Lead Well! with Christine Schickinger

Why can we recognize that something is not working, yet still hesitate to change it? In this episode, Christine speaks with Andres Kuusk about the thinking patterns that quietly shape our decisions. Andres is a seven-time World Pentamind Champion, former game theory professor, business executive, and author of Unlocking the Success Puzzle. The conversation looks beyond motivation and productivity...

For the first time in 26 years, Christine no longer has a horse determining her daily routine. Although Maggie has moved to what Christine considers the perfect home, saying goodbye revealed something unexpected. It wasn't only the horse she would miss, but the structure, movement, rhythm, and responsibility that had quietly organized her life. Reflecting on the seven weeks of intensive care while...

Many (leadership) challenges are approached as problems to solve. But some aren't problems at all. In this episode, Dr. Tracy Christopherson and Michelle Troseth introduce the concept of polarities: interdependent pairs of perspectives, values, or priorities that appear to be in conflict but actually need each other to achieve a greater purpose. We discuss: Why we often default to either-or thinki...

In this episode, Christine speaks with Keri Lefave about trauma, identity, triggers, and the daily work of choosing a different response. Keri describes how early experiences of restriction and abuse shaped her sense of self, her relationships, and her ability to speak up. She also shares the turning points that helped her recognize repeated patterns, leave an abusive relationship, and begin rebui...

What creates trust? According to Brittni Cosgrove, it is not visibility, marketing tactics, or having the perfect message. Trust grows when people consistently experience authenticity and alignment. In this conversation, Brittni shares her perspective on personal branding as an expression of who we are rather than a performance we create. We discuss the difference between authenticity and role-pla...

Many workplace equality initiatives focus on helping women adapt. Geeta Sidhu-Robb argues that this approach misses the bigger issue. In this conversation, we explore how organizational systems, workplace structures, cultural expectations, and leadership norms continue to shape outcomes for women, often regardless of talent or capability. Geeta shares her perspective on why many diversity initiati...

Why do intelligent, capable people struggle to change behaviors they know are not serving them? In this episode, I speak with Sharissa Bradley about chronic stress, habit formation, health, and self-responsibility. Sharissa shares her personal journey from growing up in a deeply stressful family environment to developing autoimmune illness herself, and the moment she realised she was heading towar...

What happens when a relationship no longer reflects who you’ve become? In this episode, Christine speaks with Michele Heffron, certified relationship and divorce coach, about major life transitions, identity change, fear, and the difficult decisions people sometimes avoid for years. The conversation explores a growing phenomenon often called “gray divorce,” where long-term relationships end later...

In this episode of Lead Well!, I speak with author Steve Borodkin about survival, abuse, healing, vulnerability, animals, art, and what honesty really requires. Steve’s memoir Street Level tells a deeply personal story of trauma and survival. But what struck me most in this conversation was not only what he went through. It was the fact that he emerged with remarkable warmth, empathy, and humanity...

Communication is often treated as a skill. In reality, it is a relational process shaped by awareness, intention, and internal state. In this episode, Christine speaks with Andrew Blotky, executive coach and former communications leader at Meta and Johnson & Johnson. The conversation explores how leaders can communicate with clarity and authenticity, especially in times of uncertainty. A central i...

In this episode, Christine speaks with Shamayne Olivia about identity, self-alignment, and the often invisible cost of living a life that no longer fits. The conversation explores how many people, especially women, grow into roles shaped by expectations rather than conscious choice. Over time, this creates a gap between external success and internal experience. Shamayne shares her personal journey...

In this episode, Christine speaks with Steven Howard, creator of Humony Leadership, about what it really means to lead people rather than manage them. The conversation starts with a simple distinction: tasks, processes, and policies need management, but people need leadership. Steven argues that many leaders still operate as if their role is to have all the answers, control the process, and tell o...

