHOW NOTES:

• How Julia’s years on Wall Street informs her work as an executive leadership coach
• The personal family experiences that led Julia to neuroscience, the science of thriving – and into coaching
• The rock formation behind her company’s name, Sirmio Leadership
• How do we lead through complexity – and create outcomes that could not have been predicted before
• Addressing the soft “new age” perception of “Mindfulness, Optimism and Curiosity”
• Mindfulness defined: Our ability to manage our attention and focus in a desired way – and observe in a non-judgmental way
• Practical ways (beyond meditation) to become more mindful so you can deepen your self-awareness
• Is stress good – and if so, how much do you want?
• Curiosity: How it helps us engage our capacity to be creative and innovative
• How mindfulness helps us when we get triggered at work
• How empathy creates more energy in the brain body system that helps us
• We think our brain is reactive, but it is actually predicting
• The best way to eliminate prediction error and anxiety is through experience: the example of thriving in a snowstorm
• One of the most important things that Coaches do
• Optimism vs “toxic positivity”
• Applying the process of mindfulness, curiosity and optimism to the emergence of AI: how do we collaborate and create something that did not exist before?
• AI is absolutely about creating efficiencies in the workplace, but the more important question is how are we changing as leaders?
• Why we need friction – and not everything should be smooth sailing
• How Julia uses AI in her coaching practice and work
• Julia’s take on emotions: don’t suppress them, use them as a source of energy and conduit to our results

BIO AND LINKS:

Julia Bunyatov is the founder of Sirmio Leadership, which focuses on Executive Coaching & Advisory. She is a certified Executive Coach and former C-suite leader with 30 years of experience in executive leadership, board governance, and coaching. She held senior roles including COO of Global Equities Trading, COO of Global Equity Derivatives, and Americas Risk Officer at Bankers Trust, Lehman Brothers, and Barclays. Today she supports senior leaders in aligning insight with real-world leadership to drive meaningful change. In addition to other board commitments, Julia serves as Treasurer of the Columbia Coaching Conference and is a board member of the Columbia Coaching Learning Association.

• Julia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-bunyatov-0b23001/
• Sirmio Leadership: https://www.sirmioleadership.com
• The meaning of “Sirmio”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirmio
• Julia’s article in Choice: “Thriving in Uncertainty ~ Neuroscience and applications for coaches and leader” https://choice-online.com/thriving/
• Julia’s article: “We Built the Machine. Now We Must Build the Mindset: How Emotion, Neuroscience, and AI Are Rewiring Leadership” https://tinyurl.com/4e7bpcm9
• Michael’s Award-Winning book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Watch this episode on video, the 97% Effective Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective

When it comes to taking the next big step in your career, some urge you to follow your passions – while others back a more bare-knuckled approach. But there’s a third way, says Mary Olson-Menzel, author of the bestseller “What Lights You Up.” In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth and Mary talk about the key factors that lead to a fulfilling and successful career, and Mary’s 10-step pivot process that has helped thousands of her clients at MVP Executive Development. They debate passion, authenticity, networking – and discuss how to create opportunity during turbulent times. If you’re struggling with taking the next big step in your career, this episode is for you.

SHOW NOTES:

• Michael was deeply skeptical about Mary and her message, so why he invited her on the show
• Mary’s 10-step pivot program and what led her to write her book
• “The light is not woo-woo… it is all about what’s driving you”
• Mary address the critique that “following your passion is terrible advice” (Newport, Galloway, Wenderoth)
• The ven diagram of Ikigai that puts passion in its proper place
• Core elemants that drove Mary’s career success
• The role of curiosity when it comes to pivoting with purpose
• How to make opportunities “fall into your lap”
• How to take advantage – and thrive – in chaotic times
• Identifying gaps: a practical and underused way to be helpful to others - and yourself
• How to overcome fear and stay in the driver’s seat of your career
• Can sharing your passion at work lead to you being exploited (offered lower pay)?
• How a “personal board of directors” can help you stay on track – and not get taken advantage of
• No one has a crystal ball, which is why you need to shake the bushes: Great questions to ask, before you join a company
• Dealing with setbacks: Having champions, mentors – and always a Plan B
• Mary’s take on authenticity: What it is, what it is not
• Mary’s take on why we still get so many terrible leaders
• Quiet confidence: How to make sure you and your accomplishments are heard and visible, without seeming like a bombastic, self-promoting jerk?
• Mary and Michael discuss “threading the line”: how to embrace things that are effective, but may initially feel uncomfortable
• Top tips on building connection in a remote, distributed world
• Mary’s “Networking Power Hour”
• For younger professionals: Tips for networking with people 2-3 levels above you
• Networking tips beyond the time consuming 1-1
• Success is personal and changes: How do you define it, and what lights you up?

BIO AND LINKS:

Mary Olsen-Menzel is the Founder and CEO of MVP Executive Development, and the author of the USA Today National Bestseller “What Lights You Up? Illuminate Your Path and Take the Next Big Step in Your Career.” She is a renowned expert in career and workplace success, with more than 30 years of leadership experience with global organizations across media, tech, healthcare, and sports. Mary earned her MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business and a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Public Relations from Illinois State University. Mary lives in West Chester, New York, with her husband and family. She is part of Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches, and a regular Guest Lecturer on career development, internships, and workplace success at the NYU School of Professional Studies.

• Mary on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-olson-menzel-mvpexec/
• “What Lights You Up?” Mary’s bestselling book, and free workbook: www.maryolsonmenzel.com
• MVP Executive Development: www.mvpexec.com
• Cal Newport’s book, So Good They Can’t Ignore You: https://calnewport.com/writing/
• Ikigai: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikigai
• Research at Duke: How attribution of passion may legitimize the poor treatment of workers: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000190
• Michael’s Award-Winning book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Watch this episode on video, the 97% Effective Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective

Ever feel you are getting penalized at work – not getting promoted, not being listened to, not being seen as a leader – because of your accent? “Accent bias” is very real, says Peter Novak, but his prescriptions on how to overcome that bias – and elevate yourself – may surprise you. In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth sits down with Peter Novak, PhD and founder of the Strictly Speaking Group. They discuss how we should think about accents – and the keys to succeeding in high stakes communications, particularly if you are a non-native English speaker. Peter challenges the usefulness of “accent reduction” training and the common advice to “not read from a script,” sharing research and cutting-edge strategies (including ones that involve AI) that have helped his clients become rising stars who embrace the power of their multilingual identities. You’ll leave this episode with the hard truths on accents and amazingly practical tips that will immediately help you ascend.

SHOW NOTES:

• Peter’s interest in communication, accents and theater that drove his career and life
• Insights from Peter’s two year project translating Shakespeare’s 12th night into American Sign Language (ASL)
• Blunt question #1: Is “accent bias” real? Peter shares the research.
• What the heck does confidence in English sound like?
• The core of Peter’s work: How do you speak in a way that meets the expectations of what native speakers are listening for?
• Blunt question #2: Should I get accent reduction training? Peter’s surprising response.
• Brain science on what native English speakers are listening for: English as a “stress-timed language” where stressing certain words generates meaning
• Beyond your words and accent: understanding “prosody” or the musicality of a language to convey meaning, intention – and make your communication land
• Practical Tip: One of the best things you can do is to get a good microphone!
• “It’s not an accent, it’s an identity”
• The Canadian study that showed that language training that focused on “macro-linguistic factors” (variation, tone, pace) mattered more than training that focused on accent
• Practical Tip for fast speakers: Don’t slow down – Instead pause within the sentence around “thought clusters”
• How to sound confident, curious, or spontaneous: When and how to use downward, upward and sustained intonation in your communication.
• How to read from a text – but still sound like you are speaking off the cuff
• Practical Tip: Practice your speech out loud – but record it with a voice to text app – and then ask AI to generate a voice print and recommendations.
• Practical Tip: Scoring and the “2 1/2 inch trick” when delivering a powerful speech through virtual meetings and online video communication.
• Repeating words, using sustained inflection – and not being confined by the text: Peter demonstrates how to sound spontaneous when reading from a script
• Practical tip, inspired by Ginger Rogers: How to send subtle reminders at work that you are powerful and do a lot of heavy lifting.
• Practical tip, inspired by Laura Huang: Turn a stereotypically perceived weakness into a strength
• Practical tip: Use idioms from your native language (where Peter reveals his Argentinian-accented Spanish!)
• Understanding how people want their communications: Ask them, ask others, use new AI tools
• Practical tip for non-native speakers: Provide sign posts and structure to ensure your message lands
• Lightning round with Peter: Who has most shaped his thinking, How communication will evolve with AI

BIO AND LINKS:

Peter Novak is the founder of Strictly Speaking Group, where he has built his reputation as a globally recognized communications coach. Since 2016, his team has coached thousands—from rising stars to Fortune 50 executives—helping global companies succeed in high-stakes communications. A top-rated LinkedIn Learning instructor, Peter’s course on clear speech for global professionals has attracted more than 250,000 learners and has been translated into six languages. He is recognized for his work with multilingual leaders and non-native English speakers, blending linguistics, cultural intelligence (CQ), and inclusive communication. Peter holds a doctorate in Dramaturgy from Yale, and is Professor Emeritus at the University of San Francisco, where he co-founded the Performing Arts & Social Justice program.

•  Peter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-novak-ssg/
• Strictly Speaking Group: https://www.strictlyspeakinggroup.com
• Peter’s LinkedIn Learning Course: https://tinyurl.com/4w98sfe6
• Signing Shakespeare: Peter’s translation of Twelfth Night into American Sign Language (ASL) https://tinyurl.com/5acxjmcu
• Research (Lit Review) on the advantages of multilingualism: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/383948429_Literature_Review_The_Advantages_of_Multilingualism
• “Learners can become more intelligible or comprehensible through instruction with ‘no noticeable change in accent’ ” –controlled investigation on the effects of ESL teaching. “Evidence for a Broad Framework for Pronunciation Instruction” (Derwing, Munro & Wibe): https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/0023-8333.00047
• Laura Huang’s book – EDGE: Turning Adversity into Advantage https://a.co/d/1C1GXk6
• 97% Effective EP115: The Power of Being in Outsider (Prof Sven Horak): https://tinyurl.com/2y48e9jt
• Ardjan Verdooren’s book on intercultural communication: Cultures Don’t Meet, People Do https://a.co/d/82S7j04
• Michael’s Award-Winning book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Watch this episode on video, the 97% Effective Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective

There’s a huge chance you’re being passed over for top jobs – and you’re not even aware of it. How has AI changed recruiting and job search, and what does that mean for you? In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth speaks with Nick Day, founder and CEO of JGA Recruitment Group, a leading global recruiter and payroll advisory based in the UK. Nick provides sharp, practical advice on how to be visible, stand out, and land your dream job in an increasingly competitive talent market, where recruiters and other job seekers are increasingly using AI. He talks about the two versions of your CV that you most need, suggests you answer problems that aren’t being advertised, and explains why visibility is the currency of credibility in today’s job market. You’ll leave this episode with a strong understanding of AI’s impact on job seekers – and a much deeper appreciation for the human touch that will get you the best results.

SHOW NOTES:

• What Nick’s social post about Costa Rica this summer reveals about him – and JGA
• “Done Lists” and how Nick sets his intentions each day
• How fear disguises itself as wisdom: Nick’s hard truth about AI and the current job market
• What’s the right depth and place to “jump in” learning about AI
• Why great job candidates are being left in the cold
• Tip#1: Optimize yourself for the algorithms – and produce two versions of your resume.
• What?! How excellent candidates with high level strategic resumes are getting rejected
• Tip#2: Make sure to add that personal element to your CV, because everyone’s submitting the “perfect” resume
• Tip#3: The 3 necessary approaches to getting your dream job
• How “easy apply” is overwhelming recruiters and ensures top candidates never get the look
• Tip#4: Go back to basics and cater your CV to a position – and tell a story that shows your value
• “Answer a problem that isn’t being advertised”
• Your CV/resume is the most important document you will ever write
• Why most CV/resume services are a big waste of money
• Tip#5: Have an achievement section at the top of your CV – don’t wait for the recruiter to find them on page 2
• Michael’s highlight: How Nick’s job search tips are also best practice that help you get promoted
• “The important bits” that Nick says we should save for the interview (and not put on the resume)
• The importance of generating connection
• Tip#6: Treat your job as a campaign, not as a checkbox
• Where Nick sees AI systems doing more harm than good
• Tip#7: Change your resume for the position, but also change your persona for the person that’s interviewing you
• How to be creative – but not lie – in your resume, to helps you work with the algorithm, even if don’t have the exact experience
• Getting over imposter syndrome to become your biggest advocate
• Tip#8: The most underrated skill in business is storytelling
• “Visibility is the currency of credibility”
• Reaching Nick: No AI, no PA’s. Nick responds personally!

BIO AND LINKS:

Nick Day is a globally recognised HR and payroll authority with over 20 years of experience leading the sector through innovation, insight and influence. As CEO and founder of JGA Recruitment Group, Nick has built one of the most respected payroll and HR talent consultancies in the UK and abroad. Nick’s voice reaches tens of thousands of professionals through his acclaimed platforms: The Payroll Podcast, the H&R L&D Podcast, and the Mindful Paths Podcast.

• Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/?originalSubdomain=uk
• JGA Recruitment Group: https://jgarecruitment.com
• Nick’s post on his daughter, in Costa Rica: https://tinyurl.com/2s3f3n7j
• Walk the Camino Santiago: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camino_de_Santiago
• “Life Moves Pretty Fast..” (The epic line, from Ferris Bueller): https://tinyurl.com/bdns8pa7
• Nick’s Mindful Paths Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindful-paths-podcast/id1682002299
• Done Lists: https://tinyurl.com/2s3hrdfd
• As an Algorithm Blocking Your Job Search? (WSJ Podcast): https://tinyurl.com/ujy6yttn
• Bohemiam Rhapsody Flashmob in France: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfUEstWJUkA
• Michael on Nick’s HR L&D Podcast, “Mastering Office Politics: Power, Promotion & Playing to Win: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARVsf7dFOyY
• Michael’s Award-Winning book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Watch this episode on video, the 97% Effective Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective

When does your influence cross the ethical line at work? What sends people to the “dark side” that causes personal pain and derails careers – and how to make sure that never happens to you? Richard Bistrong can tell you from personal experience: He went to prison for bribery. And if you think that can’t happen to you (most people don’t), or you’ve felt the pressure to cut corners to advance at work (most people do) -- then you really need this episode. Richard Bistrong, CEO of Front-Line Anti-Bribery, wants to make sure you navigate tough ethical decisions that can arise in the ambitious pursuit of your career, getting things done, or influencing others. He and host Michael Wenderoth discuss what blinded Richard and practical steps that you – and your organization – should put in place to stay out of trouble, and smartly accelerate your career.

SHOW NOTES:

• Risk will sneak up on you when you think: “That would never happen to me”
• Why Richard was sent to prison – and what that was like
• How Richard accidentally started Front-Line Anti-Bribery LLC, to address an underserved “middle”
• Cheating is always a choice
• The call Richard never made
• The case of the Dutch police official: How conspiracies and bribery usually occur
• Sunshine, chocolate and tolls vs. “commiting transnational crime”: How euphemisms and “non-terms” don’t sound so bad lead to moral fading
• When an internal compliance officer needs to walk around with body guards – in their OWN company
• Are people inherently good – or evil?
• If Richard could go back and make the call, how would he have done it?
• Not a “one and done”: Proactive outreach and what the company could have done
• “The voice of business”: How company’s can get over the first awkward call, by using open ended questions – and making sure those calls don’t just come from the Compliance officer
• Training vs Preparation, Wall posters vs Operationalizing through Structures and Governance: What most companies miss
• How to identify your blind spots
• Assembling “truth tellers” to manage conformity and your own confirmation bias
• “Ethical mistakes age like milk, not like wine”
• How to know when you are crossing the line
• Navigating the “deep grey” when it comes to influence
• Richard’s safety check: Are you becoming somebody else’s ambassador?
• Tips on how to assess a company’s ethics – “You can always walk out, but you don’t always have to walk in”
• “The lack of competing narratives” and other red flags that Richard looks for
• Changes in how the FCPA is being enforced
• The question Michael use to pose to his sales team
• How Richard finds foreign (non-US) countries approach business ethics differently from their US counterparts
• Focus on the frozen middle in organizations

BIO AND LINKS:

Richard Bistrong is the CEO of Front-Line Anti-Bribery, a consultancy focusing on real-world anti-bribery, ethics, and compliance challenges. His expertise is in Ethics, Compliance and Ethical Decision Making Under Pressure. He hopes to share the benefits of ethical business practices by the identification of blind spots in decision making. His work has appeared in Fast Company and The Harvard Business Review. He has also been quoted in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Financial Times. You can connect with Richard on LinkedIn and follow him on Instagram.

• Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardbistrong/
• Richard’s website: www.richardbistrong.com
• Richard is on Instagram at @richardbistrong (and on YouTube, X under his name; and on Facebook under Front-Line Anti-Bribery.
• His TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDnGVxAc7ik
• Dorie Clark’s book Reinventing You: https://dorieclark.com/reinventingyou/
• Ron Carucci “How to Fix Our Trust Recesssion” (EP25 on 97% Effective): https://tinyurl.com/39cdawcp
• Speak Out, Listen Up (Book by Megan Reitz and John Higgings): https://a.co/d/56zuYWx
• The concept of “dangerous silence” in Amy Edmonson’s book, The Fearless Organization: https://a.co/d/08U3fDM
• “Why High-Performers are More Subject to Ethical Risks” (Forbes): https://tinyurl.com/5yp558vw
• “How to Approach Business Ethics When Global Consensus Breaks Down” (HBR article by Richard and Anna Romberg): https://hbr.org/2025/03/how-to-approach-business-ethics-as-global-consensus-breaks-down
• Michael’s Award-Winning book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Watch this episode on video, 97% Effective Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective

** Watch to see Susan read Michael’s face, HERE: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective **

You’ll love or hate today’s guest, Susan Ibitz, who boldly says: “I’m the only person in the world who does what I do.” Dubbed “freaky” and “the top expert in her field” by the Chicago Tribune and Pyschology Today, Susan draws on physiognomy, micro-expressions, and body language – practices often accused of shaky pseudoscience -- to profile and read people. A former political influence consultant, profiler, and civilian hostage negotiator, she’s helped top law firms select high-stakes juries, coached Shark Tank’s fastest deal-closer, and advised everyone from television producers to sales reps on how to “hack” human behaviour to get results. But here’s the question: Can she really profile anyone in just 90 seconds? Is her ability a legitimate superpower … or something else? You decide. In this episode of 97% Effective, watch as she turns her methods on host Michael Wenderoth, and then listen as they discuss her background and training, the art and science of her craft, and the myths that swirl around in her field.

SHOW NOTES:

• Susan profiles Michael – in 90 seconds
• The breakdown: What Michael’s flat forehead, neanderthal bump eyebrows, resting face, upper eyelids, the four quadrants of his mouth, bigger ears and earlobes, hair… all say about his personality
• Are facial features universal across gender, race, culture, age?
• A short history: how face reading got incorrectly associated with phrenology (reading the shape of the head), Mengele and the Nazis
• Studying under Paul Ekman and the problem with microexpressions
• How face reading catapulted Susan’s career
• Michael challenges Susan: What was her confidence level that she read him correctly?
• Top reasons why a face profiler can be wrong: Normalization, fighting the process, being too tired, and confirmation bias
• Why listening to someone’s voice and tone is critical – lessons from hostage negotiations
• How Susan’s Dyslexia and Aspergers enhances her skills to read context and people
• Diagnosing vs Profiling and reading people’s tendencies
• Thinking in terms of percentages and propensities
• “Assessments are not tests”
• Susan is not for everyone: Are you open to change?
• The bad apple effect
• The top things organizations don’t pay attention to: The importance of stepping away (because you can be the problem), and that people are not always in the positions they need to be (so reallocate them)
• A critique of “thin slicing”
• 41 Shots and the importance of never assuming you are right 100% of the time
• Susan busts 3 myths: 1) That using the number 3 means you are lying, 2) That 93% of your communication is body language, and 3) That “mirroring” will make people instantly love you
• The way you say things is 30% more persuasive than anything you can do with your body
• How to protect yourself from being persuaded – or conned
• Con artists play with your ego; narcissists and pyschopaths go after people who are highly intelligent
• When ego gets in the way and we become victims because we are too cocky
• When it smells, looks and tastes like poo poo, it’s _______.
• The guts are your first brain: you can smell fear
• “Always doubt”
• Susan on AI vs humans: her record vs Big Blue, and how AI can make you dumber
• How one of Susan’s students outperformed AI to solve a murder mystery
• Too many tik tok’ers, not enough plumbers
• Lightning round: Susan’s biggest influences; Favorite Sci-fi movie; Her drink of choice

BIO AND LINKS:

Susan Ibitz is a former political influence consultant, profiler, and civilian hostage negotiator, with expertise, study and degrees in Human Behavior, Behavioral Economics, Neuroscience – with a deep nerd-like love for data. From physiognomy to micro-expression and body language, she incorporates numerous forms of studying human behavior to “hack” each person’s personality traits. She uses that skill and experience to “works on the humans that grow your business,” offering her expertise to television producers to sales trainers to the FBI, to now the general public. Past engagements have included work with the U.S. Navy, Harvard University, and the Secret Service.

• Watch Susan read Michael’s face -- on the 97% Effective video channel, here: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective
• Susan Ibitz Behavior Consulting: SusanIbitz.com
• Susan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-ibitz/
• ENOUGH PLEASE! Susan’s article: ‘93% of communication is driven by body language’ is NOT what Mehrabian said: https://tinyurl.com/356sjkww
• Paul Ekman and the study of emotions and their relation to facial expressions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Ekman
• Reprint of profile of Susan in the Chicago Tribune: https://tinyurl.com/4aj65fbt
• “How to make questions to get the answers you need”: https://tinyurl.com/ywxwctfk
• Thin-slicing, featured in Blink (Malcolm Gladwell): https://tinyurl.com/2ws268aa
• 41 shots: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Skin_(41_Shots)
• Book by Gavin De Becker - The Gift of Fear: https://a.co/d/b6jvWVm
• Michael’s Award-Winning book, Get Promoted: What You’re Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.com

Feeling stuck with a challenge at work, or in advancing your career? In this episode of 97% Effective, we discuss proven, effective ways to creatively solve problems, innovate – and advance. Host Michael Wenderoth interviews Rich Braden and Dr. Tessa Forshaw, authors of Innovation-ish: How Anyone Can Create Breakthrough Solutions to Real Problems in the Real World. They discuss why your mindset is more important than process, why to aim for “roof-shots” instead of moonshots, and how their book helps ordinary people overcome “innovation hesitation.” By the end of this episode, you’ll not only want to read their book – you’ll leave with a better understanding of the science of how we learn, powerful mental reframes, and practical tips to get unstuck. Rich, a design strategist and the CEO of People Rocket, and Tessa, a cognitive scientist and co-founder of the Next Level Lab at Harvard, have served as design educators for years at Stanford and Harvard, and have helped leading companies and non-profits creatively solve their most vexing challenges to unlock growth.

SHOW NOTES:

• Why Rich and Tessa wrote their book – and chose the word “Innovation-ish”
• The problem with a “process focus” to innovation
• “If you’ve ever been to Costco..” (Tessa explains Mindset)
• How mindsets translate into “Moves”
• Forward movement in action: The science of why your moves need to be bite-sized
• Kids vs adults: How adults can tap into their vast experiences to become more creative
• Michael’s observations comparing coaching to Rich and Tessa’s work
• “Explore before Explain” - Why and how Tessa and Rich flipped how they teach
• Tessa on “Learning needs to be effortful”
• Rich explains “Innovation is not hard. But it is hard work”
• You’ve got moves inside that are Innovation-ish: How one student used “family system mapping” from her therapist training in powerful new ways
• You’ve got insights that will help you navigate power & politics: How Michael’s clients apply their own skills
• Roofshots over Moonshots
• Framestorming: Are we even looking at the right problem?
• “Solutions are baked into the frame of the problem” – Tina Seelig
• Tessa’s hard truth: “You can’t stop your biases, but you can set up structures and processes to counteract them”
• Tessa explains in plain (Aussie) English the $5 word “metacognition”: Thinking about Thinking vs Recounting
• Why wore Michael wore airplane cufflinks for this interview
• Lightning round: Can AI replace human creativity; Biggest influence; Their “go to” technique to get themselves unstuck; Tips on how to make sure your teenage kids stay creative

BIO AND LINKS:

Dr Tessa Forshaw and Rich Braden are the authors of Innovation-ish: How Anyone Can Create Breakthrough Solutions to Real Problems in the Real World. Rich is a design strategist and CEO of People Rocket, based in Silicon Valley. Tessa Forshaw, PhD, is a cognitive scientist and co-founder of the Next Level Lab at Harvard University. Both have served as design educators for years at Stanford and Harvard, worked for leading innovation consultances including IDEO and Accenture, and in their private consulting have helped leading companies and non-profits including Coke, Airbnb and the Native American Community Clinic in Minnesota, USA. Their mission is to help everday people untap their creative potential – and become more confident, and innovation-ish.

• Watch our engaging interview on video: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective
• Innovation-ish the Book: https://www.innovationish.com
• Rich Braden on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardcoxbraden/
• Tessa Forshaw on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tessaforshaw/
• People Rocket: https://www.peoplerocket.com
• “Exploration before Explanation” explained: https://tinyurl.com/5xuwcc8p
• “Think Roof Shot, Not Moonshot” (an interview with Tessa in Harvard’s Graduate School of Education): https://tinyurl.com/hszp2zva
• How What Got You Here WILL GET YOU THERE (the power of “tapping your past”) - EP #83 on 97% Effective: https://tinyurl.com/2d6np2ku
• Rich’s reference to an interview with Axel Ohrstrom on 97% EFFECTIVE (EP #91: How to Start Your Career Off Right”): https://tinyurl.com/5bweydfh
• “You’re not even looking at the problem” – most memorable movie moment with Brad Pitt in Moneyball [4 min watch]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krZVcOMTR98
• The amazing Prof Tina Seelig: https://profiles.stanford.edu/tina-seelig
• Tessa’s a-ha moment: Reading Prof. Roy Pea’s paper on distributed intelligence and designs for education: https://telearn.hal.science/hal-00190571/document
• Rich’s a-ha moment: BATS Improv https://www.improv.org
• Michael’s a-ha moment: Reading Six Thinking Hats by Edward de Bono (and yes, he lives on!): https://a.co/d/f5qAgxI
• How Constraints Move us Forward -- and stimulate creativity (Forbes): https://tinyurl.com/ywap8fzm
• Antoinette Portis’s delightful book for all of us (not just kids), Not a Box: https://www.antoinetteportis.com/not-a-box/
• Michael’s Multi-Award-Winning book, Get Promoted: What You’re Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.com

SHOW NOTES:

Giselle Timmerman, founder of Positive Work, was one of the first 30 people in the world to study with Professor Martin Seligman, the founder of positive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. In this episode, Giselle shares how she applies the science to help leaders and organizations unleash the power of their teams and reach new heights.

• The visual metaphor of Los Castellers
• Positional and personal power
• How research on subjective well-being led to Giselle’s leap
• Core tenets of positive psychology
• How positive psychology gets misinterpreted and misapplied
• The Happiness Advantage (Department of Defense study)
• Audit your well-being to determine where to take action: Using Seligman’s framework on flourishing, PERMA
• How much influence can we have on our own well-being at work?
• “I’m doing all the right things but not getting promoted” – Two areas you might really be missing.
• Example of trying new tactics to achieve your goal
• Positive manipulation
• Expanding how we think about our strengths
• How to manage our weaknesses (one of which may be your strength)
• Setting tripwires, and becoming more self-aware
• “The bridge of your nose”: How to find your positive blindspots
• “Micro-moments”
• Why we have so many screwed-up organizations
• What Europeans may be more attuned to at work compared to Americans
• Research on “Positive energizers”
• The Power of Inquiry to be more influential: 3 underused practices

BIO AND LINKS:

Giselle Timmerman is the Founder of Positive Work. For the past 17 years, she has been partnering with clients, from founders to Fortune 500 teams, to build stronger leadership and team cultures for greater engagement and competitive performance. She holds a Bachelor's from NYU and a Master's in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) from the University of Pennsylvania.

• Giselle on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giselletimmerman/?originalSubdomain=es
• Positive Work: https://www.positivework.com/
• Castell tradition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castell
• Ed Diener’s research: The Science of Subjective Well-Being
• Michael’s HBR article: Great Leaders Embrace Office Politics
• Scott Donaldson’s Meta-analysis: The Effectiveness of Positive Psychology Interventions
• MIT Sloan: Department of Defense Happiness study
• Martin Seligman’s framework: PERMA
• Study from Emotion Journal: Awe walks promote prosocial positive emotions in older adults
• Stephen Covey’s theory: Emotional Bank Account
• University of Michigan: Center for Positive Organizations
• Kim Cameron’s book: Positively Energizing Leadership
• Rob Cross research: What Creates Energy in Organizations?
• Zoe Chance’s article: The Secret To Influence: Ask The Magic Question
• Michael’s Award-winning Book, Get Promoted: https://a.co/d/2oRmqF4

 Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.com

SHOW NOTES:

Peter Belmi, Professor at the Darden School of Business at University of Virginia, studies power, social class and inequality. We discussed how the beliefs we hold about ourselves – many formed by our class background – can perpetuate social inequality. We look at how the world and organizations are not a fair place, but where we the power to do something about that.

SHOW NOTES

• Embrace new things: Peter on Filipino food and Hamilton
• Peter’s research in one sentence and why he focuses on inequality
• How your social class can shape what you view as a “good person” – and how that impacts what you will and won’t do in organizations
• The conundrum: Why people from working class backgrounds may make better leaders – but often don’t get into those positions
• The reframe: how re-thinking behaviors that feel “icky” can benefit us
• Million $ question: So… how should I show up at my meeting next week?
• Before you seek power, you need to first ask this critical question!
• Think about power in a different way to “keep yourself in the game”
• Ends vs means, and how to ensure you don’t get lost in the journey
• Does power corrupt?
• The value of “structured introspection” with a coach
• The biggest barrier people have with power
• “Give yourself a shot” – agency, when you should opt out
• Leading with vulnerability without having it get used against you - “Being situationally appropriate” and “Powering up and powering down”
• Do we have a real self? Why U.S students often push back on the idea of “playing roles”
• How one student “created something out of nothing” to land the job she wanted (power skills in action)
• Personal qualities, positioning yourself strategically and relationship management
• How to Get Promoted: “Your job is to find the right people and get them excited about you.”
• How a controversial fashion blogger will piss you off – but can teach you about crafting a path to power (Peter’s Bryanboy case study)
• Meta-lesson: How being judgmental causes us to stop learning – and holds us back from building power

BIO AND SHOW LINKS:

Peter Belmi is the Scott C. Beardsley Associate Professor of Business Administration at the Darden School of Business. His scholarship on the psychology of inequality has received numerous awards, and he was named one of the "30 emerging thinkers with the potential to make lasting contributions to management theory and practice" (Thinkers50). In 2018, Peter was named by Poets & Quants as one of the "40 Best Business Professors Under 40" and received the University of Virginia's Mead-Colley Award, a distinction given to the professor who embodies the Jeffersonian vision of an ideal teacher. Peter's work is published in leading psychology and management journals, and also been featured by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and across the popular press.

• Email: BelmiP [at] darden.virginia.edu
• Peter’s profile: https://www.darden.virginia.edu/faculty-research/directory/peter-belmi
• Peter’s research on social class and confidence: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31107052/
• Cited research: Kraus, Cote & Keltner on Social Class and Empathic Accuracy https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797610387613
• Peter and Melissa Thomas-Hunt’s exercise “Leading with Vulnerability” http://store.darden.virginia.edu/leading-with-vulnerability
• Deb Gruenfeld: “Power up, Power down” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-skBaZ9o5vg
• Peter’s Bryanboy case study: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2974849
• Michael’s Award-winning Book, Get Promoted: https://a.co/d/2oRmqF4

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.com

SHOW NOTES:

Chris Fenning is a highly-sought after trainer and the award winning author of The First Minute: How to Start Conversations That Get Results. We walk through before-after examples, showing how to structure your business communication for maximum impact. The hard truth is that poor communication is one of the top reasons people don't get promoted.

• Concise communication matters, but what most training courses fail to do
• Why Chris left a fantastic career to help people with business communication
• Factoid: Chris did this feat at 17…
• Chris critiques -- and improves –Michael’s 15 second intro
• Why the first minute is key.
• Before vs after example: Context-Intent-Key Message framework in action
• How to build the concise communication habit
• Don’t bury the lede!
• Tips when sending emails and meeting invites
• Being Concise vs Being Blunt
• Using “GPS” in your first minute, with an example that boils 20 minutes into 3 lines
• Overcoming “the curse of knowledge”
• More tips on how to quickly make the framework a habit
• How things differ cross-culturally
• Will these techniques reverse poor first impressions you may have already created?
• 3 ways you can tell boss they are a bad communicator … without getting in hot water

BIO AND LINKS:

Chris Fenning is on a mission to help Technical and Business teams communicate clearly and remove the pain they experience so often. His 4x award winning book, The First Minute, shows you the HOW to be concise, step by step, drawing from 20,000 conversations, decades of work leading technical and business teams across the world, and training individuals and teams from start-ups to Fortune 50 companies.

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-fenning/
• Chris’s Website & His Book www.chrisfenning.com
• Chris’s Best Giveaway (Free First Minute Workbook, $30 value): https://chrisfenning.com/get-the-first-minute-workbook-free/
• Erin Myer’s Book, The Culture Map: https://erinmeyer.com/books/the-culture-map/
• Michael’s Award-winning Book, Get Promoted: https://a.co/d/2oRmqF4

**EPISODE best watched on the 97% Effective YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective **

Ever been told you need to develop your “gravitas,” and then given no explanation of what that means -- or how you improve it? In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth interviews Beena Kavalam, executive coach, founder of Gravitas360 Consulting and “Indian Jersey girl.” They discuss what gravitas is, how it differs from executive presence, and offer practical techniques that will help you own the room and elevate how you are seen at work. Beena offers specific tips for women and people of color, and how to increase your gravitas in virtual environments. Start this episode by taking Beena’s “Grade your Gravitas” self-assessment, then listen (and watch!) their wide-ranging conversation – and you’ll put yourself on the path to dramatically grow your gravitas.

SHOW NOTES:

• Beena’s backstory: Why she focuses on gravitas and her mission to change one million lives
• Grade your Gravitas with Beena’s self-assessment (link below)
• What is gravitas, why it’s important and Beena’s 4 C’s of gravitas
• How Gravitas differs from Executive Presence
• One size does not fit all: Examples of diverse leaders with gravitas
• The two biggest myths people have when it comes gravitas
• Thinking in terms of “the gravitas gradient” and dialing it up or down
• Getting practical: key steps to improving your gravitas
• Ways to shift from negative to positive self talk, but still leads you to “put in the work”
• Using the 4-7-8 technique to calm yourself and increase your emotional steadiness
• 3 Practical Techniques: The “power of the pause,” bottom lining and focusing on 2-3 supporting points
• Practice! And how to talk to yourself to reinforce positive neural pathways
• Speaking on the fly and navigating “impromptu” situations when you are put on the spot
• Powerful tips on building gravitas in virtual environments: Camera on, leaning in, standing up and Beena the bio major geeks out on “ventral fronting”
• Michael recommends you find 2-3 people you know how can assess you with Beena’s “Grade your Gravitas” tool
• What’s different for women and people of color when it comes to gravitas: “Don't shrink – be direct, but add empathy”
• “Indian Jersey Girl” explained

BIO AND LINKS:

Beena Kavalam is an executive coach and leadership consultant who helps high-performing leaders grow their gravitas, strengthen their executive presence, and lead with influence in today’s complex business environments. As the founder of Gravitas360 Consulting, she has coached hundreds of leaders across Fortune 500 companies, emerging startups, and mission-driven organizations. Her work focuses on helping leaders become visible, credible, and impactful — without compromising who they are.

• Watch this episode on video: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective
• Beena’s “Grade your Gravitas” self-assessment: https://gravitas360consulting.kit.com/gravitasquiz
• Beena on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beenakavalam/
• Beena’s Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/BeenaKavalam
• Beena’s website: www.gravitas360.com
• Positive Intelligence: https://www.positiveintelligence.com
• When “positive self-talk” works – and when It doesn’t! Summary of the research by Professor Don Moore @ Haas School of Business EP#38 “How to Be Perfectly Confident” on 97% Effective: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/97-effective/id1646325886?i=1000615107188
• “The Power of Improv to Elevate your Communication, Clarity and Connection” EP#118 with Kesinee Yip & Kevin Weinstein on 97% Effective https://tinyurl.com/59z9f46k
• Research: Why having your camera on signals engagement and increases how others see you as a leader: https://tinyurl.com/yc3k3c5m
• PIE: What you’re Missing (Peformance Image and Exposure explained, with examples) – EP#64 on 97% Effective: https://tinyurl.com/yvbmnewa
• Michael’s Award-Winning book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

Ed Batista spent fifteen years as Lecturer and Leadership Coach at Stanford Business School, working in and teaching the highly popular course there, Interpersonal Dynamics – also known as “Touchy Feely.” In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth talks with Ed about the influence that course had on Ed’s coaching – and how course “T-groups” are a powerful laboratory to explore influence. They discuss why needers need to build emotional regulation and how many people confuse force and power – and confuse empathy with needing to be nice. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a deeper understanding of core concepts in touchy feely – and why that doesn’t imply you need to adopt a “touchy feely” leadership style.

