The Leadership Growth Podcast

“Empathy is not being soft,” says Jevon Wooden, CEO of BrightMind Consulting Group and today’s guest on The Leadership Growth Podcast. Jevon is a sought-after keynote speaker, coach, and consultant specializing in empathetic leadership. His proven strategies have been featured in major publications like Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Inc. Magazine. In this episode, Daniel, Peter, and Jevon discuss in d...

When it comes to accountability, the traditional approach has put leaders in charge of holding others accountable. Often this approach translates into a fear-based, command-and-control, “I have the authority, and I’m going to tell you what to do” approach to accountability. But does this approach work in the modern workplace? (And, we might ask, did it ever work?) In this episode, Daniel and Peter...

Are you “all that and a bag of chips”? We all need an ego. As Peter says, ego serves a function. But too much ego might translate into steamrolling over others. And too little ego can mean withdrawing and allowing others to steamroll over you. There’s a good balance between being secure in your own voice without stomping out the voice of others. Good ego management is really intentional humility....

“If you don’t find absolute joy in other people’s success, being a leader’s probably not going to float your boat,” says today’s guest, Laurie Labra. Daniel and Peter welcome Laurie to this episode of The Leadership Growth Podcast for a fun and insightful conversation about leadership in a highly technical environment. Laurie is a vice president at KBR, Inc., leading the company’s Science & Sp...

What can leaders learn from horseshoe crabs, cottonwood trees, and polar bears? This episode of The Leadership Growth Podcast takes a fascinating dive into the lessons that leaders and organizations can take from nature. Guest Ron Amodeo, Chief Strategy Officer at UC Davis Health, shares some examples and insights from nature that can inform the way leaders direct their organizations. Join us for...

Why do people want to work for you? And perhaps more importantly, why do they want to continue to work for you? In this episode of The Leadership Growth Podcast, Daniel and Peter look at how both external and internal onboarding can make or break the employee experience. As Peter points out, the talent market will continue to experience generational shifts for several years to come, and the number...

“I don’t know what I’ve said until I’ve learned what you heard.” Daniel kicks off a robust discussion about communication with this provocative insight. He and Peter are joined in this episode of The Leadership Growth Podcast by executive coach and communication expert Yosi Kossowsky. “That’s something I coach leaders on 80% of the time,” says Kossowsky. Leaders often believe communication has hap...

What does psychology have to do with business? “Absolutely everything,” says Dr. Ernest Wayde, host of the Psych in Business Podcast . Dr. Wayde joins Daniel and Peter on this episode of The Leadership Growth Podcast for a discussion about how psychology can impact leadership and the workplace. In this conversation, Dr. Wayde offers some insights on how leaders can use psychology to grow and devel...

On this episode of The Leadership Growth Podcast, Daniel and Peter take a deep dive into one of the most popular videos on the Stewart Leadership website: The Tale of the Three Envelopes . In this story, a new CEO receives three envelopes from the previous CEOs. The new CEO tucks them away and forgets about them. As he struggles in his role, he takes out the first two envelopes every few months an...

“With every relationship, we make deposits into that trust account by the actions we take, the things we say, and the interest we show and display,” says Peter. Are you making good deposits into the trust accounts with your bosses, peers, and team members? Peter and Daniel get a little bit personal in this episode of The Leadership Growth Podcast with a discussion about the most important tools yo...

“Some of the best goals out there have a 50% or 60% chance of success,” says Daniel. How effective are your change efforts? If you only have a 20% chance of success, you may be sabotaging yourself. On the other hand, if you set a goal that has an 80% chance of success, are you really making a significant change? In this episode of The Leadership Growth Podcast , Daniel and Peter offer some guideli...

We’ve all embarked on personal change efforts with great excitement and motivation–only to lose momentum and fall back on old habits or even crash and burn. Failing in our change efforts can result in frustration, discouragement, and disappointment. Is there any way to change in a truly sustainable way? In episode 12 of The Leadership Growth Podcast , Daniel and Peter offer a proven method to crea...

