Leading to Thrive with Klaus Kleinfeld

What do you need to run your life successfully? In this episode, Kevin talks with Dr. Klaus Kleinfeld about how leaders can master both the “inner game” and the “outer game” of leadership. Klaus explains why sustainable success starts with managing your energy—physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually—and how purpose acts like a laser to focus that energy on what matters most. He also discusses how discipline alone isn't enough, why removing negative cues from your environment can help conserve energy, and how leaders can choose their emotional responses to prevent unnecessary energy drains. Klaus' Story: Dr. Klaus Kleinfeld is the author of Leading to Thrive: Mastering Strategies for Sustainable Success in Business and Life. He is the only leader to have successfully served as CEO of two Fortune 500 giants on different continents: Alcoa in the US and Siemens in Germany. With a nearly forty-year career spanning multiple industries, from established businesses to tech startups, he has advised US presidents and global leaders across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. As the founder of K2Elevation, he invests in North American and European tech and biotech firms. Actively engaged in private sector, public affairs, and cultural boards, Dr. Kleinfeld, a dual US and European citizen, enjoys work, life, and family near New York. https://www.leading-to-thrive.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/klauskleinfeld/ This Episode is brought to you by... Flexible Leadership is every leader’s guide to greater success in a world of increasing complexity and chaos.  Book Recommendations Leading to Thrive: Mastering Strategies for Sustainable Success in Business and Life by Klaus Kleinfeld Great Expectations by Charles Dickens The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas  Like this? Balancing Business Success and Wellbeing with Andy Brown Win the Inside Game with Steve Magness Creating a Better Model of Working with Steve Cadigan   Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group   Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we’d be thrilled if you’d let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here’s a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes   

Is leadership really about you? The answer is both yes and no. In this episode of Remarkable TV, Kevin Eikenberry explores the tension between personal leadership growth and the ultimate purpose of leadership: achieving outcomes with and through others. You’ll discover: Why leadership is about outcomes, not ego How your behaviors and self-awareness shape your team’s success The critical balance between personal growth and collective achievement Leadership may not be about you, but who you are — and how you lead — makes all the difference. 👉 Want to dive deeper into leadership growth? Join us at Virtual LeaderCon — a free, four-day online event featuring world-class leadership and personal development experts. Learn more and register here: https://virtualleadercon.com/  My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I’m here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/  Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media:  https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://twitter.com/KevinEikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere’s). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.   Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we’d be thrilled if you’d let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here’s a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes    Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP   Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group      

What if mastering the art of asking questions could turn you into an unstoppable leader? In this episode, Kevin chats with Dave Reynolds about how powerful questions can unlock deeper thinking, foster ownership, and promote growth in individuals and organizations. Dave shares insights on building a coaching culture where curiosity sparks conversations in every direction—up, down, and across. He explains the science behind how our brains respond differently to questions compared to directives and offers strategies for shifting from transactional to transformational leadership. From mirroring and probing to reframing and follow-up, Kevin and Dave explore practical ways leaders can build trust, strengthen relationships, and achieve better results. Listen For 00:00 Welcome and Big Questions About Leadership 01:45 Meet Guest Dave Reynolds 02:11 Technical Glitch and Transition 02:19 Introducing Dave’s Background 02:36 About Rumin8 Group and Radicle Growth 03:09 Dave Joins the Conversation 03:25 Dave’s Journey to Writing the Book 03:57 Why Dave Wrote Radicle Growth 04:28 From Consulting to Authoring and Training 04:49 How the Book Idea Was Born 05:04 The Promise Behind “Unstoppable Leader” 06:01 What “Unstoppable” Really Means 07:06 Creating a Coaching Culture 08:00 Coaching Up, Down, and Across 09:06 Science Behind Asking Questions 10:13 Neurological Impact and Ownership 10:55 Barriers to Asking Questions 12:00 Why Leaders Avoid Asking Questions 13:08 Being Proactive vs. Reactive with Questions 14:21 You Don’t Need to Know All the Answers 15:13 Transactional vs. Transformational Leadership 16:27 Creating a Mindset Shift Around Coaching 17:15 Types of Questions to Ask 18:05 Confirming and Mirroring Questions 19:24 The Power of Silence and Mirroring 20:33 Building Trust Through Questions 21:18 The “If You Did Know” Question Hack 21:59 Paraphrasing and Confirming for Clarity 22:11 Probing Beyond Surface-Level Responses 23:42 Questions as a Relationship Builder 24:23 The Importance of Follow-Up Questions 25:33 Accountability as Motivation 26:07 Coaching at a Distance (Remote Teams) 27:20 Creating Connection for Remote Employees 28:06 What Dave Does for Fun 28:44 What Dave is Reading 29:41 Where to Find More About Dave and Rumin8 Group Dave's Story: Dave Reynolds is the author of Radicle Growth: Transform into an Unstoppable Leader Through Mastering the Art of Questions. He is a serial entrepreneur who has launched and developed numerous new products and services over nearly two decades. He is the founder and CEO of The Rumin8 Group, a Growth Consulting firm that helps clients think strategically, facilitate team growth, and navigate crucial conversations. With a background in sales leadership, performance management, and succession planning, Dave is passionate about growth acceleration and how asking the right questions yields the best answers. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.   This Episode is brought to you by... Flexible Leadership is every leader’s guide to greater success in a world of increasing complexity and chaos.  Book Recommendations Radicle Growth: Transform into an Unstoppable Leader through Mastering the Art of Questions by Dave Reynolds  Buy Back Your Time: Get Unstuck, Reclaim Your Freedom, and Build Your Empire by Dan Martell The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Achieving More with Less by Richard Koch Like this? Beautiful Questions with Warren Berger Leading with Questions with Bob Tiede   Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group   Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we’d be thrilled if you’d let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here’s a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes    Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP  