SHOW NOTES:

• How the Stanford course Interpersonal Dynamics (aka “Touchy Feely”) has influenced Ed
• A short history on Interpersonal dynamics (Kurt Lewin and “T-groups”)
• A source of power is developing close and connected relationships with people
• Magical black box, artificial setting, or great laboratory for exploring interpersonal communication, influence and power? Michael and Ed debate T-groups
• The benefit of structured reflection
• Ed is not advocating a “touch feely” leadership style – but he does stress the importance of emotional regulation
• Are you willing to understand and explore your feelings?
• Confusing force and power
• Confusing empathy with being nice (or with not holding people accountable)
• The need to understand what another person is feeling
• Michael and Ed discuss empathy vs perspective taking – is the difference a nuance, and does that matter?
• EdBot (the large language model built on Ed’s blog) and Swiss watches
• How should coaches take advantage of AI tools, what differentiates human coaches?
• A man and his dog.. the common connection: Buster (Great Pyrenees mix) is to Ed what and Manchas (Spanish Mastin mix) is to Michael…

BIO AND LINKS:

Ed Batista has been an executive coach since 2006, working with senior leaders who are facing a challenge or would like to be more effective or fulfilled in their roles. He also spent 15 years as a Lecturer and Leadership Coach at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Most of Ed’s clients are technology company CEOs, but he works with leaders in fields from investing to healthcare. Issues he addresses with clients include managing relationships with key employees, improving leadership team dynamics, transitioning from technical expert to leader, evolving company culture, and better self-care. Ed’s work as a coach began after a 15-year career in management, during which he took two years off to earn an MBA at Stanford and helped launch three new organizations. He writes about coaching and related issues at www.edbatista.com. Ed is married to Amy Wright, and they lived in San Francisco from 1990 to 2020, when they relocated to a farm 40 miles north of the city. In addition to his MBA, Ed earned a BA in History, magna cum laude, from Brown University.

• Previous episode with Ed and Michael EP120: Power Struggles Among Nice People: https://redcircle.com/shows/86fcd90d-083e-4af2-9bc8-6d52fb981ae1
• Ed’s website and blog: https://www.edbatista.com/about.html
• Kurt Lewin and T-groups: https://www.edbatista.com/2018/06/a-brief-history-of-t-groups.html
• Prof Jeffrey Pfeffer at Stanford: https://jeffreypfeffer.com
• Force isn’t Power: https://www.edbatista.com/2021/03/force-isnt-power.html
• Try out EdBot: https://www.edbatista.com/2025/04/ask-me-anything-anytime-the-ed-bot-20.html
• 8000 Coaching Sessions Reflection: https://www.edbatista.com/2024/05/8000-coaching-sessions.html
• 9000 Hours (Evolution of a Practice): https://www.edbatista.com/2025/03/9000-coaching-sessions-the-evolution-of-a-practice.html
• 97% Effective, Now on video, here: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective
• Michael’s Award-Winning book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

Do you feel like there's a stark and nasty choice when it comes to power at work: be an arrogant narcissist and win – or a nice guy and lose? Listen as executive coaches Ed Batista and Michael Wenderoth discuss why it doesn’t have to be that way. In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth chats with Ed about how rising professionals and executives need to expand their thinking about power, and the cost of “opting-out” of power struggles at work. They explore motivational needs theory, ethics, balance – and the need for self-awareness – to make yourself a more effective leader. By the end of this episode, you’ll understand what it means to be on the dance floor and up on the balcony, and leave with a more nuanced understanding of influence and power.

 SHOW NOTES:

• Two history majors in college go into corporate careers and then meet at Stanford Business School
• “You’re talented, but you have some rough edges”: What first drew Ed to Executive Coaching
• Why Ed gravitated to 1-1 coaching
• How coaching helped Ed: Having influence and impact, but doing so without alienating people.
• When Ed starts working with clients, how power dynamics shows up and presents itself
• How people can expand their thinking about power and reframe their relationship with it
• Affiliation, Achievement, Power and Impulse Control – understanding levers that can increase or decrease your ability to influence as a leader, at scale
• Power vs Influence
• Ethics and Opting Out=: “if you abandon the field of power and influence to unethical people, you know what the results are going to be”
• Finding the balance as a leader: Being directive and relying on personal capabilities vs motivating others
• Self-awareness about your influence goals and behaviors
• “The dance floor and the balcony”: gaining perspective
• Ed’s view on 360 reviews

BIO AND LINKS:

Ed Batista has been an executive coach since 2006, working with senior leaders who are facing a challenge or would like to be more effective or fulfilled in their roles. He also spent 15 years as a Lecturer and Leadership Coach at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Most of Ed’s clients are technology company CEOs, but he works with leaders in fields from investing to healthcare. Issues he addresses with clients include managing relationships with key employees, improving leadership team dynamics, transitioning from technical expert to leader, evolving company culture, and better self-care. Ed’s work as a coach began after a 15-year career in management, during which he took two years off to earn an MBA at Stanford and helped launch three new organizations. He writes about coaching and related issues at www.edbatista.com. Ed is married to Amy Wright, and they lived in San Francisco from 1990 to 2020, when they relocated to a farm 40 miles north of the city. In addition to his MBA, Ed earned a BA in History, magna cum laude, from Brown University.

• Ed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edbatista/
• Ed’s website and blog: https://www.edbatista.com/about.html
• Power Struggles Among Nice People: https://www.edbatista.com/2022/03/power-struggles-among-nice-people.html
• Ed’s Coach: The great Mary Ann Huckabay, PhD https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-ann-huckabay-51881011/
• Prof Jeffrey Pfeffer at Stanford: https://jeffreypfeffer.com
• David McClelland’s’s work on need for power and motivational needs theory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need_for_power
• FREE resource: Ways to reconceive and reframe your negative associations with power (PDF visual from Michael’s Book., Get Promoted (Chapter 3, 5 Dangerous Myths That De-rail Careers): https://changwenderoth.com/audiobook-resources/
• Fun Flashback, April 2016: When Michael and Ed authored the two most popular articles of the month, in Harvard Business Review – https://hbr.org/2016/04/great-leaders-embrace-office-politics and https://hbr.org/2016/04/how-to-not-fight-with-your-spouse-when-you-get-home-from-work
• 97% Effective, Now on video, here: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective
• Michael’s Award-Winning book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

** Get a FREE Bonus Gift from Warwick: The “Making Mid-Career Transitions Quick Start Guide” to accompany this episode. Download it directly at go.midcareerpivot.com or e-mail Warwick directly at warwick [at] warwickjohnfahy.com **

What is different about mid-career transitions – and what is key to navigating them successfully? In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth interviews Warwick John Fahy, business psychologist and behavioral change expert, on three keys to making mid-career transitions: Energy, Ego and Expression. Warwick shares the best practices of high performance athletes, the latest in sleep and habit formation research, and practical tips that have worked for him and the executives he coaches. We also dive into counter-intuitive insights: Why you should set the bar low, thinking in terms of learning vs earning, and how “building from your strengths” and “activation” looks different when mid-career. By the end of this episode, you’ll leave with concrete ways to stay energized – and relevant – in the next phase of your career.

SHOW NOTES:

• The “flow of energy”: Why Warwick left the UK for China in his early twenties
• What elite athletes can teach us about “periodization” when it comes to tackling mid-career transitions
• Early-career transitions vs Mid-Career Transitions
• Warwick’s personal choice when he had a daughter
• Warwick’s hard truth: Accept that our physical powers will wane
• KEY #1 ENERGY and how to manage it mid-career: “Your level of awareness has to really step up”
• How an extra hour of sleep will increase your effectiveness as a leader by 10%
• Practical tip to better manage your energy: To start a new routine, identify a trigger that you can “hook” that routine on to
• Counterintuitive insight: Why you should set the bar very, very low
• KEY #2 EGO & IDENTITY – why people don’t really want to hear the truth
• Reframing and thinking in terms of “learning” vs “earning” exercises
• What is your career “anchor”?
• Running experiments: how to avoid “overloading” and the importance of focusing on one thing
• KEY #3 EXPRESSION – What “Build from strengths” and “Activate” looks like at mid-career
• The lifeline exercise: What’s your story?
• The power of Weak ties and Dormant ties
• How Asia has most influenced Warwick’s views on influence, leadership and life

BIO AND LINKS:

Warwick John Fahy is a business psychologist, best-selling author and motivational speaker. An expert in the science of behavioral change and communication, he is the best-selling author of two books, The One Minute Presenter, and Influence: the Jack Ma Way. Originally from the UK, he has been based in Asia for more than 2 decades. Warwick specializes in leadership development, influence, personal effectiveness and habit building, and large group public speaking. He holds a Masters with Distinction in Organisational Psychology from University of London with a specialisation in Psychological Capital and personal resilience. Outside of work he is a dedicated father and endurance athlete, including the Ironman triathalon.

** Get a FREE Bonus Gift from Warwick: The “Making Mid-Career Transitions Quick Start Guide” to accompany this episode. Download it directly at go.midcareerpivot.com or e-mail Warwick directly at warwick [at] warwickjohnfahy.com **

• Get the FREE mid-Career Transition Guide from Warwick here: go.midcareerpivot.com
• Warwick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/warwickjohnfahy/details/experience/
• Warwick’s book The One Minute Presenter: https://a.co/d/i1hPD6z
• Warwick’s book Influence The Jack Ma Way: https://a.co/d/5KESmsd
• Book recommendation: Why We Sleep (Matthew Walker): https://a.co/d/hhB3jC6
• Book recommendation: Tiny Habits (BJ Fogg): https://a.co/d/ighhQGd
• 97% Effective, Now on video, here: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective
• Michael’s Award-Winning book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

 **EPISODE (live Coaching Session) best watched on the 97% Effective YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective **

Can improvisation elevate you at work? Kesinee Angkustsiri Yip and Kevin Weinstein, co-founders of Creative Catalyst and authors of “Yes, And for Success”, resoundingly say: YES! And in this episode show us why. In this entertaining discussion with 97% Effective host Michael Wenderoth, Kesinee and Kevin demonstrate improv exercises and then break down how those seemingly “silly drills” increase critical skills that supercharge our communication, collaboration and creativity. We discuss how to introduce improv into conservative organizations, tips when doing improv in the room vs in zoom, and the surprising ways improv benefited them both at work – and in life. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a new appreciation for the unexpected power of improv.

SHOW NOTES:

• Fact or hype: Does improv actually improve your communication skills, build connection and increase connectivity at work?
• “3 things”: Kesinee and Kevin start us with an improv exercise
• The power of being in the moment
• Iteration gets you better at picking up on each other’s cues
• What happens when you do “3 things” the second time?
• Tips on introducing improv effectively into companies
• In the Room vs Zoom considerations
• Kesinee’s #1 tip on Zoom: keeping the camera on
• Kevin’s #1 tip when in the Room: take advantage of physicality
• How improv transformed Kevin’s ability to recall facts and communicate in impromptu work situations
• Kesinee on the link between improv and the science and practice of communications
• Generative vs Narrow frame thinking: “Yes, And” vs “Yes, But”
• How improv sharpened Kesinee’s work as a communications consultant
• How improv sharpens your interpersonal skills and the ability to lead others
• The surprising benefits of improv on Kevin’s guitar skills
• Keys to starting with improv in your organization
• The benefit of humor and the act of trying
• Ending with improv: “One word story”

BIO AND LINKS:

Creative Catalyst is on a mission to banish boring corporate cultures and ignite connection, creativity, and collaboration using the unexpected power of improv. Co-founded by Kesinee Angkustsiri Yip, a seasoned communications leader, and Kevin Weinstein, a systems engineering thought leader, Creative Catalyst delivers science-backed, joy-infused workshops for executive teams, founders, and forward-thinking companies to strengthen trust, accelerate innovation, and solve real business problems. Creative Catalyst believes creative confidence isn’t a talent—it's a muscle. And they are here to help you flex it. “Yes, And for Success,” their first book, is a fun, practical guide that helps leaders and teams tap into their creative power using principles from improvisation.

• Watch this episode on video: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective
• “Yes, and…” their book: https://a.co/d/cM3iyxr
• Creative Catalyst, their company: www.creativecatalystworks.com
• Kesinee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kesinee
• Kevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-weinstein-7589615/
• Impro (Johnston): https://a.co/d/cbcmwJa
• “How to Master Your Body Talk” (episode on 97% Effective): https://tinyurl.com/yzwyt4e
• Humor, Seriously (Aaker and Bagdonas): https://a.co/d/2BEh8Qx
• Michael’s Award-Winning book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

**EPISODE (live Coaching Session) best watched on the 97% Effective YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective **

It’s one thing to talk about something, it’s another to see it in action. In this episode of 97% Effective, Dr. Inbal Demri coaches host Michael Wenderoth – showing the EFECT framework that underpins her new Stanford course “Coaching Skills for Effective Leadership.” During the live coaching conversation, Inbal points out critical elements in EFECT and demonstrates coaching skills that every leader can utilize to increase their effectiveness. By the end of this episode, you’ll have seen powerful examples of coaching conversations that you can also use at work. (Make sure to check out our previous episode, EP 116, which covers why she designed the Stanford course, and how it will help you go from transactional to transformative in the way you lead others, and your organization).

SHOW NOTES:

• EFECT, from Inbal’s Stanford Course, is the infrastructure of powerful coaching conversations: Engage, Frame, Explore, Commit, Test
• Inbal immediately senses that Michael is uncomfortable
• “E”ngage in action: Pick up on body language – and what do with that information
• “E”ngage in action: “People tell us how to be in relationship with them” - setting up the agreement
• Michael shares what is top of mind: Where to go with his Coaching practice?
• “F”rame and reframing in action: “What is the real question” Michael is wrestling with?
• Inbal’s coaching skills: pausing and listening, paraphrasing, confirming, checking in .. “because I never assume I understand what you’re saying”
• Inbal’s insight: “more degrees of freedom”
• “E”xplore in action: Inbal’s powerful questions - “What are the opportunities?” and “How does that feel?”
• “E”xplore in action: “Sounds like you are trying to create that next phase while still using some old mindsets” and “tapas moments”
• Michael gets brutally honest
• Inbals points out Fear, Choice Points and “What does that enable you?”
• When a Coachee asks you “Tell me what to do”… what do you do?
• How Inbal handles Michael evasiveness and and avoiding answering the hard questions
• “E”xplore in action: Tapping into feeling and emotions; Toggling between Explore and Frame
• “You can’t force process”.. what does the Coachee need?
• The importance of eye contact and the taking notes
• Knowing when to end and not opening a new tunnel
• “C”ommit and “T”est
• Ways to end a Coaching conversation

BIO AND LINKS:

Dr. Inbal Demri-Shaham is the Principal and Founder of Q Factor Consulting - a Silicon Valley-based organizational consultancy that works with pioneering founders, C-level corporate executives, and top academics from around the world to solve their most pressing business needs and position them as leaders for the long term. She is also an instructor, facilitator, and executive coach at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and School of Medicine. By deploying a rare hybrid of scholarly and industry expertise, Dr. Demri brings rigorous structure and complex ideas to life inside the classroom and the boardroom for the leaders she empowers, the academics she partners with, and the students she inspires.

• Watch this episode on video: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffective
• Previous episode, 116 “Coaching Skils: What Every Leader Needs to Know”: https://tinyurl.com/ycxxzj8x
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/inbal-demri-shaham-phd-7a91563/
• Her email: idemri [at] email.fielding.edu
• Website: https://inbaldemri.com/about/
• Stanford Course “Coaching Skills for Effective Leadership”: https://tinyurl.com/vs53vuue
• Course Video Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXCVblbZixQ
• Michael’s Award-Winning book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

As a leader or manager, do you feel burned out having to give direction and provide all the answers – amid increasing complexity, ambiguity and unpredictability? In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth speaks with Dr. Inbal Demri-Shaham, who wants to help you go from transactional to transformative in your relationships, and the way you lead others. We discuss her new course at Stanford “Coaching Skills for Effective Leadership,” and her EFECT framework – showing the coaching mindset and the practical coaching skills that will make you and your team more effective at getting things done – and more engaged. Coaching is not a solution to everything, but you’ll leave this episode super curious about the power and impact coaching can have on your 1-1 conversations next week – and exceeding your goals this year.

SHOW NOTES:

• Why coaching skills are essential for leaders today
• Trust and the practice of “relational leadership”
• Who changes the most from coaching? The surprising insight reported by course participants
• What is Coaching? The goal and the 3 main processes of Coaching
• “Coaching is not just about making people feel good… It is about getting to the crunchy stuff that people often prefer to avoid”
• Correcting misconceptions: The course is not about training coaches!
• The 2 areas many Silicon Valley leaders over-rely on
• When showing up as the alpha is not the most effective way to go
• Speaking and Listening: A practical exercise to assess if you are coaching
• The importance of a “dual growth mindset”– that you can change yourself, but you can also change your environment - when coaching others
• How important is it that your corporate culture supports a coaching approach?
• Inbal the “gentle rebel”: On creating opportunities for success, amid constraints (pushing back vs holding off)
• Viktor Frankl and the power of seeing through limitations
• EFECT: the infrastructure of a successful coaching conversation
• Engage: Coaching always begins with building a “good” relationship and setting agreements
• “When we know boundaries we feel safer”
• Frame: How we frame an issue so it is conducive – and not limiting – to thinking about potential solutions
• Explore: Expanding courses of actions and thinking through the consequences
• Commit: Choosing a course of action and the plan to implement it
• Test: The “Hypothesis testing” stage, because you can’t know unless you actually do
• What leaders find most challenging about employing a coaching mindset
• Working through the initial clunkyness of your first Coaching conversations
• “The why has to do with them, not with you.”
• Coaching is not a “one and done,” single conversation – it becomes part of an ongoing relationship, used when it’s most helpful
• Coaching is not a Swiss army knife that solves everything: Yes, sometimes you need to tell them what to do!
• Do things take longer when you use a coaching approach?
• How coaching can drive increased employee engagement and reduce turnover

BIO AND LINKS:

Dr. Inbal Demri-Shaham is the Principal and Founder of Q Factor Consulting - a Silicon Valley-based organizational consultancy that works with pioneering founders, C-level corporate executives, and top academics from around the world to solve their most pressing business needs and position them as leaders for the long term. She is also an instructor, facilitator, and executive coach at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and School of Medicine. By deploying a rare hybrid of scholarly and industry expertise, Dr. Demri brings rigorous structure and complex ideas to life inside the classroom and the boardroom for the leaders she empowers, the academics she partners with, and the students she inspires.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/inbal-demri-shaham-phd-7a91563/
• Her email: idemri [at] email.fielding.edu
• Website: https://inbaldemri.com/about/
• Coaching Skills for Effective Leadership Course Intro: https://tinyurl.com/vs53vuue
• Stanford Course “Coaching Skills for Effective Leadership”: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/exec-ed/programs/coaching-skills-effective-leadership
• Course Video Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXCVblbZixQ
• The Unexpected take-away from the Course (by Jason Braun): https://tinyurl.com/y9uf7m5t
• Dual Growth Mindset (Berg et al): https://tinyurl.com/4639ysep
• Job Crafting: What is it and Why Does it Matter (Berg): https://tinyurl.com/2uw58s4e
• How Constraints move us forward and spark creative solutions (Wenderoth): https://tinyurl.com/ywap8fzm
• Man’s Search for Meaning (Viktor Frankl): https://a.co/d/hPSMyxR
• Michael’s Award-Winning book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

 Are you frustrated that can’t break into key groups at work, or unsure how outsiders can access critical “insider” networks to advance your career? Maybe you should stop following the prevailing networking strategies – and start “leveraging your outsider status” instead. In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth talks to Professor Sven Horak about his research into “informal networks,” an emerging field that looks at how culture and informal institutions impact how we network and build important relationships. We dig into his research in Asia, why Western networking approaches often fail -- and discuss practical strategies that ANY “outsider” should consider if they want to be break through and ascend. Professor Horak’s thought provoking insights will upend the notion that trying to integrate is your best approach – and likely accelerate your path, and power, at work.

SHOW NOTES:

• Sven’s path from German auto-industry expat in East Asia – to academic in the US
• Given his research, what Professor Sven would have advised young Sven to have done differently in Korea
• Practical tip: Your entering a new country or cultural environment, what should you do to best prepare?
• Networking, social skills and cross-cultural connection
• The definition of Informal Networking, and the importance of “effective ties”
• How networking differs between cultures
• Unpacking Sven’s bold statement: “Forget trying to develop your network – and instead build on your outsider status”
• Mini-case study: Can an foreign expat build Yongo ties in Korea?
• The biggest risk of “Reactive” networking strategies
• “Proactive” networking strategies build on your outsider status
• Michael zooms out: Can we apply Sven’s findings on what works for “cross cultural” outsiders to ANY outsider that is trying to break in? (Like: women, minorities, Gen Z breaking into older, white male-dominated corporate environments?)
• The pie chart to understand networks
• Types of questions to ask to better understand the informal network
• How seeing through the “network lense” advances our cross-cultural understanding, and will make leaders more effective
• Sven’s reminder to be careful of generalizing: everything is situational and very context dependent
• His latest research related to “murmuration”

BIO AND LINKS:

Sven Horak is the Zizza Tobin Professor of Management at The Peter J. Tobin College of Business at St. John's University in New York. He works in the area of Global Management, International HRM and Leadership. His research enhances the theoretical and practical understanding on how informality and informal networking influences the practice of Global Management across its various domains. In his work, he explores informal networking practices, helping global managers build and strengthen their diverse connections while enhancing their networking capabilities to become more resourceful in challenging situations.

• On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/svenhorak/
• Faculty Page: https://facpub.stjohns.edu/horaks
• His Book: Informal Networks in International Business, https://a.co/d/4QeHK9D
• Article (Open Access): Informal Networks, Informal Institutions and Social Exclusion in the Workplace, Journal of Business Ethics, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10551-022-05244-5
• Article: Explaining the Persistence of Informal Institutions: The Role of Informal Networks, Academy of Management Review, http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/amr.2020.0224
• Fukuyama’s work on Trust and Social Capital: https://www.jstor.org/stable/43199387
• Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hofstede%27s_cultural_dimensions_theory
• Michael’s Award-Winning book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

Feeling burned out creating content to build your visibility and brand? Seeking to become known in a noisy world, but see it as an uphill climb? In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth speaks with Tiago Faria about the power of being a podcast guest. Tiago is a podcast guesting consultant who spent 15 years at Google and in marketing and branding. We talk about the benefits of being a podcast guest, and how to use guesting to effectively and efficiently market yourself. Tiago shares how to get booked on top shows without feeling salesy, ways to build strong connections with your host and listeners – and tips to amplify yourself well beyond the interview. By the end of this episode, you’ll realize how hard your currently working – and rethink your current marketing strategy and methods.

 SHOW NOTES:

• Appearing on 67 shows in 4 months: The podcast “guesting experiment” that transformed Tiago’s perspective
• How not to be boring
• What's the value of an hour of your time? Produce less content and get more exposure
• The power of repurposing each interview – and the social proof of being seen as an expert
• 90% of podcasts don’t survive more than 9 episodes, so aren’t podcasts a dead medium?
• Who should NOT be a podcast guest?
• The top mistake people have about podcast guesting
• Stop teaching – and start connecting
• Tiago’s 3 keys to being a great guest: Prepping, Booking and Amplifying
• Keys to Prepping: Invert your perspective and asks what makes you unique and different
• The value of a “Media One” sheet
• Keys to Booking: Make your podcast host’s life easier + Follow-up is key
• “Create a connection” - How to pitch yourself without feeling sleazy and salesy
• Keys to Amplifying: Think shelf-life, short pieces that create social proof, and your relationship with the host
• How to speak: Use the emotional language of your client
• Effective “Calls to Action”
• Considering hiring a podcast guesting service? Top questions to ask to assess their expertise.

BIO AND LINKS:

 Tiago Faria helps experts establish their brand and message – and do the most fun and powerful marketing they’ll ever do – through being podcast guests. Prior to starting his own business as a podcast guesting consultant, he spent 15 years in the world of marketing and digital business, 8 of which he served as a Google Ads specialist for some of the biggest companies in Europe and the Middle East out of Google’s EU headquarters in Dublin. Tiago is no stranger to “learning by doing” sprints: in 2021 he completed a 120 day challenge on YouTube (creating 120 videos in 120 days after interviewing 60 entrepreneurs on his podcast), and then being featured on 67 podcasts in 4 months, including several of the world’s top 2% podcasts.

• Tiago on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiagofaria/
• His podcast (in Portuguese): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLf98CU0qP9VjCTH51euaQWQQ1F6p5mBb
• Ep#105 with John Gates, the Salary Coach – Act Your Wage: How to Master Salary Negotiations: https://tinyurl.com/2s4t5pxf
• Tiago’s tip sheet and e-mail template: How to pitch yourself as a guest, without feeling sleazy or salesly [Reach out to him on Linkedin]
• Tiago’s differentiation worksheet: [Reach out to him on Linkedin]
• Michael’s award-winning book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

It would be great if our strong grades and work history spoke for itself and got us in to highly selective organizations. Unfortunately, admission is 25% subjective and not a reward for past achievement, says Candace Gonzales Tumey, Senior MBA Admission Prep Coach and Team Lead at MLT (Management Leadership for Tomorrow). In this episode of 97% Effective, Coach Candace shares 3 secrets to getting into elite business schools, drawing from her work with top talent at MLT and more than a decade in admissions at the University of California at Berkeley. Candace and host Michael Wenderoth discuss how to talk about your accomplishments without bragging, where most people fail in their networking, and overcoming the #1 challenge for candidates from underrepresented groups. You’ll leave this episode with practical, underappreciated strategies to navigate any highly competitive selection process.

SHOW NOTES:

• Rural Virginia, her grandmother and Maria: Why Candace does what she does
• Candace’s Hard Truth #1: Admissions is 25% Subjective
• “Luck favors the prepared”
• Candace’s Hard Truth #2: Admission is not a reward for what you’ve done
• What does success look like for you?
• MLT’s mission – and why highly qualified talent from underrepresented groups benefit from their support
• Underappreciated Secret #1 to getting in: Your application is a conversation
• How to understand what a school seeks
• You’re still the same person, but shine a spotlight on the aspect that best fits the school
• Talking about yourself without feeling icky: Speak to inform but not to impress
• Underappreciated Secret #2 to getting in: Network with the Institution to better understand
• “Apply with the door open, not with the door closed”
• Underappreciated Secret #3 to getting in: Consistency over Intensity
• “You can’t be what you can’t see”: Talk to people who have been through the process!
• Are the 3 secrets universally applicable to anyone, not just underrepresented groups?
• The two sides of imposter syndrome
• The #1 thing you can do if you feel imposter syndrome
• Candace shares the limits of her own knowledge
• Breaking rules and your appetite for risk
• How AI can help us get in to highly competitive environments – and where to be careful with it

BIO AND LINKS:

Candace Gonzales Tumey is Senior Coach and Team Lead at Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT). Prior to MLT, she served 14 years in undergraduate and graduate admissions, including at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley as an Associate Director of Admissions. At MLT, she has coached over 200 applicants, 40% of whom are currently at or graduated from the top 3 business schools in the USA. Candace holds a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Southen California (USC).

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candace-gonzales-tumey-7b9624120/
• MLT: https://mlt.org
• Sasha Kelemen, University of Virgina Darden & MLT alum: https://tinyurl.com/y9r97xuw
• David Harris, Stanford Business School & MLT alum: https://tinyurl.com/5de67m32
• Start with Why (Sinek): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA
• Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast on Communication (Matt Abrahams): https://www.fastersmarter.io
• Zoom Like a Voice Actor, with Claire Fry: https://www.vocalconfidencetraining.com
• John Rice (MLT Founder) speaks to trends in top business schools admissions (Bloomberg): https://tinyurl.com/7asx9p58
• HBR Article “Stop Tellling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome”: https://tinyurl.com/ykzt838m
• Michael’s book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth continues his conversation with Alvaro Fernandez, CEO of SharpBrains. They dive deeper into the specific actions that transformed SharpBrains from a blog into the “go to” platform on Brainfitness – creating a profitable business that has enabled Alvaro to stay at the forefront of a field he is deeply passionate about. They discuss the power of physical proximity in building relationships, harnessing industry controversy to gain media attention, and becoming a hub to detect signals and latent needs. You’ll gain insights into sharp ways to amplify your influence – and smile listening to Alvaro’s personal encounters with the late greats Larry King, the CNN legend, and Dr. Marian Diamond, the brain science pioneer.

SHOW NOTES:

• Getting started: How Alvaro first connected, as an outsider, with leaders in neuroscience
• “At the very beginning, nothing really replaces physical proximity”
• The power of visibility: How to be featured in the popular press and get invited to the World Economic Forum
• The importance of having a good online presence so people can find you
• Navigating hiccups: What SharpBrains stopped doing when people started trusting them less
• “Controversies are not bad”: How 3 media uproars brought SharpBrains massive media attention
• The power of “connecting the dots” for journalists
• “You are Dr. Fernandez for the day!”: When Alvaro was interviewed by the Larry King on CNN
• How being the hub of the network brings people and opportunities to to you
• When Dr. Marian Diamond reached out: joy, a keynote, and lifelong respect
• How conferences can be powerful mechanisms that provide interesting signals
• Why you need to quiet your mind and listen
• Get bored easily? The importance of creating a business that is consistent with your values and priorities - but demands that you grow and adapt
• Navigating tradeoffs
• Big Idea #1: The top way to start developing your neuroplasticity (from a lunch chat with the late Dr. Marian Diamond)
• Big Idea #2: What companies most want to address employee mental health – but what SharpBrains believes they most need (feel free to copy and spread their idea!)
• Got an idea about how to harness the human brain? How to reach Alvaro.

BIO AND LINKS:

Álvaro Fernández Ibáñez is CEO of SharpBrains, the leading brain fitness and neuroscience think tank and advisory. Named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, Alvaro has been quoted by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, BBC, AP, CNN, and more. He co-authored the book The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness: How to Optimize Brain Health and Performance at Any Age, and is the Editor-In-Chief for seminal market reports on neurotechnology and digital brain health. Alvaro enjoys serving in the World Economic Forum’s Council on the Future of Human Enhancement, and in the Global Teacher Prize Academy run by the Varkey Foundation. He holds an MBA and MA in Education from Stanford University and a BA in Economics from Universidad de Deusto, in his native Spain.

• The previous episode on 97% Effective: <insert link here>
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alvarofernandez/
• SharpBrains Advisors: https://sharpbrains.com
• His book, SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness: https://a.co/d/gRrA0qC
• Public speaking: Alvaro featured on CNN’s Larry King Live and other recent talks: https://sharpbrains.com/about-us/speaking/
• Becoming the hub of the network: HBR article “Find networking stressful? Try becoming a connector instead” https://changwenderoth.com/articles/
• Understanding the brain, with the #2 most popular college professor in the world: Dr. Marian Diamond, “My Love Affair with the Brain”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIB1v0pLhNM

How do you get out of the rat race and live your ideal life? How can you set up a business that aligns with your passions, and provides financial independence? Alvaro Fernandez did just that – turning a blog into SharpBrains, the leading think tank and advisory in brain fitness. In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth picks Alvaro’s “sharp brain” to understand the mindset and strategies that transformed SharpBrains into the “go to” – and amplified Alvaro’s influence and impact. What resources are waiting for you to create? What powerful community can you activate to propel you and your ideas?

SHOW NOTES:

• Economics and seeing the brain as an asset
• A brief history of SharpBrains: from blog in 2005 to leading advisory in 2025
• “Becoming a platform to add value and fill a needed gap”: The secret sauce that underpins SharpBrains and has powered their success
• What brings credibility and trust?
• SharpBrains is NOT a non-profit – and did not raise outside capital! How Alvaro created value, but captured value – and made money.
• Find latent needs + protype and don’t overthink + quickly test: How SharpBrains assessed new business ideas
• Alvaro’s hard truth: the ability to say no to things you want to do, but may ultimately destroy your core
• The power of creating content: How Alvaro would cut through the noise today
• Two key conditions that causes a community to appear – and power you
• How to prevent people from “stealing” your idea: Ideas vs. Execution and knowing your business model

BIO AND LINKS:

Álvaro Fernández Ibáñez is CEO of SharpBrains, the leading brain fitness and neuroscience think tank and advisory. Named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, Alvaro has been quoted by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, BBC, AP, CNN, and more. He co-authored the book The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness: How to Optimize Brain Health and Performance at Any Age, and is the Editor-In-Chief for seminal market reports on neurotechnology and digital brain health. Alvaro enjoys serving in the World Economic Forum’s Council on the Future of Human Enhancement, and in the Global Teacher Prize Academy run by the Varkey Foundation. He holds an MBA and MA in Education from Stanford University and a BA in Economics from Universidad de Deusto, in his native Spain.

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alvarofernandez/
• SharpBrains Advisors: https://sharpbrains.com
• His book, SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness: https://a.co/d/gRrA0qC
• Public speaking: Alvaro featured on CNN’s Larry King Live and other recent talks: https://sharpbrains.com/about-us/speaking/
• Pervasive Neurotechnology market report: https://sharpbrains.com/pervasive-neurotechnology/
• Michael’s book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

How do you lead with confidence in uncertain times, and get the outcomes you seek? In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth speaks with leadership expert Kevin Eikenberry about his new book, Flexible Leadership (available March 2025). They examine where most leadership training has failed – and where Kevin’s latest work fills a critical gap. In a pointed conversation packed with tips and examples, they discuss the power of the “both/and” mindset and why context is so critical. Michael also has Kevin apply the book’s framework to improve Kevin’s own leadership in 2025. You’ll leave this episode with fresh thinking and a more robust toolkit to power your organization, yourself, and others.

SHOW NOTES:

• Why Kevin wrote Flexible Leadership
• The “Both/and Thinking” mindset – and a simple way you can start to develop it
• The danger of relying on one style and the unintended consequences of applying best practices
• The importance of context
• Unpacking the paradox: Everything seems to be changing, yet the most important things aren’t changing at all
• “Well, I’m an engineer” and other self-limiting labels that can hold us back
• Michael puts Kevin on the hot seat: How Kevin would use his book to develop his own leadership in 2025
• Step #1: How Kevin would get data about where he needs to improve in 2025
• Practical tip (Ensuring Intention and Action): How to make sure Kevin follows through on improving – and isn’t just talking about it
• Step #2: How Kevin would assess the context – is it clear, complex, complicated, or chaotic?
• Practical examples: How Kevin’s leadership and his team responded to the context of generative AI
• Step #3: How Kevin creates the habitset
• Practical tip and example: Find the trigger -> replace the trigger -> add a reinforcement mechanism
• What Kevin is reading
• How to get a special gift from Kevin for 97% Effective listeners

BIO AND LINKS:

Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group – a leadership and learning company based in Indianapolis, Indiana, with a team across the United States. He has spent over 30 years helping organizations and leaders from more than 53 countries become more effective. Global Gurus has listed him on the list of most influential thinkers on leadership for the last three years, and his blog and podcast are among the most popular on leadership. The author of several bestselling leadership books, Kevin believes his latest book Flexible Leadership: Navigate Uncertainty and Lead with Confidence, is his best and most important work yet.

• Gift from Kevin (mention you heard the episode on 97% Effective): Get for FREE Kevin’s Confidence Masterclass ($79 value): https://kevineikenberry.com/flexible-leadership-podcasts/
• Kevin’s new book, Flexible Leadership: https://kevineikenberry.com/flexible-leadership/
• Kevin on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry/
• “The C.E.O’s Are Tripping” (Article in NY Times – paywall): https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/12/business/psychedelic-retreats-ceos.html
• Kevin interviews Michael on the Remarkable Leadership podcast: https://remarkablepodcast.com/get-promoted-with-michael-wenderoth/
• Who is Ani DiFranco? https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ani_DiFranco
• The Cynefin framework (HBR article “A Leader’s Framework for Decision Making”) https://hbr.org/2007/11/a-leaders-framework-for-decision-making
• Atomic Habits: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits
• Michael’s book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

What does today’s guest have in common with a Japanese manga hero and a world wide wrestler – besides sharing the same name? In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth talks with Kane Nakamura, the lifelong learner, about overcoming career obstacles and setbacks. They discuss how Kane convinced Softbank to send him to the USA; how he landed a dream job at Udemy; and why he was unfazed about getting laid off. Kane shares the power of voicing what you want, when and how to break rules – and the benefits of being a community builder, connector and selfless blogger. Kane will get you thinking about what is really holding you back – and the courage and steps you need to take to forge ahead, and become the protagonist of your own story.

SHOW NOTES:

• How 28 moves in 20 cities in 4 countries shaped Kane’s identity
• Kane’s Obstacle/Setback #1: Getting a position in the US when he worked at Softbank
• Powered by purpose, how Kane broke the rules and protocol
• Don’t assume people know what you want – and when to voice what you want
• Kane’s Obstacle/Setback #2: Staying in the US
• The single question that helped Kane get out of his comfort zone to build a network in Silicon Valley
• Finding his dream job = Luck + People Connection + Timing
• How Kane became a connector
• How blogging about his learning in executive education fueled him – and benefited him
• Kane’s Obstacle/Setback #3: Getting laid off
• Japanese vs US reactions to Kane getting laid off
• The benefits from posting on social media
• Does Kane’s generosity get taken advantage of it?
• Kane’s advice to those who feel that “putting yourself out there” is too risky
• “Let the world discover you”: vulnerability and the power of voicing
• On the difference between talking, envisioning and scheduling
• What Kane wants you, and especially his Japanese listeners, to know about risk and failure
• What happens when you Google “Kane Nakamura”

BIO AND LINKS:

Kane Nakamura is a Builder of a “Culture of Learning” whose personal and career journey embodies the transformative power of proactive decisions. Hailing from Japan and the USA, Kane spent his career in business development at Cable & Wireless, Softbank, and Udemy. He holds a BA in International and Comparative Law from Rikkyo University, a MBA from UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, and is completing his Doctor in Education at the University of Pennsylvania. A lifelonger learner, Kane credits Stanford’s executive education LEAD program for fueling his continued transformation and personal growth. He shares his insights on the LinkedIn newsletter “Why I Keep Learning.”

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kane2008/
• Kane’s newsletter, “Why I keep learning (僕が学び続ける理由)”(most posts are in English): https://tinyurl.com/mr2z74tv
• Kane’s announcement that he got laid off: https://tinyurl.com/27a2z8fx
• Kane featured by Stanford’s LEAD program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V-4rpcCOI4
• Harvard Business Review article: “Do You Find Networking Stressful? Try Being a Connector Instead”: https://tinyurl.com/ypf4wady
• Michael’s book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

Often the most important transformation to your business is transforming yourself. In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth speaks with Julia Grace Samoylenko, founder and CEO of Asteri AI. They speak bluntly about how Julia navigated her transition from big corporate to founding Asteri, an AI startup in Silicon Valley focused on upskilling the workforce. They discuss finding the right environment, putting yourself first, paying attention to emotions – and how to ensure that perseverance and determination work for you, and don't undercut you.

