What happens when a CEO treats thought leadership as essential as strategy?

In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, host Peter Winick sits down with Des Hague, an acclaimed executive who has led global brands like PepsiCo, IHOP, and Centerplate, and now advises startups, nonprofits, and private equity firms. He’s also the author of "Think Your Way to the Top" and "15 Minutes of Shame", with a third book on the way.

Des doesn’t see thought leadership as an optional side project. For him, it’s the natural extension of leadership itself—codifying the models, frameworks, and mindsets that fuel success. He shares why talent is always the starting point, how leaders must prioritize relentlessly, and why making time for writing and reflection is a choice, not a luxury.

We dig into the dangers of mediocrity and entitlement, the critical role of sacrifice, and how to stay focused in a world addicted to distraction. Des’s mantra, NSL—Never Stop Learning—pushes leaders to reject complacency and demand excellence from themselves and others.

He also opens up about resilience, accountability, and how leaders respond to their lowest moments. Through transparency and candor, Des reframes failure as a lesson, not a life sentence. His story challenges executives to hold themselves to higher standards, embrace growth, and remain relentless in their pursuit of impact.

This is an episode for leaders who want more than buzzwords. It’s about discipline, clarity, and the courage to lead with integrity—even when the spotlight is harsh.

Three Key Takeaways:

• Thought leadership is leadership. Codifying frameworks, sharing ideas, and investing in personal development are essential for leading organizations and people effectively.

• Focus and sacrifice drive results. Great leaders prioritize ruthlessly, avoid distractions, and make deliberate trade-offs to create time for what matters most.

• Resilience and accountability matter. Owning mistakes, learning from setbacks, and maintaining a growth mindset separate leaders who stagnate from those who continue to make an impact.

If you enjoyed Des Hague’s perspective on leadership, focus, and turning ideas into impact, you’ll want to dive into our episode with Will Milano. Both conversations tackle the discipline behind thought leadership—how leaders move beyond inspiration to frameworks, focus, and execution. Des shows how personal accountability and clarity shape great leadership, while Will unpacks how organizations can build a repeatable engine that scales those ideas into measurable business results.

Together, these episodes give you a 360° view: the mindset of the leader and the system that powers the enterprise. Listen to both, and you’ll walk away with practical insights for making thought leadership not just personal, but organizational.

Listen to Will's episode here.

What if time wasn’t fixed, but something you could stretch, compress, and reframe?

In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, host Bill Sherman sits down with John Coyle—Olympian, design thinking expert, and author of "Design for Strengths". John has spent his life chasing the meaning of time, from hundredths of a second on the ice to decades in thought leadership. His work asks us to reconsider not just how much time we have, but how we experience it.

John shares how fleeting moments can reset the trajectory of our lives—an insight that came from his Olympic journey where fractions of a second separate gold from "first loser". He explains the Greek distinction between Chronos (clock time) and Kairos (human, transformative time) and why organizations and leaders need to design for the moments that truly matter.

We explore John’s unique career path—from competing alongside Lance Armstrong and working with Enron to translating neuroscience and psychology into practical lessons on leadership, innovation, and resilience. Along the way, he reveals how flow state, storytelling, and emotional engagement can make time slow down and make ideas stick.

You’ll also hear John’s most powerful Kairos moment—the story of a silver medal, a boy who became an Olympian, and how one act of kindness changed two lives forever. It’s a reminder that you never know when a small choice can alter someone’s future.

This conversation challenges leaders to rethink their relationship with time, memory, and meaning. It’s not about adding years to your life—it’s about adding more life to your years.


Three Key Takeaways:

• Moments reset the future. Leadership pivots often come from brief Kairos moments that redefine direction more than years of steady effort.

• Memories are the currency of time. Flow states, risk, and storytelling create lasting memories that make life feel longer and leadership more impactful.

• Design for strengths, not weaknesses. Leaders unlock innovation and resilience when they focus on amplifying strengths instead of patching flaws.

If you found value in today’s conversation about designing time, flow, and moments that move you forward, you’ll want to listen to Maximizing the Flow of Ideas for Your Organization with guests Jeremy Utley and Perry Klebahn. That episode digs into how leaders generate more ideas over time—and why volume, variety, and experimentation are just as important as insight or vision. Both episodes ask a powerful question: how do you create an environment where your best ideas don’t just happen—but compound?

In short, if you want tools for turning strengths into breakthroughs, and moments into momentum—this is your next listen. It’ll help you scale creativity, lead from possibility, and expand what “thought leadership” can mean across your team or organization.

What if the key to transformation isn’t a new app, a coach, or a seminar—but a 99-cent notebook?

In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Peter Winick sits down with Klint Guerry, Group Vice President at Sewell Automotive Companies and author of "A Guide to Self Disruption". Klint reveals how a simple daily practice evolved into a powerful system for accountability, focus, and lifelong learning.

At the heart of Klint’s thought leadership is the Guerry Notes Process—a structured, five-step method that has shaped his career, his leadership, and now, the lives of others. It’s not about lofty theories or abstract models. It’s about discipline. Responsibility. Curiosity. Service. Humility. These principles are practical, repeatable, and deeply transformative for anyone serious about growth.

Klint explains how great leaders, teams, and individuals thrive not on charisma alone, but on process. Just as top athletes rely on rigorous training, professionals need daily systems to harness their strengths, stay focused, and deliver extraordinary results. His framework isn’t just personal—it applies to mentoring, team development, and building high-performance cultures.

The book itself functions as both a mentor and a tool. With prompts, exercises, and curated wisdom, it bridges the gap between intention and action. For leaders, it’s a way to instill accountability and growth in their organizations. For individuals, it’s a guide to disrupting old patterns and unlocking potential.

Klint’s work is a reminder that thought leadership is about more than ideas—it’s about building processes that others can adopt, adapt, and thrive within. Whether you’re a CEO, a rising professional, or a mentor, his insights will challenge you to ask: What system am I using to become the best version of myself?


Three Key Takeaways:

• Process beats charisma. Long-term success isn’t about charm or improvisation—it’s about having a disciplined, repeatable system that drives accountability and results.

• Five principles power growth. Responsibility, focus, curiosity, humility, and service form the foundation of the Guerry Notes Process, helping leaders and teams consistently elevate performance.

• A simple tool creates transformation. A 99-cent notebook, used daily with intention, can become a personal operating system for lifelong learning, stronger mentorship, and building high-performance cultures.

If Klint’s episode got you thinking about the power of process, discipline, and structure in driving growth, you’ll want to dive into this conversation with Manja Horner on Thought Leadership and Adult Learning. Both episodes explore how simple, repeatable systems can transform potential into performance—whether through a daily notebook practice or by designing learning experiences that stick. Together, they show you how to move beyond inspiration into measurable impact. Listen here to see how you can apply these ideas to sharpen focus, accelerate growth, and create lasting change: Thought Leadership and Adult Learning with Manja Horner.