I Have Some Questions...

Erik Berglund
  • 5.0 (38)
  • MANAGEMENT

What if leadership wasn’t about having the answers—but about asking better questions? On "I Have Some Questions…", Erik Berglund – a founder, coach, and Speechcraft evangelist – dives into the conversations that high performers aren’t having enough. This isn’t your typical leadership podcast. It’s a tactical deep-dive into the soft skills that actually drive results: the hard-to-nail moments of accountability, the awkward feedback loops, and the language that turns good leaders into great ones. Each week, Erik explores a question that has shaped his own journey. Expect raw, unpolished curiosity. Expect conversations with bold thinkers, rising leaders, and practitioners who are tired of recycled advice and ready to talk about what really works. Expect episodes that get under the hood of how real change happens: through what we say, how we say it, and how often we practice it. This show is for driven managers, emerging execs, and anyone who knows that real growth comes from curiosity rather than charisma. Subscribe if you’re ready to stop winging it and start leading with intention.

  1. 118: "Is There Actually a Playbook for Building Trust as a New Leader?" ft. Alli Murphy

    1D AGO

    118: "Is There Actually a Playbook for Building Trust as a New Leader?" ft. Alli Murphy

    Trust isn’t built by proving you’re right—it’s built by proving you’re safe to work with. In this co-hosted conversation, Erik and Alli unpack what it actually takes to earn trust when you’re new, misunderstood, or quietly doubted. They explore the tactical moves leaders can make to build credibility—and the internal work required to stay grounded when the room hasn’t decided to believe in you yet. This episode lives at the intersection of leadership, identity, and emotional regulation, tackling what to do when your presence alone feels like an unpopular decision. 🧭 Conversation Highlights Why trust deficits exist even when you’ve done nothing wrongThe difference between listening and waiting your turn to speakHow “rules of engagement” prevent unintentional trust breachesWhy proving yourself is often the wrong goalThe hidden cost of staying in “I need to earn this” mode for too long💡 Key Takeaways Trust is accelerated when people feel understood—not impressedYou don’t need to justify why you were hired; that decision wasn’t yours to makeListening periods without clarity create anxiety—structure builds safetyInternal conviction matters more than external validationBelonging shifts when you act like you already belong❓ Questions That Mattered How do you build trust with people who think they already know you?What does earning trust look like without over-accommodating?How do you regulate yourself when you feel doubted or dismissed?When does “proving yourself” quietly undermine your leadership?What changes when you lead as someone who’s already earned the seat?🧠 Concepts, Curves & Frameworks Listening Windows (30–60–90 days): Learn before you lead—but don’t disappearRules of Engagement: Co-creating how feedback, conflict, and decisions happenWorking Relationship Docs: Two-way clarity instead of one-way expectationsConviction Before Consensus: Internal clarity precedes external buy-inEarned vs. Explained Authority: You don’t owe a defense of your role🧰 Put This Into Practice Ask new teammates what matters to them before explaining what matters to youExplicitly discuss how disagreement and feedback should workBuild a “wins folder” to ground yourself when doubt creeps inStop answering questions you were never responsible for answeringLead one conversation this week as if you already belong🗣️ Notable Quotes “You didn’t hire yourself. Stop holding yourself accountable for a decision you didn’t make.” “Trust isn’t built by moving fast—it’s built by listening well.” “Your presence might be the unpopular course… and that still doesn’t make it wrong.” “Proving mode is exhausting—and rarely necessary.” “You earned the seat. Now lead like it.” 🔗 Links & Resources Listen to other episodes co-hosted with Alli

    24 min

  2. 4D AGO

    117: "AI Doesn't Remove the Human Layer—It Amplifies It" (lessons from Parth Vaghasiya)

