Claim OwnershipUnlock Your Leadership, with Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD
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© 2025 Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD
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Meet the world’s greatest leadership thinkers with executive coach and author Dr Gary Crotaz. In each episode, Gary sits down with global experts — from CEOs to behavioural scientists, authors to changemakers — to explore the ideas shaping modern leadership.
Through deep, engaging conversations, you’ll unlock practical insights to lead with clarity, confidence and humanity.
From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, Unlock Your Leadership is your invitation to think bigger, lead wiser, and grow deeper.
Through deep, engaging conversations, you’ll unlock practical insights to lead with clarity, confidence and humanity.
From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, Unlock Your Leadership is your invitation to think bigger, lead wiser, and grow deeper.
56 Episodes
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Some leadership lessons are learned through achievement. Others are learned when things go wrong … and you choose how to respond. For Tim Lupinacci, Chairman and CEO of Baker Donelson, one of the United States’ leading law firms, that lesson came early. A late night, a costly mistake, and a leader who chose to see potential rather than failure reshaped how Tim understood responsibility, growth, and what leadership really asks of us. In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Tim reflects on ownership under pressure, showing up when it’s uncomfortable, and how leaders shape their environment through what he calls their “leadership aroma” - the emotional and behavioural residue they leave behind. He shares practical insight into building trust, creating psychological safety, and sustaining resilience in uncertain times, especially when leaders don’t yet have all the answers. This conversation is a reminder that leadership isn’t triggered by title or promotion. It begins with how you choose to show up … especially when it would be easier not to.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
In organisations where culture is discussed constantly but felt inconsistently, one reality matters more than any slogan: culture is shaped by what leaders choose to design … and what they leave to chance. James and Krista White bring two generations of leadership perspective to this challenge. James draws on decades advising and leading at the highest levels of global organisations. Krista works at the intersection of purpose, strategy, and social impact. Together, they co-authored Culture by Design, a practical framework for building organisations that are intentional, human, and built to perform over time. In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, we explore what it really takes to make culture operational. James and Krista discuss leading across generations, empathy as a core leadership capability, and how leaders close the gap between stated values and everyday experience. This conversation is a reminder that culture isn’t something leaders inherit or delegate. It’s something they create - moment by moment, decision by decision - through what they model, reinforce, and choose to prioritise.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
Some leadership challenges don’t announce themselves gently. They arrive charged, emotional, and already in motion. For executive coach and conflict mediator Adam Vane, learning how to lead in those moments began far from the boardroom. After leaving the family business, Adam spent years in intensive Zen training, where a moment of stark clarity reshaped how he understood responsibility, self-regulation, and choice under pressure. In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Adam translates that insight into practical leadership skill. He shares how leaders can stay steady when emotions run high, recognise the words that escalate conflict, and guide difficult conversations from confrontation toward understanding and progress. Drawing on experience from UN crisis zones to high-stakes executive environments, Adam shows that effective conflict leadership isn’t about dominance or control … it’s about presence, attention, and the discipline to listen when it would be easier to react.This conversation is for leaders who want to handle conflict without losing themselves — and turn moments of tension into moments of leadership.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
