What’s Possible w. Ilene Schaffer

How do you develop a style that feels authentically yours? In the final episode of this four-part n the Moment series, Ilene Schaffer is joined once again by her brother, artist Bradford Brenner, to explore what the creative process can teach us about finding our own voice as leaders. Brad shares why artists often begin by mimicking teachers and role models, but ultimately develop a recognizable s...

Confidence is not just something a leader feels. It is something a leader transmits. In this episode of What’s Possible , Ilene Schaffer sits down with leadership coach, speaker, author, and Talent Sprout founder Julie Smith to explore why confidence is so closely tied to performance, and what happens when confidence or doubt spreads through a team. Julie is the author of the award-winning Coach Y...

In the third episode of this In the Moment series, Ilene Schaffer is back with artist Bradford Brenner, to talk about a question that comes up in both art and leadership: How do you know when something is done? Brad shares how he decides when to step away from a painting and why perfection can sometimes get in the way of the emotion, originality, and soul that make creative work meaningful. One of...

Being great at your job does not always mean the right people understand the value you bring. In this episode of What’s Possible , Ilene Schaffer sits down with career coach and former HR leader Sonal Bahl to explore why talented, high-performing professionals can still find themselves overlooked for promotions, opportunities, and compensation. After nearly 20 years in corporate HR roles around th...

In this In the Moment mini episode, Ilene Schaffer welcomes back her brother, artist Bradford Brenner, for a conversation about flow, creativity, and what happens when judgment gets in the way. Brad shares how music, painting, technology, and even stepping away from the work can help him stay open during the creative process. You'll learn how we get into flow, what pulls us out of it, and why...

What does a leader need to know in order to truly feel at their best? In this episode of What’s Possible , Ilene Schaffer welcomes executive coach and new SVChange coach Harry Hofer back to the show for a deeper conversation about four questions he believes every leader should be able to answer: Who can I trust? Where do I stand? What’s keeping me from being okay? How does my work matter? Drawing...

How do you find your own style? For an artist, it might show up in a brushstroke, a color palette, or the way someone recognizes your work from across the street. For a leader, it shows up in how you communicate, make decisions, build trust, and stay aligned with your values. In this What’s Possible in the Moment mini episode, Ilene Schaffer sits down with her brother, artist Bradford Brenner, to...

AI may be changing how work gets done, but many of the leadership challenges it exposes are not new. In this episode of What’s Possible , Ilene Schaffer sits down with RLD Group CEO Lisa Duerre to unpack applied research based on interviews with 25 executives across functions including product, engineering, HR, IT, legal, marketing, and sales. The research revealed three root drivers of organizati...

In this In the Moment episode of What's Possible, Ilene Schaffer talks with author and presentation expert Nancy Ancowitz about how to show up with more confidence, presence, and authenticity on Zoom and other video platforms. Drawing from her book Zoom to Success: Present Like a Pro , Nancy shares practical tips for making virtual communication feel more natural. Nancy encourages listeners t...

In this episode of What’s Possible , Ilene Schaffer sits down with executive coach, facilitator, speaker, author, and founder of Lead Well Work Well, Shannon Polly, for a warm and practical conversation about human connection. Shannon, one of the first graduates of the University of Pennsylvania’s Master of Applied Positive Psychology program, brings her background in coaching, facilitation, perfo...

In this episode of What’s Possible , Ilene Schaffer sits down with HR executive Jen Feri for an honest and deeply reflective conversation about work, grief, alignment, and what it means to honor yourself. Jen shares the story of being in a role that looked like a dream job on paper, while privately realizing that the culture and environment were no longer a fit. When her father entered hospice, th...

In this In the Moment episode, Ilene Schaffer continues the short series on navigating change by introducing her own STAR Model: a practical framework for staying grounded through uncertainty, transition, and change. From protecting sleep, movement, hydration, and nourishment, to noticing and fact-checking our thoughts, to accepting what we cannot control and leaning on supportive relationships, t...

