Getting to the Why Behind the Problem | Root Cause Coaching

Most candidates walk into an interview focused on answering questions. The ones who get hired know how to ask them.Glenn Sharp breaks down advanced interview strategy — how to decode what interviewers are really asking, and how the questions you bring reveal more about your critical thinking than your answers ever could.He covers the Change Graph, how to identify pain points where company needs and your skills intersect, and the specific questions that signal you're the right hire.Get the book at readnowwhat.com.

In this episode of Now What?, Glenn Sharp continues the Advanced Coaching Techniques series by focusing on root cause coaching.The issue someone brings to a coaching conversation is often not the real issue. A manager may ask for time management training, but after asking better questions, the root cause may be communication, unclear expectations, poor meeting leadership, or lack of accountability.Glenn shares a story about being asked to lead a time management workshop and discovering that the real problem was unclear communication. He also discusses how to run better meetings, keep people on topic, clarify responsibilities, and prevent side issues from distracting from the root cause.This episode is useful for managers, HR professionals, leadership coaches, and anyone responsible for helping people solve the real problem instead of just treating the symptom.Topics covered: leadership coaching, root cause analysis, coaching skills, communication, meeting management, accountability, management training, employee development, and workplace leadership.Next Steps:Get the book: readnowwhat.comSubscribe for weekly leadership content.

In this episode of Now What?, Glenn Sharp continues Part 4 of his MVHRA Advanced Coaching Techniques series with a focus on resistance, change, and personal ownership.The most common form of resistance often sounds simple: “I don’t have time for that.”But in many coaching conversations, time is not the real issue. Priority is.Glenn explains the Change Curve of Human Behavior, why people often grow when someone tells them the truth, and why resistance should be expected when coaching begins to challenge old patterns. He also uses the Super Bowl ticket example to show that people usually make time for what they truly want to make time for.This episode is especially useful for managers, HR professionals, leadership coaches, and anyone responsible for helping people move through change.Topics covered: leadership coaching, coaching skills, change management, workplace resistance, accountability, difficult conversations, employee development, management training, and resistance coaching.Next Steps:Get the book: readnowwhat.comSubscribe for weekly leadership content.

Most coaching conversations fail because leaders skip the foundation.In this episode of Now What?, Glenn Sharp shares lessons from his MVHRA Advanced Coaching Techniques presentation and breaks down one of the most important questions in leadership coaching:What have you done in the last year to change your situation?That question forces ownership. It separates frustration from action. It also exposes when someone has been repeating the same approach and expecting a different result.Glenn also discusses why peers can sometimes be more effective coaches than managers, especially during onboarding. New employees may be more willing to ask vulnerable questions of a peer because they do not feel like they are being evaluated by “internal affairs.”This episode covers the work that must happen before coaching can be effective: building trust, clarifying the relationship, preparing for difficult conversations, and understanding resistance before trying to correct it.Topics covered: leadership coaching, coaching skills, workplace accountability, difficult conversations, employee development, building trust, management training, peer coaching, and resistance coaching.Next Steps:Get the book: readnowwhat.comSubscribe for weekly leadership content.

Most coaches walk into a session carrying the weight of the outcome. That's the mistake.Glenn Sharp breaks down a real keynote scenario — coaching Jason, a charming but dismissive executive who deflects accountability — and flips the entire coaching model. The responsibility belongs to Jason and his boss. Your job is to coach, not carry.Glenn covers the Change Graph, how to set up confidential conversations with both parties, and why doing the work upfront is what separates effective coaches from frustrated ones.Get the book at readnowwhat.com.

Joe from Tampa just got promoted to VP — bigger team, more direct reports, and a CEO who's counting on him. Glenn Sharp answers his question directly: the biggest trap new VPs fall into is doing too much themselves.In this episode: how to decouple from the work, leverage your Bright Spots, and build a team culture where ideas flow up instead of problems. This is what the Pinnacle of Management actually looks like.Get the book: readnowwhat.com

