Fear has a way of shrinking your world and your leadership. Sometimes the fears driving your behavior are ones you can't even see.

In this episode, recorded near Halloween, Gayle Lantz explores the hidden fears that may be limiting your effectiveness as a leader. From the fear of uncertainty to imposter syndrome, from micromanagement to avoiding difficult conversations, these fears show up in subtle ways that can erode trust, kill creativity, and paralyze decision-making.

Find the full show notes at:
https://workmatters.com/Unmasking-Fear---Whats-Really-Holding-You-Back-as-a-Leader

Many leaders struggle with the difference between being tactical and being strategic. They spend their days firefighting and reacting to whatever comes up, leaving little time to think about the bigger picture.

But strategic thinking isn't just for annual planning sessions—it's a skill that can and should be practiced regularly.
Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Sharpen-Your-Strategic-Thinking--Todays-Essential-Leadership-Skill-with-Rich-Horwath

If you've ever felt more like a firefighter than a leader, constantly troubleshooting issues instead of focusing on the bigger picture, this episode is for you.

As a leader, some level of troubleshooting comes with the territory. But when it takes over your day—when you're mediating disagreements, smoothing over gossip, redesigning processes on the fly, or shuffling people around to cover gaps—it can drain your energy and lock you into reactive mode.

Find the full show notes at:
https://workmatters.com/Tired-of-Troubleshooting-Fix-Your-Fix-it-Fatigue

Fall brings more than changing leaves and cooler temperatures—it offers powerful metaphors for leadership during times of transition and uncertainty.

In this reflective episode, Gayle Lantz draws inspiration from the autumn season, and her personal life experience, to explore how leaders can navigate change, loss, and transformation with greater intention and resilience.

Find the full show notes at:
https://workmatters.com/Fall-Happens-Leadership-Lessons-from-the-Season-of-Change

Every day as a leader, you step into the unknown. One person you encounter may be upbeat, another frustrated. A meeting you thought would be smooth suddenly turns tense. The difference between thriving in these unpredictable moments and merely surviving them isn't about controlling what's on the other side of the door—it's about controlling the presence you bring with you.
Find the full show notes at:
https://workmatters.com/Meeting-People-Where-They-Are---Your-Doorway-to-Growth--Connection

Confidence isn't something you either have or don't have; it's something you build, just like a muscle. And like any muscle, it grows stronger with consistent training and weakens with neglect.

If you're a leader whose confidence has been slipping lately, you're not alone. Between workplace uncertainty, shifting expectations, and mounting pressures, even seasoned leaders can feel like their authority and impact are being challenged.

Find the full show notes at:

https://workmatters.com/Training-Your-Confidence-Muscle---Building-Unshakeable-Leadership-Strength

Feeling burned out? Before you assume it's about doing too much, consider a different idea. Burnout isn't necessarily about working harder—it's about drifting too far from your center.

Many leaders think the solution to burnout is taking a break or reducing their workload. But what if the real issue is that you're exhausted from not doing the work you're truly meant to do? Or you’re doing it in a way that doesn’t serve you?

Find the full show notes at:

https://workmatters.com/Losing-Your-Center---The-Silent-Driver-of-Burnout

When you start a business with no capital, no employees, and no revenue, most people would run the other way. But some leaders see opportunity where others see impossible obstacles.

The key isn't just having vision. It's knowing your numbers at a level most entrepreneurs never achieve and being willing to embrace the discomfort that comes with real growth.

Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Driving-Growth-by-Running-Toward-Discomfort-with-CEO-Glenn-Phillips

Small communication gaps can lead to big problems. Whether it's a missed instruction in healthcare, a misaligned blueprint in engineering, or a filing deadline that never gets communicated in accounting, these seemingly minor breakdowns can have serious consequences.

The reality is that communication gaps are inevitable. They happen in every business, across every industry. These gaps don't close on their own. You, as a leader, have to get involved.

Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Closing-the-Communication-Gaps-Every-Leaders-Responsibility

What if the very system we rely on to motivate teams and measure success is actually holding us back? Many leaders find their teams can hit targets but still feel stuck, which points to a fundamental flaw in how we approach performance management.

