The Courage of a Leader
The Courage of a Leader

The Courage of a Leader

Amy Riley

Overview
Episodes

Details

This is where top leaders tell real stories about achieving extraordinary results and share practical advice and techniques you can immediately apply for your own success. This is where you will get inspired and take bold, courageous action. Host of The Courage of a Leader™, Amy Riley is a renowned keynote speaker, #1 international best-selling author and sought-after leadership consultant who has been transforming leaders – at all levels – for more than 2 decades. Guests on The Courage of a Leader™ are powerful, successful leaders who are passionate about authentic, engaging, difference-making leadership. Amy gets beyond the theory and dives deep with her guests about how things really work, so you walk away with tangible ideas to grow your influence, inspire your team, and get extraordinary results. Join us to step into the full power of your leadership and achieve what you care about most. Here’s where you’ll ignite The Courage of a Leader! To apply for the show or to book Amy Riley as a guest or keynote speaker, visit The Courage of a Leader website at www.courageofaleader.com.

Recent Episodes

UNFILTERED: Courageous Conversations about the Loneliness of Leadership
DEC 23, 2025
UNFILTERED: Courageous Conversations about the Loneliness of Leadership
What if one of the greatest challenges in leadership isn’t decision-making or pressure but loneliness?  In this Unfiltered Series conversation, leadership experts Amy Riley and Daphna Horowitz get real about the isolation that often hides behind confidence and success. Even the most connected leaders can feel unseen when everyone’s looking to them for answers. Amy and Daphna explore how this quiet loneliness shows up at every level of leadership and why it’s not a flaw but a signal—a call to pause, reflect, and reconnect. They share how to build your personal “A-Team,” drop the mask selectively, and find spaces where you can be supported as much as you support others. True leadership, they remind us, isn’t about standing alone at the top—it’s about finding the courage to lead with openness and connection.  Key Takeaways: 1. How to Recognize When Leadership Feels Lonely - Learn the subtle signs of isolation that most leaders overlook—and why noticing them matters. 2. Why Loneliness Can Be a Teacher, Not a Threat - Discover how reframing loneliness helps you grow instead of hiding behind busyness or success. 3. The Secret to Building Real Support as a Leader- Hear how to design genuine circles of trust that remind you you’re not meant to do it all alone. 4. What It Means to Drop the Mask Safely - Find out how to be open and authentic without losing credibility or composure. 5. Turning Loneliness into Leadership Strength – How connection and vulnerability can become your greatest sources of influence.  Connect with Your Co-Hosts  Daphna Horowitz  www.daphnahorowitz.com   https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphnahorowitz/   https://www.facebook.com/PEACSolutions   https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/leadership-live/id1524072573     Amy L. Riley  http://www.courageofaleader.com   https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyshoopriley   https://courageofaleader.com/podcast/    Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!  Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the, podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.  Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.  
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28 MIN
UNFILTERED: Courageous Conversations about Anger and What your Fire is Trying to Tell You
DEC 16, 2025
UNFILTERED: Courageous Conversations about Anger and What your Fire is Trying to Tell You
In this episode of UNFILTERED: Courageous Conversations about Anger and What your fire is trying to tell you, Amy and Daphna explore the misunderstood emotion of anger, an experience many of us are taught to hide or downplay. Together, they unpack why anger is often labeled as “unprofessional” or “unproductive” and instead reframe it as a natural, informative and deeply human emotion.They discuss how anger can signal our values, highlight boundaries and even serve as a catalyst for meaningful change when expressed with clarity and intention. From leadership to personal relationships, the conversation encourages listeners to acknowledge their emotions rather than suppress them and to use anger as a tool for understanding and conscious action. Timestamps00:00 – Why anger feels taboo00:04:32 – Anger as a catalyst for action00:09:30 – What healthy expression looks like00:13:18 – Gender differences & perception of anger00:19:15 – Naming the emotion beneath the reaction00:21:24 – Speaking from clarity instead of charge00:23:45 – The cost of suppression and artificial harmony00:28:10 – From reaction to response in 6 steps00:32:57 – Anger as a sign of what we value00:33:48 – Staying connected to our emotional experiencesConnect with Your Co-Hosts  Daphna Horowitz  www.daphnahorowitz.com   https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphnahorowitz/   https://www.facebook.com/PEACSolutions   https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/leadership-live/id1524072573     Amy L. Riley  http://www.courageofaleader.com   https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyshoopriley   https://courageofaleader.com/podcast/    Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!  Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the, podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.  Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.  
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35 MIN
UNFILTERED: Courageous Conversations about The Cost of Being in Control
DEC 9, 2025
UNFILTERED: Courageous Conversations about The Cost of Being in Control
