I Have Some Questions...

Erik Berglund
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Management
  • Daily

Most people know the headline of a leader’s story. Few know the path it took to get there. This podcast goes beyond titles, book launches and business wins, to explore the lived journey behind the thought leader. Through deep, unhurried conversations, we uncover the moments that shaped them—the doubts, pivots, convictions, and quiet breakthroughs that built their body of work. Each episode features authors, coaches, executives, and bold thinkers who have forged their own path. Instead of rehearsed talking points, they’re invited into a space where thoughtful questions unlock something more human. The result is a layered conversation that reveals not just what they preach, but how they became the kind of person who can teach it.Because we believe the best stories aren’t always told—they’re revealed. And when brilliant people are given the right questions and the room to answer them fully, what emerges is insight you can feel, frameworks you can apply, and a deeper understanding of what it truly takes to lead, create, and contribute at a meaningful level. 

  1. 18 hr ago

    264: "Point, Reason, Impact: The Structure That Builds Executive Presence" (Reflections On Maria Malik)

    🧠 Erik’s Take Erik treats this episode like a quick field report from his deeper conversation with Maria Malik, but he keeps circling the same underlying question: is confidence personality, or is it a set of skills? He uses the tactics she shares as proof that what people label as “who they are” can often be reframed into behaviors, structures, and feedback loops. He also notices a subtle contrast in himself, since he is naturally more extroverted, and he respects how different nervous systems experience the same room.  🎯 Top Insights from the Interview Confidence can be trained: Maria’s coaching reframes speaking anxiety as something people can work with through changing conditions and building structure.Starting the first ten minutes early reduces self-focus by creating familiarity and shifting attention toward the audience before the spotlight arrives.Public speaking fear is not one thing. Maria breaks it into seven distinct fears, which makes solutions more specific and practical.Erik connects Maria’s PRI model and “presence as skills” into a three-phase development path: internal clarity first, then external delivery, then integration.🧩 The Personal Layer Erik’s personal hook is that he can speak comfortably, so he has to consciously remember that comfort is not universal. He appreciates Maria’s refusal to treat introversion as a deficit, and he uses that as a leadership mirror: when something feels like a fixed trait, people stop looking for levers. He also relates her “name the fear” approach to his own work on excuses, because categorizing the problem makes it less overwhelming and more actionable.  🧰 From Insight to Action Try Maria’s “start the first ten minutes early” next time: arrive, speak with people, and build at least a few real connections before you’re on stage.Audit your speaking anxiety by choosing which fear from the seven buckets is most active (judgment, failure, embarrassment, social anxiety, competition, being held against you, or forgetting).Develop your message using PRI: write the Point, then the Reason, then the Impact, and let the why reduce self-focus.Use a deliberate practice loop: record five minutes, watch for one improvement target, and repeat with feedback instead of only adding reps.🗣️ Notable Quotes “She’s changing the conditions under which they’re experiencing that nervousness.”“Someone who’s afraid of forgetting their words is dealing with something very different.”“When the message is important enough, you have a reason to focus on communicating it rather than worrying exclusively about yourself.”“Athletes watch film. Musicians study other musicians. Why would communication be any different?”🔗 Links & Resources Listen to Maria Malik's Episode

    264: "Point, Reason, Impact: The Structure That Builds Executive Presence" (Reflections On Maria Malik)

  2. 1 day ago

    263: "How To Turn Journalism Skills Into Business Impact" (Reflections On Katie Morell)