    🧠 Erik’s Take In this Reaction Episode, Erik reflects on his powerful interview with Parth Vaghasiya—a tech leader from India rethinking how AI is actually deployed at scale. What stood out most wasn’t just Parth’s technical acumen or clarity around AI workflows, but his deep, human-centered leadership philosophy. This reflection underscores a critical truth: AI adoption is not a tool problem—it’s a trust problem. What matters more than what version of GPT you’re running is whether your people feel safe enough to actually use it. Erik distills Parth’s biggest ideas and adds personal perspective, including how leaders can cultivate the psychological safety and adaptability needed to lead in an AI-native future. 🎯 Top Insights from the Interview AI reveals humanity: Parth suggests that AI doesn’t remove the human layer—it amplifies its importance. Leaders must design trust into the system.Adaptability beats intelligence: In a fast-moving landscape, the ability to change—driven by clarity and aligned incentives—is the core differentiator.Psychological safety is step one: Fear of being replaced leads to compliance without commitment. Trust clears the path for real adoption.Multiple MVPs are finally possible: With AI-integrated workflows, it's now realistic to ship and test several product versions simultaneously.Leadership isn’t about controlling the process—it’s about asking better questions.🧩 The Personal Layer What hit hardest for Erik was the idea that compliance without commitment is the default state for many teams. It’s not that people are lazy or slow—it’s that they don’t feel safe experimenting. This echoed some of Erik’s own leadership experiences: moments when results didn’t change until trust was built. The idea that AI could expose or amplify a company’s cultural cracks resonated deeply—and served as a powerful leadership mirror. 🧰 From Insight to Action Erik invites leaders to try this: Audit your AI rollout plan—not for tools, but for trust. Where is fear hiding in your team?Use the “compliance vs. commitment” lens to evaluate behavior. Are your people truly bought in—or just playing along?Redesign a workflow with AI at the beginning, not the end. Build with it, not around it.Practice the adaptability formula:See clearly (truth > assumption)Align incentives with learningMake faster decisionsAsk better questions🗣️ Notable Quotes “If your team fears being replaced by the tool, they’ll never commit to using it.” “AI doesn’t reduce humanity—it reveals whether your leadership has built a foundation for it to thrive.” “You can’t copy-paste ChatGPT into your workflow and call it a strategy.” “Adaptability is sustained by clarity, not just capability.” 🔗 Links & Resources Listen to Parth Vaghasiya's Episode

    9 min
  3. 116: "Is India Quietly Redefining Scalable AI Leadership?" ft. Parth Vaghasiya

    6D AGO

    116: "Is India Quietly Redefining Scalable AI Leadership?" ft. Parth Vaghasiya

    In this thought-provoking conversation, Erik sits down with Parth Vaghasiya, a technology and business leader from Gujarat, India, who’s quietly pioneering what it means to lead at scale with AI in emerging markets. Together, they unpack the hard truths about AI deployment: why most organizations struggle not because of the tech, but because of trust, clarity, and leadership habits. Parth doesn’t speak in trends—he speaks in frameworks, from firsthand experience building AI-integrated teams across India. This isn’t a conversation about hype. It’s about how AI becomes useful—when it's embedded into how leaders think, not just how teams work. 👤 About the Guest Parth Vaghasiya is a product and operations leader based in Gujarat, India. He runs a fast-scaling SaaS company focused on point-of-sale systems, and is deeply immersed in how AI is adopted across organizational layers. Parth is also a prolific writer and systems thinker whose work explores the intersection of leadership, adaptability, and AI-enabled workflows in emerging markets. 🧭 Conversation Highlights The mindset shift from intensity to effectiveness in leadershipWhy Parth sees AI not as a tool, but as part of the process itselfHow his team introduced AI as a “thinking partner” across 75 peopleWhat slows adoption in India (and why it’s not lack of access)The leadership infrastructure needed to scale responsiblyReframing MVPs and product dev cycles in an AI-native workflowThe difference between compliance and commitmentParth’s perspective on happiness, adaptability, and future-proof skills💡 Key Takeaways AI doesn’t scale without trust — and trust is a leadership function.Embedding AI at the beginning of workflows, not the end, turns it from a novelty into true leverage.Delegation + clarity = scalable adoption. That’s how Parth led 75 people to integrate AI into daily work.Psychological safety comes before money. If people don’t feel safe, they won’t learn.Adaptability isn’t an add-on. It’s the sustaining advantage in a fast-moving AI landscape.❓ Questions That Mattered What did Parth have to let go of to become a more effective leader?How do you build an AI-literate organization in a low-trust environment?What’s the biggest reason people resist AI adoption—and how do you overcome it?Can clarity and ownership be systematized in a growing org?How can leaders incentivize learning without relying on fear or hype?🗣️ Notable Quotes “AI creates value when it improves how leaders think—not just how fast teams work.” “I had to stop being the person with the answers. My job became creating clarity, building trust, and helping others make better decisions.” “Psychological safety comes before money. People don’t experiment when they feel exposed.” “The real divide is not about awareness. It’s about readiness.” “Tools don’t create outcomes. Operating habits do.” 🔗 Links & Resources Connect with Parth Vaghasiya on LinkedIn

    1h 8m
  4. 115: "Is Your Once-Greatest Strength Now Holding You Back?" ft. Alli Murphy

