choice Magazine

Garry Schleifer

choice Magazine is the vehicle that forwards the global conversation about professional coaching by providing: diverse perspectives, thought-provoking commentary, insightful discussion and access to services, tools, resources and practical information.

  1. Episode 169: Trust Starts Within with guest, Gloria Custodio

    6H AGO

    Episode 169: Trust Starts Within with guest, Gloria Custodio

    Send us a text What if the strongest lever in your coaching isn’t a better framework, but deeper self-trust? We sit down with social leadership coach Gloria Custodio, PCC, to unpack why grounded presence beats perfect structure, how to navigate “wonky” moments, and what to do when confidence takes a hit. Gloria shares a pivotal training story that reframed her approach: trust your gut, measure impact by client outcomes, and let presence lead. From note-heavy sessions that dull connection to micro-practices that reset your nervous system, this conversation turns abstract ideals into usable tools. We get candid about the difference between passing ICF recordings and coaching “in the wild.” Assessment rubrics have their place, yet real clients care less about who says the summary and more about whether they feel seen, challenged, and safe. Gloria offers practical ways to honor both worlds without losing your authentic style. We also talk repair after tough sessions, community as the backbone of resilience, and why bartering coaching with peers broadens range and restores trust faster than going it alone. The heart of our talk is simple and bold: you don’t need certainty to be trustworthy. You need honesty, attention, and the courage to stay present while the unknown unfolds. When coaches model that steadiness, clients learn to trust themselves—and that ripple shifts teams and systems. Expect clear language, real stories, and micro-actions you can use before your very next session. If you found value here, follow the show, share this episode with a coach who needs a boost, and leave a quick review so others can discover it. Your support helps us keep building brave spaces, one conversation at a time. Watch the full interview by clicking here.  Find the full article here. Learn more about Gloria here.  Gloria has provided our listeners with a companion guide that builds on the article which you can find here.  Grab your free issue of choice Magazine here - https://choice-online.com/

    28 min
  2. Episode 168: Revealing Trust In Teams with guest, Georgina Woudstra

    DEC 17

    Episode 168: Revealing Trust In Teams with guest, Georgina Woudstra

    Send us a text Ever watch a team light up in a workshop only to slide back into silence the next week? We dig into why that happens and how to create change that actually sticks by revealing trust instead of trying to teach it. With master certified coach and author Georgina Woudstra, we unpack a practical, emergent approach that helps teams make real contact, notice hidden dynamics, and run simple experiments that reshape how they relate when the stakes are high. Georgina shares a vivid senior team story: a colleague unconsciously seeking the CEO’s validation, a room holding its breath, and a pause that turned into a breakthrough. You’ll hear how naming what’s happening in the moment—without blame—opens space for people to say what they’re feeling and why. Then we move from awareness to action with graded experiments: shifting eye contact, redistributing attention, and studying the impact together. The results are tangible—clearer thinking, calmer conversations, and a pattern that becomes reliable over time. We also clarify psychological safety versus trust. Safety is the felt permission to speak without fear; trust is the reliability of that permission across meetings and pressure cycles. One safe moment isn’t enough. Repeatable, well-held encounters build a dependable rhythm that teams can count on when the heat rises. Georgina frames the coach as a steady container—a crucible strong enough to hold transformative work—who slows the room, surfaces the invisible, and helps the group stay connected as truth lands. If you’re ready to move beyond personality instruments and one-off workshops into real team coaching, this conversation offers a clear path: the team is the content, the moment is the curriculum, and trust grows through consistent contact.  Watch the full interview by clicking here.  Find the full article here. Learn more about Georgina here.  To learn more about team transformation with Georgina, check her podcast ‘Teams Transformed’ Grab your free issue of choice Magazine here - https://choice-online.com/

    26 min
  3. Episode 167: Trust First, Coaching Next with guest, Kimberly Jackson

    DEC 10

    Episode 167: Trust First, Coaching Next with guest, Kimberly Jackson

    Send us a text Trust is the real currency of coaching, and we’re putting it under a bright light. With pioneer coach and ICF founding member Kimberly Jackson, we trace trust from the first moment a prospect encounters your work to the way you close an engagement and keep growth alive afterward. Kimberly lays out simple, powerful moves any coach can adopt today: teach freely without the bait-and-switch, show your process so clients see how you think, and write to an actual human rather than a fictional buyer. We unpack the three most common trust breakers—inconsistency, inattention, and ego—and model how to repair without retreating by naming the miss, listening deeply, and recommitting to the partnership. We also get practical about presence. Tools like talk-time analytics help keep the focus on the client, while the WAIT prompt—Why Am I Talking—stops well-meaning overcoaching. Kimberly shares why offboarding is the hidden weak link in many practices and how to turn endings into beginnings with a way forward plan that transfers ownership to the client. From there, we explore nurturing strategies that build community, peer coaching, and light-touch accountability so progress continues long after the final session. Finally, we tackle AI’s real role in coaching. Rather than replace human empathy, AI can capture patterns, offer 24–7 access to your frameworks, and keep momentum between sessions. Whether clients enter through one-on-one work, a group, or an AI-powered tool, a cohesive flywheel keeps the journey moving. If you care about ethical marketing, psychological safety, and client outcomes that last, this conversation will sharpen your craft and widen your impact. Enjoyed the conversation? Follow and share the show, leave a quick review to help others find it, and subscribe so you never miss new insights from leaders shaping the future of coaching. Watch the full interview by clicking here.  Find the full article here. Learn more about Kimberly here.  Kimberly has provided our listeners with The COACHpreneur's Guide to Building Unshakable Trust which you can find here. Grab your free issue of choice Magazine here - https://choice-online.com/

