Have you ever walked out of a meeting feeling misunderstood, over-explained, or like your best ideas never landed the way you intended? Today’s episode is all about the hidden power of conversation—and how better listening, clearer communication, and stronger trust can unlock creativity, alignment, and real momentum inside any team or organization.

Today, I’m joined by Adrienne Shoch, Founder of 5 to 1 Consulting. Adrienne brings more than 25 years of global experience in communication-focused leadership and team development. Her work blends communication science, positive leadership, neuroscience, and awareness practices to help leaders and teams create meaningful, lasting change.

Adrienne's Website

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrienne-shoch/

Book: https://a.co/d/be0u3kH

Adrienne has led Thales University North America, managed HR across Europe as an expatriate for CGI/AMS, consulted for the World Bank, facilitated at Wharton Executive Education, and guest lectured at Salisbury University and UNC Asheville.

She’s authored a business case quantifying something staggering: the $1.2 trillion annual cost of poor communication in U.S. businesses.

She also recently contributed a chapter to the new book Lives Lost and Leadership Found

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrienne-shoch/

1) Why Conversation Quality Is a Competitive Advantage

Adrienne, you’ve made a bold claim that conversational excellence isn’t a “soft skill”—it’s a hard business driver with measurable impact.

Where do most organizations underestimate the cost of poor communication, and what’s the most surprising consequence you’ve seen play out in the real world?

2) The $1.2 Trillion Problem

You quantified the annual cost of poor workplace communication at $1.2 trillion in the U.S.—that’s not a rounding error, that’s a national business crisis.

What are the biggest “hidden drains” that create that number—misalignment, rework, turnover, conflict, decision delays—and what do leaders need to start measuring differently?

3) Trust, Awareness, and Generative Conversations

A lot of leaders think communication means: “I said it clearly.”

But your work focuses on trust, verbal awareness, and high-quality generative conversations.

What are the key ingredients of a truly great conversation inside a team—and what habits immediately kill trust and connection?

4) The Human Side: Loss, Compassion, and Leadership Growth

You also wrote a chapter in Lives Lost and Leadership Found called:

“A Journey through Compassion, Transformation, and the Practice of Letting Go.”

How does loss reshape a leader’s ability to listen, relate, and communicate—and what does it look like to lead with compassion without losing performance and accountability?

5) A Practical Path Forward for Leaders and Teams

If a leader is listening right now thinking, “This is us—we’ve got meetings, we’ve got Slack, we’ve got email… but we don’t have real conversations,” where should they start?

What are 2–3 simple practices teams can implement this week to improve conversational competence and build a healthier culture—fast?

Adrienne, what’s one reminder you want every leader to carry into their next conversation—something simple, practical, and transformative?

Today we’re joined by Dr. Matthew Harmody — a retired emergency physician, living kidney donor, and one of the leading advocates for kidney donation in the United States. Matthew donated a kidney to a stranger, then dedicated his post-medical career to eliminating the national kidney waitlist through education, mentorship, and policy reform.

Matt's Website

@5k50ss on Instagram

Matt's Facebook page

Matt's Facebook group

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-harmody-97988311/

He currently serves as Board Chair of the National Kidney Donation Organization, is a founding member of the Coalition to Modify NOTA, and has just released a remarkable new book, Ascending America: Five Kidney Donors, Fifty States, One Record-Breaking Journey. The book chronicles an extraordinary feat—summiting the highest point in all fifty states in record time—while carrying a much bigger message about courage, health, and the power of giving.