    FEB 16

    115: "Is Your Once-Greatest Strength Now Holding You Back?" ft. Alli Murphy

    In this co-hosted conversation, Erik Berglund and Alli Murphy explore a deceptively simple leadership trap: when your greatest strength becomes the very thing holding you back. From overthinking and realism to empathy and self-awareness, they unpack how internal “voices” can quietly hijack decision-making, stall progress, and limit leadership effectiveness. Through real stories, coaching insights, and practical reframes, Erik and Alli challenge leaders to stop letting one voice run the boardroom—and start building a more balanced internal leadership team. 🧭 Conversation Highlights Why strengths don’t turn into weaknesses overnight—they slowly overstay their welcomeErik’s story of overthinking a leadership conflict that required humility, not strategyHow “being a realist” can shut down vision before it ever has a chanceThe idea of your internal “Board of Directors”—and who’s dominating the meetingWhy outside perspective (coaches, peers, trusted partners) is often non-negotiable💡 Key Takeaways A strength used without context can quietly become a liabilityInternal voices are valuable—but none deserve permanent controlFriction and discomfort are often signals that something is out of balanceSelf-awareness alone isn’t always enough; outside perspective accelerates clarityWriting things down creates insight that thinking alone rarely delivers❓ Questions That Mattered When does a strength stop serving you and start limiting you?Which internal voice is currently driving your decisions?What happens when realism, empathy, or overthinking goes unchecked?Who in your life has permission to challenge your blind spots?What changes when you move a dominant strength out of the driver’s seat?🧠 Concepts, Curves & Frameworks Strengths with a Shadow Side: Every capability has a cost when overusedThe Internal Board of Directors: Multiple voices, competing priorities, shared powerDriver vs. Advisor: Knowing when a strength leads vs. supportsThird-Party Perspective: Why self-observation has limitsBrain–Body Connection: Why writing creates clarity faster than rumination🧰 Put This Into Practice Identify your most dominant strength—and ask where it might be over-indexingNotice moments of friction and ask: Is this internal or external?Practice “acknowledge, then reposition” with your inner voicesInvite one trusted person to reflect patterns you might be missingUse pen and paper when you feel stuck—slow thinking unlocks insight🗣️ Notable Quotes “You might be a realist—but that’s not all you are.” “Anytime one strength becomes the only voice on the board, we get into trouble.” “Sometimes the right move isn’t better thinking—it’s less thinking.” “You can acknowledge a voice without giving it the driver’s seat.” “We can’t see what we can’t see—and that’s why we need other people.” 🔗 Links & Resources Listen to other episodes co-hosted with Alli

    15 min

  5. FEB 13

    114: "Are You Managing Your Strengths Like a Portfolio?" (lessons from David Nickelson)

    🧠 Erik’s Take Erik reflects on his interview with Dr. David Nickelson, a true polymath with a rare blend of psychology, law, and business. What stuck with Erik wasn’t just David’s accomplishments—but how he thinks. This episode dives into the layered insights that emerge when someone integrates disciplines to solve complex problems. It’s part leadership lens, part self-awareness deep dive, and part creative reframe for anyone feeling boxed in by their own strengths. 🎯 Top Insights from the Interview Intersectionality > Expertise: The most marketable thinkers combine rare skills in overlapping ways—not in silos.Read Yourself and the Room: Leadership means tuning into your own patterns and the environment around you—especially when emotions run high.Portfolio Management for People: Treat your own capabilities like a portfolio—optimize, de-risk, and allocate your energy where it matters.Polymaths Spot Patterns Others Miss: When you bring multiple frameworks to the same problem, your lens gets sharper—and more valuable.Self-Awareness Is a Start. Systems Awareness Is the Advantage.🧩 The Personal Layer This conversation made Erik re-examine his own thinking habits—especially how he’s used (and sometimes siloed) his overlapping skills. He realized he hadn’t deeply considered the marketable synergy between them before. David’s framing pushed him to reflect on how leaders need more than just introspection; they need to know when the environment is distorting their lens. It’s not enough to know thyself—you have to contextualize thyself, too. 🧰 From Insight to Action Map Your Portfolio: List what you’re great at, what drains you, and what you’re merely good at but should stop doing. See it like a strategist would.Identify Your Intersections: What’s the Venn diagram of your experiences? What unique overlap gives you leverage?Check Your Read of the Room: Next time you're in a charged situation, pause. Ask: is your emotional read clouded by your own story?Let Go of Competence Traps: Just because you’re good at it doesn’t mean it belongs in your future.Design for Differentiation: Don’t just grow. Zig where others zag.🗣️ Notable Quotes “Your next level might not be a new skill—it might be combining the ones you already have.”  — Erik Berglund “Read the room. But more importantly, know how your anxiety might be reading it for you.”  — Erik Berglund “Treat yourself like a portfolio manager would. Allocate attention to what matters—offload what doesn’t.”  — Erik Berglund “Self-awareness is powerful. But it’s the synergy with systems-awareness that creates leverage.”  — Erik Berglund 🔗 Links & Resources Listen to David Nickelson's Episode

