In this episode, Ed Piccolino, an accomplished industrial organizational psychologist and coach, joins us. Ed shares his journey from studying leadership at a military academy to becoming deeply invested in understanding how early peer feedback strongly predicts future leadership success. His insights emphasize the crucial role of self-awareness in narrowing the gap between leaders’ self-concept and their public reputation.

We also discuss the intricate challenges of coaching and the necessity of providing honest and sometimes difficult feedback. We also highlight the importance of cultural context and the potential dark sides of a leader's strengths. Ed demonstrates how personalized feedback can significantly impact leadership effectiveness through real-life examples, such as coaching a micromanaging senior executive and working with a scientist at a pharmaceutical company. The episode also touches on the importance of character in leadership, using figures like General Stanley McChrystal and Steve Jobs to discuss traits like humility, influence, and the development of high-performing teams.

Resources Ed Highlights:
Good to Great by Jim Collins https://a.co/d/8CV166M
The Culture Code Daniel Coyle https://a.co/d/btGH6S8
Coaching the Dark Side of Personality by Rodney Warrenfeltz
Personality and the Fate of Organizations by Robert Hogan https://a.co/d/eRBXLPu