SHOW NOTES:

• Julia’s one hard truth about entrepreneurship
• The price of perseverance and determination
• 3 keys to “Picking the right environment” that gets you real feedback and brings you energy
• How rational people can benefit from paying attention to emotions – and treating that as a skill to be developed
• What do others want to see from their leaders?
• Putting yourself first
• Avoiding burnout: looking at your schedule and your built environment
• Getting the right people in your orbit: How Julia met Kelley
• How to identify and communicate when speaking to investors
• How Julia’s “intrapreneurship” most served her as a start-up founder
• Julia’s 5 points on becoming an entrepreneur

BIO AND LINKS:

Julia Grace Samoylenko is founder and CEO of Asteri AI, a startup unlocking workforce potential with AI-driven, industry-specific “skills inference” at scale. Julia’s career has spanned the globe in supply chain, IT, finance, channel management, commercial, and marketing, enabling her to build and deploy innovative IT solutions worldwide. Prior to Asteri, Julia spent 15 years leading transformation for Fortune 500 companies, including Director of Commercial Transformation at Medtronic, where she spearheaded a 100-member global team, secured over $10 million in funding, and was instrumental in setting up an IT hub in Shanghai that drove $50 million in inventory cost reductions. Medtronic recognized her contributions with 7 company-wide awards, including the coveted CIO awards and the Star of Excellence. Julia has lived in Europe, Asia, and the US, and now calls the Silicon Valley her home. 

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-samoylenko/
• Asteri AI: https://www.asteri.ai
• Asteri and Julia in the news: https://www.asteri.ai/company
• Kelley Steven-Waiss, Chief Transformation Officer at ServiceNow https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelleystevenwaiss/
• Michael’s book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

Luck. It’s the ingredient that no one wants to admit is a big part of our success. But what if luck wasn’t about chance? What if was more about a choice – choices we could consciously take to generate better outcomes in our work and personal lives? In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth speaks with Jonathan Brill, who Forbes dubbed the #1 business futurist. Their conversation will make you rethink what it means to be lucky – and provide practical steps to generate more of it in your work, and life. Why sit and watch your future happen, when you can take a hand in architecting it?

SHOW NOTES:

• The curious way that Jonathan and Michael first met.
• How to make the probability of the impossible happening go through the roof: “Shift the dynamics, you shift what is possible.”
• How networking events differ from “Serendipity Salons.”
• The key to creating a room of friends.
• The surprising response Jonathan received from Professor Adam Grant.
• When framing a question or request, remember that people want to help – but they want to maximize the leverage of their time and effort!
• How to attend one of Jonathan’s Serendipity Salons.
• Top tips to building relationships, if you can’t attend a salon.
• Keys to navigating organizational politics: How a CEO survives while the 10 people who actually did the work did not?
• The critical high-value help you can provide to others at work.
• Fun? Treating organizational politics like a game.
• 3 things that senior leaders can do to encourage people to help each other, make unexpected connections, and manage chaos.
• Focus NOT on what’s there -- but on what’s missing – to best identify opportunity.
• LUCK = Leverage help, Unexpected connections, Control the chaos, Know what’s missing.
• Why HP made Jonathan study at Stanford.
• “The best industrial designers don’t just put shape to an object, they find a new way to solve a problem.”
• Artists and systemic intuition.
• The mindset you need to manage the top conundrums that sink businesses in disruptive times.
• It’s all obvious – except it’s not

BIO AND LINKS:

Named the #1 Futurist by Forbes, and “the world’s leading transformation architect,” by Harvard Business Review, Jonathan Brill is a Business Futurist, AI Keynote Speaker, Executive Chairman at the Center for Radical Change, and Author of the bestseller, Rogue Waves. His visionary, yet pragmatic approach to the future is based on years as the Global Futurist at HP where he directed long-term strategy and planning. He is the Senior Fellow at HBR’s China New Growth Institute and Board Advisor at Frost & Sullivan, one of the world’s largest market intelligence firms. Jonathan’s innovation consultancies have developed over 350 products and generated over $27B USD for clients like Samsung, Microsoft, Verizon, PepsiCo and the US government. A frequent thought leader, speaker and contributor to HBR, TED, Global Peter Drucker Forum, Singularity, and Forbes, Jonathan holds a degree in industrial design from Pratt Institute, and spent years as a research consultant to the MIT Media Lab.

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanbrill1/
• Website: https://jonathanbrill.com
• Jonathan’s bestseller, Rogue Waves: https://jonathanbrill.com/rogue-waves
• Our mutual friend, the amazing Dorie Clark: https://dorieclark.com
• Professor Don Moore at Cal Berkeley, interview on “Decision Leadership”: https://tinyurl.com/n6cvb2x8
• Keshav Pitani, VP of R&D at Light & Wonder, interview on overcoming your aversion to office politics: https://tinyurl.com/yhbkcyv2
• Emily Chang interviews Brian Chesky: https://tinyurl.com/nhkv5muh
• Steve Caney, inventor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevencaney/
• Factfulness by Hans Rosling https://a.co/d/66xuLfM
• How the World Really Works by Vaclav Schmil https://a.co/d/bx34N09
• Michael’s award-winning book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

This episode contains profanity.

SHOW NOTES:

How do you go from a challenging childhood in Europe to rise within a notoriously tough industry – and then building one the hottest global startups in your sector? In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth speaks with Dr. Sarah Buchner, CEO at Trunk Tools, about the mindset and strategic moves that has put her in the driver’s seat of her career. They discuss how she broke in and stood out in the male-dominated construction industry -- and the ways she harnesses data to increase the odds of success. Dr. Buchner loves the chip on her shoulder and hates labels – and by the end of this episode you will see the power in that too.

• The two German phrases that embody Sarah’s ethos
• What are the next few steps that seem just out of the realm of the possible?
• About Trunk Tools
• The chip on Sarah’s shoulder: how being told “you can’t do that” has powered her
• Turning disadvantage into advantage
• Why she hates labels
• Seeing vs Looking: where do you want to focus your view?
• Sarah’s boldness and how being direct and concise was needed to survive as a child – and stills serves her
• Managing corporate politics vs raising capital – when to dial up, when to dial down
• Managing backlash and not being invited
• How Sarah found the right mentors, got them on her side and was clear about her goals – and how those mentors could help her
• “My goal is not to play nice” -- To be or not to be: warmth vs competence
• “I don’t care about being liked, I care about people trusting me.”
• Study the path others have taken – then map what you need to do to get from A to B
• Sarah’s most challenging transition when she became CEO
• Forming a Board of Advisors: Would you ask your medical doctor how to fund raise?
• Most people lack strategy!
• The importance of pattern of recognition and looking at the data: When Sarah sat down and studied the CVs of top management and their path to the top
• Why Sarah has become more careful with the words she uses as CEO
• Building a culture of feedback
• Look for the “distance people have travelled” when hiring for grit
• Sarah on keys to building resilience
• “It’s not about the hours” – think in terms of psychological work life balance
• Why everyone should have a therapist, and how Sarah has used one since she was 18
• Create a work pre-nup!
• Sarah’s two keys for success

BIO AND LINKS:

Dr. Sarah Buchner is the Founder & CEO of Trunk Tools, the AI platform for construction. Trunk Tools is building the brain behind the $13 trillion construction industry by leveraging AI to organize mountains of unstructured data, generate insights, and automate workflows. With deep roots in all facets of construction, Dr. Buchner spent her young life as a carpenter in her native Austria beginning at the age of 12. She advanced in the field through various roles, including superintendent and project manager, on increasingly large and complex construction projects. Her desire to create greater impact in the construction industry led her to attend Stanford's Graduate School of Business, kickstarting her career as an entrepreneur. In addition to her Stanford MBA, Dr. Buchner holds a MS in architectural engineering and a Ph.D. in data science / civil engineering. Dr. Buchner is a Forbes 30 Under 30 and ENR Top Young Professionals honoree. She, and Trunk Tools, are based in New York City, USA.

• Trunk Tools: https://trunktools.com
• Sarah on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-buchner/
• Sarah on Forbes 30 Under 30: https://tinyurl.com/3crx5d2x
• Trunk Tools in the News: https://trunktools.com/resources/category/news/
• Real and Practical Applications of AI in Construction with CEO of Trunk Tools: https://tinyurl.com/yc456tsz
• Michael’s book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

SHOW NOTES:

Most people don’t negotiate their salary offers due to fear, reluctance – or quite simply not knowing what to say. By not negotiating, you are likely forgoing a 10-20% salary increase – and more than $1 million in lifetime earnings. In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth demystifies salary negotiations with John Gates, the Salary Coach. John is an industry veteran, having spent his career in corporate recruiting for Fortune 500 companies, and is the author of “Act Your Wage,” a concise and practical guide that helps you overcome negotiation anxiety and get higher compensation. We discuss why you should never accept the first offer, when to start negotiating (it’s not when you think), practical phrases to use, and the “gentle leverage” that gets better results and enhances your future relationships. You’ll leave this episode feeling more confident about how to maximize what you are getting, for what you are giving, at work.

• John journey and why he founded the Salary Coach
• The #1 reason people don’t want to talk about pay
• Why you should negotiate: The importance of thinking about lifetime earnings
• John’s hard truth: The top mindset mistake people make in negotiating their salary offer
• Practical Tip #1: How to make sure you don’t become your own worst enemy
• The biggest misunderstanding people have about negotiations
• “Ultimatum heavy strategies introduce a lot of risk”
• Practical Tip #2 on making Counteroffers: What to say so you don’t put your offer at risk
• Ask the right questions and offer multiple choice options to explore what is possible
• “Negotiation is a process, not an event”
• Got handed a lowball offer? You probably made this mistake early in the hiring process
• Use a range: John’s silver bullet on how to respond when you are asked “What’s your salary expectation?”
• How to gather the best data point on what you are worth that companies cannot argue with
• Practical Tip #3: Focus on total compensation to improve your negotiation result
• John on using “gentle leverage”: use it like a pry bar, not like a sledgehammer
• Gender differences in negotiations
• Negotiation as a way to build your reputation and relationships as you enter a company – not as a way that put things at risk
• Showing a path to yes by giving people a reason to adjust to you
• How John and his clients use AI to help with interviewing and negotiating
• Repeat: Never accept the first offer!
• Reaching John and the Salary Coach Academy

BIO AND LINKS:

John Gates is founder of Salary Coach, where he helps C-suite executives and senior leaders negotiate higher compensation packages without risking their job offers or future relationships. John’s unique approach, born from his extensive experience in corporate recruiting, consistently helps his clients secure 10-20% more in their pay packages, even in challenging job markets. He is the author of Act Your Wage, and brings decades of experience as a global HR and recruiting director with Fortune 500 companies.

• John’s Website: https://salary.coach/
• John’s Salary Coach academy: www.salarycoachacademy.com
• His book, Act Your Wage: https://a.co/d/5WKSo40
• John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johngates-salarycoach/
• Reaching John via e-mail: John@Salary.coach
• Michael’s award-winning book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

SHOW NOTES:

There’s substantial evidence (just look at most of our leaders and politicians today) that humble people DON’T rise – even though research shows they are more effective leaders. Can you be humble and still get ahead, and still get big things done? In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth speaks to David Harris at Vista Equity Partners about how being “humble and hungry” has propelled his rise in the investment world – and furthers his impact. Beyond being a sponge that is continually learning, David shares how he built a powerful network that opened doors, cultivated and benefitted from diverse mentors, and leveraged and created opportunities that serves larger goals. Memorable and insightful, David will make you think deeply about what it truly takes to earn your seat at the table -- and the critical steps you need to add to your playbook to get there.

• David and Michael were born and raised to be mortal enemies: An attempt to deal with their differences.
• At age 6, why David said he wanted to become a manager at McDonald’s when he grew up.
• David and the US Air Force Academy: “the reason you come is different than the reason you stay”
• Is private equity about “serving”? How David sees it.
• His start in investing began with a terrible LinkedIn profile
• “Reaching out to someone like you:” the huge impact of Christian Evans, and how David reached out to him
• The power of the mindset: “Humble and Hungry”
• Connecting with Kneeland Youngblood: doing his homework and landing the 60-day summer work at Pharos Capital
• Keys to David’s networking: Everyone gets the need to do secondary and tertiary research -- but few people go deeper to create a memorable first impression.
• Have you ever been in “LinkedIn jail?” and how to flood the market.
• Planning ahead: Meeting Michael Milken and benefitting from Riordan, MLT, and Tiogo to build a strong network and receive mentoring to accelerate his path into finance
• The importance of making lifelong connections to institutions
• David gives back, and forms “The Club” that helps Air Force grads get into top MBA programs
• How power comes when you become a “known quantity”
• Creating virtuous circles: giving leads to getting
• How David stays grounded and humble? Insight from 3 football coaches, and his wise girlfriend.
• Why David has little to no social media presence.
• Lightning round: David’s top influences, a non-business book recommendation, and the one place and one dish he has yet to learn how to make
• The one question I didn’t ask: managing the family divide in the OU – UT rivalry.
• How to connect with David Harris

BIO AND LINKS:

David Harris is a software investor at Vista Equity Partners, one the world’s largest private equity firms with more than $100 billion in assets under management. Prior to joining Vista, David worked at Blackstone in the Tactical Opportunities Group, managed a $250 million satellite software portfolio that supported 8,000 users at the National Reconnaissance Office, and led a 30-person team with strategic oversight of the $7.3 billion development phase as Program Manager supporting the U.S. Department of Defense’s Nuclear Cruise Missile. In his first role in finance, David was a summer analyst at Pharos Capita. David is member of the Milken Institute Young Leaders Circle and an active member of Management Leadership for Tomorrow. Originally from Dallas, Texas, USA, David is an avid Cowboys fan. He graduated from the US Air Force Academy and the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

• David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-harris-aa401912b/
• Vista Equity Partners: https://www.vistaequitypartners.com
• The Cowboys-Eagles rivalry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboys–Eagles_rivalry
• Christian Evans: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cevans2008/
• Kneeland Youngblood, Founding Partner, Chairmana & CEO at Pharos Capital Group: https://www.pharosfunds.com/kneeland-youngblood.php
• How to network with powerful people (HBR article): https://changwenderoth.com/articles/
• Milken Institute Young Leaders Circle: https://milkeninstitute.org/partner/young-leaders-circle
• Management Leader for Tomorrow (MLT): https://mlt.org
• Toigo Foundation: https://toigofoundation.org/education/mba-program/
• Coach Candace Tumey at MLT: https://mlt.org/mba-prep/coach-candace-headshot-circle/
• Dr. Wale Lawal, Co-Founder at MesaQuantum: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wale-bumaye-lawal-phd/
• Having a co-pilot: A Chief Pilot’s Insight, interview with Tenille Cromwell on 97% Effective: https://tinyurl.com/ypj99pmt
• David featured in Poets & Quants: From Football to the Military to an MBA at Stanford: https://tinyurl.com/5br498k6
• David interviewed on For the Zoomies: From the Air Force to Finance: https://tinyurl.com/4t8xpt3t
• Michael’s award-winning book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.com

SHOW NOTES:

Brace Yourself! Dr. Gary McGrath, leadership guru, gets rid of bad bosses. In this continuation episode of 97% Effective, Michael and Dr. Gary walk through how he coaches a bad boss and all the stakeholders around them: their reports, peers, and even the boss of the bad boss. If you have a bad leader working for you, next to you, above you – or want to ensure you don't become one, then listen in. A coach consultant, Dr. Gary is the CEO of Statarius, a leadership development firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.

• If humility is such an important leadership trait, why are most leaders anything but?
• Dr. Gary on “the invisibility of leadership”: The public persona of a CEO vs the real human you don’t see behind the scenes
• Are horrible geniuses a model?
• Leadership as a responsibility, not a position
• What Dr Gary means when he says “I get rid of bad bosses”
• Are you happy as a manager or leader?
• Coaching the bad boss who thinks they are great: 360s and other techniques to uncover blind spots
• When the CEO brings in a Coach to work with a troubled employee: Are they avoiding doing their job?
• How waiting to make people decisions can harm the entire organization
• The important 3-way conversation: “The Coach is here to coach you up -- or out”
• Write your mission statement and then ask yourself if you are in the right job
• Should a coach give advice? Be clear on the type of coach you are – or need
• Dr. Gary on being “kind but not gentle” and how he channels Mrs. Doubtfire
• Coaching the peers who have to work with the bad boss
• Relationship Building 101: “I don’t like this man very much.. I need to get to know him better.”
• 3 key relationships and how to use them: Coaches, mentors and sponsors
• Go have lunch and ask, “How can we win together?”
• Coaching the direct report who works for the bad boss
• Know the difference: Are you suffering or struggling?
• How to better assess which people should be developed into leaders
• Counterintuitive insight: Why promoting average people, not superstars, is a better approach
• Reaching Dr Gary and his Statarians

BIO AND LINKS:

Dr. Gary McGrath is the CEO of Statarius, a leadership development firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. After serving as an officer in the U. S. Army, he went on to a 40-year business career in manufacturing, information technology, and marketing with Fortune 500 companies and technology startups. Dr. Gary is the author of the CEO’s Journey: The Seven Steps of Intentional Leadership. He holds degrees in engineering from the University of Connecticut and a doctorate of business administration in marketing and leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

• Dr. Gary on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drgarymcgrath/
• Statarius: https://statarius.com (or call them at +1 919-632-3235)
• Reach Dr. Gary vs email: gary [at] statarius.com
• His Book: The 7 Steps of Intentional Leadership: https://statarius.com/resources/
• Dr. Gary interviews Michael, on Leading from the Front: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5cB4BNrYcSRuOiNU9Udtmq?si=28c8741cfb75428d
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.com

SHOW NOTES:

Less than 2 out of every 100 dollars invested in venture capital goes to women and minority-owned startups. Leesa Soulodre, Founder and GP at R3i Capital, shares her experience transforming the world’s most promising deep tech companies by accelerating their growth. We discuss her views on elevating women in entrepreneurship and investment, her “Aussie” traits that have propelled her – and address practical steps to leveling the playing field within venture capital.

• “In my veins since I could walk” that led to filling a missing middle
• Providing an active service to combat “vulture” capital
• Helping founders connect to smart capital
• Give before you get to remove informational asymmetries: Leesa’s competitive advantage
• Turning venture capital on its head
• Surround yourself by others with strengths you don't have
• Women breaking into venture capital
• How to be a giver and not get taken advantage of
• “Always be a risk manager”
• 3 sources of information you need for success
• Practical steps to building trust
• Vulnerability vs stupidity
• Utilizing the digital environment to understand your founders
• Triangulate: How to detect BS in a venture firm

BIO AND LINKS:

Leesa Soulodre is the Founder and General Partner at R3i Capital, a venture capital firm that accelerates the growth of deep tech companies. She is a strong advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and a power player that harnesses her affiliations, network and platforms to level the playing field for female founders. A globe-trotting super-connector and community builder, Leesa advises, educates, speaks, and writes on investing, technology, and the new economy. She is Clinical Professor of Practice at SMU Cox School and lecturer at dozens of elite forums and institutions, including Singapore Management University and IE Business School.

• R3i Company website: https://www.r3icapital.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leesasoulodre/
• Personal website: https://www.leesasoulodre.co
• Coolwater Capital (Accelerator) website: https://pitchbook.com/profiles/investor/495841-42#analytics
• Women in VC website: https://www.women-vc.com/
• Adam Grant’s research on givers: https://hbr.org/2013/04/in-the-company-of-givers-and-takers
• She Loves Tech: https://www.shelovestech.org/
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3
•  

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.com

 SHOW NOTES:

Camiel Gielkens is CEO of Relevance, the Learning Company. In our “no question is off limits” interview, Camiel shares his personal path to the CEO suite and the top trends affecting employees today. We explore how he shifted his view on power so he could truly excel, have more impact, and lead others to achieve even more than they imagine is possible.

• How a personal illness shapes his outlook
• The critical question he asked himself that helped him excel
• Why he left a successful career in Europe and moved to China, and what he gained from that – and still uses in his CEO position
• How being curious ensures that he communicates with impact -- and fuels his networking
• On personal branding: Why he’s been repeating the same two words “strategy and people” for the past decade+
• How getting burned with a previous boss made him to change his approach with people in power
• “There’s no reason to be there all the time” - How a past conversation with Michael transformed how he leads as CEO
• The two big trends most affecting organizations today
• How collaborating (versus building it all yourself) is critical for companies and people, if they wish to stay relevant and make impact
• “Touching the heart” – linking to other people’s desires, pains and emotions to help you get ahead
• How women and underrepresented groups can benefit from reframing how they think about power
• How aggression should be part of every leader’s toolbox – and how he used it purposefully at Relevance to push the team during the pandemic
• Balancing “being pushy” vs. “being a servant”
• The importance of keeping your end-goal in mind
• Camiel becomes the interviewer: asks Michael the top trend he sees in his executive coaching practice

BIO AND LINKS:

Camiel Gielkens is CEO of Schouten & Nelissen, a global learning and development powerhouse based in the Netherlands, and CEO of Relevance, their new brand. He ascended to the CEO role in 2018, after running their China and Asia Pacific divisions. Camiel holds degrees from Fontys University and Nyenrode Business University.

• Camiel’s Email: camiel.gielkens [at] schoutenglobal.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camiel-gielkens-a651a6/
• Relevance Learning (a Schouten Global company): https://www.relevancelearning.com
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.com

SHOW NOTES:

A whopping 60% of executives fail in the first 18 months of their new roles. In this episode, I speak to Ron Carucci, Managing Partner at Navalent and global leadership thought leader who has spent 30 years helping executives tackle leadership challenges. We cover his research on the four areas that senior executives must master to successfully lead. Don't take an executive position without having listened to this podcast!

•  Ron’s early career naiveté
• Definition of success used in his research
• The biggest shock from his research
• Where the leadership industry falls short
• What inspired Rising to Power? A tragedy
• Profoundly disturbing findings of his 10-year study
• The 4 skills that differentiate the most successful executives
• Findings about women leaders
• Why many DEI efforts are failing
• Boundary work when you’re on the Jumbotron
• X-ray and diagnosis of your organization
• Authenticity or stupidity
• Litmus test to know if you are crossing the line
• You can’t alter reality
• Thick skin … or who thinned your skin?
• Prepare, and start now!
• Rehearsing for the future

BIO AND LINKS:

Ron Carucci, Managing Partner and Co-founder of Navalent, brings a 30-year track record helping CEOs and executives tackle the toughest leadership challenges. He is the author of eight books, a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, and a highly sought-after speaker.

•  Navalent: Ron Carucci - Navalent
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roncarucci/
• Twitter: @RonCarucci
• Ron’s book: Rising to Power: The Journey of Exceptional Executives
• What Ron’s research study revealed about women leaders
• Barbara Kellerman’s book: The End of Leadership
• Michael’s Power Map tool that Ron references: Power Map Tool
• Ron’s HBR Article: How Leaders Should Handle Public Criticism
• Navalent’s online courses: https://www.navalent.com/online-leadership-courses/
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3b

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.com

Previously on 97% Effective, Professor Margaret Ann Neale from Stanford discussed the core ideas from her must-have book on negotiation, Getting (More of) What You Want. But in the example we used, one of Michael’s clients who was negotiating a promotion, we left out one very important fact: The client was a woman. In this continuation episode, Maggie clarifies how gender influences negotiation and how women can negotiate more effectively. We discuss techniques for approaching negotiation as a woman, the influence of intersectionality within the workplace and optimizing team performance.

SHOW NOTES:

• Why women need to negotiate differently
• Pairing one’s ask with a “communal concern for the other” -- collaborative problem solving
• Breaking the “women don’t ask” stereotype
• Women are 6x more likely to end in impasse than men: Keys to avoiding negotiation backlash
• Rethinking the term negotiation
• How men can also benefit
• Role of intersectionality within the negotiation
• Pay attention to all types of context
• Competence vs likeability paradox – the choice women have to make
• If you really need to be liked, then get one of these
• Finding emotional outlets outside of work
• Embrace the discomfort: Get comfortable with being uncomfortable
• Think about dissent as a gift: Stop prioritizing harmony over quality
• Tips on managing teams to get top performance
• Moving beyond the homogeneity of perspectives
• How to maximize value creation
• “Be an adult”
• Lightning round: Maggie’s horse, the accomplishment she is most proud of, the influence of economics on her book, “curves” in her life that have shaped her perspectives, and her new-found loves beyond academia

BIO AND LINKS:

Margaret Ann Neale is the Adams Distinguished Professor of Management, Emerita, at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Author of six books and more than 70 articles, she is a pioneer and influencer in the fields of negotiation, decision-making, and team performance. Neale's work has influenced academics, business professionals, and industry experts, who seek her advice on effective negotiation tactics, decision-making, and the role of diversity in team performance. In addition to her research and teaching, Neale has shaped Stanford's curriculum, established the school's behavioral lab, and fostered diversity and mentorship among junior faculty. She has also achieved several notable "firsts" at the school, including being the first woman to hold a tenured professor position, serve as an associate dean, and win the Davis Award for academic excellence and service.

• Link to previous episode with Maggie on 97% Effective: https://redcircle.com/shows/97-effective/episodes
• Maggie’s book and negotiation resource website: Getting (More of) What You Want: https://gettingmoreofwhatyouwant.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-a-neale-9a97833/
• Stanford faculty profile: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/faculty/margaret-neale
• Maggie’s research, The dynamics of gender and alternatives in negotiation: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2021-03654-001
• Maggie’s horse, Sal, in her TEDX talk: Lessons from my horse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTTtn0i_ZyA&ab_channel=TEDxTalks
• Maggie’s former doctoral student, Prof. Peter Belmi, now at Darden: interview on 97% Effective, “Social Class & Our Beliefs”: https://redcircle.com/shows/97-effective/ep/9bdfb7a3-ca49-43e4-9882-22fc38c542c0
• Former doctoral student, Prof. Jeffrey Polzer, at Harvard Business School: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=6627
• Former doctoral student, Jennifer Dannals, at Yale School of Management: https://som.yale.edu/faculty-research/faculty-directory/jennifer-dannals
• How Diversity Makes Us Smarter (article featuring her research): https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-diversity-makes-us-smarter/
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.com

SHOW NOTES:

Feel frustrated that classmates or peers at work seem to be operating from a rule book that you never got? Or are you beginning your career, and want to make sure you start it off right? Gorick Ng, Harvard career advisor and bestselling author, is on a mission to help first-generation students and professionals better navigate and accelerate their careers. We discuss his bestselling book, “The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right,” focusing on what you aren’t taught in school – and the critical things you need to know, and do, as you enter the workforce.

• The surprising genesis of his book and career: Helping his mom at 14… Why is life so hard?
• What powers him through his journey
• The value of sharing your personal story
• Owning your personal brand framework
• The surprising way that his book is being used
• What motivates the next generation.
• The invisible rubric that we’re evaluated against
• Your job at work: demonstrate and get into the green zone of “the 3Cs”
• The keys to propelling yourself at work, in an imperfect world: Self-help and collective help
• How much should you show your true self, how much do you “adapt”?
• “First close the knowing gap”
• Gorick and Michael reflect: What are best practices vs personal preferences?
• The #1 point you need to master early on -- managing your manager – and some practical tips to do that.
• Overcoming a cultural deference to authority, if that affects you
• How to speak up (or not) when you are not totally confident
• The Career Limiting Move of “self-rejection”
• Turning anxiety into confidence: Wisdom from the Simpsons
• Rethink “expertise”
• How to make sure someone doesn’t steal your work and get credit for it
• What it takes to succeed in the world of hybrid and remote work
• Getting to the center of gravity
• “Running two legs of the same relay race”: Gorick and Michael discuss the parallels in their books

BIO AND LINKS:

Gorick Ng helps first-generation professionals accelerate their careers. He is a Harvard career advisor, UC Berkeley faculty and author of the Wall Street Journal Bestseller, “The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right.” A first-generation college student from Canada, Gorick is a graduate of Harvard College and the Harvard Business School. Prior to becoming a best-selling author and keynote speaker, he worked in investment banking at Credit Suisse, as a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group, and on education policy with the Toronto School Board.

• Gorick’s Website: https://www.gorick.com
• The Unspoken Rules, his book: https://www.gorick.com/unspokenrules
• His online course: https://www.gorick.com/course
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gorick/
• The concept of “Covering”: https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/15/magazine/the-pressure-to-cover.html
• Catalyst Research on what it takes to get ahead: https://www.catalyst.org/research/the-myth-of-the-ideal-worker-does-doing-all-the-right-things-really-get-women-ahead/
• Global Leaders for Global Teams: Leaders with Multicultural Experiences Communicate and Lead More Effectively, Especially in Multinational Teams (Lu, Swaab, Galinsky): https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/abs/10.1287/orsc.2021.1480
• Marge Simpson wisdom on how to turn anxiety into confidence: https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/e5df5e6b-a19d-48c7-8caf-48e1c74071f7
• What Is Proximity Bias and How Can Leaders Prevent It? (HBR) https://hbr.org/2022/10/what-is-proximity-bias-and-how-can-managers-prevent-it
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.com

SHOW NOTES:

Jenny Fernandez, Chief Marketing Officer at Loacker, reflects on what her 20 years marketing multi-million-dollar brands – and advising startups – can teach us about managing our own career and brand. We discuss how to build relationships that will launch your career, guerrilla tactics for branding and ways to succeed after getting promoted.

• How three years in China impacted her career growth
• Why Jenny would have leaped into entrepreneurship earlier
• Building key relationships
• How women can convert mentors to sponsors
• The value of peer allies
• The power of positive collaboration
• Speak up and take control of the narrative
• Why leaders need to delegate work
• Elevate your own self-awareness and make a brand assessment
• Guerrilla tactics for branding
• How to handle being too busy
• Being successful after you get promoted
• Leading with vulnerability
• Why you should read her forthcoming book, “ZigZag to The Top”
• Leaving room for risk and exploration

 BIO AND LINKS:

Jenny Fernandez is the Chief Marketing Officer at Loacker and has spent 20 years marketing multi-million-dollar brands. She is an Executive and Team Coach, professor at Columbia Business School and NYU, Board Advisor to the American Marketing Association, and Board Chair of the Global Connected for Women Foundation. Jenny is the author of the forthcoming book,, “Zig-Zag to the Top – How to Master the Habits, Behaviors and Mindsets to Succeed”. Jenny holds a Bachelors in Applied Mathematics and Operations Research from Columbia University and a MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennymfernandez/
• Jenny’s talk at AMA: https://www.amanewyork.org/resources/personal-transformation/
• Robert Cialdini’s theory: Seven Principles of Persuasion
• HBR article: 3 Ways to Grow Your Influence in a New Job
• HBR article: 5 Relationships You Need to Build a Successful Career
• Fast Company article: POV: Yes, there are enough hours in a day—if you manage your time better
• HBR article: 3 Habits that May Derailing Your Career
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.com

SHOW NOTES:

What does it mean to be “Undeniable”? Stephen Childs, senior executive, thought leader and executive coach, is on a mission to help others achieve their ambitious goals and become the best versions of themselves. We discuss how he helped make Panasonic Automotive one of the most admired places to work – and break down “the work” you need to put in, if you want to land in the top 10%.

• Taking the worry out of the “success model”
• 1 thing that will surprise you about Stephen
• Why Panasonic allows Stephen to also work externally as a speaker and coach
• Where highly people want to come – and stay
• Why it’s a bad sign when your company gets you a coach, and what you should do instead
• Do this and you have already won
• Dealing with obstacles
• How coaching differs (vs training, mentors, rotations)
• How coaching creates accountability
• Parts of Executive Presence that most people overlook
• Changing "neural pathways": 65% people should first focus here
• 63, 90, and 1%
• It’s gotta be sticky and WTF!
• 10-year study on successful CEOs
• Why companies promote ineffective leaders
• How Stephen closed the gap when he realized he wasn’t qualified to do his job
• How to reach out: the quarterly goal Stephen sets for his direct reports
• DEI in action and “attracting what you operate to”
• Unintended consequences when you put in the work

BIO AND LINKS:

Stephen Childs is VP & CHRO at $8.5 billion leader Panasonic Automotive, where he has been instrumental in making it one of the most admired places to work. He is a highly acclaimed global keynote speaker and executive coach, certified at Columbia University, and is on a relentless mission to help others become Undeniable. A Global Talent Fellow at the Wharton School, member of the Forbes Human Resources Council, and two-time HR Executive of the year, Stephen is an alum of the University of Alabama.

• Stephen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenchildstalentmgt/
• Panasonic Automotive: https://automotive.panasonic.com/en
• Book Stephen to speak: https://speakerhub.com/speaker/stephen-childs
• Stephen’s Coaching Website: https://www.neuroexecutivecoaching.net
• Brooke Vuckovic’s model on Executive Presence: https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/executive-presence-how-to-develop-yours
• Dr. Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Why-We-Sleep/Matthew-Walker/9781501144325
• 63 days to create a habit (Dr. Caroline Leaf): https://drleaf.com/pages/about-dr-leaf
• Atomic Habits by James Clear: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits
• Stephen’s sticky “WTF” model: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/wtf-stephen-childs-gtml-/
• David Rock at the NeuroLeadership Institute: https://neuroleadership.com
• 10-year study: 4 Things that separate successful CEOs: https://hbr.org/2017/05/what-sets-successful-ceos-apart
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.com

 SHOW NOTES:

 At Leerink Partners, Sasha Kelemen runs an investment banking team unlike any other on Wall Street, specializing in women and family healthcare and technology. In this continuation episode, we discuss uncomfortable truths that women face in male-dominated industries: whether you need to act like a man to get ahead, how to respond when talked over or dismissed -- and why you shouldn't opt out without giving it a shot. Sasha shares strategies and examples on communicating and networking, building your brand and presence, and negotiation that will help you rise, lead – and elevate others.

• Hard work, smarts, ambition and being a sponge is essential – but the additional drivers you need to rise
• Physical brand and executive presence: “Firm specific awareness” and “looking the part”
• Do I need to act like a man to get ahead?
• Small elements and accents that make Sasha feel powerful and confident
• The surprising impact of wallpaper
• “Talking the talk” – the importance of first observing small details and norms
• Managing your Credibility: Apologizing, and the lesson she learned at Darden on raising your hand
• Ask questions
• What to do when others interrupt you
• Embracing the discomfort of confrontation
• Making a list and getting a sponsor
• Building relationships all boils down to this one thing
• An early mistake Sasha made networking – and how she mid-course corrected
• The move Sasha made that shocked her peers – but was a game changer
• Is it important to be liked?
• How you can augment your own relationship -- while also elevating others.
• Sasha on Negotiating: Make them tell you no
• Don’t opt out without trying to make it work
• On backlash: How to phrase requests, and what you should always keep in your back pocket
• Muscle memory, practice, and ways to increase one’s confidence
• Women and getting “admin work” – “the best defense is a good offense”
• Board and C-Suite placements, and ways to ensure you stay top of mind

BIO AND LINKS:

Sasha Kelemen in Head of Women and Family Healthcare Services and Technology Investment Banking at Leerink Partners, based in New York. She is deeply passionate about all thing digital health, smashing taboos and elevating women. Prior to Leerink, Sasha worked at Goldman Sachs (VP, Healthcare Investment Banking Group), and in media planning and buying. She holds a BA from Boston College, MBA from the University of Virginia, Darden School of Business, and was listed as Business Insider’s “30 under 40” list of leaders transforming healthcare. She resides in Scarsdale, New York, with her husband and two curious daughters. Michael and Sasha thank our mutual friend, Professor Peter Belmi at Darden, for connecting us.

• Sasha on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sasha-kelemen/
• Leerink Partners: https://www.leerink.com
• Sasha named to Business Insider’s “30 under 40” list of leaders transforming healthcare: https://www.businessinsider.com/30-leaders-under-40-changing-healthcare-2023
• Prof Peter Belmi on social class and building power (previous episode on 97% Effective): https://tinyurl.com/2xtrmryu
• The unintended consequence of using “hedging” language: https://hbr.org/1995/09/the-power-of-talk-who-gets-heard-and-why
• How women get backlash when negotiating (Research): https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2021-03654-001
• Why (and How) Women Need to Negotiate Differently (Interview with Stanford Professor Maggie Neale): https://tinyurl.com/yu2wudrt
• Power Posing: Where do we stand? https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/decade-power-posing-where-do-we-stand
• Why Women Volunteer for Tasks that Don’t Lead to Promotions: https://hbr.org/2018/07/why-women-olunteer-for-tasks-that-dont-lead-to-promotions
• How Women Can Say No to Office Work and Ensure Success in Professional Service Firms (Interview with Alison Temperley): https://tinyurl.com/4ubrr4mw
• How to Say NO to Office Work: https://hbr.org/2018/04/women-of-color-get-asked-to-do-more-office-housework-heres-how-they-can-say-no
• The No Club: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/may/09/they-feel-guilty-why-women-should-say-no-to-office-housework
• Former Women and Minorities to get Ahead, Managers Should Assign Work Fairly: https://hbr.org/2018/03/for-women-and-minorities-to-get-ahead-managers-must-assign-work-fairly
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.com

SHOW NOTES:

The C-suite – there’s a lot of storytelling about this world – but how do you rise there, survive and thrive there? Nihar Chhaya, Executive Coach for C-Suite Leaders and President of PartnerExec, shares his experience helping Fortune 50 executives do well for themselves, but also produce superior business and strategic outcomes. We peek under the hood of what most helps top executives -- from accepting criticism and changing behavior to managing life and work when it feels “everything, everywhere all at once.”

