Leadership Deep Dive

In this episode of the Leadership Deep Dive podcast, David, 40 years after a climbing accident, gets a second chance to process some grief. The grief was from two traumas that he has carried around for all those decades, losing first a sister and then a close friend in quick succession. Given who he was […]

Better Not Perfect.  Why Perfectionism Is Holding Your Leadership Back. Perfectionism sounds like a virtue. It isn’t. Christy Pretzinger — founder of The Better Leader Project, CEO of WG Content, and author of the forthcoming book Better Not Perfect — said something to David on the show that stopped him cold. She described perfectionism not […]

Does being distracted = being exhausted? In this episode of Leadership Deep Dive, Margaret Katz Cann and David Langiulli explore a challenge that affects nearly everyone: distraction. The conversation started about fatigue and quickly becomes an exploration of one common contributor: how constant interruptions drain our energy, diminish our creativity, and undermine our relationships. The […...

Here’s a provocative question: Is intelligence overrated? Especially when it comes to leadership and fundraising? David and Margaret have both been noodling about this concept lately — about what happens from trying too hard or overcompensating. Both have been writing on it from different angles on LinkedIn (see Margaret’s recent post here and David’s article […]

I Had a Really Successful Career, But I was Miserable. Have you ever looked at your impressive resume, noted your promotions and salary bumps, and felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness? You did everything right. You climbed the corporate ladder, hit your milestones, and made your family proud. Yet, you wake up feeling utterly drained. […]

Ever wish you were better at processing grudges and releasing resentments? This episode is for anyone who has ever found yourself replaying an old wound years — or even decades — after it happened. In this heartfelt and deeply personal episode, Margaret and David take a look into what happens when we hold onto grudges […]

 Have you ever wondered what has our brains turn towards an act of generosity — like what, exactly, is the neuroscience of giving? In this episode, Margaret and David sit down with Cherian Koshy, bestselling author of Neurogiving: The Science of Donor Decision Making, for a conversation sparked by this question: What if the key […]

In this episode, Margaret sits down with David to celebrate the release of his new book, Life Lessons from Memorable Movies.  David’s latest is a collection of essays that uses iconic film quotes as springboards for real-world wisdom on leadership, relationships, and personal growth. Inspiration for the Idea David traces the book’s origins to his […]

Can you actually sharpen intuition, or is it something you’re simply born with (or without)? Margaret and I explored that question on the Show recently, and we kept coming back to this: intuition isn’t magic. It’s a muscle. Have you ever walked into a room and instantly felt the tension? Or perhaps you’ve looked at […]

Margaret and David visit with Danny Bobrow about Persuasion without Pressure. Have you ever found yourself talking to your team, convinced your brilliant solution was exactly what they needed, only to see their eyes glaze over? That phenomenon is what Danny calls “expert override.” As the creator of the Persuasion Blueprint, Danny holds dual MBAs […]

In this episode of Leadership Deep Dive, hosts Margaret and David explore recovering from disappointment. Feeling dissapointment is a universal yet often avoided experience. So, how might we more skillfully navigating the sting of disappointment? The “Splat!” David’s own recent “splat” sparked the conversation. This took the form of a significant setback while self-publishing the...

Anger is a tricky emotion for leaders to navigate. Most of us do not have it completely figured out. We either let our temper burn bridges with our colleagues, or we stuff the emotion down until it makes us sick. But what if anger isn’t something to banish or fear? What if it actually serves […]

David visits with communication expert and best-selling author, Robert Kennedy III, about the art of transformative communication. Words have impact. They can create or destroy. As leaders, we often default to safe “org speak” or quick texts, missing the opportunity to truly connect. But what if the key to influence lies in the stories we ignore every […]

Have you ever reached a major milestone—a promotion, a big sale, a new house—only to feel… empty? We spend so much of our professional lives chasing “success,” yet true happiness often feels like a moving target. Steven Shortt, the founder of The Happy People Project, comes on the show with David and shares how he […]

What does leading with soul look like?  David sits down with Patrick Dunn and asks that question. Have you ever found yourself sitting in front of your laptop at midnight, typing out yet another email, and wondering, “Why am I doing this?” We’ve all been there. We get caught up climbing the ladder, trying to […]

In this episode of the Leadership Deep Dive, Margaret and David explore what it means to “Take Your Hand Off The Hot Stove.”  That’s a metaphor for the nuances of emotional regulation, and why simply “feeling your feels” isn’t always the same as getting burned by them. Have you ever found yourself in a meeting […]

Have you ever found yourself so deep in the weeds of a project—obsessing over formatting, email wording, or a specific calendar invite—that you forgot why you were doing the project in the first place? Or perhaps you’ve been on the other side: dreaming up grand, visionary ideas but failing to execute the basic steps needed […]

In this reflective episode, Margaret and David explore the concept of liminality: the space of “no longer and not yet.” It is a profound psychological state that affects us all, whether you are between jobs, recovering from a major life event, or shifting the very identity of your business. As leaders, we are often programmed […]

The phrase “radical acceptance” scares people. We get it—it sounds extreme. It sounds like you’re about to overthrow a government or dye your hair neon green. But when we use the term “radical acceptance,” we choose it intentionally. Margaret and David choose it because true acceptance is a radical act. It goes against our instincts to fight, […]

In this episode of the Leadership Deep Dive, Margaret and David ask a provocative question: “Is Your Life Messy Enough?” Life (and leadership) isn’t meant to be neat, tidy, and perfectly ordered—it’s meant to be lived. We celebrate the chaos, the curveballs, and the unexpected detours that shape who we are.  We dive into stories […]

The term authenticity in leadership gets talked about a lot. In this episode, David and Margaret break it down a bit more. Margaret shared an anecdote about someone who created a plaster mask of their face and painted both sides. Many of us have given some thought to how we think we show up–or the […]

When was the last time you gave yourself permission to retreat? In this thoughtful episode, David and Margaret explore the transformative power of stepping away. During the recording of the podcast, David was mid-way through his own retreat. He took  a few days for himself to travel to the mountains of Colorado (one of his […]

Margaret and David welcome guest Graeme Watt, a principal at Anthem Creative, to discuss the “Great Collision” of tech and traditionally late adopters in the nonprofit sector. Graeme’s career has straddled both nonprofit and for-profit work — and has kept a close eye on the adoption of technology — or lack thereof — that may […]

What is the impact of ignoring versus naming the elephant in the room? Margaret reported that she had hoped to feel energized and rested after the 3-day Labor Day weekend. But thanks to a run-in with a (metaphoric) elephant, that’s not what happened. In this episode, David and Margaret share how those elephants — in […]

Summer’s Over … David and Margaret explored the dynamics of heading back-to-school — including the anxiety. They noticed that the parents they have had contact with seem to sometimes experience more anxiety than their children at the prospect of school starting up again, even as the children’s transition back to school is often smooth. And […]