How do you build a team that doesn’t sit around waiting for instructions? What if your people knew exactly what to do, even when the plan changed and you weren’t in the room to explain it?This episode explores the tension between roles that demand split-second precision and those where ambiguity is the norm. McKinlay Otterson talks with Carey Jones, former Flying Training Wing Vice Commander at Laughlin Air Force Base and retired fighter pilot, and Brad Harker, a senior sales leader, about what it really takes to drive clarity, alignment, and high performance even when the feedback loop is slow and the outcomes aren’t obvious. Visit www.arbinger.com to schedule a complimentary strategy session about how we can equip you to transform your leaders and organization.Questions we answer:02:52 – How do you drive performance when your role has no clear feedback loop?07:13 – How can leaders productively leverage subjectivity and interpretation?08:30 – How do you know if your team is actually having the impact you intend?14:37 – What does it take to create clarity without micromanaging?19:32 – What happens when strategy lacks clear measures of success?23:00 – What does it look like to execute on commander’s intent in business?
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Can I lead without being liked?
We’ve all felt it: the tension between being real and being in charge. But as inner-city middle school teacher Carla and retired Air Force commander Naomi reveal, that’s a false choice. Connection isn’t a distraction from leadership—it’s the doorway into it.This episode explores what happens when leaders stop hiding behind roles and start showing up as people. The result? Teams that listen, trust, and rise to meet the moment, not because they’re forced to, but because they want to.Bottom line: The most credible leaders are the most human ones and trust is built at the intersection of expectation and empathy.Launch week giveaway! Leave a written review, upload a screenshot here, and we’ll send you a free Leading Outward sweatshirt!To claim your free Leading Outward sweatshirt, click here. Have a burning question that you would like us to answer or a story you want to share? Click here to leave your suggestion!Questions we answer:02:00 – How do you build real connection with people you also have to hold accountable?06:10 – What is it like to lead in a culture that prizes command over connection?08:55 – How do you decide between personal crisis and professional responsibility?12:05 – How can vulnerability help strengthen trust and culture in a high-stakes organization?15:45 – What happens when leaders avoid accountability conversations to preserve relationships?17:55 – Why does accountability without connection lead to failure—and how can we avoid that?19:55 – How can embracing our own humanity unlock deeper engagement from others?www.arbinger.com
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How to lead a team whose job you’ve never done before.
Have you ever started a new role only to feel like none of your past experience is recognized? Like no one sees the value you bring, no matter how much you’ve accomplished?In this raw coaching episode, Jeremy—a senior leader in a construction and engineering company with 24 years of military experience—unpacks that exact challenge with his Arbinger coach, Chip Huth. Together, they dig into the mindset and behaviors that are keeping Jeremy stuck. And what begins as a story about being overlooked becomes something much deeper: a reckoning with self-doubt, avoidance, and the cost of trying to look competent instead of getting curious.Launch week giveaway! Leave a written review, upload a screenshot here, and we’ll send you a free Leading Outward sweatshirt! To claim your free Leading Outward sweatshirt, click here. Have a burning question that you would like us to answer or a story you want to share? Click here to leave your suggestion!Questions we answer:02:00 – How do you lead a team that dismisses your experience?06:55 – What is causing your team to leave you out of key conversations?18:45 – What is preventing you from getting as curious as you should be?28:55 – How do you not let painful past experiences, continue to negatively impact you?40:35 – How to use reg flags to stop unhelpful behaviors before they start?43:50 – What’s the right way to recover when you've broken trust?
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How to fix a toxic culture.
Are you holding meetings where no one speaks up? Dealing with employees who don’t take ownership? This company was too until they flipped their fear-based culture into a high-trust, high-performance workplace. And in 5 years, they’ve grown revenue by 56%. Come onsite with us as we take you inside OC Tanner—a global leader in lean manufacturing and workplace culture—where Executive Vice President Gary Peterson shares exactly how they made that shift.Launch week giveaway! Leave a written review, upload a screenshot here, and we’ll send you a free Leading Outward sweatshirt! To claim your free Leading Outward sweatshirt, click here. Have a burning question that you would like us to answer or a story you want to share? Click here to leave your suggestion!Questions we answer:00:57 – How do you build trust when employees are afraid to speak?03:46 – Who should own improvement within organizations?06:01 – How do you get your people to care about the bottom line?11:52 – What shifts when managers become coaches?18:33 – How do you make time for people when your to-do list is never ending?26:07 – What's the best way to lead skeptics?
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Leading Outward Premiers June 3rd!
When was the last time a leader told you the truth—not the cleaned-up truth—the raw, chaotic, messy truth of their biggest leadership failures? Exactly. Most leadership podcasts stay safe. Leading Outward by The Arbinger Institute is not that show. We coach leaders in real time to tackle their messiest issues—culture breakdowns, accountability failures, conflict and blame, and team dysfunction. We also bring you behind the scenes with executives and leaders of all varieties to break down how they are solving the their most pressing challenges. If you're ready to stop managing symptoms and start solving root problems, this is your show. It's time to start leading outward!
You don’t need another podcast full of vague leadership platitudes. You need real answers to the people problems that stall performance.
Leading Outward from The Arbinger Institute goes beyond theory. We coach leaders in real time to tackle their messiest issues—culture breakdowns, accountability failures, conflict and blame, and team dysfunction. We also bring you behind the scenes with executives and leaders of all varieties from around the world to break down how they are solving their most pressing challenges.
If you're ready to stop managing symptoms and start solving root problems, this is your show. It's time to start leading outward.
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