The Courage of a Leader
Amy Riley
Recent Episodes
Walt Hampton, CEO of Summit Success International and author of The Power Principles of Time Mastery: Do Less, Make More, Have Fun, joins us to share his insights on reclaiming time, energy, and focus for leaders. In a world where many fall into the habit of saying "yes" too often, Walt highlights how this can lead to burnout and inefficiency. He stresses the importance of intentional time management, blocking time for deep work, and confidently saying "no" to protect our most valuable resources. By doing so, we avoid opportunity costs and maintain our personal energy for what truly matters.
Walt offers practical strategies for time mastery, such as aligning our daily schedules with our core values and understanding our most productive rhythms. He encourages us to make time for self-care, creativity, and strategic thinking by working smarter, not harder. His approach empowers leaders to prioritize what’s most important and create lasting success through more focused, intentional effort.
Key Takeaways:
- The Power of Saying No: Learning to say "no" is essential for leaders to avoid burnout and focus on high-value tasks.
- Block Time for Deep Work: Use uninterrupted blocks of time to work on important projects and maximize productivity.
- Align Time with Values: Ensure your schedule reflects your top priorities and values for a more fulfilling and efficient work-life balance.
- Understand Productive Rhythms: Work in 60-90 minute blocks during your most productive times and take breaks to maintain energy.
- Limit Interruptions: Minimize distractions and interruptions to improve focus and reduce time lost to task switching.
Resources Mentioned:
The Power Principles of Time Mastery: Do Less, Make More, Have Fun by Walt Hampton, J.D.: https://a.co/d/eENVETX
The Inspire Your Team to Greatness assessment (the Courage Assessment)
How can you inspire our team to be more proactive, take ownership and get more done?
You demonstrate and empower The Courage of a Leader. In my nearly 3 decades of work with leaders, I’ve discovered the 11 things that leaders do – even very well-intentioned leaders do – that kill productivity.
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.
https://courageofaleader.com/inspireyourteam/
About the Guest:
Walt Hampton, J.D. is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Success International, a global personal and professional development firm, and the Acquisitions Director at Summit Press Publishers, a premier publisher of expert positioning books. Walt is a business coach, management consultant, leadership trainer & motivational speaker.
He is the bestselling author of Journeys on the Edge: Living a Life That Matters, named a Top 10 Non-Fiction Book and a two-time recipient of the North American Book Awards; as well as the author of The Power Principles of Time Mastery: Do Less, Make More, Have Fun.
A 1984 graduate of The Cornell Law School, Walt was managing partner of a law firm for nearly 30 years with a practice focused on commercial litigation and criminal defense. He was trained as a Results Coach by Robbins Research International and worked directly for Tony Robbins as one of Tony’s elite-level certified business coaches.
Walt’s passions are high-altitude mountaineering, ultra-distance running, blue-water sailing and adventure photography. He and his wife, the publisher Ann Sheybani, reside in Intervale, New Hampshire.
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 The Courage of a Leader podcast! If you got inspired and/or got valuable leadership techniques you can use from this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have questions or feedback about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new The Courage of a Leader podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. 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 helps us ignite The Courage of a Leader in more leaders! Please take a minute and leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
Teaser for next episode
Watch for our next episode where Rob Waddell, a seasoned business coach and marketing consultant, shares insights on inspiring teams, building a clear vision, sustaining engagement, and celebrating wins to drive success in new initiatives.
Mentioned in this episode:
The Inspire Your Team to Greatness assessment (The Courage Assessment)
https://courageofaleader.com/inspireyourteam/
Meet Daphna Horowitz, a CEO coach, leadership expert, and author known for her bold approach to leadership and personal growth. Daphna believes that courage is essential in navigating the complexities and uncertainties leaders face today. She introduces the idea that true leadership starts from within, requiring self-awareness and the willingness to make bold moves, even in the face of fear. Daphna explains that leaders must embrace discomfort and push beyond their comfort zones to achieve growth for themselves and their organizations.
