Do Something Different: A Leadership Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Stop trying to resolve conflict at work. When you do, it costs you promotions, hurts your career, and shows weak leadership skills. Of course workplace conflict is frustrating, and it can feel personal, political, and exhausting. Often times, the harder you work to resolve it, the more stuck you feel. The truth is, the higher you rise, the more conflict you face. Competing agendas...

Send us Fan Mail Are you being passed over at work? Learn the specific career blind spot that keeps high performers from getting a promotion. Many smart people struggle with career advancement because their own intelligence masks a critical professional issue: executive presence. If you are doing everything right but still not getting promoted, earning the recognition you deserve, this breakdown h...

Send us Fan Mail Most confidence advice is designed to help you look confident to other people. That's the wrong game. In this video, I break down why the three most common confidence tips — prepare more, fake it till you make it, and stack small wins — are either incomplete or actively working against you. Then I share what actually changed confidence for me, through two of the hardest seaso...

Send us Fan Mail If you're feeling stuck in your career, the problem may be invisible to you, but everyone else sees it. Until you see it, working harder, executive presence skills, or personal development won't help you move forward. In this episode, I share the story of a client who had four bad bosses in a row and never figured out he was the common factor. From there, we look at the...

Send us Fan Mail If you've ever wondered why some people command the room the moment they walk in — and others don't — it's not about what they're saying. Your executive presence speaks for itself, before you even open your mouth. Learn the behaviors that quietly undermine your authority in every meeting, every hallway conversation, every moment someone is watching — and learn...

Send us Fan Mail If you're working hard but still not getting career growth, nobody told you the rules changed.  After 30, getting promoted at work has nothing to do with doing more. It requires the professional development to become the leader your organization actually needs. In this episode, I break down why the habits that built your career — reliability, responsiveness, the "I'...

Send us Fan Mail Most professionals think feedback is essential to self improvement. But what if feedback limits your personal growth? This episode challenges one of the most common practices in professional development and gives you a 3-step framework that will transform how you think about self improvement, leadership development, and building confidence. If you're a business leader focused...

Send us Fan Mail Most leaders think executive presence in high-stakes meetings comes from being well prepared. But they prepare the wrong thing. In this episode, I share the 3-step formula I use with my coaching clients to help them walk into high-stakes meetings as a contributor, not just a survivor. You'll hear the question that completely changed how one of my clients prepared for a meetin...

Send us Fan Mail Executive presence isn’t just about communication. It’s also about making good decisions. In this episode, we discuss how to use leadership intuition in decision making when the stakes are high. Featuring Samyr Qureshi, CEO and co-founder of Knack , this conversation dives into the internal compass behind career growth, how to trust your gut when data falls short, and what it real...

Send us Fan Mail Most professionals are never taught how to choose a career that leads to lasting professional growth and meaningful personal development. This episode reveals powerful insights from career coaching that will help you rethink everything you’ve been told about success. Forget the tired advice about following your passion or creating a rigid five-year plan. If you're feeling stu...

Send us Fan Mail Grit may get you started in your career, but it’s not what gets you promoted. In this conversation on leadership, personal development, and professional development, Guy Yalif —Chief Evangelist at Webflow—challenges the belief that success requires relentless hustle. Key Takeaways: Why our culture rewards hustle, and how that mindset can quietly stall your career growth How time t...

Send us Fan Mail Success in your career doesn't just come from mastering skills—it comes from mastering your mindset. In this powerful conversation with Krishnan Venkata , Chief Client Officer at LatentView Analytics, we uncover two game-changing principles that can rapidly accelerate growth for any professional ready to step outside their comfort zone. Krishnan shares real-world stories from...

Send us Fan Mail Many high performers unknowingly sabotage their chances at promotion by making a single critical mistake.  Discover the hidden obstacle that holds back smart, capable leaders—and learn the three essential steps to break through it. With real-life stories and a clear roadmap, this conversation will shift how you think about advancement and help you align your actions with the role...

Send us Fan Mail If you've ever wondered how to speak like a leader at work, this episode delivers the answer—through practical, tactical language shifts that instantly elevate your presence. Whether you're leading a team, presenting to executives, or looking to grow in your role, the way you speak plays a powerful role in how others perceive your leadership. In this episode, discover ho...

Send us Fan Mail What if the fastest way to advance your career isn’t about working harder, but thinking differently? In this episode, discover the mindset shift that elevates your leadership skills, strengthens your executive presence, and accelerates your income and impact. Learn how embracing mistakes and leaning into discomfort creates the foundation for self improvement and sustained personal...

Send us Fan Mail There’s one deceptively simple question that most people never stop to ask, but it holds the key to clarity, confidence, and success. Whether you're facing a career crossroads, navigating workplace conflict, or stepping into a new opportunity, this question can shift your entire approach. This episode breaks down how three professionals—each facing wildly different challenges...

Send us Fan Mail Executive presence is stubbornly difficult to define. This episode breaks down the critical connection between communication style and executive presence, and challenges the common belief that being smart is enough to lead effectively. Whether you're naturally collaborative, soft-spoken, or conflict-averse, your style may be holding you back more than you realize. The key? Ev...

Send us Fan Mail When leaders build teams they can trust, they unlock not only organizational impact—but personal freedom. In this powerful episode, Eric Bensley, Head of Global Product Marketing at Asana, breaks down what it truly takes to lead a high-performing team you can count on, even during critical launches and high-stakes moments. This conversation goes beyond theory. It’s a practical, ho...

Send us Fan Mail High performers often double down on results—but that mindset alone ultimately leads to  failure. Sustainable leadership requires more than performance.  In this episode, discover why prioritizing personal and professional growth is not optional—it’s essential for long-term success. The difference between those who thrive and those who plateau comes down to one thing: growth. Key...

Send us Fan Mail Smart, successful professionals often assume that career growth is about learning new skills. But the real unlock isn’t about your skillset—it’s about your mindset. In this episode, discover why redefining how you see yourself can be the most powerful move you make in your professional life. Key Takeaways: The most common mistake ambitious people make in career development—and how...

Send us Fan Mail Your quality of life as a leader is directly tied to how well you leverage your team .  Two real client stories illustrate this concept, one of which demonstrates the Success Trifecta —being more successful at work, working less, and actually enjoying your job. But how do you get there? This episode dives deep into the essential skillset and mindset needed to delegate effectively,...

Send us Fan Mail Is it possible to be too nice as a leader? We examine this question using the tension between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively as a real-world lens into leadership challenges.  Explore how excessive niceness can become a barrier to strength, clarity, and effectiveness in leadership. Listen to learn four key truths about leadership and the pitfalls of prioritizing likability over st...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Do Something Different , Rusty Gaillard sits down with Erin Mantz, VP of Marketing at Zeno Group and founder of Gen X Girls Grow Up . They dive into the importance of your first boss, how generational traits shape leadership styles, and what Gen X can learn from Gen Z in today’s workplace.  From latchkey resilience to mentoring the next generation, this conversa...

Send us Fan Mail Ever feel like your corporate experience is just a little too similar to dystopian fiction? From emotional avoidance to culture as control, Severance hits uncomfortably close to the reality of corporate life—and offers a blueprint for leading with more authenticity, presence, and connection. Learn to stop operating like “outies”—detached, numb, and running from discomfort—and star...

Send us Fan Mail Leaders often find themselves with competing decision-making frameworks: impact vs. optics, managing risk vs. capturing potential, what you want vs. what you should do. This is a recipe for bad decisions. There's also a fundamental problem with analytical decision-making. Even the most rigorous frameworks can be manipulated to justify the outcome you secretly want. Meanwhile,...