Guest: Will Linssen – Triple Win Leadership in Action

In this episode of the Breakfast Leadership Show, we sit down with Will Linssen, a globally recognized leadership coach and the #1 Amazon bestselling author of Triple Win Leadership Coaching. Will’s approach has empowered over 100,000 leaders at world-renowned organizations including LinkedIn, Coca-Cola, Mercedes-Benz, Saudi Aramco, and Samsung.

As the creator of the Triple Win Leadership Coaching framework, Will delivers one of the most results-driven methodologies in the industry — boasting a 95% success rate in improving leadership effectiveness, boosting team engagement, and driving measurable business performance.

We dig deep into how Will helped a struggling multinational FMCG company increase profit per employee by 80% and reduce overhead by 30% — all without layoffs or restructuring. Instead, the transformation came by reshaping how leaders connect, trust, and engage with their people.

• Why many CEOs outgrow the leadership styles that once made them successful

• The shift from founder-led to system-led leadership, and how to let go without losing control

• What 100,000+ leaders reveal about sustainable performance change

• The emotional side of AI adoption that organizations overlook

• How trust becomes the new leadership operating system for high-impact teams

Will also serves as an advisor to Harvard Business Review, is a LinkedIn Top Voice, and continues to shape the future of leadership with his latest #1 Amazon New Release: Triple Win Leadership Coaching.

🔗 Learn more about Will: Triple Win Leadership Coaching on Amazon 🎧 Catch more episodes: https://BreakfastLeadership.com/blog

In this episode, Bill and Michael unpack the “Last 8%” of conversations — the toughest parts we often avoid but that carry the most impact. They explore how leaders can build cultures of high connection and high courage, share personal stories from healthcare and startup leadership, and offer strategies for handling tough truths, hiring challenges, and team performance.

Bill Benjamin, a global keynote speaker who blends practicality with science in his approach to leadership. With degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science, Bill uses brain-science to help people master emotional intelligence, perform under pressure, and build what he calls a high-performance “Last 8%” culture.

Audiences appreciate his high energy and engaging style, whether he is speaking to surgeons, the U.S. Marines, NASA engineers, or executives at Amazon, Intel, and Goldman Sachs. Bill does not just share theory. He is open about the struggles he faced early in his career and how applying the strategies he now teaches made him a stronger leader, husband, and father.

He is funny, relatable, and committed to understanding the real challenges organizations face, weaving those directly into his sessions. That is why top organizations from the Mayo Clinic to NASA trust him when performance and leadership matter most.

HBR Article: https://hbr.org/2025/09/the-secret-to-building-a-high-performing-team

Website: https://ihhp.com/

In this heartfelt and thought-provoking episode, I sat down with Kenny, a leadership and scaling coach whose life story is as inspiring as his professional insights. What started as a personal journey rooted in his adoption experience—and sparked by his 7-year-old son's curiosity—has grown into a mission of love and impact. Kenny and his wife have fostered 18 children and adopted two, creating a home rooted in compassion, resilience, and intentional support. Even during a temporary pause due to his wife’s health, their commitment to fostering remains unwavering. Kenny draws powerful parallels between parenting and leadership, underscoring how creating emotionally safe spaces at home aligns deeply with creating thriving cultures in business.

The Power of Frontline Innovation

We explored the importance of amplifying voices from every level of an organization, not just the C-suite. I emphasized how game-changing ideas often come from those closest to the work. By encouraging team-wide input and running trial initiatives, organizations can unlock innovation and prevent talent loss to entrepreneurship. Kenny echoed this, highlighting the importance of shared decision-making in keeping a company culture agile and engaging.

Turnover, Claims, and Culture

Employee turnover is costly—not just in productivity but also in well-being. Kenny and I discussed the direct connection between poor leadership and rising mental health claims, which have surged by 72% over the last two years. The culprit? Often, it’s a lack of training and support for people managers. We unpacked the real-world impact of poor management and how it contributes to disengagement, burnout, and leave-of-absence claims. The fix? Equip leaders early. Invest in training. Create human-centered workplaces.

Frameworks Aren’t One-Size-Fits-All

Kenny shared his perspective on adapting leadership frameworks to fit the unique DNA of each organization. Drawing a culinary analogy, he explained that understanding your ingredients—your people, culture, and constraints—is essential before applying a recipe. We agreed: effective leadership requires flexibility, not rigidity. Kenny cautioned against “framework addiction,” a trap where leaders over-rely on cookie-cutter solutions, and instead promoted a problem-first mindset that focuses on results, not just tools.

Lead to Scale: A Blueprint for Growth

Kenny walked us through his Lead to Scale leadership model—a framework that begins with leading oneself, expands to developing teams, and culminates in scaling entire organizations. At its core are three pillars: awareness, alignment, and accountability. He shared how this model helped a client grow revenue and expand geographically, proving that these principles transcend industries and stages of growth. Notably, Kenny highlighted the 10-year leadership development gap, where many managers are promoted long before receiving any formal leadership training.

Leadership Is a Journey, Not a Title

We closed our conversation reflecting on the long game of leadership: growth, mentorship, and the need for constant self-awareness. We acknowledged the sobering truth that many businesses fail not because of a lack of vision, but because of poor planning and an underdeveloped leadership infrastructure. Kenny also gave us a sneak peek into his podcast, How Leaders Think, which is nearing its 100th episode—a testament to his dedication to empowering leaders at every level.

