Lead Into It

Sara Greco
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Lead Into It is a leadership podcast for managers, emerging leaders, and professionals who are trying to figure out how to lead well without completely losing themselves in the process. I'm Sara Greco: a leadership coach, Air Force leader, and someone who has spent a lot of time thinking (and probably overthinking) about what makes a good leader. On the show, we talk about the real-life side of leadership: managing people, having difficult conversations, building confidence, setting boundaries, managing up, leading through change, and figuring out what the heck you're doing when you suddenly find yourself in charge. Some episodes are conversations with people who have interesting stories and lessons to share about leadership, career growth, communication, and personal development. Others are just me, talking through a leadership lesson, a question I've been thinking about, or something I've learned the hard way. If you're a new or mid-level manager, an emerging leader, or you're somewhere in your career thinking, “Okay...what's next?” you're in the right place. I'm glad you're here. Grab your coffee and let's get into it.

  1. Oct 13

    Leading Under Pressure with Pat Ryder | Leadership Lessons from a Former Pentagon Press Secretary | Ep 90

    What does it actually take to lead well when the pressure is high? In this episode, I’m talking with Pat Ryder, retired Air Force Major General and former Pentagon press secretary, about leadership, communication, trust, and the experiences that shaped how he leads. Pat spent 32 years in the U.S. Air Force, with a career that took him from public affairs and CENTCOM’s counter-ISIS mission to the Pentagon briefing room. We talk about the leaders who shaped him, the moments that tested him, and what he learned about staying calm, building trust, and stepping into opportunities that felt bigger than he was ready for. A few things we get into: Why Pat sees servant leadership as the foundation of good leadershipWhat leading in a 24/7 crisis environment taught him about pressure and burnoutWhy communication is a leadership skill, not just a public affairs skillHow stretch assignments helped prepare him for bigger rolesWhat actually builds trust between a leader and their teamWhy leaders need to understand the mission, communicate the why, and give people room to leadAnd somewhere in there, we talk about the time an admin assistant basically told him to chill. 😂 If you're leading people, growing into leadership, or just trying to get better at handling the moments that matter, I think you'll get a lot out of this conversation. Thanks for listening!! Let’s keep the conversation going: Connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn, or subscribe to my weekly newsletter. Excited to be here with you!

  2. Oct 6

    Building Confidence by Building Binders| Mini with Kathy Knichel | Ep 89

    What does a binder have to do with leadership? In this mini episode, Kathy Knichel shares how something as simple as documenting what she learned in her role actually helped her build confidence and set the next person up for success. We also talk about what it really means to help people succeed and making sure they don't have to start from zero. A simple story with a pretty good leadership lesson. Listen to my full conversation with Kathy, at Ep 43, here.  Thanks for listening!! Let’s keep the conversation going: Connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn, or subscribe to my weekly newsletter. Excited to be here with you!

  3. Sep 29

    Difficult Conversations & Compassionate Leadership| Mini with Brooke Brzozowske | Ep 88

    What if you approached a difficult conversation by assuming the most generous explanation for the other person’s behavior? In this mini episode, Sara revisits an early conversation with Brooke Brzozowske about compassionate leadership and handling conflict with curiosity instead of jumping to conclusions. Brooke shares a real leadership moment involving a direct report, what she learned by slowing down and listening, and why sometimes the best way forward is to meet someone where they are. In this episode: Approaching difficult conversations with curiosity and generosityHow our assumptions shape the way we leadListening before jumping into problem-solvingBalancing clear expectations with compassionMeeting people where they areThanks for listening!! Let’s keep the conversation going: Connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn, or subscribe to my weekly newsletter. Excited to be here with you!

