In the world of modern leadership, influence is an essential skill—often making the difference between teams that thrive and those that merely survive. Yet, many leaders misunderstand what it truly means to influence others. Rather than relying on authority or formal power, effective influence is grounded in building meaningful relationships, understanding others' goals, and fostering an environment of collaboration and trust.

This episode explores how intentional relationship-building can create lasting value and resilience within organizations. Listeners will discover the missteps leaders often make, strategies to build credibility before a crisis arises, and how core values such as empathy, transparency, and accountability can transform a team’s culture and performance. Whether facing disengaged teams, skeptical stakeholders, or the need for strategic change, mastering authentic influence is a leadership necessity for sustained success.

Timestamped Overview

[00:04:51] The True Nature of Influence: Why leaders often get it wrong out of the gate and the importance of building relationships proactively.

[00:06:15] Building Emotional Bank Accounts: Why it’s crucial to establish genuine connections before problems emerge.

[00:07:55] Facing Fear and Setting Expectations: The psychological barriers that keep leaders behind their desks and how to encourage team outreach.

[00:09:51] Shifting Culture: Moving from a reactive, “fire drill” mentality to a customer-oriented, proactive organization.

[00:10:52] Family-First Culture and Retention: How focusing on values like work-life balance can outperform higher salaries in employee retention.

[00:12:50] Modeling Healthy Work Habits: Practices like delayed email responses and empowering team members during leadership absences.

[00:14:58] The Power of Trust: How trust frees teams to innovate, take accountability, and focus on organizational priorities.

[00:16:52] Vendor and Partner Relationships: Turning unhappy users into advocates and transforming vendor partnerships for campus-wide success.

[00:19:20] Strategic Vendor Management: Proactive, ongoing communication and how relationships drive better deals and outcomes.

[00:21:28] The Three Principles of Influence: Understanding goals, managing expectations, and genuinely caring about others’ success.

[00:24:08] The Courage to Say “Whoa!”: How to slow down, clarify expectations, and ensure quality under pressure.

[00:28:09] Influencing Teams: Aligning strategy, setting clear goals, and sharing accountability.

[00:31:15] Transparent Communication: Weekly blogs, consistent messaging, and the role of humility in admitting mistakes.

[00:33:25] Crisis Preparedness: Tabletop exercises, emergency planning, and learning from military-inspired response strategies.

[00:35:41] Relationship Mapping: Strategically identifying who to build relationships with and making it a regular practice.

For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website:

https://leaddontboss.com/360

In an era of constant change, adaptability is more crucial than ever for leaders determined to thrive. The leadership landscape of 2026 is shifting in ways that extend far beyond AI and machine learning. This episode uncovers five key leadership trends that are quietly reshaping how teams operate, grow, and endure. From micro movements that accelerate culture change to boundary leadership replacing burnout, today’s most successful leaders will need to master new skills and mindsets. Understanding these trends isn’t optional—the future of leadership will be determined by those who are willing to bold adapt and lead intentionally in the face of emerging challenges.

Timestamped Overview

• [00:01:05] Upcoming Book Announcement: "You don't know shit about leadership and neither do I" – scheduled for release February 2026.
• [00:02:06] Five Emerging Leadership Trends of 2026: Why leaders must look beyond AI and focus on real issues.
• [00:02:32] Micro Movements Over Grand Strategies: The importance of visible, weekly wins and short-term momentum to accelerate culture change.
• [00:04:04] Breaking Down Big Goals: How leaders can keep teams engaged with small, continuous victories.
• [00:04:25] Conflict Fluency: Moving past avoidance to handle tension with clarity, emotion decoding, and curiosity.
• [00:05:52] High Trust Teams Need High Conflict Resolution: Setting new standards for courageous conversations.
• [00:06:12] Silent Sabotage—The New Disengagement: Recognizing emotional withdrawal and passive resistance as warning signs.
• [00:07:52] AI Will Expose Poor Leadership: Why automation will highlight broken systems and unclear goals, rather than replace leaders.
• [00:09:10] Boundary Leadership Outperforms Burnout Culture: The value of intentionality, modeling resilience, and prioritizing downtime to sustain performance.
• [00:10:15] Pacing for Long-Term Success: Leaders must pace their teams for sustained energy throughout the year, avoiding burnout.

For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website:

https://leaddontboss.com/359

Team engagement remains one of the most vital—and most challenging—aspects of modern leadership. In today’s hyper-digitized and rapidly evolving environment, leaders are inundated with data, obsessed with metrics, and often pressured to drive efficiency at all costs. Yet, despite technological advancements, the roots of high performance still reside in the fundamentals of human connection, trust, and meaningful teamwork. Modern leaders must balance analytics and process with the “soft skills” of conversation, emotional intelligence, and well-being. This episode delves into the why behind poor team engagement, the hidden human needs leaders often overlook, and the practical strategies that foster healthy, creative, and high-performing teams. Listeners will come away with insights into navigating the challenges of AI-driven change, sustaining genuine team connection, and shaping organizational cultures where people feel valued and secure.

Timestamped Overview

• [00:05:31] Why Team Engagement Fails: Exploring causes behind ineffective team engagement and the role of overloaded data in leadership.
• [00:07:23] Metrics vs. Human Connection: The tension between KPIs and cultivating creative, functional teams.
• [00:09:04] Human Fallibility and Leadership: Why leaders know the value of teamwork but struggle to "walk the walk."
• [00:10:37] Crisis, Technology, and Change: Impact of financial crises and technological acceleration on leadership culture.
• [00:12:47] AI, Modernization, and Workforce Anxiety: Addressing fears around job security and adapting messaging as a leader.
• [00:14:59] Cognitive Agility and Overreliance on AI: Studies on ChatGPT’s effects, balancing efficiency with sustained mental engagement.
• [00:17:28] The Importance of Conversation: How dialog, brainstorming, and intellectual challenge enhance team performance and thinking.
• [00:18:40] Observing and Motivating Individuals: Practical ways leaders can notice team members, personalize engagement, and build trust.
• [00:20:12] Continuous Feedback vs. 360 Reviews: Why ongoing conversations outperform retrospective assessments in fast-paced environments.
• [00:21:47] Collective Intelligence in Teams: The essential roles of social sense-making and trust for outperforming technically superior but disconnected teams.
• [00:24:48] Storytelling and Motivation: Using ongoing narrative to inspire teams and move beyond past-focused feedback.
• [00:26:37] Building Organizational Culture: Cascading social well-being, connection, and trust from leadership throughout the organization.
• [00:30:51] Maslow’s Hierarchy Revisited: How modern workplace needs have shifted, with security and connection now key elements for younger generations.
• [00:35:39] Volunteering as the Ultimate Well-being Initiative: Research on what truly improves workplace happiness and engagement.
• [00:37:56] Four-Day Workweeks, Flexibility, and Trust: Assessing trends and best practices for organizational scheduling and respecting individuals’ real lives.
• [00:43:06] The Human Imperative in the Age of AI: Preserving connection, conversation, and true happiness in a rapidly digitizing world.
• [00:44:47] Ways to Follow Nick and Access Resources: Resources for further learning and professional development.

For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website:

https://leaddontboss.com/358