The Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast

In Episode 71 of the  Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast , Kristem and Sylvia examine the historical shifts in leadership theories. Using the context of the United States' 250th anniversary, the co-hosts debate whether leaders are born or made by tracing the evolution from the "Great Man" trait theory to modern behavioral and situational frameworks. Drawing from their extensive backgrou...

In Episode 70 of the  Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast , co-hosts and former police chiefs Kristen Ziman and Sylvia Moir take aim at the ubiquitous corporate advice to "always be yourself," arguing that modern notions of leadership authenticity have devolved into an oversold, diluted word salad. While acknowledging that vulnerability can build trust, they contend that unfiltered "aut...

Episode 69 of the Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast features former police chiefs Kristen Ziman and Sylvia Moir diving into the complicated relationship between leadership, influence, and authenticity through the lens of Stanford professor Jeffrey Pfeffer’s book The Power Playbook. The conversation explores everything from executive presence and personal branding to networking and mentorship, while...

In Episode 68 of the  Hollow Bunny Leadership  podcast, "Shirts vs Skins," former police chiefs Kristen Ziman and Sylvia Moir dive into the ultimate trial of leadership: what to do when something goes wrong on your watch and the spotlight lands squarely on you. Rejecting the instinctual urge to protect the ego or retreat into "hollow" silence, they challenge leaders to face pub...

In this episode of the Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast, Kristen and Sylvia explore why some leaders feel their agency is slipping and begin to withdraw under constant pressure, scrutiny, and uncertainty. They argue that while brief moments of retreat can be healthy, chronic disengagement harms organizations and often shows up as avoiding hard decisions, playing it safe, or becoming reactive. The c...

In Episode 66 of the Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast, Producer Ted unexpectedly stays on mic and camera—rarely heard but fittingly present—adding to the group’s candid, unscripted dynamic as Kristen and Sylvia dive into a core leadership question: when is it your responsibility to confront someone whose behavior is damaging their reputation or harming others? Beneath the humor and back-and-forth,...

In this episode of the Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast, former police chiefs Kristen Ziman and Sylvia Moir use a chaotic, uncomfortable round of golf to explore a bigger question: how do you know when it’s time to leave—whether in a situation, a relationship, or a leadership role? Through candid storytelling and reflection, they unpack the tendency to “stay too long,” often driven by fear, identit...

In this episode of the Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast, Kristen Ziman and Sylvia Moir (aka "Sugar Britches") dive deep into the "Competence Trap"—the psychological phenomenon that keeps smart, capable people tethered to broken organizations and unfulfilling relationships. Moving beyond the "hallway conversations" where honesty usually hides, they explore the concept o...

In this episode of the Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast, Kristen Ziman and Sylvia Moyer talk about one of the most influential and overlooked roles in any organization: the middle manager. Well, eventually they talk about this. Prior to that, they took a couple of off-ramps to discuss public speaking and reading books. When they return to their main topic, Kristen and Sylvia have a lively discussio...

Episode 62 explores why leaders who avoid taking a stance often unintentionally reinforce the status quo and weaken trust. Kristen and Sylvia argue that silence in moments of consequence is not peaceful — it’s permissive. Through stories from law enforcement and organizational life, they unpack how neutrality can look like calm but is often self-protection that drains energy, mutes critical thinki...

Episode 61 centers on the quiet but powerful challenge of asking for help, as Kristen and Sylvia reflect on moments when support arrived by chance rather than intention—and why that happens so often for leaders. Through deeply personal stories, they unpack the barriers that keep people silent: identity tied to self-reliance, fear of burdening others, shame, control, pride, and long-ingrained belie...

In this episode of the Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast, Kristen and Sylvia kick off a “fresh start” conversation about the communication habits leaders should leave behind. Using a recent article as a springboard, they explore how over-reliance on AI, hyper-efficiency, and passive behaviors like leaving people “on read” quietly erode trust and connection. With humor and candor, Kristen and Sylvia...

