12MinuteLeadership

Elise Boggs Morales

Welcome to the 12 Minute Leadership podcast where in 12 minutes or less I’ll share small things that you can put into immediate practice that will make a BIG difference in your leadership effectiveness. I’m your host, Elise Boggs Morales, leadership professor, consultant, and coach. For the last 17 years, I have helped thousands of leaders level up their influence and achieve remarkable results! If you want to trade compliance for true commitment and create your dream team, you are in the right place.  Get ready for a quick hit of practical wisdom to increase your team’s engagement, inspire top performance and retain your best talent. 

  1. DEC 15

    Episode 30: 12 Leadership Micro Moments That Make December Magical | 12MinuteLeadership

    The holidays should feel meaningful—yet with deadlines, family expectations, and nonstop to-dos, even the joyful stuff starts to feel like maintenance. This week’s episode offers a better path: twelve tiny, intentional practices that reset your presence, build connection, and help your team finish strong without burning out. Inside the episode you’ll hear how to: Incorporate small, but meaningful traditions to make this busy season fun and lightAdd low-effort rituals that boost energy Keep your team engaged to finish the year strongUse music, environment, and micro-breaks to reduce stressSay no to one nonessential thing—and feel your capacity returnUnplug for real so you come back with clarity and presence These moves are intentionally small—easy to repeat, easy to sustain, and powerful enough to shift the tone for how you show up with your team. If you love this episode, share it with another leader who needs the reminder to slow things down and savor the season, not just survive it. Subscribe to this podcast so you never miss an episode. You can also pick up my book, "Lead Anyone", on Amazon. Then, go to my website to check out ways that we can support your leadership goals. From executive retreats to customized training and coaching, my team of experts will help you level up your leadership and accelerate your results. Go to www.eliseboggs.com for more info. Follow on Instagram: @12minuteleadership Order my book, Lead Anyone!

    8 min
  2. DEC 1

    Episode 29: The Leadership Power of Gratitude | 12MinuteLeadership

    In this week's episode, Elise shares how gratitude functions as a practical leadership strategy that builds trust, boosts creativity, and strengthens commitment. Then, she  highlights unexpected ways gratitude shows up at work and gives simple tools you can use this week. You'll learn: • why gratitude interrupts problem-focused thinking • how appreciation increases commitment, not complacency • the difference between compensation and connection • gratitude for effort, not just outcomes • valuing productive pushback and truth telling • recognizing progress and messy growth • surfacing invisible work that keeps teams moving • 60-second meeting check-in to shift energy • using specific praise to shape behavior • five-minute gratitude rounds to lift engagement • opening challenging conversations with authentic appreciation • practicing gratitude across and up the organization Like what you heard on today's episode and want to go deeper? Subscribe to this podcast so you never miss an episode.You can also pick up my book, Lead Anyone, on Amazon. Then, go to my website and check out ways that we can support your leadership goals. From executive retreats to customized training and coaching, my team of experts will help you level up your leadership and accelerate your results.  Go to www.eliseboggs.com for more info. Follow on Instagram: @12minuteleadership Order my book, Lead Anyone!

    10 min
  3. NOV 24

    Episode 28: People & Profits: Why Investing in Your Team Pays Off | 12MinuteLeadership

    Stop choosing between people and profit. In this episode, we dig into why the best-performing teams are built on engagement, leadership development, and purpose—and how those three levers translate into measurable gains in productivity, retention, and customer loyalty.  The fastest route to better results runs straight through your people. We start by dismantling the myth that attention to people pulls focus from outcomes. Engaged employees don’t just complete tasks; they take ownership, anticipate customer needs, and protect quality under pressure. You’ll hear how small habits—clear expectations, timely coaching, and meaningful recognition—turn compliance into commitment. From there, we zoom out to leadership as a force multiplier. Train one leader to communicate with clarity and manage conflict with skill, and you shift performance for dozens of others. We share a client case where a targeted development strategy lifted engagement and stabilized turnover, unlocking growth without changing core systems. Purpose ties it all together. People want more than a paycheck—they want to see how their work matters. We explore techniques to connect day-to-day tasks with mission, the surprising power of volunteer-driven performance, and why companies like Chick-fil-A invest in leadership at every level. We also name the real barrier: fear. Fear of losing control, fear of no immediate ROI, fear of trying something new. Courageous leaders bet on relationships, growth, and trust, and the numbers follow. You’ll leave with reflection prompts and a simple next step to invest in your team this week. If this resonated, share it with a leader who needs the nudge and subscribe so you never miss an episode. Want to go deeper? Pick Elise's book-Lead Anyone on Amazon or reach out to us at eliseboggs.com. Follow on Instagram: @12minuteleadership Order my book, Lead Anyone!

