People seem unable to understand groups they disagree with these days. If you disagree with someone enough to argue with them, you probably want to influence them to stop acting in ways you disagree with---that is, you want to lead them. To lead someone you don't have authority over, you have to understand them and, ideally, make them feel understood. If you behave and communicate in ways that people feel misunderstood, you can say goodbye to influencing them because you led them to keep their defenses up. What works against you To pick one dimension of polarization, in politics, Hilary…

Dan Kuschell and I met last year and became friends over our similar passions for leadership---servant leadership in particular. Read his bio and watch his videos below to see his story. Scheduling appearing on his podcast took forever, but it finally happened. Today I bring you our conversation on his show, Growth to Freedom. Knowing someone so long makes the conversation more friendly, open, and vulnerable. We approached common issues from new perspectives. I liked that. Listen to the conversation. Here are the show notes: Discover Leadership that Works, Lessons Learned from Failure, and the Necessity of Listening with Joshua…

Dov Baron---bestselling author, leadership coach (and more), named by Inc. as one of the Top 100 Leadership Speakers and host of Full Monty Leadership---is probably the most dynamic, authentic, and colorful guest I've had on my podcast. To illustrate his authenticity, he took the greatest personal challenge to live by his environmental values---to consider getting rid of his car. Not just any car, but a Jaguar that he aspired to for most of his life. Listen to our conversation to hear the story, meet the man, and learn how to get more out of life than material objects can get…

Some conversations are open and honest. Then there are whole other levels of friendship that leads to sharing vulnerability and intimacy. Dov Baron---speaker, writer, coach, guru---makes his conversations like that. We spoke like two friends who love helping people learn the social and emotional skills of leadership sharing what we've learned, how we teach, and the struggles we learned them from. Listen to the conversation (on iTunes) Dov's inspiration of me People use the word inspiration to describe a feeling, but I reserve it for when someone acts, not just feels. Dov inspired me. Case in point: the three posts I…

Jay Wong's Inner Changemaker podcast is growing like crazy, making #1 in self-improvement on iTunes. He just released our interview. We talked about passion and how to create more, leadership, the environment, sidchas, and the passions I'm working on. Listen to our conversation Here's a preview: Listen to our full conversation

Robbie Samuels hosts the On the Schmooze podcast and today he released his conversation with me, "Leadership Through Living." I love that, unlike many podcasters, he enjoys the conversation and has fun, not just asks questions. Listen to the conversation Listen to the conversation Robbie's show notes: Today’s guest is an “astrophysicist turned new media whiz” who has earned five Ivy League degrees and holds six patents. He helped build an X-ray observational satellite for NASA, and has co-founded and led several ventures. A serious athlete, he has completed six marathons and competed at the World and National level of…

David Shriner-Cahn hosts the Smashing the Plateau podcast and today he released our conversation, "How to Create Real Change." As fellow New Yorkers, David and I have met in person many times since my first time on his show, including at events he's organized through his firm, TEND Strategic Partners, which helps small firms and entrepreneurs advance. Being friends makes the conversation more open and friendly. I talk more about developing my upcoming podcast, Leadership and the Environment. Listen to the conversation Here are the show notes: Today we welcome back Joshua Spodek, founder of Spodek Academy and bestselling author…

In June, Leigh Martinuzzi, host of the Hidden Why podcast, gave me a break/kick-in-the-butt to record my first audio in “My first guest “host” on a podcast: The Hidden Why, by Leigh Martinuzzi.” We met online. Talking about podcasts, I thought he might have me as a guest. Instead he suggested I record a solo message. I was anxious to fly solo, but did, despite taking weeks to record. It got me over the hump of taking initiative, leading, in part, to my starting my Leadership and the Environment podcast. Thank you, Leigh! Listen to the new recording. We’ve since…

Jeffrey Shaw hosts the Creative Warriors podcast and he just posted our interview. I enjoyed the interview a lot. He listened and asked meaningful questions that gave me a chance to share on leadership, learning, vulnerability, and more. Listen to the interview Listen to the interview Here are the show notes: When you think of a good leader, what do you think of? A good leader is someone who really knows the people that are following them. The people who follow them also know all about the leader. There needs to be a strong level of empathy. People need that…