Episodios

  • Leadership is a Very Personal Journey

    Leadership is a Very Personal Journey
    Oct 29 2025

    We all love following a plan. But sometimes, life and leadership require us to pause, check in, and deeply honor whatever moment we’re in. Today, I sat down prepared with a topic, an outline, and all the excitement to share. But the truth is, I’m feeling sadness and loss, and that feeling led me to reflect on my personal journey and the deeper side of leadership. I’ve decided to take an indefinite break. Maybe it’s for a week, maybe longer, maybe it’s the last episode for a while. I know this is the right time to step back and only continue when it’s a true “ten” for me, when enthusiasm and authenticity return in full force. And in this reflection, I’m inviting you to reconsider what being a rising leader really means for you, at this precise moment.

    Over the course of 800 episodes across three podcasts, I’ve had the privilege to interview extraordinary leaders, CEO clients, and thought leaders like Michael Bungay Stanier. My journey is marked by a relentless search for authenticity, not just the list of what leaders “should do,” but who they choose to become. At my core, I’m naturally introverted, a peacemaker at heart, yet I’ve built a reputation for bold truth and unvarnished honesty. Every lesson I’ve shared is drawn from experience, mistakes, and real growth, one rung of the leadership ladder at a time.

    “You can speak the truth with kindness. You can hold people accountable with kindness… That’s something that you learn as a leader.” ~Mark

    This week on The Rising Leader:

    · Why leadership is always a personal adventure, not just a checklist

    · The impact of showing up authentically, even when it means pausing or pivoting

    · How stepping into leadership always means stepping out of your comfort zone

    · The responsibility leaders hold—and why energy and momentum matter

    · Questions every leader should ask: Who do you want to become? How do you want to show up?

    · Embracing the journey: making mistakes, learning, and consciously creating

    · The pendulum swing from over-kindness to bold truth, and settling into authentic accountability

    · Building a community and a legacy through the way you lead, one relationship at a time

    Grab Your Copy of The Rising Leader Handbook

    Do you find yourself rising through your company's ranks so fast that you wish you had a manual to become an effective leader? Then, The Rising Leader Handbook is right for you.

    In The Rising Leader Handbook, you’ll learn how to shift your perspective and gain the leadership skills you need, regardless of the breadth of your responsibilities, by leveraging the relationships you’ve built with the CEO, the Leadership Team, and the team you lead, as well as your relationship with yourself.

    Visit The Rising Leader Handbook: Turning High Achievers into Effective Leaders to grab your copy and start mastering your skills to become your team leader.

    Leader, It’s Time to Rise!

    Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

    Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

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    Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website.
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    10 m
  • Silent and Present ~Leading with Listening with Oscar Trimboli