Does the seasoning make the meal? In this episode of Remarkable TV, Kevin Eikenberry takes us into the kitchen to explore how small changes can transform good into great — both in cooking and in leadership. Discover why one small, intentional improvement can have a big impact on your effectiveness as a leader. Just like seasoning, leadership skills don’t need to be added in overwhelming amounts — the right one, in the right dose, makes all the difference. Watch now to learn how you can sprinkle in the right skill to elevate your leadership. Want more growth opportunities? Join us at Virtual LeaderCon, September 22–25. It’s free, and you’ll gain access to world-class leadership experts and practical insights you can apply immediately. Register here: https://virtualleadercon.com My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I’m here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/  Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media:  https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://twitter.com/KevinEikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere’s). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.  

What happens when you realize you matter? In this episode, Kevin talks with Zach Mercurio about the often-overlooked human need to feel important and how leaders at all levels can foster this through everyday interactions. Zach explains how his early research with custodial staff showed that small, intentional moments—like being seen, acknowledged, and validated—are the building blocks of meaning at work. These "moments of mattering," he says, aren't about big gestures but about real human connection. Kevin and Zach also explore the link between mattering and trust, the challenge of staying focused in today’s distracted world, and how leaders can create cultures where everyone feels valued and essential. Listen For 00:00 Introduction 00:35 How to Join the Podcast Live 01:14 About Zach Mercurio 02:15 Welcome Zach 02:55 Why Mattering Matters 04:17 Defining Moments of Mattering 05:03 Discovering the Concept of Mattering 06:14 Leadership Happens in Moments 07:04 Human Interaction vs Symbols of Value 08:09 Why Engagement Programs Fall Short 09:06 The Three-Part Framework of Mattering 10:14 Noticing vs Knowing 11:15 Appreciation vs Affirmation 12:33 Feeling Needed at Work 13:03 The Power of If It Wasn't for You 15:30 Turning Good Intentions into Practice 16:15 Mindset Skillset Habitset 17:19 Translating Ideas into Real-World Action 18:18 The Myth of Being Too Busy 20:11 Relearning the Skills of Connection 21:13 Tech and the Loss of Human Interaction 22:00 Not Soft Skills Essential Skills 22:20 The Best Question a Leader Can Ask 23:00 You Don’t Need Permission to Lead This Way 25:02 You Always Have Interactional Power 26:06 Culture is Non-directional 27:06 Trust Begins with Care 28:00 The Human Advantage in the Age of AI 29:08 Belonging vs Inclusion vs Mattering 30:36 Where to Start Building Mattering 31:33 What Zach Does for Fun 31:58 What Zach is Reading 33:00 Final Thoughts and How to Connect 35:12 Your Call to Action 36:10 Wrap-Up Zach's Story: Zach Mercurio is the author of The Power of Mattering: How Leaders Can Create a Culture of Significance. He is a researcher, leadership development facilitator, and speaker specializing in purposeful leadership, mattering, and meaningful work. Zach advises leaders in organizations worldwide on practices for building cultures that promote well-being, motivation, and performance. He holds a Ph.D. in organizational learning, performance, and change from Colorado State University, where he serves as a senior fellow at the Center for Meaning and Purpose and as an instructor in the Organizational Learning, Performance, and Change program. This Episode is brought to you by... Flexible Leadership is every leader’s guide to greater success in a world of increasing complexity and chaos.  Book Recommendations The Power of Mattering: How Leaders Can Create a Culture of Significance by Zach Mercurio Ways of Being by James Bridle Southern Reach Trilogy 3 Books Collection Set By Jeff VanderMeer (Annihilation, Authority, Acceptance) by Jeff VanderMeer  Like this? Building a Powerful Culture with Patty McCord Building and Sustaining a Culture of Excellence with Kyle McDowell Creating a Work Culture Everyone Wants with Jennifer Moss Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group   Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we’d be thrilled if you’d let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here’s a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes    Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP  