It’s an historic day over at The Leadership Growth Podcast as Daniel and Peter conduct their first podcast interview! Daniel and Peter interview Ed Evarts, founder and president of Excellius Leadership Development and author of the forthcoming book, The Bravery Trick: Four Easy Ways to Say Hard Things . In this interview, Ed shares some observations, tips, and suggestions for how to be braver in c...

Do you know the most important skill for a leader? A conversation with an old friend from high school led Daniel to think carefully about this question, and his answer? Coaching. In this episode of The Leadership Growth Podcast , Daniel and Peter discuss the five most important steps to effectively coaching someone on your team. Tune in to learn: The most important foundational skill to becoming a...

What is your Personal Philosophy of Leadership? If you can’t answer that question, this episode of The Leadership Growth Podcast is for you! Join Daniel and Peter as they coach you through a powerful exercise in self-reflection that can help you develop your own core philosophy. Tune in to learn: The five core questions you need to answer to develop your Personal Philosophy of Leadership The most...

“What’s the value-add for each and every interaction?” According to Daniel, this is a critical question every leader should ask about interactions with customers. But it doesn’t just apply to customers. Leaders have four critical relationships to manage, and each one has different needs, concerns, and desired outcomes. Managing these four relationships can make leaders feel stretched in multiple d...

“Are you going to be curious, or are you going to be judging?” This is the question Daniel asks in this conversation about how to create shared meaning through conversations. As Daniel points out, there’s a time and place for both, but in striving to understand each other in conversation, we need to emphasize curiosity over judgment. For leaders who want to create shared purpose and meaning with t...

When deadlines loom and a time crunch hits, what's the first thing you or your direct reports reschedule? Too often, the answer is “one-on-one meetings.” But as Peter points out in this episode of The Leadership Growth Podcast, “It’s more important to have a one-on-one than to have a perfect one-on-one!” So what makes a good 1:1 that doesn’t feel like a waste of time? Daniel and Peter offer a...

“Nothing is improved by accident,” says Peter Stewart. When it comes to leadership development, the need for intentional improvement is greater than ever, according to a recent report from Boston Consulting Group. In this episode, Peter and Daniel discuss the importance of behavior and emotional intelligence for leaders and warn against “boxology”--shifting organizational boxes and pursuing change...

Intentionality–it’s an ability that can make or break so many aspects of leadership. From understanding that leaders are always setting the example to collecting insights and stories to managing time and relationships, all of us can benefit from a more deliberate approach to our lives. In this episode, Daniel and Peter look at four more of the skill sets new managers need to be successful–and all...

What makes a good metaphor? Leadership experts Daniel Stewart and Peter Stewart dive into some of their favorite metaphors and discuss how to make them “sticky.” Hint: Avoid pop culture references. This inaugural podcast also features insights about how to improve organizational change, a discussion about high turnover at McDonald’s, and a trip down memory lane. Join us for this “historic” episode...

How much of your job satisfaction and engagement depends on your boss? According to Gallup, it’s a lot–up to 70%, in fact! In this episode of the Leadership Growth Podcast, Daniel and Peter take a deep dive into what makes a great boss, including: The one question that can change your employee/manager relationships forever Nine characteristics of an ideal boss The most important thing a new manage...

Making the leap from individual contributor to manager can be one of the most significant–and challenging–steps in a career. It’s so challenging, in fact, that it will take Daniel and Peter two episodes to talk about it. In part one, Daniel and Peter share some recent insights and reminisce about their grad school experiences before talking about the skillsets new managers need. Tune in to learn:...

Welcome to The Leadership Growth Podcast, where we explore the tools, ideas, and habits to grow your ability to lead effectively.  I'm Peter Stewart, and along with my brother Daniel Stewart, we're the hosts for the podcast. And we've been thinking about how to be better leaders since we were kids.   It all started with helping our father, John Parker Stewart, put together binders f...