    🧠 Erik’s Take Erik comes away from this review episode struck by one unifying theme: Katie’s surface work changed a lot, but the underlying craftsmanship stayed recognizable. He frames journalism not as a mystical calling, but as a learnable system of curiosity plus repetition plus translation into value. He also sees a quiet throughline between writing, disruption, and facilitation. Skills that begin as personal processing can later become economic leverage, and connection is not an automatic outcome of proximity, it is an outcome of intentional design. 🎯 Top Insights from the Interview Curiosity is necessary, but journalism is also built through sustained writing practice before you ever get “recognized.”When industry models shift, the vehicle may change, while the value delivered can remain the same.In-person connection does not happen by default. Meaning comes from attention, facilitation, and leadership buy-in.🧩 The Personal Layer Erik admits the episode challenged a simple way he has previously viewed journalism. He thought of it mostly as a curiosity profession. Katie helped him see that curiosity is only half the engine. The other half is the unglamorous work of writing until you can communicate what you uncover. He also resonates with the career implication: he has seen people get trapped defending the traditional container, and this conversation argues for mapping capabilities to new containers instead. 🧰 From Insight to Action Audit your core skill signals. If you can describe the questions you ask and how you listen, you can likely apply them in multiple arenas.Track your “practice you already did.” Name the repetition behind your confidence so you can transfer it intentionally to new problems.Design for connection, not attendance. For offsites, require clarity on purpose, facilitation plan, and leadership commitment before you sell the venue.🗣️ Notable Quotes “Katie agreed that curiosity is absolutely central to being a good journalist.”“The vehicle changed, but the underlying value didn't disappear.”“Physical proximity alone doesn't necessarily create meaningful connection or engagement.”“There has to be intentionality… thoughtful facilitation, and buy-in from leadership.”🔗 Links & Resources Listen to Katie Morell's Episode

    263: "How To Turn Journalism Skills Into Business Impact" (Reflections On Katie Morell)

  3. 2 days ago

    262: Maria Malik: "Communicating with Authority Isn't Only Reserved for Extroverts"

    In this episode of I Have Some Questions..., Erik Berglund sits down with Maria Malik, founder of The Introverted Speaker, to challenge the assumption that confidence, authority, and influence belong to the loudest people in the room. Maria shares her journey from growing up introverted and navigating intense cultural expectations to reclaiming control of her life and building a platform that helps others find their voice. Together, Erik and Maria unpack the psychology behind public speaking fears, the surprising power of thoughtful questions, and how introverts can develop a commanding presence without pretending to be extroverts. The big idea: Confidence isn't about becoming someone else. It's about removing what's preventing you from showing up as yourself. 👤 About the Guest Maria Malik is a communication coach, speaker, author, and founder of The Introverted Speaker. With an audience of more than 250,000 LinkedIn followers, she helps professionals overcome communication fears, develop executive presence, and build authentic authority. Her Speaker Authority Method combines mindset work, communication skills, and practical exercises to help people become more confident and influential. 🧭 Conversation Highlights Maria describes her origin story: being quiet, repeatedly told to speak up, and using LinkedIn to reframe what “introvert” really means.She explains why the “scripted life” feels tempting and what it takes to break out, especially when culture and expectations push you elsewhere.Maria teaches fear as the core issue, including seven fear types, and how naming and practicing dismantles it.She shares her Speaker Authority Method: Phase 1 mindset and fears, Phase 2 delivery and body language, Phase 3 presence and energy.💡 Key Takeaways Introverts don’t need to become extroverts to be powerful. Quiet confidence and deep listening can lead.Fear has multiple forms. Identifying which one shows up for you makes targeted action possible.Confidence improves through structure (like PRI: point, reason, impact) and repeated practice with feedback.The hardest work is internal: when mindset shifts, body language and presence get easier.❓ Questions That Mattered How did Maria realize introversion was being treated like a problem, and how did that become her mission?What keeps people stuck in a “scripted life,” and what internal tension is involved in breaking out?If someone panics when they’re called on, what should they do in their nervous system, specifically in the first minutes?How can introverts scale from “knowing what to say” to actually speaking well in the moment?🗣️ Notable Quotes “You don't have to be magically an extrovert to communicate well.”“Before you get up on stage, start that clock early.”“We focus so much on the self… we forget there’s an audience there.”“Phase one is always the most difficult. That’s where we go into fears.”🔗 Links & Resources Follow Maria Malik on LinkedInCheck out Maria’s Website: The Introverted SpeakerQuiet by Susan Cain

    262: Maria Malik: "Communicating with Authority Isn't Only Reserved for Extroverts"

  4. 3 days ago

    261: Katie Morell: "Here's Why AI Won't Ever Replace Excellent Journalism"