    Silent and Present ~Leading with Listening with Oscar Trimboli
    Oct 22 2025
    You already know that listening is the foundation of effective leadership; we’re told we have two ears and one mouth for a reason. But what if I told you we’re still missing the mark? Leaders are instructed to be curious, not just reactive, yet many of us get stuck in our own heads, unable to truly hear the people around us, especially when the stakes are high. This week, I dive into the transformative art of listening with Oscar Trimboli, author of How to Discover the Hidden Key to Better Communication and the powerhouse behind the Deep Listening movement. Together, we bust some persistent myths about listening, unpack what it really takes to listen at scale in organizations, and explore the five essential levels of listening, starting with yourself. Let me tell you about Oscar Trimboli. He is an award-winning author, a sought-after keynote speaker, and the host of the Apple award-winning Deep Listening podcast. With a mission to create 100 million deep listeners in the workplace, Oscar’s research spans interviews with leaders, judges, hostage negotiators, and academics, as well as data from over 35,000 workplace listeners. Through his work with organizations like Microsoft, Oscar has seen firsthand the immense impact leaders can have when they listen beyond just words. "Silent and listen share the identical letters. The most potent listening technique you can use is simply to be silent." ~Oscar Trimboli Today on The Rising Leader:· Preparation is everything: Listening starts before the conversation.· Take a moment to ground yourself: music, water, breath, or clearing your space all help.· Five levels of listening: Start by listening to yourself, then to content, context, what’s unsaid, and ultimately, to meaning.· The myth of time: Deep listening doesn’t slow things down; it speeds understanding and shortens meetings by surfacing real issues faster.· Inner dialogue sabotage: Over 60% of people can’t deeply listen because their own internal chatter dominates. Recognize it, then practice presence.· Short questions win: Keep team questions to eight words or less for maximum impact; anything longer is likely a statement in disguise.· Listening at scale requires action: Organizations often survey but forget to close the loop. “You said this, we did that” is key to engagement.· Clarify before you answer: Don’t be afraid to ask clarifying questions, even in job interviews, to ensure you’re addressing what really matters.· Giving vs. paying attention: Giving attention is a choice and a sign of generosity. Paying attention feels like an obligation; shift your mindset and see the difference. Connect with Oscar Trimboli:The Listening Quiz: Take Oscar’s free listening assessment for a personalized report and resources to build your listening skills. Resources Mentioned:Book: How to Discover the Hidden Key to Better Communication by Oscar TrimboliPodcast: Deep Listening with Oscar TrimboliEasy by Groove Armada, Remember the Name by Fort Minor (musical resources Oscar uses for listening preparation) Grab Your Copy of The Rising Leader Handbook Do you find yourself rising through your company's ranks so fast that you wish you had a manual to become an effective leader? Then, The Rising Leader Handbook is right for you. In The Rising Leader Handbook, you’ll learn how to shift your perspective and gain the leadership skills you need, regardless of the breadth of your responsibilities, by leveraging the relationships you’ve built with the CEO, the Leadership Team, and the team you lead as well as your relationship with yourself.Visit The Rising Leader Handbook: Turning High Achievers into Effective Leaders to grab your copy and start mastering your skills to become your team leader. Leader, It’s Time to Rise! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners like you. Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website.
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    37 m
  • Harry Pickens on Regulated Leadership and Transforming Challenge into Calm Insights

    Harry Pickens on Regulated Leadership and Transforming Challenge into Calm Insights
    Oct 15 2025
    If you’ve ever found yourself struggling under pressure, facing a personal crisis, or simply wondering why your emotional state seems to run the show in high-stakes moments, you’re going to love this conversation. I sat down with my friend Harry Pickens to explore the powerful intersection of music, neuroscience, agency, and leadership. Together, we dive deep into what it truly means to lead from a regulated, resilient nervous system, and why our greatest challenges often become our greatest sources of wisdom.Harry Pickens is the founder and CEO of Strategic Neuroregulation Institute, a celebrated jazz pianist who’s shared the stage with legends like Dizzy Gillespie, and a leading authority on nervous system modulation for leadership excellence. Over the past three decades, he’s taught more than 10,000 musicians and trained over a thousand therapists, coaches, and leaders in trauma healing and neuroregulation. Harry is also the creator of the Brain Mind Redesign methodology and has transformed his own personal adversities, from brain injury to cancer, into a laboratory for resilience. “All you have, from one instant to another, is the direction of your attention. Where do you place it? It’s the ultimate currency.” ~Harry Pickens This week on The Rising Leader: · The hidden crisis in leadership: when our old wounds make our decisions for us· Harry’s transformative journey from paralyzing stage fright to mastery, and what music taught him about the nervous system· How personal crises, including a recent cancer diagnosis, became a lived laboratory for resilience and growth· Actionable steps to identify, track, and “unhook” your emotional triggers· The critical role of agency, and what to do when you don’t feel like you have any· Why true healing can only happen in a relaxed, safe state (and how to get there)· Tactics and micro-practices to build your own nervous system regulation toolkit· Leveraging AI as a “cognitive prosthetic” and support for well-being, decision-making, and healing Guest Contact Information & Resources: Connect with Harry Pickens on LinkedIn for exercises, resources, and updates on his Belief Transformation Masterclass SeriesResources Mentioned: Harry’s upcoming book: Reclaiming My Life from Cancer (coming early 2026)Book: Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman Grab Your Copy of The Rising Leader Handbook Do you find yourself rising through your company's ranks so fast that you wish you had a manual to become an effective leader? Then, The Rising Leader Handbook is right for you. In The Rising Leader Handbook, you’ll learn how to shift your perspective and gain the leadership skills you need, regardless of the breadth of your responsibilities, by leveraging the relationships you’ve built with the CEO, the Leadership Team, and the team you lead as well as your relationship with yourself.Visit The Rising Leader Handbook: Turning High Achievers into Effective Leaders to grab your copy and start mastering your skills to become your team leader. Leader, It’s Time to Rise! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners like you. Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website.
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    33 m
  • True Freedom

    True Freedom
    Oct 8 2025

    What does true freedom really mean for leaders, and how can it shape the way we show up in our lives and work? In this episode, I explore True Freedom as a living, breathing leadership principle. I share my journey of discovering freedom through learning to focus my attention, mastering my emotional responses, and making intentional, values-driven choices that cut through old patterns and people-pleasing habits.

