<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<?xml-stylesheet href="/stylesheet.xsl" type="text/xsl"?>
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:podcast="https://podcastindex.org/namespace/1.0">
  <channel>
    <atom:link rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" href="https://feeds.transistor.fm/leadership-lens-by-david-kent" title="MP3 Audio"/>
    <atom:link rel="hub" href="https://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"/>
    <podcast:podping usesPodping="true"/>
    <title>Lead Smarter Podcast</title>
    <generator>Transistor (https://transistor.fm)</generator>
    <itunes:new-feed-url>https://feeds.transistor.fm/leadership-lens-by-david-kent</itunes:new-feed-url>
    <description>Welcome to the 'Lead Smarter. Not Harder' Podcast by David Kent, your window into the minds of visionary leaders, trailblazing innovators, and savvy business owners.

Get ready to immerse yourself in the captivating stories and invaluable lessons from the best and brightest minds in the business.</description>
    <copyright>David Kent</copyright>
    <podcast:guid>71be1a7a-77d0-59dd-9514-a77ca18aa493</podcast:guid>
    <podcast:locked>yes</podcast:locked>
    <podcast:trailer pubdate="Mon, 06 May 2024 13:25:47 -0400" url="https://media.transistor.fm/0040eeb1/421cd597.mp3" length="438383" type="audio/mpeg">Welcome To The Lead Smarter Podcast!</podcast:trailer>
    <language>en</language>
    <pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 14:32:58 -0400</pubDate>
    <lastBuildDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 14:33:02 -0400</lastBuildDate>
    <link>https://leadsmarterpod.com</link>
    <image>
      <url>https://img.transistorcdn.com/D6G1rPTX8FLTssnqNA5gZntL6D5rpkxc07aijGyw4M4/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS80NmZl/YzQ3MGM0YWYzMDlh/NzExYzc5ZDIxOTE2/NDA3Yy5wbmc.jpg</url>
      <title>Lead Smarter Podcast</title>
      <link>https://leadsmarterpod.com</link>
    </image>
    <itunes:category text="Business"/>
    <itunes:category text="Business">
      <itunes:category text="Entrepreneurship"/>
    </itunes:category>
    <itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type>
    <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
    <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/D6G1rPTX8FLTssnqNA5gZntL6D5rpkxc07aijGyw4M4/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS80NmZl/YzQ3MGM0YWYzMDlh/NzExYzc5ZDIxOTE2/NDA3Yy5wbmc.jpg"/>
    <itunes:summary>Welcome to the 'Lead Smarter. Not Harder' Podcast by David Kent, your window into the minds of visionary leaders, trailblazing innovators, and savvy business owners.

Get ready to immerse yourself in the captivating stories and invaluable lessons from the best and brightest minds in the business.</itunes:summary>
    <itunes:subtitle>Welcome to the 'Lead Smarter.</itunes:subtitle>
    <itunes:keywords></itunes:keywords>
    <itunes:owner>
      <itunes:name>David Kent</itunes:name>
      <itunes:email>aqil@astra-advertising.com</itunes:email>
    </itunes:owner>
    <itunes:complete>No</itunes:complete>
    <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
    <item>
      <title>Ship at 70%. What Perfectionism Is Really Hiding</title>
      <itunes:episode>20</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>20</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>Ship at 70%. What Perfectionism Is Really Hiding</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">7b027a20-3bcf-40a2-9f61-97366fc1d63f</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/c7c5c176</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p><strong>Perfectionism</strong> can get mistakenly glorified as a commitment to quality. <strong>Todd Greider</strong> has spent years coaching leaders through the <strong>fear response </strong>that sits underneath it.</p><p>In this conversation, Todd and David work through the <strong>patterns</strong> that cause leaders to <strong>stall decisions, block releases</strong>, and <strong>stay behind</strong> the scenes longer than serves them or their teams. Todd draws on his own experience as a <strong>recovering perfectionist</strong> and the frameworks he uses daily with clients who are still living it.</p><p>Leadership reluctance tends to start exactly where Todd describes, with a <strong>fear of imperfect outcomes</strong>. The frameworks he shares in this episode are designed to help leaders move through that without dropping their standards in the process.</p><p><strong>Key Themes Covered:</strong></p><p>➟ The "ship at 70%" framework in practice and how to build guardrails so good enough doesn't lower the bar</p><p>➟ How the brain's safety bias keeps leaders comfortable and organizations stuck.</p><p>➟ The ability to make calculated, informed decisions when everything around you is a mess, without letting what you cannot control define how you move forward. </p><p>➟ Task hoarding: the first trap founders fall into when they start leading others.</p><p>➟ The difference between capacity, interest, and motivation, and why leaders routinely confuse them.</p><p>➟ The one question to end every one-on-one that builds more trust than most leadership frameworks.</p><p>---------------<br><strong>About Todd Greider</strong></p><p>Todd Greider is the founder of AEG Performance Coaching and a leadership development professional who works with founders, executives, and emerging leaders to tackle the mindset patterns that quietly limit effectiveness, including perfectionism, avoidance, and fear-based decision-making. His approach is practical and grounded, helping leaders move from overthinking to action without sacrificing standards or team trust. Todd is particularly sought after for his work on executive presence and helping leaders balance decisiveness with empathy in high-pressure environments.</p><p>🌐 To stay up to date with all of Todd’s work, head over to: <a href="https://www.aegperformancecoaching.com/">https://www.aegperformancecoaching.com/</a> </p><p><br>---------------</p><p><strong>About the Host</strong></p><p>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p><p><br></p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p><strong>Perfectionism</strong> can get mistakenly glorified as a commitment to quality. <strong>Todd Greider</strong> has spent years coaching leaders through the <strong>fear response </strong>that sits underneath it.</p><p>In this conversation, Todd and David work through the <strong>patterns</strong> that cause leaders to <strong>stall decisions, block releases</strong>, and <strong>stay behind</strong> the scenes longer than serves them or their teams. Todd draws on his own experience as a <strong>recovering perfectionist</strong> and the frameworks he uses daily with clients who are still living it.</p><p>Leadership reluctance tends to start exactly where Todd describes, with a <strong>fear of imperfect outcomes</strong>. The frameworks he shares in this episode are designed to help leaders move through that without dropping their standards in the process.</p><p><strong>Key Themes Covered:</strong></p><p>➟ The "ship at 70%" framework in practice and how to build guardrails so good enough doesn't lower the bar</p><p>➟ How the brain's safety bias keeps leaders comfortable and organizations stuck.</p><p>➟ The ability to make calculated, informed decisions when everything around you is a mess, without letting what you cannot control define how you move forward. </p><p>➟ Task hoarding: the first trap founders fall into when they start leading others.</p><p>➟ The difference between capacity, interest, and motivation, and why leaders routinely confuse them.</p><p>➟ The one question to end every one-on-one that builds more trust than most leadership frameworks.</p><p>---------------<br><strong>About Todd Greider</strong></p><p>Todd Greider is the founder of AEG Performance Coaching and a leadership development professional who works with founders, executives, and emerging leaders to tackle the mindset patterns that quietly limit effectiveness, including perfectionism, avoidance, and fear-based decision-making. His approach is practical and grounded, helping leaders move from overthinking to action without sacrificing standards or team trust. Todd is particularly sought after for his work on executive presence and helping leaders balance decisiveness with empathy in high-pressure environments.</p><p>🌐 To stay up to date with all of Todd’s work, head over to: <a href="https://www.aegperformancecoaching.com/">https://www.aegperformancecoaching.com/</a> </p><p><br>---------------</p><p><strong>About the Host</strong></p><p>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p><p><br></p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 14:32:07 -0400</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/c7c5c176/feb5107f.mp3" length="61571823" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/Isk3AHbFx3H6tZlgK2-3HDDcSRSYj7UWm6ZqTj35zzA/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8zNWU0/NDFhY2U0OThiYTlk/N2I5NzMzMjJhZmYx/MTRkZC5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>1922</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p><strong>Perfectionism</strong> can get mistakenly glorified as a commitment to quality. <strong>Todd Greider</strong> has spent years coaching leaders through the <strong>fear response </strong>that sits underneath it.</p><p>In this conversation, Todd and David work through the <strong>patterns</strong> that cause leaders to <strong>stall decisions, block releases</strong>, and <strong>stay behind</strong> the scenes longer than serves them or their teams. Todd draws on his own experience as a <strong>recovering perfectionist</strong> and the frameworks he uses daily with clients who are still living it.</p><p>Leadership reluctance tends to start exactly where Todd describes, with a <strong>fear of imperfect outcomes</strong>. The frameworks he shares in this episode are designed to help leaders move through that without dropping their standards in the process.</p><p><strong>Key Themes Covered:</strong></p><p>➟ The "ship at 70%" framework in practice and how to build guardrails so good enough doesn't lower the bar</p><p>➟ How the brain's safety bias keeps leaders comfortable and organizations stuck.</p><p>➟ The ability to make calculated, informed decisions when everything around you is a mess, without letting what you cannot control define how you move forward. </p><p>➟ Task hoarding: the first trap founders fall into when they start leading others.</p><p>➟ The difference between capacity, interest, and motivation, and why leaders routinely confuse them.</p><p>➟ The one question to end every one-on-one that builds more trust than most leadership frameworks.</p><p>---------------<br><strong>About Todd Greider</strong></p><p>Todd Greider is the founder of AEG Performance Coaching and a leadership development professional who works with founders, executives, and emerging leaders to tackle the mindset patterns that quietly limit effectiveness, including perfectionism, avoidance, and fear-based decision-making. His approach is practical and grounded, helping leaders move from overthinking to action without sacrificing standards or team trust. Todd is particularly sought after for his work on executive presence and helping leaders balance decisiveness with empathy in high-pressure environments.</p><p>🌐 To stay up to date with all of Todd’s work, head over to: <a href="https://www.aegperformancecoaching.com/">https://www.aegperformancecoaching.com/</a> </p><p><br>---------------</p><p><strong>About the Host</strong></p><p>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p><p><br></p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>perfectionism,leadership,leadership mindset,task hoarding,fear vs fact,safety bias,executive coach,Todd Greider,Lead Smarter podcast,delegation,decision making,entrepreneurship,executive presence,david kent</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title> Learning to Lead: Why Doing More Is Holding You Back | Katie Anderson</title>
      <itunes:episode>19</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>19</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title> Learning to Lead: Why Doing More Is Holding You Back | Katie Anderson</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">9ace38a0-aca0-444b-971b-c44592cac355</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/31b34322</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>The instinct to <strong>step in, solve the problem, and move the team forward</strong> is exactly what made you a great individual contributor. It's also what keeps many <strong>leaders stuck.</strong></p><p><br>In this conversation, <strong>Katie Anderson</strong> and David explore what it really means to make the shift from <strong>doing to leading</strong>, and why most leaders underestimate how hard that shift actually is. Katie draws on her work with <strong>Toyota's learning culture</strong>, her own experience as a leader and coach, and the simple yet demanding framework she developed: a leader's role is to<strong> set the direction</strong>, <strong>create the conditions</strong> for people to succeed, and develop themselves. That's it. But unpacking each of those three things reveals a set of habits most of us have never been asked to examine.</p><p><br>This is a practical, honest conversation, not a motivational talk. Katie shares specific tools for navigating the coaching-versus-execution decision in real time, how to quantify the cost of "just getting it done," and why building learning into your processes is one of the highest-ROI decisions a leader or business owner can make.</p><p><strong><br>Key Themes Covered</strong></p><ul><li>The doer trap and why it doesn't come from a bad place, it comes from wanting to help. </li><li>Why the "telling habit" exists in leaders regardless of whether they know the technical work.</li><li>The difference between urgent execution and developmental coaching, and how to know which mode to be in. </li><li>Toyota's plan-do-study-adjust cycle and what Western organizations consistently skip. </li><li>How to frame organizational improvement as a hypothesis so that reflection has a natural home in your process. </li><li>Why a people-first, then process, then results sequence produce more durable outcomes.</li><li>How to quantify waste and rework to build the business case for a learning culture. </li><li>The growing pains moment every business hits when the leader's way of operating hasn't kept pace with the business's scale.</li></ul><p>--------------</p><p><strong><br>About Katie Anderson:<br></strong><br></p><p>Katie Anderson is a global leadership consultant, keynote speaker, and award-winning author who helps leaders elevate people, align with purpose, and build cultures of continuous learning that drive innovation and sustainable performance. Katie is the author of the Shingo Award-winning international bestseller Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn and host of the transformational leadership podcast Chain of Learning®.</p><p>A Stanford graduate and Fulbright Scholar, she has lived and worked across seven countries, including 18 months in Japan learning from Toyota leaders. Katie has inspired tens of thousands of leaders across 20+ countries to lead with intention, develop capability, and create cultures where both people and performance flourish.</p><p><strong>📘 Katie’s resources and book can be found here: </strong></p><p><a href="https://kbjanderson.com/speaker-resources/">https://kbjanderson.com/speaker-resources/</a></p><p><strong>🌐 To stay up to date with all of Katie’s work, head over to: </strong></p><p><a href="https://kbjanderson.com/">https://kbjanderson.com/</a></p><p>---------------</p><p><strong>About the Host:</strong></p><p>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p>🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/</p><p>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>The instinct to <strong>step in, solve the problem, and move the team forward</strong> is exactly what made you a great individual contributor. It's also what keeps many <strong>leaders stuck.</strong></p><p><br>In this conversation, <strong>Katie Anderson</strong> and David explore what it really means to make the shift from <strong>doing to leading</strong>, and why most leaders underestimate how hard that shift actually is. Katie draws on her work with <strong>Toyota's learning culture</strong>, her own experience as a leader and coach, and the simple yet demanding framework she developed: a leader's role is to<strong> set the direction</strong>, <strong>create the conditions</strong> for people to succeed, and develop themselves. That's it. But unpacking each of those three things reveals a set of habits most of us have never been asked to examine.</p><p><br>This is a practical, honest conversation, not a motivational talk. Katie shares specific tools for navigating the coaching-versus-execution decision in real time, how to quantify the cost of "just getting it done," and why building learning into your processes is one of the highest-ROI decisions a leader or business owner can make.</p><p><strong><br>Key Themes Covered</strong></p><ul><li>The doer trap and why it doesn't come from a bad place, it comes from wanting to help. </li><li>Why the "telling habit" exists in leaders regardless of whether they know the technical work.</li><li>The difference between urgent execution and developmental coaching, and how to know which mode to be in. </li><li>Toyota's plan-do-study-adjust cycle and what Western organizations consistently skip. </li><li>How to frame organizational improvement as a hypothesis so that reflection has a natural home in your process. </li><li>Why a people-first, then process, then results sequence produce more durable outcomes.