    Katie Morell’s “origin story” starts with being encouraged to journal by her Mom, then grew into going to journalism school at Michigan State, a detour into PR, a breakthrough into freelancing writing, and then finally where she is now, sitting at the helm of a boutique executive consultancy. We talk about how curiosity and strong questions translate into business impact, why AI changes the vehicle not the value, and why in-person off-sites create real energy, attention, and cohesion. 👤 About the Guest Katie Morell is a strategic facilitator and executive advisor who helps leadership teams break circular debates and leave with clear plans. After 20 years as a journalist interviewing executives and founders, she now designs strategy sessions, off-sites, and executive roundtables for clients like Meta, Prezi, and Nextiva. She’s based in Bend, Oregon and co-leads a peer group for Bend-based business organization called Opportunity Knocks. 🧭 Conversation Highlights Journalism as a mindset: curiosity, diligence, and asking questions people do not want to answerHer career pivot: income anxiety after journalism school, then freelancing and a bridge into consulting and advisingTransferable skills for business: how facilitation blends interviewing with “holding space” and reading room energyWhy in-person off-sites still win: attention, body language, cohesion, and leader buy-in 💡 Key Takeaways Curiosity plus doubt beats jaded certainty. The goal is to ask questions that make people pause and think.Journalism skills travel: critical thinking and investigative habits work inside strategy, leadership, and teams.AI may commoditize writing, but excellent research, fact-checking, and judgment still matter.In-person matters when it’s intentional: leaders set the tone, distractions are reduced, and energy changes outcomes. ❓ Questions That Mattered How do you maintain conviction without getting captured by your own viewpoint?What makes a “good question” in facilitation, and how do you create space for input from others?Is journalism best seen as a W2 job, or as a transferable skill set and mindset?What will AI change in writing and journalism, and what will it not replace?🗣️ Notable Quotes “Journalists can’t do a good job without a million percent curiosity.”“In person you can tell people’s body language.”“The vehicle has changed, the journalists haven’t.”🔗 Links & Resources Follow Katie Morell on LinkedInCheck out Katie's WebsiteThe Human Connection Study by Jason Lauritsen

    261: Katie Morell: "Here's Why AI Won't Ever Replace Excellent Journalism"

  5. 4 days ago

    260: "Practical Use Cases for ChatGPT's Dots" ft. Justin Coats

    Erik and Justin catch up on how voice-first AI agents like Dots (Q) are changing daily execution, then zoom out to the real adoption gap. They unpack why many MSPs and businesses are hesitant, what incentives are missing, and why the next wave is about layered context, specialization, and human guidance at scale. 🧭 Conversation Highlights Erik demonstrates “Q” as a voice agent: drafting emails, building decks, creating shared folders, and even researching and scaffolding a repeatable pre/post survey system.Justin explains how their agent setup uses specialized sub-agents, cloud virtual machines, and strict approval guardrails so the agent can work without going rogue.They debate the real risk conversation: AI is reducing button-clicking work, but raising the value of taste, quality, and domain judgment, often creating demand for experts and fractionals.Justin shares what he heard at an MSP/IT conference: most providers are not training teams on AI or supporting customers, mostly because the forcing functions are not yet landing.💡 Key Takeaways Voice agents are most valuable when you already have structured communication in your history, because the agent learns your context and style from that access.Effective prompting often means going deep in context (layering information), not trying to “be clever” in the prompt.AI lowers the cost of high-quality execution for the long tail of businesses, which shifts work from “who can click” to “who knows what good looks like.”Adoption isn’t blocked by lack of interest. It is blocked by missing business incentives and lack of support infrastructure, especially among MSPs that lack training and a clear adoption roadmap.❓ Questions That Mattered How much context can you reliably articulate to an agent, and how much does the agent need access to your real communication history to succeed?When businesses say they are “not doing anything with AI,” what are they actually missing that would create a real forcing function?Will AI replace professionals, or does it mostly reallocate work toward higher judgment and specialized expertise?How should teams standardize agent behavior so work stays secure, consistent, and scalable across staff and systems?🗣️ Notable Quotes “Three weeks in AI time is like it’s been a year.”“Dots has access to my email… She sees every form of communication I have and hears it all.”“Nearly every single one of them said I’m not doing anything with AI. My team has not had training.”“The value of the human button clicking has gone down. What’s gone up is the value of quality, of style.”🔗 Links & Resources Listen To Other Episodes Co-Hosted With Justin