What does Gen Z really think about workplace culture and communication?In Episode 30 of the Now What? Podcast, Glenn Sharp explores how younger employees experience work, connection, communication, and culture—and why so many leaders misunderstand what they are actually looking for.This conversation is not just about generational differences.It is about what makes work enjoyable, meaningful, and sustainable for people.Glenn starts by asking a powerful question:What is it like working here?That question gets to the heart of culture.This episode explores why people want to feel valued and liked at work, why culture has such a direct impact on performance, and why a healthy workplace makes people more engaged and more likely to stay.Glenn also introduces the “Jaws of Culture” concept, showing how many organizational initiatives get swallowed up by barriers such as turf issues, resistance to change, hierarchy, bureaucracy, and blame.The episode also covers:• Why Gen Z is often judged too quickly• Why every generation tends to criticize the next one• How technology has changed communication• Why email is efficient but often impersonal and easy to misread• Why face-to-face communication still matters• Whether higher pay is worth it if the work makes you miserable• Why happiness, fulfillment, and meaning matter in career decisionsIf you want to better understand how Gen Z sees workplace culture and communication—and how culture affects performance, morale, and retention—this episode is worth your time.Learn more at:https://readnowwhat.com/Get the book Now What?:https://www.amazon.com/Now-What-Promoted-Individual-Contributor/dp/B0FJZRX3TM/

What does Gen Z really want from work?In Episode 29 of the Now What? Podcast, Glenn Sharp leads a roundtable discussion with Gen Z voices to explore what younger employees are actually looking for—and why so many employers misunderstand them.This conversation is not just about pay.It is about respect, purpose, growth, training, onboarding, and whether employees feel like they are stepping into something worth committing to.Drawing in part from Captain D. Michael Abrashoff’s It’s Your Ship, Glenn reviews five major reasons people leave jobs:• Not being treated with respect or dignity• Lack of career path• Not being listened to• Not being rewarded with more responsibility• Low payThe discussion then gets specific.Cayden explains why Gen Z wants work that helps build useful future skills and offers a real sense of purpose. Paulina shares how dismissive language can make a role feel small and unimportant. Both explain how disorganized onboarding and poor training can cause people to mentally check out very early.Glenn also highlights a major leadership point:Many employees decide within the first 72 hours whether they are likely to stay or leave an organization.That means onboarding is not just administrative.It is strategic.This episode also explores why mentors, teammates, and early socialization into the team can make a major difference in retention.If you want to understand what Gen Z values—and how to keep younger employees longer—this episode is worth your time.Learn more at:https://readnowwhat.com/Get the book Now What?:https://www.amazon.com/Now-What-Promoted-Individual-Contributor/dp/B0FJZRX3TM/

What does it really take to hold people accountable?In Episode 28 of the Now What? Podcast, Glenn Sharp breaks down the mindset leaders need if they want their team to stop depending on them for every answer and start thinking for themselves.At the center of this episode is a simple principle:Don’t come to me with a problem.Come to me with the problem and the solution.Glenn explains why accountability requires leaders to stop carrying all the weight and start pushing ownership back onto their employees and direct reports.He uses the visual of “shoulder pads” to describe the burden many managers carry—and why strong leaders must deliberately take some of that weight off themselves and put it where it belongs: on the people they lead.In this episode, Glenn discusses:• Why leaders must create a solutions-first culture• What to do when employees ask, “What do I do, boss?”• Why trained employees should be trusted to make decisions• How asking people what they want to do builds accountability• Why teams should rely on each other instead of only relying on the boss• How direct report idea generation creates better thinking and stronger teams• Why leaders who solve everything themselves create dependence instead of growthIf you want to build a more accountable team, stop being the answer to every question.Start requiring your people to think.Learn more at:https://readnowwhat.com/Get the book Now What?:https://www.amazon.com/Now-What-Promoted-Individual-Contributor/dp/B0FJZRX3TM/

What’s the real difference between a manager and a leader?In Episode 27 of the Now What? Podcast, Glenn Sharp builds on his recent appearance on the Entrepreneur DNA Podcast with Justin Colby to break down one of the most important leadership distinctions in business.Most managers focus on tasks, processes, and direction.Leaders focus on vision, influence, and preparation.That difference matters most when change hits.In this episode, Glenn explains why change often gets worse before it gets better, why leaders must prepare people in advance, and why talking to the end user before implementing change leads to better decisions.He also shares real-world examples, including Justin Colby’s experience switching insurance providers and a story about poor planning that created wasted time and frustration when mechanics were sent to a location that wasn’t prepared for them.You’ll also hear Glenn’s perspective on:• Why delegation is the most powerful time management tool leaders have• Why hiring people who are better than you at certain tasks is a strength• How investing your time in training creates layers of coverage on your team• Why AI is a tool—but human connection is still the key to businessIf you want to lead more effectively, influence people better, and stop confusing management with leadership, this episode is worth your time.Learn more at:https://readnowwhat.com/Get the book Now What?:https://www.amazon.com/Now-What-Promoted-Individual-Contributor/dp/B0FJZRX3TM/The Entrepreneur DNA: https://open.spotify.com/show/0JgbSxIL3gi8M04gg8dMey?si=54f5b18f7bf84d37