</li><li>How to quantify waste and rework to build the business case for a learning culture. </li><li>The growing pains moment every business hits when the leader's way of operating hasn't kept pace with the business's scale.</li></ul><p>--------------</p><p><strong><br>About Katie Anderson:<br></strong><br></p><p>Katie Anderson is a global leadership consultant, keynote speaker, and award-winning author who helps leaders elevate people, align with purpose, and build cultures of continuous learning that drive innovation and sustainable performance. Katie is the author of the Shingo Award-winning international bestseller Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn and host of the transformational leadership podcast Chain of Learning®.</p><p>A Stanford graduate and Fulbright Scholar, she has lived and worked across seven countries, including 18 months in Japan learning from Toyota leaders. Katie has inspired tens of thousands of leaders across 20+ countries to lead with intention, develop capability, and create cultures where both people and performance flourish.</p><p><strong>📘 Katie’s resources and book can be found here: </strong></p><p><a href="https://kbjanderson.com/speaker-resources/">https://kbjanderson.com/speaker-resources/</a></p><p><strong>🌐 To stay up to date with all of Katie’s work, head over to: </strong></p><p><a href="https://kbjanderson.com/">https://kbjanderson.com/</a></p><p>---------------</p><p><strong>About the Host:</strong></p><p>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p>🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/</p><p>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:23:16 -0400</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/31b34322/f5626703.mp3" length="38116918" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/7glZkUDAsLMBSNaxf0H7NFDLYpGxyTjD9ub_aQJM9Po/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9kYzgy/MjA5YWZmZjdlNWRk/NDViMGE0OWExNjY3/NTY1Zi5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>1587</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>The instinct to <strong>step in, solve the problem, and move the team forward</strong> is exactly what made you a great individual contributor. It's also what keeps many <strong>leaders stuck.</strong></p><p><br>In this conversation, <strong>Katie Anderson</strong> and David explore what it really means to make the shift from <strong>doing to leading</strong>, and why most leaders underestimate how hard that shift actually is. Katie draws on her work with <strong>Toyota's learning culture</strong>, her own experience as a leader and coach, and the simple yet demanding framework she developed: a leader's role is to<strong> set the direction</strong>, <strong>create the conditions</strong> for people to succeed, and develop themselves. That's it. But unpacking each of those three things reveals a set of habits most of us have never been asked to examine.</p><p><br>This is a practical, honest conversation, not a motivational talk. Katie shares specific tools for navigating the coaching-versus-execution decision in real time, how to quantify the cost of "just getting it done," and why building learning into your processes is one of the highest-ROI decisions a leader or business owner can make.</p><p><strong><br>Key Themes Covered</strong></p><ul><li>The doer trap and why it doesn't come from a bad place, it comes from wanting to help. </li><li>Why the "telling habit" exists in leaders regardless of whether they know the technical work.</li><li>The difference between urgent execution and developmental coaching, and how to know which mode to be in. </li><li>Toyota's plan-do-study-adjust cycle and what Western organizations consistently skip. </li><li>How to frame organizational improvement as a hypothesis so that reflection has a natural home in your process. </li><li>Why a people-first, then process, then results sequence produce more durable outcomes.</li><li>How to quantify waste and rework to build the business case for a learning culture. </li><li>The growing pains moment every business hits when the leader's way of operating hasn't kept pace with the business's scale.</li></ul><p>--------------</p><p><strong><br>About Katie Anderson:<br></strong><br></p><p>Katie Anderson is a global leadership consultant, keynote speaker, and award-winning author who helps leaders elevate people, align with purpose, and build cultures of continuous learning that drive innovation and sustainable performance. Katie is the author of the Shingo Award-winning international bestseller Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn and host of the transformational leadership podcast Chain of Learning®.</p><p>A Stanford graduate and Fulbright Scholar, she has lived and worked across seven countries, including 18 months in Japan learning from Toyota leaders. Katie has inspired tens of thousands of leaders across 20+ countries to lead with intention, develop capability, and create cultures where both people and performance flourish.</p><p><strong>📘 Katie’s resources and book can be found here: </strong></p><p><a href="https://kbjanderson.com/speaker-resources/">https://kbjanderson.com/speaker-resources/</a></p><p><strong>🌐 To stay up to date with all of Katie’s work, head over to: </strong></p><p><a href="https://kbjanderson.com/">https://kbjanderson.com/</a></p><p>---------------</p><p><strong>About the Host:</strong></p><p>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p>🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/</p><p>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>leadership, learning culture, Toyota, coaching, doer trap, continuous improvement, collaboration, process improvement, mindset shift, executive growth</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/31b34322/transcript.srt" type="application/x-subrip" rel="captions"/>
      <podcast:chapters url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/31b34322/chapters.json" type="application/json+chapters"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Why Authority Doesn’t Make You a Leader</title>
      <itunes:episode>18</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>18</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>Why Authority Doesn’t Make You a Leader</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">21c731c5-cdad-4008-a23e-487f9cf8a4c0</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/d56ba419</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>Most leaders think their title gives them influence. It doesn’t.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode of <strong>Lead Smarter</strong>, leadership consultant <strong>Wesley Dove</strong> shares the lessons he learned early in his career when he was tasked with implementing change in a manufacturing facility — while having <strong>zero authority.</strong></p><p><br></p><p>He had to convince people who had been doing their jobs longer than he’d been alive to change the way they worked. What followed was a masterclass in <strong>influence, culture, and leadership.</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>In this conversation, you’ll learn:</strong></p><p>• Leading without authority</p><p>• Why most companies fail to live their values</p><p>• The leadership mistake causing massive turnover</p><p>• Why authority works… until you leave the room</p><p>• The leadership approach that actually drives performance</p><p><br></p><p>If you're responsible for people, culture, or results — this conversation will <strong>change how you lead</strong>.</p><p><br></p><p>---------------</p><p>About Wesley Dove</p><p>Wesley Dove is a leadership consultant, Certified Human Behavior Consultant, and DISC specialist with more than two decades of experience helping organizations strengthen communication, engagement, and culture through his Emerging Leader Development and Leading at the Next Level programs. He is also a multi-time Amazon #1 bestselling author who works with teams to reduce conflict, improve retention, and increase productivity by developing stronger leaders.</p><p><br></p><p>📘 If you want to read Wesley's books, head to: https://www.dove-development.net/publications</p><p><br></p><p>🎙️ Learn more from Wesley's Leading At The Next Level Community: https://www.dove-development.net/latnl-community</p><p><br></p><p>🌐 To stay up to date with all of Wesley's work, head over to: https://www.dove-development.net/</p><p><br></p><p>---------------</p><p><br></p><p>About the Host</p><p>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p>🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/</p><p>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p><p>leadership,leadership podcast,leadership development,influence without authority,leadership mindset,company culture,leadership skills,management advice,leadership lessons,david kent,wesley dove</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>Most leaders think their title gives them influence. It doesn’t.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode of <strong>Lead Smarter</strong>, leadership consultant <strong>Wesley Dove</strong> shares the lessons he learned early in his career when he was tasked with implementing change in a manufacturing facility — while having <strong>zero authority.</strong></p><p><br></p><p>He had to convince people who had been doing their jobs longer than he’d been alive to change the way they worked. What followed was a masterclass in <strong>influence, culture, and leadership.</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>In this conversation, you’ll learn:</strong></p><p>• Leading without authority</p><p>• Why most companies fail to live their values</p><p>• The leadership mistake causing massive turnover</p><p>• Why authority works… until you leave the room</p><p>• The leadership approach that actually drives performance</p><p><br></p><p>If you're responsible for people, culture, or results — this conversation will <strong>change how you lead</strong>.</p><p><br></p><p>---------------</p><p>About Wesley Dove</p><p>Wesley Dove is a leadership consultant, Certified Human Behavior Consultant, and DISC specialist with more than two decades of experience helping organizations strengthen communication, engagement, and culture through his Emerging Leader Development and Leading at the Next Level programs. He is also a multi-time Amazon #1 bestselling author who works with teams to reduce conflict, improve retention, and increase productivity by developing stronger leaders.</p><p><br></p><p>📘 If you want to read Wesley's books, head to: https://www.dove-development.net/publications</p><p><br></p><p>🎙️ Learn more from Wesley's Leading At The Next Level Community: https://www.dove-development.net/latnl-community</p><p><br></p><p>🌐 To stay up to date with all of Wesley's work, head over to: https://www.dove-development.net/</p><p><br></p><p>---------------</p><p><br></p><p>About the Host</p><p>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p>🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/</p><p>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p><p>leadership,leadership podcast,leadership development,influence without authority,leadership mindset,company culture,leadership skills,management advice,leadership lessons,david kent,wesley dove</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 06:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/d56ba419/ead6eddd.mp3" length="33027282" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/2E-Yva06O-7d1sNh0aMAwcMB9OT6sRhboPlDhUePlm0/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8wZDQz/NzlkMjdlMTQwZDhi/YzJhYmIxOTRiMzkw/YzMyMi5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>2062</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>Most leaders think their title gives them influence. It doesn’t.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode of <strong>Lead Smarter</strong>, leadership consultant <strong>Wesley Dove</strong> shares the lessons he learned early in his career when he was tasked with implementing change in a manufacturing facility — while having <strong>zero authority.</strong></p><p><br></p><p>He had to convince people who had been doing their jobs longer than he’d been alive to change the way they worked. What followed was a masterclass in <strong>influence, culture, and leadership.</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>In this conversation, you’ll learn:</strong></p><p>• Leading without authority</p><p>• Why most companies fail to live their values</p><p>• The leadership mistake causing massive turnover</p><p>• Why authority works… until you leave the room</p><p>• The leadership approach that actually drives performance</p><p><br></p><p>If you're responsible for people, culture, or results — this conversation will <strong>change how you lead</strong>.</p><p><br></p><p>---------------</p><p>About Wesley Dove</p><p>Wesley Dove is a leadership consultant, Certified Human Behavior Consultant, and DISC specialist with more than two decades of experience helping organizations strengthen communication, engagement, and culture through his Emerging Leader Development and Leading at the Next Level programs. He is also a multi-time Amazon #1 bestselling author who works with teams to reduce conflict, improve retention, and increase productivity by developing stronger leaders.</p><p><br></p><p>📘 If you want to read Wesley's books, head to: https://www.dove-development.net/publications</p><p><br></p><p>🎙️ Learn more from Wesley's Leading At The Next Level Community: https://www.dove-development.net/latnl-community</p><p><br></p><p>🌐 To stay up to date with all of Wesley's work, head over to: https://www.dove-development.net/</p><p><br></p><p>---------------</p><p><br></p><p>About the Host</p><p>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p>🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/</p><p>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p><p>leadership,leadership podcast,leadership development,influence without authority,leadership mindset,company culture,leadership skills,management advice,leadership lessons,david kent,wesley dove</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>leadership, influence, values, culture, manufacturing, engagement, mentoring, productivity, personal development, consulting</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/d56ba419/transcript.txt" type="text/plain"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Why Expectations Fail (And What Leaders Should Do Instead) with Andrew Wittman</title>
      <itunes:episode>17</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>17</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>Why Expectations Fail (And What Leaders Should Do Instead) with Andrew Wittman</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">e5309f01-a471-439b-a6d1-7d181f058530</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/18f09381</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p><strong>Expectations</strong> sound reasonable.</p><p>But they create an imbalance.</p><p>In this episode, Andrew D. Wittman breaks down why <strong>expectations often fail teams </strong>and how <strong>agreements transform accountability. </strong></p><p>Andrew shares lessons from military leadership, federal service, and <strong>decades of resilience training</strong> to explain:</p><p>• Why expectations create takers<br>• How agreements create shared ownership<br>• Why predictability builds trust<br>• How leaders must master identity before leading others<br>• The difference between tactical and strategic resilience</p><p>This is a conversation about <strong>discipline, clarity, and building teams</strong> that perform under <strong>pressure</strong>.</p><p>If you’re serious about <em>leading smarter,</em> this one’s worth your time.</p><p><br>---------------</p><p><strong>About Andrew Wittman:</strong></p><p>Andrew D. Wittman, PhD, is the creator of <em>Inner Armor: Perpetual Resilience™</em>, a mental resilience system originally developed for the U.S. Marine Corps and now used by leaders and high-stakes teams across industries. A Marine infantry combat veteran, former police officer and federal agent, and security expert who has protected global political and business figures, Andrew has trained elite military units and coached executives operating under pressure. He is the author of seven books on performance, identity, and resilience, and has been featured in major outlets including Forbes, Inc., and The Wall Street Journal. His work focuses on helping individuals lead themselves with clarity, teams perform under stress, and organizations build resilience before challenges arise.</p><p>📘 Andrew’s resources and books can be found here: https://getwarriortough.com/store/</p><p>🎙️ Learn more from Andrew’s keynote events and articles: https://getwarriortough.com/media/</p><p>🌐 To stay up to date with all of Andrew’s work, head over to: https://getwarriortough.com/</p><p>---------------</p><p><strong>About the Host:</strong></p><p>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p>🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/</p><p>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p><p><br></p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p><strong>Expectations</strong> sound reasonable.</p><p>But they create an imbalance.