• How life in the C-Suite most resembles these two movies
• Common presenting issue for Nihar’s C-Suite clients
• Coaching… “the one business where the customer isn’t always right”
• Underlying need of C-Suite Leaders: recognizing blind spots
• Why you need a clear coaching contract
• Top interpersonal skill that deserves your attention
• Secret sauce to effectively reframing criticism
• Mini-master class on asking and framing questions so you can receive high-quality feedback
• Competition vs Collaboration: The Buddhist executive who had to deal with ambition and comparison
• Getting in touch with what is most important for you, and the balance between belonging and standing out in the C-Suite
• How to maintain high-quality feedback – honesty and accountability
• Importance of strategic vulnerability in leadership
• Pratfall effect: needing to be both vulnerable and competent
• Tension free feedback
• Connection between executive presence and awareness
• How to make your coach a secret weapon
• Rapid fire questions: Nihar’s biggest influence, Eagles or Cowboys, process over outcomes, and 2023 Oscar Predictions

BIO AND LINKS:

Nihar Chhaya, a Wharton, Columbia and Georgetown trained leadership expert, is President of PartnerExec, which helps leaders master influence. Nihar is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, Forbes and Fast Company. He’s also a Master Certified Coach by the ICF, and a Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches.

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niharchhaya/
• Nihar’s email: nihar@partnerexec.com
• Website: https://partnerexec.com/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/partnerexec?lang=en
• The Pratfall effect: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratfall_effect
• Nihar’s HBR article on managing competition with colleagues: The Upside of Career Envy
• Nihar’s article on feedback: How To Give Feedback People Actually Respond To
• Michael’s HBR article on Office Politics: https://hbr.org/2016/04/great-leaders-embrace-office-politics
• Nihar’s Ben Affleck article: Are You Evolving To Be Ready For The Next Chapter of Your Career?
• Nihar’s Will Smith article: Deconstructing 'Will'
• Adam Grant’s recent critique of the Myers-Briggs
• “Work as a masculinity contest”: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327626790_Work_as_a_Masculinity_Contest
• Wayne Dyer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Dyer
• 18 minutes of highlights from the GREATEST GAME ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW1xbhW2PEE
• Nihar and Michael pay homage to the amazing Dorie Clark: https://dorieclark.com/
• Process over outcomes, Steven Pressfield’s book: The War of Art
• Nihar’s Oscar prediction -- and film recommendation: To Leslie
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

In this engaging episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth sits down with Stefania 'Stef' Mancini, GM and VP of Product at Intuit Canada's Consumer Business. Stef shares why she left a fulfilling career in marketing and advertising, and the transformative steps she took at Intuit that enabled her and her team to achieve three years of unprecedented double-digit growth. We discuss how to take big risks; how to get people excited – even when you miss the mark; and the art of blending authenticity with corporate politics. Stef’s got advice for how women can lean in without losing their humanity, more than a few sports analogies -- and even some dark humor, sharing the wisdom gained when she thought about work on her death bed (it’s not what you think).

• Stef had a stellar career – but still wanted to do more
• Keys to finding the missing link between where she wanted to be and could be – and where she actually was
• “Sitting in stagnation [for me] was worse than failure”
• How Stef pursued and landed her job at Intuit (they move fast!)
• How Stef was able to build important relationships -- despite not meeting anyone in corporate or on her team in person for her first 18 months
• How Stef reconciled the dissonance of wanting to be be authentic and direct with “playing politics”
• Old Stef vs new Stef: how she went from pushing to be right -- to understand what success looks like for someone else
• Going about getting a mentor and sponsor (and the difference between the two)
• Getting a sponsor: luck of the draw or can you land one without a magical first connection?
• “Be a racehorse that can deliver”: the building block of being somone that top people will sponsor
• The benefits of checking in with no reason, using Slack to let people know you notice them
• Golf, baseball, formula one, and sports: what Stef means when she says “take big swings”
• “Take big risks fearlessly”: How Stef took a risk and strong stand that was unpopular
• Putting Canada on the map: Using a failure to unlock new insights and change the paradigm of what the company could do
• Stef’s view on how women can navigate challenges: “Don’t just walk away” but think about if changing your approach might yield a different response
• “If the idea of failure is not the thing that stops you, then everything is an experiment.”
• The impact of stage 4 cancer
• On her deathbed, Stef DID think about work (and how that provided clarity)
• Delivery is important, but how to package that up in a meaningful way
• How to get people excited, even when you miss the mark
• People want to support others – and work for others – that are driving change and making good things happen
• Executive Presence: how to bring energy and what most people are afraid to do
• How to pronounce Stefania? The hilarious story you will never forget
• Lightning round! Stef on what non-Canadians need to know about Canada; the next luminary she WILL meet; where to eat in Toronto; and what English lit we should all read
• Why it is critical that more women have a seat at the table, as AI shapes the next revolution

BIO AND LINKS:

Stefania Mancini is General Manager for Intuit Consumer Group Canada, overseeing all product, marketing and revenue generating activities for TurboTax and Credit Karma in Canada. Intuit Consumer Group Canada provides AI enabled technology solutions and professional expert services to help over 5 million Canadians power prosperity. Prior to joining Intuit Consumer Group Canada, Stefania spent two decades in leadership roles at Klick Health, Say Media, Rogers Media, BMO Financial Group and AGF Funds Inc. She holds her degree in English literature and history from the University of Toronto. Stef is a Stage IV cancer survivor and has an amazing blended family, four children, with her husband Anthony.

• Intuit Canada: https://www.intuit.com/ca/
• Stef on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefaniamancini/
• Stef featured on Women of Influence: https://tinyurl.com/3ryda7ws
• Stef named as Intuit Canada GM: https://strategyonline.ca/2023/05/18/in-brief-intuits-head-marketer-now-its-gm/
• Radical Candor concept: https://a.co/d/dXkgspD
• She recommends you read Alexander Pope: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/alexander-pope
• Michael’s book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

SHOW NOTES:

Do you subscribe to feel good stories that great leaders inspire and eat last? In this episode of 97% Effective, Executive Coach Michael Wenderoth challenges your views with three hard truths about effective leadership that are often overlooked. Michael highlights insights from distinguished guests— Chief Pilot Tenille Cromwell, Professor Don Moore of UC Berkeley, and Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer of Stanford. Tenille takes us into the cockpoint during a thunderstorm to emphasize the necessity for “absolute decision making” in critical situations. Don wants to expand leadership beyond inspirational speeches to include the less sexy work of designing systems that lead to better outcomes. And Jeffrey underscores the importance of maintaining one's position of power to effect change. Leadership is rougher and tougher than TED Talks make it out to be: Tune in for a candid conversation on what it truly takes to succeed and lead in your career.

• Hard truth #1: It’s not all about collaboration (lessons from Tenille Cromwell, Chief Pilot & former Navy Mission Commander)
• Descending into Bozeman when you can’t see the runway: “It’s not all ‘kumbaya’: There’s a time and place for absolute decision making”
• The #1 mistake is not leaders abusing power, but their failure to use it.
• Ask yourself: How might I be avoiding making hard decisions?
• Hard truth #2: Think beyond hearts and minds (insight from Professor Don Moore, Haas School of Business School, and author of Decision Leadership)
• Thinking beyond inspirational speeches
• Leadership is about influencing the behavior of others toward a desired outcome
• Ask yourself: How might I build systems to make it easy for people to choose wisely?
• Hard truth #3: “Keep your damn job” (Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer at Stanford, and author of 7 Rules of Power, on a leader’s first responsibility)
• If you lose your position or job, your ability to get stuff done will go way down
• Ask yourself: Am I paying sufficient attention to who and what keeps in my role?
• Summary and final thoughts

BIO AND LINKS:

Michael Wenderoth is an Executive Coach that helps executives re-examine their assumptions about power, politics, and authenticity to get promoted, become more effective at work, and break glass ceilings holding them back. Having served 20 years in senior roles with companies across the globe, and then 7 years as a professional coach, he has helped accelerated the careers of clients from diverse industries, backgrounds, and levels of seniority, helping them get ahead – without having to sell their souls in the process. Michael is the award-winning author of Get Promoted, host of the 97% Effective career acceleration podcast, and a frequent speaker and media contributor on career advancement, leadership and navigating power and politics. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Stanford Business School Executive Education and IE Business School, where he collaborates with renowned professors, coaches, executives and experts. Michael holds an MBA from Stanford and trained as an executive coach at Columbia University (3CP).

• Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchangwenderoth/
• Episode #42 - Tenille Cromwell, Chief Pilot and Former US Navy Mission Commander: A Chief Pilot's Insight: 4 Leadership Lessons To Help Your Career Take Off https://redcircle.com/shows/86fcd90d-083e-4af2-9bc8-6d52fb981ae1/ep/9462d482-32c2-43ac-8409-1dceffd5e645
• Episode #56 - Don Moore, Professor at the Haas School of Business: Expand your influence through “Decision Leadership” https://redcircle.com/shows/97-effective/ep/44d05e21-c339-4007-b823-d2b2f11f2f42
• Don’s book, Decision Leadership: https://a.co/d/3Lcn4lN
• Episode #65 – Jeffrey Pfeffer, Professor at Stanford: What Leaders Should Care About Most https://redcircle.com/shows/86fcd90d-083e-4af2-9bc8-6d52fb981ae1/ep/42e4bfe8-9ef5-4d26-bb21-4011cdb02450
• Jeff’s book: 7 Rules of Power: https://a.co/d/ixvdPby
• Michael’s book, Get Promoted: What You’re Really Missing at Work That’s Holding You Back: https://a.co/d/8s0pFVj
• Michael on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcwenderoth
• Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wenderoth.michael/
• NEW: 97% Effective, now on Youtube! https://tinyurl.com/bdz53mc5
• NEW: Get Promoted, now on Audiobook: https://tinyurl.com/mwf2s28y

In this episode of 97% Effective, Michael Wenderoth speaks with Axel Ohrstrom at Amazon Web Services about keys to starting your career off right, particularly in those first critical years right after college. We discuss what a high-impact contribution looks like in your job, the importance of volunteering on interesting projects, and how to continuously learn and grow. Axel shares how he builds key relationships when working remote, and how to build a team dynamic when you are not the manager. By the end of this episode, you’ll leave with fresh perspectives on important soft skills – and a deeper appreciation for how the next generation thoughtfully approaches the world of work.

SHOW NOTES:

• How Michael and Axel met: Was it the free pizza?
• Axel’s blunt view on early career advice he got: “Do your best on your resume and submit your application.”
• Ignoring the “Seniors only” sign
• Reframing office politics
• Addressing the elephant in the studio: What can I learn from a 26 year-old about career acceleration?
• Work hard, but don’t always keep your head down
• The critical first step: How do I even know what a high impact contribution is?
• Parsing priorities
• The importance of holding up your hand to work on interesting projects, particularly those that are in your manager’s sphere of influence
• “High impact work when you start your career is not the same thing as high impact work a year or two years in”: How to continuously develop yourself and rise to the expectations
• What’s the skill that will accelerate your learning path?
• Observations on how skills from studying remote apply (and don’t apply) to working remote
• Why Axel keeps his “camera on” as much as possible in meetings
• The power of self-reflection: Trace back what is driving a particular feeling, notice trends, but then act and try a few things
• Balancing learning applicable skills and what you’re interested in
• Effective ways to network when you are younger
• Get comfortable with rejection, but ways to increase your odds: find commonality, be short and sweet, and be open about what you are asking for
• Technology reduced the friction on reaching people, but make sure you do the research!
• Asking good questions
• What Michael did not ask: Axel shares important tips on building a team dynamic when you are not the manager, and as a remote employee
• The value of the 1-1 meeting (it’s not just a work check-in)
• The power of asking advice
• When there is no video or audio: Inject your personality and develop a voice on slack
• 6 resources that Axel recommends on starting your career off right
• Axel’s hobby re-selling limited edition sneakers

BIO AND LINKS:

Axel Ohrstrom works in Strategy & Operations at Amazon Web Services (AWS), which he joined straight out of college during the global pandemic. In his Sales Operations role, he focuses on program management and driving strategic priorities for the Worldwide Public Sector (WWPS) Group, and supports generative AI initiatives across AWS. Originally from Sweden, Axel holds a BA in Economics from Carleton College and has studied at the Stockholm School of Economics, and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth (Business Bridge Program). Passionate about democratizing AI, the gaming industry, and helping young professionals, Axel serves as Business Advisor to the Bronx Gaming Network and as a GRE Tutor.

• Axel on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/axel-ohrstrom/
• AWS: https://aws.amazon.com
• Carleton College, ranked #1 in undergraduate teaching in the USA (13 years in a row): https://www.carleton.edu/about/carleton-at-a-glance/
• Adam Grant’s book, Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World: https://a.co/d/1XvcH7q
• The Bronx Gaming Network: https://www.thebronxgamingnetwork.com
• Air, the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Euy4Yu6B3nU
• Gorick Ng on 97% Effective: What You’re Not Taught in School: https://tinyurl.com/mr43sbup
• Gorick Ng’s book, The Unspoken Rules: https://www.gorick.com/unspokenrules
• Michael Melcher on 97% Effective: Harnessing the Relationships That Will Transform Your Career: https://tinyurl.com/mwsf2hft
• Michael Melcher’s book, Your Invisible Network: https://michaelmelcher.com/yourinvisiblenetwork/
• Jeffrey Pfeffer on 97% Effective: Why Good People Need to Understand the Rules of Power: https://tinyurl.com/3y56bzcz
• Jeffrey Pfeffer’s book, 7 Rules of Power: https://jeffreypfeffer.com/books/7-rules-of-power/
• Matt Abraham’s podcast, Think Fast, Talk Smart: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast
• Charles Duhigg’s book, Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection: https://a.co/d/i4IXZMc
• David Brooks book, How to Know a Person: https://a.co/d/8VBKVdM
• Michael’s book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

In this episode of 97% Effective, Michael Wenderoth discusses with guest Helio Mosquim how you can deliver more impact and advance your career by creating new roles within your existing company. Helio, technology director at Vale in the Amazon region of Brazil, shares 3 keys that have powered his journey: serving a higher purpose, building strategic coalitions, and creating resources by leveraging executive education and coaching. He talks about going beyond your job description, focusing on goal convergence, and managing the “butterflies” and spotlight that come with taking risk.

SHOW NOTES:

• The underexamined strategy to advancement and greater impact: creating a new role in your company (vs displacing someone else or looking outside)
• Adapting and learning: A Brazilian teenager moves to Congerville, Illinois, USA (population 400), thanks to AFS.
• Helio’s latest career and life move, taking a role in the Amazon region of Brazil
• What innovation looks like in the mining sector at Vale: Green briquettes, AI + Telemetry to enhance truck driving, and predicting deforestation
• How Helio connects his work to serving a higher purpose
• Helio’s Key #1 on advancing by creating new roles: Have and Connect to Higher Purpose
• Going beyond your job description
• Why and how Helio left a global IT role to take a regional role in the Amazon
• “Building power is a combination of skill and will”
• Why it’s important to have a clear and bold aspiration
• Helio’s Key #2 on advancing by creating new roles: Create Strategic Coalitions with Shared Purpose
• Finding the sweet spot (goal convergence)
• Being clear, vocal and intentional about your goals – and the greater vision
• The importance of taking risks: How Helio proposed a new role in the Amazon to his boss and his boss’s boss
• “If you don’t have butterflies in your stomach, you are not challenging yourself.”
• The critical role of Adriana, Helio’s wife
• Is Helio a politician? The need for strong political skills
• Technology as a tool, a means to achieves an end
• Helio’s Key #3 to advance through creating new roles: Leverage learnings from Executive Education and Coaching
• How Helio leveraged Stanford executive education and his connections forged there to create a win-win-win that is helping startups in the Amazon ecosystem
• How to ensure you stay focused when you take on “extra work”
• Why Helio joined as an advisor at Coalition for Impact
• How systems thinking is essential
• How to make sure when you help others, you don’t get left behind
• How speaking, writing raised his profile 6 years ago, putting Helio in the spotlight
• “Get attraction rather than reaction”
• What Helio needed to unlearn
• What Helio learned from coaching: The importance of shifting from anxious to problem-solving mode.

BIO AND LINKS:

From the Silicon Valley to the jungles of Brazil’s Amazon region, Hélio Mosquim Jr. is a technology director for Vale SA, a global mining company. With more than 25 years of experience across multiple industries in Europe, Asia, and Americas, Helio is deeply passionate about creating positive change, transformation and results by empowering people and organizations through technology and innovation. Startup Mentor, Board advisor, he also co-founded Match4Action that works with CrowdDoing to address critical global challenges through a systems change approach. Helio holds a B.Sc in Business Administration, an MBA, and Executive Education in Leadership from IMD, and Corporate Innovation from Stanford GSB (LEAD).

• Helio on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heliomosquim/
• Profile on Helio in Stanford’s LEAD Executive Education : https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/exec-ed/difference/voices/helio-mosquim
• Match4Action: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/exec-ed/difference/leaders-accelerate-social-change-match4action
• CrowdDoing: https://www.crowddoing.world/
• AFS Intercultural Programs: https://afs.org
• Systems Thinking, explained: https://youtu.be/GPW0j2Bo_eY
• 2025 Global COP30 Summit taking place in Belem, Brazil: https://greeneconomicsinstitute.org.uk/cop30-belem-brazil-november-2024/
• Michael’s book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

SHOW NOTES:

Create powerful resources to elevate others, your causes – and yourself. In this episode of 97% Effective, Michael Wenderoth shares how three guests created resources to power their missions and themselves – and the critical lessons you can learn from them. We look at venture capitalist Leesa Soulodre, General Partner at R3i Capital, on the communities she has created to level the playing field for underrepresented global entrepreneurs; Joy Chen, CEO of the Multicultural Leadership Institute (MLI), on how “UAT” has benefited others and taken her to the top of three industries without ever applying for those jobs; and Jewel Love, Founder of Executive Black Men, who created a powerful professional network to help Black men crack the code in corporate America. You’ll leave this episode inspired. What powerful resources will you create?

• How most people give up their power
• Creating resources to build power and serve multiple goals
• Guest #1: Leesa Soulodre, General Parter at R3i Capital, on the power of creating community
• Ways that communities serve us: co-creation, belonging and making us smarter
• Create resources that provide unique value to others
• Guest #2: Joy Chen, CEO of the Multicultural Leadership Insitute (MLI), on the power of UAF (Useful Amazing Free)
• How a blog post catapulted her career
• Powerful resources get you invited
• Work at intersections that matter to become the “go to”
• Guest #3: Jewel Edward Love, CEO of Black Executive Men, on the power of creating a vetted network
• Powerful resources and platforms grow exponentially in value over time
• Lessons on how to create powerful resources
• Examples of resources created by Michael’s clients

BIO AND LINKS:

Michael Wenderoth is an Executive Coach that helps executives re-examine their assumptions about power, politics, and authenticity to get promoted, become more effective at work, and break glass ceilings holding them back. Having served 20 years in senior roles with companies across the globe, and then 7 years as a professional coach, he has helped accelerated the careers of clients from diverse industries, backgrounds, and levels of seniority, helping them get ahead – without having to sell their souls in the process. Michael is the award-winning author of Get Promoted, host of the 97% Effective career acceleration podcast, and a frequent speaker and media contributor on career advancement, leadership and navigating power and politics. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Stanford Business School Executive Education and IE Business School, where he collaborates with renowned professors, coaches, executives and experts. Michael holds an MBA from Stanford and trained as an executive coach at Columbia University (3CP).

• Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchangwenderoth/
• Episode #45 - Leesa Soulodre, Founder and General Partner at R3i Capital: Community & The Working Mother Advantage: The Rise of Women in VC - https://redcircle.com/shows/86fcd90d-083e-4af2-9bc8-6d52fb981ae1/ep/d449d27e-ea2b-4bad-b28f-5d43fa5586ce
• Episode #40 - Joy Chen, CEO at the Multicultural Leadership Institute: How "UAF" Can Increase Your Influence and Shatter Glass Ceilings - https://redcircle.com/shows/86fcd90d-083e-4af2-9bc8-6d52fb981ae1/ep/226d8209-d2db-4abb-b5a2-a1662454f725
• Episode #27 - Jewel Edward Love, Jr, Founder at Black Executive Men: Cracking the Code for Black Men in Corporate America - https://redcircle.com/shows/86fcd90d-083e-4af2-9bc8-6d52fb981ae1/ep/1dd24514-0311-4d09-9caa-4c3a819178cc
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3
• Michael on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcwenderoth
• Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wenderoth.michael/
• NEW: 97% Effective, now on Youtube! https://tinyurl.com/bdz53mc5
• NEW: Get Promoted, now on Audiobook: https://tinyurl.com/mwf2s28y

SHOW NOTES:

Frustrated with your boss or others at work? Conflict is inevitable in organizations, so if you wish to rise or get things done, you need to understand how to make critical relationships work. In this episode of 97% Effective, Michael Wenderoth shares practical tips on how to “REFRAME and RESET” to manage conflict and make relationships work. He highlights insight from Nihar Chhaya, President at Partner Exec, on how to get into a nonjudgmental space; Dr. Gary McGrath, CEO of Statarius, on the counterintuitive way to deal with those who challenge us; and L Bonita Patterson, CEO of Polaris, on managing your emotions. He ends on de-personalizing conflict and employing redirection as powerful strategies for resetting relationships.

• The need to make key relationships work
• Why conflict is inevitable in organizations
• Are you part of the problem?
• “Reframe and Reset”
• Tip #1, from Nihar Chhaya, President at Partner Exec: How to get into a nonjudgmental space
• How is what you are currently doing working for you?
• Tip #2, from Dr. Gary McGrath, CEO at Statarius: The counterintuitive way of dealing with people that we are challenged by
• Ways to “get to know each other” and not take things personally
• What you need to know about your enemies
• The importance of getting into a curious mindset
• Yes, some relationships are toxic: realize when you are suffering versus when you are struggling
• Tip #3, from L Bonita Patterson, CEO of Polaris Consulting: The role of emotions and how to manage them
• The importance of getting to a place of emotional neutrality
• The power of de-personalizing and re-direction to reset relationships

BIO AND LINKS:

Michael Wenderoth is an Executive Coach that helps executives re-examine their assumptions about power, politics, and authenticity to get promoted, become more effective at work, and break glass ceilings holding them back. Having served 20 years in senior roles with companies across the globe, and then 7 years as a professional coach, he has helped accelerated the careers of clients from diverse industries, backgrounds, and levels of seniority, helping them get ahead – without having to sell their souls in the process. Michael is the award-winning author of Get Promoted, host of the 97% Effective career acceleration podcast, and a frequent speaker and media contributor on career advancement, leadership and navigating power and politics. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Stanford Business School Executive Education and IE Business School, where he collaborates with renowned professors, coaches, executives and experts. Michael holds an MBA from Stanford and trained as an executive coach at Columbia University (3CP).

• Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchangwenderoth/
• Episode #33 - Nihar Chhaya, Executive Coach for C-Suite Leaders: How To Navigate “Everything, Everywhere All At Once”https://redcircle.com/shows/86fcd90d-083e-4af2-9bc8-6d52fb981ae1/ep/a8c3ce1e-064d-4938-91cf-e9f46d8e0f52
• Episode #77 – Dr. Gary McGrath, CEO at Statarius –From Toxic to Terrific: Turning bad bosses into great leaders https://redcircle.com/shows/86fcd90d-083e-4af2-9bc8-6d52fb981ae1/ep/9bc185b0-fb84-444a-ba8f-d01200331d50
• Episode #3 – L Bonita Patterson, CEO of Polaris: Communicating When Things Heat Up https://redcircle.com/shows/86fcd90d-083e-4af2-9bc8-6d52fb981ae1/ep/b8e13139-f2cc-49e1-9b01-427b37dd00b4
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3
• Michael on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcwenderoth
• Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wenderoth.michael/
• NEW: 97% Effective, now on Youtube! https://tinyurl.com/bdz53mc5
• NEW: Get Promoted, now on Audiobook: https://tinyurl.com/mwf2s28y

SHOW NOTES:

Being transparent and vulnerable at work can create safe spaces, trust – and deeper relationships. BUT BE WARNED: doing so can also bite you on the butt -- and send your career backwards. In this episode of 97% Effective, Michael discusses how to be smart and strategic about how much you disclose at work. He covers insights and practical advice from distinguished guests: Professor Peter Belmi at the University of Virginia, on leading with vulnerability; Maria Incontrera, social media and thought leader consultant, on “curated transparency”; and CEO Coach Celine Teoh, on the “15% rule” and how she helps top executives apply it. You’ll leave this episode with a sharp, nuanced view – and practical tips - on vulnerability.

• Why you need to be careful about being authentic, transparent and vulnerable at work
• Correcting misconceptions about vulnerability and disclosure
• Insight #1: Professor Peter Belmi on “being situationally appropriate”
• Tactics to create influence
• Power up or power down
• What does the situation call for – and others need to see or feel?
• Warmth vs Confidence: Would you be more likely to work with a competent jerk or a lovable fool?
• Insight #2: Marie Incontrera on how much should you share about yourself online
• Sharing builds trust
• Curate your transparency: “We all edit”
• What are you choosing not to share?
• Insight #3: Celine Teoh, CEO Coach, on the 15% rule developed by Carole Robin
• Your comfort zone as a set of concentric circles: Where does growth occur?
• What might baby steps look like for you?
• Take smart risks, so you don’t sink yourself

BIO AND LINKS:

Michael Wenderoth is an Executive Coach that helps executives re-examine their assumptions about power, politics, and authenticity to get promoted, become more effective at work, and break glass ceilings holding them back. Having served 20 years in senior roles with companies across the globe, and then 7 years as a professional coach, he has helped accelerated the careers of clients from diverse industries, backgrounds, and levels of seniority, helping them get ahead – without having to sell their souls in the process. Michael is the award-winning author of Get Promoted, host of the 97% Effective career acceleration podcast, and a frequent speaker and media contributor on career advancement, leadership and navigating power and politics. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Stanford Business School Executive Education and IE Business School, where he collaborates with renowned professors, coaches, executives and experts. Michael holds an MBA from Stanford and trained as an executive coach at Columbia University (3CP).

• Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchangwenderoth/
• Research (Leadership Quarterly): “Warning for excessive positivity: Authentic leadership and other traps in leadership studies” https://tinyurl.com/4ndw3ypc
• Episode# 5 – Peter Belmi, Professor at University of Virginia: Social Class & Our Beliefs – How they affect our Path to Power - https://tinyurl.com/2xtrmryu
• The concept of “powering-up” and “powering-down” – from Professor Deborah Gruenfeld, in her book, Acting with Power: https://a.co/d/eC5gxVX
• When people would rather work with competent jerks than likeable fools. Research (Belmi and Pfeffer): https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-17089-001
• Episode# 6 - Marie Incontrera, CEO of Incontrera Consulting: Why A Strong Digital Presence Matters: https://tinyurl.com/52rsn39b
• “4 Things to Ask Before You Share Your Personal Life at Work” (Dorie Clark): https://tinyurl.com/dx6bzda4
• Episode #14 - Celine Teoh, CEO Coach: Harnessing small signals, vulnerability, and conflict: https://tinyurl.com/48y9fxp3
• The Schwarzman Scholars: https://www.schwarzmanscholars.org
• Carole Robin’s Book, Connect: https://a.co/d/9rL96VG
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3
• Michael on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcwenderoth
• Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wenderoth.michael/
• NEW: 97% Effective, now on Youtube! https://tinyurl.com/bdz53mc5
• NEW: Get Promoted, now on Audiobook: https://tinyurl.com/mwf2s28y

SHOW NOTES:

Do you find it challenging to secure a sponsor at work – or deal with a difficult colleague? Many times we’re told to “go build a relationship,” but it’s not really clear what that means or how to do that. In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth shares the counterintuitive yet powerful strategy of seeking advice to overcome workplace challenges and advance your career. He shares four diverse situations where seeking advice has benefited his clients -- seeking a mentor, aiming for a promotion, gaining support for a proposal, and converting an adversary into an ally – and three pitfalls to avoid. By the end of this episode, you’ll understand the underlying social science of why seeking advice is so powerful, and how to put that in practice thoughtfully, effectively, and efficiently, so you get the people part right at work.

• Two reasons why you need to open doors and build relationships with people at work
• Why seeking advice feels counterintuitive – but is powerful and highly beneficial
• Four situations where seeking advice pays huge dividends
• Situation #1: When Sam sought a mentor or sponsor
• What’s wrong with “Let’s catch up for coffee” and “Can I pick your brain”
• Situation #2: When Dave sought clarity on the path to promotion
• The important of getting your boss’s perspective
• Situation #3: When Jack sought support for his proposal
• The “meeting before the meeting” to build allies and avoid surprises
• Situation #4: When Alex turned an adversary into an ally
• Ways to seek advice from someone you probably detest
• Three mistakes to avoid when asking advice

BIO AND LINKS:

Michael Wenderoth is an Executive Coach that helps executives re-examine their assumptions about power, politics, and authenticity to get promoted, become more effective at work, and break glass ceilings holding them back. Having served 20 years in senior roles with companies across the globe, and then 7 years as a professional coach, he has helped accelerated the careers of clients from diverse industries, backgrounds, and levels of seniority, helping them get ahead – without having to sell their souls in the process. Michael is the award-winning author of Get Promoted, host of the 97% Effective career acceleration podcast, and a frequent speaker and media contributor on career advancement, leadership and navigating power and politics. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Stanford Business School Executive Education and IE Business School, where he collaborates with renowned professors, coaches, executives and experts. Michael holds an MBA from Stanford and trained as an executive coach at Columbia University (3CP).

• Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchangwenderoth/
• How seeking advice is critical to getting a promotion: https://hbr.org/2022/10/how-to-get-your-first-promotion
• Research: Why Seeking Advice Boosts Perceptions of Confidence https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=47824
• Research: Why Seeking Advice Rather Than Feedback Yields More Developmental, Critical and Actionable Input https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=56638
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3
• Michael on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcwenderoth
• Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wenderoth.michael/
• NEW: 97% Effective, now on Youtube! https://tinyurl.com/bdz53mc5
• Get Promoted, now on Audiobook: https://tinyurl.com/mwf2s28y

SHOW NOTES:

In this episode of 97 Percent Effective, host Michael Wenderoth explores the essential role of adopting structure to boost your communication and advance in your career. He shares three pratical tips: how to start conversations powerfully, organize your thoughts around a proven template, and express ideas concisely in a list of three. He highlights the insightful and memorable advice of Chris Fenning (Author, The First Minute), Phillip Mohabir (CEO, Vivosurgery) and Samia Qamar (Director People, S&P Global Pakistan). Adopt these three techniques and you’ll improve the efficiency, effectivemness and clarity in your communications – widely viewed as the #1 ranked leadership trait.

• Why structure will boost your communication skills and elevate you at work
• Are great communicators born, and is communication more art or science?
• How structuring your communications makes it easier for others to retain the message – and makes it easier for you to assemble it
• What good is it to have great ideas if people don’t understand them?
• Structure introduces constraints, which can fuel creativity - not suppress it
• Structure Tip #1: How to Start the First Minute (from Chris Fenning, Author and Communications Trainer)
• “Context – Intent – Key Message”
• It’s about being concise, not being blunt
• Structure Tip #2: Adopt Templates
• Structure Tip #3: Use a List of 3
• “Think in paragraphs but speak in bullets” – Advice from Phillip Mohabir, CEO of Vivosurgey, on lessons working in Investor Relations
• Why it’s important to be sharp and on point with senior leaders
• “I stopped giving second order details” -- How feedback on Samia Qamar’s communication led her to make this one change that dramatically improved how she was received and perceived
• What are the needs and perceptions of others?
• Embracing structure to improve your communications and leadership ratings

BIO AND LINKS:

Michael Wenderoth is an Executive Coach that helps executives re-examine their assumptions about power, politics, and authenticity to get promoted, become more effective at work, and break glass ceilings holding them back. Having served 20 years in senior roles with companies across the globe, and then 7 years as a professional coach, he has helped accelerated the careers of clients from diverse industries, backgrounds, and levels of seniority, helping them get ahead – without having to sell their souls in the process. Michael is the award-winning author of Get Promoted, host of the 97% Effective career acceleration podcast, and a frequent speaker and media contributor on career advancement, leadership and navigating power and politics. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Stanford Business School Executive Education and IE Business School, where he collaborates with renowned professors, coaches, executives and experts. Michael holds an MBA from Stanford and trained as an executive coach at Columbia University (3CP).

• Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchangwenderoth/
• How Constraints can move us forward (Forbes article): https://tinyurl.com/57xxzj6e
• “Creativity comes from limits, not freedom” (NPR Interview with Jon Stewart): https://tinyurl.com/mtj3uwnv
• Episode #4 – Chris Fenning, Award-winning Author: How to Start Conversations That Get Results https://tinyurl.com/46555wxz
• Episode #24 – Phillip Mohabir, CEO of Vivosurgey: Take Action and Make Bold Moves https://tinyurl.com/ezhb87kn
• Episode #59 – Samia Qamar, Director People (S&P Global Pakistan) – The Keys to Your Rise https://tinyurl.com/ycxfdwy7
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3
• Michael on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcwenderoth
• Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wenderoth.michael/
• NEW: 97% Effective, now on Youtube! https://tinyurl.com/bdz53mc5
• Get Promoted, now on Audiobook: https://tinyurl.com/mwf2s28y

SHOW NOTES:

Have you ever been told “You just don’t show up like a leader”? Or have you ever felt or said that about someone else? In this short episode of 97% Effective, Michael Wenderoth shares three ways to powerfully elevate your presence and communication, drawing from his conversations with experts from the world of acting: past guests Chip Davis, Richard Newman and Tamzin Townsend. Their insights and tips will have you rethink acting, authenticity, and what brings energy. Spoiler alert: The key to increasing your presence is not about the content of what you say, it’s all about how you say it (mindset, body language and tone) – and what others take away. Apply these three tips and you’ll be well on your way to increasing your leadership and communication ratings, areas that are critical to getting promoted and increasing your impact.

• Why your presence and communications matters so much at work.
• Hard truth: How you say it is more important than the actual content.
• Lessons from past guests, leaders from the world of acting and the dramatic arts.
• Insight #1: from Chip Davis, Acting and Voice Coach: Embrace fear to avoid tension.
• “Leaders need to perform competence.”
• Insight #2 from Richard Newman, CEO of Body Talk: The power of body language (research findings).
• “Think about congruency, not authenticity” when it comes to what your audience sees in your body language.
• Insight #3 from Tamzin Townsend, Queen Midas of the Theater: The importance of tone to bring energy.
• “Our voice can do SO much …a lot of energy is in the voice.”
• The power of silence in a noisy world.
• Bottom Line: Spend less time on your content, and more time on how you’ll deliver it.
• 3 things to do when preparing your next communication.
• Resources and Next Steps. 

BIO AND LINKS:

Michael Wenderoth is an Executive Coach that helps executives re-examine their assumptions about power, politics, and authenticity to get promoted, become more effective at work, and break glass ceilings holding them back. Having served 20 years in senior roles with companies across the globe, and then 7 years as a professional coach, he has helped accelerated the careers of clients from diverse industries, backgrounds, and levels of seniority, helping them get ahead – without having to sell their souls in the process. Michael is the award-winning author of Get Promoted, host of the 97% Effective career acceleration podcast, and a frequent speaker and media contributor on career advancement, leadership and navigating power and politics. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Stanford Business School Executive Education and IE Business School, where he collaborates with renowned professors, coaches, executives and experts. Michael holds an MBA from Stanford and trained as an executive coach at Columbia University (3CP).

• NEW: 97% Effective, now on Youtube! https://tinyurl.com/bdz53mc5
• Get Promoted, now on Audiobook: https://tinyurl.com/mwf2s28y
• Episode #32 - Chip Davis, Voice and Acting Coach: Leaders Need to “Perform Competence” (and How To Do That): https://tinyurl.com/bdhenxyz
• Episode #75 - Richard Newman, Founder & CEO at Body Talk: How to Master Your Body Talk to Elevate Your Leadership: https://tinyurl.com/4fe365jt
• Episode #69 - Tamzin Townsend, Acclaimed Theatre Director & Communication Trainer: Harnessing the Power of Acting & Theatre in Professional Communications https://tinyurl.com/3av52v56
• The expression, “You can’t buff a turd” - https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/you_can%27t_polish_a_turd
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3
• Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchangwenderoth/
• Michael on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcwenderoth
• Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wenderoth.michael/

SHOW NOTES:

We’re often told, and believe: “What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There.” But that’s dangerous and often misguided! In this short episode of 97% Effective, Executive Coach Michael Wenderoth challenges the conventional wisdom that what got you to your current position won't help you progress further in your career. He discusses the importance of tapping into one's past experiences and successes to overcome work-related challenges and make significant career advancements. People, he reveals, often overlook their strengths and past achievements, which can be crucial in navigating work transitions and achieving career goals. Through four client examples – Dan, Jasmine, Rhonda and Keshav – Wenderoth shows how revisiting past strategies and strengths enabled each to break through career stagnation or obstacles. You’ll see how one's past experiences and successes hold valuable lessons and strategies that can be repurposed to meet current challenges and opportunities for growth. By the end of this episode, you’ll be rethinking the traditional advice -- and leave with 3 steps to more powerfully “Tap Your Past” to better navigate your career.

• The Misconception of “What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There” and how it gets dangerously misapplied.
• Don’t suppress or disregard past strengths, habits, sources of success – but do the opposite.
• TAP YOUR PAST: the counterintuitive process that helps you creatively “mine gold” that will power you forward through new challenges.
• How we get “stuck” at work, when our roles or situations change.
• Whole person coaching recognizes that clients are naturally creative and resourceful.
• Client example #1: Accelerating his network in his new company -- how Dan, bank director, resurrected his bold and proactive approach.
• Don't immediately kill off what has served you.
• Client example #2: Overcoming her shyness to be seen and and heard on the leadership team -- How Jasmine, finance leader, applied strategies she used when moving to a new country.
• Find similar situations in your past life or work to identify what helped you through them.
• Client example #3: Being told “you’re too young – you need more years in your current role” -- How Rhonda, sales director at a tech giant, applied her sales skills to overcome her company’s culture to only promote those with seniority.
• Apply your work expertise to better manage your career.
• Client example #4: From avoiding to embracing office politics -- How Keshav, VP at Light & Wonder, re-examined and reframed the problem.
• Get a new perspective by looking how you or your team solves similar challenges on work problems.
• To advance, examine and draw creative insights from your past habits, past life situations, past expertise.
• The 3 steps and powerful questions to “Tap Your Past.”

