Today’s episode tackles one of the most common workplace challenges: How do you lead effectively when people don’t report to you? My expert guest, a former coaching student of mine, reveals the hard-won lessons that transformed her approach to organizational change and unpacks practical strategies for motivating teams, navigating resistance, and creating real impact through influence rather than authority. Whether you’re a project manager, change leader, coach, or anyone tasked with getting things done across organizational silos, this conversation offers actionable frameworks for building collaboration instead of confrontation. In addition, my guest pulls back the curtain on the writing process and shares helpful tips for aspiring writers. Join us to learn more!

Michelle Pauk is the author of Build a Golden Bridge: How to Lead Change When You're Not in Charge, and the founder of Streamside Coaching, a boutique coaching and consulting firm dedicated to helping organizations lead change and build collaborative cultures. Her clients include executives and change agents at Fortune 100s, non-profits, and fast-growing startups. A Professional Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation, Michelle holds a master’s degree in leadership and organizational development.

Show Highlights:

1. Filtering through the chatter when deciding to write a book: how Michelle brought her ideas and vision to life in Build a Golden Bridge
2. Michelle’s writing process: how she began to create content and structure for the first draft
3. Decisions around publishing (“Finishing the writing process means you’re about ⅓ of the way through.”)
4. Michelle’s vision and goals in writing her book
5. Three gaps in the way we navigate change:
6. Self-awareness
7. Empathy
8. Communication
9. Letting go of assumptions to bridge the communication gap
10. Looking for commonality over confrontation and ways to preserve dignity (Michelle explains the metaphor of “the golden bridge.”)
11. Michelle’s takeaway thoughts

Resources:

Connect with Michelle Pauk: Website, LinkedIn, and

The message in today’s episode is clear: leaders need new skills for navigating complexity, change, and the human aspects of work in modern times. The COVID-19 pandemic changed everything, and leaders must change with the times. Instead of “having all the answers,” leaders should leverage coaching competencies to transform their leadership effectiveness and become collaborative problem-solvers with their teams. In today’s compelling conversation, you’ll discover how curiosity beats assumption, how presence creates connection, and why collaboration might be THE most under-utilized leadership tool out there. Join us for practical insights you can use immediately!

Dr. Damian Goldvarg, MCC, has 35 years of experience providing executive coaching, leadership training, and facilitation in more than 50 countries. As an esteemed coaching expert and the recipient of numerous accolades, he has been an ICF Assessor for 10 years and was the 2013-2014 International Coach Federation Global President. He has published multiple books on coaching-related topics, including his 2025 release, Lead with a Coaching Mindset: How the Best Leaders Unlock Potential.

Show Highlights:

1. After so many books, why this one NOW?
2. The book’s alignment with the ICF’s coaching competencies
3. A coaching mindset defined
4. The sad facts about engagement at work: How can we change this?
5. The benefits of leading with a coaching mindset–for leaders, teams, and the workplace culture
6. The 8 ICF Core Competencies translated into practical leadership skills:
7. Demonstrating Ethical Practice: Building trust through integrity and confidentiality
8. Embodying a Coaching Mindset: Maintaining curiosity and development focus
9. Establishing and Maintaining Agreements: Clarifying expectations and contracting
10. Cultivating Trust and Safety: Creating psychological safety in relationships
11. Maintaining Presence: Being fully present rather than distracted by past or future
12. Listening Actively: Paying attention to what’s said and unsaid, embracing silence
13. Evoking Awareness: Asking questions to uncover what’s in people’s way
14. Facilitating Growth: Supporting actionable plans with deadlines and accountability
15. Advice for struggling leaders who aren’t sure where (or how) to begin
16. Collaboration is the key! It’s more important than “having all the answers.”
17. Recognize when coaching or mentoring is...

Welcome to 2026! I hope you’ve had time to reflect and recharge over the holidays, but I’m happy to be back with you for a new year of informative shows and amazing expert guests.

Can you improve your performance and resilience through neuroscience-based strategies? The answer is YES! Today’s conversation covers mental toughness, managing negative thoughts, and creating positive change from the inside out. You’ll discover practical tools for navigating the constant “noise” of your thoughts and letting your mind direct which thoughts deserve your energy and attention. Are you ready to think differently about the way you think? Join us!

Kevin Stacey is an effectiveness expert and former brain imaging specialist who helps individuals and organizations enhance performance, resilience, and results by utilizing neuroscience-based strategies. As the founder of TrainRight, Kevin has trained over 80,000 people across 48 states and four countries to break mental barriers, achieve peak performance, and navigate challenges with confidence. His diverse background blends military service, healthcare expertise, and corporate leadership. As the author of MindRight and TimeRight and a featured guest on major media outlets, Kevin delivers engaging keynotes, workshops, and coaching on mental toughness, time mastery, and high-performance strategies to clients such as Ford, IBM, The New York Times, and the Federal Reserve.

Show Highlights:

1. Overthinking is the #1 cause of unhappiness! (“Is my overthinking becoming counterproductive to the goals I want to accomplish?”)
2. Kevin’s tips for “navigating the noise”: sometimes we need to ignore it, listen to it, or quiet it.
3. Creating your own noise by controlling what you think about
4. Kevin’s tips for developing mental toughness:
5. Separate the brain (the creator of thoughts) and the mind (the director of your thoughts).
6. Use your mind to keep your brain in check.
7. Develop a different relationship with your “scary” thoughts.
8. How our brains harm our happiness
9. Change the subject to change your thinking. (“Thoughts are not facts.”)
10. Applying neuroscience to organizations by reducing insecurity and managing focus
11. Noticing and changing your thoughts interrupts the pattern of your thinking.
12. “What you think, you become; what you feel, you attract; what you imagine, you create.”
13. The “noise” will always