</p><p>In this episode, Andrew D. Wittman breaks down why <strong>expectations often fail teams </strong>and how <strong>agreements transform accountability. </strong></p><p>Andrew shares lessons from military leadership, federal service, and <strong>decades of resilience training</strong> to explain:</p><p>• Why expectations create takers<br>• How agreements create shared ownership<br>• Why predictability builds trust<br>• How leaders must master identity before leading others<br>• The difference between tactical and strategic resilience</p><p>This is a conversation about <strong>discipline, clarity, and building teams</strong> that perform under <strong>pressure</strong>.</p><p>If you’re serious about <em>leading smarter,</em> this one’s worth your time.</p><p><br>---------------</p><p><strong>About Andrew Wittman:</strong></p><p>Andrew D. Wittman, PhD, is the creator of <em>Inner Armor: Perpetual Resilience™</em>, a mental resilience system originally developed for the U.S. Marine Corps and now used by leaders and high-stakes teams across industries. A Marine infantry combat veteran, former police officer and federal agent, and security expert who has protected global political and business figures, Andrew has trained elite military units and coached executives operating under pressure. He is the author of seven books on performance, identity, and resilience, and has been featured in major outlets including Forbes, Inc., and The Wall Street Journal. His work focuses on helping individuals lead themselves with clarity, teams perform under stress, and organizations build resilience before challenges arise.</p><p>📘 Andrew’s resources and books can be found here: https://getwarriortough.com/store/</p><p>🎙️ Learn more from Andrew’s keynote events and articles: https://getwarriortough.com/media/</p><p>🌐 To stay up to date with all of Andrew’s work, head over to: https://getwarriortough.com/</p><p>---------------</p><p><strong>About the Host:</strong></p><p>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p>🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/</p><p>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p><p><br></p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:27:31 -0400</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/18f09381/9bdf8687.mp3" length="34306328" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/wokLV84zfbG_7tiLvNjvjMbZvjj421tnrurcvi-MlnU/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9hYjU3/MmVkYzhmZmYzN2Q5/YzUxY2JjMzJiNmVh/MTJlYy5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>2142</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p><strong>Expectations</strong> sound reasonable.</p><p>But they create an imbalance.</p><p>In this episode, Andrew D. Wittman breaks down why <strong>expectations often fail teams </strong>and how <strong>agreements transform accountability. </strong></p><p>Andrew shares lessons from military leadership, federal service, and <strong>decades of resilience training</strong> to explain:</p><p>• Why expectations create takers<br>• How agreements create shared ownership<br>• Why predictability builds trust<br>• How leaders must master identity before leading others<br>• The difference between tactical and strategic resilience</p><p>This is a conversation about <strong>discipline, clarity, and building teams</strong> that perform under <strong>pressure</strong>.</p><p>If you’re serious about <em>leading smarter,</em> this one’s worth your time.</p><p><br>---------------</p><p><strong>About Andrew Wittman:</strong></p><p>Andrew D. Wittman, PhD, is the creator of <em>Inner Armor: Perpetual Resilience™</em>, a mental resilience system originally developed for the U.S. Marine Corps and now used by leaders and high-stakes teams across industries. A Marine infantry combat veteran, former police officer and federal agent, and security expert who has protected global political and business figures, Andrew has trained elite military units and coached executives operating under pressure. He is the author of seven books on performance, identity, and resilience, and has been featured in major outlets including Forbes, Inc., and The Wall Street Journal. His work focuses on helping individuals lead themselves with clarity, teams perform under stress, and organizations build resilience before challenges arise.</p><p>📘 Andrew’s resources and books can be found here: https://getwarriortough.com/store/</p><p>🎙️ Learn more from Andrew’s keynote events and articles: https://getwarriortough.com/media/</p><p>🌐 To stay up to date with all of Andrew’s work, head over to: https://getwarriortough.com/</p><p>---------------</p><p><strong>About the Host:</strong></p><p>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p>🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/</p><p>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p><p><br></p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>leadership development,team culture,accountability systems,leadership neuroscience,business leadership podcast,CEO mindset,high stakes leadership,trust building,team agreements,performance under pressure,emotional control,remote leadership,david kent,andrew wittman</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/18f09381/transcript.srt" type="application/x-subrip" rel="captions"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Your Leadership Is Slipping — And Multitasking Is Why</title>
      <itunes:episode>16</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>16</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>Your Leadership Is Slipping — And Multitasking Is Why</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">906d5e28-e2e4-4c1a-bc6c-6408cdcaf42e</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/d97302b0</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>Most leaders believe <strong>multitasking makes them more productive.</strong></p><p><br></p><p>Research suggests the opposite.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode of Lead Smarter, David Kent speaks with leadership strategist Michael de Lisser about the <strong>hidden performance costs of multitasking</strong> — and why focus, communication, and self-awareness are the real leadership accelerators.</p><p><br></p><p>Michael has coached over 500 senior leaders and designed leadership programs for organizations across industries. His work focuses on helping executives strengthen emotional intelligence, communication habits, and leadership effectiveness.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>In this conversation, we discuss:</strong></p><p>• Why multitasking reduces focus and memory</p><p>• The communication skills executives often neglect</p><p>• The “Leadership Core Four” that drives performance</p><p>• How ego and blind spots slow leadership growth</p><p>• Practical ways leaders can retrain their habits</p><p><br></p><p>If you lead teams or organizations in a <strong>world of constant distraction</strong>, this episode will challenge how you think about focus and leadership.</p><p><br></p><p>---------------</p><p>About Michael de Lisser:</p><p>Michael de Lisser is a leadership strategist with more than 25 years of experience designing leadership development programs and coaching senior executives across industries, including healthcare, technology, manufacturing, and government. He has created over 100 custom leadership programs and coached more than 500 leaders, helping them strengthen emotional intelligence, communication skills, and leadership effectiveness. Michael is the co-founder of <strong>de Lisser Leadership Consulting</strong> and the author of <strong>Leadership Accelerators</strong>, a book focused on practical communication skills that drive stronger leadership and results.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>📘 If you want to read Michael's book, Leadership Accelerators, head to: https://bit.ly/LeadershipAccelerators</p><p><br></p><p>🎙️ Learn more from Michael's other featured podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@UCoqVV5QCKzadJNEIP85WsGQ </p><p><br></p><p>🌐 To stay up to date with all of Michael's work, head over to: https://www.delisserconsulting.com/</p><p><br></p><p>---------------</p><p>About the Host</p><p>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p><br></p><p>🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/</p><p>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>Most leaders believe <strong>multitasking makes them more productive.</strong></p><p><br></p><p>Research suggests the opposite.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode of Lead Smarter, David Kent speaks with leadership strategist Michael de Lisser about the <strong>hidden performance costs of multitasking</strong> — and why focus, communication, and self-awareness are the real leadership accelerators.</p><p><br></p><p>Michael has coached over 500 senior leaders and designed leadership programs for organizations across industries. His work focuses on helping executives strengthen emotional intelligence, communication habits, and leadership effectiveness.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>In this conversation, we discuss:</strong></p><p>• Why multitasking reduces focus and memory</p><p>• The communication skills executives often neglect</p><p>• The “Leadership Core Four” that drives performance</p><p>• How ego and blind spots slow leadership growth</p><p>• Practical ways leaders can retrain their habits</p><p><br></p><p>If you lead teams or organizations in a <strong>world of constant distraction</strong>, this episode will challenge how you think about focus and leadership.</p><p><br></p><p>---------------</p><p>About Michael de Lisser:</p><p>Michael de Lisser is a leadership strategist with more than 25 years of experience designing leadership development programs and coaching senior executives across industries, including healthcare, technology, manufacturing, and government. He has created over 100 custom leadership programs and coached more than 500 leaders, helping them strengthen emotional intelligence, communication skills, and leadership effectiveness. Michael is the co-founder of <strong>de Lisser Leadership Consulting</strong> and the author of <strong>Leadership Accelerators</strong>, a book focused on practical communication skills that drive stronger leadership and results.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>📘 If you want to read Michael's book, Leadership Accelerators, head to: https://bit.ly/LeadershipAccelerators</p><p><br></p><p>🎙️ Learn more from Michael's other featured podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@UCoqVV5QCKzadJNEIP85WsGQ </p><p><br></p><p>🌐 To stay up to date with all of Michael's work, head over to: https://www.delisserconsulting.com/</p><p><br></p><p>---------------</p><p>About the Host</p><p>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p><br></p><p>🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/</p><p>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Thu, 12 Mar 2026 11:32:56 -0400</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/d97302b0/c8e86e52.mp3" length="37463119" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/YUfFBQQrrQeXAx5gULjcLBcjZIadaJQNt9S7wMjvIhU/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9kZTRj/N2Y2YTlkYWU0ZmI2/N2U2YTZkNzIzNTMz/ZjY1OC5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>2339</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>Most leaders believe <strong>multitasking makes them more productive.</strong></p><p><br></p><p>Research suggests the opposite.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode of Lead Smarter, David Kent speaks with leadership strategist Michael de Lisser about the <strong>hidden performance costs of multitasking</strong> — and why focus, communication, and self-awareness are the real leadership accelerators.</p><p><br></p><p>Michael has coached over 500 senior leaders and designed leadership programs for organizations across industries. His work focuses on helping executives strengthen emotional intelligence, communication habits, and leadership effectiveness.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>In this conversation, we discuss:</strong></p><p>• Why multitasking reduces focus and memory</p><p>• The communication skills executives often neglect</p><p>• The “Leadership Core Four” that drives performance</p><p>• How ego and blind spots slow leadership growth</p><p>• Practical ways leaders can retrain their habits</p><p><br></p><p>If you lead teams or organizations in a <strong>world of constant distraction</strong>, this episode will challenge how you think about focus and leadership.</p><p><br></p><p>---------------</p><p>About Michael de Lisser:</p><p>Michael de Lisser is a leadership strategist with more than 25 years of experience designing leadership development programs and coaching senior executives across industries, including healthcare, technology, manufacturing, and government. He has created over 100 custom leadership programs and coached more than 500 leaders, helping them strengthen emotional intelligence, communication skills, and leadership effectiveness. Michael is the co-founder of <strong>de Lisser Leadership Consulting</strong> and the author of <strong>Leadership Accelerators</strong>, a book focused on practical communication skills that drive stronger leadership and results.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>📘 If you want to read Michael's book, Leadership Accelerators, head to: https://bit.ly/LeadershipAccelerators</p><p><br></p><p>🎙️ Learn more from Michael's other featured podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@UCoqVV5QCKzadJNEIP85WsGQ </p><p><br></p><p>🌐 To stay up to date with all of Michael's work, head over to: https://www.delisserconsulting.com/</p><p><br></p><p>---------------</p><p>About the Host</p><p>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p><br></p><p>🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/</p><p>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>multitasking brain science, leadership focus, executive productivity, emotional intelligence, leadership communication skills ,energy management ,leadership coaching, focus training, atomic habits, power of full engagement, executive habits, performance psychology, leadership podcast, david kent, michael de lisser</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/d97302b0/transcript.srt" type="application/x-subrip" rel="captions"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Remote Leadership, Delegation &amp; The Power of Vulnerability with Corinna Hagen</title>
      <itunes:episode>15</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>15</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>Remote Leadership, Delegation &amp; The Power of Vulnerability with Corinna Hagen</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">746dea92-8bfd-4e7b-9c9d-0e44ce9ad3b1</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/3c78a812</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>How do you lead a team you can’t see? In this episode of Lead Smarter, David Kent sits down with best-selling author and executive coach Corinna Hagen to debunk the myths of remote management. Corinna shares why many leaders struggle with the "busy-trap" and how to transition from an individual contributor to a high-impact leader through the art of delegation.</p><p>In this episode, you’ll learn:<br>- The "Leadership without Authority" concept and why respect is earned, not assigned.<br>- How to use AI (like ChatGPT) as a training tool for better delegation and prompt engineering.<br>- The importance of self-awareness in building clarity and making confident decisions.<br>- Why over-communication is the essential infrastructure for remote teams.</p><p>About Corinna Hagen:<br>Corinna is the founder of Zaradigm and an award-winning coach who has worked with hundreds of leaders at firms like Microsoft and Airbnb to master high-stakes communication.</p><p>About the Host<br>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p>🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/<br>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>How do you lead a team you can’t see? In this episode of Lead Smarter, David Kent sits down with best-selling author and executive coach Corinna Hagen to debunk the myths of remote management. Corinna shares why many leaders struggle with the "busy-trap" and how to transition from an individual contributor to a high-impact leader through the art of delegation.</p><p>In this episode, you’ll learn:<br>- The "Leadership without Authority" concept and why respect is earned, not assigned.<br>- How to use AI (like ChatGPT) as a training tool for better delegation and prompt engineering.<br>- The importance of self-awareness in building clarity and making confident decisions.<br>- Why over-communication is the essential infrastructure for remote teams.</p><p>About Corinna Hagen:<br>Corinna is the founder of Zaradigm and an award-winning coach who has worked with hundreds of leaders at firms like Microsoft and Airbnb to master high-stakes communication.</p><p>About the Host<br>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p>🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/<br>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Thu, 19 Feb 2026 13:09:48 -0500</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/3c78a812/7728650f.mp3" length="38846191" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/0yuEPTSTUvnaheBktDhZs4H1NagKxlpHENV5GdN4VEI/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9kMTlm/Mzc0YmJmNDUzZDdk/YWQ1OTk4ZjFhMzdm/ZjYxYi5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>2426</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>How do you lead a team you can’t see? In this episode of Lead Smarter, David Kent sits down with best-selling author and executive coach Corinna Hagen to debunk the myths of remote management. Corinna shares why many leaders struggle with the "busy-trap" and how to transition from an individual contributor to a high-impact leader through the art of delegation.</p><p>In this episode, you’ll learn:<br>- The "Leadership without Authority" concept and why respect is earned, not assigned.<br>- How to use AI (like ChatGPT) as a training tool for better delegation and prompt engineering.<br>- The importance of self-awareness in building clarity and making confident decisions.<br>- Why over-communication is the essential infrastructure for remote teams.</p><p>About Corinna Hagen:<br>Corinna is the founder of Zaradigm and an award-winning coach who has worked with hundreds of leaders at firms like Microsoft and Airbnb to master high-stakes communication.</p><p>About the Host<br>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p>🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/<br>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>Remote Leadership,Delegation,Executive Coaching,Lead Smarter Podcast,Corinna Hagen,David Kent,High-Stakes Communication,Leadership Development,Managing Remote Teams,Business Growth.</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/3c78a812/transcript.txt" type="text/plain"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Leadership Void No One Is Talking About (with Kate Anderson Foley)</title>