BIO AND LINKS:

Michael Wenderoth is an Executive Coach that helps executives re-examine their assumptions about power, politics, and authenticity to get promoted, become more effective at work, and break glass ceilings holding them back. Having served 20 years in senior roles with companies across the globe, and then 7 years as a professional coach, he has helped accelerated the careers of clients from diverse industries, backgrounds, and levels of seniority, helping them get ahead – without having to sell their souls in the process. Michael is the award-winning author of Get Promoted, host of the 97% Effective career acceleration podcast, and a frequent speaker and media contributor on career advancement, leadership and navigating power and politics. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Stanford Business School Executive Education and IE Business School, where he collaborates with renowned professors, coaches, executives and experts. Michael holds an MBA from Stanford and trained as an executive coach at Columbia University (3CP).

• Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchangwenderoth/
• NEW: 97% Effective, now on Youtube! https://tinyurl.com/bdz53mc5
• “The client is naturally creative and resourceful” – The Columbia University 3CP Coaching model: https://www.tc.columbia.edu/coachingcertification/faq/
• Keshav Pitani, VP of Light & Wonder, on 97% Effective: Overcoming Your Aversion to Office Politics” https://tinyurl.com/3mjxvbws
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3
• Michael on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcwenderoth
• Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wenderoth.michael/

SHOW NOTES:

If you have a hard time dealing with “office politics,” listen in. In this episode of 97% Effective, Michael Wenderoth shares three practical ways to help you reframe office politics, an area you must manage to survive and thrive in corporate life. We listen to how Camiel Gielkens, CEO at Relevance, learned from getting burned early in his career; how Executive Coach Raquel Gonzalez helps bright, rationale people navigate “arbitary social norms”; and how Keshav Pitani, VP at Light & Wonder, drew inspiration from game developers to overcome his aversion to office politics. We end with a bonus exercise to help you see office politics in a more positive light.

• The key to unlocking career success: reframing how you see and approach office politics
• Why are office politics unavoidable – and so important to navigate?
• A CEO’s insight: Tough lessons learned from ignoring office politics early in one’s career
• Office politics defined: “the mechanism by which conflicts get resolved”
• Reframe #1: “See office politics as an engineering problem”
• How to build abitrary social norms into your operating model
• Reframe #2: “Think like a game developer”
• What do you need to engage someone on your critical path?
• Managing office politics got this VP promoted, but more importantly it enabled his more important goal: elevate and better help his team flourish
• Reframe #3: Change the wording
• The two-column exercise that will make you playful, curious – and see office politics in a more positive light

BIO AND LINKS:

Michael Wenderoth is an Executive Coach that helps executives re-examine their assumptions about power, politics, and authenticity to get promoted, become more effective at work, and break glass ceilings holding them back. Having served 20 years in senior roles with companies across the globe, and then 7 years as a professional coach, he has helped accelerated the careers of clients from diverse industries, backgrounds, and levels of seniority, helping them get ahead – without having to sell their souls in the process. Michael is the award-winning author of Get Promoted, host of the 97% Effective career acceleration podcast, and a frequent speaker and media contributor on career advancement, leadership and navigating power and politics. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Stanford Business School Executive Education and IE Business School, where he collaborates with renowned professors, coaches, executives and experts. Michael holds an MBA from Stanford and trained as an executive coach at Columbia University (3CP).

• Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchangwenderoth/
• NEW: 97% Effective, now on Youtube! https://tinyurl.com/bdz53mc5
• Camiel Gielkens, CEO of Relevance, on 97% Effective: “How Power Amplifies Your Impact” https://tinyurl.com/27wfjs7z
• Research study: “How important are political skills for career success? A systematic review and mete-analysis” https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2021.1949626
• Raquel Gonzalez-Dalmau, Executive Educator and Coach, on 97% Effective: “Office Politics as an Engineering Problem” https://tinyurl.com/nhcyjzm9
• Keshav Pitani, VP of Light & Wonder, on 97% Effective: Overcoming Your Aversion to Office Politics” https://tinyurl.com/3mjxvbws
• Reframe #3: Exercise available on Michael’s website https://changwenderoth.com/audiobook-resources/
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3
• Michael on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcwenderoth
• Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wenderoth.michael/

Communications expert Richard Newman shares with Michael his latest book, Lift Your Impact. We dive into how to transform your mindset, creating the foundation for personal growth that enables you to better influence and elevate others, and your work. Richard also shares practical tips on how to set and achieve goals, navigate conflict at work, and deepen connections through communication.

SHOW NOTES:

• The Power of Being Shy: A Different Perspective on Communication
• Why Richard wrote Lift Your Impact: Addressing 3 Post-Pandemic Challenges
• Mindset Mastery: The Foundation of Personal Growth
• Lifting Others: The Art of Positive Influence
• CAR: Commitment, Action, Routine
• Marathon Training and Overcoming Obstacles
• The Power of Rituals in Achieving Goals
• Navigating Conflict in Professional Settings
• Empathy and Understanding in Conflict Resolution
• The Art of Asking the Right Questions
• Deepening Connections Through Communication
• Future Projects and Personal Growth

BIO AND LINKS:

Richard Newman is the Founder and CEO of Body Talk, based in the UK. Over the past 23 years his team has trained over 130,000 business leaders around the world, to improve their communication and impact. Richard started his career working with Tibetan monks in the Himalayas at 18, then worked as a professional actor before becoming a communication coach and keynote speaker. He has won the coveted Cicero Grand Prize Award for Best Speechwriter of the Year, and his research on non-verbal communication was published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Psychology. Richard is the author of two books, You Were Born to Speak and Lift Your Impact

• Body Talk: https://ukbodytalk.com
• Richard’s book, Lift Your Impact: His Book: https://liftyourimpact.com/thebook
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardnewmanspeaks/
• Instagram: richardnewmanspeaks
• Richard’s book, You Were Born to Speak: https://borntospeak.com
• Michael on Richard’s LIFT podcast – Get Recognised at Work and Get the Promotion You Deserve: https://ukbodytalk.com/resources/videos/promotion-you-deserve/
• Michael’s book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

SHOW NOTES:

Your Power Map should dramatically help increase your career success. But you created your Power Map and are finding it, well, “meh” (not very impressive). In this brief episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth explains why you are getting poor results, sharing the top 3 mistakes he sees executives make in their Power Maps. He walks you through what you are missing, what to do instead, and examples from real clients. Use this episode to self-audit your Power Map and you’ll go from “meh” to “yeah!” results, dramatically helping you accelerate your career and get big things done at work.

• The origin and meaning of the expression “Meh”
• Practical tip: use this episode to audit your Power Map (which you created in Episode 78 HERE, using the FREE tool you downloaded on Michael’s coaching website, HERE).
• Mistake #1: Not creating Your Power Map by hand
• Mistake #2: Ignoring the Ego
• Mistake #3: Great Analysis, No Action
• “It’s all about increasing your odds of success”
• Summary and Additional Resources

BIO AND LINKS:

Michael Wenderoth is an Executive Coach that helps executives re-examine their assumptions about power, politics, and authenticity to get promoted, become more effective at work, and break glass ceilings holding them back. Having served 20 years in senior roles with companies across the globe, and then 7 years as a professional coach, he has helped accelerated the careers of clients from diverse industries, backgrounds, and levels of seniority, helping them get ahead – without having to sell their souls in the process. Michael is the award-winning author of Get Promoted, host of the 97% Effective career acceleration podcast, and a frequent speaker and media contributor on career advancement, leadership and navigating power and politics. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Stanford Business School Executive Education and IE Business School, where he collaborates with renowned professors, coaches, executives and experts. Michael holds an MBA from Stanford and trained as an executive coach at Columbia University (3CP).

• The Power Map explained (Episode 78, 18 minute episode): https://tinyurl.com/2b56dps3
• The expression “Meh” -- origin and popularization: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meh
• Download the FREE Power Map tool, on Michael’s website: https://changwenderoth.com/the-power-map/
• The Power Map, exampled in depth: Chapter 9, in Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchangwenderoth/
• Michael on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcwenderoth
• Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wenderoth.michael/
• Summary of Michael’s 3-step Power framework (“The Rock, the Map and the Snowball”), in his Harvard Business Review article: https://hbr.org/2022/10/how-to-get-your-first-promotion
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

You work three days from home – and two days in the office. Hybrid work is the new normal. To maximize your influence, what strategies work best when you are remote and online, what strategies work best when face to face in the office? In this episode, Michael Wenderoth talks to Dr. Ignacio Gafo, learning and development/edtech expert and Head at HSLU, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. They discuss blending online and face-to-face interactions to foster better collaboration, ways to personalize experiences to accelerate bonding and connection, and the untapped opportunity with AI. Dr. Gafo shares insights from his leading work at IE Business School and MIT, describing how one key change to an executive education program got powerful results. He also unveils an innovative program in sustainable tourism that he is developing with the United Nations.

• The biggest mistake people continue to make when interacting online
• How Dr. Gafo defines influence
• His mantra: “Make it personal”
• How online is best good for transactional, non-real time collaboration
• How face to face is best for bonding, motivation, engagement
• Making the most of a blended work week: how to use your in-person time
• Quarterly “on-sites”: A powerful practice deployed by one of Michael’s clients
• Beyond ropes courses and lunches: How to tailor and maximize the impact of bonding activities
• “The first thing is to create the connection”
• How Dr. Gafo shifted a MIT program from online to hybrid to increase satisfaction – and sales
• “It’s not only about the people, but also the physical space”
• Do the principles work the same for different nationalities, different ages?
• Connecting and being personal is not just setting up a Zoom call!
• The freedom to come up with something new: Insights from Dr. Gafo’s latest innovation, a new Bachelor’s program in sustainable tourism with the United Nations
• What people want most in their learning environment: transformational experiences and flexibility
• AI is about personalization, not about automation
• Regardless of online or In-person, the key question you need to ask yourself

BIO AND LINKS:

 Dr. Ignacio Gafo, a global scholar and executive, is the head of HSLU Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. His industry experience covers 25 years in corporate leadership at Vodafone, Mars and Canon – and in learning & development at IE Business School, where he served as Associate Dean overseeing their top ranked Global Executive Education programs. Dr. Gafo lectures on change management at the School of Engineering at Brown University (USA), serves as Expert in Digital Marketing at the United Nations Academy ,and contributes as a researcher for the United Nations World Tourism Organization. He holds a PhD in Marketing and Communications at the Complutense University in Madrid, Spain.

• Dr. Gafo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ignacio-gafo-advisor/
• X/Twitter: @ignaciogafo
• Dr. Gafo’s academic profile, Brown University: https://prime.brown.edu/people/ignacio-gafo
• HSLU: https://www.hslu.ch/en/
• The United Nations Academy: https://unacademy.un.org
• United Nations World Tourism Organization: https://www.unwto.org
• Dr. Gafo on “Liquid Learning”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74e3WXfqYsM
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

SHOW NOTES:

“A compass points you true north , but it’s got no advice about the swamps, deserts and chasms you’ll encounter along the way.” In this short episode of 97% Effective, Executive Coach Michael Wenderoth shares his Power Map, a powerful tool that helps you get promoted, get big things done, and not only survive – but thrive – in your company. He covers: 1) why and when to use it, 2) how to use it, step by step, and 3) brief examples. By the end of this episode, you'll be able to create your own Power Map to accelerate your career. Download his tool and make your own Power Map as you follow along in the episode, and you’ll leave with new insights and practical steps to advance at work.

•  POWER MAP Introduction: Why and When to use it
• Get practical: Download his Power Map tool and apply it to your own situation as you listen
• Context: When to use it in Michael’s 3-step framework “The Rock, the Map, the Snowball”
• 2 critical questions: How do you spend your time at work? With whom?
• “Strategy is a fancy way of what you say no to”
• The hard truth about how decisions are made in organizations
• Wisdom from Abraham Lincoln: What's the use of knowing True North?
• POWER MAP: How to use
• Step #1 (that most people can’t state clearly): What’s your Goal?
• Step #2: Which one person has the most power and influence to affect your goal?
• Step #3: List needs, backgrounds, connections
• How to harness “influence conduits” and “influence assets”
• “Being a detective”: What do you NOT know… and how can you find out?
• Step #4: Taking action
• POWER MAP: 3 examples
• Getting Promoted (Marta’s Power Map insight: getting critical senior people on her side, and where and how to provide value)
• Starting a New Role (Alex Power Map insight: getting hidden insight from an executive assistant, and the power of volunteer roles)
• Advancing a Cause (Greg’s Power Map insight: framing proposals in novel ways to secure key allies, and re-setting metrics)
• Additional situations where your Power Map will help you: Surviving a Reorganization, Leading Change, Making a Lateral Move.
• Additional Resources

BIO AND LINKS:

Michael Wenderoth is an Executive Coach that helps executives re-examine their assumptions about power, politics, and authenticity to get promoted, become more effective at work, and break glass ceilings holding them back. Having served 20 years in senior roles with companies across the globe, and then 7 years as a professional coach, he has helped accelerated the careers of clients from diverse industries, backgrounds, and levels of seniority, helping them get ahead – without having to sell their souls in the process. Michael is the award-winning author of Get Promoted, host of the 97% Effective career acceleration podcast, and a frequent speaker and media contributor on career advancement, leadership and navigating power and politics. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Stanford Business School Executive Education and IE Business School, where he collaborates with renowned professors, coaches, executives and experts. Michael holds an MBA from Stanford and trained as an executive coach at Columbia University (3CP).

• Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchangwenderoth/
• Download the FREE Power Map tool, on Michael’s website: https://changwenderoth.com/the-power-map/
• The Power Map, exampled in depth: Chapter 9, in Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Summary of Michael’s 3-step Power framework (“The Rock, the Map and the Snowball”), in his Harvard Business Review article: https://hbr.org/2022/10/how-to-get-your-first-promotion
• Michael on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcwenderoth
• Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wenderoth.michael/
• Power Mapping, Sales and Key Account Management: Michael interviewed by Dr. Gary McGrath on Leading from the Front: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/michael-wenderoth-power-promotion-what-is-holding-you-back/id1495849139?i=1000553405238
• Michael on Power and how to use it to Get Promoted, interviewed on Kevin Eikenberry’s Remarkable Leadership podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccupXIhRQDg
• Michael fills the gap on what we’re often told to do to get ahead – and what we actually need to do -- on Gayle Allen’s Curious Minds at Work podcast: https://www.gayleallen.net/cm-218-michael-wenderoth-on-how-to-get-promoted/
• Michael on Powerlessness and Power Mapping, on the Business Simplicity Podcast, interviewed by Chris Parker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqAEJv8vMMQ
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

Brace Yourself! Dr. Gary McGrath, leadership guru, gets rid of bad bosses. In this continuation episode of 97% Effective, Michael and Dr. Gary walk through how he coaches a bad boss and all the stakeholders around them: their reports, peers, and even the boss of the bad boss. If you have a bad leader working for you, next to you, above you – or want to ensure you don't become one, then listen in. A coach consultant, Dr. Gary is the CEO of Statarius, a leadership development firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.

•  If humility is such an important leadership trait, why are most leaders anything but?
• Dr. Gary on “the invisibility of leadership”: The public persona of a CEO vs the real human you don’t see behind the scenes
• Are horrible geniuses a model?
• Leadership as a responsibility, not a position
• What Dr Gary means when he says “I get rid of bad bosses”
• Are you happy as a manager or leader?
• Coaching the bad boss who thinks they are great: 360s and other techniques to uncover blind spots
• When the CEO brings in a Coach to work with a troubled employee: Are they avoiding doing their job?
• How waiting to make people decisions can harm the entire organization
• The important 3-way conversation: “The Coach is here to coach you up -- or out”
• Write your mission statement and then ask yourself if you are in the right job
• Should a coach give advice? Be clear on the type of coach you are – or need
• Dr. Gary on being “kind but not gentle” and how he channels Mrs. Doubtfire
• Coaching the peers who have to work with the bad boss
• Relationship Building 101: “I don’t like this man very much.. I need to get to know him better.”
• 3 key relationships and how to use them: Coaches, mentors and sponsors
• Go have lunch and ask, “How can we win together?”
• Coaching the direct report who works for the bad boss
• Know the difference: Are you suffering or struggling?
• How to better assess which people should be developed into leaders
• Counterintuitive insight: Why promoting average people, not superstars, is a better approach
• Reaching Dr Gary and his Statarians

BIO AND LINKS:

Dr. Gary McGrath is the CEO of Statarius, a leadership development firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. After serving as an officer in the U. S. Army, he went on to a 40-year business career in manufacturing, information technology, and marketing with Fortune 500 companies and technology startups. Dr. Gary is the author of the CEO’s Journey: The Seven Steps of Intentional Leadership. He holds degrees in engineering from the University of Connecticut and a doctorate of business administration in marketing and leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

• Dr. Gary on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drgarymcgrath/
• Statarius: https://statarius.com (or call them at +1 919-632-3235)
• Reach Dr. Gary vs email: gary [at] statarius.com
• His Book: The 7 Steps of Intentional Leadership: https://statarius.com/resources/
• Dr. Gary interviews Michael, on Leading from the Front: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5cB4BNrYcSRuOiNU9Udtmq?si=28c8741cfb75428d
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

SHOW NOTES:

Dr. Gary McGrath, CEO of Statarius, gets rid of bad bosses. 71% of people have had a bad boss, so Dr. Gary has no shortage of work. In this episode of 97% Effective, Michael discusses with Dr. Gary why we get bad bosses, what the billion dollar leadership and training industry gets wrong -- and how Dr. Gary’s research and approach get lasting behavioral change, turning bad bosses into great leaders. If you have a bad leader working for you, next to you, above you – or want to ensure you don't become one, listen in: Gary’s got a compelling argument of what you and your company should be doing differently.

• Why Dr. Gary chose Statarius for his company name, and it’s one downside
• Dr. Gary explains his mission: “Making good bosses into great leaders with compassionate accountability”
• Hard Truth #1: Leadership skills can be learned, but only 30% of people should ever be leaders.
• Hard Truth #2: Companies throw people into leadership but don’t develop them – and then we expect them to be effective?
• The most important skill of a leader: Shut up, listen and ask good questions
• How we are trained in school to be a good answerer, which kills us at work
• “You don’t have to be right – we have to be right”
• Dr. Gary’s biggest regret
• The two characteristics of leadership effectiveness
• “Great leaders don’t make the right decisions… they make their decisions right”
• Decisions as a process, not an event
• When Gary talks to a boss, the 1 value and 2 characteristics he looks for
• 71% of people have had an intolerable boss
• The surprising way Dr. Gary “gets rid of” bad bosses
• Why do we get such bad leaders when we have a billion dollar industry leadership and training industry?
• Dr. Gary’s research on why leadership programs fail
• Connecting the What with the Why with the How
• The secret sauce: training + coaching + peer support + the demonstration of application of those behaviours
• The success of Dr. Gary’s program, Leader Step Seven, is built on having a group that supports you, and holds you accountable
• How can you communicate with people if you don't know what emotional state they're in?
• The power of writing and sharing stories: How Dr. Gary’s programs get measurable behavioural change
• “Sow seeds”: How leaders think too much about an event – and not enough about processes.

BIO AND LINKS:

Dr. Gary McGrath is the CEO of Statarius, a leadership development firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. After serving as an officer in the U. S. Army, he went on to a 40-year business career in manufacturing, information technology, and marketing with Fortune 500 companies and technology startups. Dr. Gary is the author of the CEO’s Journey: The Seven Steps of Intentional Leadership. He holds degrees in engineering from the University of Connecticut and a doctorate of business administration in marketing and leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

• Dr. Gary on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drgarymcgrath/
• Statarius: https://statarius.com (or call them at +1 919-632-3235)
• Reach Dr. Gary vs email: gary@statarius.com
• His Book: The 7 Steps of Intentional Leadership: https://statarius.com/resources/
• Dr. Gary interviews Michael, on Leading from the Front: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5cB4BNrYcSRuOiNU9Udtmq?si=28c8741cfb75428d
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

SHOW NOTES:

What if you could increase your leadership ratings by over 40%... without saying a word? In this episode of 97% Effective, Michael speaks with Richard Newman, CEO of Body Talk, about executive presence and the impact of our “body talk.” Richard discusses his peer-reviewed research, explains why you should be congruent instead of authentic – and shares how small, but critical changes in your non-verbal communication will elevate how others see you. Incorporate his findings, you’ll surf the waves at work – and not get crushed by them.

• The backstory: From shy introverted child to global keynote speaker
• The feeling: “Looking at a freeway that doesn’t have an on ramp”
• Richard went East to Tibet, Michael went East to Beijing
• His first gig, for a free haircut
• Being diagnosed as autistic at 44
• His first keynote – did he knock it out of the park?
• Setting the record straight on Mehrabian’s body language research
• Richard’s research question: Is there anything that you can do universally, non-verbally, that will improve your impact?
• Findings from his research with Prof Adrian Furney, University College of London
• Improve your leaderships ratings 32% by changing this one thing
• Is this about learning manipulation techniques?
• The surprising influence that race and gender have on how your body language impacts your leadership rating
• Future research: tone of voice
• Addressing misunderstandings about “authenticity” – and why you should think about congruency instead
• “Be a surfer on the ocean”
• How an acting or improv class can help
• The mindset that will most help you improve your communication skills
• “Letting go of the door handle”
• Does body language function the same in impromptu situations, 1-1, or in remote settings?
• Palms down = strong confident
• Height, light and the rule of thirds

BIO AND LINKS:

Richard Newman is the Founder and CEO of Body Talk, based in the UK. Over the past 23 years his team has trained over 130,000 business leaders around the world, to improve their communication and impact. Richard started his career working with Tibetan monks in the Himalayas at 18, then worked as a professional actor before becoming a communication coach and keynote speaker. He has won the coveted Cicero Grand Prize Award for Best Speechwriter of the Year, and his research on non-verbal communication was published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Psychology. Richard is the author of two books, You Were Born to Speak and Lift Your Impact.

• Body Talk: https://ukbodytalk.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardnewmanspeaks/
• Instagram: richardnewmanspeaks
• Prof Albert Mehrabian (whose communication model is frequently misapplied): https://www.psych.ucla.edu/faculty-page/mehrab/
• Richard’s research with Prof Adrian Furnham: https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=65469
• Richard’s book, You Were Born to Speak: https://borntospeak.com
• Michael’s book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

SHOW NOTES:

Don’t dismiss small talk! “Small is Tall”: In this episode of 97% Effective, Executive Coach Michael Wenderoth shares how small talk can make lasting impressions and strengthen relationships at work. He provides three practical tips on how to make the most of brief interactions: the one data point, the one sentence, and the one mindset. We cover the science that underpins small talk, and the art of putting it in practice, with techniques from past guests Sasha Kelemen and Alison Temperley. If you look down on small talk or seek tips on how to make yours more effective, this episode is for you. Enhance your interactions and propel your career progress: Unleash the power of small talk. Small talk can be learned!

• The power of small talk
• Trivial conversations that are a waste of time? Why small talk matters in your career
• The science and art of small talk
• Practical Tip #1: One Common Data Point
• Practical Tip #2: One Sentence (“BEST”)
• Practical Tip #3: One Way to More Deeply Engage
• Small talk, Big Results – But you have to do this first
• Where to go deeper on the research and see more examples

BIO AND LINKS:

Michael Wenderoth is an Executive Coach that helps executives re-examine their assumptions about power, politics, and authenticity to get promoted, become more effective at work, and break glass ceilings holding them back. Having served 20 years in senior roles with companies across the globe, and then 7 years as a professional coach, he has helped accelerated the careers of clients from diverse industries, backgrounds, and levels of seniority, helping them get ahead – without having to sell their souls in the process. Michael is the award-winning author of Get Promoted, host of the 97% Effective career acceleration podcast, and a frequent speaker and media contributor on career advancement, leadership and navigating power and politics. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Stanford Business School Executive Education and IE Business School, where he collaborates with renowned professors, coaches, executives and experts. Michael holds an MBA from Stanford and trained as an executive coach at Columbia University (3CP).

• Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchangwenderoth/
• Sasha Kelemen episode, on “Finding one common data point”: http://tinyurl.com/2n4dcjvn
• Alison Temperley episode on “Having the BEST conversation”: http://tinyurl.com/4ubrr4mw
• Research cited: See Chapter 5 (“What the Evidence Really Says” in Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Michael on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcwenderoth
• Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wenderoth.michael/
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

Most change efforts in organizations fail. To succeed, says Dr. Ignacio Gafo, you need to focus on the people -- and on the personal. In this episode of 97% Effective, Dr. Gafo explains the two keys to change management, and reveals counter-intuitive tips that leaders overlook: start in the middle, give your detractors a say, and change the wording. Through case examples, we discuss how to uncover "jobs to be done," tackle emotions, and ensure you don't get overshadowed.

• Dr. Gafo’s two keys to change management: “The People and The Personal”
• Where to start? Who is key?
• The mistake of starting with people at the very top
• People who really move the needle are middle managers that have “natural influence”
• Two keys to making your message personal: Address “What’s in it for me? and “What do I feel?”
• Expect resistance, so give people a say
• Dr. Gafo explains the “Jobs to be Done” concept, so you find the true “need” people have
• Case study #1: Change management at Vodafone
• Step #1: Which departments are most affected, which ones do I need support from?
• Step #2: Identify the people… WHO is going to move the needle?
• Step #3: What's the benefit for those people?
• The thing most people forget: Tackling emotions
• Getting the ball rolling: Make sure people are working for the project, for you, and for themselves
• Case study #2: Dr. Gafo’s experience leading change at IE Business School
• Identify champions who are willing to stick their neck out
• Is it better to set up a separate unit when leading change at big companies?
• Practical tips: “Trial-ability,” play it down, “change the wording”
• Keys to keep the ball rolling: quick wins, give credit
• Make sure you are seen as the leader: Lead the communication!
• The hard truth: Some will not get on board, and will have to exit the organization
• How teaching in the engineering school at Brown has influenced Dr. Gafo
• “Combine structure for guidance - with flexibility to make changes”
• How to thicken your skin and get comfortable with not being popular

BIO AND LINKS:

Dr. Ignacio Gafo, a global scholar and executive, is the Head at HSLU Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. His industry experience covers 25 years in corporate leadership at Vodafone, Mars and Canon – and in learning & development at IE Business School, where he served as Associate Dean overseeing their top ranked Global Executive Education programs. Dr. Gafo lectures on change management at the School of Engineering at Brown University (USA), serves as Expert in Digital Marketing at the United Nations Academy ,and contributes as a researcher for the United Nations World Tourism Organization. He holds a PhD in Marketing and Communications at the Complutense University in Madrid, Spain.

• Dr. Gafo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ignacio-gafo-advisor/
• X/Twitter: @ignaciogafo
• Dr. Gafo’s academic profile, Brown University: https://prime.brown.edu/people/ignacio-gafo
• HSLU: https://www.hslu.ch/en/
• Job to be Done (JTBD) concept, explained: http://tinyurl.com/6m6wk7c4
• The United Nations Academy: https://unacademy.un.org
• United Nations World Tourism Organization: https://www.unwto.org
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

SHOW NOTES:

Dr. Tina (“Dr. T”) Woodard, CEO of Capstone Performance Solutions, says that “high performance is not enough.” We discuss how to become the architect of your career – and the role most senior leaders and companies don't (but should) play in that. Dr. T shares how to find your voice, socialize your aspirations, and build confidence. We also dive into her rich background: The inspiring story behind I Am B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L., the power of being an engineer and “gap finder,” why you should start with the room that’s on fire – and the key to coaching adults through their “disorienting dilemmas.”

• Dr. Tina Woodard & Michael celebrate milestones
• I Am B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L.: What happens when two sisters from a family of educators decide to combine their experience and resources
• “How can we broaden that?” Dr. T’s hard truth about what it takes to get ahead
• Tough, early career lesson on company loyalty
• The disservice too many people do to their careers
• Dr. T coaches 21-year old Tina: Where to focus more
• Ways to socialize your career aspirations so you are top of mind
• “Finding your voice”
• The first step to resolving conflict
• Practice first with peers who you trust: the power of telling and retelling your story
• Progressive and incremental ways to build confidence
• Coach to coach question: Who’s more coachable – a 20 year old or a senior executive?
• The ‘disorienting dilemma’ executives encounter
• The job of senior leaders when it comes to talent development
• Capstone’s ASCEND model
• Starting change: Which room in the house is on fire?
• How Dr. T’s engineering background shows up in her Coaching
• The assembly line challenge that piqued Dr. T’s interest in organizational development
• The power of being curious and being a “gap finder”
• “Go talk to the people!”
• Key insights from her Doctorate in Adult Education
• Perspectives as a Black female Executive Coach
• How a personal deficit helped Dr. T’s develop her superpower muscle on “making transitions”

BIO AND LINKS:

Dr. Tina Woodard (“Dr. T”) is CEO of Capstone Performance Solutions, a recognized small business leader that she founded in 2016 to inspire leaders and organizations to achieve excellence. An accomplished engineer and HR executive with over 20 years of experience in the manufacturing, government, and education sectors, Dr. T previously served as the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Organizational Development at the University System of Georgia where she grew the talent pool of executive level leaders there from 0 to 300 executives in a six-year period. A passionate advocate for youth and giving back to the community, Dr. T co-founded the nonprofit, I Am B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. (IAB), to serve underrepresented girls and women through mentoring and leadership development programs. For her work with IAB, Dr. T was nominated and selected to attend the White House United State of Women Summit in 2016. Dr. Woodard holds a doctorate in Adult Education from the University of Georgia, a Master of Human Resource Development and B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Clemson University, and was certified as an executive coach in Columbia University’s 3CP program.

• Dr. T on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinacwoodard/
• Capstone Performance Solutions: https://www.capstonesolutionsinc.com
• Dr. Tina Woodard named Finalist, Gwinett Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Awards: https://gwinnettchamber.org/2023-small-business-awards-finalists/
• 97% Effective Celebrates 1 year: https://tinyurl.com/4fyt6dtb
• I am B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. – Helping girls become #morefemaleleaders: https://www.iambeautiful.org
• Billie Jean King Cup: 60 years to achieve pay parity for women in tennis: https://tinyurl.com/4s7zby6k
• Dr. John Schaffner, Columbia 3CP Instructor, on Coaching Millenials, The Perspective That is Being Missed and How to Better Coach Your Younger Employees: Ep#16: https://tinyurl.com/mr2a8urf and Ep#21: https://tinyurl.com/v5k4yfmb
• Capstone’s Leadership Excellence Forums, held monthly (Save March 7, 2024: Live Forum in Atlanta to mark Women’s History Month): https://www.capstonesolutionsinc.com/home#learning-events
• Dr. T on Facebook: facebook.com/tina.woodard.98
• Dr. T on Instagram: drtinawoodard
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

Want to achieving lasting, transformative change? Then don’t rely on slick “habit hack” books, says Jason Hreha, an expert in the applied behavioral sciences. Jason is the author of Real Change: Moving Beyond Habits to Achieve Lasting Transformation. In this episode of 97% Effective, we discuss how habits differ from “transformative practices,” the 3 steps in his pyramid model -- and how introspection and creativity are critical to successful change. Listen if you want to finally achieve lasting change – and not fall off your goals.

SHOW NOTES:

• Jason’s hard truth: “Habits are overrated”
• The central message of his new book
• The big insight from Jason’s career creating habit forming products
• The overreach of habit formation and self-help books – wrong tool for the job!
• The pyramid, Jason’s transformative practice path model
• Step #1, Base of the pyramid: Optimize Your Energy by addressing “energy bottlenecks” and set your life up in the right way
• Michael’s question: Can you create a transformative practice if you only sleep 5 hours per night?
• Step #2, Middle of the pyramid: Habit Trading
• The 2-day diary exercise to uncover bad habits
• The brainstorm to determine new habits to substitute in
• New habits should have these 4 characteristics
• “Most habit formation issues are behavioral selection problems” (Where Jason differs from peers in his field)
• If you need a prize and reminder to do it… then it’s probably not the right habit for you
• Jason’s philosophy: let’s match you to the right habits and transformative practices to reach your goals
• Michael’s question: If we only do things (habits) we enjoy, can we still grow?
• People settle too early with their activities – and don’t explore or use their imagination
• Step #3, Pinnacle of pyramid: Transformative practices
• It all seems so simple – the 3 areas where people fall off
• How technology can help: ChatGPT as a powerful brainstorming tool
• Why there’s a perpetual market for habit automation books – and what pushback Jason expects his book will get from “habit hackers”
• Jason’s final beef with the current habit formation materials: they blunt our introspection and creativity

BIO AND LINKS:

For the past 15 years, Jason Hreha has applied behavioral science research and methodologies to solve hard problems in the technology world. He is the founder and CEO of Persona, The Assistant Company, the world’s leading provider of elite assistant talent – and serves as senior advisor at Edelman, a global communications firm, where he provides behavioral science insights and guidance to clients across industries and sectors. Jason graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Human Biology with a specialty in neuroscience, and co-founded successful startups, including Kite.io, a mobile search company that was acquired by Quixey, and Dopamine, the first tech-focused applied behavioral science firm. He also served as the Global Head of Behavioral Science at Walmart, where he co-founded and built the company’s Behavioral Science Team. Quoted widely in the media, Real Change is his latest book.

• His book, through his website: https://www.thebehavioralscientist.com/about
• Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hreha/
• On X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/jhreha?lang=en
• Persona, his company: https://www.personatalent.com/
• “Behavioral Science BS (And What to Hone in on Instead)” – Jason’s previous interview on 97% Effective: https://redcircle.com/shows/86fcd90d-083e-4af2-9bc8-6d52fb981ae1/ep/0310f040-0b91-4dce-901a-0c39433efb53
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

SHOW NOTES:

How do you go from a senior role at an established company to entrepreneur, investor and Board roles? In this episode, Cecilia Hultén shares how she left a successful banking career in Europe and “built a bridge” to forge her own path. She speaks hard truths about not letting your company own you, managing your “balance sheet”, and how to make the most out of a sabbatical. If you want to move out and up, Cecilia provides practical and creative strategies on networking, creating resources and communications that will accelerate your transformation.

• Cecilia on sparring partners and her first uncomfortable career move
• Kompasbank and cBio: How those two opportunities came to her
• Don’t have a clear plan? Think of a bridge
• Leaving a high paying job and your identity –moving to a “portfolio career”
• Cutting the cord with your old job
• Recasting herself by “replacing her spreadsheets with stories”
• The 6-word story concept
• Why her sales background was valuable
• “Don’t limit yourself when it comes to creating interesting networking opportunities”
• Cecilia’s favored form of networking
• How Cecilia created something out of nothing when she founded Me2We @ Stanford LEAD
• The hard truth about financial freedom and your ability to walk out: Cecilia’s advice on managing your costs, your balance sheet – and your relationship with your company
• How Cecilia’s views on power have changed over time
• Navigating power in a big company vs as an entrepreneur: Cecilia’s take
• How Cecilia, as an investor, detects bravado and BS
• Specific advice for women
• How her experience in the Silicon made her life richer

BIO AND LINKS:

Cecilia Hultén, based in Copenhagen, is a recognized entrepreneur, investor, and Board Member that focuses on fintech and healthtech. Prior to making her transition, she served two decades as a global banking executive with leading financial institutions including UBS and Nordea. She now invests in transformative businesses that solves real-world problems. Cecilia is active in Kompasbank, a European challenger bank for SMEs, Konsolidator, a SaaS company providing a cloud-based consolidation tool, and Hejdoktor, a digital healthcare provider. She has also co-founded Cbio, a biotech company enabling cancer cure, and a data management company, commercializing a project out of MIT's Fintech program. Cecilia holds a BSc from Gothenburg School of Economics, MBA (2nd year) at NYU's Stern School of Business, and completed executive education at MIT, the Stanford GSB, and Singularity University.

• Cecilia on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ceciliahulten/
• Companies she serves: https://kompasbank.dk/da/; https://www.cbio.dk  ; https://konsolidator.com ; https://www.temenos.com; https://www.hejdoktor.dk
• DanBAN angel network: https://danban.org/en/
• Profiled at Copenhagen Fintech week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=j0yFZ-i_vX8
• Profiled on Bootstrapping (in Danish): https://bootstrapping.dk/5-skarpe-til-ugens-investor-cecilia-hulten/
• Idea of the 6-word story: https://community.thriveglobal.com/tell-your-story-in-6-words/
• Jonathan Levy’s book, You’re Invited: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/youre-invited-jon-levy
• Stanford LEAD’s Me2We event, founded by Cecilia: https://tinyurl.com/3hj3233h
• The Power Map: https://changwenderoth.com/the-power-map/
• Jeff Pfeffer’s book, 7 Rules of Power: https://tinyurl.com/yh9knn85
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth interviews renowned theatre director, Tamzin Townsend, dubbed the 'Queen Midas' of the theatre by the Spanish press. They explore the intersection of theatre and effective communication. Tamzin shares insights on how to establish a powerful presence, manage public speaking fears, and deliver impactful messages. She discusses the importance of rehearsal, individuality, physicality, tone, and energy in presentations, as well as the dangers of multitasking and relying too heavily on your content. Tamzin also delves into her work with women leaders, noting unique challenges they often face, and the strategies they can adopt to overcome them. Tamzin will get you thinking deeply about your energy and the choices at your disposal when you communicate.

SHOW NOTES:

• Tamzin’s “turning point” story that brought her to Spain
• Her most powerful memory in her years of directing
• “The energy you give is the energy you get back to you”
• What makes a theater director unique: the art of making choices
• Rehearsing means getting it wrong – and learning from that
• “Play with the people in front of you”
• Tamzin’s hard truth: It’s not about the content
• Can you make mediocre content great?
• The voice can do so much – use it!
• Managing time pressure, external and internal
• The power of pause, illustrated live
• Hard to cut your own content? Tamzin’s top exercise 5:3:1
• Play, have some fun!
• How your audiences receives your fear and angst
• “The power of warmups”
• On connecting: “You need to find a way to get in”
• Inspiring others vs delivering tough or negative news
• Delivering bad news: Think about it like taking someone’s wisdom teeth out (Remember the pre-… then be clear, quick and congruent)
• How does tik tok help or hurt us, when it comes to communication and acting?
• Upping the ante on being fun, dynamic and succinct
• Getting “ownership of time”
• Tamzin on differences coaching women leaders
• What will shut your parrot up – and what will help you dial up and own it?
• Picking a communications trainer, but make sure you rehearse
• Her new venture Be Liquid, and working with actors, magicians, and comedians at Dramatic Resources in the UK

BIO AND LINKS:

Tamzin Townsend is a renowned theatre Director and communications trainer. Born in England, Tamzin studied Theatre and Drama Studies at the University of Kent at Canterbury, specialising in theatre direction. Her acclaimed career has spanned directing more than 40 works modern and classical theatre, opera and television, in English and Spanish, in Spain and Latin America – leading the Spanish press to crown her the “Queen Midas” of theatre. Her many successes include El Método Gronholm, by celebrated Catalán playwright Jordi Galceran, which became the biggest box office success at the Marquina Theatre in Madrid of the last decade. Other notable shows include The God of Carnage, Fat Pig, Play it Again Sam, Laponia, Heroes in Madrid’s Gran Via, and Closer in Barcelona. Outside the theatre, Tamzin coaches executives and leads corporate communication workshops across Europe through her firm Be Liquid, with Dramatic Resources, and through her work as adjunct professor at IE University and IE Business School in Madrid, Spain. She is fluent in English, Spanish and Catalan and teaches in all three languages.

