Leading Beyond the Spreadsheet

Kris Liebau
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  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Welcome to "Leading Beyond the Spreadsheet" hosted by Kris Liebau, the podcast where analytical leaders come to transform their technical expertise into embracing and excelling with the people part of work. Each episode, we will bring you insights, stories, practical ideas, and perspectives to so you can lead your team effectively with confidence.

  1. 6D AGO

    Focus Amidst the Twists and Turns - Olympic Leadership Lesson #1 Moguls

    Mogul skiers keep their head and upper body locked on where they're going while their legs absorb every bump and twist in the terrain. That's the move for leaders too—maintain vision and focus while managing the chaos that tries to knock you off course. The moguls you're facing?  Back-to-back meetings.Team members who need constant direction. Shifting priorities from leadership. Technical fires that pull you away from strategic work.The real issue isn't time management—it's energy management and maintaining composure under pressure. This is part of a four-part Winter Olympics Leadership Series: 🎿 Episode 1: Mogul Skiing - Stay focused when everything's chaos 🥌 Episode 2: Curling - Clear communication makes all the difference  🏆 Episode 3: Athlete Stories - Your leadership highlight reel matters  ⛸️ Episode 4: Figure Skating - Leaning into your strengths  Want to bring these frameworks to your leadership team?  I deliver workshops and lunch-and-learns on Managing Energy for Greater Resilience, Giving and Receiving Feedback, Leading Through Uncertainty, and Recognizing Autopilot Habits. Learn more at https://www.actionandeasecoaching.com/contact #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #resilience #stemleadership #engineeringleadership Transform your one-on-ones from mundane check-ins to powerful performance drivers! Grab our free "One-on-One Upgrade Toolkit" and start unlocking your team's true potential today. Download your guide at https://www.actionandeasecoaching.com/toolkit

    1 min

  2. 6D AGO

    Honoring Your Journey - Olympic Leadership Lesson #3 Inspiring Stories

    Olympic athletes review their highlight reels—not to brag, but to remember what they're capable of when things get hard. Leaders need this too. But here's what you're probably doing instead: Judging yourself for the project that ran late. Replaying the meeting where you didn't have all the answers. Focusing on the team member who's still struggling instead of the three who are thriving. When you're navigating uncertainty—reorganization, budget cuts, unclear direction—it's easy to forget what you've already figured out under pressure. Your highlight reel isn't just about past wins. It's proof that you can handle what's coming next. This is part of a four-part Winter Olympics Leadership Series: 🎿 Episode 1: Mogul Skiing - Stay focused when everything's chaos  🥌 Episode 2: Curling - Clear communication makes all the difference  🏆 Episode 3: Athlete Stories - Your leadership highlight reel matters ⛸️ Episode 4: Figure Skating - When your strengths become liabilities  Want to bring these frameworks to your leadership team? I deliver workshops and lunch-and-learns on Managing Energy for Greater Resilience, Giving and Receiving Feedback, Leading Through Uncertainty, and Recognizing Autopilot Habits. Learn more at https://www.actionandeasecoaching.com/contact #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #feedback #communication #stemleadership Transform your one-on-ones from mundane check-ins to powerful performance drivers! Grab our free "One-on-One Upgrade Toolkit" and start unlocking your team's true potential today. Download your guide at https://www.actionandeasecoaching.com/toolkit

    1 min

  3. 6D AGO

    Play to Your Strengths - Olympic Leadership Lesson #4 Ice Skating

    Figure skaters know their strengths. If your triple axel is shaky, you feature your lutz. You build your program around what you do best. Leaders need that same clarity. But here's what most leaders miss:  - The very strengths that got you promoted can sabotage your leadership when they run on autopilot. - Your perfectionism delivered flawless work as an individual contributor. Now you're the bottleneck. - Being the expert got you the promotion. Now you jump in to solve every problem instead of coaching your team. - Your hyper-responsibility made you reliable. Now you're working nights and weekends while your team waits for direction. Great leaders know their strengths AND know when to interrupt the autopilot habits that come with them. This is part of a four-part Winter Olympics Leadership Series: 🎿 Episode 1: Mogul Skiing - Stay focused when everything's chaos  🥌 Episode 2: Curling - Clear communication makes all the difference  🏆 Episode 3: Athlete Stories - Your leadership highlight reel matters  ⛸️ Episode 4: Figure Skating - When your strengths become liabilities  Want to bring these frameworks to your leadership team? I deliver workshops and lunch-and-learns on Managing Energy for Greater Resilience, Giving and Receiving Feedback, Leading Through Uncertainty, and Recognizing Autopilot Habits. Learn more at https://www.actionandeasecoaching.com/contact #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #feedback #communication #stemleadership Transform your one-on-ones from mundane check-ins to powerful performance drivers! Grab our free "One-on-One Upgrade Toolkit" and start unlocking your team's true potential today. Download your guide at https://www.actionandeasecoaching.com/toolkit