What is the difference between coaching and mentoring, and why does that difference matter so much when someone is grieving or struggling? In this episode, Christine speaks with Doug Lawrence, founder of TalentC® and an experienced mentoring practitioner, about mentoring as a trusted two-way relationship that can help people shift thought patterns, change behavior, and find support in difficult ti...

This episode explores what actually creates transformation. Christine speaks with Glenda Benevides about her work combining music, storytelling, and personal reflection to create real change. At the core is a simple sequence: Clarity → Courage → Confidence → Commitment → Community Most people try to shortcut this process. They aim for confidence without clarity. The result is hesitation, inconsist...

Career growth does not happen by accident. In this episode, I talk with Nicole Fronek about what it means to take intentional ownership of your career. We explore why good work alone is rarely enough, how to build visibility in a smart way, how to support your manager without becoming self-sacrificing, and why boundaries are essential for sustainable success. Nicole also shares what leaders often...

What if the biggest shift in your life isn’t doing more… but finally allowing yourself to be? In this episode of Lead Well!, I’m speaking with Ashlieya Mariano about identity, self-expression, and what it really means to stop performing for others and start living in alignment. We explore how many of us unconsciously shape ourselves around expectations, roles, and external validation, and what it...

In this special episode of Lead Well!, Christine participates in Podcasthon, a global initiative where over 1,600 podcasters highlight charities and nonprofits creating real impact. Christine speaks with Benson and Peter, leaders of a community-based organization working in Turkana, Northern Kenya, one of the driest and most challenging regions in East Africa. They discuss the realities children f...

What if leadership is not a title or a checklist, but a layered practice that develops over time? In this episode of Lead Well!, I speak with Lawrence R. Armstrong, Chairman and former CEO of Ware Malcomb and author of Layered Leadership. We explore why many leaders struggle to delegate, how creativity becomes a strategic advantage, and why wellness is not optional for sustainable performance. Lar...

In this conversation with Sharon Burstein, international leadership image expert and author of What’s Your Leadership Image?, we explore a dimension of leadership that most professionals underestimate: the image you project — and how it either reinforces or undermines your credibility. But this is not about polishing the surface. It is about alignment. Sharon distinguishes between leadership and l...

In Episode 110 of Lead Well!, I speak with adventurer, mountaineer, author, and former lawyer Jeff Rasley. After a successful legal and business career, Jeff walked away from boardrooms and into the Himalayas. What began as a midlife trek to Everest Base Camp became a lifelong commitment to service, leadership, and cultural humility. Today, Jeff is President of the Basa Village Foundation, partner...

In this episode of Lead Well!, I explore one of the most underestimated cognitive phenomena in modern work life: attention residue. Based on research by Sophie Leroy, we look at what happens in your brain when you switch tasks. Part of your attention stays behind. And that “mental leftover” reduces performance, increases reactivity, and makes it harder to truly recover after work. This is not just...

What if presence doesn’t start when you are already stressed, but one moment earlier? In Part 3 of the Presence series, I explore a subtle but decisive phase that most people miss: the orienting moment. The split second between perceiving something and reacting to it. This is the moment where your nervous system decides whether to stay regulated or switch into fight, flight, or freeze. And it is t...

Presence doesn’t start in the mind. It starts in the body. In Episode 107, I explore why thinking alone won’t get you present and how your body becomes your most reliable feedback system. A continuation of last week’s episode on Presence as a condition for living well.

In this solo episode of Lead Well!, I explore why so many capable, reflective people feel disconnected from their own lives. Not because they lack insight. But because they are rarely fully present in the moments that matter. Presence is often misunderstood as meditation, slowing down, or stepping away from real life. That is not what this episode is about. Presence means being where you already a...

At sixty years old, Anne Abel found herself at a breaking point. After leaving a dangerous teaching job, the structure that had helped her manage lifelong depression disappeared. What followed was not a neat reinvention plan, but a radical decision that started as survival. Anne followed Bruce Springsteen’s Australian tour. What unfolded was a journey of connection, meaning, and unexpected healing...