    260: "Practical Use Cases for ChatGPT's Dots" ft. Justin Coats

  6. 6 Nov

    259: "How Much of Your Potential do You Leave Unexplored?" (Reflections On Tony Dina)

    🧠 Erik’s Take Erik treats this as a short, experimental “recap episode,” and you can feel him steering the listener back to the core questions he keeps returning to: what parts of himself people are unconsciously running, what parts they admire without owning, and what it means to build environments that make honest expression possible. He also lingers on the AI thread with a grounded, human-first lens. The tech is useful, but it does not replace the lived experience of decision, relationship, and meaning. The fact that this version is a digital replication of his voice turns his reflection into a meta-echo 🎯 Top Insights from the Interview The golden shadow idea: admiration can point to an inner quality that is present but not fully expressed.“If you spot it, you got it” becomes a prompt to investigate what you actually want for yourself.“Being found” reframes recognition as a duty to help the right people locate your gifts, not a bid for status.AI can support reflection and pattern-finding, but it cannot have lived experience, feelings, or desires in the human way🧩 The Personal Layer Erik admits his admiration for a specific archetype of audacity, using it as a mirror rather than a scoreboard. He clarifies that resonance is not automatic proof that you already possess the same level of courage, but it is a useful data point about what you may be avoiding. He also contrasts “telling someone to express fear” with creating an environment that makes expression safe, which sounds like both leadership advice and self-compassion practice. Finally, the AI segment lands as a reminder that analysis is not the same thing as living. Even when tools help you see yourself more clearly,ï 🧰 From Insight to Action When you admire someone, write down the exact trait you are reacting to, then ask what version you want to develop.Audit your environment and expectations, including your own, and identify what makes honest expression feel risky.Choose visibility with purpose: focus on being findable so your work reaches the people it is meant for.Use AI as a reflective assistant, not a substitute for decisions you must still live through🗣️ Notable Quotes “If you spot it, you got it.”“Being found was a sacred duty.”“It’s one thing to ask someone to speak up. It’s another thing to make it safe enough that they actually will.”“AI can generate language about those things, but he doesn’t believe that means it’s experiencing them.”🔗 Links & Resources Listen to Tony Dina's Episode

    259: "How Much of Your Potential do You Leave Unexplored?" (Reflections On Tony Dina)

  7. 6 Nov

    258: "Is it Safe to Be Honest In Your Workspace?" (Reflections On Henna Pryor)

    🧠 Erik’s Take Erik found himself coming back to a single thread: trust is no longer something people simply grant. It is something they actively manufacture through patterns, signals, and repeated experiences. This conversation with Henna Pryor landed because it connected “communication” to a deeper leadership job: creating environments where people can safely practice being honest, then showing their work enough that credibility survives increased skepticism and AI-made polish. 🎯 Top Insights from the Interview Birdsong leadership: safety is not a slogan, it is an atmosphere leaders consistently model.Social muscle atrophy: people have less practice with uncomfortable conversations, so leaders must build repetition.Trust is shifting toward verify-first discernment, so leaders need to expose reasoning, not just claim authority.Cheap signals lose impact in an AI era, so costly, transparent signals and leading with the con can outperform polished performance.🧩 The Personal Layer Erik recognized how easily leadership becomes wishful thinking. Many leaders say they want candor, but do not reliably create the conditions for it. He also felt the tension of modern credibility, where even great communication can look manufactured. The episode reminded him that trust is built through how leaders prepare people to speak and how they handle the uncomfortable truths first. 🧰 From Insight to Action Start small “practice reps” for hard conversations: add a short bad-idea brainstorm or a weekly “what didn’t go well” prompt to meetings.When presenting decisions, lead with the con: name the downside, tradeoffs, and friction upfront before others surface it.Show your work in plain language: explain how you arrived at the decision, including alternatives you considered and why you chose what you chose.Use costly honesty intentionally: avoid pretending effort or originality you did not have, and consider human signals like a quick call or voicemail when the message matters.🗣️ Notable Quotes “Leaders have to chirp louder.”“Verify first, and then decide whether to trust.”“The person who names it first builds the trust.”“If a solution costs more… say that.”🔗 Links & Resources Listen to Henna Pryor's Episode