In our conversation, we explore her "ABC" leadership model, which highlights three key areas: Awareness, Bold moves, and Communication, and explores each at two levels. Daphna emphasizes that understanding ourselves is the foundation of courageous leadership. Leaders must also make bold decisions, even in uncertain circumstances, and communicate effectively to create strong connections with their teams. Through practical advice and personal insights, Daphna encourages leaders to embrace vulnerability, build deeper relationships, and continually grow by staying curious and open to learning.
Key Takeaways:
1. Self-Awareness is Key: Leadership starts from within. Knowing your strengths, weaknesses, and motivations allows you to lead more effectively.
2. Courage in Uncertainty: Leaders face constant ambiguity. Bold decisions are essential, even when you don't have all the answers.
3. Effective Communication: Clear, consistent communication builds trust and connection with your team, even in uncertain times.
4. Bold Moves Drive Growth: Taking risks, despite fear, is necessary for personal and organizational growth.
5. Continuous Learning: Great leaders stay curious, continually learning about themselves, their teams, and new ways to improve.
Resources Mentioned:
Courage to Lead: Leadership Lessons from Kilimanjaro by Daphna Horowitz: https://a.co/d/2sRMFYW
The Inspire Your Team to Greatness assessment (the Courage Assessment)
How can you inspire our team to be more proactive, take ownership and get more done?
You demonstrate and empower The Courage of a Leader. In my nearly 3 decades of work with leaders, I’ve discovered the 11 things that leaders do – even very well-intentioned leaders do – that kill productivity.
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.
https://courageofaleader.com/inspireyourteam/
About the Guest:
Daphna Horowitz is a CEO Coach , Leadership Expert, Author (and Actuary – its true!)
Daphna’s mission is to refine your leadership style – from top-performer to great leader – so that you create a workplace culture that inspires people and gets results.
She is always up for a challenge, has a A-type personality and always sets herself big goals and achieves them. That’s why when she became a director at the age of 23 in a large consulting company and one of only 5 women actuaries in South Africa, she began asking herself, what do I really want?
She fought for gender equality at work, took on volunteer leadership positions in various NPOs and then switched careers from exact sciences to humanities, because she has seen how a strong, supportive organisational culture makes a difference. In that process, she attained her MPhil cum laude and MCC (master certified coach) with the International Coach Federation.
And perhaps most significant to Daphna is to continue experiencing joy and life! She’s climbed Kilimanjaro, learned to play the saxophone, completed a pastry chef course, relocated to a new country and has written 2 books.
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 The Courage of a Leader podcast! If you got inspired and/or got valuable leadership techniques you can use from this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have questions or feedback about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new The Courage of a Leader podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. 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 helps us ignite The Courage of a Leader in more leaders! Please take a minute and leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
Teaser for next episode
Join us in our next episode where Walt Hampton shares strategies for time mastery, teaching leaders how to say no, block time for deep work, align schedules with values, and minimize interruptions for better productivity and balance.
Mentioned in this episode:
The Inspire Your Team to Greatness assessment (The Courage Assessment)
https://courageofaleader.com/inspireyourteam/
Our guest today is Therese Longo, an expert in Human Performance Technology (HPT), who has dedicated her career to enhancing how organizations develop their people. Therese’s approach shifts the focus from traditional competency and behavior-based models to accomplishment-focused strategies that drive real results. She realized that while training is often seen as the go-to solution for performance issues, it doesn’t always address the root of the problem. Her journey into HPT began when she connected with mentors and industry leaders, leading her to adopt innovative techniques that emphasize measurable outcomes and sustainable growth.
In our conversation, we explore how accomplishment-focused methods can transform performance management systems and talent development processes. Therese emphasizes the importance of understanding the full scope of human performance rather than just relying on training. By leveraging HPT principles, she guides us on how to identify what truly drives success in our teams and organizations.
This episode is a deep dive into rethinking performance management, offering practical insights on how we can shift from generic training to strategies that foster meaningful accomplishments and lasting impact.
Key Takeaways:
1. Accomplishment-Focused Approach: Shifting focus from traditional competency models to accomplishment-driven strategies can lead to better performance outcomes.
2. Training Isn’t Always the Solution: While training can help, it often doesn’t address the full scope of performance issues; understanding the root causes is crucial.
