Daily Influence

What if confidence isn’t about knowing exactly what comes next, but trusting yourself to figure it out? On this episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Erin Ramirez, founder of Real Change Studio, executive coach, leadership strategist, and facilitator who helps leaders and teams navigate change, growth, complexity, and pressure. Erin shares why uncertainty doesn’t have...

What happens when good people stop telling leaders what they really think? Silence inside an organization can easily be mistaken for agreement. But when employees stop challenging ideas, raising concerns, admitting mistakes, or offering suggestions, that silence may be telling leaders something important about the environment they have created. In Episode 818 of Daily Influence, Brian Smith explor...

Having the difficult conversation is only the beginning. In this episode of Daily Influence, Brian Smith explores what happens after expectations have been discussed—and why communication without follow-through rarely creates meaningful change. True accountability isn't about punishment. It starts with clarity. Using the S.M.A.R.T. Management framework, Brian explains why expectations should b...

What if kindness isn’t just a personal value but one of the most practical tools we have for improving leadership, workplace culture, relationships, and well-being? On this episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Jaclyn Lindsey, Co-Founder and CEO of Kindness.org, a global nonprofit advancing the science of kindness and transforming research into practical solutions for...

Valuing people does not mean avoiding difficult conversations with them. In Episode 815 of Daily Influence, Brian Smith explores why one of the least responsible things a leader can do is allow discomfort today to become somebody else’s problem tomorrow. Leaders often disguise avoidance as patience, empathy, grace, or simply waiting for the “right time.” But problems rarely disappear while we wait...

What happens when leaders intentionally create opportunities for others to be seen, heard, and empowered? On this episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Dr. Laura McGowan-Robinson, Founder and CEO of the Diversity in Leadership Institute, to explore how representation, resilience, self-reflection, and responsible leadership can create meaningful change in schools, orga...

The workplace is changing quickly. Artificial intelligence is reshaping jobs, automation is transforming processes, organizations are searching for greater efficiency, and employees are being asked to adapt and accomplish more with the resources they have. But as the nature of work changes, are we making a dangerous mistake by confusing the value of the work with the value of the person doing it?...

In this revisit to episode 212 of Daily Influence we explore the transformative power of Servant Leadership. Learn how to provide positive, responsible influence by becoming a servant leader, and discover how this approach can grow your team's influence and success. Tune in to gain practical insights on fostering a supportive and empowering environment that elevates both individual and collect...

What does servant leadership really look like when kindness alone isn’t enough? In this episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Scott Doggett, Founder and Chief Servant Leader of the National Academy of Leadership Development, to explore how people-first leadership can strengthen employee engagement, workplace culture, and organizational performance. Drawing on more tha...

What does your organization know only because one person knows it? In this episode of Daily Influence, Brian Smith explores an often-overlooked business risk: institutional knowledge that lives exclusively in the minds of key employees. Every organization has people everyone turns to—the person who remembers why a decision was made, knows the history of an important customer, understands the worka...

What happens after you survive the thing you thought would break you? On this episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Andrew Minuto, author of Fatally Resilient, for a candid conversation about addiction, grief, cancer, fatherhood, identity, accountability, and what it really means to rebuild your life after everything changes. Andrew’s journey has included losing both...

Leaders often say, “I wish my people would take more ownership.” They want employees to take initiative, solve problems, make decisions, and accept accountability. But there's another question leaders need to ask: Have we actually given people something they can own? In Episode 808 of Daily Influence, Brian Smith explores the relationship between responsibility, authority, clarity, and genuine...

On Episode 807 of Daily Influence, Brian Smith sits down with Barry Moline, author of Connect: How to Quickly Collaborate for Success in Business and Life, longtime CEO, speaker, and Cialdini Licensed Trainer, for a conversation about what really creates strong teams and meaningful influence. Barry challenges the idea that great teamwork begins with a leader orchestrating every interaction. Instea...

What happens when an entrepreneur stops chasing ideas and starts paying closer attention to the problems people face every day? On this episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Samuel Ayo Oyedemi, founder of SCAP, a technology platform helping consumers better understand the ingredients, allergens, additives, and other information found in food and personal care products...

Businesses are under constant pressure to do more with less—automate more, reduce costs, increase productivity, adopt AI, and move faster. But what happens when efficiency starts working against the organization? In this episode of Daily Influence, Brian Smith explores the critical difference between efficiency and effectiveness. Drawing from his experience as a Six Sigma Master Black Belt, the pr...

What if the fastest way to create meaningful change is to slow down and have the right conversations first? In this episode of Daily Influence, Gregg-Brooke Koleno speaks with Adam Braus, professor, author, entrepreneur, founder of Elton University, and author of Leading Change at Work. Adam introduces Nemawashi, a Japanese approach to organizational change that he describes as “piecemeal consensu...

What happens when you achieve the goal you thought would change everything—and discover it doesn't? On Episode 803 of Daily Influence, Brian Smith sits down with Paralympic world-record holder Mikael Avatar for a conversation about achievement, identity, happiness, presence, and the small changes that can transform how we lead and live. Born with cerebral palsy and surrounded by assumptions ab...

In a world of instant information, AI, real-time dashboards, and constant communication, leaders face growing pressure to have an answer—and to have it immediately. But access to information isn't the same as good judgment. In Episode 802 of Daily Influence, Brian Smith explores why responsible leadership sometimes requires the confidence to say, “I don't know,” “I need more information,”...

What becomes possible when people feel safe enough to speak honestly? In this episode of *Daily Influence*, Gregg-Brooke Koleno speaks with Rhonda Liebig a vitality coach, speaker, media host, and founder of Fresh Talks Global Vision and the #SpeakerLockingArms movement. Rhonda shares how learning to use her voice transformed her health, confidence, relationships, leadership, and ability to serve...

Eight hundred episodes. Eight hundred conversations about leadership, business, culture, communication, responsibility, resilience, and the choices we make every day. For this milestone episode of Daily Influence, Brian Smith looks forward rather than backward and returns to the idea at the heart of The I in Team Series: You are the influence. Influence isn't something we turn on and off. What...

What if one small act of kindness could inspire hundreds or even millions of others? On this episode of Daily Influence, Gregg-Brooke Koleno welcomes back film producer, philanthropist, author, and social entrepreneur Peter Samuelson to explore how kindness can become intentional, measurable, and contagious. Peter introduces ROKindness.org, the world’s first public ledger of good—a free platform d...

Leadership has never been just about numbers. Behind every financial report, strategic initiative, and organizational outcome are people making decisions every day. In Episode 798 of Daily Influence, Brian Smith welcomes Leon Morales, President of DNA Behavior International, for a thoughtful conversation on the intersection of behavioral science, leadership, organizational psychology, and artifici...

Good intentions matter—but they aren't what other people experience. In Episode 797 of Daily Influence, Brian Smith explores the gap between intention and action and why responsible influence requires more than simply wanting to do the right thing. Leaders may intend to communicate better, recognize their people, address difficult issues, or live their organizational values. But influence is u...

Financial success is not simply about accumulating more it is about making intentional decisions that support your values, relationships, and long-term goals. In this episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno speaks with Chad Coe, founder and president of Coe Financial Group, about values-based financial leadership, entrepreneurship, trust, and community impact. Chad shares how early ex...

In this revisit to episode 250 of the Daily Influence, Brian Smith delves into the critical role of feedback in personal, team, and organizational growth. Drawing insights from The 'I' in Team Series books—Individual Influence, Positive Influence, and Responsible Influence—Brian explores how to give and receive constructive feedback effectively. Learn how to develop a culture of continuous...