    34 min
  4. Episode 166: Micro Moments, Big Trust with guest, Jennifer Britton

    DEC 3

    Episode 166: Micro Moments, Big Trust with guest, Jennifer Britton

    Send us a text Trust isn’t a buzzword for coaches and leaders; it’s the operating system that makes real change possible. Gary sits down with team and group coaching pioneer Jennifer Britton to unpack how “micro moments” in conversation compound into “macro shifts” in behavior, culture, and performance—especially as AI speeds up the flow of information and tempts us to skip the pause that creates meaning. We dig into the tension between AI speed and human depth, exploring what happens when teams invite AI agents into meetings and how coaches can safeguard trust while leveraging new tools. Jennifer shares the pause-focus-create-activate arc to turn insights into action, and she offers a window into her Conversation Sparker toolkit—cards, images, and tactile prompts that spark reflective dialogue and make learning stick. The result is a clear playbook for building psychological safety, elevating presence, and designing conversations that move beyond data dumps to true transformation. Along the way, we highlight the relational skills rising in value: presence, perspective shifting, influence, creativity, and relational intelligence. Jennifer explains why group and team coaching are uniquely powerful now: meaning emerges when peers hear each other’s perspectives and test ideas in a safe container. We also preview her upcoming works—Coaching Plus Change and Flow Flex Scale—aimed at helping leaders and solopreneurs grow with clarity, capacity, and consistency in a rapidly changing world. If you care about trust, team performance, and coaching that actually changes behavior, this conversation delivers practical frameworks you can use today. Subscribe, share with a colleague who leads teams, and leave a quick review telling us your favorite micro moment that changed everything. Watch the full interview by clicking here.  Find the full article here. Learn more about Jennifer here.  Jennifer has provided a Free E-book as a gift for our listeners.  Grab your free issue of choice Magazine here - https://choice-online.com/

    37 min
  5. Episode 165: Trust That Changes Coaching with guest, Jenna Stoliker

    NOV 26

    Episode 165: Trust That Changes Coaching with guest, Jenna Stoliker

    Send us a text Trust isn’t a nice-to-have in coaching; it’s the medium everything flows through. Garry sits down with executive and leadership coach Jenna Stoliker to unpack trust as a living competency—one that’s built daily through intention, awareness, and alignment with values. Drawing on decades of research carried forward through the Trust Within framework, Jenna breaks trust into four observable behaviors—acceptance, openness, congruence, and reliability—and shows how each is powered by specific values that make trust visible and repeatable. We go beyond rapport and dig into the inner game. Self-trust becomes the foundation for psychological safety: how we talk to ourselves, how we manage judgment, and how we repair when we miss the mark. Jenna shares practical ways to cultivate that inner steadiness, from reflective journaling to micro-repairs that rebuild confidence and connection. We explore why some coaches develop trust quickly, how the profession’s stance of meeting clients where they are shapes the coaching field, and what leaders can borrow to foster trusthttps://youtu.be/PsOLIuhadW0-centered cultures that actually deliver results under pressure. If you love actionable frameworks, you’ll appreciate how the model aligns with ICF competencies. Presence, active listening, and evoking awareness all find traction through the four behaviors and their paired values. You’ll hear concrete cues to watch for, simple practices to strengthen reliability and openness, and guidance on giving and receiving feedback in ways that are direct, humane, and in service of the client’s agenda. For deeper dives, Jenna points to resources at JennaStaliker.com and ConsciousLeadershipAlliance.com, including research and psychometric reports. Subscribe to Beyond the Page, share this conversation with a colleague, and leave a review with one insight you’re taking into your next session. Your reflection might spark someone else’s breakthrough. Watch the full interview by clicking here.  Find the full article here. Learn more about Jenna Stoliker here. Grab your free issue of choice Magazine here - https://choice-online.com/

    29 min
  6. Episode 164: Trust At The Heart Of Coaching with guest, Marlee Carlos