3. Human Performance Technology (HPT): HPT provides a framework to analyze and improve human performance by focusing on measurable accomplishments.
4. Identifying Performance Gaps: Therese emphasizes the importance of pinpointing specific areas that impact performance rather than applying generic training solutions.
5. Sustainable Growth: By leveraging HPT principles, organizations can create more effective, long-term improvements in their talent development and management processes.
Resources Mentioned:
- Dr Carl Binder’s performance thinking networks - https://www.sixboxes.com/
- Human Competence, book by Tom Gilbert - https://www.amazon.com/s?k=human+competence+thomas+gilbert&hvadid=580634968296&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9198637&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=3887849253128253945&hvtargid=kwd-411443381008&hydadcr=22592_13493326&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_6z1t5nwdh5_e
- For a Performance Profile template, reach out to Therese at [email protected]
The Inspire Your Team to Greatness Assessment (the Courage Assessment)
How can you inspire our team to be more proactive, take ownership and get more done?
You demonstrate and empower The Courage of a Leader. In my nearly 3 decades of work with leaders, I’ve discovered the 11 things that leaders do – even very well-intentioned leaders do – that kill productivity.
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.
https://courageofaleader.com/inspireyourteam/
About the Guest:
Therese Longo is a learning and development professional with a passion for driving performance culture to increase job satisfaction and elevate business results. As the Vice President of Operations for Radcom, Therese draws upon her background as a Certified Performance Thinking® Practitioner and her 20 years of experience as an instructional design professional to drive continuous improvement within Radcom. She leads the development of Radcom’s project teams, helping team members find effective, efficient means of producing impactful customized documentation, training, and additional support that help clients enhance their professional abilities. Therese applies her performance improvement expertise with clients, managing various projects, through which she helps business executives achieve organizational goals through the performance of their people.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thereselongo/
Email: [email protected]
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 The Courage of a Leader podcast! If you got inspired and/or got valuable leadership techniques you can use from this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have questions or feedback about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new The Courage of a Leader podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. 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 helps us ignite The Courage of a Leader in more leaders! Please take a minute and leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
Teaser for next episode
In our next episode Daphna Horowitz introduces her ABC leadership model—Awareness, Bold moves, and Communication—showing how these elements help leaders navigate uncertainty, make courageous decisions, and foster continuous growth.
Mentioned in this episode:
The Inspire Your Team to Greatness assessment (The Courage Assessment)
https://courageofaleader.com/inspireyourteam/
Brian Bogert is a human behavior and performance coach known for helping people connect powerfully with others. He emphasizes the importance of authentic connection, particularly when facing personal and professional obstacles. Brian shares insights on how we can foster meaningful relationships by understanding the human need to feel safe, seen, and connected. He challenges us to recognize the barriers that prevent genuine connection and offers actionable advice to break down these walls.
Join us as we dive deep into the value of self-awareness in communication and how embracing vulnerability and authenticity can transform our relationships. Brian discusses the importance of being fully present in our interactions and how these practices can help us build stronger, more resilient bonds.
Brian’s approach encourages us to look beyond surface-level connections, helping us to cultivate deeper, more meaningful interactions in all areas of our lives.
Key Takeaways:
1. Core Human Needs: We all need to feel safe, seen, protected, and connected. Understanding these needs helps us build deeper, more meaningful relationships.
2. Authentic Connection: True connection comes from being genuine and vulnerable, leading to impactful personal and professional relationships.
3. Overcoming Barriers: Brian identifies common obstacles to connection, like fear and judgment, and offers tips to break them down.
4. Self-Awareness in Communication: Knowing our own emotions and triggers helps us communicate more effectively and connect deeply with others.
5. Being Present: Engaging fully and listening actively can transform our relationships, making them stronger and more resilient.
About the Guest:
Brian Bogert is a human behavior and performance coach, speaker, and business strategist who helps individuals, leaders, and entrepreneurs connect with their authentic selves to unlock their full potential. His journey began at age seven when he suffered a traumatic accident that resulted in the loss of his left arm. After enduring years of rehabilitation and surgeries, Brian developed a deep understanding of how physical, emotional, and mental pain can hold people back.