      <itunes:episode>14</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>14</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>The Leadership Void No One Is Talking About (with Kate Anderson Foley)</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">59dd3c5c-eaab-4eda-b569-f519bec8a8fd</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/5d49d168</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>Leadership gaps don’t usually appear overnight.<br>They form slowly, through burnout, early exits, and systems that promote people faster than they’re prepared to lead.</p><p>In this episode of the Lead Smarter Podcast, I sit down with Kate Anderson Foley, Founder &amp; CEO of a private education and leadership consultancy, to unpack what’s really happening behind today’s leadership void — and why it’s showing up across every sector, not just education.</p><p>Kate brings a rare perspective shaped by work at the district, state, and national policy level, combined with deep experience coaching senior leaders who are navigating volatility, political pressure, and rapid organizational change.</p><p>We talk candidly about:<br>- Why experienced leaders are leaving earlier than expected<br>- The hidden pressure placed on emerging leaders who are promoted too fast<br>- How COVID accelerated leadership gaps instead of creating them<br>- The difference between culture and climate — and why leaders confuse the two<br>- What agile leadership actually means (and what it doesn’t)<br>- Why psychological safety isn’t “soft,” and why trust can’t be mandated<br>- How coaching supports leaders without turning into control or correction<br>- What organizations get wrong about developing and retaining leaders</p><p>This conversation isn’t theoretical.<br>It’s grounded in real systems, real people, and the consequences leaders rarely see until it’s too late.</p><p>If you’re leading a team, stepping into leadership sooner than expected, or responsible for developing leaders inside your organization, this episode will give you language, clarity, and perspective you can actually use.</p><p>00:00 – Why leadership gaps are growing<br>03:40 – COVID, burnout, and early exits<br>07:15 – Emerging leaders promoted too fast<br>11:10 – Why leadership becomes lonely at the top<br>14:45 – What agile leadership really means<br>18:30 – Culture vs climate (and why leaders confuse them)<br>23:00 – Psychological safety and trust in real organizations<br>28:10 – Coaching leaders without creating dependency<br>33:20 – Why feedback often fails new leaders<br>37:50 – Leading closer to the “street level”<br>41:40 – Investing in leaders before they burn out<br>44:10 – Kate’s advice to leaders navigating uncertainty</p><p>About the Host<br>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p>🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/<br>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>Leadership gaps don’t usually appear overnight.<br>They form slowly, through burnout, early exits, and systems that promote people faster than they’re prepared to lead.</p><p>In this episode of the Lead Smarter Podcast, I sit down with Kate Anderson Foley, Founder &amp; CEO of a private education and leadership consultancy, to unpack what’s really happening behind today’s leadership void — and why it’s showing up across every sector, not just education.</p><p>Kate brings a rare perspective shaped by work at the district, state, and national policy level, combined with deep experience coaching senior leaders who are navigating volatility, political pressure, and rapid organizational change.</p><p>We talk candidly about:<br>- Why experienced leaders are leaving earlier than expected<br>- The hidden pressure placed on emerging leaders who are promoted too fast<br>- How COVID accelerated leadership gaps instead of creating them<br>- The difference between culture and climate — and why leaders confuse the two<br>- What agile leadership actually means (and what it doesn’t)<br>- Why psychological safety isn’t “soft,” and why trust can’t be mandated<br>- How coaching supports leaders without turning into control or correction<br>- What organizations get wrong about developing and retaining leaders</p><p>This conversation isn’t theoretical.<br>It’s grounded in real systems, real people, and the consequences leaders rarely see until it’s too late.</p><p>If you’re leading a team, stepping into leadership sooner than expected, or responsible for developing leaders inside your organization, this episode will give you language, clarity, and perspective you can actually use.</p><p>00:00 – Why leadership gaps are growing<br>03:40 – COVID, burnout, and early exits<br>07:15 – Emerging leaders promoted too fast<br>11:10 – Why leadership becomes lonely at the top<br>14:45 – What agile leadership really means<br>18:30 – Culture vs climate (and why leaders confuse them)<br>23:00 – Psychological safety and trust in real organizations<br>28:10 – Coaching leaders without creating dependency<br>33:20 – Why feedback often fails new leaders<br>37:50 – Leading closer to the “street level”<br>41:40 – Investing in leaders before they burn out<br>44:10 – Kate’s advice to leaders navigating uncertainty</p><p>About the Host<br>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p>🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/<br>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 14:03:48 -0500</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/5d49d168/700befc6.mp3" length="44728418" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/N7eZmlrWIE6zCfy9STKYfw7nV8Qh8BbhRXd1zurLwdg/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8zZjk5/NjZjZWM1ZTViOWIz/ZDViNWQzY2MxYmYz/MDg5ZS5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>2793</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>Leadership gaps don’t usually appear overnight.<br>They form slowly, through burnout, early exits, and systems that promote people faster than they’re prepared to lead.</p><p>In this episode of the Lead Smarter Podcast, I sit down with Kate Anderson Foley, Founder &amp; CEO of a private education and leadership consultancy, to unpack what’s really happening behind today’s leadership void — and why it’s showing up across every sector, not just education.</p><p>Kate brings a rare perspective shaped by work at the district, state, and national policy level, combined with deep experience coaching senior leaders who are navigating volatility, political pressure, and rapid organizational change.</p><p>We talk candidly about:<br>- Why experienced leaders are leaving earlier than expected<br>- The hidden pressure placed on emerging leaders who are promoted too fast<br>- How COVID accelerated leadership gaps instead of creating them<br>- The difference between culture and climate — and why leaders confuse the two<br>- What agile leadership actually means (and what it doesn’t)<br>- Why psychological safety isn’t “soft,” and why trust can’t be mandated<br>- How coaching supports leaders without turning into control or correction<br>- What organizations get wrong about developing and retaining leaders</p><p>This conversation isn’t theoretical.<br>It’s grounded in real systems, real people, and the consequences leaders rarely see until it’s too late.</p><p>If you’re leading a team, stepping into leadership sooner than expected, or responsible for developing leaders inside your organization, this episode will give you language, clarity, and perspective you can actually use.</p><p>00:00 – Why leadership gaps are growing<br>03:40 – COVID, burnout, and early exits<br>07:15 – Emerging leaders promoted too fast<br>11:10 – Why leadership becomes lonely at the top<br>14:45 – What agile leadership really means<br>18:30 – Culture vs climate (and why leaders confuse them)<br>23:00 – Psychological safety and trust in real organizations<br>28:10 – Coaching leaders without creating dependency<br>33:20 – Why feedback often fails new leaders<br>37:50 – Leading closer to the “street level”<br>41:40 – Investing in leaders before they burn out<br>44:10 – Kate’s advice to leaders navigating uncertainty</p><p>About the Host<br>David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p><p>🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/<br>🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>Lead Smarter Podcast,leadership development,leadership coaching,agile leadership,psychological safety at work,leadership burnout,emerging leaders,leadership gap,organizational culture,workplace culture,leadership after covid,remote leadership,leadership podcast,modern leadership,leadership skills,trust in leadership,coaching leaders,leadership mindset,team leadership,culture vs climate</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/5d49d168/transcript.txt" type="text/plain"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Startup to Scale-Up: How Founders Must Evolve | Matt Racz</title>
      <itunes:episode>13</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>13</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>Startup to Scale-Up: How Founders Must Evolve | Matt Racz</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">b9e8191e-6594-44b0-84c3-5cd68abab40d</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/d5a51903</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>Scaling a business isn’t just about better systems, more capital, or faster growth.<br>At a certain point, it requires the founder to evolve.</p><p>In this episode of <em>The Lead Smarter Podcast</em>, host <strong>David Kent</strong> sits down with <strong>Matt Racz</strong>, founder of <strong>Founders That Scale</strong>, to unpack one of the most difficult and least discussed phases of business growth: the transition from scrappy startup to scalable company.</p><p>Matt draws from his own experience as a founder and advisor to explain why many businesses stall or collapse just after product–market fit, and why the real constraint is often leadership, not strategy.</p><p>This conversation explores what it actually means to “build a company” rather than just a product, and how founders can step out of survival mode without losing momentum, culture, or purpose.</p><p>I<br>n this episode, we cover:</p><p>• Why what got you early traction won’t sustain growth<br> • How founders unintentionally become the bottleneck<br> • The difference between being a builder and becoming an executive leader<br> • Why slowing down can be the most strategic move forward<br> • How culture and values function as real business infrastructure<br> • What it takes to scale without burning out your people or yourself</p><p>If you’re a founder navigating growth, complexity, or leadership strain, this episode offers clarity, perspective, and practical insight.</p><p>About the Guest</p><p><strong>Matt Racz</strong> is the founder of <strong>Founders That Scale</strong>, where he works with traction-stage founders and leadership teams to help them institutionalize their businesses, strengthen leadership capacity, and scale sustainably.</p><p>Website: https://foundersatscale.com</p><p>LinkedIn: Matthew Racz</p><p>About the Host</p><p><strong>David Kent</strong> is the host of <em>The Lead Smarter Podcast</em>, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>Scaling a business isn’t just about better systems, more capital, or faster growth.<br>At a certain point, it requires the founder to evolve.</p><p>In this episode of <em>The Lead Smarter Podcast</em>, host <strong>David Kent</strong> sits down with <strong>Matt Racz</strong>, founder of <strong>Founders That Scale</strong>, to unpack one of the most difficult and least discussed phases of business growth: the transition from scrappy startup to scalable company.</p><p>Matt draws from his own experience as a founder and advisor to explain why many businesses stall or collapse just after product–market fit, and why the real constraint is often leadership, not strategy.</p><p>This conversation explores what it actually means to “build a company” rather than just a product, and how founders can step out of survival mode without losing momentum, culture, or purpose.</p><p>I<br>n this episode, we cover:</p><p>• Why what got you early traction won’t sustain growth<br> • How founders unintentionally become the bottleneck<br> • The difference between being a builder and becoming an executive leader<br> • Why slowing down can be the most strategic move forward<br> • How culture and values function as real business infrastructure<br> • What it takes to scale without burning out your people or yourself</p><p>If you’re a founder navigating growth, complexity, or leadership strain, this episode offers clarity, perspective, and practical insight.</p><p>About the Guest</p><p><strong>Matt Racz</strong> is the founder of <strong>Founders That Scale</strong>, where he works with traction-stage founders and leadership teams to help them institutionalize their businesses, strengthen leadership capacity, and scale sustainably.</p><p>Website: https://foundersatscale.com</p><p>LinkedIn: Matthew Racz</p><p>About the Host</p><p><strong>David Kent</strong> is the host of <em>The Lead Smarter Podcast</em>, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:39:38 -0500</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/d5a51903/f1ada6aa.mp3" length="38419582" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/7HANZsXARvHoySoezJPaQm17lvy_GHXjoj7IRMAZ6wA/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8wZTE1/OGNiZDYxMTUyNWY1/Y2YzYzYzODU0NGI1/OGFhNC5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>2399</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>Scaling a business isn’t just about better systems, more capital, or faster growth.<br>At a certain point, it requires the founder to evolve.</p><p>In this episode of <em>The Lead Smarter Podcast</em>, host <strong>David Kent</strong> sits down with <strong>Matt Racz</strong>, founder of <strong>Founders That Scale</strong>, to unpack one of the most difficult and least discussed phases of business growth: the transition from scrappy startup to scalable company.</p><p>Matt draws from his own experience as a founder and advisor to explain why many businesses stall or collapse just after product–market fit, and why the real constraint is often leadership, not strategy.</p><p>This conversation explores what it actually means to “build a company” rather than just a product, and how founders can step out of survival mode without losing momentum, culture, or purpose.</p><p>I<br>n this episode, we cover:</p><p>• Why what got you early traction won’t sustain growth<br> • How founders unintentionally become the bottleneck<br> • The difference between being a builder and becoming an executive leader<br> • Why slowing down can be the most strategic move forward<br> • How culture and values function as real business infrastructure<br> • What it takes to scale without burning out your people or yourself</p><p>If you’re a founder navigating growth, complexity, or leadership strain, this episode offers clarity, perspective, and practical insight.</p><p>About the Guest</p><p><strong>Matt Racz</strong> is the founder of <strong>Founders That Scale</strong>, where he works with traction-stage founders and leadership teams to help them institutionalize their businesses, strengthen leadership capacity, and scale sustainably.</p><p>Website: https://foundersatscale.com</p><p>LinkedIn: Matthew Racz</p><p>About the Host</p><p><strong>David Kent</strong> is the host of <em>The Lead Smarter Podcast</em>, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>Lead Smarter Podcast,leadership podcast,founder leadership,startup scaling,scale up leadership,founder evolution,leadership development,business growth,startup to scale up,executive leadership,conscious leadership,startup burnout,leadership mindset,organizational culture,scaling teams,founders at scale,David Kent,Matt Racz</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/d5a51903/transcript.srt" type="application/x-subrip" rel="captions"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Why the Path to Leadership Is Broken</title>