•  Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamzin-townsend-272b53100/
• Her Communications Training Firm, the new venture Be Liquid (Website in Spanish): https://beliquid.be
• Tamzin’s article, The 5 enemies of effective communication: http://tinyurl.com/sjp5z6cy
• Dramatic Resources: https://dramatic-resources.squarespace.com/team-bios#tamzin-townsend
• Her work at IE University and IE Business School: https://www.ie.edu/university/about/faculty/tamzin-townsend/
• Interview in 20minutos (Spanish): http://tinyurl.com/msr99fmu
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

How do companies retain talent, and whose job is it to manage careers? Alisia Gill, CEO of the North Star Organization, points out what employees and their companies miss, and need to do better. Drawing from her work as an economist, business analyst and Chief People Officer, Alisia shares how as a Coach she helps frustrated individuals who aren’t fulfilled or advancing – and how, as a Consultant, she helps companies design the systems, tools and culture that retains key talent, fueling innovation and the bottom line. Listen to unlock your talent: Alisia discusses how to optimize for your situation, have critical conversations with your boss, and create tools that make the right thing to do easy to do.

 SHOW NOTES:

• The path from Latin America economist to Chief People Officer
• How Alisia thinks differently from others in HR
• Seeing employee turnover as a market failure, that’s bad for business – and individuals
• Being fulfilled in one’s career: Whose responsibility is that?
• From attracting talent to retaining talent
• Introspection and focus first: What does advancement mean to you? What do you really want?
• Don't assume people know, have the conversation!
• How to have tough discussions with your boss, without getting backlash
• Leveraging a performance review
• Reasonable asks
• The important role DEI plays in mitigating unconscious bias – and how DEI is not about favoritism, or even about creating equality
• Why Alisia chose not to study engineering in college
• Optimize for your situation, and how to avoid banging your head against the wall
• The Cleveland test and seeking fit vs seeking for what is additive
• How Alisia and EmpiRx Health leadership created such a great place to work
• What company do you want to be – and how does the employee experience feed that?
• How Alisia harnesses Clifton Strengths
• The importance of helping middle management
• An additional $5K?
• Making the “right thing to do, easy to do” -- and the power of the humble tool

BIO AND LINKS:

Alisia Gill is a strategic advisor, consultant, executive coach, and speaker. She is the Founder and CEO of the North Star Organization that helps enterprises retain key talent – and individuals navigate their careers. In a career spanning more than two decades, she has stood at the intersection of workforce, business, and analytics. Her journey began in finance and consulting, eventually leading to Chief People Officer – from IBM to New York City’s IT agency to EmpiRx health, an Inc5000 company. Alisia holds a BA in Latin American Studies and Economics from Columbia University and a MPA in Economic Policy from Princeton. She’s a business executive who believes that if you don’t get the people part right, you’re nowhere!

• Alisia on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisiagill/
• Her company: https://thenorthstarorg.com
• Alisia’s article in HR Executive: https://hrexecutive.com/6-ways-to-avoid-performative-dei-in-2023/
• Clifton Strengths: https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/home.aspx
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

SHOW NOTES:

At Leerink Partners, Sasha Kelemen runs an investment banking team unlike any other on Wall Street, specializing in women and family healthcare and technology. In this continuation episode, we discuss uncomfortable truths that women face in male-dominated industries: whether you need to act like a man to get ahead, how to respond when talked over or dismissed -- and why you shouldn't opt out without giving it a shot. Sasha shares strategies and examples on communicating and networking, building your brand and presence, and negotiation that will help you rise, lead – and elevate others.

• Hard work, smarts, ambition and being a sponge is essential – but the additional drivers you need to rise
• Physical brand and executive presence: “Firm specific awareness” and “looking the part”
• Do I need to act like a man to get ahead?
• Small elements and accents that make Sasha feel powerful and confident
• The surprising impact of wallpaper
• “Talking the talk” – the importance of first observing small details and norms
• Managing your Credibility: Apologizing, and the lesson she learned at Darden on raising your hand
• Ask questions
• What to do when others interrupt you
• Embracing the discomfort of confrontation
• Making a list and getting a sponsor
• Building relationships all boils down to this one thing
• An early mistake Sasha made networking – and how she mid-course corrected
• The move Sasha made that shocked her peers – but was a game changer
• Is it important to be liked?
• How you can augment your own relationship -- while also elevating others.
• Sasha on Negotiating: Make them tell you no
• Don’t opt out without trying to make it work
• On backlash: How to phrase requests, and what you should always keep in your back pocket
• Muscle memory, practice, and ways to increase one’s confidence
• Women and getting “admin work” – “the best defense is a good offense”
• Board and C-Suite placements, and ways to ensure you stay top of mind

BIO AND LINKS:

Sasha Kelemen in Head of Women and Family Healthcare Services and Technology Investment Banking at Leerink Partners, based in New York. She is deeply passionate about all thing digital health, smashing taboos and elevating women. Prior to Leerink, Sasha worked at Goldman Sachs (VP, Healthcare Investment Banking Group), and in media planning and buying. She holds a BA from Boston College, MBA from the University of Virginia, Darden School of Business, and was listed as Business Insider’s “30 under 40” list of leaders transforming healthcare. She resides in Scarsdale, New York, with her husband and two curious daughters. Michael and Sasha thank our mutual friend, Professor Peter Belmi at Darden, for connecting us.

• Sasha on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sasha-kelemen/
• Leerink Partners: https://www.leerink.com
• Sasha named to Business Insider’s “30 under 40” list of leaders transforming healthcare: https://www.businessinsider.com/30-leaders-under-40-changing-healthcare-2023
• Prof Peter Belmi on social class and building power (previous episode on 97% Effective): https://tinyurl.com/2xtrmryu
• The unintended consequence of using “hedging” language: https://hbr.org/1995/09/the-power-of-talk-who-gets-heard-and-why
• How women get backlash when negotiating (Research): https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2021-03654-001
• Why (and How) Women Need to Negotiate Differently (Interview with Stanford Professor Maggie Neale): https://tinyurl.com/yu2wudrt
• Power Posing: Where do we stand? https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/decade-power-posing-where-do-we-stand
• Why Women Volunteer for Tasks that Don’t Lead to Promotions: https://hbr.org/2018/07/why-women-volunteer-for-tasks-that-dont-lead-to-promotions
• How Women Can Say No to Office Work and Ensure Success in Professional Service Firms (Interview with Alison Temperley): https://tinyurl.com/4ubrr4mw
• How to Say NO to Office Work: https://hbr.org/2018/04/women-of-color-get-asked-to-do-more-office-housework-heres-how-they-can-say-no
• The No Club: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/may/09/they-feel-guilty-why-women-should-say-no-to-office-housework
• Former Women and Minorities to get Ahead, Managers Should Assign Work Fairly: https://hbr.org/2018/03/for-women-and-minorities-to-get-ahead-managers-must-assign-work-fairly
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

SHOW NOTES:

At Leerink Partners, Sasha Kelemen runs an investment banking team unlike any other on Wall Street. How did she rise to lead a team in women and family health, a historically overlooked and underfunded space? Sasha discusses how being a banker and mother are central to her identity – and success. We talk about she went from media to banking, two truths to becoming a successful mother and banker, and the most important decision she made to fuel her personal and professional success. For her work, Business Insider named Sasha one of 30 leaders under 40 transforming healthcare.

• “Mother and Banker”: Sasha’s Why and Identity
• How Leerink Partner’s and Sasha’s Women and Family health & technology group became a first on Wall Street
• Combining passion + market potential + focus and ambition to create something new
• “Before that I never owned a suit:” How two important platforms accelerated Sasha’s shift from media to banking
• The early importance of being a sponge
• Drafting her first S1: Identifying transferable skills that helped her stand out and shine early on
• “Share your thoughtful perspective and don’t be afraid to speak up”
• The 2 truths she accepted when she decided to pursue a career in banking – and have a family
• The most important decision that one can make in determining your professional and personal success
• Time blocking and outsourcing: keys to managing family life and a highly demanding job

BIO AND LINKS:

Sasha Kelemen in Head of Women and Family Healthcare Services and Technology Investment Banking at Leerink Partners, based in New York. She is deeply passionate about all thing digital health, smashing taboos and elevating women. Prior to Leerink, Sasha worked at Goldman Sachs (VP, Healthcare Investment Banking Group), and in media planning and buying. She holds a BA from Boston College, MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, and named to Business Insider’s “30 under 40” list of leaders transforming healthcare. She resides in New York with her husband and two curious daughters. Michael and Sasha thank our mutual friend, Professor Peter Belmi at Darden, for connecting us.

• Sasha on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sasha-kelemen/
• Leerink Partners: https://www.leerink.com
• Management Leadership for Tomorrow Program: https://mlt.org
• Business Insider names Sasha to their “30 under 40” list of leaders transforming healthcare: https://www.businessinsider.com/30-leaders-under-40-changing-healthcare-2023
• The gender and race gap in finance (McKinsey): https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/financial-services/our-insights/closing-the-gender-and-race-gaps-in-north-american-financial-service
• Women’s health: the best and most underfinanced investment opportunity https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/01/is-this-the-world-s-best-and-most-under-financed-investment-davos23/
• Prof Peter Belmi on social class and building power (previous episode on 97% Effective): https://tinyurl.com/2xtrmryu
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

SHOW NOTES:

Jeffrey Pfeffer is Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford Business School. A year ago on 97% Effective, I discussed with Jeff his best-selling book, the 7 Rules of Power (HERE: https://tinyurl.com/3y56bzcz). In this episode, we go beyond his book, and get personal: We cover double-binds, intergender comparisons, leadership and likeability – and how Jeff’s views on power have shifted over the past four decades. An honor to ask Jeff tough questions and expose more people to his thought-provoking work that challenges prevailing leadership advice -- and has shaped my own thinking and executive coaching practice.

• Two problems with the existing research literature on double-binds: Reward-interdependence and intergender comparisons
• Projecting and Acting…Fake it until you become it
• “Practice and Get Coaching”
• Two critical points to keep in mind as you rise as a leader (Machiavelli’s important insight that people forget)
• A lot of power is generated positionally
• Being liked vs. your responsibility as a leader
• Michael’s “zoom out” question: Where Jeff’s views on power, over his career, have most shifted
• Warmth vs competence
• Two book recommendations
• Comments on the replication crisis in the social sciences

BIO AND LINKS:

Jeffrey Pfeffer is the Thomas D. Dee II Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business where he has taught since 1979. He is the author or co-author of 16 books including his latest, the 7 Rules of Power. Jeffrey Pfeffer has published extensively in the fields of organization theory and human resource management. His current research focuses on the effects of work environments on human health and well-being, power and leadership in organizations, evidence-based management, the knowing-doing gap, and how thinking of time like money affects people’s choices about spending time in ways that promote unhappiness.

• My previous interview with Jeff: https://tinyurl.com/3y56bzcz
• Jeff’s website and Books: https://jeffreypfeffer.com/books/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-pfeffer-57a01b6/
• X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeffreyPfeffer
• Research on Reward Interdependence (Belmi and Pfeffer): https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-17089-001
• Carol Dweck, Growth Mindset: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1745691618804180
• Robert Cialdini’s books, Pre-Suasion and Influence (new edition): https://www.influenceatwork.com/store-new/
• The Replication Crisis in the social science, the latest: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/10/09/they-studied-dishonesty-was-their-work-a-lie
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

Why is doing great work not enough to advance your career? Are you paying enough attention to all parts of your “PIE”? In this short episode, Michael helps you re-examine your PIE, sharing the thinking and actions that will disproportionately drive promotions, bigger bonuses – and your power and influence at work.

• Performance and PIE
• Think about yourself as a product
• Does this mean I should stop doing great work?
• Why organizations are different than school and many sports
• 3 “sad but true” research findings that reveal who gets credit, and who gets picked
• Insight on perception from photographer Richard Waine: “You’re professional headshot is not about you.”
• Flip the script: how do others see you?
• “I” = Image
• The definition of brand and a quick exercise to uncover your brand
• A warning from executive coach Anne Marie Segal about typecasting – and the leap you need to make
• How are you showing up?
• “E” = Exposure, which can come in many ways
• How award-winning speaker Alex Tremble did two things to catapult his early rise in the Federal Government
• Exposure in a remote world
• Do you need to make radical shifts?
• If you don’t manage your Image and Exposure, what’s likely to happen

BIO AND LINKS:

Michael Wenderoth is an Executive Coach that helps executives re-examine their assumptions about power, politics, and authenticity to get promoted, become more effective at work, and break glass ceilings holding them back. Having served 20 years in senior roles with companies across the globe, and then 7 years as a professional coach, he has helped accelerated the careers of clients from diverse industries, backgrounds, and levels of seniority, helping them get ahead – without having to sell their souls in the process. Michael is the award-winning author of Get Promoted, host of the 97% Effective career acceleration podcast, and a frequent speaker and media contributor on career advancement, leadership and navigating power and politics. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Stanford Business School Executive Education and IE Business School, where he collaborates with renowned professors, coaches, executives and experts. Michael holds an MBA from Stanford and trained as an executive coach at Columbia University (3CP).

• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchangwenderoth/
• Research cited: See Chapter Chapter 5 (“What the Evidence Really Says” in Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Richard Waine on what professional headshot is really about: https://tinyurl.com/2wcmamkw
• Anne Marie Segal on how to avoid being “typecast”: https://tinyurl.com/39myjfzs
• Alex Tremble on visibility in the corridors of power: https://tinyurl.com/4paf4evj
• Michael on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcwenderoth
• Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wenderoth.michael/
• Get Promoted named Winner (Business-Careers) and Finalist (Business-General), 2023 International Book Awards: https://www.internationalbookawards.com/2023pressrelease.html

SHOW NOTES:

How do you avoid living in an echo chamber, deal with someone who has more influence, and prevent others from sowing misinformation? In this continuation episode, Michael and Jakub (Kuba) Kocinski debate how Jakub’s trust and safety insights can be applied to improving organizations, work relationships and careers. Jakub shares why things are not spiraling out of control, what Tik Tok is great at – and how to adapt to new technology. We end on Jakub’s definition of success, and how he has “adapted without losing himself” to life and work in the U.S.A.

• Previous episode (Part 1) with Jakub: https://tinyurl.com/2ezpdx8h
• The #1 thing we can learn from bad actors
• “Things are not spiraling out of control” – Why Jakub is optimistic
• Deal with bad actors daily? Best practices on taking care of yourself at work
• Discussion #1: Trust and safety applied to your career: How to manage someone more powerful and influential, when you have less voice?
• Truth: People want to hear things that align with their worldview
• Solution from Tik Tok? “Sparse and interject different types of content”
• Solution from Twitter? “Birdwatch” to allow crowdsourced fact checking
• Discussion #2: Trust and safety applied to your career: How to prevent the sowing of misinformation?
• Solution? Yellow and red cards..but where do you cross the line?
• Solution? Communicating and building strong relationships
• Mastering communication in the Tik Tok era
• How he adapts without losing himself – and a practical way to assesses a new employer
• Jakub at Tik Tok: The backlash he got from Silicon Valley peers
• How Jakub defines success – and what he means when he says he is “still very European”
• Jakub on his “controlled midlife moment”

BIO AND LINKS:

• Previous episode (Part 1) on 97% Effective, with Jakub: https://tinyurl.com/2ezpdx8h
• Jakub on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kocinski/
• On X/Twitter: @qbaas
• On Instagram: @qbaas
• Jakub, on the P&G Alumni podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jakub-kocinski-digital-safety-trust-from-p-g-to-google/id1509346585?i=1000569399519
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

SHOW NOTES:

What can we learn from a trust and safety expert about creating better workplaces and navigating our careers? In this episode, Jakub (Kuba) Kocinski shares his path from communist Poland to leading digital trust and safety in Silicon Valley for Google, Bytedance (Tik Tok), and Meta. Listen to how the world’s best seek to prevent harm and deter “bad actors.”

• The two words that most resonate with today’s youth
• Jakub’s journey from growing up in communist Poland to leading in trust and safety in Silicon Valley
• Keys to his career moves: On mentors and building out a “set of specialists” in your network
• Want to get promoted? How to advocate for yourself
• The mandate of “trust and safety” at a tech company
• The triangle structure – and the immense power that comes from controlling the top of the pyramid.
• Is it easy to detect misinformation and bad actors?
• Dealing with misinformation
• The top strategies used by bad actors
• Important tools: Incident trend analysis, third party intelligence and building internal red teams
• Can a community police itself? One company model worth studying

BIO AND LINKS:

•  Jakub on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kocinski/
• On X/Twitter: @qbaas
• On Instagram: @qbaas
• Jakub, on the P&G Alumni podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jakub-kocinski-digital-safety-trust-from-p-g-to-google/id1509346585?i=1000569399519
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

 SHOW NOTES:

Martin Young, Managing Director at M3 Partners, explains what turnaround and restructuring experts do – and how his training as a military chaplain has served him and his work on Wall Street. We discuss: thinking in terms of best interests, understanding organizational behavior through the theological concept of total depravity, how a chaplain approaches contentious situations – and the misunderstood paradigm between communication and being effective.

• How Martin’s religious side emerged
• How his theological training and military service shaped his worldview – and connect to his Wall Street job
• The US Constitution on bankruptcy and the idea of a fresh start
• How Marty defines power: formal and informal
• Thinking in terms of “the best interest” tests
• Is the restructuring world all about brutal cost cuts and layoffs?
• The two core things that turnaround professionals look at
• Income Statements and Balance Sheets, Turnarounds vs Restructuring
• Managing constituencies who have influence & navigating egos and politics: The first thing you need to do
• Triangulate to the core, shed and thinking it terms of a bankruptcy paradigm
• The grey areas create the most contention
• Looking at organizations through the theological lense of “total depravity”
• Forcing a process upon people where they actually have to do things that are in their best interest
• How his chaplain training helps him when advising executives and companies
• Going into contentious meetings, what Marty does to stay self-controlled, be able to listen and understand other perspectives
• How to share bad news without pissing off the CEO
• What are people’s anchors?
• “Leadership is identifying a problem with a moral center that people can get behind and want to solve”
• The “Theology -> Ethics -> Leadership” progression that is sadly being lost
• The basic issues we all struggle with
• The misunderstood paradigm around communication and being effective

BIO AND LINKS:

Marty Young is a globally recognized restructuring, turnaround, performance improvement and investment banking professional and executive with over 25 years of financial and operational experience in addressing over 75 special situation investments. He is a Managing Director at M-3 Partners, a top Wall Street boutique restructuring advisory and investment firm, serves on the Advisory Board of the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering of Georgia Tech, and has held executive roles with Noragh Analytics, Young Broadcasting, Best Textiles and most recently as CEO of Buckle, an innovative insurance company that serves the shared economy. Marty has been globally recognized by the Turnaround Management Association, Turnaround and Workouts, and the Global M&A Network, including being named one of the Top 100 Restructuring Professionals. Marty is a West Point graduate and served as an Officer in the U.S. Army Infantry, earned an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business and an MS in Operations Research from Georgia Tech, and trained at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, from which he holds a Masters of Divinity, Masters of Theology (Biblical Theology), and Doctorate of Ministry in Workplace Theology, Ethics and Leadership. Marty serves as a Chaplain in the Delaware National and is a graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College.

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinsyoung/
• M3 Partners: https://m3-partners.com
• Buckle: https://www.buckleup.com
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

 SHOW NOTES:

 It's that time again: Promotions are being decided, and the path for the next year is being determined. Do you want to be in the driver’s seat, or frustrated that you got passed over? Does it feel like some of your peers operate by a playbook that you never got? In this short episode, Michael shares “The Rock the Map and the Snowball”, a 3-step framework to help you Get Real, Get Strategic and Get Doing – so you Get Promoted. In each step, he offers one question to ask yourself, and one action – so you get moving in the right direction.

•  Step #1, The Rock: Better to build your strategies on truths and evidence, not comforting fantasies
• In organizations, the hard truth about who promotes us
• Can’t articulate how the promotion process works in your organization? Then you need to this.
• What is your organization promoting (vs saying it promotes)? Find out through this short exercise.
• What’s holding you back? Kara Williams, Partner at Credera, shares what held her back.
• All progress starts by doing this.
• Step #2, The Map: What good is knowing north if you don’t assess the landscape?
• Why you should first ask “Who?”
• Peter Belmi, Professor at Darden: Your job is to find the right people!
• How a frank talk with his boss got my client out of daydream mode and into the leadership program
• How are you spending your time?
• Step #3, The Snowball: Nothing happens unless something moves
• Are you waiting for the stars to totally align?
• Doing vs Thinking
• Gorick Ng, Harvard Career Advisor and Author “The Unspoken Rules”: The #1 career limiting move
• The value of being uncomfortable
• 3 Questions, 3 Actions

BIO AND LINKS:

 Michael Wenderoth is an Executive Coach that helps executives re-examine their assumptions about power, politics, and authenticity to get promoted, become more effective at work, and break glass ceilings holding them back. Having served 20 years in senior roles with companies across the globe, and then 7 years as a professional coach, he has helped accelerated the careers of clients from diverse industries, backgrounds, and levels of seniority, helping them get ahead – without having to sell their souls in the process. Michael is the award-winning author of Get Promoted, host of the 97% Effective career acceleration podcast, and a frequent speaker and media contributor on career advancement, leadership and navigating power and politics. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Stanford Business School Executive Education and IE Business School, where he collaborates with renowned professors, coaches, executives and experts. Michael holds an MBA from Stanford and trained as an executive coach at Columbia University (3CP).

•  Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchangwenderoth/
• Kara Williams Episode “Advancing Your Career Through ‘Salt, Acid, Fat & Heat’”: https://tinyurl.com/59tmctku
• Article “Great Leader Embraces Office Politics” (Harvard Business Review): https://hbr.org/2016/04/great-leaders-embrace-office-politics
• Professor Peter Belmi Episode “Social Class & Our Beliefs – How They Affect Our Path to Power”: https://tinyurl.com/2ys2h8r8
• Michael’s Power Map Tool (FREE): https://changwenderoth.com/the-power-map/
• Gorick Ng Episode “What You’re Not Taught in School – Unspoken Rules That Accelerate Your Career”: https://tinyurl.com/bdze24px
• Article “How to Get Your First Promotion” (Harvard Business Review): https://hbr.org/2022/10/how-to-get-your-first-promotion
• Michael on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcwenderoth
• Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wenderoth.michael/
• Get Promoted named Winner (Business-Careers) and Finalist (Business-General), 2023 International Book Awards: https://www.internationalbookawards.com/2023pressrelease.html

 SHOW NOTES:

 Life is not fair, so why do we pretend that it is? Samia Qamar, Director People at S&P Global Pakistan, shares how hard work and educational degrees might be necessary – but are not sufficient – to accelerating your career and impact. She shares how a mid-career meeting in Dubai dramatically shifted her trajectory, encouraging her to surround herself with the right people, speak her mind, and take risks. Listen for inspiration and to pick up practical tips on how to self-advocate and create win-win scenarios. Samia has been named one of South Asia’s Top 100 Power Women, and was inducted to the WAW Hall of Fame.

•  The extra-ordinary story of an ordinary woman
• “Degrees don’t help people in the practical world”
• A mentor’s advice in Dubai that shifted her trajectory
• Why you should ask
• “The flywheel effect”
• The special sauce at S&P: Putting people first
• How Samia practically applies career-accelerating advice
• Reframing feedback and articulating your self-development goals
• Don't wait for the role – do this instead
• The power of thinking win-win
• Plant the seeds early
• Why Asians and women need to speak up and self-advocate, particularly in Western multinationals
• Cutting “second-order” details: How Samia dramatically improved her presence and public speaking
• Top People Trends on Samia’s radar
• Samia’s networking tips: make a list, offer support, be a connector – and create a Thanksgiving Day tradition

BIO AND LINKS:

 Samia Qamar is a Pakistani citizen with more than 16 years of rich experience in human resources across leading companies in healthcare, management consultancy, hospitality and financial services. As Director People at S&P Global, she works as a trusted partner for business. Her purpose is nurturing talent for scalable business and a sustainable planet, and she has an innate passion for philanthropy through community outreach. Samia has been listed as one of South Asia’s Top 100 Power Women (2022), inducted to the WAW Hall Of Fame (2021) and Global Library of Female Authors (2020), recognized by the Women Economic Forum as “Exceptional Woman of Excellence” in Cairo (2020), and appointed as Global Goodwill Ambassador for Pakistan (2019). Samia is member of the LEAD Alumni community at the Stanford GSB.

•  Samia on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samiaqamar/
• S&P Global: https://www.spglobal.com/en/
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

 SHOW NOTES:

 To mark the first anniversary of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth highlights memorable moments from the more than 52 guests he’s interviewed. He shares 6 “hard truth” clips about accelerating our careers that most of us would rather avoid. May these provide bite-size fuel to challenge your thinking, embody the show’s goal to dispense with feel-good happy talk – and speak instead to what it really takes for good people to get ahead. He ends with a sneak peek at what’s coming in year two. Enjoy.

• The singular goal and focus of 97% Effective
• Political Skills: Giselle Timmerman on “positive manipulation”
• Networks: Michael Melcher on your feelings and building effective relationships
• Visibility and Brand: Lisa Bragg on coming to terms with self-promotion
• Executive Presence and Communication: Professor Don Moore on artfully and honestly delivering with confidence – when inside you’re actually not
• Confronting our deepest fears about leadership: Words of wisdom from Ron Carucci and Professor Maggie Neale
• What’s ahead of 97% Effective
• Thanks

BIO AND LINKS:

Michael Wenderoth is an Executive Coach that helps executives re-examine their assumptions about power, politics, and authenticity to get promoted, become more effective at work, and break glass ceilings holding them back. Having served 20 years in senior roles with companies across the globe, and then 7 years as a professional coach, he has helped accelerated the careers of clients from diverse industries, backgrounds, and levels of seniority, helping them get ahead – without having to sell their souls in the process. Michael is the award-winning author of Get Promoted, host of the 97% Effective career acceleration podcast, and a frequent speaker and media contributor on career advancement, leadership and navigating power and politics. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Stanford Business School Executive Education and IE Business School, where he collaborates with renowned professors, coaches, executives and experts. Michael holds an MBA from Stanford and trained as an executive coach at Columbia University (3CP).

•  Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchangwenderoth/
• Reaching Michael: michael [at] changwenderoth.com
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74
• Get Promoted named Winner (Business-Careers) and Finalist (Business-General), 2023 International Book Awards: https://www.internationalbookawards.com/2023pressrelease.html
• X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcwenderoth
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wenderoth.michael/
• Giselle Timmerman Episode: https://redcircle.com/shows/97-effective/ep/083182f0-9185-46e8-b1e3-f8ddca762bd9
• Michael Melcher Episode: https://redcircle.com/shows/97-effective/ep/ac6c1a30-1116-4136-afb9-20a409906bb6
• Lisa Bragg Episode: https://redcircle.com/shows/97-effective/ep/e542896f-2511-4518-8ada-c1ef29468713
• Don Moore Episode: https://redcircle.com/shows/86fcd90d-083e-4af2-9bc8-6d52fb981ae1/ep/06780ce7-2b31-422f-b5cf-4879c49aa4a5
• Ron Carucci Episode: https://redcircle.com/shows/97-effective/ep/affca376-2611-40b4-abea-fef9eee2b26d
• Prof Maggie Neale Episode: https://redcircle.com/shows/86fcd90d-083e-4af2-9bc8-6d52fb981ae1/ep/451d4f4e-add9-4847-bbf8-e6943aba9206
• Books referenced: Your Invisible Network (Melcher), Bragging Rights (Bragg), Perfectly Confident (Moore), Rising to Power (Carucci), How to Get (More of) What You Want (Neale), Get Promoted (Wenderoth)

 SHOW NOTES:

 Chris Fenning, award-winning author of Effective Emails, wants e-mail to stop being such a time sink, and help you write ones that get to the point, and get results. In this episode, Chris analyzes and rewrites two e-mails, which Michael also runs through ChatGPT. You assess the difference – but listen closely to Chris’s thought-provoking critique. When it comes to communicating clearly and concisely, the hard truth is that there’s a lot on the line: Business e-mails suck up more than 2 hours a day, and poor communication is one of the top reasons people don't get promoted.

• Isn’t e-mail dead? Why Chris wrote his book.
• How being clear, concise and organized will help you in all your communication.
• A key difference between written and spoken communication
• Keys: Structure, introduction and framing
• The evidence and research that backs his recommendations
• Tip #1: The surprising benefit of adding “white space”
• Tip #2: “Short and brief” improves response rate and retention by 60%
• When to use e-mail – and when NOT to use e-mail
• Tip #3: Audit your last 5 emails
• Case Study#1: Chris analyzes a dense, info-rich email (for copies of the Before-After, visit: https://changwenderoth.com/podcast/)
• Tip #1: Lots of text will cause people to put your email aside for later.. or never
• Tip #2: Instead of long URL’s, do this instead
• Tip #3: Pick one powerful point! (Beware of cognitive overload)
• Tip #4: Subject lines: When you read it, do you know what it’s about – and why you need to open it?”
• Tip #5: A lot of information is ok, but the key is how you structure it and highlight it
• Tip #6: Requests and actions: make them stand out by doing 2 things
• Tip #7: Summarize and be explicit at the beginning (Don’t bury the lede!)
• Tip #8: Add white space to mark where the message ends, and the info begins
• Tip #9: Provide structure with headings, and put info in small chunks
• THE TOP TAKEAWAY FROM CASE #1 (Because no one reads a long e-mail)
• Case #2: Chris analyzes an email between an assistant and their boss (for copies of the Before-After, visit: https://changwenderoth.com/podcast/)
• Tip #1: Subject lines should address topic AND purpose: What are they supposed to do with the message?
• Tip #2: Make it easy for the other person to avoid ambiguity and unintentional problems
• Tip #3: When to write separate emails, instead of just one
• Tip #4: If there’s a deadline or time frame, highlight it!
• Tip #5: Be consistent with your structure and highlights
• How to prevent “whack a mole” e-mails that multiply
• You be the judge: Michael compares Chris’s rewrite vs a ChatGPT rewrite
• Chris’s thought-provoking critique of ChatGPT’s workmanship.
• Making your e-mail effective always come back to this one thing
• Michael’s half-serious musing: How to rewrite the prompt in ChatGPT, to make the e-mail rewrite better?
• Chris’s personal bugbear: never do this when you forward an e-mail!

BIO AND LINKS:

 Chris Fenning is on a mission to help make communication less painful. Through his books, keynotes and training programs, he helps technical and business professionals communicate clearly – and get results. His award-winning books (The First Minute and Effective Mails: How to Start Conversations That Get Results; and Effective E-mails: The Secret to Straightforward Communication at Work) show you how to be concise, step by step. His insights draw from tens of thousands of conversations, decades leading technical and business teams across the world, and training individuals and teams from start-ups to Fortune 50 companies. He occasionally uses ChatGPT.

• Chris’s Website and Book link: www.chrisfenning.com
• Chris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-fenning/
• Links to the Before-Afters (visuals/emails) referenced in the podcast: https://changwenderoth.com/podcast/)
• Chris provides practical, bite-sized videos: https://chrisfenning.com/videos/
• Chris on how to improve your spoken communication – a previous episode on 97% Effective: https://tinyurl.com/46555wxz
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

 SHOW NOTES:

 What if leadership did not require changing hearts and minds? What if you could make a big impact by making small adjustments that lead people to make better decisions, which created better outcomes? In this episode, I speak with decision-making and leadership expert Don Moore, Professor and Associate Dean at the Haas School of Business, about his latest book, Decision Leadership: Empowering Others to Make Better Choices. Don is on a mission to expand how we think of leadership. We discuss when to deliberate vs rely on intuition, how to get quality advice from experts, and ways to create more ethical organizations. It’s not all happy talk: He lays the smack down on Malcolm Gladwell and cautions against the downsides that his field may unwittingly produce.

• Behavioral economics 101: major advancements since the field emerged in the 1990s
• Why he wrote his new book
• 3 “non-traditional acts” that Don argues should be included in the field of leadership
• How his message has been received by leadership scholars
• The upside – and risks -- of simple, cheap behavioral science interventions (example of overstated results with “belongingness interventions”)
• Skeptical? Run more experiments (and how to do them properly)!
• Be skeptical of grandiose claims – and make bets through “contingent contracts”
• The smackdown-breakdown on the usefulness of intuition, popularized in Malcolm Gladwell’s bestseller, Blink.
• The value of deliberation
• The strengths of algorithmic models – and how are they trained
• Mobs vs Crowds: How to get advice from others, without amplifying overestimation
• The role leaders play setting – and designing -- the ethical tone
• Don’s next inspiring challenge: “You can’t pick the moment when greatness calls”
•  

BIO AND LINKS:

Don Moore is Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and holds the Lorraine Tyson Mitchell Chair in Leadership at the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley. He received his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Carleton College and his Ph.D. in Organization Behavior from Northwestern University. His research interests include overconfidence, including when people think they are better than they actually are, when people think they are better than others, and when people are too sure they know the truth. His research has appeared in popular press outlets and academic journals, from Psychological Review to Harvard Business Review. Don is the author, with Max Bazerman, of Decision Leadership and the widely used textbook, Judgement in Managerial Decision Making. He teaches popular classes on managing organizations, negotiation, and decision making. He is only occasionally overconfident.

• Previous episode on 97% Effective, where Don and I discuss his Book, Perfectly Confident: https://stream.redcircle.com/episodes/06780ce7-2b31-422f-b5cf-4879c49aa4a5/stream.mp3
• Decision Leadership, the Book: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300259698/decision-leadership/
• Haas Faculty Profile: https://haas.berkeley.edu/faculty/moore-don/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-moore-01725b/
• LearnMoore at the Moore Accuracy Lab at Berkeley Haas: http://learnmoore.org/about.html his self-aggrandizing autobiographical sketch)
• Hass Berkeley Executive Education programs: https://executive.berkeley.edu
• Top behavioral science books that have shaped the field: Thinking Fast and Slow (Kahneman); Predictably Irrational (Ariely); Decisive (Health & Health); Nudge (Thaler and Sunstein); Misbehaving (Thaler).
• Colin Kaepernick acts of protest – or leadership? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBdoDOXMWkg
• Bruce Friedrich shifts from activism to setting up the Good Food Institute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxXUWDt0Mqw
• Jessie Wisdom, Co-founder of Humu, on interventions: https://www.humu.com/team/jessie-wisdom
• “Behavioral Science BS” (Interview with Jason Hreha on 97% Effective: https://redcircle.com/shows/97-effective/ep/0310f040-0b91-4dce-901a-0c39433efb53
• Jason Hreha, applied behavioral scientist: https://www.thebehavioralscientist.com/about
• Overblown results? RCTs to Scale: Comprehensive Evidence From Two Nudge Units (Haas research): https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.3982/ECTA18709
• Don’s article on the lure of overconfident leaders: Leadership & Overconfidence, Behavioral Science and Policy: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=62299

 SHOW NOTES:

 What can we learn from China about leadership, power, and influence? Gabor Holch, intercultural leadership expert who has helped thousands of Western and Chinese leaders, discusses his latest book, Dragon Suit: The Golden Age of Expatriate Lives in China. Gabor busts myths, shares how working in China enhances your leadership, and points to top trends most people overlook. He offers practical ways to engage and learn from the Chinese, which he argues is even more important in a divided world.

•  “If you don’t come to China, China will come to you”
• Why Gabor wrote Dragon Suit, and the voices he draws from
• Did Gabor self-censor?
• The impact China has had on Gabor’s career
• It’s a glimpse into the future: What relation do you want with that?
• The pressure – and benefits – of scale and speed
• Challenges expats encounter when they return home
• How Chinese companies found Gabor when he moved back to Europe
• The trends to keep your eye on
• Going abroad: Top issues Chinese experience outside China
• How do we restore trust between the West and China?
• Building personal bonds and connections: the tool to use
• What the “exposure index” reveals
• The shifting nature of “foreigners” in China
• Optimistic or pessimistic?
• The stories you don't hear
• His concern about exchanges drying up
• Ways to find out what’s really going on in China
• What we can learn about power and influence from China
• Does it work, does it get results… Is there a Chinese leadership style?
• Open your eyes: How China is harnessing technology
• Understanding China’s social security system as a route to understanding their behavior
• Tearing up “guanxi”
• Where China has most changed since he started writing his book
• How going online shattered “time to prepare culturally” – and how Gabor’s book seeks to remedy that

BIO AND LINKS:

 Gabor Holch, founder of GM of Campanile Consulting, is an East-West intercultural leadership expert, coach, author and keynote speaker who has served 100+ clients in 30+ countries. An expat since age 4 and China-based since 2002, he is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) in English and Mandarin. Dragon Suit: The golden age of expatriate executives in China is his latest book.

•  Dragon Suit, the book: http://www.dragonsuit.info/
• Gabor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaborholch/
• Campanile Consulting: https://www.campanileconsulting.com
• X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GaborHolch
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gaborholch
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GaborHolch
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

 SHOW NOTES:

 How you look matters, much more than we think. And your headshot, on LinkedIn and the web, shapes that critical first impression people form about you. Richard Waine, professional portrait photographer, helps you elevate your personal brand – and makes sure you don’t lose out on job offers, opportunities, or even meeting the love of your life. He takes us through “the game of inches,” by analyzing the before-after headshots of two clients, so you get the headshot – and photographer – that supports and accelerates your personal and professional goals.