1. From the ER to Altruism in Action
2. Matt, you spent years as an emergency physician—trained to assess risk, act fast, and save lives under pressure. What first inspired you to donate a kidney to a stranger, and how did that single decision redirect the course of your life?
3. Donor Myths vs. Reality
4. Many people believe kidney donation is dangerous, permanently limiting, or something only done for family. What surprised you most—physically and emotionally—about living with one kidney, and what do you wish the public understood about life after donation?
5. Climbing for a Cause
6. Ascending America documents your team’s Guinness World Record journey summiting the highest point in every state. How did this extreme physical challenge become a platform for kidney donation advocacy—and what moments on that journey stayed with you the most?
7. The Science of Selflessness
8. You’ve spoken about the neuroscience behind altruism. From your perspective, what does science tell us about why people give so selflessly—and how might understanding that help normalize and expand living kidney donation?
9. Changing the System, Not Just the Story
10. Beyond individual donors, you’re working to change federal policy through efforts to modify the National Organ Transplant Act. What needs to change to eliminate the kidney waitlist—and how can everyday people support this mission?

Matt, after everything you’ve experienced—as a physician, a donor, an athlete, and an advocate—what do you hope people take away about courage, health, and the power of giving?

Today, we welcome Dr. Greg Giuliano, advisor and executive coach to senior leaders and teams around the world, and founder of GA | Ultra Leadership. Greg is the author of three #1 Amazon Bestsellers, including his newest book, Coaching for (a) Change: How to Engage, Empower, and Activate People.

Greg's Website

Greg on YouTube

@ultraleadership on Instagram

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greggiuliano/

In this book, Greg challenges traditional command-and-control leadership and offers a practical alternative: coaching. Drawing on more than two decades of experience, he introduces the GR8 Coaching Framework, a set of eight powerful questions designed to help leaders shift from being expert problem-solvers to facilitators of ownership, engagement, and real change.

1. Why This Book, and Why Now?
2. Greg, let’s start at the beginning. What experiences or patterns in your leadership and coaching work prompted you to write Coaching for (a) Change? What problem were you seeing leaders struggle with most?
3. From Manager to Coach
4. You talk about the need for leaders to shift from “manager” to “coach.” What does that shift really mean in day-to-day leadership—and why does the old command-and-control model fall short?
5. Ultra Leadership vs. Traditional Leadership
6. You distinguish between traditional leadership and what you call Ultra Leadership. How are they different, and what behaviors separate leaders who engage and empower people from those who unintentionally shut them down?
7. The Power of Coaching (and the Misconceptions)
8. Many leaders say they don’t have time to coach—or that coaching is soft or optional. Why is coaching actually a critical leadership skill today, and what are the biggest misconceptions leaders have about it?
9. The GR8 Coaching Framework
10. Let’s get practical. Walk us through the GR8 Coaching questions. How do these questions help leaders kick the “expert problem-solver” habit and activate ownership, accountability, and change?

For leaders listening right now who want to start coaching for change—but don’t know where to begin—what’s one question they can ask this week that would immediately shift how their people show up?

Thanks to our sponsor, White Cloud Coffee — fueling creative conversations everywhere. Listeners, enjoy 10% off your first order at whitecloudcoffee.com.

And before you go, you can download a free copy of my e-book A World of Creativity when you visit mark-stinson.com.

Today we’re joined by Sophia Kristjansson, Founder and CEO of Lexicon Lens, a boutique consulting firm that helps leaders close the persistent gap between strategy and execution—so plans don’t just look good on paper, they actually turn into results.

Sophia's Website

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiakristjansson/

With more than 25 years of experience guiding organizations through growth, change, and transformation, Sophia works closely with leadership teams to restore clarity, align people and process, and build traction when momentum starts to stall. She also teaches graduate courses in business strategy and organizational transformation at the University of Denver

She’s a contributing author to Lives Lost and Leadership Found, edited by Ian Ziskin—who joined us a few episodes back.