    NOV 19

    Episode 164: Trust At The Heart Of Coaching with guest, Marlee Carlos

    Send us a text Trust isn’t a nice-to-have in coaching; it’s the engine that powers real change. Gary sits down with coach and author Marlee Carlos to unpack why trust in the client, the process, and ourselves transforms conversations from advice-giving to insight-building. Marlee names the three crutches that quietly derail sessions—expertise, experience, and control—and explains how even well-intended guidance can shift focus away from the client’s agenda. Together we explore what it looks like to coach from trust: asking useful questions instead of perfect ones, noticing the urge to advise, and creating small experiments that build new habits. Marlee shares her five-step path—pay attention, name one opportunity, set the vision, test it out, refine and build—and shows how human-centered design principles like prototyping make behavior change practical. You’ll hear simple tools you can use today, from WAIT (Why Am I Talking) to sticky-note prompts that create a crucial pause before speaking. We also dig into power dynamics and the consultant-to-coach shift, using the “client drives, coach rides shotgun” metaphor to keep agency where it belongs. If you’ve ever wondered how to prove value without providing answers, this conversation offers a clear road map: let your client’s wisdom lead, and let your presence do the heavy lifting. For coaches and leaders alike, the takeaway is bold and freeing—trust grows when we act before we feel ready and let evidence reshape belief. Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of coaching craft and real-world practice, share this episode with a colleague who toggles between consulting and coaching, and leave a review to tell us which trust habit you’ll prototype this week. Watch the full interview by clicking here.  Find the full article here. Learn more about Marlee Carlos here. Marlee has provided listeners/readers with a Free Coaching Resource here. Grab your free issue of choice Magazine here - https://choice-online.com/

    27 min
  7. Episode 163: Trust That Works with guest, Charles Feltman

    NOV 12

    Episode 163: Trust That Works with guest, Charles Feltman

    Send us a text Trust shouldn’t be a mystery you feel in your gut and argue about later. We sit down with executive and leadership coach Charles Feltman to turn a loaded word into concrete moves you can see, measure, and improve. Charles shares his four-domain model—care, sincerity, reliability, competence—and shows how it transforms the unhelpful “all or nothing” mindset into targeted, fair assessments that help teams move faster with less drama. We dig into the real risks people take at work every day: reputations, deadlines, standards, and even health in high-stakes settings. Through vivid examples, Charles maps where trust breaks and how to repair it without overreacting. You’ll hear why an apology boosts sincerity, how early renegotiation strengthens reliability, and why admitting “I don’t know” can raise your competence score. We also explore feedback cultures—what leaders must do after asking for candor—and the quiet signals that prove you hold others’ interests alongside your own. The conversation builds to a bold claim: sustained trust creates the conditions for joy and even love at work. Not the soft, sentimental kind, but the energy that appears when people can risk their best ideas, be seen clearly, and know their commitments are honored. Along the way, we point you to Charles’s Thin Book of Trust, his Trust at Work Certification Program, and the Trust on Purpose podcast for deeper practice. If you’re ready to replace vague vibes with precise language and practical tools, this is your field guide. Watch the full interview by clicking here.  Find the full article here. Learn more about Charles Feltman here.  Grab your free issue of choice Magazine here - https://choice-online.com/

    30 min
  8. Episode 162: Trust, Brains, And Better Coaching with guest, Monique Sallaz

    NOV 5

    Episode 162: Trust, Brains, And Better Coaching with guest, Monique Sallaz

    Send us a text Trust isn’t a soft skill; it’s a biological signal that tells the brain whether to defend or explore. Garry sits down with Dr. Monique Sallaz—coach, PhD, and expert in applied neuroscience and neurodiversity—to unpack how oxytocin, the amygdala, and the prefrontal cortex shape psychological safety and real behavior change. We move past intuition and into practical science, showing how coaches and leaders can build reliable conditions that let clients think clearly, learn faster, and take brave action. Monique explains why mistrust often reflects past threat rather than stubbornness, and how to meet resistance with precision instead of pressure. You’ll hear simple, powerful moves: arrive regulated, keep your voice warm, reflect emotion accurately, and center the client as the expert in their life. We also get specific about inclusion—why direct eye contact isn’t universal, how neurodivergent clients experience sessions, and what to ask to tailor safety cues across cultures. Environment design comes to the forefront too: lighting, seating, noise, and especially scent, which has a direct line to memory and emotion and can anchor calm, predictable sessions. Kindness and gratitude become strategic tools, not platitudes. Micro-affirmations, small acts of care, and clear expectations release oxytocin and quiet the threat response, opening the door to creative problem-solving and sustained change. Whether you’re coaching one-on-one or leading a team, you’ll leave with a practical playbook for building trust on purpose—rooted in neuroscience and ready to use today. If this conversation shifts how you think about trust, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a quick review so more coaches and leaders can find these tools. Watch the full interview by clicking here.  Find the full article here. Learn more about Monique Sallaz here. Grab your free issue of choice Magazine here - https://choice-online.com/

    25 min

About

choice Magazine is the vehicle that forwards the global conversation about professional coaching by providing: diverse perspectives, thought-provoking commentary, insightful discussion and access to services, tools, resources and practical information.

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