On the next episode of The Leadership Communication Show, I speak with my friend Mike Kohler. Mike and I met when I was pursuing my master’s degree at Purdue University.
Mike earned his MBA and a Bachelor’s in Communications from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Professionally, he has served as a communications executive with two of the country’s largest cable broadband companies. In addition, he co-owned a business coaching firm and co-authored The Educated Franchisee, a guide for prospective franchise entrepreneurs.
Now living in Fort Collins, Colorado, he more recently led a leadership and workforce development program for Larimer County Economic Development. Mike is now a full-time lecturer in Purdue University’s graduate program in strategic communications.
Mike and I discuss inclusion as a leadership skill and how just one person can make a difference in cultivating a culture where every employee feels like they are contributing to a purpose-driven culture. Listen and learn how to join the exclusive “Inclusive Leaders Club.”
It was a great conversation and I hope you enjoy it.
Learn more about Mike:
And learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
On the next episode of The Leadership Communication Show, I speak with Rachelle Lee of Einblau & Associates.
Rachelle is a sought-after management consultant specializing in training, succession strategy, coaching, leadership, strengths assessments, and strategic planning.
She has provided consulting and advisory services to both public and private sectors in organizations as wide ranging as engineering, financial services, manufacturing, graphic design and advertising, health care, industry regulators, and social services.
Rachelle and I met during the pandemic and found that we had a lot in common and that our firms and capabilities complimented each other well. In fact, we team up from time to time to cofacilitate programs, which we talk about in this episode.
We also talk about the art of coaching for success and for improved performance, the difference between coaching and telling, how to prepare for and approach difficult conversations, and the skills that good coaching require (which you're probably not thinking about enough).
I always enjoy my conversations with Rachelle, and am so happy she let me record this one so I could share it with you.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
And, of course, check out our upcoming in-person course, Coaching for Commitment — March 19 and 20, 2024 at the beautiful Renault Winery and Resort. It’s an easy drive for people anywhere in the Philadelphia and New York City metropolitan areas, and convenient to both Philadelphia and Atlantic City airports. The link is in the show notes, and you can always reach out to me directly to learn more.
Learn more about Rachelle:
• Einblau & Associates Web Site
• Rachelle Lee's LinkedIn Profile
• Coaching for Commitment Course
And learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
On the next episode of The Leadership Communication Show, I speak with Matthew Hogan.
Matthew works with leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives to find purpose and clarity in their work and in their lives. Through his coaching, facilitating, and teaching, he helps people listen to their inner voice and discover their true potential.
Matthew has an endless fascination and devotion to the path of self-mastery and living an aligned life. His own personal journey, which he shares on the show, has created the foundation for what inspires and propels him — and has defined how he supports his clients.
We talk about confidence and insecurity; self-leadership; how to influence, engage, and empower yourself; fulfillment and purpose (and how differently we all define those terms); relationships at work; and how individuals can increase their self-awareness to become better leaders.
I always enjoy my conversations with Matthew, and this one wis no different. He makes me think — deeply and differently — and I think he’ll make you think differently, too.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor.fm or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
Learn more about Matthew:
And learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
On the next episode of The Leadership Communication Show, I speak with Dr. Karuna Ramanathan, an expert in change leadership and transformation.
Over the past three decades, he's been empowering senior leaders to transform their organizations with a focus on people and culture. His work has helped leaders boost self-awareness, emotional intelligence and the ability to drive change with measurable results.
He’s a former naval warship captain and is currently the Principal Consultant for KR Konsulting.
We talk about authenticity, empathy, humility, inclusion, purpose, vision, relationships within organizations, the choices we make regarding how we show up at work, influential leadership, and much more.
It was a great conversation and I hope you find it helpful.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
Learn more about Dr. Karuna:
And learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
On the next episode of The Leadership Communication Show, I speak with Robert Jordan, co-founder and head of the leadership team at InterimExecs — a leadership executive matching firm that matches organizations with the right leaders to step in during times of trouble or stagnation.
Robert and I were introduced earlier this year and when we first met, we talked a lot about different leadership styles — and why some leaders just seem to have that magic sauce that makes them stand out above the rest. I’ve learned that Robert’s research and writings can help understand why that is seemingly the case.
In fact, he’s even written a book about it called, Right Leader, Right Time: Discover Your Leadership Style for a Winning Career.
We talk about good leadership, terrible leadership, leadership styles (and how to assess yours), and essentially what Robert’s research has determined makes an exceptional leader. We also discussed my personal results from the FABS Leadership Assessment.