1. Why Strategy Fails at the Finish Line
2. Sophia, many organizations have smart strategies—but struggle with execution. From your experience, where do things most often break down between intention and action?
3. Closing the Strategy–Execution Gap
4. At Lexicon Lens, your work centers on alignment, collaboration, and leadership development. What are the first signs you look for that tell you a team is losing traction—and how do you help them regain momentum? Sophia shares these six signs:
5. Misaligned success signals – Leaders focus on the wrong metrics, missing what truly indicates performance or risk.
6. Organizational silos – Limited cross-functional visibility creates blind spots that hide emerging problems.
7. Communication mistaken for clarity – Sending emails or memos is assumed to solve issues, without ensuring understanding or follow-through.
8. Execution problems misdiagnosed – Symptoms are addressed instead of root causes, leading to recurring issues.
9. Outdated mental models – Leaders rely on old assumptions and ways of thinking without realizing they no longer fit current realities.
10. Human risk ignored – The people impact (capacity, morale, alignment, burnout) is not surfaced or discussed openly.
11. These six signals indicate leaders may not be seeing the real problem. Bringing leaders together to surface these blind spots enables shared understanding, innovation, and collaboration—often prompting the realization that the issue isn’t execution alone, but perception and alignment.
12. Turning Ideas into Action in Complex Environments
13. Leaders today are navigating constant change, competing priorities, and growing complexity. What practical frameworks or habits help leaders move from analysis paralysis to decisive action?
14. Lessons from “Lives Lost and Leadership Found”
15. You contributed to Lives Lost and Leadership Found, a book that explores how personal loss and reflection can deepen leadership capacity. How did that experience shape—or reinforce—your perspective on leadership, resilience, and execution?
16. Teaching the Next Generation of Leaders
17. You teach graduate students in business strategy and organizational transformation. What do you see emerging leaders getting right—and where do they most need to develop skills to lead effectively in today’s organizations?

For leaders listening right now who feel stuck between a clear vision and uneven execution—what’s one small, meaningful step they can take this week to move forward?

Today, we’re welcoming Bob Campana, a California-based serial entrepreneur with more than 40 years of experience building businesses across hospitality, travel, real estate, and aviation.

ROBERT's Website

ROBERT on YouTube

From hot tub manufacturing to founding the beloved Redwood Café in Modesto, to leading Redwood Café Tours across Europe, Asia, and Oceania, Bob’s career is a living case study in adaptability, optimism, and grit.

He’s also the author of the book Don’t Look Down! The Improbable Adventures and Battle-Tested Lessons of a Serial Entrepreneur, where he shares candid lessons learned from a lifetime of figuring it out as he went. Bob has his own entrepreneurship podcast, continuing his mission to share what really happens behind the scenes of business building.

1. A Lifetime of Reinvention

Bob, you’ve built businesses in very different industries—from manufacturing to hospitality to aviation. Looking back over 40 years, what allowed you to keep reinventing yourself rather than getting stuck in one version of success?

2. Risk, Fear, and the Title “Don’t Look Down!”

Your book title says a lot. Don’t Look Down! suggests both courage and consequence. How have you learned to take risks without being reckless—and what’s one moment when looking down might have stopped you if you’d let it?

3. Building Places That Connect People

Redwood Café became more than a restaurant—it became a community hub, and now it’s evolved into Redwood Café Tours around the world. What do you think makes an experience or a business truly memorable to people? (Bob recommends two books. “Moments of Truth: How the SAS President and CEO Adapted to the New Customer-Driven Economy” by Jan Carlzon. “Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business” by Danny Meyer.)

4. Lessons Earned the Hard Way

Your book promises “battle-tested lessons,” not theory. What are one or two hard-earned truths about entrepreneurship that you wish more people understood before they start their first venture?

5. What’s Next—and Why Keep Going?

You’re still expanding into real estate and aircraft leasing, writing books, and launching a podcast. What keeps you energized at this stage—and what advice would you give to entrepreneurs who wonder if it’s too late to start something new?

Bob, if you could leave our listeners with one mindset or principle that’s helped you navigate uncertainty over four decades, what would it be?

Today I’m joined by Leslie Schover, clinical psychologist turned novelist and author of Fission: A Novel of Atomic Heartbreak.