    I’m Mark Silverman, executive coach, leadership mentor, and author of Only Tens. As someone diagnosed with ADD in adulthood, I know what it’s like to wrestle with distraction, the need for approval, and the challenge of honoring my own boundaries. Over years of personal work and professional practice, I’ve learned that true freedom is less about external circumstances and more about your inner game, the discipline, courage, and presence you bring to every situation.

    “True Freedom is love in every situation” ~Mark

    This week on The Rising Leader:

    · How directing your attention is foundational to genuine freedom

    · Ways our triggers and preferences can keep us stuck, and practical steps to release them

    · The evolution from setting boundaries for approval to embracing authentic choices

    · The freedom that comes from not being controlled by the need for credit or validation

    · Why admitting mistakes and cleaning up your messes is core to leadership freedom

    · The relationship between discipline and authentic freedom

    · How practicing emotional equanimity transforms reactivity into power

    · Why real freedom means showing up with love, even amid disagreement or challenge

    Resources Mentioned:

    • Book: Only Tens by Mark Silverman

    Grab Your Copy of The Rising Leader Handbook

    Do you find yourself rising through your company's ranks so fast that you wish you had a manual to become an effective leader? Then, The Rising Leader Handbook is right for you.

    In The Rising Leader Handbook, you’ll learn how to shift your perspective and gain the leadership skills you need, regardless of the breadth of your responsibilities, by leveraging the relationships you’ve built with the CEO, the Leadership Team, and the team you lead as well as your relationship with yourself.

    Visit The Rising Leader Handbook: Turning High Achievers into Effective Leaders to grab your copy and start mastering your skills to become your team leader.

    Leader, It’s Time to Rise!

    Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

    Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners like you.

    Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website.
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    11 m
  • From Tech Bro to Conscious Leader ~ Scott Britton’s Journey to Joy and Fulfillment

    From Tech Bro to Conscious Leader ~ Scott Britton’s Journey to Joy and Fulfillment
    Oct 1 2025
    Ever wondered if personal achievement and career ambition can be a genuine path to spiritual and personal growth? As someone who’s helped high achievers chase big dreams without losing their soul in the game, I know the tension firsthand. This week, I’m joined by Scott Britton—a leader, entrepreneur, and fellow explorer of consciousness—who has turned a relentless drive for success into a vehicle for deep fulfillment. Together, we dig into what it really means to integrate external accomplishment with inner transformation, and how you don’t have to trade one for the other. Scott Britton is the former co-founder of Troops, which was acquired by Salesforce in 2022. Today, he’s the CEO of Conscious Talent, hosts Evolution FM, and is the author of the upcoming book, “Conscious: How to Use Personal Achievement for Spiritual Growth.” Scott brings a unique lens to the table: he’s walked the traditional path of achievement, faced burnout and loss of joy, and then courageously shifted towards a life and career built on meaning, presence, and consciousness. His grounded approach shows that you can still have ambition—and let it be clean, powerful fuel for real transformation. “The practice is making your entire life a spiritual practice, not just 20 minutes in the morning. It’s a deep integration that cascades through every minute of every day.” ~Scott Britton This Week on The Rising Leader:· Achievement without awareness can lead to joylessness, even when you “have it all.”· True spiritual growth isn’t about checking out of the world or your career, but about transforming your relationship with everything around you.· There’s a powerful difference between clean fuel (ambition from joy, contribution, alignment) and dirty fuel (ambition from lack, need for validation, or old wounds).· Surrender isn’t passive; it’s being okay with things as they are in the present moment, without giving up your agency or drive.· Practical spiritual growth for leaders means using every trigger, reaction, and setback as an opportunity for insight and transformation.· Fulfillment and sustainable success come from integrating consciousness into your work, not just leaving everything behind for a spiritual path.· When you shift from reactivity to awareness, you gain influence, creativity, and power in any setting—even the boardroom.· The willingness to trust, face discomfort, and stay open, even when you’re scared, is what actually leads to lasting freedom. Connect with Scott Britton:Substack: Scott Britton on SubstackX (Twitter): @brittonConscious Talent: conscioustalent.comEvolution FM Podcast: Evolution FM Resources Mentioned:Book: “Conscious: How to Use Personal Achievement for Spiritual Growth” by Scott Britton (releases October 7th)Book: “The Surrender Experiment” by Michael SingerBook: “Awareness” by Anthony De MelloBook: “Spiritual Emergency” by Stanislav Grof Grab Your Copy of The Rising Leader Handbook Do you find yourself rising through your company's ranks so fast that you wish you had a manual to become an effective leader? Then, The Rising Leader Handbook is right for you. In The Rising Leader Handbook, you’ll learn how to shift your perspective and gain the leadership skills you need, regardless of the breadth of your responsibilities, by leveraging the relationships you’ve built with the CEO, the Leadership Team, and the team you lead as well as your relationship with yourself.Visit The Rising Leader Handbook: Turning High Achievers into Effective Leaders to grab your copy and start mastering your skills to become your team leader. Leader, It’s Time to Rise! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners like you. Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website.
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    44 m
  • Traits of a Great Leader