•  Ellen and the power of how you feel
• Counterintuitive truth: Your headshot is actually NOT about you
• Considering a headshot? The first thing you should know – and then do
• Before-After example #1, Lisa. (To see images, visit https://changwenderoth.com/podcast/ )
• The four tenants Richard uses to start a photo session
• Striking the visual balance between confidence and approachability
• Nuances most clients are not aware of, that great headshot photographers address
• The single most important thing in your photo
• How Richard crops your headshot to convey information
• Why Richard favors simple backgrounds
• Before-After example #2, Michael. (To see images, visit https://changwenderoth.com/podcast/ )
• The devil is in the details: Examples where Richard removed distracting elements
• Clothing, makeup, and prep: what matters most in the shooting process
• Times the client isn’t right
• Visual conventions that send signals about who you are
• Does your photographer have a vested interest in your success?
• Should I get my image photoshopped or manipulated?
• “A game of inches”: What separates a good headshot photographer from a great one
• Get on the phone when you want to ensure you’ve got the right headshot photographer
• Company headshots: the importance of consistent visuals of your team

BIO AND LINKS:

 Richard Waine is a headshot and commercial portrait photographer who serves diverse clients across the Northeastern USA, based out of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Born and raised in Queens, New York, he is a graduate of Hofstra University who spent his career in finance – until a YouTube video of the famed Peter Hurley inspired him to shift gears and become a professional headshot photographer. He has never looked back.

•  Richard’s Website: https://richardwainephotography.com
• Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardwaine/
• Before-Afters that Richard reviews during the episode: https://changwenderoth.com/podcast/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richardwaine
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardWainePhotography
• X/Twitter: https:www.twitter.com/richard_waine
• The Headshot Crew: https://headshotcrew.com
• Research: Inferences people make after a 100- millisecond exposure of a face: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16866745/
• Research: Even after having met you, people still judge you based on your photograph: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1948550616662123
• 12 things people decide within seconds of meeting you: https://www.businessinsider.com/things-people-decide-about-you-in-seconds-2016-11
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74 (Chapter 5 breaks down research on appearance: its strong link to Executive Presence and getting promoted.)

 SHOW NOTES:

 How do you navigate a career in technology – even more so in fast moving, emerging markets? Maíra Gracini, GM Latin America at Atlas and C-Suite mentor of the year at Endeavour, shares how to “get new oxygen” to keep your career moving in the right direction. We discuss how to get out of your comfort zone, shift how you view and talk about yourself, and the unique challenges that women in tech face.

• The impact of growing up in a small city of Sao Paulo State, as the child of public school teachers
• Early mentors
• Stay or switch?
• The first and most important thing you need for career progression
• The biggest challenge that mid-level managers face
• Taking advantage of “internal channels”
• How solving problems is a great way to show your leadership potential
• The reframe: Is it overselling or sharing information?
• The big personal and professional awakening – and how Maíra talks about it today
• “Getting Out of Your Own Way,” a skill Maíra believes more women could use in the workplace
• “Getting New Oxygen”
• Affiliations as “hubs” to expand your learning and network
• Top themes she sees mentoring Latin American leaders
• The importance of building a “trust circle”
• Maíra’s “3 Cons” that guide her career

BIO AND LINKS:

 Maíra Gracini is General Manager of Latin America at Atlas, a global technology platform that enables critical people ops, without the need of a local entity. Prior to Atlas, she served in senior marketing roles across Latin America with technology pioneers including Atos, Salesforce and Zendesk. Based in Brazil, Maíra advises startups, angel invests and mentors C-level executives through Endeavour, which named her Mentor of the Year in 2020. Maíra holds a BS in Marketing & Advertising from ESAMC, holds Board Membership Certification through the Brazilian Institute of Corporate Governance, and got plenty of “new oxygen” through Executive Education at Stanford Business School.

• Maíra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mairagracini/
• Atlas Announces Maira’s appointment as GM, LatAm: https://www.meioemensagem.com.br/gente/atlas-anuncia-gerente-geral-na-america-latina
• Atlas: https://www.atlashxm.com
• Endeavour: https://endeavor.org
• BR Angels: https://brangels.global
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

 SHOW NOTES:

 Liz Banse, visual storytelling and communications expert at Resource Media, wants you to dial in your ability to be heard, shape conversations and get others to take action. She shares the biggest mistake people (and her clients) make in their presentations, how to test your approach – and the code of ethics to follow. We end with a simple exercise that will ensure the “psychology behind visuals” stays front and center in your communications and leadership toolkit.

• The biggest mistake most people make presenting
• Reframing how you go about your work
• Enragement, engagement and ethical guidelines that Liz follows
• The one true universal that applies across gender, culture, age.
• You and I disagree on what visual will work best: how to determine which is better
• Why bullets (in powerpoint) kill
• The exercise to make sure visuals hold the place they deserve in your leadership toolkit
• Reaching Liz, Resource Media and their FREE Visual Storytelling resources

BIO AND LINKS:

 Liz Banse is Senior Program Director of Resource Media, the leading communications firm focused on social change. She is author of Seeing is Believing, A Guide to Visual Storytelling Best Practices, and manages the Visual Story Lab, a Resource Media website that shares cutting edge approaches for issue-oriented visual storytelling. A veteran of Resource Media’s Seattle office since 1999, Liz’s practice areas span communications planning, traditional and online media strategy, opinion research, presentation skills and crisis communications. Before joining Resource Media, Liz worked with MWW/Savitt, where her expertise supported Starbucks and the (former – sniff) Seattle Supersonics. She holds a BA from Carleton College.

•  3 Keys to Visual Communications (Prior episode with Liz on 97% Effective: <Episode LINK>
• Seeing is Believing: Resource Media’s best practices guide on visual storytelling: https://resource-media.org/seeing-is-believing-report/
• Liz on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizbanse/
• Liz on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/lizbanse
• Resource Media: https://www.resource-media.org (“Health, equity, justice and sustainability”)
• Visual Story Lab @ Resource Media: https://www.resource-media.org/visual-story-lab/
• Resource Media’s Visual Story toolbox: https://www.resource-media.org/visual-story-lab/toolbox/
• Blog: The Power of Imagery to Drive New Narratives: https://www.resource-media.org/thinking-with-our-eyes-the-power-of-imagery-to-drive-new-narratives/
• Why Things Catch On -- Jonah Berger’s book, Contagious: https://jonahberger.com/books/contagious/
• Cialdini’s book, Influence: The Pyschology of Persuasion: https://www.influenceatwork.com
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

 SHOW NOTES:

 How do you get heard, shape conversations, mobilize support, and ultimately get others to take action? Liz Banse shares why pictures -- much more than words – are the key to your communication success. An expert in visual storytelling and strategic communications at Resource Media, Liz breaks down the science and shows how “dialing in” your visual communications will accelerate your career, work and leadership.

•  The critical pivot Resource Media and Liz made to serve their clients… and how that relates to upping your leadership game.
• The 3 things you need to be a great visual communicator (technical background is not one of them)
• What we can learn from National Geographic in how they hire their top photographers.
• Is visual storytelling more science or art?
• What does it mean to be beautiful?
• Presenting: much more than speaking to a room of people
• Liz’s epiphany on leadership, sitting years back next to pioneer Dennis Hayes
• Get comfortable with being uncomfortable, and “unlearning” if you want to shift and learn these skills
• The first question to ask yourself, before assessing what images to use
• Who has the power, and what do they care about?
• Liz geeks out on the neuroscience around setting “mental frames” (Key #1: “We are visual first and verbal second.”)
• The pictorial superiority affect, and how to use words for maximum impact (dual coding “yellow stick notes” theory)
• Key #2: Decisions are made in the brain’s emotional region
• Mentors vs Sponsors – and how that ties to using visuals
• Is that manipulation -- or strategic?
• Key #3 when choosing your visual: What do you need people to feel to take action?
• Seeing the “emotional payoff”
• Liz turns the tables on Michael, asking how he marketed Invisalign

BIO AND LINKS:

 Liz Banse is Senior Program Director of Resource Media, the leading communications firm focused on social change. She is author of Seeing is Believing, A Guide to Visual Storytelling Best Practices, and manages the Visual Story Lab, a Resource Media website that shares cutting edge approaches for issue-oriented visual storytelling. A veteran of Resource Media’s Seattle office since 1999, Liz’s practice areas span communications planning, traditional and online media strategy, opinion research, presentation skills and crisis communications. Before joining Resource Media, Liz worked with MWW/Savitt, where her expertise supported Starbucks and the (former – sniff) Seattle Supersonics. She holds a BA from Carleton College.

•  Seeing is Believing: Resource Media’s best practices guide on visual storytelling: https://resource-media.org/seeing-is-believing-report/
• Liz on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizbanse/
• Liz on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/lizbanse
• Resource Media: https://www.resource-media.org (“Health, equity, justice and sustainability”)
• Visual Story Lab @ Resource Media: https://www.resource-media.org/visual-story-lab/
• Resource Media’s Visual Story toolbox: https://www.resource-media.org/visual-story-lab/toolbox/
• “Napalm Girl” image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phan_Thi_Kim_Phuc
• Top books from the Health Brothers: Made to Stick, Switch, the Power of Moments
• Prof. Don Moore, on making better decisions and calibrating your confidence: https://redcircle.com/shows/97-effective/ep/06780ce7-2b31-422f-b5cf-4879c49aa4a5
• Blog: The Power of Imagery to Drive New Narratives: https://www.resource-media.org/thinking-with-our-eyes-the-power-of-imagery-to-drive-new-narratives/
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

 SHOW NOTES:

 Deep down you agree that speaking about your success is important – but you cringe at the thought of doing so, and can’t bring yourself to doing it. And being humble has cost you key projects, promotions, and more money that you rightly deserve. Enter Lisa Bragg, speaker and author of Bragging Rights. We discuss why self-promotion and bragging is important, how to overcome what holds you back – and practical tips so you are seen and heard. By the end of this episode, you’ll see bragging in a new light, and in your next social media post will surely add the hashtag #Braggingrights.

•  Michael puts Lisa on the spot: Not 1, but 3 introductions
• A simple way to think about the goal of your introduction
• Practical Tip #1: “Present, Past, Future”
• How to make your introduction crisp, effective – and leapfrog the credibility conversation
• Tip #2: How Lisa builds comradery, even before she meets people at an event
• Tip #3: How to make it easy for someone to highlight you
• Even the best bosses are not always thinking or advocating for you
• Bragging vs self-aggrandizement
• How the comparison put-down backfires
• The impact of giving some people a pass, while and censoring others
• “Fear + 10%” and how Lisa got over the dilemma of talking about herself
• The “red thread” that runs through Lisa’s upbringing and career
• The corrosiveness of being invisible
• Why we should nurture an environment of bragging and self-promotion, if we want to retain good people
• Tip #4: Keep a brag sheet
• Counterintuitive finding from Lisa’s survey: 85% ?!
• Survey finding: Being humble just not a Canadian thing
• Fitting in, but also standing out
• Tip #5: “Think of perfect as 70%”
• Showing up as a 10 and the importance of first impressions
• How to asses if your self-promotion work is working – and stay motivated?
• “Nurture and mature”… but make sure you have a strategy
• NOT TRUE: “There is no I in team and everyone shares the credit”
• How orgs are creating cultures of talking about their successes
• Case study: How one team went from disjointed to a cohesive force, by bragging about their individual and team achievements
• Tip #6: from me, me, me to how do we partner, and think win-win?
• The benefits of putting the spotlight on others

BIO AND LINKS:

 Lisa Bragg is a speaker, advisor, professional mentor, founder of MediaFace, and spent years as an award-winning journalist. She helps high-achievers be seen, heard and share their value to the world – and how leaders can help those less visible on their teams do the same. Her book is Bragging Rights: How to Talk about Your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion. Lisa is based in Toronto, Canada, where she lives with her husband, daughter and 95 pound dog.

•  Lisa website: https://www.lisabragg.com
• Lisa book: https://www.lisabragg.com/braggingrightsbook-1
• Lisa on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabragg/
• Lisa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatlisabragg/
• “Making it easy for others to speak about you” – What a great Media Guide (Lisa’s, of course) looks like: https://tinyurl.com/2mxfn4b8
• Take Lisa’s survey: https://www.lisabragg.com/research
• UVA Prof Peter Belmi interview: “Social Class & Our Beliefs – How they impact our Path to Power”: https://redcircle.com/shows/86fcd90d-083e-4af2-9bc8-6d52fb981ae1/ep/9bdfb7a3-ca49-43e4-9882-22fc38c542c0
• Interview with Joy Chen, CEO of the MLI, on why most Asians don’t speak up, which stunts their rise to leadership in Western companies: https://redcircle.com/shows/97-effective/ep/5f2a5a42-80fc-46fb-9f7d-b7cf56e691c1
• Vivian Picard, “come in as a 10”: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivianpickard/
• Make sure to hastag #BRAGGINGRIGHTS
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74

 SHOW NOTES:

 Forget start-ups and large corporations -- the more interesting place to work, learn, and grow is at “Scale-Ups,” says Joe Haslam, professor at IE Business School. We discuss why founders get ousted, power as the ability to cast a spell – and other insights from scale-ups that can help you accelerate your career – and impact. Joe is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and Executive Director of the OMP at IE Business School, a top executive education program that guides small and medium-sized business through their massive growth phase.

•  “Already started 6, going to start 6 more”
• Start-ups, corporations and that “teenager in the middle” that no one talks about
• Why scale-ups interest Joe – and are terrific places to work
• When it comes to scaling, 2 things Joe says that we know *doesn’t* work
• Joe’s “Scale-up checklist”
• Why we should work on hard problems
• Are start-ups and scale-ups devoid of politics? Joe and Michael disagree.
• Why most founders get ousted
• Joe’s advice: Have a “minder”, focus on your strengths, be indispensable
• If you put balls in the back of the net, don’t try to be a goal keeper!
• Is narcissism a problem with founders and serial entrepreneurs?
• “Power” in the scale-up world as the ability to cast a spell
• Technology vs humans –the question we should be asking
• Joe on soft skills and the need to stand up for yourself
• Getting rich and making an impact
• Reaching Joe

BIO AND LINKS:

Joe Haslam is Professor at IE Business School (Madrid, Spain) and Executive Director of the OMP Owners and Managers Scaleup Program at IE – a best-in-class program for small and medium sized companies that want to scale successfully, and sustainably. Joe founded and scaled multiple startups (including Marrakech and Hot Hotels); invests in, mentors and serves on the board of numerous others, and lectures on scaling. At IE he teaches the popular and highly rated courses “Trillion Dollar Opportunities,” “Scale Up your Startup” and “Scale Up Yourself.” Joe was born in Ireland, holds an MBA from IE Business School, and has lived in Madrid with his family for more than 15 years.

• Joe on Twitter: https://twitter.com/joehas
• Joe on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joehas/
• Joe’s email: jhaslam [at] faculty.ie.edu
• The OMP Program at IE Business School: https://www.ie.edu/lifelong-learning/programs/owners-scaleup-program/
• Joe speaks in depth with Prof Daniel Corsten about Scaling-Up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8e1jjZXBxOU
• Joe on Startups vs Scaleups: https://www.ie.edu/insights/infographics/startups-vs-scaleups/
• The case for Founding CEOs: https://a16z.com/2010/04/28/why-we-prefer-founding-ceos/
• The hot professor from Cork: https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/the-hot-professor-top-eu-business-lecturer-from-cork-aims-for-tech-start-up-success/34369940.html
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

 SHOW NOTES:

 To reach the C-Suite and Board, you need a robust network, personal brand and interviewing skills. But you also need to “take a step back”, says Anne Marie Segal, Execute Coach and Author. Anne Marie shares why and how this non-intuitive move raises your “inner game” and will accelerate your next career transition. Head of Segal Coaching LLC and a former General Counsel, Anne Marie discusses being “authentic but not transparent,” the upsides of group coaching, and career growth strategies that are “robust enough to eclipse bias -- and get results.”

•  Lessons from getting canned at age 15
• Art & Law: the Yin and Yang she brings to Coaching
• “You can’t [rewire] through telling”: Mentoring vs Coaching
• Keys to transitioning: Networking, Personal Branding, Mastering the Interview
• On Networking: “Networks are not static!”
• On Branding: Beware of Typecasting Yourself
• On Interviewing: Get more at bats!
• New updates in the 2nd edition of her book, Mastering the Interview
• The Keys to “Taking a Step Back”
• The only question that matters in an interview
• “Be Authentic, but not Transparent”
• Self-care
• Be aware of how you speak, pause and present
• “Develop strategies that are robust enough to eclipse bias and get results”
• Tips on forming your Personal Board of Advisors
• The value of women’s only leadership groups
• 1-1 vs group coaching
• How Anne-Marie elevates her own inner game

BIO AND LINKS:

 Anne Marie Segal is an executive coach, writer and the founder of Segal Coaching LLC. She and her team partner with senior and high-potential leaders to accelerate and refine their gravitas, emotional intelligence, personal branding and executive presence. They also draft and assist with resumes, board and professional bios and LinkedIn profiles, with a particular focus on how these key “career marketing documents” tell a concise, compelling and convincing story. Anne Marie is the author of two highly regarded books, and has been quoted by multiple media outlets on the topic of careers. Prior to launching her executive coaching practice, Anne Marie served as VP and Deputy General Counsel to Wexford, a $6B+ private equity and hedge fund advisor, and as a corporate associate at White & Case. She holds a JD from New York University School of Law, a MA from the University of Chicago, and a BA from Loyola University in Chicago.

• Anne Marie’s Website: https://annemariesegal.com
• Segal Coaching Academy (SCA): https://www.segalcoachingacademy.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariesegal/
• Anne Marie’s books, Master the Interview and Know Yourself, Grow Your Career: https://annemariesegal.com/books/
• Anne Marie’s articles and mentions in the Press: https://annemariesegal.com/press/
• Michael Melcher on networking: https://redcircle.com/shows/86fcd90d-083e-4af2-9bc8-6d52fb981ae1/ep/ac6c1a30-1116-4136-afb9-20a409906bb6
• Michael Melcher’s Book, Your Invisible Network: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/718936/your-invisible-network-by-michael-urtuzuastegui-melcher/
• Brown’s Leadership and Performance Coaching: https://professional.brown.edu/executive/coaching
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

 Feel frustrated that classmates or peers at work seem to be operating from a rule book that you never got? Or are you beginning your career, and want to make sure you start it off right? Gorick Ng, Harvard career advisor and bestselling author, is on a mission to help first-generation students and professionals better navigate and accelerate their careers. We discuss his bestselling book, “The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right,” focusing on what you aren’t taught in school – and the critical things you need to know, and do, as you enter the workforce.

•  The surprising genesis of his book and career: Helping his mom at 14… Why is life so hard?
• What powers him through his journey
• The value of sharing your personal story
• Owning your personal brand framework
• The surprising way that his book is being used
• What motivates the next generation.
• The invisible rubric that we’re evaluated against
• Your job at work: demonstrate and get into the green zone of “the 3Cs”
• The keys to propelling yourself at work, in an imperfect world: Self-help and collective help
• How much should you show your true self, how much do you “adapt”?
• “First close the knowing gap”
• Gorick and Michael reflect: What are best practices vs personal preferences?
• The #1 point you need to master early on -- managing your manager – and some practical tips to do that.
• Overcoming a cultural deference to authority, if that affects you
• How to speak up (or not) when you are not totally confident
• The Career Limiting Move of “self-rejection”
• Turning anxiety into confidence: Wisdom from the Simpsons
• Rethink “expertise”
• How to make sure someone doesn’t steal your work and get credit for it
• What it takes to succeed in the world of hybrid and remote work
• Getting to the center of gravity
• “Running two legs of the same relay race”: Gorick and Michael discuss the parallels in their books

BIO AND LINKS:

Gorick Ng helps first-generation professionals accelerate their careers. He is a Harvard career advisor, UC Berkeley faculty and author of the Wall Street Journal Bestseller, “The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right.” A first-generation college student from Canada, Gorick is a graduate of Harvard College and the Harvard Business School. Prior to becoming a best-selling author and keynote speaker, he worked in investment banking at Credit Suisse, as a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group, and on education policy with the Toronto School Board.

• Gorick’s Website: https://www.gorick.com
• The Unspoken Rules, his book: https://www.gorick.com/unspokenrules
• His online course: https://www.gorick.com/course
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gorick/
• The concept of “Covering”: https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/15/magazine/the-pressure-to-cover.html
• Catalyst Research on what it takes to get ahead: https://www.catalyst.org/research/the-myth-of-the-ideal-worker-does-doing-all-the-right-things-really-get-women-ahead/
• Global Leaders for Global Teams: Leaders with Multicultural Experiences Communicate and Lead More Effectively, Especially in Multinational Teams (Lu, Swaab, Galinsky): https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/abs/10.1287/orsc.2021.1480
• Marge Simpson wisdom on how to turn anxiety into confidence: https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/e5df5e6b-a19d-48c7-8caf-48e1c74071f7
• What Is Proximity Bias and How Can Leaders Prevent It? (HBR) https://hbr.org/2022/10/what-is-proximity-bias-and-how-can-managers-prevent-it
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

Raj Shiva oversees market conduct compliance at one of the largest financial firms on Wall Street. A former Fx sales and derivatives trader who grew up in Africa and Asia, she shares her “squiggly” career path, the keys to re-enter the workforce after an absence – and the bold and intentional moves to design the career and life you seek. We discuss how serving in an ERG (Employee Resource Group), volunteering and mentoring can make you better at your job – and accelerate career opportunities. All statements by Raj reflect her personal opinion.

• Growing up as a "culture vulture" and learning to speak up
• Choices: How she challenged the safe career trajectory of her conservative Asian background
• Mechanisms to gain valuable experience early in your career
• When you need to act: How she got onto the trading desk
• Advantages of being an outsider, starting on a smaller desk and making mistakes
• Yes, you have to work harder than other people – but strategies women can use to avoid being shut out of critical organic networking opportunities.
• Connect & Humanize: Your first few interactions with others should be about this.
• What happened when Rajalakshmi shortened her name to Raj, a traditionally male name
• Exercise: Identify your “transferable skills” to manage career gaps
• Don’t sit around: How Raj started the Harlem junior tutoring tennis program.
• The value of finding people who look at you in new ways ....
• We are constantly changing, get your foot in the door – and tell your story
• Her “concentric circles” exercise
• “The word women includes the word men” & “Join ERG’s where no one looks like you”
• How upskilling led to executive education led to her DYC platform on WEAVR
• How ERGs help you break silos, do your day job better, build new skills -- and discover “mobility opportunities”
• 2-way flow: The value of reverse mentoring
• Women and people of color: “You don’t need to do things differently, but you do need to be aware of specific dynamics.”
• What makes you, you?
• Never stop learning: Raj’s to do this year, using Michael’s Power Map tool
• Embrace the squiggly line: Graduated from Stanford Exec Ed the same time her son graduated from Stanford undergrad!

BIO AND LINKS:

Raj Shiva is a financial markets professional who oversees market conduct compliance at one of the top financial firms in on Wall Street. A former FX and derivatives trader and salesperson who has lived and worked in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America, Raj wants you to “never miss an opportunity.” She volunteers, mentors and advises others, particularly women, on how to design their careers. Raj is Founder of the Academic and Creative Engagement (ACE) program at the Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program; Mentor at the Financial Women’s Association at Baruch College; and member of the leadership team of “Women on the Move,” her bank’s initiative to fuel female ambition and advance financial equality. Raj holds a BA in Mathematics and Economics from St. Stephen’s College; an MBA in Finance from the University of Delhi, and completed executive education at Pace University and Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raj-shiva/
• Design Your Career, through WEAVR: https://designyourcareer.weavr.cafe/g/channels
• The Financial Women’s Association at Baruch College: https://www.alumni.baruch.cuny.edu/get-involved/fwa-at-baruch
• USTA ACE: https://www.ustafoundation.com/ace_curriculum/
• The legacy of Arthur Ashe: https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2020-08-19/2020-08-19_bob_ryland_first_black_pro_tennis_player_lived_a_lifetime_in_the_sport.html
• Stanford’s LEAD Program: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/exec-ed/programs/stanford-lead-online-business-program
• Avinash Harsh, CEO of WEAVR: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aviharsh/
• Michael’s Power Map: https://changwenderoth.com/the-power-map/
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

 SHOW NOTES:

 Previously on 97% Effective, Leesa Soulodre, Founder and General Partner at R3i Capital, discussed how she is filling a “missing middle” in venture capital and practical steps for leveling the playing field in her industry. In this continuation episode, Leesa speaks more to how she broke through as a woman in venture capital, leveraging the power of networks, community and technology. We discuss techniques for creating power through community, benefits of the virtual workplace and ways to manage all the demands on your time -- brilliant lessons Leesa draws from being a top tier global investor and working mother.

 SHOW NOTES:

•  Principles of creating power through community building
• What drives economic ties
• How COVID increased global participation
• Building a 7 floor metaverse, which protects and connects founders
• Utilizing technology to manage your time - and empower you
• Tips on being smart about work-life balance, so you get to your end goal
• Have a source of joy outside of work
• The 9 minutes that matter most each day
• Finding fun ways share work life with your family
• Challenging what we’re told
• Power law? “Build the first fund small”
• Breaking the myth that no one backs a solo GP
• Massing middle of capital that is unserved
• Unlocking capital for sustainable goals

BIO AND LINKS:

 Leesa Soulodre is the Founder and General Partner at R3i Capital, a venture capital firm that accelerates the growth of deep tech companies. She is a strong advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and a power player that harnesses her affiliations, network and platforms to level the playing field for female founders. A globe-trotting super-connector and community builder, Leesa actively works to increase women's presence in entrepreneurship through initiatives like She Loves Tech. She advises, educates, speaks, and writes on investing, technology, and the new economy. Leesa is Clinical Professor of Practice at SMU Cox School and lecturer at dozens of elite forums and institutions, including Singapore Management University and IE Business School.

•  Previous episode on 97% Effective:https://redcircle.com/shows/97-effective/episodes/4a918c13-f225-4b22-9ce9-9cb74120218d
• R3i Company website: https://www.r3icapital.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leesasoulodre/
• Personal website: https://www.leesasoulodre.co
• The R3i metaverse opens: https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/592012570/the-r3i-metaverse-is-open-for-business
• She Loves Tech: https://www.shelovestech.org/
• Application recommendation, RescueTime: https://www.rescuetime.com/
• Video recommendation, Brendon Burchard: How Millionaires Schedule Their Day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLYwz3JUsLw&ab_channel=Brendon.com
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

Less than 2 out of every 100 dollars invested in venture capital goes to women and minority-owned startups. Leesa Soulodre, Founder and GP at R3i Capital, shares her experience transforming the world’s most promising deep tech companies by accelerating their growth. We discuss her views on elevating women in entrepreneurship and investment, her “Aussie” traits that have propelled her – and address practical steps to leveling the playing field within venture capital.

• “In my veins since I could walk” that led to filling a missing middle
• Providing an active service to combat “vulture” capital
• Helping founders connect to smart capital
• Give before you get to remove informational asymmetries: Leesa’s competitive advantage
• Turning venture capital on its head
• Surround yourself by others with strengths you don't have
• Women breaking into venture capital
• How to be a giver and not get taken advantage of
• “Always be a risk manager”
• 3 sources of information you need for success
• Practical steps to building trust
• Vulnerability vs stupidity
• Utilizing the digital environment to understand your founders
• Triangulate: How to detect BS in a venture firm

BIO AND LINKS:

Leesa Soulodre is the Founder and General Partner at R3i Capital, a venture capital firm that accelerates the growth of deep tech companies. She is a strong advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and a power player that harnesses her affiliations, network and platforms to level the playing field for female founders. A globe-trotting super-connector and community builder, Leesa advises, educates, speaks, and writes on investing, technology, and the new economy. She is Clinical Professor of Practice at SMU Cox School and lecturer at dozens of elite forums and institutions, including Singapore Management University and IE Business School.

•  R3i Company website: https://www.r3icapital.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leesasoulodre/
• Personal website: https://www.leesasoulodre.co
• Coolwater Capital (Accelerator) website: https://pitchbook.com/profiles/investor/495841-42#analytics
• Women in VC website: https://www.women-vc.com/
• Adam Grant’s research on givers: https://hbr.org/2013/04/in-the-company-of-givers-and-takers
• She Loves Tech: https://www.shelovestech.org/
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

 SHOW NOTES:

 What does it mean to be “Undeniable”? Stephen Childs, senior executive, thought leader and executive coach, is on a mission to help others achieve their ambitious goals and become the best versions of themselves. We discuss how he helped make Panasonic Automotive one of the most admired places to work – and break down “the work” you need to put in, if you want to land in the top 10%.

• Taking the worry out of the “success model”
• 1 thing that will surprise you about Stephen
• Why Panasonic allows Stephen to also work externally as a speaker and coach
• Where highly people want to come – and stay
• Why it’s a bad sign when your company gets you a coach, and what you should do instead
• Do this and you have already won
• Dealing with obstacles
• How coaching differs (vs training, mentors, rotations)
• How coaching creates accountability
• Parts of Executive Presence that most people overlook
• Changing "neural pathways": 65% people should first focus here
• 63, 90, and 1%
• It’s gotta be sticky and WTF!
• 10-year study on successful CEOs
• Why companies promote ineffective leaders
• How Stephen closed the gap when he realized he wasn’t qualified to do his job
• How to reach out: the quarterly goal Stephen sets for his direct reports
• DEI in action and “attracting what you operate to”
• Unintended consequences when you put in the work

BIO AND LINKS:

 Stephen Childs is VP & CHRO at $8.5 billion leader Panasonic Automotive, where he has been instrumental in making it one of the most admired places to work. He is a highly acclaimed global keynote speaker and executive coach, certified at Columbia University, and is on a relentless mission to help others become Undeniable. A Global Talent Fellow at the Wharton School, member of the Forbes Human Resources Council, and two-time HR Executive of the year, Stephen is an alum of the University of Alabama.

•  Stephen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenchildstalentmgt/
• Panasonic Automotive: https://automotive.panasonic.com/en
• Book Stephen to speak: https://speakerhub.com/speaker/stephen-childs
• Stephen’s Coaching Website: https://www.neuroexecutivecoaching.net
• Brooke Vuckovic’s model on Executive Presence: https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/executive-presence-how-to-develop-yours
• Dr. Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Why-We-Sleep/Matthew-Walker/9781501144325
• 63 days to create a habit (Dr. Caroline Leaf): https://drleaf.com/pages/about-dr-leaf
• Atomic Habits by James Clear: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits
• Stephen’s sticky “WTF” model: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/wtf-stephen-childs-gtml-/
• David Rock at the NeuroLeadership Institute: https://neuroleadership.com
• 10-year study: 4 Things that separate successful CEOs: https://hbr.org/2017/05/what-sets-successful-ceos-apart
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

What can leaders learn from pilots? Tenille Cromwell, chief pilot, shares four lessons from the cockpit that will make you a more effective leader. We look at how pilots communicate, work with their teams and navigate storms to complete their missions safely. Tenille, who flew her first solo flight at 17, draws from deep experience leading airborne customer support and her time in the US Navy as mission commander and instructor. She holds a BS from the University of Southern California (USC), an MBA from Georgia Southern University, and completed executive education at Harvard’s Kennedy School and Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.

• Her grandpa, the lightbulb moment and “Mom and Dad, college is on me.. I joined the Navy”
• The job of a Chief Pilot, the job of a pilot
• Lesson #1: Communication
• “CRM” and depersonalizing, conciseness and tailoring to the audience
• Two giant jets, 100 feet apart – Tone and how you say it
• Lesson #2: Co-pilots and Diversity of Thought
• Her military background vs that of her co-pilot: “a rich fabric of decision making”
• Trust
• Flying into Bozeman, “I can’t see the runway”
• Huddles to discuss the Brief (“Exec Summary”)
• “No, it’s not all Kumbaya”: A time for collaboration vs a time to make a decision
• Scenario planning, pre-mortems and debriefs to avoid error
• 45,000 feet and losing pressure is “not a time for conversation, we need to descend now”
• Lesson #3: Navigating Thunderstorms and the 4 routes
• Lesson #4: Surrounding yourself with a good team
• “I really couldn't do this without these people”
• The role of recognition and her Christmas tradition
• When bringing stragglers along is gross mis-prioritization
• “It’s not all glory being a chief pilot”
• The importance of overcommunication – “Just because you think it doesn’t mean other people know it” - why it helps in the cockpit to include your copilot in your internal thought process
• Women in aviation, with India as an outlier?
• The physical demand is not the challenge, but managing the time away is
• “Start them early” – experience and exposure
• You can’t have it all but you can sure try
• “You don’t always need to find a mentor that looks like you” and other advice for young women
• Guys have the same challenges that women do - "No need to belittle yourself to fit in"
• Her favorite plane to fly (quite the savvy response…)

BIO AND LINKS:

Tenille Cromwell is Chief Pilot for an elite private aircraft manufacturer. She flies the G150, G350, G450, and G550, manages 17 pilots and seven aircraft that are continuously operating around the world to meet customer needs. She started her aviation career in the US Navy, where she served as Instructor Pilot and Mission Commander in the E-6B (TACAMO), and as Instructor Pilot in the T-1 (Hawker 400) for future military aviators. Tenille holds a BS in Business from the University of Southern California, an MBA from Georgia Southern University, and earned executive education certificates in Public Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School, and in Corporate Innovation from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business (LEAD). When not completing missions that add to her 7000+ flight hours, she lives in Savannah, Georgia with her husband, and three children.

• Tenille on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tenille-cromwell-0b079718b/
• JFK’s 1962 Clip: “We choose to go to the Moon” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQV9CAJWlVY
• Flights, by by the numbers: https://www.spikeaerospace.com/air-traffic-around-the-globe-over-24-hours/
• How safe is it to fly? https://simpleflying.com/how-safe-is-flying/
• Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers: https://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017930
• Scenario planning to avoid error (and the strong case for pre-mortems): https://hbr.org/2007/09/performing-a-project-premortem
• Stats on women in aviation: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/at-15-india-has-most-number-of-female-pilots-in-the-world-11679622535369.html
• Time to become a pilot? The upcoming shortage is real: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/19/business/pilot-shortage-retirement-tsunami/index.html
•  Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

 SHOW NOTES:

 It’s real: Most Asians and Asian Americans don’t speak up, which seriously stunts their rise to leadership positions in corporate America. In this continuation episode, Joy Chen, CEO of the Multicultural Leadership Institute, shares what she is doing to help Asian Americans – and corporate leaders – address the “Age 30 problem.” We talk about the importance of self-talk, the strategy of “richly sharing”, and what she finds most resonates with today’s Fortune 50 leaders on the topic of DEI and leadership.

•  Discussing our deep pain: The Age 30 problem and “Asian Americans Don’t Speak Up”
• From networking to getting deeply grounded with ourselves
• The first and most important step
• Be aware of your self-talk
• Mini-case: A humiliating lesson from Joy’s early career
• The gap and the gain: Replacing negative thoughts with useful action
• “Asian-American” is a diverse group!
• Cultural goggles and cultural fluency
• Research-backed strategy: How “richly sharing” helps us connect
• Is America really polarized & What’s working? Joy reflects on her keynotes to Fortune 50 C-Suite and Boards
• Analyzing Joy’s use of fun and humor
• The surprising story of how Joy connected to pioneer Yue Sai-Kan, and what she learned from her about power

BIO AND LINKS:

 Joy Chen is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker and global leader. She is CEO of the Multicultural Leadership Institute (the MLI), which seeks to accelerate Asian Americans into leadership positions, and enable leadership for all. Joy has served as Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles; Principal at Heidrick & Struggles, where she placed CEOs in Fortune 500 companies; and has written two best-sellers, Do Not Marry Before Age 30《30岁前别结婚》and How to Get Lucky in Your Career《30 岁趁势而为 Suì chènshì ér wéi 》 that powered her Beijing-based global leadership training company. Joy has been profiled in major media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Economist and CNN. She holds a BA from Duke and an MBA and MA in Urban Planning from UCLA. She resides with her family in California. In the brutal, ongoing war that has savagely divided Americans, she picked up pickleball to better understand both sides.

• Previous episode with Joy on 97% Effective: https://redcircle.com/shows/97-effective/episodes/cf114ccf-87c6-498d-a703-b9937960cb02
• Joy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joychen/
• Multicultural Leadership Institute: https://www.themli.net
• Asian American Leadership Accelerator: https://www.themli.net/asian-american-leadership-accelerator
• How people foster a sense of inclusion through the ways in which they conceal, express, and respond to social identity differences in interpersonal interactions (research by Prof Rachel Arnett at Wharton): https://www.rachelarnett.com/research
• Why East Asians but not South Asians are underrepresented in leadership positions in the US (Research by Prof Jackson Lu, MIT): https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.1918896117
• The escalating war that is dividing so many Americans: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/oct/05/blame-threat-and-clash-the-war-between-pickleball-and-tennis-players-is-escalating-on-and-off-the-court
• Joy’s connection to Yue-Sai Kan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yue-Sai_Kan
• 14- min FREE webinar on Speaking Up: https://www.themli.net/why-many-asians-don't-speak-up-joy-chen
• Her LI newsletter, Operating Inclusion – Science based insights…: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/operationalizing-inclusion-6862074050735427584/
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

 SHOW NOTES:

 Asians are among the most educated group in US society, but become the “first hired and last promoted” when it comes to rising in corporate America. Joy Chen, CEO of the Multicultural Leadership Institute (MLI), shares her career ascent and perspectives, and how she puts that to work to service others through the MLI. We discuss growing up Chinese in America, the “unwritten rules” that operate at the top of US companies, and how she reached the top of three industries without ever sending a resume. She even reveals her secret sauce, “UAF,” which will make you re-think what unpaid work you take on to get ahead.

