Send us a text Trust shouldn’t be a mystery you feel in your gut and argue about later. We sit down with executive and leadership coach Charles Feltman to turn a loaded word into concrete moves you can see, measure, and improve. Charles shares his four-domain model—care, sincerity, reliability, competence—and shows how it transforms the unhelpful “all or nothing” mindset into targeted, fair assessments that help teams move faster with less drama. We dig into the real risks people take at wor...
Send us a text Trust isn’t a soft skill; it’s a biological signal that tells the brain whether to defend or explore. Garry sits down with Dr. Monique Sallaz—coach, PhD, and expert in applied neuroscience and neurodiversity—to unpack how oxytocin, the amygdala, and the prefrontal cortex shape psychological safety and real behavior change. We move past intuition and into practical science, showing how coaches and leaders can build reliable conditions that let clients think clearly, learn faster...
Send us a text Trust doesn’t just make coaching nicer; it makes coaching work. We sit down with executive and team coach Dumisani Magadlela to explore why trust is the currency of transformation, how rapport becomes a deliberate practice, and what it takes to create a truly safe space where leaders can speak plainly, choose boldly, and act with integrity. From first-contact digital sessions to deep, ongoing relationships, we break down the practical moves that build trust quickly—clear contra...
Send us a text Trust isn’t a vibe we hope for; it’s a set of behaviors we can name, practice, and renew. We sit down with leadership and career development coach Flo LaBrado to turn trust from a fuzzy concept into a shared language that makes coaching safer, braver, and more effective. We break down the four distinctions of trust popularized by Charles Feltman—care, sincerity, reliability, and competence—and translate them into everyday coaching moves. Care means centering the client’s agend...
Send us a text When language gets policed, coaching gets harder—and trust is the first casualty. We sit down with leadership coaches and authors Amber Mays and Sukari Pinnock Fitts to unpack what happens when executive orders and corporate policies restrict DEI conversations, and why that “muting effect” changes how clients show up, how coaches contract, and how integrity is tested in the room. Their ongoing survey reveals the lived reality: sponsors banning words like woman, Black, or transg...
Send us a text Some conversations feel like a deep breath you didn’t know you needed. This one does more than name the chaos of hybrid work—it gives you a clear, humane way through it. We sit down with leadership coach and facilitator Newell Eaton to unpack how trust becomes the operating system for modern teams, especially when time is tight, change is constant, and the room is mostly a grid of faces. We start with the realities leaders face: training windows that shrank from days to minute...
Send us a text Coaching supervision and social justice might seem like separate domains, but they share a powerful intersection that can transform coaching practice. DeBorah "Sunni" Smith reveals how these complementary frameworks create space for deeper awareness, innovation, and meaningful change. Supervision offers coaches a reflective container—often called a "safe space"—though Sunni challenges us to recognize that safety is inherently subjective. What feels safe for one person may feel...
Send us a text Microaggressions aren't just about race—they can happen to anyone who feels marginalized. Master Certified Coach Cheryl Procter-Rogers reveals how these subtle slights create "little cuts that become bigger wounds" over time, affecting everything from workplace dynamics to personal confidence. Drawing from over 40 years of experience, Cheryl shares her powerful "3P Framework"—Pause, Process, Proceed—that gives both coaches and clients a structured approach to navigate these ch...
Send us a text Shaunda Thompson opens a powerful window into the unique strengths BIPOC coaches bring to leadership development through their lived experiences and embodied wisdom. As an executive life coach, career strategist, and pre-licensed therapist whose leadership journey began as a US Army non-commissioned officer, Thompson speaks with authenticity about creating coaching relationships that honor clients' full identities. "There are times where words don't have to be spoken, or there...
Send us a text What does true fairness look like in professional certification? Carrie Abner, Vice President of ICF Credentialing, pulls back the curtain on a groundbreaking initiative that's transforming how coaches around the world become certified. Four years ago, amid growing social conversations about equity, ICF leadership asked themselves a challenging question: were they truly living their values when it came to fairness in their credentialing process? This moment of reflection spark...