Some leadership lessons come from frameworks and strategy. Others arrive unexpectedly … in a quiet moment that fundamentally reshapes how you lead. For Garry Ridge, former CEO and Chairman Emeritus of WD-40, that moment changed how he understood culture, accountability, and what leaders are truly responsible for. In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Garry reflects on what matters most when you’re shaping an environment where people can learn, contribute, and perform at their best. Drawing on decades of experience, Garry explores servant leadership, psychological safety, and why fear shuts down growth long before performance suffers. He unpacks the real intent behind his provocatively titled book Any Dumb Ass Can Do It, and explains why effective leadership isn’t about brilliance or charisma … but about care, consistency, and courage, practised daily. This conversation is a practical reminder that leadership is revealed less by what you control, and more by how you show up - and the conditions you create for others to do their best work.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Dr Gary Crotaz speaks with David Homan — founder of Orchestrated Connecting, relationship strategist, and champion of building deep, authentic human networks.David shares his philosophy of orchestration — the idea that true connection isn’t transactional, it’s intentional. He and Gary explore how leaders can move beyond surface-level networking to cultivate relationships built on trust, empathy, and shared purpose.They discuss how connection drives influence, why generosity is the foundation of great leadership, and how to create ecosystems where collaboration feels natural, not forced.It’s a rich, soulful conversation about the future of human connection in leadership — and how to lead not by collecting contacts, but by creating communities that thrive.Originally recorded for The Unlock Moment podcast.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Dr Gary Crotaz speaks with Navid Nazemian — executive coach, former global HR leader, and author of Mastering Executive Transitions: The Definitive Guide.Navid shares powerful insights on what it really takes to step into a new leadership role — not just to survive the transition, but to thrive in it. Drawing on years of experience guiding senior executives around the world, he and Gary explore how leaders can build credibility fast, navigate complexity with confidence, and align personal purpose with professional impact.They discuss the emotional and psychological dimensions of transition — the uncertainty, identity shifts, and moments of truth that every leader faces — and how to turn them into opportunities for growth and transformation.It’s a rich, practical and deeply human conversation about how to lead yourself first, so you can lead others well when everything is changing.Originally recorded for The Unlock Moment podcast.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Dr Gary Crotaz sits down with Michael Ross — data scientist, technologist, and entrepreneur — for a fascinating conversation about what it means to lead in a world powered by data and AI.Michael shares how the best leaders balance analytical thinking with emotional intelligence, using data not to replace human judgment but to enhance it. He and Gary explore how to turn information into insight, how to navigate ethical complexity in an algorithmic world, and why curiosity and humility are essential traits for data-driven leadership.They discuss the dangers of “data without discernment,” how storytelling gives data meaning, and how leaders can foster cultures where evidence, empathy, and ethics work hand in hand.It’s a sharp, forward-looking conversation about leading with both precision and purpose — and how data can illuminate, rather than overshadow, what makes leadership human.Originally recorded for The Unlock Moment podcast.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Dr Gary Crotaz is joined by Alex Lazarus — founder of Lazarus & Maverick, leadership coach, and culture transformation specialist — for a dynamic conversation about what it really takes to build high-performing, human-centred organisations.Alex shares insights from years of helping leaders and teams navigate complexity, drive meaningful change, and create cultures where people thrive. She and Gary explore the tension between performance and wellbeing, how to lead boldly through uncertainty, and why courage, curiosity and connection are the cornerstones of modern leadership.They discuss how to unlock “maverick energy” — the creative, values-driven force that turns good teams into exceptional ones — and how leaders can design cultures that empower authenticity and innovation.It’s an energising and provocative conversation about leading with heart and edge — and how to build organisations that are as bold as the people within them.Originally recorded for The Unlock Moment podcast.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Dr Gary Crotaz speaks with Rajeev Peshawaria — CEO of Stewardship Asia Centre, former Chief Learning Officer at Coca-Cola and Morgan Stanley, and author of Open Source Leadership and Sustainability by Design.Rajeev shares his powerful vision for steward leadership — a model of leading that goes beyond profit to serve people, planet, and future generations. He and Gary explore how leaders can balance commercial performance with moral courage, and why sustainability must become a leadership mindset, not just a corporate initiative.They discuss how purpose fuels performance, how stewardship builds trust and resilience, and what it takes to lead in a way that leaves the world better than you found it.It’s an inspiring, future-facing conversation about redefining success through service, impact, and shared responsibility — a call to action for leaders ready to shape a more sustainable world.Originally recorded for The Unlock Moment podcast.