It was a great conversation and I hope you find it helpful.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
Learn more about Robert:
• Right Leader, Right Time Book
And learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.WeAreComvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
On the next episode of The Leadership Communication Show, I speak with Michelle Harris, founder of Bosstrack — a company she started to give women new to leadership roles the development, support and mentorship she found lacking along her career journey.
Michelle and I have talked quite a bit about the importance of your network, and networking — which a lot of my listeners know is something I have a love-hate relationship with. So, I invited her to the show to talk more about it — and to help my listeners harness its power.
We discussed making true connections, mentorship, sponsorship, siloed networks, getting comfortable at networking events, and more.
It was a great conversation, and I hope you find it helpful.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor.fm or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
Learn more about Michelle:
And learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
On the next episode of The Leadership Communication Show, I speak with Graham Brown, founder of the Award Winning Podcast Agency, Pikkal & Co.
Graham is a published author on the subject of The Digital Transformation of Communication. His work has been featured in the Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal and he has helped shape the communications strategies of some of the world’s leading organizations.
He’s a passionate storyteller who specializes in helping global corporations and government agencies find their voice with podcasts. And as you likely know, podcasting is one of the best ways to demonstrate thought leadership, which is something Graham knows inside and out.
We discussed podcasting, thought leadership, purpose, vulnerability, imposter syndrome, facing rejection, finding your why, the value of attention, and more.
It was a great conversation, and I hope you find it helpful.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor.fm or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
Learn more about Graham:
And learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
On the next episode of The Leadership Communication Show, I speak with Liz Kislik, a management consultant, executive coach, TEDx speaker, and contributor to Harvard Business Review and Forbes.
Her specialty is developing high performing leaders and workforces for organizations, from the Fortune 500 and national non-profits to family-run businesses. Liz has coached and mentored employees from the C-suite to the contact center — vice presidents, human resource professionals, and department supervisors — motivating them with her wit, wisdom, and humanity.
Liz and I have talked in the past about how leaders can help keep everyone in their organizations on the same page. It’s not an easy task, but she always has good advice for making it happen. So, I invited her to the show to share some of that wisdom with you.
We discussed cascading communication, making sure messages from the top are communicated well throughout an organization, the importance of repetition and versioning, communicating in the right style and at the right time in order to meet people where they are, and much, much more.
It’s a fun conversation, and I hope you find it helpful.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
Learn more about, and follow, Liz:
And learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
On the next episode of The Leadership Communication Show, I speak with a fellow communication and leadership coach and trainer, Richard Newman. He is the Founder of a company called UK Body Talk and over the past 23 years he and his team have trained over 120,000 business leaders around the world to improve their communication and leadership impact.
He is also an author of the book, You Were Born to Speak and his research on communication has been published in the Journal of Psychology.
When we last spoke, he shared the topic of his new book, Lift Your Impact. I was intrigued to learn more, and I thought the best way to do so was to invite him to the show.
We discuss the importance of body language, showing up as a leader, audience analysis, adjusting your communications to maximize impact, mindset, fostering deeper connections with the people you lead, learning and growing as a leader, expectations, purpose, burnout — and even Tibetan tea. Whew!
It’s a terrific conversation, and I hope you find it helpful.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
Learn more about Richard:
And learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
On the next episode of The Leadership Communication Show, I speak with Nick Jonsson, co-founder and managing director of EGN Singapore, one of Asia’s premier networking organizations. He’s built a caring community that provides hundreds of executives a safe haven to share their challenges, and receive support and learn from each other.
He’s also an international best selling author and award-winning speaker, and an executive mental health advocate — something he and I have talked quite a bit about and share a passion for. I invited him to the show because he always makes me think about topics that are sometimes hard to tackle.
We discussed the effects of isolation and loneliness when you’re at the top, peer support networks, failing fast, and the need to destigmatize the act of asking for help.
It was a great discussion, and I am grateful to Nick for sharing his story so openly with me and my listeners. I hope you find it helpful.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
Learn more about Nick:
• Website
And learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
On the next episode of The Leadership Communication Show, I speak with Pam Weston, CEO & Owner of Progress Partners. As a trusted advisor to C-Suite executives, Pam has worked with a variety of leaders to help with employee engagement, strategy alignment, and communications management. Her expertise has guided leaders in industries ranging from financial services to information technology to healthcare and consumer information solutions.
