The People Playbook with Coach Cora Podcast

In celebration of America’s 250th birthday this Fourth of July weekend, The People Playbook is bringing back a powerful fan-favorite episode from the archives. To honor the freedom, sacrifice, and community that built our nation, host Coach Cora revisits one of her most respected conversations with a leader who embodies true service: Colonel Tre Irick of the United States Air Force. See omny...

In this episode of The People Playbook, Coach Cora is once again joined by her brother Dean Jenkins (Founder & CEO of Black Diamond Solutions) to tackle the hidden costs of over-processed workplaces. Together, they break down why hyper-focusing on tracking and reporting actually derails execution, turns "efficiency" into administrative drag, and drives employee disengagement. See omnystudio.co...

In this episode of The People Playbook, host Coach Cora Lonning sits down with Tia Adaba (RN, BSN), Vice President of Operations for At-Home Services with ML Healthcare. Drawing from her 17+ years of nursing leadership and her book, Me First , Tia breaks down the critical balance between driving operational results and sustaining employee wellness in deeply human industries. See omnystudio.com/lis...

In this episode of The People Playbook, host Coach Cora sits down with Consuella "Connie" Roberts, a former elite track-and-field athlete, record-breaking powerlifter, and the founder and executive director of the Pretty Strong Movement. Connie shares her journey of breaking into the elite "1,000-Pound Club" with a massive 475-pound lift and explains how the exact same principles used on the lifti...

Behind every phenomenal career path is a network of leaders who extended trust, created opportunity, and recognized potential before we saw it in ourselves. In this episode of The People Playbook, Coach Cora sits down with banking executive Jacob Cavazos to discuss his inspiring journey and how formal and informal mentors shaped his rise to becoming a community leader. See omnystudio.com/listener...

Organizations don’t struggle because people are different—they struggle because they don’t understand what those differences mean. In this episode of The People Playbook, host Coach Cora sits down with Michael Segovia, a Principal Consultant and leading expert from The Myers-Briggs Company, to pull back the curtain on the world's most famous—and most misunderstood—per...

Ever wonder why a perfectly designed organizational strategy, flawless org chart, or shiny new software system still fails to deliver results? In this episode, Coach Cora kicks off a brand-new series breaking down the mechanics of organizational design and development. While leaders spend massive amounts of time and capital building the visible parts of a business—Structure, Systems, Strateg...

In this episode of The People Playbook, host Coach Cora sits down with beloved San Antonio radio personality, motivational speaker, and intentional enthusiasm champion, Sonny Melendrez. Drawing from five decades of inspiring audiences, Sonny shares his powerful framework for leading with impactful positivity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this deeply personal episode of The People Playbook, Coach Cora is joined by a very special guest: her brother, Dean Jenkins. Dean brings a unique perspective to the table, bridging two worlds that many believe are at odds: high-level corporate business and spiritual leadership. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coach Cora is joined by Wendii Lord for a practical conversation on feedback and why the language leaders use matters. This episode explores how clarity, consistency, and intentional communication can build trust, strengthen performance, and prevent unnecessary resistance.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wendii Lord joins Coach Cora on The People Playbook for a meaningful conversation about the power of the support role in leadership and organizational success. This episode highlights why the people who help leaders stay focused, prepared, and effective are essential to making big things happen.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This weekend on The People Playbook , Deric Zies shares the leadership lessons that most shaped his journey as a leader in the workplace, at home, and in the community. In this conversation, we explore the weight of leadership, the shift from directing to serving, and how transparency, confidence, and responsiveness create meaningful influence.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i...

This week on The People Playbook , Coach Cora sits down with San Antonio leader Leo Gomez, CEO of Brooks City Base and San Antonio Legend Award winner, to discuss how great partnerships create momentum, belief, and shared success. Their conversation explores how leaders can build support for their vision by creating value for others, bringing in fresh perspectives, and aligning partners around the...

Behavioral assessments aren’t meant to label people—they’re meant to guide how leaders develop them. In this episode of The People Playbook with Coach Cora , Coach Cora sits down with Tony Alessandra, Founder of  Assessments 24x7, to explore how tools like DISC are often misused—and how to apply them more effectively. Drawing on decades of experience, Tony explains how...

Values aren’t defined by what leaders say—they’re revealed in the decisions they make when the stakes are high. In this episode of The People Playbook with Coach Cora , Coach Cora sits down with Preston Atkinson, President and CEO of Trestleworks and former CEO of Whataburger, to explore what it really means to lead through values. Drawing on decades of leadership in legacy, comm...

Leadership is not defined by what you say—it’s proven by the decisions you make when it matters most. In this episode of The People Playbook with Coach Cora , Coach Cora is joined by Col Edward Irick, Deputy Commander of the Air Force Special Warfare Training Wing, to explore what it truly means to lead with purpose, trust, and care in high-stakes environments. Drawing on 27 years of l...

Strong hiring isn’t about offering more—it’s about offering what actually aligns with the people you want to lead and keep. In this episode of The People Playbook with Coach Cora, Coach Cora is joined by Blanca Abbud, Vice President of Sales at Engage PEO, to explore how leaders can use benefits strategically rather than reactively when attracting talent. Drawing from her work wi...

Leadership teams don’t develop talent through instinct alone—they develop it through shared clarity about performance, readiness, and potential. In this episode of The People Playbook with Coach Cora , Coach Cora speaks with the Senior Director of Field Enhancements at Whataburger about what leaders actually learn when they begin using a talent matrix in a complex, field-based organiza...

Retention isn’t driven by rewards alone — it’s driven by clarity around what success actually looks like. On this episode of The People Playbook with Coach Cora , Coach Cora sits down with Gerry Bower, President of TLC Total Lawn Care, to explore why onboarding and retention succeed only when expectations, hiring, and rewards are intentionally aligned. Drawing from decades of exp...

Hiring decisions don’t improve by removing judgment — they improve when leaders understand how to apply it more responsibly.  On this episode of The People Playbook with Coach Cora, Coach Cora is joined by Amy Leslie, CEO of Perspective Inc., to explore how leaders can use data-driven hiring tools without losing the human insight that makes good decisions possible. Drawing from he...

Hiring isn’t about convincing candidates to say yes — it’s about demonstrating that your leadership is worth committing to.  On this episode of The People Playbook with Coach Cora, Coach Cora is joined by Katy Barger, Senior Technical Recruiter at Beacon Hill Recruiting, to explore what candidates are really saying.   Katy shares how top talent is evaluating roles...

Hiring gets harder when the talent pool doesn’t match the work that needs to be done. In this episode of The People Playbook with Coach Cora, Coach Cora uses a live-coaching conversation to explore how strong specialty retail leaders adapt when the challenge isn’t leadership quality — it’s labor market reality. Together with a seasoned retail owner, she works through real h...

Don’t build your business around the people — build the people around the business. In this episode, Coach Cora goes solo to unpack why understanding and defining the work itself should come before hiring. She breaks down how analyzing the work up front creates clearer roles, stronger performance, and smoother growth, and offers concrete questions leaders can use to shape work that ali...

Strong retention isn’t sustained by perks or pay—it’s driven by leadership. In this episode, Coach Cora explores how clear leadership capabilities shape daily employee experience and why including leadership development at the front line level is part of a reliable long-term retention strategy. https://www.leadingedgeteam.co/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

Clear, consistent communication is one of the strongest predictors of engagement and retention. In this episode, Coach Cora explores how everyday feedback and communication habits shape trust, performance, and motivation—and why leaders who avoid or mishandle feedback often lose good people without realizing why. toastmasters.org See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.