Leaders often talk about “soft skills,” but as Sean Patton and leadership expert Andrea Wanerstrand reveal in this episode, those are no longer soft — they’re power skills. Andrea shares insights from nearly two decades at T-Mobile, Microsoft, and Meta, where she helped leaders shift from transactional management to truly human-centric leadership. Together, she and Sean unpack Andrea’s A³ Framework — Authenticity, Autonomy, and Accountability — and explore how emotional intelligence and self-awareness have become the ultimate competitive advantage in the age of AI.

Listeners will learn how to:

• Reframe soft skills as power skills that drive real business performance
• Apply the A³ Framework to create resilient, high-trust teams
• Build coaching cultures that empower growth and innovation
• Navigate the evolving intersection of AI and human leadership

👤 Guest: Andrea Wanerstrand

Andrea Wanerstrand is a leadership and culture transformation expert, former leader at T-Mobile, Microsoft, and Meta, and the founder of A³ Culture Lab
.
She helps organizations build human-centric workplaces grounded in authenticity, autonomy, and accountability. Andrea is also an ICF-certified coach, yoga and meditation instructor, and the creator of the upcoming Mindset Maven Method (M³ Lab) — an eight-week program launching in early 2026 that helps leaders strengthen self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
Follow her on LinkedIn
for daily insights on leadership and culture.


🕒 Timestamps

00:00 Why “soft skills” are now power skills
02:50 Reframing leadership for a social and AI-driven world
07:40 The A³ Framework: Authenticity, Autonomy, Accountability
13:49 Authenticity done well vs poorly
14:01 Building autonomy and accountability through trust
19:50 Leading from love vs fear
26:15 Creating a coaching culture inside organizations
31:38 Training leaders before they lead people
41:12 How AI is changing the future of leadership
45:17 Where to find Andrea and learn more about A³ Culture Lab


#NoLimitLeadership #SeanPatton #LeadershipDevelopment #AndreaWanerstrand #A3Leadership #HumanCentricLeadership #PowerSkills #EmotionalIntelligence #AuthenticLeadership #CoachingCulture #FutureOfWork #A3CultureLab #MindsetMavenMethod

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.

Most entrepreneurs don’t start out wanting to be leaders — they start because they’re great at something. Then one day, they wake up managing chaos and wondering why things keep breaking down.

In this episode, Sean sits down with Atiba De Souza, CEO Strategist, Author of The Delegation Trap, and long-time agency owner. Atiba shares his hard-earned lessons on leadership, accountability, and what it really takes to build a team that thrives without you.

They dive into:

• The leadership failure that changed Atiba’s life — and how his 5-year-old son called it out.
• Why most leaders mistake “doing more” for “leading better.”
• The CASE Method — a four-question framework that transforms delegation and team development.
• How to shift from judging questions to learner questions to unlock growth and trust.
• The illusion of the “one more thing” mindset that traps so many entrepreneurs.
• Why small business owners, not politicians, hold the real power to change the world.

This episode is packed with frameworks, humility, and wisdom for any business owner or leader ready to grow beyond the grind.

🎧 Listen now on Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2166090

📘 Connect with Atiba De Souza:

• Website: https://www.atibadesouza.com
  
  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atibadesouza
  
  
• Book: The Delegation Trap
  
  

Key Timestamps

• 00:00 – Why entrepreneurs struggle with leadership
• 03:50 – The leadership wake-up call from Atiba’s son
• 07:30 – Would your team follow you if you didn’t pay them?
• 13:00 – A CEO only does three things: people, numbers, and culture
• 18:00 – The power of asking learner questions
• 22:00 – The CASE Method for better delegation
• 32:20 – Escaping the “one more thing” trap
• 40:25 – How small business owners truly change the world

Guest Bio

Atiba De Souza is a CEO Strategist and Author of The Delegation Trap. With over 30 years of entrepreneurial experience, he’s helped countless business owners build systems and teams that perform without constant oversight. Known for transforming chaos into clarity, Atiba teaches leaders how to delegate effectively, build culture, and empower people to perform at their best.

👉 Follow Atiba’s work at https://www.atibadesouza.com

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.

If you’ve ever been told to “keep your head down and let your work speak for itself,” this episode is for you. In today’s fast-paced, AI-driven world, staying quiet can cost you influence, opportunity, and fulfillment.

In this inspiring conversation, Sean Patton talks with Neelu Kaur — executive coach, keynote speaker, and author of Be Your Own Cheerleader — about the power of self-advocacy, mindful leadership, and the importance of finding your authentic voice.

Neelu shares her journey from “staying under the radar” to helping leaders across Fortune 500 companies create inclusive, high-performing cultures. You’ll learn how to advocate for yourself with confidence, help your team share their best ideas, and lead with the one thing AI can’t replace — your human uniqueness.

💡 Episode Highlights

• Why “keeping your head down” is a recipe for being overlooked
• Cultural conditioning and how it shapes our ability to self-advocate
• Practical strategies for leaders to create psychologically safe spaces
• The “I vs. We” dial — how to balance individual and collective leadership
• The Lighthouse Effect and why self-advocacy is a generous act
• How to build mindful awareness and reclaim your creative energy in the AI era

Time Stamps:

00:00 – 00:57 Intro — Why “keeping your head down” can hold you back in today’s world
00:58 – 01:42 Meet Neelu Kaur — Executive coach, speaker, and author of Be Your Own Cheerleader
01:43 – 03:22 Defining self-advocacy for everyone, not just executives
03:23 – 05:25 Why self-advocacy feels uncomfortable — cultural and personal conditioning
05:26 – 07:33 How upbringing shapes our voice — the “silent generation” story
07:34 – 09:34 Creating psychological safety and “buckets of time” for team input
09:35 – 12:15 Knowing your team — tailoring leadership to each individual’s strengths
12:16 – 14:12 Energy management and the 70/30 rule for fulfilling work
14:13 – 16:25 The leader’s role in slowing down to speed up
16:26 – 18:28 Balancing intention with the fast pace of modern organizations
18:29 – 20:05 Using office hours and device-free time to recharge and refocus
20:06 – 22:16 How individuals can start practicing self-advocacy in low-stakes settings
22:17 – 24:38 Awareness as transformation — mindfulness and emotional ownership
24:39 – 26:02 The “I vs. We Dial” — shifting language based on context
26:03 – 27:27 Balancing servant leadership with self-leadership
27:28 – 28:45 Advocating for your own growth and development
28:46 – 31:06 How AI is changing leadership — what machines can’t replace
31:07 – 33:37 Staying human and creative in an AI-powered world
33:38 – 35:36 The Lighthouse Effect — how self-advocacy inspires others

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.