In this deeply personal episode, Kristen and Sylvia explore what happens when titles fall away and humanity steps forward. Drawing from a frightening hospital experience, Kristen reflects on the unexpected power of strangers who choose to care—specifically a doctor who made the choice to go above and beyond, as opposed to simply “doing her job." Together, Kristen and Sylvia unpack over-delive...

Episode 58 finds Kristen Ziman and Sylvia Moir digging into Stoic philosophy through the accessible lens of Ryan Holiday, with a practical focus on leadership and daily life. Drawing from Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, James Clear, and others, they explore Holiday’s three core pillars—journaling, reading, and stillness—as tools for self-examination rather than self-expression. Kristen shares how writing...

In this episode of The Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast, Sylvia Moir and Kristen Ziman bring in producer Ted Madden to talk about habits, discipline, and the small actions that shape behavior. Inspired by James Clear’s ideas about systems over goals, the conversation explores how real change comes from consistent choices rather than sudden breakthroughs. They share personal examples — from workout...

In this episode of The Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast, former police chiefs Sylvia Moir and Kristen Ziman talk about their experience at the World Business Forum 2025, where speakers left them energized in different ways. Brené Brown’s message about turning values into action anchors the discussion, and they note how Adam Grant’s outlook on growth and curiosity pushed their thinking further. They...

In this episode of The Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast, Kristen Ziman and Sylvia Moir explore the challenges leaders face when social and political controversies land at their doorstep. Using Jimmy Kimmel’s recent cancellation, a Chicago suburb’s flag-lowering dispute, and the famous Tempe “Dump Starbucks” incident, they discuss how leaders decide when to speak up, when to stay silent, and how to...

In Episode 54, Kristen and Sylvia explore the art of delegation and the pitfalls leaders face when balancing control with trust. They unpack the spectrum between micromanaging and perfectionism, sharing how true leadership comes from empowering others with autonomy and mastery. By entrusting projects and allowing space for growth, leaders not only free themselves to focus on vision but also cultiv...

In Episode 53 of  The Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast , Kristen and Sylvia explore what it means to face the inner battles that hold us back—fear, self-doubt, and imposter syndrome. Through reflection and shared insights, we talk about how courage isn’t something you carry alone; it grows stronger in community. Together, we unpack how bravery, humility, and persistence can help us keep moving towa...

Nobody loves conflict, but it’s part of leadership. In this episode, Kristen and Sylvia dig into the idea of “conflict intelligence” — the ability to understand, navigate, and even use conflict to make teams stronger. They share stories from their own time in leadership, unpack why building trust before conflict matters, and talk about how leaders can regulate their own emotions when the heat is o...

Syliva Moir and Kristen Ziman dig into the topic of Joy. When we find it at work, we usually think of it as a fortunate byproduct of loving our job and our co-workers. But our chiefs encourage us to seek it out, to schedule it. Joy is something we should make an effort to find, not wait for it to find us.

In this engaging conversation, Kristen Ziman and Sylvia Moir explore the complexities of leadership transitions, the reasons leaders may overstay their welcome, and the importance of self-reflection and ego management. They discuss the challenges of recognizing when it's time to step down, the impact of identity on leadership roles, and the necessity of preparing successors to ensure organizationa...

 What does shoplifting a face mask, climbing on a school roof, and grounding your own kid have in common? Accountability. In this episode of the Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast, we explore how lessons from our childhood mistakes and parenting decisions shape our leadership philosophies today. We’re not talking about punishment — we’re talking about redirection, realignment, and responsibility. Get...

In this episode, Kristen Ziman and Sylvia Moir tackle the uncomfortable but important question facing leaders: are we making decisions based on what's best for the organization or what's simply easiest for us? Drawing from personal experiences in law enforcement leadership, they explore how "comfortable" choices—those based on familiarity, loyalty, and social proximity—can often...

In this episode, Sylvia shares a powerful story about bungee jumping in New Zealand—and how, in the moment afterward, she realized she had forgotten to be afraid. That simple phrase becomes the thread that runs through the entire conversation. Kristen takes it a step further, asking a thoughtful question: Is it really a "fear of failure" - as they saying goes - or a fear of how people wi...