      <itunes:episode>12</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>12</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>Why the Path to Leadership Is Broken</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">0772ff07-6da1-4d12-91ac-58fce7aa23e4</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/216182ba</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>Most people don’t become leaders because they were trained to lead —<br> they become leaders because they were <em>good at the job</em>. And as Kelly Hirn explains, that’s exactly where everything starts to break. </p><p>In this episode of the <strong>Lead Smarter Podcast</strong>, David Kent sits down with leadership coach <strong>Kelly Hirn</strong>, who has spent 20+ years developing leaders across industries — from insurance and construction to education and sales.</p><p>Together they unpack:</p><p><strong>• Why the traditional path to leadership is fundamentally flawed</strong><br> Many leaders rise through performance, not leadership readiness, leading to micromanagement and burnout. </p><p><strong>• The “cheat code” entrepreneurs have — and the trap they fall into</strong><br> Entrepreneurs often understand the vision… yet struggle to communicate it or trust others to carry it out. </p><p><strong>• Why middle managers are the most critical (and overlooked) leaders</strong><br> This layer influences up, down, and sideways — and can make or break organizational alignment. </p><p><strong>• How to lead without knowing how to do the work</strong><br> Kelly shares how <em>not</em> knowing her team’s technical tasks forced her to adopt curiosity, empowerment, and trust — a leadership advantage she still teaches today. </p><p><strong>• How to influence “old-school” leaders</strong><br> Kelly gives real-life examples of coaching leaders who were stuck in outdated top-down norms — and how small wins + objective demonstration can create meaningful change. </p><p><strong>• Why curiosity is the most underrated leadership skill</strong><br> The fastest way to build trust is to stop assuming—and start asking. </p><p>Later in the episode, Kelly reveals the top books she recommends for new and established leaders, including:<br> <strong>Strengths Based Leadership</strong>, <strong>Start With Why</strong>, and <strong>How to Win Friends and Influence People</strong> — a book she has read at least four times. </p><p>Kelly also shares details about her 6-month coaching program and her “Lead With Confidence Challenge” designed for emerging leaders.</p><p>If you’re an entrepreneur, a new manager, or a leader stepping into bigger responsibility… this conversation will shift the way you lead.</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>Most people don’t become leaders because they were trained to lead —<br> they become leaders because they were <em>good at the job</em>. And as Kelly Hirn explains, that’s exactly where everything starts to break. </p><p>In this episode of the <strong>Lead Smarter Podcast</strong>, David Kent sits down with leadership coach <strong>Kelly Hirn</strong>, who has spent 20+ years developing leaders across industries — from insurance and construction to education and sales.</p><p>Together they unpack:</p><p><strong>• Why the traditional path to leadership is fundamentally flawed</strong><br> Many leaders rise through performance, not leadership readiness, leading to micromanagement and burnout. </p><p><strong>• The “cheat code” entrepreneurs have — and the trap they fall into</strong><br> Entrepreneurs often understand the vision… yet struggle to communicate it or trust others to carry it out. </p><p><strong>• Why middle managers are the most critical (and overlooked) leaders</strong><br> This layer influences up, down, and sideways — and can make or break organizational alignment. </p><p><strong>• How to lead without knowing how to do the work</strong><br> Kelly shares how <em>not</em> knowing her team’s technical tasks forced her to adopt curiosity, empowerment, and trust — a leadership advantage she still teaches today. </p><p><strong>• How to influence “old-school” leaders</strong><br> Kelly gives real-life examples of coaching leaders who were stuck in outdated top-down norms — and how small wins + objective demonstration can create meaningful change. </p><p><strong>• Why curiosity is the most underrated leadership skill</strong><br> The fastest way to build trust is to stop assuming—and start asking. </p><p>Later in the episode, Kelly reveals the top books she recommends for new and established leaders, including:<br> <strong>Strengths Based Leadership</strong>, <strong>Start With Why</strong>, and <strong>How to Win Friends and Influence People</strong> — a book she has read at least four times. </p><p>Kelly also shares details about her 6-month coaching program and her “Lead With Confidence Challenge” designed for emerging leaders.</p><p>If you’re an entrepreneur, a new manager, or a leader stepping into bigger responsibility… this conversation will shift the way you lead.</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 05:56:40 -0500</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/216182ba/440ad962.mp3" length="42740140" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/OzyzCtp3q2eSce5vr0ERCp0Erl0txd8kHAU3bNLBsDs/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9jMDJl/MWM5NTFmOTI2MWUz/NDU3YTFlZDFjZTM0/MzMzZi5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>2669</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>Most people don’t become leaders because they were trained to lead —<br> they become leaders because they were <em>good at the job</em>. And as Kelly Hirn explains, that’s exactly where everything starts to break. </p><p>In this episode of the <strong>Lead Smarter Podcast</strong>, David Kent sits down with leadership coach <strong>Kelly Hirn</strong>, who has spent 20+ years developing leaders across industries — from insurance and construction to education and sales.</p><p>Together they unpack:</p><p><strong>• Why the traditional path to leadership is fundamentally flawed</strong><br> Many leaders rise through performance, not leadership readiness, leading to micromanagement and burnout. </p><p><strong>• The “cheat code” entrepreneurs have — and the trap they fall into</strong><br> Entrepreneurs often understand the vision… yet struggle to communicate it or trust others to carry it out. </p><p><strong>• Why middle managers are the most critical (and overlooked) leaders</strong><br> This layer influences up, down, and sideways — and can make or break organizational alignment. </p><p><strong>• How to lead without knowing how to do the work</strong><br> Kelly shares how <em>not</em> knowing her team’s technical tasks forced her to adopt curiosity, empowerment, and trust — a leadership advantage she still teaches today. </p><p><strong>• How to influence “old-school” leaders</strong><br> Kelly gives real-life examples of coaching leaders who were stuck in outdated top-down norms — and how small wins + objective demonstration can create meaningful change. </p><p><strong>• Why curiosity is the most underrated leadership skill</strong><br> The fastest way to build trust is to stop assuming—and start asking. </p><p>Later in the episode, Kelly reveals the top books she recommends for new and established leaders, including:<br> <strong>Strengths Based Leadership</strong>, <strong>Start With Why</strong>, and <strong>How to Win Friends and Influence People</strong> — a book she has read at least four times. </p><p>Kelly also shares details about her 6-month coaching program and her “Lead With Confidence Challenge” designed for emerging leaders.</p><p>If you’re an entrepreneur, a new manager, or a leader stepping into bigger responsibility… this conversation will shift the way you lead.</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>leadership, leadership development, leadership coaching, middle management, modern leadership, management vs leadership, micromanagement, entrepreneurial leadership, team leadership, leadership skills, leadership podcast, people management, organizational leadership, how to influence up, leadership conversation, Lead Smarter Podcast, David Kent, Kelly Hirn</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/216182ba/transcript.txt" type="text/plain"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Hidden Leadership Challenges Inside Law Firms</title>
      <itunes:episode>11</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>11</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>The Hidden Leadership Challenges Inside Law Firms</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">a53db6c2-d41e-43fc-86ee-dd80e510a7b1</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/65d1d214</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p><strong>How do you scale a law firm in an industry built on risk-avoidance?</strong><br> In this episode, David Kent sits down with <strong>Margaret</strong>, award-winning consultant and strategic advisor to law firms, to unpack the leadership challenges leaders face inside the legal industry — from culture and change management to time tracking, operational bottlenecks, and the rise of AI.</p><p>With decades of experience working <em>in</em> firms and now <em>with</em> firms, Margaret shares:</p><ul><li>Why law firms resist change more than other industries</li><li>The three SOPs every growing firm needs: billing, client onboarding, and new-hire onboarding</li><li>How to manage underperformance without harming culture</li><li>The #1 habit that successful hybrid teams share</li><li>Why most managing partners unintentionally become the bottleneck</li><li>How to track non-billable time realistically</li><li>What AI adoption actually looks like inside firms (and why some are banning it entirely)</li><li>Her most important advice for any new managing partner on day one</li></ul><p>Margaret also reveals the biggest lessons she’d tell her younger self, the leadership books she recommends ("Buy Back Your Time"), and what she’s building next inside her consultancy.</p><p>If you lead a team — legal or not — this conversation will change how you think about time, people, and scaling.</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p><strong>How do you scale a law firm in an industry built on risk-avoidance?</strong><br> In this episode, David Kent sits down with <strong>Margaret</strong>, award-winning consultant and strategic advisor to law firms, to unpack the leadership challenges leaders face inside the legal industry — from culture and change management to time tracking, operational bottlenecks, and the rise of AI.</p><p>With decades of experience working <em>in</em> firms and now <em>with</em> firms, Margaret shares:</p><ul><li>Why law firms resist change more than other industries</li><li>The three SOPs every growing firm needs: billing, client onboarding, and new-hire onboarding</li><li>How to manage underperformance without harming culture</li><li>The #1 habit that successful hybrid teams share</li><li>Why most managing partners unintentionally become the bottleneck</li><li>How to track non-billable time realistically</li><li>What AI adoption actually looks like inside firms (and why some are banning it entirely)</li><li>Her most important advice for any new managing partner on day one</li></ul><p>Margaret also reveals the biggest lessons she’d tell her younger self, the leadership books she recommends ("Buy Back Your Time"), and what she’s building next inside her consultancy.</p><p>If you lead a team — legal or not — this conversation will change how you think about time, people, and scaling.</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Fri, 21 Nov 2025 18:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/65d1d214/854f8791.mp3" length="37510385" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/S8p2SCZ1Zb7MZkoMoE11HrHkOboxYV_BctSQoT_VznI/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS85NmY4/MjAzNTc5OTM4ZTc0/MTExMzJmZjAwYzk5/ZmU5Ni5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>2342</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p><strong>How do you scale a law firm in an industry built on risk-avoidance?</strong><br> In this episode, David Kent sits down with <strong>Margaret</strong>, award-winning consultant and strategic advisor to law firms, to unpack the leadership challenges leaders face inside the legal industry — from culture and change management to time tracking, operational bottlenecks, and the rise of AI.</p><p>With decades of experience working <em>in</em> firms and now <em>with</em> firms, Margaret shares:</p><ul><li>Why law firms resist change more than other industries</li><li>The three SOPs every growing firm needs: billing, client onboarding, and new-hire onboarding</li><li>How to manage underperformance without harming culture</li><li>The #1 habit that successful hybrid teams share</li><li>Why most managing partners unintentionally become the bottleneck</li><li>How to track non-billable time realistically</li><li>What AI adoption actually looks like inside firms (and why some are banning it entirely)</li><li>Her most important advice for any new managing partner on day one</li></ul><p>Margaret also reveals the biggest lessons she’d tell her younger self, the leadership books she recommends ("Buy Back Your Time"), and what she’s building next inside her consultancy.</p><p>If you lead a team — legal or not — this conversation will change how you think about time, people, and scaling.</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>law firm leadership, legal industry operations, managing partners, law firm scaling, legal consulting, law firm management, hybrid team leadership, change management legal, AI in law firms, legal ops, leadership podcast, time tracking law firms, buy back your time, david kent podcast, lead smarter podcast, culture in law firms, professional services leadership, legal billing systems, SOPs for law firms, law firm efficiency</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/65d1d214/transcript.srt" type="application/x-subrip" rel="captions"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>How Confident Leaders Think, Backed by Brain Science.</title>
      <itunes:episode>10</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>10</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>How Confident Leaders Think, Backed by Brain Science.</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">4840c8ad-96d4-421b-8afc-4e6d77d8ea9c</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/4e4fe614</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p><strong>Confidence isn’t a trait, it’s a choice.</strong><br> David Kent and <strong>Alyssa Dver</strong>, CEO of the American Confidence Institute, unpack the neuroscience of confidence, the fears that sabotage it, and why great leaders build confidence by giving it away.</p><p>#LeadSmarterPodcast #Leadership #Confidence #AlyssaDver</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p><strong>Confidence isn’t a trait, it’s a choice.</strong><br> David Kent and <strong>Alyssa Dver</strong>, CEO of the American Confidence Institute, unpack the neuroscience of confidence, the fears that sabotage it, and why great leaders build confidence by giving it away.</p><p>#LeadSmarterPodcast #Leadership #Confidence #AlyssaDver</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2025 04:47:00 -0500</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/4e4fe614/ebed053b.mp3" length="37162142" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/G9twcpZpfP_72qLWHCI-eaGeDWJzmzb222m5FF964fE/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9lZTEy/YzkxZmI4MDY5ZGVk/YjUzZTc4NjcwNGIx/ZjYyOC5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>2320</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p><strong>Confidence isn’t a trait, it’s a choice.</strong><br> David Kent and <strong>Alyssa Dver</strong>, CEO of the American Confidence Institute, unpack the neuroscience of confidence, the fears that sabotage it, and why great leaders build confidence by giving it away.</p><p>#LeadSmarterPodcast #Leadership #Confidence #AlyssaDver</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>eadership confidence, neuroscience of confidence, emotional intelligence, confident leadership, confidence training, how to build confidence, imposter syndrome, leadership growth, neuroscience leadership</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/4e4fe614/transcript.srt" type="application/x-subrip" rel="captions"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Stop Being a Jekyll &amp; Hyde Leader</title>