Send us a text What does it truly mean to lead with social impact? Dr. Daphne Watkins, researcher, professor, and executive coach, takes us on a profound journey exploring leadership that prioritizes uplifting marginalized voices over personal advancement. Drawing from her remarkable career transition—from two decades researching Black men's health to coaching leaders across racial and cultural differences—Dr. Watkins illuminates how coaching can transform leaders into powerful agents of soc...
Send us a text What happens when a doctor prescribes "having fun" as treatment for chest pain? For wellness coach and ethnic studies professor Janet Stickmon, this unexpected prescription became a turning point in understanding how joy functions as essential medicine—particularly for those experiencing racial battle fatigue. Stickmon introduces us to the powerful concept of "counter-hegemonic armor," the protective skills marginalized people develop to navigate systems of oppression. But unl...
Send us a text Cultural representation in coaching matters deeply, yet the stark reality shows an alarming gap – only 2% of coaches identify as Latino/Latina while they represent 19% of the US population. This eye-opening conversation with Dr. Annmarie Caño explores how we can transform the coaching landscape to become truly inclusive for Latin leaders and coaches. Drawing from her 25 years of experience in higher education and as the author of "Leading Toward Liberation," Dr. Caño shares pr...
Send us a text What happens when systemic barriers persist in an industry built on personal growth and transformation? Dr. Pamela Larde pulls back the curtain on coaching's diversity challenges and shares a groundbreaking approach to creating change. The coaching profession prides itself on fostering human potential, yet faces the same diversity and inclusion hurdles as many industries. Dr. Larde, creator of the first ICF-accredited Black-owned coach training school and director at the Insti...
Send us a text Dr. Shankar Subramaniam & Dr. Mukhunth Raghavan unveil their groundbreaking Illuminant framework, designed to help coaches support immigrant professionals navigating leadership challenges in unfamiliar cultural landscapes. Drawing from their personal journeys as immigrants, both experts share powerful insights into the complex realities faced by those seeking to lead in new cultural contexts. Dr. Subramaniam describes immigration not as a simple transition but as "a very t...
Send us a text What happens when racial and cultural differences show up in coaching relationships? Social leadership coach Gloria Custodio brings her multifaceted experience spanning law, business, education, and nonprofit leadership to tackle this critical question during a time of heightened political polarization. Gloria introduces us to the powerful distinction between cultural competence and cultural humility. While competence suggests mastery—a checkbox approach to understanding diffe...
Send us a text What happens when we bring our cultural heritage into our coaching practice? Mo Fong, founder of the Asian Women Coaching Collective and author of "Culturally Responsive Coaching," reveals how understanding our cultural backgrounds transforms coaching effectiveness. "Culture is invisible," Mo explains. "We're wearing different colored lenses in how we view the world." This powerful metaphor captures why culturally responsive coaching matters—we often don't recognize the cultur...
Send us a text What happens when the power of filmmaking meets urgent climate challenges? The answer lies at the intersection of storytelling and action, where narratives become catalysts for meaningful change in our warming world. Hajnal Molnar-Szakacs, Director of Artist Accelerator and Women at Sundance Programs, takes us behind the scenes of a groundbreaking partnership between the Sundance Institute and FEMA's Resilient Nation Partnership Network. This collaboration emerged from their s...
Send us a text Cate Sabatini's journey from leadership coach to climate advocate began with a moment of clarity in 2019 that was quickly followed by... nothing. Despite a clear calling to support climate leaders, Cate found herself stuck in a cycle of research, doubt, and inaction that many sustainability-minded individuals will recognize. What keeps us from taking meaningful steps toward climate action, even when we deeply care? For Cate, the paralysis stemmed from a familiar fear: not know...
Send us a text Award-winning climate coach Charly Cox opens up about the transformative intersection between professional coaching and environmental action. As Executive Director of Climate Change Coaches, she challenges the misconception that addressing climate concerns violates coaching ethics or requires specialized environmental expertise. Instead, she reveals how coaches' existing skills—building strong relationships, asking powerful questions, and creating safe spaces—make them uniquely...