Conflict is often seen as something to avoid—but what if it could actually fuel growth? In this episode, Kevin Eikenberry explores how leaders can reframe conflict as a source of creativity, perspective, and stronger communication. Discover how to: See conflict as a driver of creativity Use conflict to explore perspectives Clarify expectations and prevent future misunderstandings Lead your team toward constructive conflict rather than destructive tension 💡 Remarkable Reminder: What would change in your work and life if you looked for the power in conflict instead of fearing it? 👉 Want more on this topic? Join Kevin for his upcoming conversation with Dana Kass at Virtual LeaderCon—a free online event packed with leadership insights. Register here: https://virtualleadercon.com Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group   My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I’m here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ BOOK: Check out my latest book, The Long-Distance Teammate: https://longdistanceteammate.com/ ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/  Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media:  https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://twitter.com/KevinEikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere’s). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.  

What does it mean to build a workplace culture that people want to join? In this episode, Kevin talks with Jennifer Moss about this important leadership question. They discuss the societal shift in how we view work, the psychological idea of mortality salience, and how these concepts are influencing employee expectations today. Jennifer also shares the basic elements of a strong work culture: inspiring hope, creating purpose, and fostering genuine community, whether your team works remotely, in a hybrid setting, or in-person. Additionally, Jennifer challenges the one-size-fits-all approach to office mandates and presents an alternative idea of the workplace as a “third place” where creativity and collaboration can flourish. Listen For 00:00 Introduction and why culture matters more than ever 01:24 About Kevin’s book “Flexible Leadership” 01:49 Introducing guest Jennifer Moss 02:48 The new book: “Why Are We Here?” 03:05 What is a discovery writer? 04:56 Journey from burnout to culture 05:56 Career pivots and “life is short” 07:02 Mortality salience and identity at work 08:06 How the pandemic reframed our view of work 08:40 Everyone has agency in shaping culture 09:50 Managing up and generational empathy 11:18 Foundations of culture: hope, purpose, and community 13:08 Losing joy at work and the great detachment 14:16 Time poverty vs. remote work 15:06 The office as a third place 16:23 Contradictions in return-to-office policies 17:56 Productivity vs. presence and the AI contradiction 19:15 Data-driven leadership and ignoring the data 20:04 The chapter on “Freedom” 21:20 Women opting out and redefining freedom 22:41 Leadership betrayal and lack of trust 24:09 Focusing on goals, not hours 25:15 Supporting employees who finish early 25:38 AI increasing workload 26:32 Leaders need real conversations about AI’s impact 27:02 Culture can change in 20 minutes 27:56 Weekly manager-employee check-ins 28:25 Jennifer’s favorite morning ritual with her daughter 29:53 What Jennifer is reading: The Tell by Amy Griffin 31:07 Where to find Jennifer and her book 31:52 Kevin’s closing challenge: “Now What?” Jennifer's Story: Jennifer Moss is the author of The Burnout Epidemic, which tackles employee burnout and was named one of Thinkers50's "10 Best New Management Books for 2022." Her latest book is WHY ARE WE HERE?: Creating a Work Culture Everyone Wants. She is an international speaker, award-winning journalist and author, workplace culture strategist, and co-founder of the Work Better Institute, a global workforce policy think tank. She is a nationally syndicated radio columnist and writes for Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Fortune. Jennifer has been recognized as a Canadian Innovator of the Year and an International Female Entrepreneur of the Year, and is the recipient of a Public Service Award from the Office of President Obama. This Episode is brought to you by... Flexible Leadership is every leader’s guide to greater success in a world of increasing complexity and chaos.  Book Recommendations Why Are We Here?: Creating a Work Culture Everyone Wants by Jennifer Moss  The Tell: A Memoir by Amy Griffin Like this? Creating Courageous Cultures with Karin Hurt and David Dye Solving the Culture Puzzle with Mario Moussa and Derek Newberry The Burnout Epidemic with Jennifer Moss Culture is the Way with Matt Mayberry Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group   Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we’d be thrilled if you’d let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here’s a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes    Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP  

Getting buy-in sounds great—but it's not the end goal. It's just the beginning. In this episode, Kevin Eikenberry explains why buy-in alone isn’t enough to drive results and how leaders can bridge the gap between agreement and action. Discover the three leadership actions that move your team from “I’m in” to actual implementation. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why buy-in is a low bar What the real goal of leadership influence should be 3 specific steps leaders can take to drive action 🎯 Remarkable Reminder: “Gaining buy-in to a project or change is a good first step, but not the goal. The goal is action and implementation.” 📅 Join Kevin for a free conversation with Dave Garrison, author of The Buy-In Advantage, at Virtual LeaderCon on September 22: 👉 https://VirtualLeaderCon.com My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I’m here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/  Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media:  https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://twitter.com/KevinEikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere’s). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.  