      <itunes:episode>9</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>9</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>Stop Being a Jekyll &amp; Hyde Leader</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">ca2fad1a-de14-4142-8df0-ca060e74c9b0</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/4fd9405d</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>Leadership isn’t hard because you lack strategy; it’s hard because you’re managing people, expectations, and your own self-doubt.</p><p>In this episode of Lead Smarter, host David Kent sits down with Aleta Maxwell, CEO, CHRO, best-selling author, and leadership coach, to dive into the real challenges leaders face, and how to navigate them with clarity and confidence.</p><p>Aleta works with high-achieving female executives who feel like they’re carrying it all:</p><p>- The impostor syndrome before big meetings<br>- The frustration of repeating expectations<br>- The constant time crunch<br>- The awkwardness of holding people accountable without damaging relationships<br>- Through her company, Uplifting Leadership, Aleta equips leaders with simple, effective strategies to build high-performing, drama-free teams while reclaiming their time and confidence.</p><p>You’ll learn:<br>✔️ Clear, actionable communication strategies<br>✔️ Practical tools to silence impostor syndrome<br>✔️ Frameworks for healthy accountability that strengthen relationships<br>✔️ Time management approaches that actually work for leaders</p><p>With over 20 years of experience leading large, fast-paced organizations — scaling one from 3 to 22 locations and $4M to $62M in revenue — Aleta now empowers executives across industries to lead with alignment, intention, and curiosity.</p><p>🔔 Subscribe for more leadership insights every week.<br>👍 Like this episode if you’ve ever felt the weight of leadership on your shoulders.<br>📝 Drop a comment: What’s the hardest part of leadership for you right now?</p><p>New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe to Lead Smarter for honest, expert conversations that help you lead with clarity, confidence, and humanity.</p><p>🌐 https://leadsmarterpod.com/</p><p>📌 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lead-smarter/?viewAsMember=true</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>Leadership isn’t hard because you lack strategy; it’s hard because you’re managing people, expectations, and your own self-doubt.</p><p>In this episode of Lead Smarter, host David Kent sits down with Aleta Maxwell, CEO, CHRO, best-selling author, and leadership coach, to dive into the real challenges leaders face, and how to navigate them with clarity and confidence.</p><p>Aleta works with high-achieving female executives who feel like they’re carrying it all:</p><p>- The impostor syndrome before big meetings<br>- The frustration of repeating expectations<br>- The constant time crunch<br>- The awkwardness of holding people accountable without damaging relationships<br>- Through her company, Uplifting Leadership, Aleta equips leaders with simple, effective strategies to build high-performing, drama-free teams while reclaiming their time and confidence.</p><p>You’ll learn:<br>✔️ Clear, actionable communication strategies<br>✔️ Practical tools to silence impostor syndrome<br>✔️ Frameworks for healthy accountability that strengthen relationships<br>✔️ Time management approaches that actually work for leaders</p><p>With over 20 years of experience leading large, fast-paced organizations — scaling one from 3 to 22 locations and $4M to $62M in revenue — Aleta now empowers executives across industries to lead with alignment, intention, and curiosity.</p><p>🔔 Subscribe for more leadership insights every week.<br>👍 Like this episode if you’ve ever felt the weight of leadership on your shoulders.<br>📝 Drop a comment: What’s the hardest part of leadership for you right now?</p><p>New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe to Lead Smarter for honest, expert conversations that help you lead with clarity, confidence, and humanity.</p><p>🌐 https://leadsmarterpod.com/</p><p>📌 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lead-smarter/?viewAsMember=true</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Thu, 23 Oct 2025 04:34:49 -0400</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/4fd9405d/94e0d685.mp3" length="25807524" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/5xrbGQCNWPSVLtH_8ns_YhkZLjhTQDg8ENdymnZoCaM/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS85MWM0/OTY5NDY1NDg0ZTU3/ZWM0MTEyZGQxODc0/NzhmNi5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>1611</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>Leadership isn’t hard because you lack strategy; it’s hard because you’re managing people, expectations, and your own self-doubt.</p><p>In this episode of Lead Smarter, host David Kent sits down with Aleta Maxwell, CEO, CHRO, best-selling author, and leadership coach, to dive into the real challenges leaders face, and how to navigate them with clarity and confidence.</p><p>Aleta works with high-achieving female executives who feel like they’re carrying it all:</p><p>- The impostor syndrome before big meetings<br>- The frustration of repeating expectations<br>- The constant time crunch<br>- The awkwardness of holding people accountable without damaging relationships<br>- Through her company, Uplifting Leadership, Aleta equips leaders with simple, effective strategies to build high-performing, drama-free teams while reclaiming their time and confidence.</p><p>You’ll learn:<br>✔️ Clear, actionable communication strategies<br>✔️ Practical tools to silence impostor syndrome<br>✔️ Frameworks for healthy accountability that strengthen relationships<br>✔️ Time management approaches that actually work for leaders</p><p>With over 20 years of experience leading large, fast-paced organizations — scaling one from 3 to 22 locations and $4M to $62M in revenue — Aleta now empowers executives across industries to lead with alignment, intention, and curiosity.</p><p>🔔 Subscribe for more leadership insights every week.<br>👍 Like this episode if you’ve ever felt the weight of leadership on your shoulders.<br>📝 Drop a comment: What’s the hardest part of leadership for you right now?</p><p>New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe to Lead Smarter for honest, expert conversations that help you lead with clarity, confidence, and humanity.</p><p>🌐 https://leadsmarterpod.com/</p><p>📌 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lead-smarter/?viewAsMember=true</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>#leadership,#leadsmarter,#aletamaxwell,#executivecoaching,#difficultconversations,#servantleadership,#management,#leadershipdevelopment,#workculture,#intentionalleadership,#leadershipskills,#humanresources,#coaching</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/4fd9405d/transcript.srt" type="application/x-subrip" rel="captions"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Leadership Lie: Why Managing People Doesn’t Work</title>
      <itunes:episode>8</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>8</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>The Leadership Lie: Why Managing People Doesn’t Work</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">0e67d2e3-dd8e-4436-865d-cca400975300</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/539fba3f</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>Leadership and management are not the same, and according to Chuck Blakeman, they don’t even belong in the same room.</p><p>In this episode of Lead Smarter, host David Kent sits down with serial entrepreneur, best-selling author, and leadership renegade Chuck Blakeman to challenge one of the most deeply held assumptions in business today: that managing people makes them more productive. Spoiler: It doesn’t.</p><p>Chuck shares powerful stories, surprising data, and real-life examples from companies around the world (including Google, GE, and a tomato paste empire) that are thriving without traditional managers, and thriving because of it.</p><p>You’ll learn:<br>Why management was built on the belief that people are stupid and lazy<br>How to replace managers with distributed decision-making<br>The difference between managing stuff and leading people<br>Why the most organized, efficient companies often have no hierarchy<br>The leadership principles that scale from 5 to 50,000+ people</p><p>📚 Chuck’s latest book: Sell Less, Earn More<br>📘 Also mentioned: Re-HUMAN-izing the Workplace by Giving Everybody Their Brain Back</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>Leadership and management are not the same, and according to Chuck Blakeman, they don’t even belong in the same room.</p><p>In this episode of Lead Smarter, host David Kent sits down with serial entrepreneur, best-selling author, and leadership renegade Chuck Blakeman to challenge one of the most deeply held assumptions in business today: that managing people makes them more productive. Spoiler: It doesn’t.</p><p>Chuck shares powerful stories, surprising data, and real-life examples from companies around the world (including Google, GE, and a tomato paste empire) that are thriving without traditional managers, and thriving because of it.</p><p>You’ll learn:<br>Why management was built on the belief that people are stupid and lazy<br>How to replace managers with distributed decision-making<br>The difference between managing stuff and leading people<br>Why the most organized, efficient companies often have no hierarchy<br>The leadership principles that scale from 5 to 50,000+ people</p><p>📚 Chuck’s latest book: Sell Less, Earn More<br>📘 Also mentioned: Re-HUMAN-izing the Workplace by Giving Everybody Their Brain Back</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 Oct 2025 08:42:14 -0400</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/539fba3f/3c24f09b.mp3" length="32843306" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/r2gRyRSgH8s6KCWH_9KbDbNlJz1RvK-cPVvry1TD_Eo/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8xZjFk/NmFlMzk1NWJhZmRh/OWM5NTU3YTEyNTNm/ZWQ2Mi5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>2051</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>Leadership and management are not the same, and according to Chuck Blakeman, they don’t even belong in the same room.</p><p>In this episode of Lead Smarter, host David Kent sits down with serial entrepreneur, best-selling author, and leadership renegade Chuck Blakeman to challenge one of the most deeply held assumptions in business today: that managing people makes them more productive. Spoiler: It doesn’t.</p><p>Chuck shares powerful stories, surprising data, and real-life examples from companies around the world (including Google, GE, and a tomato paste empire) that are thriving without traditional managers, and thriving because of it.</p><p>You’ll learn:<br>Why management was built on the belief that people are stupid and lazy<br>How to replace managers with distributed decision-making<br>The difference between managing stuff and leading people<br>Why the most organized, efficient companies often have no hierarchy<br>The leadership principles that scale from 5 to 50,000+ people</p><p>📚 Chuck’s latest book: Sell Less, Earn More<br>📘 Also mentioned: Re-HUMAN-izing the Workplace by Giving Everybody Their Brain Back</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>leadership vs management,chuck blakeman,lead smarter podcast,distributed decision making,managerless companies,leadership strategies,team empowerment,leadership podcast,give people their brain back,workplace culture,team autonomy,scaling leadership,business strategy</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/539fba3f/transcript.srt" type="application/x-subrip" rel="captions"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Truth About Managing Remote Teams in 2025</title>
      <itunes:episode>7</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>7</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>The Truth About Managing Remote Teams in 2025</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">37a94bfc-4f55-447e-aa70-3e3258ef5617</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/c1ad90db</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁, 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘁.<br>This show exists for one reason: to have real conversations with people who are actively reshaping what leadership looks like in today’s world of work. No fluff. No corporate-speak. Just straight talk from the people in the trenches.</p><p>In this debut episode, David sits down with Jaime Klein, CEO of Inspire Human Resources, to unpack what’s really happening behind the buzzwords of fractional work, remote leadership, and the return-to-office wave sweeping across major industries.</p><p>Jaime has been ahead of the curve since 2007, building remote-first, fractional HR teams long before it was trendy. In this episode, she and David dig into:<br>  • Why fractional roles are exploding (and why they work)<br>  • What most companies are still getting wrong about remote work<br>  • How proximity bias is quietly undermining DEI efforts<br>  • Why AI in HR isn’t hype, it’s already happening<br>  • How to give better feedback and hold harder conversations, remotely<br>  • What must leaders do to build real trust, cohesion, and culture?<br>  • Why hybrid models require more intentionality than ever before<br>  • And yes, why having fun for fun’s sake still matters</p><p>Discover Inspire Human Resources- <a href="https://www.inspirehumanresources.com/">https://www.inspirehumanresources.com/</a></p><p>If you're a leader, founder, people manager, or just someone trying to navigate the constantly shifting terrain of modern work, this conversation will change how you think about your team, your culture, and your role as a leader.</p><p>New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe to Lead Smarter for honest, expert conversations that help you lead with clarity, confidence, and humanity.</p><p><a href="https://leadsmarterpod.com/">https://leadsmarterpod.com/</a></p><p>Find us on YouTube: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/@LeadSmarterPodcast">www.youtube.com/@LeadSmarterPodcast</a><br>Connect on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/lead-smarter/?viewAsMember=true">https://www.linkedin.com/company/lead-smarter/?viewAsMember=true</a></p><p><br>00:00 - Navigating Fractional Work in HR</p><p>02:52 - The Evolution of Remote Work</p><p>05:46 - Challenges and Opportunities in Remote Leadership</p><p>08:57 -The Dynamics of In-Person vs Remote Work</p><p>11:53 -Managing Difficult Conversations Remotely</p><p>14:54 - The Future of Hybrid Work Models</p><p>18:05 - The Role of AI in HR</p><p>21:08 - Proximity Bias and DEI in Remote Work</p><p>24:05 - Advice for Future Leaders</p><p>26:55 - Book Recommendations and Closing Thoughts</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁, 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘁.<br>This show exists for one reason: to have real conversations with people who are actively reshaping what leadership looks like in today’s world of work. No fluff. No corporate-speak. Just straight talk from the people in the trenches.</p><p>In this debut episode, David sits down with Jaime Klein, CEO of Inspire Human Resources, to unpack what’s really happening behind the buzzwords of fractional work, remote leadership, and the return-to-office wave sweeping across major industries.</p><p>Jaime has been ahead of the curve since 2007, building remote-first, fractional HR teams long before it was trendy. In this episode, she and David dig into:<br>  • Why fractional roles are exploding (and why they work)<br>  • What most companies are still getting wrong about remote work<br>  • How proximity bias is quietly undermining DEI efforts<br>  • Why AI in HR isn’t hype, it’s already happening<br>  • How to give better feedback and hold harder conversations, remotely<br>  • What must leaders do to build real trust, cohesion, and culture?<br>  • Why hybrid models require more intentionality than ever before<br>  • And yes, why having fun for fun’s sake still matters</p><p>Discover Inspire Human Resources- <a href="https://www.inspirehumanresources.com/">https://www.inspirehumanresources.com/</a></p><p>If you're a leader, founder, people manager, or just someone trying to navigate the constantly shifting terrain of modern work, this conversation will change how you think about your team, your culture, and your role as a leader.</p><p>New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe to Lead Smarter for honest, expert conversations that help you lead with clarity, confidence, and humanity.</p><p><a href="https://leadsmarterpod.com/">https://leadsmarterpod.com/</a></p><p>Find us on YouTube: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/@LeadSmarterPodcast">www.youtube.com/@LeadSmarterPodcast</a><br>Connect on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/lead-smarter/?viewAsMember=true">https://www.linkedin.com/company/lead-smarter/?viewAsMember=true</a></p><p><br>00:00 - Navigating Fractional Work in HR</p><p>02:52 - The Evolution of Remote Work</p><p>05:46 - Challenges and Opportunities in Remote Leadership</p><p>08:57 -The Dynamics of In-Person vs Remote Work</p><p>11:53 -Managing Difficult Conversations Remotely</p><p>14:54 - The Future of Hybrid Work Models</p><p>18:05 - The Role of AI in HR</p><p>21:08 - Proximity Bias and DEI in Remote Work</p><p>24:05 - Advice for Future Leaders</p><p>26:55 - Book Recommendations and Closing Thoughts</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2025 15:43:20 -0400</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/c1ad90db/8172cbd4.mp3" length="38698628" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/iG0hsb7LvdobH77cuekohVe7AesY5EB4M0hVZdnrPx8/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8wMWQw/MmM1MjkzMTcyZGQy/MDRiMWViNWEwMTNm/NzJhZS5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>2417</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁, 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘁.<br>This show exists for one reason: to have real conversations with people who are actively reshaping what leadership looks like in today’s world of work. No fluff. No corporate-speak. Just straight talk from the people in the trenches.</p><p>In this debut episode, David sits down with Jaime Klein, CEO of Inspire Human Resources, to unpack what’s really happening behind the buzzwords of fractional work, remote leadership, and the return-to-office wave sweeping across major industries.</p><p>Jaime has been ahead of the curve since 2007, building remote-first, fractional HR teams long before it was trendy. In this episode, she and David dig into:<br>  • Why fractional roles are exploding (and why they work)<br>  • What most companies are still getting wrong about remote work<br>  • How proximity bias is quietly undermining DEI efforts<br>  • Why AI in HR isn’t hype, it’s already happening<br>  • How to give better feedback and hold harder conversations, remotely<br>  • What must leaders do to build real trust, cohesion, and culture?<br>  • Why hybrid models require more intentionality than ever before<br>  • And yes, why having fun for fun’s sake still matters</p><p>Discover Inspire Human Resources- <a href="https://www.inspirehumanresources.com/">https://www.inspirehumanresources.com/</a></p><p>If you're a leader, founder, people manager, or just someone trying to navigate the constantly shifting terrain of modern work, this conversation will change how you think about your team, your culture, and your role as a leader.</p><p>New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe to Lead Smarter for honest, expert conversations that help you lead with clarity, confidence, and humanity.</p><p><a href="https://leadsmarterpod.com/">https://leadsmarterpod.com/</a></p><p>Find us on YouTube: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/@LeadSmarterPodcast">www.youtube.com/@LeadSmarterPodcast</a><br>Connect on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/lead-smarter/?viewAsMember=true">https://www.linkedin.com/company/lead-smarter/?viewAsMember=true</a></p><p><br>00:00 - Navigating Fractional Work in HR</p><p>02:52 - The Evolution of Remote Work</p><p>05:46 - Challenges and Opportunities in Remote Leadership</p><p>08:57 -The Dynamics of In-Person vs Remote Work</p><p>11:53 -Managing Difficult Conversations Remotely</p><p>14:54 - The Future of Hybrid Work Models</p><p>18:05 - The Role of AI in HR</p><p>21:08 - Proximity Bias and DEI in Remote Work</p><p>24:05 - Advice for Future Leaders</p><p>26:55 - Book Recommendations and Closing Thoughts</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>fractional work, remote leadership, hybrid work, ai in hr, proximity bias, remote work, leadership strategies, managing remote teams, employee experience, HR trends, workplace dynamics, DEI, fractional HR, inspire human resources, david kent, lead smarter podcast, future of work, people-first leadership, HR innovation, ai tools in hr, team management, work culture 2025, performance reviews ai, effective leadership, workplace inclusion, modern hr strategy</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/c1ad90db/transcript.txt" type="text/plain"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Power of Storytelling in Branding Ft Nik Greenblatt</title>