•  What you can learn from Old Man Sai
• The benefit and cost of fitting in: growing up “weird”, as a banana
• Her early superpower
• What’s different at the top of the corporate pyramid
• Two columns of notes: What Joy looked for when she was a CEO headhunter
• The one critical thing sought after, across ALL executive searches
• The unwritten rules (and skills needed) in corporate America
• The #1 career resource for Chinese abroad in the US
• A blog post on “Left over women” that goes viral and shifts her career
• How Joy illustrates the 5 drivers that research shows propels your career, revelaled in Michael’s book
• “UAF”: Joy’s secret sauce to career growth
• How she got to the top of 3 industries -- without ever applying for those jobs
• The power of high-quality and free
• Avoiding the trap of unpaid “housework”
• Which “intersections” you should be working at
• Ways to grow as leaders before we are appointed as leaders

 BIO AND LINKS:

 Joy Chen is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker and global leader. She is CEO of the Multicultural Leadership Institute (the MLI), which seeks to accelerate Asian Americans into leadership positions, and enable leadership for all. Joy has served as Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles; Principal at Heidrick & Struggles, where she placed CEOs in Fortune 500 companies; and has written two best-sellers, Do Not Marry Before Age 30《30岁前别结婚》and How to Get Lucky in Your Career《30 岁趁势而为 Suì chènshì ér wéi 》 that powered her Beijing-based global leadership training company. Joy has been profiled in major media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Economist and CNN. She holds a BA from Duke and an MBA and MA in Urban Planning from UCLA. She resides with her family in California. In the brutal, ongoing war that has savagely divided Americans, she learned pickleball to better understand both sides.

•  Joy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joychen/
• The Multicultural Leadership Institute: https://www.themli.net
• Wall Street Journal Feature on Joy: https://www.themli.net/wall-street-journal-joy-chen
• The Asian American Leadership Accelerator: https://www.themli.net/asian-american-leadership-accelerator
• 14- min FREE webinar on Speaking Up: https://www.themli.net/why-many-asians-dont-speak-up-joy-chen
• ASCEND Study: Asian Americans Least Likely Group in the U.S. to Be Promoted to Management: https://hbr.org/2018/05/asian-americans-are-the-least-likely-group-in-the-u-s-to-be-promoted-to-management
• Even deeper challenges for Asian American women advancing into senior ranks (McKinsey study): https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/asian-american-workers-diverse-outcomes-and-hidden-challenges
• Concept of the “model minority”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_minority
• Complexities of being a “Banana”: https://asiasociety.org/blog/asia/how-banana-magazine-captures-new-yorks-asian-american-creative-community
• The concept of Covering: (Kenji Yoshino): https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/15/magazine/the-pressure-to-cover.html
• Joy’s LI newsletter, Operating Inclusion – Science based insights…: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/operationalizing-inclusion-6862074050735427584/
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

What can we learn from global leaders -- who routinely face culture shock -- about navigating differences and leading diverse teams? Gabor Holch, intercultural leadership expert and author, shares his experience helping thousands manage, lead through, and harness culture shock to get ahead, and get results. We discuss keys to enhancing your intercultural communication, how to apply those techniques to managing across differences, and dive into his latest book, Dragon Suit.

• The curious intercultural origin of “Campanile”
• 换位思考 and 摸石头过河 (Why these Chinese idioms resonate most with Gabor and Michael, as Executive Coaches)
• Landing on your ass as an expatriate leader: “What do people want from me?”
• Working through the “boss baby phase” and culture shock
• The costs of ineffective expats
• Taking a more holistic approach: What most organization miss when it comes to intercultural adaptation
• From transplant to being “parachuted in”
• The wrong question to ask in a multicultural business environment
• Most intercultural clashes don’t come from national differences
• Structured awareness to map cultural gaps
• A richer view through culture mapping
• Stereotypes vs bias
• Two easy ways to read people
• The powerful skill of managing across difference
• “Good music is half silence”: Coaching ambitious leaders to breathe and listen
• Why you should care about Gabor’s latest book, Dragon Suit
• What’s your blank slate when it comes to China?
• Why and how and how you should “take a step towards China”
• Beyond a US-centric view: China’s contributions to management and leadership theory

BIO AND LINKS:

Gabor Holch is an East-West intercultural leadership consultant, coach, author and speaker who has served 100+ clients in 30+ countries. An expat since age 4 and China-based since 2002, Gabor is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) in English and Mandarin, certified at the management academies of numerous global corporations, and licensed in major assessment tools including DISC, the Predictive Index, NeuroColor and MBTI. His upcoming book, “Dragon Suit: The golden age of expatriate executives in China” will be published by Business Expert Press in New York, 2023.

• Gabor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaborholch/
• Campanile: https://www.campanileconsulting.com
• Dragon Suit, the book, website: http://www.dragonsuit.info/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/GaborHolch
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gaborholch
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GaborHolch
•  What is culture shock and why should business leaders care: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7041664594263564288/?updateEntityUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_updateV2%3A%28urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7041664594263564288%2CFEED_DETAIL%2CEMPTY%2CDEFAULT%2Cfalse%29
• Can they figure you out in 5 minutes: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/can-figure-you-out-5-minutes-gabor-holch/?trk=pulse_spock-articles
• Béla Bartók “Good music is half silence”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w-k5p3zs8Q
•   A Year Without Made in China https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781119202981
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

Every day we’re told to be more confident, and that confidence leads to success. Is that truth – or a comforting fantasy? It’s true that under confidence can hold us back, that many leaders tend to be confident -- and that we promote and elect individuals who exude confidence. But there’s substantial evidence that overconfidence can lead to poor decisions, weak governance, and deep downsides. So what’s an honest, thoughtful self-doubting person -- who wants to rise, make an impact, steer their organization responsibly – supposed to do? I explore these questions with Don Moore, Professor of Leadership and Associate Dean at the Haas Berkeley School of Business. Don is the world expert on confidence and overconfidence, and author of the book, Perfectly Confident: Calibrating Your Decisions Wisely. We explore how to calibrate your confidence wisely -- and discuss practical strategies that can help good people get ahead, while elevating their work and life.

• “You can stay right, or you can stay married”
• It’s easy to drink the cool-aid, so what to do instead
•  Assuming that we are overconfident in all things is problematic
• Tip: Gather information to know where you stand
• A 1st year tradition at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business that Don actually loves
• “Dispelling so many myths” and why Don wrote his book
• The takedown-breakdown: Does confidence cause success?
• Research: Simply visualizing positive outcomes “doesn’t do jack” -- unless it encourages you to do this
• Beware the siren song of happy talk and comforting lies
• Finding the middle way
• A Haas principle: “Confidence without Attitude”
• What the research shows about how overconfidence manifests itself: overestimation, overplacement, overprecision
• Top tip: “Keep track, keep score, and hold yourself to account”
• Explaining a nuanced concept: How to think in probability distributions and expected values
• Hedging bets
• 2 pure gold tips, based on research: How do I show up confident when I am not – or will be penalized as being weak or incompetent if I don’t?
• Verbal vs nonverbal expressions of confidence
• The trap that leaders face
• Findings on gender and culture differences in confidence and overconfidence
• Better ways to do research on self-doubt
• Don underscores 2 keys messages he wants you to take away

BIO AND LINKS:

Don Moore is Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and holds the Lorraine Tyson Mitchell Chair in Leadership at the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley. He received his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Carleton College and his Ph.D. in Organization Behavior from Northwestern University. His research interests include overconfidence, including when people think they are better than they actually are, when people think they are better than others, and when people are too sure they know the truth. His research has appeared in popular press outlets and academic journals, from Psychological Review to Harvard Business Review. Don is the author, with Max Bazerman, of Decision Leadership and the widely used textbook, Judgement in Manageral Decision Making. He teaches popular classes on managing organizations, negotiation, and decision making. He is only occasionally overconfident.

• Perfectly Confident, the Book: https://www.harperacademic.com/book/9780063013902/perfectly-confident/
• Haas Faculty Profile: https://haas.berkeley.edu/faculty/moore-don/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-moore-01725b/
• LearnMoore at the Moore Accuracy Lab at Berkeley Haas: http://learnmoore.org/about.html (includes his Self-Aggrandizing Autobiographical sketch)
• Michael’s article in HBR on the harsh reality of who gets promoted in most organizations: https://hbr.org/2016/04/great-leaders-embrace-office-politics
• Selected Articles and Interviews in the popular and academic press:
• Don’s article with Max Bazerman, Leadership & Overconfidence, Behavioral Science and Policy: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=62299
• HBR interview: Confidence Doesn’t Always Boost Performance: https://hbr.org/2020/11/confidence-doesnt-always-boost-performance
• Don’s research “The trouble with overconfidence” https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0033-295X.115.2.502
• Don’s research on the effect of Verbal vs Nonverbal vs verbal expressions of confidence: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-50999-001
• Don’s research findings Overconfidence Across Cultures: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328395167_Overconfidence_Across_Cultures
• The consequences of voting for overconfident leaders: https://haas.berkeley.edu/faculty-spotlight/the-consequences-of-voting-for-over-confident-leaders-professor-don-moores-op-ed-gives-expert-insight-into-leadership-during-a-crisis/
• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/donandrewmoore
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

Does your resume seem sound – but you’re not attracting interest for senior roles? Or you get interviews but no offers? Keith Wolf, Managing Partner at Murray Resources, shares his veteran experience in recruiting and job placement to address the tough questions that many aspiring job seekers face. We discuss how to get noticed by executive recruiting firms, making your Linkedin stand out, and the importance of leading with your strengths. Watch this episode for insights that will increase your ability to land better jobs and accelerate your career.

• Why #34?
• Why Murray Resources and Resume Spice are unique within the recruitment world
• Table stakes of rising to an executive role
• How you can reduce the hiring risk
• Similarities between getting hired and dating
• Keys to getting the attention of an executive recruiting firm
• Go study success and do your homework
• Is there a “hidden job network”?
• What makes candidates stand out online
• Boosting the “SEO” of your Linkedin
• Blog posts on Linkedin: helpful or harmful
• Be aware of position titles (and don’t make them up!)
• Confidence is key
• Mitigating biases within interviews
• Focus on what you can control and lead with your strengths
• Advice for companies to structure recruitment
• Why you need to leverage technology
• Lighting round: reading recommendations, biggest marketing influence and Jalen Hurts?

BIO AND LINKS:

Keith Wolf, Managing Partner at Murray Resources and CEO of Resume Spice, has an impressive track record transforming unknown products and brands into industry leaders. He previously served as VP of Marketing at BlueStar appliances, on the core leadership team at OrthoClear and Align Technology -- and started his career at FMCG powerhouse, Procter & Gamble. With an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BBA in Marketing from UT Austin, Keith has received multiple awards for his outstanding work, including Marketer of the Year from the AMA and Silver Stevies from the American Business Association. His expertise on staffing, recruitment, and employment trends is frequently sought by major media outlets including WSJ, Bloomberg, and CNBC.

• Keith on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithwolf/
• ResumeSpice website: https://resumespice.com/
• Murray Resources website: https://murrayresources.com/
• That #34 jersey, accompanying Keith on CNBC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2NLCcuZqfA
• Example of Jamie Diamond presenting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBxTIK-llOA&ab_channel=BloombergTelevision
• Keith’s influences and book recommendations: The 4-Hour Workweek (Ferriss); Moneyball (Lewis); 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing (Ries & Trout)
• How Jalen Hurts went and studied from the best, Tom House: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_House
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

Previously on 97% Effective, Professor Margaret Ann Neale from Stanford discussed the core ideas from her must-have book on negotiation, Getting (More of) What You Want. But in the example we used, one of Michael’s clients who was negotiating a promotion, we left out one very important fact: The client was a woman. In this continuation episode, Maggie clarifies how gender influences negotiation and how women can negotiate more effectively. We discuss techniques for approaching negotiation as a woman, the influence of intersectionality within the workplace and optimizing team performance.

SHOW NOTES:

• Why women need to negotiate differently
• Pairing one’s ask with a “communal concern for the other” -- collaborative problem solving
• Breaking the “women don’t ask” stereotype
• Women are 6x more likely to end in impasse than men: Keys to avoiding negotiation backlash
• Rethinking the term negotiation
• How men can also benefit
• Role of intersectionality within the negotiation
• Pay attention to all types of context
• Competence vs likeability paradox – the choice women have to make
• If you really need to be liked, then get one of these
• Finding emotional outlets outside of work
• Embrace the discomfort: Get comfortable with being uncomfortable
• Think about dissent as a gift: Stop prioritizing harmony over quality
• Tips on managing teams to get top performance
• Moving beyond the homogeneity of perspectives
• How to maximize value creation
• “Be an adult”
• Lightning round: Maggie’s horse, the accomplishment she is most proud of, the influence of economics on her book, “curves” in her life that have shaped her perspectives, and her new-found loves beyond academia

BIO AND LINKS:

Margaret Ann Neale is the Adams Distinguished Professor of Management, Emerita, at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Author of six books and more than 70 articles, she is a pioneer and influencer in the fields of negotiation, decision-making, and team performance. Neale's work has influenced academics, business professionals, and industry experts, who seek her advice on effective negotiation tactics, decision-making, and the role of diversity in team performance. In addition to her research and teaching, Neale has shaped Stanford's curriculum, established the school's behavioral lab, and fostered diversity and mentorship among junior faculty. She has also achieved several notable "firsts" at the school, including being the first woman to hold a tenured professor position, serve as an associate dean, and win the Davis Award for academic excellence and service.

• Link to previous episode with Maggie on 97% Effective: https://redcircle.com/shows/97-effective/episodes
• Maggie’s book and negotiation resource website: Getting (More of) What You Want: https://gettingmoreofwhatyouwant.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-a-neale-9a97833/
• Stanford faculty profile: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/faculty/margaret-neale
• Maggie’s research, The dynamics of gender and alternatives in negotiation: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2021-03654-001
• Maggie’s horse, Sal, in her TEDX talk: Lessons from my horse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTTtn0i_ZyA&ab_channel=TEDxTalks
• Maggie’s former doctoral student, Prof. Peter Belmi, now at Darden: interview on 97% Effective, “Social Class & Our Beliefs”: https://redcircle.com/shows/97-effective/ep/9bdfb7a3-ca49-43e4-9882-22fc38c542c0
• Former doctoral student, Prof. Jeffrey Polzer, at Harvard Business School: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=6627
• Former doctoral student, Jennifer Dannals, at Yale School of Management: https://som.yale.edu/faculty-research/faculty-directory/jennifer-dannals
• How Diversity Makes Us Smarter (article featuring her research): https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-diversity-makes-us-smarter/

• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

Almost every interaction we have involves negotiation – yet most of us fail to apply sound strategies that would get us more of what we want. Margaret Ann Neale, Distinguished Professor Emerita at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, shares research from her book, Getting (More of) What You Want, which shows how inexperienced negotiators regularly leave significant value on the table—and reveals how you can claim it. We break down a live negotiation example to help you understand -- and be able to apply -- the evidenced-based principles from her research.

SHOW NOTES:

• From pharmacist to thought-leader in negotiation
• A personal negotiation, in which Maggie got more of what she wanted
• Negotiation as problem-solving
• Applying Maggie’s four principles to a real-life negotiation → Assess, prepare, ask and package
• Assess: what’s important to you in the negotiation
• “The goal is not to get a deal, it’s to get a GOOD deal”
• “The more uncomfortable you are, the more important planning and preparation is”
• The 3 parameters you need control of
• Sources of power: “If you can’t walk away, it’s not a negotiation”
• Better your alternative, better the outcome - but there can be a downside to that…
• Becoming a trapeze artist: think of your alternative as a safety net
• What happens if I don’t reach the deal?
• Techniques to think creatively within negotiations, escaping tunnel mindset
• The danger of single-issue negotiations
• Looking at the interest of the other side
• How to find out the other sides’ interest
• Tipping point (and when you should leave the deal)
• Set an aspiration
• Framing your proposal as a solution to your counterpart's problem
• Being a good listener is key to your proposal
• Negotiation is not a fight.. Armor up and you have already lost
• Walking the tightrope between value creation and value claiming
• How to overcome nervousness about asking
• Ask for what you want… cause people can’t read your mind!
• Should you make or receive the first offer? Heed the empirical evidence
• “Anchoring and insufficient adjustment” -- and information asymmetry
• A twist about Michael’s client

BIO AND LINKS:

Margaret Ann Neale is the Adams Distinguished Professor of Management, Emerita, at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Author of six books and more than r70 articles, she is a pioneer and influencer in the fields of negotiation, decision-making, and team performance. Neale's work has influenced academics, business professionals, and industry experts, who seek her advice on effective negotiation tactics, decision-making, and the role of diversity in team performance. In addition to her research and teaching, Neale has shaped Stanford's curriculum, established the school's behavioral lab, and fostered diversity and mentorship among junior faculty. She has also achieved several notable "firsts" at the school, including being the first woman to hold a tenured professor position, serve as an associate dean, and win the Davis Award for academic excellence and service.

• Maggie’s Book website and negotiation resources: Getting (More of) What You Want: https://gettingmoreofwhatyouwant.com
• Maggie on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-a-neale-9a97833/
• Maggie’s faculty profile: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/faculty/margaret-neale
• Maggie’s co-author, Thomas Lys: https://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/faculty/directory/lys_thomas.aspx
• Celebrating Maggie’s impact at Stanford: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/newsroom/school-news/celebrating-margaret-neales-impact-stanford-gsb
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

Abhijit Bhattacharya, Global Career Coach at S&P Global, shares his experience co-founding the company's pioneering Internal Coaching Program, which has coached more than 2,500 employees worldwide since its establishment in 2019. We discuss major takeaways from extensive coaching data, best ways to set up coaching programs in companies and benefits of coaching beyond the C-Suite.

• Match of the Century = Flipping things on their head
• The primary reason employees leave organizations - and how this led to the creation of the Internal Coaching program
• Why coaching isn’t just reserved for the C-Suite
• Reasons for making coaching both accessible and confidential
• The solution to high employee turnover
• Taking a bottom-up approach to coaching
• The power of experiencing coaching rather than explaining it
• Feedback and data from coaching over 2,500 individuals
• Busting the “maturity myth” for coaching
• What 97% of data has shown
• Measuring the success of the program
• Types of future studies that are needed to better understand coaching
• Abhijit’s biggest "aha!" moment
• How to get the most out of your next coaching session
• From anxious to creative, time to shift your mindset!
• What it means to decolonize coaching
• Biggest differences between coaching in the West vs. East
• The experience and book that changed Abhijit’s perspective

BIO AND LINKS:

Abhijit Bhattacharya is a Global Career Coach at S&P Global. He is a founding member of the company’s pioneering Internal Coaching Program, which he co-designed, grew – and personally coaches in. Prior to joining S&P Global, Abhijit spent more than 15 years in talent management and leadership and development. He is certified as an Executive Coach through Columbia University (3CP program), certified by the ICF (International Coaching Federation), and licensed in all the major psychometric assessment tools. Based in Hyderabad, India, Abhijit has been recognized as a rising star by ICF India, is Founder of the ICF Hyderabad chapter, and serves as a Global Ambassador for the ICF.

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhibhat23/
• S&P Global Website: https://www.spglobal.com/en/
• The match of the Century that changed the game: 1953 England v Hungary
• Columbia 3CP Program: https://www.tc.columbia.edu/coachingcertification/
• Gartner Group Case Study: https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/4001432
• HBR article, citing S&P’s program, “What Stops Employees from Applying for Internal Roles”: https://hbr.org/2022/05/what-stops-employees-from-applying-for-internal-roles
• Abhijit’s article: Demystifying Coachability
• Abhijit’s book reference by Marion Franklin: The HeART of Laser-Focused Coaching
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

The C-suite – there’s a lot of storytelling about this world – but how do you rise there, survive and thrive there? Nihar Chhaya, Executive Coach for C-Suite Leaders and President of PartnerExec, shares his experience helping Fortune 50 executives do well for themselves, but also produce superior business and strategic outcomes. We peek under the hood of what most helps top executives -- from accepting criticism and changing behavior to managing life and work when it feels “everything, everywhere all at once.”

• How life in the C-Suite most resembles these two movies
• Common presenting issue for Nihar’s C-Suite clients
• Coaching… “the one business where the customer isn’t always right”
• Underlying need of C-Suite Leaders: recognizing blind spots
• Why you need a clear coaching contract
• Top interpersonal skill that deserves your attention
• Secret sauce to effectively reframing criticism
• Mini-master class on asking and framing questions so you can receive high-quality feedback
• Competition vs Collaboration: The Buddhist executive who had to deal with ambition and comparison
• Getting in touch with what is most important for you, and the balance between belonging and standing out in the C-Suite
• How to maintain high-quality feedback – honesty and accountability
• Importance of strategic vulnerability in leadership
• Pratfall effect: needing to be both vulnerable and competent
• Tension free feedback
• Connection between executive presence and awareness
• How to make your coach a secret weapon
• Rapid fire questions: Nihar’s biggest influence, Eagles or Cowboys, process over outcomes, and 2023 Oscar Predictions

BIO AND LINKS:

Nihar Chhaya, a Wharton, Columbia and Georgetown trained leadership expert, is President of PartnerExec, which helps leaders master influence. Nihar is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, Forbes and Fast Company. He’s also a Master Certified Coach by the ICF, and a Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches.

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niharchhaya/
• Nihar’s email: nihar@partnerexec.com
• Website: https://partnerexec.com/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/partnerexec?lang=en
• The Pratfall effect: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratfall_effect
• Nihar’s HBR article on managing competition with colleagues: The Upside of Career Envy
• Nihar’s article on feedback: How To Give Feedback People Actually Respond To
• Michael’s HBR article on Office Politics: https://hbr.org/2016/04/great-leaders-embrace-office-politics
• Nihar’s Ben Affleck article: Are You Evolving To Be Ready For The Next Chapter of Your Career?
• Nihar’s Will Smith article: Deconstructing 'Will'
• Adam Grant’s recent critique of the Myers-Briggs
• “Work as a masculinity contest”: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327626790_Work_as_a_Masculinity_Contest
• Wayne Dyer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Dyer
• 18 minutes of highlights from the GREATEST GAME ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW1xbhW2PEE
• Nihar and Michael pay homage to the amazing Dorie Clark: https://dorieclark.com/
• Process over outcomes, Steven Pressfield’s book: The War of Art
• Nihar’s Oscar prediction -- and film recommendation: To Leslie
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

Hard truth: communication is viewed as one of the top, and most harshly judged, leadership skills. And poor communication is one of the top reasons people don’t get promoted. Chip Davis, voice and acting coach, shares how to improve your delivery, drawing on his extensive experience bringing out the best in actors, writers, directors -- and executives. **This episode contains profanity at the 5:14 mark **

• One word that got Chip accepted to Juilliard
• His transition into directing
• Who’s your audience
• Leadership and acting
• Context vs content: what’s more important
• How to release tension
• Removing yourself from fear
• Advice on approaching difficult situations
• Conquering stage fright
• Impromptu questions
• Sell yourself, but understand the guidelines
• The secret to being effective in your role
• Learn skills and then forget them
• Always find a way to be comfortable
• Practice, practice, practice

BIO AND LINKS:

Chip Davis, voice and acting coach, works with clients to transform how they show up and deliver. He started his career studying Shakespearean iambic pentameter at Juilliard School in New York, and spent more than two decades managing critical aspects of HBO’s PPV business. In addition to running his coaching practice, Chip serves as a voice-over artist and produces audiobooks and podcasts for the one and only, Audivita Studios (the stellar podcast production house of 97% Effective!)

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chip-davis3/
• Website: https://chipdavis.net/creative-resume/
• Audivita Studios: https://audivita.com
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

Julia Steel is a keynote speaker, award-winning author, facilitator and coach based in Melbourne, Australia. She shares what it means to “Stand Up, Step Up, and Show Up.” We discuss what people get wrong about power, finding power after powerlessness, unlocking the hidden power in your team, and the fine line between power and empowerment.

• Celebrating a 5-year milestone
• Is power a zero-sum game?
• Julia Steel’s exit from corporate
• The Case study of Julia’s rise
• Julia's crazy idea when Covid hit, that became VID-19: What can I do to bring two great groups of people together?
• 3 ways to increase your influence
• “Essential behaviors” and the biggest mistake people make about power
• How you make people love what they currently hate
• Fear, doubt, shame and finding your power after powerlessness
• Why you’re struggling and unhappy – how do you lead in a way you want to
• Being a powerful woman is different than being a powerful man
• Stand Up, Step Up, Show Up
• Executive presence vs charisma vs how you shop up every single day
• Unlocking your team’s hidden people
• Confusing “what” with “how”
• Can you be too helpful for your own good?
• Deciding when you should take a stand on, be known for and ask
• Be honest and understand the games that are being played
• Practical advice on building trust and the detectors and filters you need
• Power, empowerment, “collective power”
• Cultural Influences on how we see Power

BIO AND LINKS:

Julia is obsessed with empowering leaders, teams and organisations to achieve their full potential in the ever-evolving world of work. As a leadership speaker, coach and trainer, her mission is to help organisations shift their performance and stay ahead of the curve. Julia believes that by equipping leaders with the mindset, practices and tools necessary to navigate the challenges of today, we can create a brighter future for all. She is the author of Unite and Buy-in and the popular blog “Nerves of Steel.” She holds a Bachelor’s in Management and Computer Science from the University of Kent, a Master’s in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Melbourne and completed executive education at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Julia is based in Melbourne, Australia.

• Website: https://www.juliasteel.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliasteel/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/julessteel
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julia.steel/?hl=en
• Jeffrey Pfeffer: https://jeffreypfeffer.com/
• Julia’s Books: Unite and Buy-In
• Julia’s Article: Influence and Power Are Not the Same Thing
• Julia’s Article: You are not uncertain, the situation is
• Stephen Covey’s book: Speed of Trust
• Rod Kramer’s article: Rethinking Trust
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

Behavioral science – the science of understanding why we do what we do – has been hailed as producing simple interventions that can dramatically impact results. But that’s wildly overblown, argues Jason Hreha, CEO of Persona, which connects the world’s best executive assistants with companies. We discuss behavioral science “BS” -- what to watch out for versus what’s truly effective and useful -- and reflect on what has helped him stand out in his field.

• Roots as an artist
• How ancient eastern thought inspired Jason’s study of behavioral science
• Defining applied behavioral science
• Too good to be true: Biggest BS in behavioral science
• You cannot buff a turd
• Where behavioral science helps with innovation
• Benefits in the startup world
• Applying the best of applied behavioral science to optimizing recruitment
• Persona’s matching methodology
• The power of interviews
• The distinction between habits and routines
• Start with the goal, then pick the behavior (keeping two key points in mind)
• Can one size fit all?
• Standing out in your field )
• Going from startup to big company: Two keys to succeed in large organizations
• “Be skeptical” and remember the people you are building for

BIO AND LINKS:

Jason Hreha is CEO of Persona, which connects the world’s best executive assistants with companies. Jason applies behavioral science research to address many of the most vexing business challenges in the technology world. Prior to founding Persona, he spent more than a decade starting and consulting Silicon Valley tech companies, then co-founded and served as Global Head of the Behavioral Sciences Unit at Walmart. Jason has served as lead researcher at the Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab, created the field of Behavioral Design with BJ Fogg, co-authored “Hacking Human Nature for Good” with Dan Ariely and Kristen Berman, and has been creating the new field of Behavioral Strategy. Jason’s insights have been cited by James Clear (Atomic Habits), shared through his work as a keynote speaker, and appear in his columns in Inc., BigThink, and the thebehavorialscientist.com. Jason holds a BA in Human Biology with a speciality in neuroscience from Stanford University.

• Persona website: https://www.personatalent.com/
• Jason’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hreha/
• Jason’s Website: https://www.thebehavioralscientist.com/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/jhreha?lang=en
• Buddha's Brain: Neuroplasticity and Meditation: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2944261/
• Jason’s article, “Behavioral Science is Dead”: https://www.thebehavioralscientist.com/articles/the-death-of-behavioral-economics
• RCTs to Scale: Comprehensive Evidence From Two Nudge Units: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.3982/ECTA18709
• 
  
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

Ziya Muhamedcani, Founder of the Madison Company and Sales Institute Japan, has increased the effectiveness of sales forces around the world since 1992. We discuss what makes a great sales representative – and how those critical skills and habits can also accelerate our careers inside companies.

• A true American immigrant success story … from Japan to the US: Ziya’s early years and experience
• How Ziya would have coached his younger self to better navigate corporate life
• Taking yourself for granted & “they hire you for a reason”
• The critical cog that’s missing in most sales organizations (focus on the “world’s toughest job” and your results WILL go up)
• The lost art of in-field coaching
• “You don’t have to be on ogre”, but the best are not “feel-good” friends
• Discipline and structure
• Sales is X% art and Y% science
• Skills of top salespeople
• 20-60-20 rule of sales; and 30-70 habit
• How the lack of planning kills you
• What’s transferable from sales to navigating your own company
• The value of “back office” work
• Note taking - but what you should always keep a record of
• The art of questions
• Key strategies to handle objections
• “You have to take the first step”
• The impact of technology on sales
• The cultural dimension: Is selling universal?
• “What got you here WILL often get you there: don’t lose yourself”
• Why sales is the best profession

BIO AND LINKS:

Ziya Muhamedcani is the Founder of the Madison Company and Sales Institute Japan. Since 1992, Madison has focused on one central mission: dramatically increasing the effectiveness of sales forces through field-based training and coaching. His EPIC, FOJT and PARTNER frameworks have driven consistent results in thousands of organizations. Prior to founding Madison, Ziya held senior sales and marketing roles at Johnson and Johnson in Asia and the U.S. He holds a MBA from the Thunderbird School of Management.

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ziyamuhamedcani/
• Madison Company: https://madisonsfe.com/index.html
• Sales Institute Japan: https://salesinstitute-japan.com/index.html
• Ziya’s email: ziya.muhamedcani [at] madisonsfe.com
• Michael’s Forbes article: Manage your career like a top sales rep https://www.forbesindia.com/article/ie/manage-your-career-like-a-top-sales-rep/48955/1
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

Claire Harbour, Career Coach, distills what it really takes to make important -- and meaningful -- career transitions, drawing from her research and 20 years of coaching diverse individuals across the globe. She shares how to “recast your story” to clarify your values, shift your own mindset, and better tap the hidden job market. Claire is author of the book, Disrupt Your Career, publishes regularly on the INSEAD knowledge blog, and holds a BA/MA from the University of Cambridge and an MBA from INSEAD.

• “Fitting in everywhere but belonging nowhere” - how Claire recasts her outsider story and turned it into advantage
• The two biggest (and most pervasive) myths people have about career shifts
• Avoid the pain: Top avoidable mistakes people make when managing their career
• Where are you on the 4E cycle?
• Claire addresses the critique that the lessons in her book may not be widely applicable
• Acrobats and the 6C’s of career agility
• If you recently lost your job, here’s what to do first
• Getting offers for work you aspire to do -- not for what you have already done in the past
• Tapping the hidden job market
• A quick exercise to help you repackage your story
• Ways to overcome the feeling that you are being boastful
• Should we follow our passions? Clarie argues you should start with this first
• Dealing with bias at work and getting your story right
• Claire’s skepticism with Employee Resource Groups
• “Networking is about humans connecting with humans: find ways to remove the drama”
• Claire’s simple definition of management and leadership theory
• What companies should be doing to help employees manage their careers
• How individuals can accurately assess the culture of a company
• Tips on selecting a highly qualified career coach
• “There is beauty in grey”

BIO AND LINKS:

Claire Harbour has always been fascinated by what makes each of us tick, and how to get the very best out of everyone -- a passion that led her to become an Executive Coach and career transition expert. She is the author, with Antoine Tirard, of Disrupt Your Career, a practical guide that draws lessons from more than 50 professionals who have undergone massive transformation. Prior to her 20 years of experience coaching and training individuals across the globe, Claire held talent and general management roles for Egon Zehnder, Louis Vuitton and John Swire in the UK and Asia. She publishes regularly on the INSEAD Knowledge Blog, and holds an MBA from INSEAD and a BA/MA from the University of Cambridge.

• Claire’s book, Disrupt Your Career: https://disrupt-your-career.com
• Her articles, with additional stories of career transitions: https://knowledge.insead.edu/author/claire-harbour
• Claire on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claireharbourlyell/
• Her website: https://www.claireharbour.com/biography-3/
• Her “Disrupt Your Career” podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disrupt-your-career/id1511410693
• Her “Career Quicksilver” podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1050073
• Keith Ferrazi’s book, Never Eat Alone
• Cal Newport’s book, So Good They Can’t Ignore You
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

 SHOW NOTES:

 Jewel Edward Love Jr., Executive Coach, is the Founder and CEO of Black Executive Men, whose mission is to transform the lives of Black men across corporate America. We discuss the complexities that aspiring black executives face at work -- and how a Black executive coach can play a critical role in helping them navigate that reality. A entrepreneur and therapist turned executive coach, Jewel shares hard truths that most coaches and therapists traditionally overlook.

•  Jewel’s biracial background and the path that led him to found Black Executive Men
• The #1 unique challenge that Black men face in corporate America -- and the two unproductive extremes they often turn to to address it.
• Cultural familiarity, code switching - and the advantage of having a Black male coach
• The subtle ways that white managers may unintentionally minimize the Black experience
• Diamonds: Why positioning and packaging matters
• Specialists, “corporate beggars” and commodity hires
• Cultural context and the “zone of genius”
• Proven systems vs freestyling it
• The biggest mistake Jewel sees Black men make
• “You don’t know what you don’t know” -- when it can help to assemble a team
• The psychological weight of being a powerful Black man
• Black Executive Men creates a connected, vetted community -- and how that differs from a fraternity
• Merited vs unmerited success
• A 4-part career strategy required for promotions and success
• Organizations are clubs and we work with people we trust
• What happens when you are under the microscope
• It’s complicated: Why Black leaders may tread carefully bringing up other Black executives - and how younger, aspiring Black employees can find it hard to get sponsorship
• The strengths that therapists bring to coaching
• The other important influence on Jewel’s life, career and mindset

BIO AND LINKS:

 Jewel Edward Love Jr. is Founder and CEO of Black Executive Men. He and his team help clients achieve the “3S trinity” -- salary, seniority and satisfaction – through high-impact 1-1 and group executive coaching, and by providing a powerful mentor network. Jewel has helped more than 500 black men obtain mid-level and senior leadership roles, and Jewel has provided training at leading companies including Microsoft, PayPal, Capital One, Medtronic and PG&E. Jewel holds degrees from UC Santa Barbara and Antioch University. Prior to becoming an executive coach, Jewel was a licensed therapist.

•  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jewellove/
• Black Executive Men: https://blackexecutivemen.com/
• Black senior leadership remains scarce (McKinsey): https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/sustainable-inclusive-growth/chart-of-the-day/in-corporate-america-black-senior-leadership-remains-scarce
• Articles by Jewel: https://blackexecutivemen.com/explore
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

Raquel Gonzalez-Dalmau, Executive Educator and Coach, shares her perspectives on coaching executives in the US and Europe. We discuss the connection between executive coaching and neurodiversity, her experience leading diverse workplaces and ways to successfully handle career transitions.

• Coaching in 4.5 different languages
• How learning about neurodiversity has influenced her work
• Office politics as an engineering problem
• The value of being a builder: How Stanford and Amazon made her a more confident leader
• Shared workplaces: creating common ground rules
• Why didn't she specialize immediately?
• How to successfully transition your career
• Prototypes and side projects
• Board roles
• The risk of not addressing the risk
• Advice for underrepresented groups: Focus on networking and don’t undermine yourself

BIO AND LINKS:

Raquel Gonzalez-Dalmau, Executive Educator and Coach, helps global executives take meaningful advances in their careers. Raquel trained as a civil engineer at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) in Spain and received a MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She has held senior leadership roles at Amazon, in the US and Europe, and at the European Investment Bank. She is based in Luxembourg, where she serves clients worldwide.

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raquelgonzalezdalmau/
• Website: https://www.raquelgonzalezdalmau.com/
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

Not feeling hopeful about organizations and the state of trust in our leaders? Ron Carucci, Managing Partner at Navalent, shares findings from his research that underpins his latest book, To Be Honest: Lead with the Power of Truth, Justice and Purpose. We discuss the four conditions that lead to more honesty, purpose, joy and impact at work — and what you need to “Get Busy” with to make that happen.

• Honest organizations: Ron has seen it!
• The underlying research that led to his book
• Honesty is a muscle
• “We vs they” – what strongly resonates with Ron’s audience
• What most people are missing: Intentions vs evidence
• Our natural inclinations vs the environment shaping us
• 4 key findings from the research
• “Do the ends justify the means?”
• How we forfeit our agency
• An example of agency in action (“competent courage”)
• Courage to use your power – and find a way
• Strategies for bridging divides… Who’s your “they”?
• Pick one thing, and start!
• Ron’s “Moments of Truth” TV show
• Why we should remain hopeful
• “Get Busy” with this final exercise: Be honest about your dishonesty

BIO AND LINKS:

Ron Carucci, Managing Partner and Co-founder of Navalent, brings a 30-year track record helping CEOs and executives tackle the toughest leadership challenges. He is the author of eight books, a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, and a highly sought-after speaker.

• Navalent: Ron Carucci - Navalent
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roncarucci/
• Twitter: @RonCarucci
• Ron’s book: To Be Honest: Lead with the Power of Truth, Justice and Purpose
• Navalent’s online courses: https://www.navalent.com/online-leadership-courses/
• Ron’s “Moments of Truth” TV show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_IhsSMp8RxOa8z4hLomHJg
• Michael’s Book, Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/#tve-jump-180481ecea3

SHOW NOTES:

Phillip Mohabir, CEO of Vivosurgery, shares how he successfully transitioned from an established company to starting his own firm. We discuss why hard work isn’t enough to accelerate your career, the value of precision when communicating with executives, and how to make bold but strategic moves – that increase your power.

• Why choose between two paths – when you can have both?
• Politically savvy techniques that accelerated his career at IMAX
• Leveraging executive education through “leadership interviews”
• How to allocate your time
• Non-obvious reason Phillip moved into Investor Relations
• “Think in paragraphs but speak in bullet points”
• It’s ok to play it safe, but make sure you are paying attention (so you can eventually connect those dots!)
• Why “cross-pollinators” can help solve problems
• Quietly networking
• The power of asking and showing up strong
• How finding the win-win situation can solve conflict and setbacks
• Two biggest barriers to building power and influence
• Seeing conflict as an opportunity
• Persistence: prepare for the serendipitous moments that will emerge
• “We should all have equal access to the rules”