Pam is passionate about building productive relationships in the workplace and always offers constructive and easy to implement strategies gained from her experience leading high-level engagement programs. She’s also the author of the book, Executive Briefing: P.E.O.P.L.E. Goals.
During our conversation, we discuss preparing to be a people leader, how to engage and retain employees, and how to make teams feel valued and respected.
It was a great discussion and I hope you find it helpful.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor.fm or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
Learn more about Pam:
• Website
And learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
Today’s conversation is with Lisa L. Baker, Founder of Ascentim, a coaching practice that guides clients to live more meaningful and abundant lives.
Lisa has over two decades of success in a series of leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies that include Synchrony, Microsoft, Citigroup and Bank One. At Synchrony, a company with over 16,000 employees, she he was Senior Vice President and General Manager in charge of growing the $2.5B eBay credit portfolio.
One of the pillars of Lisa’s coaching practice is connections — and of course, building meaningful relationships with them. That’s why I invited her to the show today.
We talk about the difference between networking and connecting, how relationships are essential for growing your career, and the value of personal advisory boards, sponsors, mentors, champions, colleagues, coaches, and heroes.
It was a great conversation about how connections can help in almost every aspect of your career journey. I hope you find it helpful.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor.fm or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
Learn more about Lisa:
• Website
And follower her on Twitter.
Learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
Today’s conversation is with Heather Hansen, Global Communication Consultant, TEDx Speaker, Trainer and Author.
Heather helps top global leaders show up, speak up, and inspire action in a changing world. She focuses on fostering unmuted communication cultures where every voice is heard, resulting in greater inclusion, innovation and efficiency across remote and global teams.
Along with private leadership communication coaching, Heather facilitates group training courses and consults on a number of topics related to global communication.
Heather is also an External Industry Expert for NUS Business School’s Executive Education programs where she runs modules on communication, presentation, and storytelling skills.
I invited Heather to the show because we’ve had some great conversations about inclusive leadership and I thought my listeners would enjoy hearing her perspective.
We talk about communication’s role in leadership (hint, it’s everything), language, accents, bias, racism, sexism, stereotypes, belonging, and trust — and how language is at the heart of it all. It was a fascinating conversation. I hope you find it helpful.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor.fm or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
Learn more about Heather:
• Website
• Global Speech Academy Website
• Get Heather’s Book — Unmuted: How to Show Up, Speak Up and Inspire Action
Learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
Today’s conversation is with Errol Olton, Founder of Career Studios. His company supports growing professionals with strengths-based career tools and coaching support to guide them through each stage of their career journey.
He's also a TEDx Speaker, organizational strategist who has worked across various sectors (including nonprofit, education, career development and private industry) and is guided by a simple but mighty purpose — helping others.
Errol and I speak about blended career paths (which we both share), entrepreneurship, career shifts and pivots, and the art of telling your career and leadership story.
I always leave my conversations with Errol feeling energized and motivated. I think you will, too.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor.fm or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
Learn more about Errol:
• Career Studios Website
Learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
On the next episode of The Leadership Communication Show, I speak with Dr. Phil Gehrman, clinical psychologist at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center and Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Phil is an expert in sleep disorders and is on a mission to advance the understanding of the links between sleep and mental health. He directs the Sleep, Neurobiology and Psychopathology lab at Penn and has an active research program exploring the mechanisms and treatment of insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, and other sleep disorders.
We met a few years back and recently reconnected because Phil has been lending his expertise to the business community through speaking and consulting programs that help business leaders understand the connection between good sleep, and good leadership.
So, I invited him to the show to talk about the connection between sleep and leadership performance. It’s a fascinating conversation where Phil shares a lot of great advice for understanding how we sleep, and what you can do to improve your sleep quality. I hope you enjoy it.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor.fm or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
Learn more about Phil:
Learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
On the next episode of The Leadership Communication Show, I speak with Gilda D’Incerti, CEO & Founder of PQE Group who joined me in my virtual studio all the way from Florence, Italy!
Gilda is recognized as an international expert in the field of IT system validation in life sciences. And her company is known for helping pharmaceutical and life sciences companies of all sizes achieve, maintain, and even exceed compliance with the latest regulations — contributing to a safer pharmaceutical environment.
Her company has more than 1500 employees located all over the world, with local subsidiaries in regions ranging from the US to Australia. Gilda founded PQE group in 1998, and now has a truly diverse workforce that represents more than 40 nationalities.
She’s also a writer who has published articles about leadership, inclusion, diversity, and global business practices for major publications including Forbes.
