Teamwork - A Better Way

What if being indispensable is the reason your team keeps stalling? Many leaders hire good people, add structure, and still find every decision routing back to them. Success gets heavier, not lighter. Liz Landry, author of From Operator to Owner, joins Spencer and Christian to unpack why hiring often creates more work before it creates freedom, the identity shift leaders resist, and how to build a...

What if the way you're chasing success is the exact thing holding your team back? Saahil Mehta spent years people pleasing, overworking, and burning out while building businesses across two continents. Then he changed how he led, not just what he did. Now he coaches business owners in over 25 countries, facilitates for EO and YPO, and is a member of Marshall Goldsmith's MG100. His book, Break Free...

Your revenue is growing. So is your workload. That's a warning sign, not success. Most owners hit a ceiling because the business can't move without them. Every decision escalates back to their desk. Shelli Warren, host of the Stacking Your Team podcast, joins Spencer Horn and Christian Napier to share how owner dependency forms, why unclear decision rights force everything upward, and a practical...

Most teams don't fail because they lack knowledge. They fail because nobody acts when it matters. Captain Brad Newbury has spent 40 years in firefighting and prehospital medicine studying the difference between people who freeze and people who move. As President and CEO of the National Medical Education & Training Center and author of The Saved Effect and The First Responder Advantage, he's tr...

Many organizations invest in new technology but overlook the friction that's holding their teams back. In this episode of Teamwork: A Better Way , Spencer Horn and Christian Napier welcome leadership strategist and conflict resolution expert DaSjaun Rose. Together, they explore how leaders can reduce hidden conflict, align people and expectations, and leverage AI to improve communication, accounta...

Most leaders try to fix their team by fixing the people in it. What if that's only 20% of the equation? Pollyanna Lenkic joins Spencer and Christian to make the case that up to 80% of team performance comes from how a team is designed and supported, not from individual coaching alone. As leaders navigate reorgs, AI rollouts, and endless development programs, Pollyanna argues most of them are missi...

What if the reason your team is underperforming has nothing to do with skills, strategy, or structure? What if it comes down to energy? Kristin Mackey is the creator of Frequency Matters, a research-backed framework that connects the science of resonance to how people communicate, collaborate, and show up as leaders. On this episode, she introduces a new lens on employee engagement: Manage Your Pa...

Most leaders think mental toughness is a personality trait. Jeff Jones has spent 20 years proving it is a training system. As a performance coach and former collegiate football coach who has been part of BCS championship programs at Auburn, Boise State, Arkansas State, and Appalachian State, Jeff has seen firsthand what separates teams that perform under pressure from those that collapse. The diff...

What if the fastest way to build a high-performing team is to learn how leaders accidentally destroy trust? In this episode of Teamwork: A Better Way, Megan Petrini, CPTD, talent development expert, certified Trust at Work specialist, and author of Manage to Fail , shares why trust isn't a personality trait or a lucky byproduct of good culture. It's a skill. Drawing on nearly two decades of experi...

Most leaders spend years mastering team alignment, delegation, and strategic planning at work — then walk through the front door and operate their household on chaos, assumption, and invisible labor. Lisa Woodruff argues that household management is not housework — it is executive leadership, and most families are running without a strategy. And if you’ve ever felt like the work of running a home...

Why do highly capable people become inconsistent under pressure — even when they are talented, experienced, and motivated? Ricardo J. Vargas has spent three decades and peer-reviewed research answering that question. In this conversation, he unpacks the relationship between happiness, flow, and adaptive performance — and why the strategies leaders rely on in stable conditions often collapse when t...

Most leaders think their biggest problem is hiring the right people. Bruce McLeod says the real problem is what happens after they arrive — and what quietly destroys them once they do. In this episode, Bruce shares the framework he developed after more than a decade watching rapid growth hollow out companies from the inside: burning out top talent, rewarding the wrong behaviors, and leaving entire...

What if leadership isn’t about doing more—but managing energy, clarity, and alignment? In this episode of Teamwork: A Better Way, Danielle Joleigh Bennett—CEO, Navy veteran, and creator of the Leadership Voltage framework—shares how leaders can turn pressure into performance. Drawing from high-stakes military and business environments, Danielle explains how clarity, alignment, and resilience can b...