    Traits of a Great Leader
    Sep 24 2025

    What does it really mean to be a great leader? After being asked this question during a recent interview, I found myself reflecting deeply on the guests I’ve brought onto The Rising Leader and the mentors who made a lasting impact on my own journey. In this episode, I share the single thread connecting truly great leaders, not their personal achievements, but in how they uplifted and transformed the people around them. I unpack why legacy, impact, and service matter more than accolades and examine what happens when leaders focus solely on numbers and ego.

    “The people who… focused on the numbers, were focused on the revenue, were focused on the accolades for themselves… ended up with something kind of empty.”

    Today on The Rising Leader:

    · True leaders focus on team and community impact, not individual accomplishments.

    · Service, humility, and lifting others up are consistent traits among the most respected leaders.

    · Prioritizing numbers and personal accolades may lead to bitterness and emptiness later in life.

    · Long-term fulfillment comes from building relationships, supporting others, and creating lasting legacies.

    · Leadership influences not just professional relationships, but personal ones with family and friends.

    · How you treat people throughout your career determines who will show up for you when it matters most, at celebrations, retirements, and even funerals.

    · Great leaders derive motivation from serving others, seeing their team thrive, and enabling the successes of others.

    · Pursuing success is valuable but connecting it to relationship-building and positive impact ensures a richer, more meaningful life and career.

    Grab Your Copy of The Rising Leader Handbook

    Do you find yourself rising through your company's ranks so fast that you wish you had a manual to become an effective leader? Then, The Rising Leader Handbook is right for you.

    In The Rising Leader Handbook, you’ll learn how to shift your perspective and gain the leadership skills you need, regardless of the breadth of your responsibilities, by leveraging the relationships you’ve built with the CEO, the Leadership Team, and the team you lead as well as your relationship with yourself.

    Visit The Rising Leader Handbook: Turning High Achievers into Effective Leaders to grab your copy and start mastering your skills to become your team leader.

    Leader, It’s Time to Rise!

    Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

    Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners like you.

    Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website.
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    8 m
  • How to Embrace Change and Reinvent Yourself

    How to Embrace Change and Reinvent Yourself
    Sep 17 2025

    This week, I’m stepping into a deeply personal space and sharing where I am right now: feeling both empty and fulfilled after the huge milestone of seeing my youngest son married, followed almost immediately by my older son’s engagement. In this solo episode, I get raw and vulnerable about the aftermath of big life transitions, the feeling of completion that can leave us unexpectedly blank, and what it really means to reinvent yourself when your old roles shift or disappear.

    “I have a blank canvas all over again. I can reinvent myself. I can double down on what I’m doing. I can do anything. It’s my choice to create who I want to be.” ~Mark

    This Week on The Rising Leader:

    · Life’s biggest milestones can leave us feeling oddly empty after the excitement settles; this is a natural part of closure and change.