  4. Sep 15

    The 5 Types of Power in Leadership: Are You Building Trust or Creating Silence? | Ep 87

    What happens when your team goes quiet? You ask, “Does anyone have any questions or concerns?” and there's crickets.  Sometimes that silence isn't about your team. It might be about how they experience your power as a leader. In this episode of Lead Into It, Sara Greco breaks down the five types of power in leadership and how the way you use them can either build trust and psychological safety or accidentally create silence. Sara also explores the connection between leadership power and psychological safety, including why psychological safety doesn't mean lowering the bar or avoiding accountability. In this episode, you'll learn: The five types of power and how they show up in everyday leadershipHow your leadership style can influence whether your team speaks up or stays quietWhy compliance isn't the same as commitmentHow coercive power can get short-term results while damaging long-term trustWhy expert and referent power are so important for effective leadershipWhat psychological safety actually means for managersHow to hold people accountable while still creating a culture of learningPractical phrases you can use to encourage more honest communication Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace: The workbook includes an overview of the five types of power, reflection questions to help you identify where you tend to default, and practical questions and phrases you can use with your team. Thanks for listening!! Let’s keep the conversation going: Connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn, or subscribe to my weekly newsletter. Excited to be here with you!

  5. Sep 8

    You Don't Need a New Year. You Need a Tuesday in September | Ep 86

    Who says you have to wait until January 1st to decide you want to do something differently? September has its own kind of reset energy, and we should use it. Instead of waiting for Monday, the first of the month, or for life to magically calm down, what if you picked your own moment to start? In this episode, Sara talks about why September can be the perfect time to reset your goals, why trying to change everything at once usually doesn't work, and the simple question she wants you to ask yourself before the end of the year: What's one thing I can actually do between now and the end of the year that would make this better? No vision board required. Just pick your thing, put it on the calendar, and start. Because you don't need a new year. You need a Tuesday. Thanks for listening!! Let’s keep the conversation going: Connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn, or subscribe to my weekly newsletter. Excited to be here with you!

  6. Sep 1

    Listening to Respond vs. Listening to Understand with Scott Miller | Mini

    Okay, confession: I am definitely guilty of listening to respond sometimes. 🙋‍♀️ You know what I mean. Someone is talking and instead of actually listening to what they're saying, you're already thinking about what you're going to say next, how you're going to help, or how you're going to solve the problem. And as leaders, I think we can be especially guilty of this. We spend SO much time learning how to communicate, influence, persuade, and get our point across. But how much time do we actually spend learning how to listen? In this mini episode, we're going back into the Lead Into It archives for a clip from my conversation with Scott Miller from Episode 12. Scott, a leadership expert, author and form FranklinCovey executive, talks about listening to respond vs. listening to understand and why listening is such an important (but often overlooked) leadership skill. He also gets into what makes us poor listeners, why we interrupt, and how our instinct to solve someone's problem can actually get in the way of good communication. And then he shares a surprisingly simple way to practice active listening: when that little voice in your head says, “Okay, they're done talking now,” wait 10 seconds. In this mini episode, we talk about: Listening to respond vs. listening to understandWhy active listening is an important leadership skillHow listening skills can make you a better leader and communicatorWhy leaders can fall into “persuasion mode” instead of really listeningWhy we feel the need to solve other people's problemsWhy we interrupt—and what might be happening in our brains when we doA simple 10-second technique to practice better listeningHow better listening can strengthen leadership, empathy, and relationshipsIf you're working on your leadership development, communication skills, or simply trying to become a better listener, this is a good little coffee-break episode for you. And if you want the full conversation with Scott, go check out Episode 12 of Lead Into It. We talked about his book, his leadership experience, and a whole lot more. Thanks for listening!! Let’s keep the conversation going: Connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn, or subscribe to my weekly newsletter. Excited to be here with you!