Brian's unique approach focuses on embracing pain to avoid suffering, prioritizing people over profits, and putting "who you are" before "what you do." His methods challenge conventional growth strategies, guiding people and organizations toward sustainable change and limitless potential. Driven by a mission to impact a billion lives by 2045, Brian and his team are dedicated to leading with intentionality and purpose.
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
Resources mentioned in the podcast
The Inspire Your Team to Greatness assessment (the Courage Assessment).
How can you inspire our team to be more proactive, take ownership and get more done?
You demonstrate and empower The Courage of a Leader. In my nearly 3 decades of work with leaders, I’ve discovered the 11 things that leaders do – even very well-intentioned leaders do – that kill productivity.
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.
https://courageofaleader.com/inspireyourteam/
Thanks for listening!
Thanks so much for listening to The Courage of a Leader podcast! If you got inspired and/or got valuable leadership techniques you can use from this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have questions or feedback about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new The Courage of a Leader podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. 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 helps us ignite The Courage of a Leader in more leaders! Please take a minute and leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
Teaser for next episode
Tune in next week for our conversation with Therese Longo who explores the shift from traditional training to accomplishment-focused strategies, using Human Performance Technology to drive sustainable performance improvements.
Mentioned in this episode:
The Inspire Your Team to Greatness assessment (The Courage Assessment)
https://courageofaleader.com/inspireyourteam/
Jessica Droste Yagan is the CEO of Impact Engine, and she has built a career based on her values and a clear demonstration of authenticity. We talk about how she did it, why it’s important, and how it benefits you and everyone around you.
Jessica shares her journey from McDonald's to Impact Engine, where she manages venture capital and private equity strategies focused on sustainable and impactful investments. She recounts her moment of realization while studying urban economics, where she realized that capitalism can be used to create sustainable jobs and wealth in high poverty areas.
You can align your personal values with business success and contributing to a more transparent and impactful society – and Jessica shares with us how!
About the Guest:
Jessica Droste Yagan is the CEO of Impact Engine, an investment firm with a mission to bring more capital to a market where financial returns are linked to positive social and environmental impacts. Impact Engine manages venture capital and private equity strategies that invest in transformative for-profit, positive-impact funds and businesses.
Prior to Impact Engine, Jessica led the creation of McDonald’s Corporation’s global and U.S. sustainable sourcing strategies. At McDonald’s, she enabled the integration of ethical, environmental, and economic sustainability across all food and packaging sourcing. Jessica also worked in urban economic development through the City Advisory Practice at the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City.
Jessica has co-authored two Harvard University case studies on public-private partnerships and currently serves as a board member for the Metropolitan Planning Council, the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation at Chicago Booth, and Fixer. Crain’s Chicago Business named her to its list of 40-Under-40 in 2013 and she served as a 2014Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow. Jessica holds a BA in Public Policy from Haverford College, an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, and an MPA from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government. She lives in Chicago with her husband and three children.
https://www.theimpactengine.com/
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.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyshoopriley/
Resources mentioned in the podcast
The Inspire Your Team to Greatness assessment (the courage assessment).
How can you inspire our team to be more proactive, take ownership and get more done?
You demonstrate and empower The Courage of a Leader. In my nearly 3 decades of work with leaders, I’ve discovered the 11 things that leaders do – even very well-intentioned leaders do – that kill productivity.
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.
https://courageofaleader.com/inspireyourteam/
Thanks for listening!
Thanks so much for listening to The Courage of a Leader podcast! If you got inspired and/or got valuable leadership techniques you can use from this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have questions or feedback about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new The Courage of a Leader podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. 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 helps us ignite The Courage of a Leader in more leaders! Please take a minute and leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
Teaser for next episode
Stay tuned for our next podcast episode – The Human Connection: 4 Ways to Strengthen or Inadvertently Destroy Your Ability to Influence – with Brian Bogert.
Mentioned in this episode:
The Inspire Your Team to Greatness assessment (The Courage Assessment)
https://courageofaleader.com/inspireyourteam/