Why do teams understand trust and communication—but still struggle in real moments? In this episode of Teamwork: A Better Way , Ethan Nash shares why concepts aren’t enough—and what teams really need are practical, repeatable skills. From giving and receiving feedback to listening with respect and reinforcing positive behavior, Ethan breaks down simple frameworks teams can use immediately to impro...

n this episode of Teamwork: A Better Way , Reed Nyffeler—CEO, entrepreneur, and author of Lead Exponentially —shares why team performance often stalls when leadership is concentrated in one person. Reed breaks down how great leaders identify future leaders, distinguish high performers from true leadership potential, and develop others before growth depends on them. Through powerful questions and a...

What if the future of leadership isn’t about more skills—but deeper capacity? In this episode of Teamwork: A Better Way , Matt Manning explores why today’s leaders must go beyond tools and tactics to develop presence, perspective, and internal stability. As complexity rises in the AI age, the real differentiator is the ability to stay grounded, hold multiple perspectives, and lead without reactivi...

What if the key to high-performing teams isn’t just how they work together—but how they serve others? In this episode of Teamwork: A Better Way , we sit down with customer experience expert and author Jeannie Walters to explore why “experience is everything” in today’s leadership landscape. Drawing from her new book , Jeannie shares how the most successful organizations move beyond customer servic...

What makes someone not just a leader—but a leader people choose to follow? In this episode of Teamwork: A Better Way , we sit down with Dr. Benjamin Granger, Chief Workplace Psychologist at Qualtrics and author of A Leader Worth Following , to explore the intersection of human psychology and high-performance leadership. Drawing on decades of research and experience with global organizations, Dr. B...

In this episode of Teamwork: A Better Way , Spencer Horn and Christian Napier sit down with Gui Costin , Founder and CEO of Dakota, to explore how leaders can drive relentless performance while still creating a culture rooted in respect and humanity. Gui shares lessons from building Dakota into a global platform used by thousands of investment firms, revealing how discipline, accountability, and k...

Emotional intelligence changed leadership. But it’s no longer enough. In this episode of Teamwork: A Better Way , Christoffel Sneijders—creator of 3 Brains Intelligence and expert in human behavior—reveals why most leadership breakdowns aren’t strategy problems… they’re alignment problems . Every leader operates from three decision-making centers:  🧠 Head (strategy & logic)  ❤️ Heart (connect...

Leadership has evolved. The best leaders today aren’t fixers—they’re facilitators. On this episode of Teamwork: A Better Way , Laurie Maddalena shares how to build strong, connected teams in a changing workplace. Learn how to overcome the Six Leadership Saboteurs™, lead difficult conversations with confidence, and create a culture where people thrive. If you’re ready to elevate your leadership and...

What does it really take to lead with impact—especially when life throws the unimaginable at you? In this unforgettable episode of Teamwork: A Better Way , Hall of Fame speaker and bestselling author Chad Hymas shares hard-earned wisdom on what true leadership looks like when the spotlight fades and challenges hit. From his world-record 513-mile journey in a wheelchair to inspiring audiences acros...

What if the most powerful leadership tool you have… is your story? In this episode of Teamwork: A Better Way , bestselling author and storytelling strategist Bill Blankschaen joins us to discuss his new book, Your Story Advantage . More than a personal brand tool, Bill shows how your authentic story—when owned and told well—can empower, inspire, and influence others in profound ways. Discover how...

What if your team’s next breakthrough wasn’t about working harder—but aligning deeper? In this episode of Teamwork: A Better Way, Josh Kosnick—founder of Kairos Coaching and EOS Implementer—joins us to explore how to create “Kairos moments” within your team: those powerful points where awareness, alignment, and action converge. Drawing from his experience building and exiting three successful busi...

What if your next tech breakthrough isn’t about the tools—but the humans using them? In this episode, visionary entrepreneur Graham Skidmore joins Teamwork: A Better Way to share why investing in people—not just platforms—is the key to high-performing teams. Drawing on his Purpose & Outcome framework and deep experience in systems redesign, Graham reveals how communication, alignment, and know...