In this episode of UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders, Joe Caruso shares a moment that almost turned into an UH-OH, and the unexpected tool that helped him avoid it: a sticky note.

Listen in as Joe reflects on:

• The power of emotional regulation in leadership
• How a simple pause can change your next move
• Why it’s better to respond than to react especially when trust is on the line
• What it means to hold someone accountable without burning bridges

Through a story about one unsent email and a lesson in emotional discipline, Joe reminds us that self-awareness is a strategic advantage.

Check this out: https://www.thecohesiveleader.com/Community

In this episode of UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders, Dr. Troy Hall and Ben-Jamin Toy welcome the insightful and refreshingly candid Kandi Gongora. She’s a leadership powerhouse with a sharp eye for operational gaps and a soft spot for reality TV.

Kandi shares a recent UH-OH moment that hit where it hurts: employee compensation. What happens when a trusted leader is new, confident… and wrong? What’s the real cost of assuming someone’s got it covered? And more importantly, how do you recover trust once it's been fractured?

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• Why trust needs to be earned (and re-earned) when pay is on the line
• How great leaders walk with their team through mistakes rather than assigning blame
• Why communication isn’t the key—comprehension is
• Practical ways to repair relationships after missteps, including feedback loops, retro boards, and culture councils

This episode is a masterclass in owning mistakes, rebuilding credibility, and creating psychological safety for future conversations.

If you’ve ever made a leadership call that backfired, or worried you might, this one’s for you!

What happens when the person you hire isn’t the right fit and the problem might actually be you?

In this episode of UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders, Dan Rivers gets real about one of the costliest leadership mistakes he’s made: hiring without clarity. From setting poor expectations to skipping over KPIs, Dan walks us through what it cost him, how he owned the failure, and the systems he’s built to avoid it happening again.

We also dig into how self-reflection, headspace, and intentional hiring shape the health of a business — and how job seekers can prepare to show up with purpose, not just a resume.

You’ll hear:

• Why clarity beats charisma in hiring
• The surprising headspace toll of the wrong teammate
• How leaders and job seekers can learn from hiring fails
• What it really means to hold people (and yourself) accountable

Whether you’re building a team or trying to join one, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and honest insight from someone who’s been there, fixed that and is still learning.

Whether you're climbing the leadership ladder or helping others do the same, this conversation is a masterclass in humility, growth, and getting it right after getting it wrong.Hear real-time stories from leaders confessing their most crucial or recent "UH-OH" experiences in business. Learn what their "UH-OH" cost them, steps they took to fix it, and how they planned not to "do that one" again. Hosted by Dr. Troy and Ben-Jamin Toy.

Check this out: https://www.thecohesiveleader.com/Community