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Dr Gary Crotaz speaks with Julie Carrier — CEO of Girls Lead Worldwide, award-winning speaker, and one of the world’s leading voices on women’s leadership and youth empowerment.Julie shares her inspiring journey from the Pentagon to the global stage, where she now helps thousands of young women find their voice, their confidence, and their path to leadership. She and Gary explore what it really takes to nurture the next generation of leaders — not by teaching them to emulate others, but by helping them discover who they truly are.They discuss the mindset shifts that unlock confidence, how role models shape possibility, and why emotional intelligence and authenticity are the new cornerstones of leadership.It’s an energising, heartfelt conversation about how to build leaders who lead with courage, compassion, and conviction — and how we can all play a part in unlocking their potential.Originally recorded for The Unlock Moment podcast.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Dr Gary Crotaz is joined by Dr Luis Velasquez — executive coach, researcher, and author of Ordinary Resilience: Rethinking How Effective Leaders Adapt and Thrive.Luis shares his remarkable personal journey from surviving a life-altering diagnosis to becoming a trusted advisor to senior leaders worldwide. He and Gary explore what resilience really means — not as toughness or endurance, but as the capacity to adapt, grow, and lead with empathy through uncertainty and change.They discuss how adversity shapes perspective, how vulnerability builds trust, and how everyday moments of courage can redefine what great leadership looks like.It’s a deeply human, inspiring conversation about the ordinary practices that build extraordinary resilience — and how leaders can turn challenge into clarity and purpose.Originally recorded for The Unlock Moment podcast.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Dr Gary Crotaz speaks with Lisa Bodell — founder and CEO of FutureThink, global keynote speaker, and author of Why Simple Wins: Escape the Complexity Trap and Get to Work That Matters.Lisa shares her insights on how leaders can cut through unnecessary complexity to create space for clarity, creativity, and meaningful work. She and Gary explore why organisations so often overcomplicate things — and how simplicity, when done right, drives focus, innovation, and engagement.They discuss practical strategies for eliminating bureaucracy, making faster decisions, and empowering people to do their best work — not more work.It’s a sharp, energising conversation about how simplicity is the ultimate competitive advantage, and how great leaders create cultures where focus and freedom fuel performance.Originally recorded for The Unlock Moment podcast.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Dr Gary Crotaz speaks with Hortense le Gentil — executive leadership coach and author of The Unlocked Leader: Dare to Free Your Mind and Discover Your Best Self.Hortense shares her profound insight into what it means to “unlock” as a leader — to recognise and release the inner narratives, fears, and expectations that limit our authenticity and connection. She and Gary explore how courage, empathy, and self-awareness create the space for genuine transformation — and why true leadership starts not with strategy, but with humanity.Through moving stories and practical wisdom, Hortense reveals how to move from control to trust, from fear to freedom, and from leading with the mind to leading with the heart.It’s a graceful, powerful conversation about what happens when you stop performing leadership — and start becoming the leader you really are.Originally recorded for The Unlock Moment podcast.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Dr Gary Crotaz speaks with Faisal Hoque — entrepreneur, futurist, and author of Transcend: Unlocking Humanity in the Age of AI — about what it really means to lead in a time of accelerating technological change.Faisal shares his powerful vision for a world where AI and human consciousness evolve together, and where leadership must become more mindful, ethical, and emotionally intelligent than ever before. He and Gary explore how leaders can transcend the noise of disruption by integrating systems thinking, self-awareness, and compassion into how they make decisions and shape culture.They discuss the risks of losing our humanity amid automation — and the opportunity to use AI as a catalyst for greater connection, creativity, and wisdom.It’s a profound and forward-looking conversation about leading with soul in the age of machines — and how to transcend technology to rediscover what makes us most human.Originally recorded for The Unlock Moment podcast.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Dr Gary Crotaz is joined by Dr Françoise Orlov — leadership coach and advocate for neurodiversity in the workplace.Françoise shares her expertise on how understanding and embracing neurodivergence can transform leadership and organisational culture. She and Gary explore how leaders can move beyond labels to recognise the unique cognitive strengths that neurodivergent people bring — from creativity and innovation to empathy and systems thinking.They discuss how to build psychologically safe environments where every brain can thrive, how self-awareness supports inclusion, and why diversity of thought is a vital ingredient in the future of leadership.It’s a fascinating, deeply human conversation about the power of difference, the nuance of inclusion, and how understanding the mind unlocks the best in people.Originally recorded for The Unlock Moment podcast.