  7. Aug 25

    The Coffee Lesson That Launched her Fortune 500 Career with Debbie Storey | Rewind | Ep 85

    What can making coffee teach you about leadership? More than you might think. In this rewind episode of Lead Into It, Sara Greco revisits her conversation with Debbie Storey, retired AT&T executive, to talk about the mindset shifts, career lessons, and leadership principles that helped Debbie navigate an incredible career at BellSouth and AT&T. From a seemingly ordinary task like making coffee to leading large organizations and helping develop leaders across a global workforce, Debbie shares how changing your perspective can change your career trajectory. They talk about what it means to bring the right mindset to your work, why boundaries are essential for sustainable leadership, and how being willing to learn from every experience can help you maximize your potential. Whether you're navigating your next career move, leading a team, or simply trying to become a more intentional leader, Debbie's story is a reminder that leadership lessons can show up in the most unexpected places. In this episode, you'll hear about:  How a simple task like making coffee became an unexpected career lesson  The mindset shift that can change how you approach your work  Why setting boundaries is an important part of effective leadership  Lessons from leading teams and organizations through career transitions  How to maximize your potential without losing yourself in the process  What aspiring leaders can learn from a career spanning BellSouth and AT&TThanks for listening!! Let’s keep the conversation going: Connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn, or subscribe to my weekly newsletter. Excited to be here with you!

  8. Aug 18

    What a Life-Threatening Health Scare Taught Him About Leadership, Success & People with Dave Guttman | Ep 84

    What happens when you're 24 years old, working your ass off, building a successful career and suddenly you're told you might only have six months to live? For Dave Guttman that moment completely changed the way he thought about success. Thankfully, the diagnosis was wrong. But the experience forced Dave to step back and ask a much bigger question: What was all that work actually for? That question became a turning point in how he approached his career, his relationships, and eventually, his leadership philosophy. In this episode, Dave and I talk about:  The health scare that became one of the biggest inflection points of Dave's life—and how it changed his perspective on success.  Why Dave shifted toward servant leadership and decided to make success the side effect rather than the goal. The influence Dave's parents had on his ambition, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness.  His experience at Wharton and the lessons he learned through the Small Business Development Center by working directly with business owners.  Why Dave believes humility, curiosity, discipline, and fair-mindedness can matter more than raw talent when you're building a team.  The interview process Dave uses to get beyond the polished answers, including open-ended questions, case studies, projects, reference checks, and 90-day plans.  The difference between solving the problem and holding someone accountable—and why good leaders need to be able to do both.  Why leaders should deflect credit, absorb blame, and be willing to publicly own their mistakes.  How psychological safety and accountability can actually work together rather than being opposites.  Why firing someone should never come as a surprise—and how waiting too long can impact an entire team.  How Dave uses core values as a practical filter for hiring, promotions, recognition, and rewards.  Why peer-driven recognition can help reinforce the culture you actually want to build.  And why leadership isn't necessarily for everyone—and why the values of the people and organizations you work for matter so much, especially early in your career.About Dave Guttman Dave Guttman brings decades of experience in business and leadership to this conversation, sharing lessons he's learned from building teams, hiring and developing people, making mistakes, and—perhaps most importantly—learning how to lead with humility. How six words changed my life | Dave Guttman | TEDxSDSU Thanks for listening!! Let’s keep the conversation going: Connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn, or subscribe to my weekly newsletter. Excited to be here with you!

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About

Lead Into It is a leadership podcast for managers, emerging leaders, and professionals who are trying to figure out how to lead well without completely losing themselves in the process. I'm Sara Greco: a leadership coach, Air Force leader, and someone who has spent a lot of time thinking (and probably overthinking) about what makes a good leader. On the show, we talk about the real-life side of leadership: managing people, having difficult conversations, building confidence, setting boundaries, managing up, leading through change, and figuring out what the heck you're doing when you suddenly find yourself in charge. Some episodes are conversations with people who have interesting stories and lessons to share about leadership, career growth, communication, and personal development. Others are just me, talking through a leadership lesson, a question I've been thinking about, or something I've learned the hard way. If you're a new or mid-level manager, an emerging leader, or you're somewhere in your career thinking, “Okay...what's next?” you're in the right place. I'm glad you're here. Grab your coffee and let's get into it.

Information

  • Creator
    Sara Greco
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    103
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Lead Into It
  • Show Website
    Lead Into It