Can you see why she’s a great guest for a conversation about communicating across cultures?
We talk about language, meaning, valuing otherness, and examples of cultural differences that can cause communication breakdowns even with the best intent of all parties. Gilda also shares specific experiences (both achievements and missteps) she has had as a leader when opening offices in new parts of the world.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor.fm or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
Learn more about Gilda:
Learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
On the next episode of The Leadership Communication Show, I speak with Dan Nestle about leading creative teams. Dan’s a communicator, storyteller, marketer, team leader, and former teacher — which is something we share in our career paths. And he’s a creator. He writes, he podcasts and he’s a seasoned marketer and leader who currently leads communications for LIXIL Americas — a company that makes water and housing products you likely have in your home or office right now.
I invited Dan to be on the show because his passion for communications and creativity are very much aligned with mine. We’ve had some great conversations over the past year or so, and I thought a conversation with him about nurturing creativity in teams would be fun.
We talk about collaboration, creating safe spaces to share ideas, game-changing ideas, authentic relationships, and the importance of communication when balancing creativity and business goals. My conversations with Dan are always fun and insightful — I hope you enjoy listening to this one.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor.fm or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
Learn more about Dan:
Learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
On this episode of The Leadership Communication Show, I speak with my colleague and friend Kecia Carroll. Kecia is a communication strategist who partners with organizations doing meaningful work — and her company, KC Roberg, helps small and mid-size businesses and nonprofits elevate their brands and achieve their business goals.
I invited Kecia to the show today because she has helped many organizations explore the right way to create and incorporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs. I know a lot of companies and organizations struggle to do it right, so I think a conversation with Kecia will help.
We talk about culture, purpose, listening, bias, inclusive language, and the critical role of leadership in successful initiatives. Kecia also shares a lot of tips and advice for organizations who are looking to get started on, or improve, their DE&I programs. It was a great conversation and I hope you enjoy it.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor.fm or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
Learn more about Kecia:
Learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
Today my guest is Gil Brady, a leadership expert who has had a varied and fascinating journey. After serving in the military, he had a successful career in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology — and then changed careers and worked as a Junior High School Math Teacher and elementary school principal. While completing his doctorate in Executive Leadership, Gil founded Relationship Impact, a leadership development firm focused on Executive Team Development. In July of 2018, Gil began serving as the President of Nativity Prep Academy of San Diego, the county’s only all-scholarship school focused on serving students from low-income situations who will be among the first generation in their family to graduate from college. Gil is also part of the leadership team at Core Strengths, a company that develops tools that help organizations build high-trust teams that deliver results through relationships.
I invited Gil to the show because he knows a lot about helping leaders create a culture of curiosity — something so important in our current business world but also something that many leaders struggle to get right.
We talk about the power of positive regard, leadership communication mistakes that affect culture and kill curiosity and innovation, tension, conflict, and how to make people feel seen, heard, and valued. We also explore how we have both used the Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI 2.0) assessment in our work. It was a great conversation where Gil shared a wealth of great advice. I hope you enjoy it.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor.fm or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
Learn more about Gill:
Learn more about me, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/
And please reach out if you want to learn more about the Strength Deployment Inventory assessment, relationship intelligence, or how to cultivate a culture of curiosity in your team.
Today’s conversation is with entrepreneur and psychologist Jason Cochran, co-founder of Dulead and iAspire Education, two companies that are transforming the way organizations engage with and develop their employees.
I invited Jason to the show today because he knows a lot about helping leaders attract, engage, and more importantly, retain top talent. Every time we talk, I learn more about how psychology and technology can be leveraged to help everyone in an organization grow into the best versions of themselves, while positively impacting the company in just about every important way — from employee satisfaction to positive brand sentiment to the organization’s bottom line.
We talk about being able to bring our whole selves to work, mental health, psychological safety, healthy team cultures, and battling the burnout that seems to be getting more and more prevalent as the months and years march on.
Get this episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor.fm or anywhere you subscribe to podcasts.
Learn more about Jason at his websites:
And follow him on LinkedIn here. While you’re there, subscribe to Reimagining Work, a newsletter concerning the role and purpose of work in our lives.
And finally, Jason is also a podcaster — you can hear him by subscribing to The Geeks, Geezers, and Googlization podcast on your favorite platform.
Learn more about your host, Michael Piperno, here: https://www.wearecomvia.com/about/ and here: https://www.michaelpiperno.com/about-michael-piperno/ — and reach out if you’re someone experiencing burnout. I can help.