How can leaders navigate the messy middle of management, especially when it comes to delivering difficult news without damaging relationships or morale? In this episode, Kevin talks with Mahesh Guruswamy about the real-world challenges leaders face when communicating unwelcome information, from missed deadlines to ethical violations. Mahesh shares a thoughtful approach to raising the temperature of conversations gradually and when situations call for urgent, high-stakes responses. They also discuss the difference between technical and adaptive feedback, the importance of intentional communication, and the human side of letting team members go. Listen For 00:00 Introduction 02:02 Meet Mahesh Guruswamy 06:03 The Messy Middle of Leadership 06:24 When Should Leaders Deliver Bad News 07:17 Listening to Your Intuition as a Leader 08:06 Raising the Temperature Slowly 10:24 When to Start at a Higher Temperature 12:04 When Urgency or Ethics Demand Immediate Action 13:04 Communicating the Stakes with Your Team 13:46 Writing as a Tool for Delivering Difficult News 14:51 Lessons from Amazon on Written Communication 16:06 Documenting Over Slide Decks for Clarity 17:17 Reviewing Recordings to Improve Communication 18:45 The Power of Leadership Language 21:11 Balancing Policy and Humanity in Difficult Conversations 22:09 Helping Team Members Find Better Fit Elsewhere 22:58 Avoiding Emotional Delivery of Feedback 23:59 Two Types of Feedback Technical and Adaptive 25:42 Giving Feedback to Your Boss 26:56 Should You Be a Manager Key Questions to Ask 28:28 Can You Succeed Without External Validation 28:55 Giving Credit to the Team Not Yourself 30:31 Mahesh’s Personal Interests 32:51 Final Thoughts and Call to Action Mahesh's Story: Mahesh Guruswamy is the author of How to Deliver Bad News and Get Away with It: A Manager's Guide. He is a seasoned product development executive who has been in the software development space for over twenty years and has managed teams of varying sizes for over a decade. He is currently the chief product and technology officer at Kickstarter. Before that, he ran product development teams at Mosaic, Kajabi, and Smartsheet. Mahesh caught the writing bug from his favorite author, Stephen King. He started out writing short stories and eventually discovered that long-form writing was a great medium to share information with product development teams. Mahesh is passionate about mentoring others, especially folks who are interested in becoming a people manager and newer managers who are just getting going. This Episode is brought to you by... Flexible Leadership is every leader’s guide to greater success in a world of increasing complexity and chaos.  Book Recommendations How to Deliver Bad News and Get Away With It: A Manager’s Guide by Mahesh Guruswamy Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading by Ronald A. Heifetz and Marty Linsky Never Flinch by Stephen King Like this? Communicate Like a Leader with Dianna Booher Leadership, Communication and Credibility with Jack Modzelewski How to Communicate Effectively with Anyone, Anywhere with Raúl Sánchez and Dan Bullock How to Communicate More Effectively and Lead a Better Life with Michael Hoeppner Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group   Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we’d be thrilled if you’d let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here’s a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes    Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP  

Are you an expert who’s stopped being curious? In this episode of Remarkable TV, Kevin Eikenberry explores the idea of the curious expert—a rare but powerful combination of knowledge and curiosity. You’ll discover why expertise alone isn’t enough in today’s fast-changing world, and why curiosity is the key to staying relevant, adaptable, and effective as a leader. Kevin shares how to balance what you know with what you still need to learn, and how doing so can help you build trust, grow as a leader, and remain a lifelong learner. 🔑 What you’ll learn in this episode: Why expertise often kills curiosity How curiosity fuels learning and growth Why today’s leaders must be both experts and learners Practical steps to become a “curious expert” 📌 Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction 00:23 – What is a “curious expert”? 00:49 – Why curiosity fades as expertise grows 01:15 – Why most people stop being curious 01:46 – Why curiosity is essential for learning 02:06 – How expertise helps, but can hold us back 02:34 – Looking backward vs. looking forward 03:01 – Why leaders need both expertise and curiosity 03:28 – How to become a curious expert 03:49 – The more you know, the more you realize you don’t 04:10 – Holding expertise and curiosity in tension 04:39 – The benefits of being a curious expert 05:05 – Learn more through the Remarkable Learning Masterclass 05:32 – Closing and invitation to next week’s episode 👉 Learn more about the Remarkable Learning Masterclass here: https://remarkablemasterclass.com My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I’m here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ BOOK: Check out my latest book, The Long-Distance Teammate: https://longdistanceteammate.com/ ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/  Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media:  https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://twitter.com/KevinEikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere’s). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.