The Courage of a Leader
Amy Riley
Recent Episodes
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.
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-Hosts
Daphna Horowitz
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!
Grief is one of the hardest things to talk about, yet it touches every one of us. In the latest conversation in the UNFILTERED Series, Amy and Daphna open up about loss, leadership, and the human side of work. Together, they explore why grief feels so overwhelming, how words often fall short, and what it means to truly show up for someone. They look at the role of leaders in creating safe spaces, why presence matters more than perfect answers, and how simple language can help us navigate messy emotions.
Grief doesn’t follow rules, but when we allow it to change us, it deepens empathy, strengthens relationships, and reshapes how we lead.
Listen to Learn:
- How to Talk About the Unspoken - Learn ways to acknowledge grief without fear, giving people space to share on their own terms.
- Why Listening Builds Connection - Discover why silence, presence, and genuine care often say more than any “right” words.
- Leading Through Humanity - Understand how to support others with flexibility and compassion when grief enters the workplace.
- Practical Tools for Everyday Check-Ins - Pick up language and cues that help teams communicate energy levels and emotional needs.
- The Power of Modeling Openness - See how sharing your own needs creates trust and encourages others to do the same.
Connect with Your Co-Hosts
Daphna Horowitz
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.
What if the quietest voice in the room held the most valuable insight?
In our next episode of the UNFILTERED Series, Daphna and I explore what it really means to be an introvert in an extroverted workplace. We uncover how introversion is defined by energy, not shyness, and why so many workplaces miss out on the best thinking when only the fastest talkers are heard.
Together we highlight practical ways to design meetings and team environments that invite thoughtful contributions, protect energy, and celebrate differences. Daphna shows how introverts can lean into natural strengths like observation, focus, and 1:1 influence, while extroverted leaders can take responsibility for guiding the process, so every voice is valued.
The result is a powerful reminder that leadership is not about volume, yet about creating space for authentic impact.
Listen in to:
- Redefine Introversion
- Design Better Meetings
- Discover ways to make space for processing
- Lead inclusively as an Extrovert
- Play the introversion/extroversion continuum
Connect with Your Co-Hosts
Daphna Horowitz
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
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.
Céline Williams, founder of reVisionary and an award-winning executive coach, reminds us that critical thinking is one of the rarest yet most vital skills a leader can bring to the table. With over 20 years of experience in leadership development and organizational transformation, she shows how being intentional in our decisions means recognizing biases, questioning assumptions, and digging deeper to uncover root causes. We explore how to pause, reflect, and step back from automatic responses so that we can choose stronger, more sustainable solutions. Critical thinking is not about overcomplicating things. It’s about courageously examining perspectives, challenging comfort zones, and modeling a better way of leading.
Highlights
1. See Beyond the Obvious - We learn how to move past surface symptoms and uncover the real problems that need solving.
2. Recognize Hidden Biases - Every leader has biases. The skill lies in acknowledging them and not letting them drive decisions.
3. Question Assumptions - By naming and testing assumptions, we open doors to new insights and stronger strategies.
4. Practice Reflection Before Action - Individual reflection before group discussion creates space for fresh, unbiased ideas.
5. Courage in Leadership - It takes courage to step into uncomfortable conversations and model true critical thinking for our teams.
Resources Mentioned
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:
Céline Williams is the founder of reVisionary, a boutique consulting firm that partners with growth-minded leaders and executive teams around the world. With over 20 years of experience in leadership development, culture design, and organizational transformation, she brings a rare blend of strategic insight and human-centered expertise.
Céline is an award-winning executive coach, international speaker, and trusted advisor known for her mix of empathy, edge, and practical wisdom. She also hosts two acclaimed podcasts, lectures at top business schools, and helps leaders unlock clarity, connection, and momentum in the moments that matter most.
She can be reached at:
https://www.facebook.com/revisionary.ca
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.
Mentioned in this episode:
The Inspire Your Team to Greatness Assessment (The Courage Assessment)
https://courageofaleader.com/inspireyourteam/