🎧 Listen in if you’re ready to: ✔️ Lead from the inside out ✔️ Build emotionally intelligent organizations ✔️ Prevent burnout through intentional leadership ✔️ Foster innovation from every level of your team

website: https://kennylange.com

From Brazil to Miami, Vivian’s story is nothing short of transformational. After facing the collapse of a business investment and a divorce, she pivoted into sales—and within six months, she was earning $150,000. In less than a year, her team was generating over $1 million a month. Today, she leads multiple organizations valued at over $100 million and teaches influence and sales mastery through her program, Influence OS. I was inspired by her resilience and entrepreneurial spirit, especially in how she turned challenges into a system that redefines how sales is done.

Vivian shared that becoming an elite salesperson wasn’t about working harder—it was about shifting psychology, mindset, rituals, and identity. Along her journey, she built over 20 companies designed to support her broader ecosystem. Central to her approach is her CROWN Framework: Clarity, Relationships, Ownership, Wealth, and Neuroscience. It’s a roadmap for breaking personal ceilings and training ourselves to embrace growth.

We discussed the idea that everyone is in sales, whether in business or in life. Vivian highlighted the difference between selling with presence versus selling with pressure. I connected with her point on clarity—how it’s essential for growth and adaptability in any organization. I also emphasized that discipline, more than motivation, drives long-term success, something Vivian models so well.

Vivian explained how listening to her intuition transformed the way she evaluates opportunities. Early in her high-ticket sales career, she was taught manipulative tactics, but she chose to trust her instincts instead. By aligning her approach with authenticity and values, she built a more ethical—and more successful—path in the sales world.

Influence, as Vivian described, is a superpower. By reading body language and physiology, she can assess opportunities and people in seconds. I also admired her journey of learning English and adapting to a new culture—proving that resilience and curiosity are just as vital as business strategy.

What stood out most to me was Vivian’s commitment to gratitude and perspective. From climbing 14 flights of stairs daily to practicing meditation and journaling each morning, she grounds her success in conscious choices. She shared that material wealth didn’t bring the happiness she expected, but gratitude and clarity about life direction did.

Our conversation was as energizing as it was insightful. Vivian’s story is a testament to grit, resilience, and the power of influence done right. You can learn more about her work at vivianWeyll.com

We discuss Michael's book Workplace Culture, and discuss contemporary organizations are facing a "culture shortage," not merely a "labor shortage." The source emphasizes that talent retention and attraction hinge on cultivating a positive workplace environment rather than solely relying on financial incentives.

It outlines five essential strategies for leaders to adopt, including fostering trust and psychological safety, embracing workplace flexibility, prioritizing mental health and preventing burnout, investing in employee growth and career mobility, and implementing personalized recognition. Ultimately, the piece asserts that businesses prioritizing a strong culture will be the ones to thrive in the evolving landscape of work.

Gary B. Cohen shared his career journey, starting with growing ACI Telecentrics from two people and $4,000 to 2,200 employees and taking it public, achieving 50% compounded annual growth for the first 10 years. He then transitioned to writing a book on leadership and coaching, emphasizing the importance of asking questions rather than telling to engage employees. Gary highlighted that leaders need to shift from being tellers to askers, changing their identity to foster engagement, and he now focuses on coaching, which he believes is more crucial than ever in today's workplace.

Michael shared his experience transforming a healthcare organization with a high turnover rate by listening to employees and implementing their suggestions without conditions. He reduced the turnover rate from 86% to 6% in one year by asking questions, showing genuine interest, and creating an environment where employees felt valued. Gary noted that this approach aligns with coaching principles, emphasizing the importance of moving from a position of knowing all the answers to one of curiosity and open-mindedness.

Michael shared his experience transforming a toxic work environment into a collaborative one, highlighting how addressing underlying issues and empowering staff led to significant improvements. He emphasized the importance of creating environments where individuals have both authority and accountability, and noted that the same people can maintain positive change even after organizational transformations. Gary mentioned his passion for writing a second book with Robert Dora, focusing on digital manufacturing.

Gary discussed the concept of employees feeling "on the hook" in a positive way, contrasting it with the negative connotation often associated with the term. He emphasized the importance of balancing permission-giving and permission-seeking between leaders and employees, noting that excessive permission-giving can disengage employees and reduce their sense of ownership over their work. Gary and Michael explored how guardrails, such as job descriptions and budget allocations, can provide structure without stifling creativity or initiative. They agreed that leaders should help employees recognize these boundaries while encouraging autonomy and accountability.

Michael shared his experience with empowering mental health workers to develop new programming, which resulted in a successful poster presentation at a conference. He emphasized the importance of employee ownership and engagement, as well as the value of celebrating project outcomes rather than focusing solely on ideas. Michael also discussed his approach to leadership, including his practice of asking questions to maintain a state of wonder and curiosity, and the importance of active listening.

Gary discussed a tool called Peak Leadership, which identifies four question-asking styles based on two dimensions: perspective/evaluation and knowledge/action. He explained that most people only use one of these styles, limiting their questioning to 25% of the available options, but the model shows that individuals can develop and expand beyond their natural style.

Gary discussed his company's decision to offer a free 7-minute assessment tool based on Stephen Covey's 360-degree quadrant model, which helps individuals and organizations ask better questions and improve their performance. Michael encouraged listeners to take advantage of the tool, emphasizing its value for organizations of all sizes.

Website: https://co2coaching.com

Book: Just Ask Leadership: Why Great Managers Always Ask the Right Questions

In this deep dive conversation, we discuss highlights from Michael's pinnacle book, Burnout Proof.

Learn more at https://BreakfastLeadership.com