    1 min

  4. 6D AGO

    Role Definition and Clear Communication - Olympic Leadership Lesson #2 Curling

    In curling, when the skip calls out a command, every team member knows exactly what it means and what they need to do.  No confusion. No hesitation. Just immediate, coordinated action. Compare that to your team meetings.  When you delegate, does everyone know exactly what's expected?  Or are people nodding along but interpreting things completely differently? The uncomfortable conversations you're avoiding? Telling your high performer their attitude is affecting the team. Addressing work quality issues before they become bigger. Giving your boss pushback on an unrealistic timeline. Clear roles. Clear communication. Clear action. This is part of a four-part Winter Olympics Leadership Series: 🎿 Episode 1: Mogul Skiing - Stay focused when everything's chaos  🥌 Episode 2: Curling - Clear communication makes all the difference  🏆 Episode 3: Athlete Stories - Your leadership highlight reel matters  ⛸️ Episode 4: Figure Skating - When your strengths become liabilities  Want to bring these frameworks to your leadership team? I deliver workshops and lunch-and-learns on Managing Energy for Greater Resilience, Giving and Receiving Feedback, Leading Through Uncertainty, and Recognizing Autopilot Habits. Learn more at https://www.actionandeasecoaching.com/contact #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #feedback #communication #stemleadership Transform your one-on-ones from mundane check-ins to powerful performance drivers! Grab our free "One-on-One Upgrade Toolkit" and start unlocking your team's true potential today. Download your guide at https://www.actionandeasecoaching.com/toolkit

    2 min

  5. 09/23/2025

    Are You the Boss People Love or the One They Leave?

    Do you wonder if your team genuinely loves working for you... or if they're secretly planning their exit?  Even well-intentioned leaders can unknowingly become the boss people want to escape from. In this episode of Leading Beyond the Spreadsheet, host Kris Liebau interviews Joel Hilchey, author of "The Six and a Half Habits of Highly Defective Bosses." Joel reveals the surprising differences between bosses people love and bosses people leave - and how to make sure you're the former. Kris and Joel dive into: ✅ The 4-quadrant leadership framework that separates great bosses from forgettable ones ✅ The hidden mistakes that make your top performers want to quit ✅ The 5-minute reflection exercise that transforms how your team sees you ✅ Simple ways to show employees you care about more than just their output Watch if you want to: 💡Know for certain that your team loves working for you 💡Understand why good intentions aren't enough in leadership 💡Learn what your best employees really want from their boss Take the bad boss self-assessment now! - https://www.joelhilchey.com/bosses.html #Leadership #Management #TeamRetention #EmployeeEngagement #LeadershipSkills #ManagementTips #TeamCulture #PeopleLeadership #WorkplaceCulture #LeadershipDevelopment Transform your one-on-ones from mundane check-ins to powerful performance drivers! Grab our free "One-on-One Upgrade Toolkit" and start unlocking your team's true potential today. Download your guide at https://www.actionandeasecoaching.com/toolkit

    26 min

  6. 07/29/2025

    Stop Choosing: Why Leaders Need Performance AND Wellbeing

    Stop treating well-being as dessert after you've eaten your performance vegetables. Learn why integration, not sacrifice, is the key to sustainable high performance. In this episode of Leading Beyond the Spreadsheet, leadership coach Kris Liebau reveals why the most successful leaders don't choose between performance and wellbeing—they master both. Perfect for leaders who: Feel guilty taking breaks while their team is working hardCan't turn off their racing minds, even during downtimeBelieve wellbeing is "selfish" or takes away from resultsNotice their high-performing teams slowing downStruggle with the "I'll rest when..." mentality  Key Takeaways: How culture of performance and results hurts vs helpsMyths of performance and well-beingMindsets that impact positive shifts in integrating well-beingReady to optimize both performance and well-being? Book a Strategic Mindset Consult: https://www.actionandeasecoaching.com/mindset-consult #LeadershipDevelopment #PerformanceOptimization #Wellbeing #ExecutiveCoaching #SustainableLeadership #TeamPerformance #LeadershipMindset #WorkLifeIntegration Transform your one-on-ones from mundane check-ins to powerful performance drivers! Grab our free "One-on-One Upgrade Toolkit" and start unlocking your team's true potential today. Download your guide at https://www.actionandeasecoaching.com/toolkit