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Dr Gary Crotaz speaks with Dr Jenny Fernandez — executive coach, leadership strategist, and Columbia Business School educator — about what it truly means to play a bigger game as a leader.Jenny shares her perspective on how ambitious, high-performing leaders can step into greater influence — not by doing more, but by thinking differently. She and Gary explore how courage, self-awareness, and intentional presence open the door to bigger opportunities, bolder conversations, and more meaningful impact.Together, they unpack the mindset shifts that enable leaders to move from incremental progress to transformational change — and how to lead not just with strategy, but with purpose and conviction.It’s a powerful, energising conversation about owning your space, amplifying your impact, and daring to play bigger than you ever have before.Originally recorded for The Unlock Moment podcast.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Dr Gary Crotaz is joined by Dorie Clark — bestselling author of The Long Game, Reinventing You, and Entrepreneurial You, and ranked among the top 50 business thinkers in the world by Thinkers50.Dorie shares her wisdom on how to lead, learn and grow in a world obsessed with short-term wins. She and Gary explore what it really means to “play the long game” — developing patience, resilience and clarity of purpose while building a career and life that align with your deepest values.They discuss how to balance ambition with sustainability, why reinvention is an essential leadership skill, and how to stay authentic while continually evolving.It’s a grounded, inspiring conversation about leading with perspective — not just for today, but for the leader you’re becoming tomorrow.Originally recorded for The Unlock Moment podcast.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Dr Gary Crotaz speaks with Dr Steven Rogelberg — organisational psychologist, distinguished professor, and author of Glad We Met: The Art and Science of 1:1 Meetings and The Surprising Science of Meetings.Steven shares decades of research on one of the most underestimated leadership tools: the meeting. Far from being a mundane task, meetings — when done well — are a powerful window into a leader’s mindset, values, and ability to create clarity and connection.He and Gary explore how to turn meetings from energy drains into energising moments of alignment, how 1:1s build trust and engagement, and why the best leaders see every interaction as a chance to listen, learn, and lead.It’s a refreshing, evidence-based conversation that will change the way you think about meetings — and remind you that great leadership starts one conversation at a time.Originally recorded for The Unlock Moment podcast.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
In this special crossover episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Dr Gary Crotaz joins Adam Pacifico, executive coach, author, and host of The Leadership Enigma podcast, for an open and energising conversation about what it really takes to lead in a world that’s constantly changing.Recorded on The Leadership Enigma, this episode brings together two leadership thinkers with a shared mission: to make leadership more human, courageous, and clear. Adam and Gary explore the tensions at the heart of modern leadership — between confidence and humility, structure and spontaneity, clarity and curiosity.They share stories from their work with senior leaders across industries, reflecting on what separates the good from the truly great — and how self-awareness, empathy, and learning from failure define leadership that lasts.It’s a lively, thought-provoking exchange that unpacks the enigma of leadership itself — and reminds us that in a complex world, the best leaders are those who stay grounded, open, and real.Originally recorded for The Unlock Moment podcast.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Dr Gary Crotaz sits down with Michael Bungay Stanier — globally renowned coach, speaker, and author of The Coaching Habit and How to Work with (Almost) Anyone.Michael shares his trademark blend of humour and insight as he and Gary explore how better questions — and braver conversations — can transform the way we lead, collaborate, and connect. They discuss the habits that make great leaders great coaches, why curiosity is the most underused superpower in leadership, and how to build “Best Possible Relationships” at work — even when things get messy.Full of warmth, wisdom, and practical takeaways, this conversation reveals how to create space for honesty, trust, and growth — one question at a time.It’s a lively, idea-packed exploration of the art of coaching as leadership, and leadership as relationship.Originally recorded for The Unlock Moment podcast.
Unlock Your Leadership is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. From the creator of The Unlock Moment and The Box of Keys, this show brings you conversations with the world’s greatest leadership thinkers. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
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