In this episode of What’s Possible , Ilene Schaffer sits down with Jonathan Stutz, co-author with Eddie Pate of Daily Practices of Inclusive Leaders , for a timely and practical conversation about what inclusive leadership really looks like inside organizations. Jonathan shares how his early experiences with discrimination, his commitment to repairing the world, and his corporate diversity work at...

How do leaders navigate change at work? This "In the Moment" episode of What's Possible kicks off a short series on just that. Up first, Ilene Schaffer introduces Prochaska’s Stages of Change Model, and explaining why it can be such a helpful tool for leaders guiding teams through uncertainty. Originally developed to understand behavior change, Ilene applies the model to today’s wor...

In this In the Moment episode, Ilene Schaffer closes out the short series on navigating change by introducing William Bridges’ Transition Model. This simple and powerful framework helps us understand the human side of change. Ilene explains that transition does not begin with a new beginning. It begins with an ending. Whether the change is unwanted, like a layoff, or deeply desired, like a marriag...

What if failure is not the thing that holds your career back, but one of the things that helps you grow into a stronger leader? In this episode of What’s Possible , Ilene Schaffer talks with Stephen Scharf, a Chief Information Security Officer with more than 25 years of experience in cybersecurity, about failure, managerial courage, communication, and career growth. Stephen shares candid stories f...

In this special bonus episode of What’s Possible , Ilene Schaffer is joined by OB-GYN and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Marni Carlyle and work happiness expert Stella Grizont for a candid, science-informed, and empowering conversation about menopause, work, leadership, and well-being. They explore the symptoms many women experience during perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause, including brain fo...

What if success is not about getting more, but giving more value first? In this episode of What’s Possible , Ilene Schaffer talks with Bob Burg, co-author of the international bestseller The Go-Giver , about the five laws of stratospheric success and why they are still deeply relevant for leaders, entrepreneurs, coaches, and professionals today. Bob shares how value, compensation, influence, authe...

In this episode of What’s Possible: In the Moment , Ilene Schaffer continues her conversation with Kami Sip about the hidden costs of indecision, and what leaders can do when a decision cannot be made right away. Kami explains that indecision is still a decision, and when leaders delay without clarity, they often distribute ambiguity, risk, and stress to the people around them. Building on part on...

In this episode of What’s Possible, Ilene Schaffer sits down with Michael Park, Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships and Channels at ServiceNow, for a conversation about leadership, AI, and how to navigate a world of work that is changing faster than ever. Michael has spent the last five years with AI at the center of his work, including serving as ServiceNow’s CMO and leading the company’...

In this episode of What’s Possible: In the Moment , Ilene Schaffer sits down with Kamila Sip to explore why indecision is not a neutral act, especially for leaders. Kami explains how stalled decisions at the top can create cognitive, emotional, and performance costs across an entire team. When leaders delay, teams are often left to operate in ambiguity, make fragmented assumptions, and carry the s...

What are the communication mistakes that quietly hold leaders back? In this episode of What’s Possible , Ilene Schaffer sits down with executive communication coach, TEDx speaker, and author Dr. Laura Sicola to unpack five common communication blunders that can quietly stall a career, and what leaders can do instead. Drawing on more than two decades of experience coaching Fortune 500 executives, n...

In this episode of What’s Possible: In the Moment , Ilene Schaffer continues her conversation with Jeff Jacobs, exploring what his work in prisons revealed about diversity, belonging, and leadership. Jeff reflects on a striking moment of racial separation among inmates and the unexpected insight that followed: people often gravitate toward what feels familiar, not always out of hostility, but out...

In this episode of What’s Possible , Ilene Schaffer sits down with renowned researcher, entrepreneur, and bestselling author Marcus Buckingham for a bold and deeply human conversation about leadership, work, and why love may be the most overlooked driver of performance in business today. Drawing from his research, his years at Gallup, and his own experience building and selling a company, Marcus m...

In this episode of What’s Possible: In the Moment , Ilene Schaffer sits down with Jeff Jacobs to explore the powerful leadership lessons he learned while working in maximum-security prisons. Jeff talks about how his time with incarcerated individuals challenged his assumptions, deepened his empathy, and taught him the importance of psychological safety, trust, and genuine human connection. He lear...