    15 min

  7. 07/01/2025

    Why Your Team Resists Change (Even With Perfect Data & Logic)

    Are you frustrated that your team isn't buying into new initiatives despite having all the facts and data to support your decisions? You're not alone.  Most analytical leaders make the mistake of thinking more PowerPoint slides and detailed explanations will overcome resistance. In this episode of Leading Beyond the Spreadsheet, leadership coach Kris Liebau reveals the real reasons teams drag their feet on change - and it's not what you think. 🔑 What You'll Learn: The 2 communication channels every leader MUST use (most only use one)Maher's 3-level resistance model that explains why logic alone failsWhy your 47-slide presentation is actually making resistance worseHow to identify if resistance is about understanding, emotions, or trustPractical strategies to turn resistance into buy-in⚡ Key Takeaway: Change resistance isn't about your data quality - it's about meeting people where they are emotionally and building the trust needed to move forward together. Perfect for engineering managers, project leaders, and analytical professionals who need their teams to adapt quickly in dynamic environments. 📥 Free Resource: Download the One-on-One Upgrade Toolkit with leadership cheat sheets and conversation starters at www.actionandeasecoaching.com/toolkit #LeadershipDevelopment #ChangeManagement #TeamMotivation #AnalyticalLeaders #ManagementSkills #LeadershipCoaching #TeamBuilding #WorkplaceChange Transform your one-on-ones from mundane check-ins to powerful performance drivers! Grab our free "One-on-One Upgrade Toolkit" and start unlocking your team's true potential today. Download your guide at https://www.actionandeasecoaching.com/toolkit

    15 min

  8. 06/10/2025

    Why Smart Leaders Fail at Buy-In (And How to Fix It)

    Are your factual data-driven presentations falling flat? Getting endless clarifying questions instead of action?  If you're an analytical leader struggling to build buy-in despite having solid data and compelling spreadsheets, this episode is for you. Leadership coach Kris Liebau interviews communication expert Barbara Boldt to reveal why technical professionals often fail to persuade—and how to fix it. Key Takeaways: 🔑Why informing ≠ persuading (and when you're actually "pitching" without knowing it) 🔑The PSTA Formula: Problem → Solution → Transformation → Ask 🔑Why most technical presentations fail at the "Ask" stage Perfect for: Engineering managers, data analysts, technical directors, project managers, and any analytical professional who needs to influence stakeholders, secure resources, or motivate their teams. Stop assuming your data speaks for itself. Learn the proven formula that transforms technical experts into persuasive communicators who get results. Guest: Barbara Boldt - Executive coach specializing in helping introverted professionals communicate confidently Learn more about Barbara and resources at https://boldtglobal.com/toolkits Host: Kris Liebau - Leadership coach for analytically-minded leaders;  Learn more https://www.actionandeasecoaching.com and  Connect at https://www.linkedin.com/in/krisliebau/ #AnalyticalLeadership #TechnicalCommunication #DataDrivenLeadership #ExecutivePresence #EngineeringManagement #PersuasivePresentation Transform your one-on-ones from mundane check-ins to powerful performance drivers! Grab our free "One-on-One Upgrade Toolkit" and start unlocking your team's true potential today. Download your guide at https://www.actionandeasecoaching.com/toolkit

    26 min
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About

Welcome to "Leading Beyond the Spreadsheet" hosted by Kris Liebau, the podcast where analytical leaders come to transform their technical expertise into embracing and excelling with the people part of work. Each episode, we will bring you insights, stories, practical ideas, and perspectives to so you can lead your team effectively with confidence.

Information

  • Creator
    Kris Liebau
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Leading Beyond the Spreadsheet
  • Show Website
    Leading Beyond the Spreadsheet