    8 min
  4. NOV 10

    Episode 26: Four Questions Every Leader Needs for Change | 12MinuteLeadership

    Change doesn’t stick because leaders fixate on what’s broken. We take a different route: ask better questions, unlock real energy, and turn strengths into results. In this fast, practical walkthrough, we break down appreciative inquiry—the strengths-based approach that transforms organizations, teams, and one-on-one coaching—using four simple phases that anyone can apply today. In this week's episode, Elise shares a strengths-based approach for leading strategic change that creates energy, buy-in, and real results. Appreciative Inquiry is a strengths-based framework, guided by 4 questions known as the 4 D's. You'll learn how this tool can help you engage and inspire others in strategic change at every level- organizational, within teams, and one-on-ones. You'll learn- • Leaders as change agents and why where you focus matters • Appreciative inquiry explained and why what we focus on grows • The Four Ds: Discover, Dream, Design, Delivery • Organizational prompts to align systems with values • Team agreements to turn collaboration into momentum • One-on-one coaching questions that build ownership • Rituals for accountability, progress, and celebration • Reflection prompts to shift from problems to possibilities If this episode encouraged you, share it with another leader that's guiding change right now. Go to eliseboggs.com and complete our contact form. Subscribe to this podcast so you never miss an episode. You can also pick up Elise's new book, Lead Anyone, on Amazon. Follow on Instagram: @12minuteleadership Order my book, Lead Anyone!

    10 min
  5. NOV 3

    Episode 25: Leading Through Uncertainty | 12MinuteLeadership

    If there’s one skill that defines modern leadership, it’s the ability to lead through uncertainty. Whether it’s navigating normal organizational change, disruptions in your market, or unexpected global events, like COVID — uncertainty has become something leaders are having to navigate like never before.  And yet, some leaders manage to not just survive uncertain times — they actually help their people thrive through them In this episode, I talk about what uncertainty looks like for leaders today and the qualities of leaders who navigate through uncertainty well — so you can strengthen these same qualities in yourself.  I start by naming today’s pressure points—economic volatility, AI and automation, evolving workforce norms, organizational transitions, and global forces—and why teams instinctively crave stability. From there, we unpack two common traps: the silent leader who waits for perfect information and the oversharing leader who exports anxiety. You’ll get simple scripts to communicate what’s known, what’s unknown, and when you’ll update again, plus a framing that pairs truth with direction so your people stay grounded and focused. Then I zoom in on emotional steadiness, the subtle signal that shapes how your team interprets turbulence. You’ll learn quick regulation practices that keep urgency from becoming alarming, and you’ll see how curiosity and short feedback loops make learning the new stability. We also explore empathy without lowering the bar—how to check in meaningfully, protect dignity, and connect effort to impact. Finally, I return to purpose as the durable anchor: a clear why that guides and sustains hope when the path keeps changing. If this episode encouraged you, share it with another leader navigating uncertainty right now. Also, be sure to subscribe to this podcast so you never miss an episode. You can also pick up my book, Lead Anyone, on Amazon. Then go to my website to check out ways that we can support your leadership goals-from executive retreats to customized training and coaching, my team of experts will help you level up your leadership and accelerate your results. Go to www.eliseboggs.com for more info.  Follow on Instagram: @12minuteleadership Order my book, Lead Anyone!

    11 min
  6. OCT 27

    Episode 24: How to be a Leader That Inspires | 12MinuteLeadership

    Think inspiration requires charisma? We unpack a different model of leadership—one built on purpose, integrity, emotional connection, and real empowerment—so your team gives its best by choice, not by pressure. Elise Boggs Morales draws on 17 years of coaching thousands of leaders to explain how small, repeatable behaviors convert compliance into commitment and keep people engaged when change hits hard. We start by grounding performance in a clear why. When you connect day-to-day work to mission and values, your team finds meaning that lasts beyond metrics. From there, we dig into authenticity as the engine of trust—sharing your thinking, aligning words and actions, and making decisions you can stand behind. You’ll hear why vulnerability strengthens authority, how trust becomes the soil for inspiration, and what to say when you don’t have all the answers yet. Then we move into the emotional layer that actually moves people. Empathy, deep listening, and celebrating unique contributions help others feel seen and capable. We explore how a learn-it-all mindset transforms culture, why the stories you repeat shape reality, and how to model possibility without sugarcoating tough news. Finally, we break down practical empowerment: delegating with clarity, developing judgment, and trusting people with more so they see themselves as leaders. Along the way, you’ll get reflection prompts and examples—from classic leadership frameworks to culture shifts at scale—that you can apply today. Ready to lead hearts before minds and retain your best talent with meaningful work? Hit follow, share this episode with a colleague who could use a lift, and leave a review with one way you plan to inspire your team this week. Your feedback helps us reach more leaders who want to lead with purpose and create lasting impact. Follow on Instagram: @12minuteleadership Order my book, Lead Anyone!

    11 min
5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Welcome to the 12 Minute Leadership podcast where in 12 minutes or less I’ll share small things that you can put into immediate practice that will make a BIG difference in your leadership effectiveness. I’m your host, Elise Boggs Morales, leadership professor, consultant, and coach. For the last 17 years, I have helped thousands of leaders level up their influence and achieve remarkable results! If you want to trade compliance for true commitment and create your dream team, you are in the right place.  Get ready for a quick hit of practical wisdom to increase your team’s engagement, inspire top performance and retain your best talent.