      <itunes:episode>6</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>6</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>The Power of Storytelling in Branding Ft Nik Greenblatt</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">e71ffc64-d549-4bf1-b0d2-fd01813a12ed</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/76dae22b</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>See if we can help you: <a href="https://leadershiplens.club/podcast">https://leadershiplens.club/podcast</a></p><p>Summary</p><p>Nik Greenblatt shares his leadership journey and experiences in building his own business, from being a sponsored snowboarder to founding Defy. He started his career in snowboarding and then pursued studies in photography and graphic design. He founded his first company with his father and later started 2ONE5 Creative, which eventually became Defy. The agency focuses on looking at things through a defiant lens and helping brands stand out. Nik discusses the challenges of working with luxury brands and the importance of storytelling in branding. He emphasizes the value of branding for startups and the impact it can have on their valuation and acquisition potential. In this conversation, Nik Greenblatt discusses the importance of storytelling and brand lines in marketing. He shares his experience working with a Maverick CEO and how their vision inspired him to expand outside of his core client base. Nik also talks about his personal branding journey and the value of sharing personal stories and opinions on platforms like LinkedIn. He emphasizes the importance of learning from mistakes, embracing change, and investing in presentation skills. Finally, Nik encourages leaders to ask for help, be open to different perspectives, and invest in people who complement their core.</p><p>Keywords</p><p>leadership journey, building a business, snowboarding, photography, graphic design, branding, luxury brands, storytelling, startups, valuation, acquisition, storytelling, brand lines, marketing, Maverick CEO, personal branding, opinions, AI, presentation skills, learning from mistakes, change, investing in people</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>See if we can help you: <a href="https://leadershiplens.club/podcast">https://leadershiplens.club/podcast</a></p><p>Summary</p><p>Nik Greenblatt shares his leadership journey and experiences in building his own business, from being a sponsored snowboarder to founding Defy. He started his career in snowboarding and then pursued studies in photography and graphic design. He founded his first company with his father and later started 2ONE5 Creative, which eventually became Defy. The agency focuses on looking at things through a defiant lens and helping brands stand out. Nik discusses the challenges of working with luxury brands and the importance of storytelling in branding. He emphasizes the value of branding for startups and the impact it can have on their valuation and acquisition potential. In this conversation, Nik Greenblatt discusses the importance of storytelling and brand lines in marketing. He shares his experience working with a Maverick CEO and how their vision inspired him to expand outside of his core client base. Nik also talks about his personal branding journey and the value of sharing personal stories and opinions on platforms like LinkedIn. He emphasizes the importance of learning from mistakes, embracing change, and investing in presentation skills. Finally, Nik encourages leaders to ask for help, be open to different perspectives, and invest in people who complement their core.</p><p>Keywords</p><p>leadership journey, building a business, snowboarding, photography, graphic design, branding, luxury brands, storytelling, startups, valuation, acquisition, storytelling, brand lines, marketing, Maverick CEO, personal branding, opinions, AI, presentation skills, learning from mistakes, change, investing in people</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/76dae22b/2792bd9e.mp3" length="54656133" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/XqSgF3dMONAtXDsDsn9xAyUaZyajg5WoDap1juXfR6M/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8xMmJi/M2E1NTk1YmQxOWM0/MWMwZDYyYTk1Nzk4/N2RiZi5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>3413</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>See if we can help you: <a href="https://leadershiplens.club/podcast">https://leadershiplens.club/podcast</a></p><p>Summary</p><p>Nik Greenblatt shares his leadership journey and experiences in building his own business, from being a sponsored snowboarder to founding Defy. He started his career in snowboarding and then pursued studies in photography and graphic design. He founded his first company with his father and later started 2ONE5 Creative, which eventually became Defy. The agency focuses on looking at things through a defiant lens and helping brands stand out. Nik discusses the challenges of working with luxury brands and the importance of storytelling in branding. He emphasizes the value of branding for startups and the impact it can have on their valuation and acquisition potential. In this conversation, Nik Greenblatt discusses the importance of storytelling and brand lines in marketing. He shares his experience working with a Maverick CEO and how their vision inspired him to expand outside of his core client base. Nik also talks about his personal branding journey and the value of sharing personal stories and opinions on platforms like LinkedIn. He emphasizes the importance of learning from mistakes, embracing change, and investing in presentation skills. Finally, Nik encourages leaders to ask for help, be open to different perspectives, and invest in people who complement their core.</p><p>Keywords</p><p>leadership journey, building a business, snowboarding, photography, graphic design, branding, luxury brands, storytelling, startups, valuation, acquisition, storytelling, brand lines, marketing, Maverick CEO, personal branding, opinions, AI, presentation skills, learning from mistakes, change, investing in people</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>leadership journey, building a business, snowboarding, photography, graphic design, branding, luxury brands, storytelling, startups, valuation, acquisition, storytelling, brand lines, marketing, Maverick CEO, personal branding, opinions, AI, presentation skills, learning from mistakes, change, investing in people</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/76dae22b/transcript.srt" type="application/x-subrip" rel="captions"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Embracing Iteration and Learning in the Digital Space Ft Dela Quist</title>
      <itunes:episode>5</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>5</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>Embracing Iteration and Learning in the Digital Space Ft Dela Quist</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">e990a426-8637-477f-8613-55dca3c753f8</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/cfea3b54</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>See if we can help you: <a href="https://leadershiplens.club/podcast">https://leadershiplens.club/podcast</a></p><p>Summary</p><p>Dela Quist shares his background and journey to becoming a thought leader in the space of email and digital marketing. He emphasizes the importance of being flexible and open to opportunities in a rapidly changing world. Dela discusses his experience in the media and publishing industry, where he learned the value of eyeballs and the impact of list quality. He also highlights the transition to the digital space and the potential of email marketing. Dela encourages a mindset of iteration and learning from every experience, rather than striving for perfection. He also discusses the challenges of selling agency services and providing advisory support to clients. Dela Quist offers advice on career choices and business development in the digital marketing space. He emphasizes the importance of understanding one's strengths and preferences before deciding on a career path. Quist also discusses the challenges of managing people and the need for delegation. He encourages individuals to tap into their own power and make decisions based on their own desires and goals. Quist shares his experience in helping startups and people at various stages of their careers, offering valuable insights and guidance. He highlights the importance of storytelling and differentiation in business development and marketing. Quist also mentions his ability to communicate effectively and paint pictures in people's minds, making him a valuable advisor for startups and digital marketers.</p><p>Keywords</p><p>email marketing, digital marketing, media, publishing, flexibility, opportunities, iteration, learning, agency services, advisory support, career choices, business development, digital marketing, strengths, preferences, managing people, delegation, tap into your own power, storytelling, differentiation, startups, guidance, communication</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>See if we can help you: <a href="https://leadershiplens.club/podcast">https://leadershiplens.club/podcast</a></p><p>Summary</p><p>Dela Quist shares his background and journey to becoming a thought leader in the space of email and digital marketing. He emphasizes the importance of being flexible and open to opportunities in a rapidly changing world. Dela discusses his experience in the media and publishing industry, where he learned the value of eyeballs and the impact of list quality. He also highlights the transition to the digital space and the potential of email marketing. Dela encourages a mindset of iteration and learning from every experience, rather than striving for perfection. He also discusses the challenges of selling agency services and providing advisory support to clients. Dela Quist offers advice on career choices and business development in the digital marketing space. He emphasizes the importance of understanding one's strengths and preferences before deciding on a career path. Quist also discusses the challenges of managing people and the need for delegation. He encourages individuals to tap into their own power and make decisions based on their own desires and goals. Quist shares his experience in helping startups and people at various stages of their careers, offering valuable insights and guidance. He highlights the importance of storytelling and differentiation in business development and marketing. Quist also mentions his ability to communicate effectively and paint pictures in people's minds, making him a valuable advisor for startups and digital marketers.</p><p>Keywords</p><p>email marketing, digital marketing, media, publishing, flexibility, opportunities, iteration, learning, agency services, advisory support, career choices, business development, digital marketing, strengths, preferences, managing people, delegation, tap into your own power, storytelling, differentiation, startups, guidance, communication</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Wed, 21 Aug 2024 13:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/cfea3b54/2cc5841f.mp3" length="59682748" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/20acqE3DD8sNaXiME3PvdJmEo3aklAzgpcsbSh6Wt-8/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8wOGE2/N2E3OWJkNWU4NmQ2/N2M2NmE0MTZjNjNl/MTM0NS5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>3728</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>See if we can help you: <a href="https://leadershiplens.club/podcast">https://leadershiplens.club/podcast</a></p><p>Summary</p><p>Dela Quist shares his background and journey to becoming a thought leader in the space of email and digital marketing. He emphasizes the importance of being flexible and open to opportunities in a rapidly changing world. Dela discusses his experience in the media and publishing industry, where he learned the value of eyeballs and the impact of list quality. He also highlights the transition to the digital space and the potential of email marketing. Dela encourages a mindset of iteration and learning from every experience, rather than striving for perfection. He also discusses the challenges of selling agency services and providing advisory support to clients. Dela Quist offers advice on career choices and business development in the digital marketing space. He emphasizes the importance of understanding one's strengths and preferences before deciding on a career path. Quist also discusses the challenges of managing people and the need for delegation. He encourages individuals to tap into their own power and make decisions based on their own desires and goals. Quist shares his experience in helping startups and people at various stages of their careers, offering valuable insights and guidance. He highlights the importance of storytelling and differentiation in business development and marketing. Quist also mentions his ability to communicate effectively and paint pictures in people's minds, making him a valuable advisor for startups and digital marketers.</p><p>Keywords</p><p>email marketing, digital marketing, media, publishing, flexibility, opportunities, iteration, learning, agency services, advisory support, career choices, business development, digital marketing, strengths, preferences, managing people, delegation, tap into your own power, storytelling, differentiation, startups, guidance, communication</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>email marketing, digital marketing, media, publishing, flexibility, opportunities, iteration, learning, agency services, advisory support, career choices, business development, digital marketing, strengths, preferences, managing people, delegation, tap into your own power, storytelling, differentiation, startups, guidance, communication</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/cfea3b54/transcript.srt" type="application/x-subrip" rel="captions"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Navigating the Emotional Roller Coaster of Entrepreneurship Ft Alec Parower</title>