We all want to do things well — to be responsible, stay on top of it, make sure nothing slips through the cracks. But when does that turn into control?In this episode of UNFILTERED, Daphna Horowitz and Amy Riley get honest about the fine line between responsible leadership and the need to control everything. They unpack why leaders grip so tightly, what it costs in terms of energy, creativity, and trust, and how letting go can actually be a deeper form of wisdom.Join Daphna and Amy for a raw, relatable conversation on hidden control, delegation of authority, and the courage it takes to loosen your grip without letting things fall apart.Key Highlights01:15 - The Illusion of Holding It All Together03:15 - Hidden Control: Responsibility in Disguise08:40 - The Bottleneck of Decision-Making13:30 - The Illusion of Being ‘On Top of It’17:45 - The Fear Beneath Control22:00 - From Dependency to Capacity: The Real Leadership Shift27:15 - Control Lives in the Body30:30 - The Four Shifts: Transparency, Collaboration, Curiosity, Boundaries34:15 - Moment of Stillness: Letting Go as WisdomConnect with Your Co-Hosts  Daphna Horowitz  www.daphnahorowitz.com   https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphnahorowitz/   https://www.facebook.com/PEACSolutions   https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/leadership-live/id1524072573     Amy L. Riley  http://www.courageofaleader.com   https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyshoopriley   https://courageofaleader.com/podcast/    Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!  Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the, podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.  Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.  
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34 MIN
The Courage Needed to Integrate Technology and Drive Innovation
NOV 25, 2025
The Courage Needed to Integrate Technology and Drive Innovation
Join us as we explore how courageous leadership helps us integrate technology with purpose instead of pressure. We look at leaders who chose clarity over complexity and used vision to guide innovation. Their success came from reconnecting to why the work matters, asking better questions, and shaping tools around real human needs. When we lead this way, we create space for confidence, trust, and momentum. We also show how cultures shift when leaders speak openly, encourage small tests, and celebrate learning. Bold, people-centered goals create energy and push teams to think in new ways. We share a simple framework built on clarity, communication, connection, and commitment that keeps us steady when change feels messy. When we act with courage, our teams feel it, and they follow with more creativity and readiness.  Key Takeaways: Lead with Purpose - Learn how to anchor any new technology or change in a clear why that brings people with you. Build Confidence Through Clarity - Expect tools to land better when you speak openly about what you know, what you don’t, and what matters most. Create a Culture That Learns - Why small experiments, curiosity, and honest reflection spark stronger engagement than perfect plans. Set Human-Centered Goals - How bold goals tied to human outcomes help people think differently and fuel innovation. Use the Four C’s to Stay Grounded – A simple framework you can use the next time change feels heavy.  Resources Mentioned Get your FREE Copy of Chapter 11 from Amy’s book, Courage of a Leader, by emailing [email protected] – Put “Visionary Chapter” in the Subject Line Want a Complimentary Leadership Conversation?  Email [email protected] – Put “Courage Conversation” in the Subject Line The Inspire Your Team to Greatness assessment (the Courage Assessment) - In less than 10 minutes, find out where you’re empowering and inadvertently kills productivity, and get a custom report that will tell you step by step what you need to have your team get more done.  Get it here: https://courageofaleader.com/inspireyourteam/  You don't need to have all the answers to lead well. Get your copy of the Clarity Kit for just $17 to learn the five practices to bring more clarity, confidence and courage into your leadership - https://courageofaleader.com/the-clarity-kit/ About the Host:  Amy L. Riley is an internationally renowned speaker, author and consultant. She has over 2 decades of experience developing leaders at all levels. Her clients include Cisco Systems, Deloitte and Barclays.  As a trusted leadership coach and consultant, Amy has worked with hundreds of leaders one-on-one, and thousands more as part of a group, to fully step into their leadership, create amazing teams and achieve extraordinary results.   Amy’s most popular keynote speeches are:  The Courage of a Leader: The Power of a Leadership Legacy  The Courage of a Leader: Create a Competitive Advantage with Sustainable, Results-Producing Cross-System Collaboration The Courage of a Leader: Accelerate Trust with Your Team, Customers and Community The Courage of a Leader: How to Build a Happy and Successful Hybrid Team  Her new book is a #1 international best-seller and is entitled, The Courage of a Leader: How to Inspire, Engage and Get Extraordinary Results. http://www.courageofaleader.com  https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyshoopriley   Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the, podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app. Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.  
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13 MIN
UNFILTERED: Courageous Conversations about Focus and Presence in a Distraction-Heavy World
NOV 4, 2025
UNFILTERED: Courageous Conversations about Focus and Presence in a Distraction-Heavy World
In today’s world of endless notifications, overflowing inboxes and constant noise, focus and presence feel harder than ever to hold onto. In this episode of UNFILTERED Courageous Conversations about Focus and Presence in a Distraction-Heavy World, Daphna and Amy take an unflinching look at the cost of distraction from information overload (the equivalent of 16 movies a day!) to the hidden toll of multitasking.This isn’t about productivity hacks or quick fixes. It’s about courageous conversations. How distraction shapes our leadership, our relationships and even our sense of self. Through personal stories, science-backed insights and practical tools, they explore what it really takes to reclaim focus and choose presence in a world that thrives on pulling us away.If you’ve ever felt scattered, reactive or simply longed to slow down and be fully here, this episode is for you. Timestamps[00:01:11] Information overload and distractions[00:05:25] Distraction vs intention[00:09:14] The importance of human connection[00:12:35] Presence and focus in team engagement[00:19:24] Tech boundaries for focus[00:22:56] The benefits of being present[00:26:36] Full presence in conversations[00:30:24] Commitment to personal challenges Connect with Your Co-HostsDaphna Horowitzwww.daphnahorowitz.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/daphnahorowitz/ https://www.facebook.com/PEACSolutionshttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/leadership-live/id1524072573Amy L. Riley http://www.courageofaleader.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyshoopriley https://courageofaleader.com/podcast/Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
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34 MIN