    · Our sense of self is deeply tied to our roles, parent, worker, leader, and losing those roles means facing a blank slate.

    · It’s critical to pause and take stock, to ask yourself why you’re doing what you do and whether you’re actively choosing your path or simply following inertia.

    · There is power in choosing every aspect of your life, from your job to your family to your daily actions.

    · Who you are isn’t fixed; it’s something you create, continuously, through your choices and commitments.

    · A shift in identity—such as children leaving home or losing a job can be terrifying, but it opens up space to deliberately craft your next chapter.

    · Bringing intentionality to how you show up at work, in your family, and in your relationships can renew your sense of purpose and energy.

    · The blank page of “what’s next” isn’t a crisis; it’s an invitation to imagination, reinvention, and growth.

    Grab Your Copy of The Rising Leader Handbook

    Do you find yourself rising through your company's ranks so fast that you wish you had a manual to become an effective leader? Then, The Rising Leader Handbook is right for you.

    In The Rising Leader Handbook, you’ll learn how to shift your perspective and gain the leadership skills you need, regardless of the breadth of your responsibilities, by leveraging the relationships you’ve built with the CEO, the Leadership Team, and the team you lead as well as your relationship with yourself.

    Visit The Rising Leader Handbook: Turning High Achievers into Effective Leaders to grab your copy and start mastering your skills to become your team leader.

    Leader, It’s Time to Rise!

    Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

    Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners like you.

    Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website.
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    16 m
  • From Dopamine Hits to Deep Impact ~Jonathan Bennett on Rewiring Success in Leadership

    From Dopamine Hits to Deep Impact ~Jonathan Bennett on Rewiring Success in Leadership
    Sep 10 2025
    Delegation. Agreements. Deep listening. These aren’t just leadership buzzwords, they’re the bedrock of the impact we can create as rising leaders. In this episode, I sit down with Jonathan Bennett to discuss the real art of successful delegation, the foundation of honest agreements, and how self-awareness and intentional connection are required to grow both people and organizations. Whether you’re leading a Fortune 500 company or stepping into your first management role, this conversation is brimming with actionable wisdom to help you foster trust, empower your teams, and show up as the best (and realest) version of yourself. Jonathan Bennett is an author, advisor, and executive coach for purpose-driven leaders. With over 25 years drawn from his roles as a CEO, board member, and founder, Jonathan’s experience has spanned urban, rural, remote, and First Nations communities. He is known for his deep listening, breakthrough solutions, and his unwavering belief that leadership should be inclusive, ethical, and intentional. Jonathan helps leaders deepen their integrity, compassion, and long-term impact—one honest conversation at a time. “Leaders who learn deep listening and metacognition, it’s like they’ve cracked a cheat code to a whole other way of being.” ~Jonathan Bennett Today on The Rising Leader: · Most leaders don’t struggle with what to do—they struggle with how to get out of their own way and execute.· True delegation isn’t simply “handing off,” it’s building slow, intentional agreements rooted in open inquiry and shared ownership.· The doer, not the delegator, should own notetaking and documentation to reinforce accountability.· Upfront, explicit agreements with clear deliverables, milestones, and mechanisms for course correction are essential for autonomy and trust.· These practices do not just apply to junior team members; great CEOs and senior leaders cascade these habits to align organizations.· Hard conversations about mistakes must be rooted in curiosity and agreement about how to clean up and move forward, never blame.· The best leaders continually work on self-awareness, emotional management, and their capacity to truly listen—inside and outside the boardroom.· Mentorship doesn’t have to be formal, but clarity and intentionality amplify its power. Ask directly and be transparent about what you need. Connect with Jonathan Bennett: LinkedInListen to Jonathan’s private podcast Grab Your Copy of The Rising Leader Handbook Do you find yourself rising through your company's ranks so fast that you wish you had a manual to become an effective leader? Then, The Rising Leader Handbook is right for you. In The Rising Leader Handbook, you’ll learn how to shift your perspective and gain the leadership skills you need, regardless of the breadth of your responsibilities, by leveraging the relationships you’ve built with the CEO, the Leadership Team, and the team you lead as well as your relationship with yourself.Visit The Rising Leader Handbook: Turning High Achievers into Effective Leaders to grab your copy and start mastering your skills to become your team leader. Leader, It’s Time to Rise! Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners like you. Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website.
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    34 m