      <itunes:episode>4</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>4</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>Navigating the Emotional Roller Coaster of Entrepreneurship Ft Alec Parower</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">c8af48cb-5dd7-46ef-8a22-1d9a464eb436</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/86ef66ab</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>See if we can help you: <a href="https://leadershiplens.club/podcast">https://leadershiplens.club/podcast</a></p><p>Summary</p><p>Alec Parower, CEO and co-founder of Fieldhouse, shares his leadership journey and the problem he's solving in the sports and health tech industry. He discusses his personal experience with injuries and the lack of integrated and actionable insights from various health and fitness devices. Parower explains how Fieldhouse centralizes and normalizes data from different digital training tools to provide personalized and actionable insights to athletes. He also talks about the challenges of raising capital and the importance of building the right team. The launch of Fieldhouse is planned for Thanksgiving, with partnerships in place to onboard approximately 500,000 users.</p><p>Keywords</p><p>Alec Parower, Fieldhouse, sports tech, health tech, data aggregation, personalized insights, raising capital, building a team, launch, partnerships</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>See if we can help you: <a href="https://leadershiplens.club/podcast">https://leadershiplens.club/podcast</a></p><p>Summary</p><p>Alec Parower, CEO and co-founder of Fieldhouse, shares his leadership journey and the problem he's solving in the sports and health tech industry. He discusses his personal experience with injuries and the lack of integrated and actionable insights from various health and fitness devices. Parower explains how Fieldhouse centralizes and normalizes data from different digital training tools to provide personalized and actionable insights to athletes. He also talks about the challenges of raising capital and the importance of building the right team. The launch of Fieldhouse is planned for Thanksgiving, with partnerships in place to onboard approximately 500,000 users.</p><p>Keywords</p><p>Alec Parower, Fieldhouse, sports tech, health tech, data aggregation, personalized insights, raising capital, building a team, launch, partnerships</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Wed, 14 Aug 2024 13:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/86ef66ab/83bb6b96.mp3" length="42044008" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/rFtJkLr6q7ijKJ1Nvr5M1YlPmaA14Q__ryLK915mJDU/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9jZjlk/ZTU3MWNmYjg5NDQ0/NTNmZTRjMzhmZDg0/NTBkYy5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>2625</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>See if we can help you: <a href="https://leadershiplens.club/podcast">https://leadershiplens.club/podcast</a></p><p>Summary</p><p>Alec Parower, CEO and co-founder of Fieldhouse, shares his leadership journey and the problem he's solving in the sports and health tech industry. He discusses his personal experience with injuries and the lack of integrated and actionable insights from various health and fitness devices. Parower explains how Fieldhouse centralizes and normalizes data from different digital training tools to provide personalized and actionable insights to athletes. He also talks about the challenges of raising capital and the importance of building the right team. The launch of Fieldhouse is planned for Thanksgiving, with partnerships in place to onboard approximately 500,000 users.</p><p>Keywords</p><p>Alec Parower, Fieldhouse, sports tech, health tech, data aggregation, personalized insights, raising capital, building a team, launch, partnerships</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>Alec Parower, Fieldhouse, sports tech, health tech, data aggregation, personalized insights, raising capital, building a team, launch, partnerships</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/86ef66ab/transcript.srt" type="application/x-subrip" rel="captions"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Exploring the Intersection of Robotics and Healthcare Ft Kartik Tiwari</title>
      <itunes:episode>3</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>3</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>Exploring the Intersection of Robotics and Healthcare Ft Kartik Tiwari</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">0ed82083-e16c-4a60-a532-4d793ace243c</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/6155026b</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>See if we can help you: <a href="https://leadershiplens.club/podcast">https://leadershiplens.club/podcast</a></p><p>Summary</p><p>Kartik Tewari, an experienced entrepreneur in the robotics and autonomous vehicle sector, discusses his journey in the medical sector and the development of autonomous surgical robots. He explains how his background in robotics led him to explore the intersection of robotics and healthcare. Kartik also shares his experience in developing autonomous self-driving trucks and how it influenced his decision to enter the medical sector. He highlights the similarities between the two industries and the shortage of skilled professionals. Kartik discusses the challenges of entering the healthcare industry and the need for collaboration between technology providers and surgeons. Andromeda Surgical is developing a surgical robot system that provides physical and cognitive assistance to surgeons. The system aims to automate repetitive tasks and allow surgeons to focus on clinical needs. The company envisions a future where the system can be used remotely, addressing the shortage of surgeons in certain areas. The goal is to create a new market and redefine the perception of surgical robots as a tool. The team emphasizes the importance of building a new kind of organization and work culture to support their innovative product. The founder advises aspiring entrepreneurs to fall in love with the problem they are solving and understand the incentives that drive people's decisions.</p><p>Keywords</p><p>robotics, autonomous vehicles, medical sector, surgical robots, self-driving trucks, technology, healthcare industry, collaboration, surgical robot, physical assistance, cognitive assistance, automation, remote surgery, new market, work culture, problem-solving, incentives</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>See if we can help you: <a href="https://leadershiplens.club/podcast">https://leadershiplens.club/podcast</a></p><p>Summary</p><p>Kartik Tewari, an experienced entrepreneur in the robotics and autonomous vehicle sector, discusses his journey in the medical sector and the development of autonomous surgical robots. He explains how his background in robotics led him to explore the intersection of robotics and healthcare. Kartik also shares his experience in developing autonomous self-driving trucks and how it influenced his decision to enter the medical sector. He highlights the similarities between the two industries and the shortage of skilled professionals. Kartik discusses the challenges of entering the healthcare industry and the need for collaboration between technology providers and surgeons. Andromeda Surgical is developing a surgical robot system that provides physical and cognitive assistance to surgeons. The system aims to automate repetitive tasks and allow surgeons to focus on clinical needs. The company envisions a future where the system can be used remotely, addressing the shortage of surgeons in certain areas. The goal is to create a new market and redefine the perception of surgical robots as a tool. The team emphasizes the importance of building a new kind of organization and work culture to support their innovative product. The founder advises aspiring entrepreneurs to fall in love with the problem they are solving and understand the incentives that drive people's decisions.</p><p>Keywords</p><p>robotics, autonomous vehicles, medical sector, surgical robots, self-driving trucks, technology, healthcare industry, collaboration, surgical robot, physical assistance, cognitive assistance, automation, remote surgery, new market, work culture, problem-solving, incentives</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Wed, 31 Jul 2024 13:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/6155026b/8c440bef.mp3" length="47982202" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/nzlbJJ3k0jMCUb35UueblwLQSApDHbFAzuYm_qMqMmE/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9lYzVm/MmVmMWFmY2U2ZTI2/MDNlM2I0MzEyMTMw/Y2M4Yi5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>2996</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>See if we can help you: <a href="https://leadershiplens.club/podcast">https://leadershiplens.club/podcast</a></p><p>Summary</p><p>Kartik Tewari, an experienced entrepreneur in the robotics and autonomous vehicle sector, discusses his journey in the medical sector and the development of autonomous surgical robots. He explains how his background in robotics led him to explore the intersection of robotics and healthcare. Kartik also shares his experience in developing autonomous self-driving trucks and how it influenced his decision to enter the medical sector. He highlights the similarities between the two industries and the shortage of skilled professionals. Kartik discusses the challenges of entering the healthcare industry and the need for collaboration between technology providers and surgeons. Andromeda Surgical is developing a surgical robot system that provides physical and cognitive assistance to surgeons. The system aims to automate repetitive tasks and allow surgeons to focus on clinical needs. The company envisions a future where the system can be used remotely, addressing the shortage of surgeons in certain areas. The goal is to create a new market and redefine the perception of surgical robots as a tool. The team emphasizes the importance of building a new kind of organization and work culture to support their innovative product. The founder advises aspiring entrepreneurs to fall in love with the problem they are solving and understand the incentives that drive people's decisions.</p><p>Keywords</p><p>robotics, autonomous vehicles, medical sector, surgical robots, self-driving trucks, technology, healthcare industry, collaboration, surgical robot, physical assistance, cognitive assistance, automation, remote surgery, new market, work culture, problem-solving, incentives</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>robotics, autonomous vehicles, medical sector, surgical robots, self-driving trucks, technology, healthcare industry, collaboration, surgical robot, physical assistance, cognitive assistance, automation, remote surgery, new market, work culture, problem-solving, incentives</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/6155026b/transcript.srt" type="application/x-subrip" rel="captions"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Providing a Privacy-Centric Solution for E-commerce Ft Yiqi Wu</title>
      <itunes:episode>2</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>2</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>Providing a Privacy-Centric Solution for E-commerce Ft Yiqi Wu</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">20443e6e-977c-42f9-a0a7-a68f86dad667</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/de4153b2</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>See if we can help you: <a href="https://leadershiplens.club/podcast">https://leadershiplens.club/podcast</a></p><p>Summary</p><p>Yiqi Wu, CEO of Aimerce, discusses the problem of third-party cookies going away on the internet and the impact it has on e-commerce brands. She explains that Aimerce provides a privacy-centric solution for e-commerce brands to target their market using first-party cookies and pixels. Yiqi also talks about the challenges of customer acquisition and raising awareness about the problem and solution. She mentions that while there are other companies tackling this problem, she focuses on a privacy-first approach. </p><p>Yiqi shares her personal growth experiences at Facebook and Reddit, where she developed an A/B test platform, and how it shaped her as a leader. Yiqi Wu discusses the mentors who influenced her career, the importance of vulnerability in leadership, and her approach to building relationships with her team and clients. She also shares her philosophy on marketing and her dream project of automating repetitive work in the e-commerce field.</p><p>Keywords</p><p>Yiqi Wu, Aimerce, e-commerce, third-party cookies, privacy-centric solution, first-party cookies, customer acquisition, awareness, privacy-first approach, personal growth, A/B test platform, mentors, influence, vulnerability, leadership, relationships, team, clients, marketing, automation, e-commerce</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>See if we can help you: <a href="https://leadershiplens.club/podcast">https://leadershiplens.club/podcast</a></p><p>Summary</p><p>Yiqi Wu, CEO of Aimerce, discusses the problem of third-party cookies going away on the internet and the impact it has on e-commerce brands. She explains that Aimerce provides a privacy-centric solution for e-commerce brands to target their market using first-party cookies and pixels. Yiqi also talks about the challenges of customer acquisition and raising awareness about the problem and solution. She mentions that while there are other companies tackling this problem, she focuses on a privacy-first approach. </p><p>Yiqi shares her personal growth experiences at Facebook and Reddit, where she developed an A/B test platform, and how it shaped her as a leader. Yiqi Wu discusses the mentors who influenced her career, the importance of vulnerability in leadership, and her approach to building relationships with her team and clients. She also shares her philosophy on marketing and her dream project of automating repetitive work in the e-commerce field.</p><p>Keywords</p><p>Yiqi Wu, Aimerce, e-commerce, third-party cookies, privacy-centric solution, first-party cookies, customer acquisition, awareness, privacy-first approach, personal growth, A/B test platform, mentors, influence, vulnerability, leadership, relationships, team, clients, marketing, automation, e-commerce</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Wed, 24 Jul 2024 13:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/de4153b2/aa82bd4a.mp3" length="41858338" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/7C5y363_ew0FyNftfxB41pcFUCBwlUuBXnYIbPFxobQ/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9lNTlh/MDIyOWMzODBmNmM4/ZGVjNTVkZTA3YmM0/YWQyZC5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>2614</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>See if we can help you: <a href="https://leadershiplens.club/podcast">https://leadershiplens.club/podcast</a></p><p>Summary</p><p>Yiqi Wu, CEO of Aimerce, discusses the problem of third-party cookies going away on the internet and the impact it has on e-commerce brands. She explains that Aimerce provides a privacy-centric solution for e-commerce brands to target their market using first-party cookies and pixels. Yiqi also talks about the challenges of customer acquisition and raising awareness about the problem and solution. She mentions that while there are other companies tackling this problem, she focuses on a privacy-first approach. </p><p>Yiqi shares her personal growth experiences at Facebook and Reddit, where she developed an A/B test platform, and how it shaped her as a leader. Yiqi Wu discusses the mentors who influenced her career, the importance of vulnerability in leadership, and her approach to building relationships with her team and clients. She also shares her philosophy on marketing and her dream project of automating repetitive work in the e-commerce field.</p><p>Keywords</p><p>Yiqi Wu, Aimerce, e-commerce, third-party cookies, privacy-centric solution, first-party cookies, customer acquisition, awareness, privacy-first approach, personal growth, A/B test platform, mentors, influence, vulnerability, leadership, relationships, team, clients, marketing, automation, e-commerce</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>Yiqi Wu, Amers, e-commerce, third-party cookies, privacy-centric solution, first-party cookies, customer acquisition, awareness, privacy-first approach, personal growth, A/B test platform, mentors, influence, vulnerability, leadership, relationships, team, clients, marketing, automation, e-commerce</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Welcome To The Lead Smarter Podcast!</title>
      <itunes:episode>1</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>1</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>Welcome To The Lead Smarter Podcast!</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>trailer</itunes:episodeType>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">ff163fd3-3482-424f-9077-4d07623b92ea</guid>
      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/0040eeb1</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>Welcome to Lead Smarter. The podcast where you'll hear powerful, no nonsense conversations with top leadership experts from around the world. </p><p><br></p><p>Get the strategies, insights and secrets they've learned on the journey to <strong>Lead Smarter, Not Harder.</strong></p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>Welcome to Lead Smarter. The podcast where you'll hear powerful, no nonsense conversations with top leadership experts from around the world. </p><p><br></p><p>Get the strategies, insights and secrets they've learned on the journey to <strong>Lead Smarter, Not Harder.</strong></p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2024 13:25:47 -0400</pubDate>
      <author>David Kent</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/0040eeb1/421cd597.mp3" length="438383" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>David Kent</itunes:author>
      <itunes:duration>26</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>Welcome to Lead Smarter. The podcast where you'll hear powerful, no nonsense conversations with top leadership experts from around the world. </p><p><br></p><p>Get the strategies, insights and secrets they've learned on the journey to <strong>Lead Smarter, Not Harder.</strong></p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords></itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
    </item>
  </channel>
</rss>