Traditional goal-setting methodologies like OKRs and KPIs, while well-intentioned, often create unintended consequences that work against the very outcomes they're designed to achieve. The incentive structure encourages showing good numbers while sweeping problems under the rug, giving leaders the illusion of progress rather than real visibility.

Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Why-Your-Goal-Setting-Fails-Escaping-the-Performance-Trap-with-Radhika-Dutt

"I'll be happy when..." How many times have you caught yourself saying those words? When the big deal closes, when you finally take that vacation, when you get through this challenging quarter?

The truth is happiness isn't a prize waiting at the finish line. It's something you can generate right now, even in the middle of chaos and unpredictability.

Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Stop-Chasing-Happiness--Start-Generating-It-to-Amplify-Your-Impact

Our brains are maxed out. In a world drowning in notifications, endless meetings, and information overload, the most powerful leadership skill might surprise you: simplicity.

But ironically—simplicity is anything but simple.

Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Keep-it-Simple-Why-Less-is-More-in-Leadership

"Who actually knows what's really going on around here? And does anyone in senior leadership even care?"

If you've ever heard these questions whispered in hallways or wondered if there's more happening beneath the surface of your organization than meets the eye, this episode is essential listening.

Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Below-the-Surface-What-Leaders-Arent-Seeing-But-Should-Be

In a world where we're more digitally connected than ever, why do so many leaders and their teams feel increasingly isolated?

The irony is striking: we have endless ways to communicate, yet many leaders and high-performing professionals are running on empty when it comes to meaningful human connection.

Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Craving-Connection-Why-Meaningful-Relationships-Still-Matter

Sometimes the biggest obstacles to our success aren't external challenges—they're the invisible distractions that cloud our vision and keep us stuck.

In this episode, Gayle Lantz shares a personal experience with eye floaters that led to an interesting leadership metaphor. Just as physical floaters can obstruct our vision, we all have "floaters" in our professional lives—distractions, limiting beliefs, and patterns that prevent us from seeing clearly.

Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Clear-Your-Vision-Whats-Really-Clouding-Your-Leadership-View

The traditional approach to talent management is being challenged like never before. With employee turnover at historic highs and career paths becoming increasingly fluid, leaders are scrambling to adapt their strategies for attracting and retaining talent.

Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Why-Should-People-Work-Here-Rethinking-Talent-with-Steve-Cadigan

Ever feel like everything is up in the air and you can't move forward? You're not alone—and you're not stuck.

Leaders often find themselves in what feels like professional limbo: waiting for funding decisions, navigating role transitions, or dealing with too many unknown variables to make clear choices. It's that uncomfortable in-between space where you feel suspended between where you are and where you need to be.

But what if limbo isn't the enemy?

Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Stuck-in-Leadership-Limbo-How-to-Rise-Above-It

Creative leadership presents unique challenges, but the ability to foster innovation and think differently has never been more critical for organizational success.

Many leaders struggle to effectively manage creative teams, often misunderstanding what drives creative professionals or how to balance creative freedom with business objectives.

But creativity isn't just for "creative types" - it's a mindset that can be cultivated and leveraged across all areas of leadership and business.

Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Leading-Creatives-Your-Secret-Weapon-to-Drive-Growth--Innovation-with-Vincent-Wanga

The volatility of today's business environment requires radical acceleration of speed, agility, and bolder ideas than ever before. Yet most executive and team collaboration remains meeting-based and mediocre.

It's time to reinvent leadership and the way teams work and collaborate—shifting from traditional command-and-control approaches to what Keith Ferrazzi calls "teamship."

Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Never-Lead-Alone-Shifting-from-Leadership-to-Teamship-with-Keith-Ferrazzi

Sometimes leadership lessons come from the most unexpected places. For Gayle Lantz, it was a massive 70,000-pound oak tree crashing through her home during a recent storm. Fortunately she was out of town.

Rather than dwelling on "what if," Gayle transforms this difficult experience into powerful insights about resilience, perspective, and leading through crisis—whether it's your own life or your organization.

Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/A-Huge-Tree-Fell-on-My-House-and-10-Essential-Life-Lessons-Landed-with-It