Set during the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Fission explores love, ambition, secrecy, identity, and moral conflict at a moment when the world was being reshaped—both scientifically and emotionally.

Drawing on her parents’ lived experiences and her own deep understanding of relationships, Leslie brings a uniquely human lens to one of history’s most consequential chapters.

1. From Family Stories to Historical Fiction
2. Fission is rooted in the stories your parents told about life in Oak Ridge during the Manhattan Project. When did you first realize these personal memories could become a novel—and what shifted for you in turning family history into fiction?
3. Atomic Power and Emotional Fission
4. The title Fission works on so many levels—scientific, emotional, relational. How did you think about the parallel between splitting the atom and the fractures within marriage, identity, and moral responsibility?
5. Doris Friedman: Ambition, Identity, and Constraint
6. Doris is such a complex character—a young mother, a frustrated artist, a woman navigating marriage, ambition, antisemitism, and gender expectations in the 1940s. What drew you to tell the story through her eyes, and what does she represent to you?
7. Psychology, Secrecy, and Relationships Under Pressure
8. As a clinical psychologist, you’ve spent decades studying relationships, sexuality, and identity under stress. How did that background shape the way you portrayed marriage, desire, betrayal, and resilience in a world defined by secrecy and existential fear?
9. Moral Ambivalence and Legacy
10. By the end of the novel, Doris and Rob are left with pride, guilt, love, and doubt—having helped save the world and also put it at risk. What questions do you hope readers sit with after finishing Fission, especially as we think about scientific progress and ethical responsibility today?

As someone who returned to fiction after a long and impactful career in psychology and healthcare, what would you say to creatives who feel it may be ‘too late’ to return to an earlier calling?

Today we’re welcoming T. Christian Helms, Founder and Creative Director of Helms Workshop, an award-winning branding agency known for building brands that truly connect.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tchristianhelms/

T. Christian's Website

Over the past 15 years, Christian has led creative strategy for beloved names like Jack Daniel’s, Hershey, Austin Beerworks, and Howler Brothers—helping them clarify their voice, tell authentic stories, and bring creative visions to life.

But what makes Christian’s creative journey especially powerful is the transformation behind the work. After years struggling with an undiagnosed illness, he rebuilt his life and his business using the same creative tools he teaches—clarity, storytelling, curiosity, and purpose. Today he helps companies and creators alike rediscover their creative spark and turn ideas into meaningful impact.

1. Rebuilding Through Creativity
2. Christian, your story includes a long period of illness and recovery—and ultimately a complete personal and creative reset. How did those challenges shape the way you think about creativity, purpose, and your role as a storyteller and brand builder?
3. The Spark of Curiosity and Play
4. You often talk about the importance of curiosity and play in breaking out of creative ruts. How do you intentionally bring curiosity into your process, both for yourself and for the brands you help shape?
5. Storytelling as Strategy
6. Your agency is known for helping brands find their soul and voice. What’s your approach to uncovering an authentic story—whether you're working with a global brand like Jack Daniel’s or an emerging creative business?
7. Rebuilding Creativity After Burnout
8. Many of our listeners have faced burnout, adversity, or seasons where their creative energy felt depleted. From your own journey, what have you learned about restoring creativity when the tank feels empty?
9. Creating Meaningful Impact
10. You’ve said that great design connects—and great stories endure. What does “impact” look like to you now? And how can today’s creators translate their ideas into work that actually makes a difference for others?

Christian, for creatives who are listening and may be at a crossroads—professionally, personally, or creatively—what’s one small step they can take today to reconnect with their creative spark?”

Thanks to our sponsor, White Cloud Coffee Roasters, fueling creative conversations everywhere. Listeners, enjoy 10% off your first order with the code CREATIVITY at checkout. Visit whitecloudcoffee.com.

And before you go, download your free e-book A World of Creativity, featuring insights and interviews from the podcast. Visit mark-stinson.com