    258: "Is it Safe to Be Honest In Your Workspace?" (Reflections On Henna Pryor)

  8. 5 Nov

    257: Tony Dina: "The Empty Feeling After The Title And The Money"

    Tony Dina shares how his shift from CTO work into Jungian depth coaching led him to a central belief: when you rush toward answers, metrics, and momentum, you lose human judgment, creativity, and meaning. Using dreams, shadow work, and “sitting with the mystery,” he explores what it takes to reclaim purpose in careers shaped by AI. 👤 About the Guest Tony Dina is a Jungian depth coach and founder of Crucial Canvas. After nearly 30 years in technology leadership, including roles at Dell in AI and data analytics, he now helps high-performing leaders reclaim judgment, creativity, and meaning. His coaching blends depth psychology, archetypal thinking, and dreamwork, with a focus on how to avoid treadmill living and re-enter purpose. 🧭 Conversation Highlights Tony connects art training and CTO communication: decomposing complexity and translating it into business meaning.He explains Jungian depth work through triggers and shadow integration, including the “golden shadow” of what we admire in others.Dreams are treated as a symbolic “learning loop” and a way the psyche reconciles liminal life transitions.He challenges AI fear by arguing AI can scaffold ideas, but it lacks lived experience, unconscious depth, and desire.💡 Key Takeaways Human purpose is easier to access when you slow down long enough to hear what your unconscious is trying to tell you.Shadow work is not just about fixing “negative traits,” but reclaiming the full range of parts you were conditioned to suppress.The ego resists growth by generating stories, but discomfort can be a signal to sit with rather than escape.Legacy is not only what’s built with your name, but the chain of meaning and values that came before you and continues after you.❓ Questions That Mattered Where is the edge where “I’m ready for this” becomes the real question underneath career change?What happens to your life when you stop acting: what stays in motion when you stop trying to perform?How do you balance urgency and empathy so the “dial” matches the moment?When AI accelerates answers, what happens to your identity and your human judgment?🗣️ Notable Quotes “Money looks good, title’s there, and yet there’s this empty feeling inside.”“When we find our edges is we find where our true humanity is.”“The dreams are just buoys in the ocean of where to go.”“The minute we lock into what the chalice meant, then we’ve already decided what the story was.”🔗 Links & Resources Follow Tony Dina on LinkedInCheck out Tony’s WebsiteThe Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph CampbellRed Book by Carl JungThe Culture of Narcissism by Christopher Lasch

    257: Tony Dina: "The Empty Feeling After The Title And The Money"
See All (262)

About

Most people know the headline of a leader’s story. Few know the path it took to get there. This podcast goes beyond titles, book launches and business wins, to explore the lived journey behind the thought leader. Through deep, unhurried conversations, we uncover the moments that shaped them—the doubts, pivots, convictions, and quiet breakthroughs that built their body of work. Each episode features authors, coaches, executives, and bold thinkers who have forged their own path. Instead of rehearsed talking points, they’re invited into a space where thoughtful questions unlock something more human. The result is a layered conversation that reveals not just what they preach, but how they became the kind of person who can teach it.Because we believe the best stories aren’t always told—they’re revealed. And when brilliant people are given the right questions and the room to answer them fully, what emerges is insight you can feel, frameworks you can apply, and a deeper understanding of what it truly takes to lead, create, and contribute at a meaningful level. 

Information

  • Creator
    Erik Berglund
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    262
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 I Have Some Questions...
  • Show Website
    I Have Some Questions...

You Might Also Like