    11 min
  6. 113: "Knowing Your Limitations Is a Great Leadership Asset" ft. David Nickelson

    FEB 11

    113: "Knowing Your Limitations Is a Great Leadership Asset" ft. David Nickelson

    Dr. David Nickelson is a clinical psychologist, attorney and business strategist whose career spans Capitol Hill to corporate boardrooms. In this episode, Erik explores how David’s rare combination of expertise makes him a true polymath—and what lessons leaders can draw from his multidisciplinary lens. From telehealth legislation in the ‘90s to modern AI governance, David brings a layered, practical, and deeply human perspective on leadership, influence, and adaptation. 👤 About the Guest David Nickelson is a clinical psychologist and lawyer who began his career as a Congressional Science Fellow advocating for rural telehealth. Since then, he's built businesses, led digital transformation efforts, and advised C-level leaders across healthcare, marketing, and AI ethics. David is a trusted coach, mentor, and strategist who thrives at the intersection of policy, psychology, and product. 🧭 Conversation Highlights The untold origin story of rural telehealth and bipartisan AI policyHow power, persuasion, and psychology shaped legislationWhy generalists will rise in the AI age—and what they still need to learnThe trap of gated knowledge and how AI is busting it openWhy knowing your leadership “portfolio” is the new self-awarenessHow to leverage empathy without getting steamrolledA powerful reframe on personal assessments—and what actually makes them usefulDavid’s take on the “normalization” of AI and how to lead through ambiguity💡 Key Takeaways Your degree isn’t your destiny. The real power is in how you combine disciplines, not just how you master one.AI is “normal” tech—but humans aren’t. Adoption isn’t just about tools; it’s about the emotional, organizational, and ethical scaffolding we build around them.Knowing your limitations is a leadership asset. Managing your “portfolio of strengths” helps you build teams that complement—not compensate for—your gaps.Narrative matters. The best consultants and coaches aren't just experts—they’re master storytellers who shape meaning from complexity.Empathy is powerful—but incomplete. Without clarity and accountability, it can undermine your effectiveness.❓ Questions That Mattered What rare combinations of thinking help you solve today’s hard problems?How do you stay influential when you hold no formal authority?Which skills can’t (yet) be replaced by AI—and which ones are already being commoditized?How do you identify your blind spots and decide which ones not to fix?What are we gaining—and what might we lose—as AI accelerates our expertise?🗣️ Notable Quotes “Power and authority are tools. What matters is how wisely you use them.”  — David Nickelson “Most people think they’re making rare decisions. They’re not. But rare thinking? That’s harder to fake.” — Erik Berglund “You don’t need to be good at everything. But you’d better know what you’re not good at.”  — David Nickelson “People will always need narrative. It’s how humans process complexity—AI won’t replace that.”  — David Nickelson “The room is always information. Learn to read it before you speak.”  — David Nickelson 🔗 Links & Resources David's LinkedInClarity Psychological Service's Website

    1h 22m
  7. 112: "How Should Leaders Manage in Moments of Uncertainty?" ft. Alli Murphy

    FEB 9

    112: "How Should Leaders Manage in Moments of Uncertainty?" ft. Alli Murphy

    Uncertainty isn’t new — but leaders still keep making the same mistakes when it shows up. In this candid collab, Erik Berglund and co-host Alli Murphy unpack what not to do when things feel unstable, why our instincts often betray us, and how leaders can respond with intention instead of panic. From boundary erosion to over-functioning, this conversation is a grounded, practical look at leadership when the ground won’t stop moving. 🧭 Conversation Highlights Why uncertainty causes leaders to revert to old habits, not rise to new onesThe three leadership traps that feel helpful but quietly create dependencyThe danger of false optimism — and why “everything’s fine” erodes trustHow doing more as a leader can actually make things worseA simple bandana metaphor you’ll never forget💡 Key Takeaways Uncertainty doesn’t require more control — it requires more intentionLeaders create dependence when they give answers instead of developing thinkingOver-functioning is often a fear response, not a leadership strategyNaming reality builds trust faster than spinning optimismMost leadership situations are not life-or-death — panic is optional❓ Questions That Mattered What do leaders consistently get wrong in times of uncertainty?When things feel unstable, why do boundaries disappear first?How does “helping” turn into dependency without us realizing it?What actually builds confidence in teams when answers are unclear?What reminder would stop leaders from panicking in the moment?🧠 Concepts, Curves & Frameworks Baseline Reversion: Under pressure, we default to old habits — not new skillsOver-Functioning Leaders: Doing the work for others to feel in controlFalse Certainty Trap: Pretending clarity exists when it doesn’tIntentional Leadership: Choosing responses instead of reacting on instinct“Don’t Panic” Principle: Most leadership moments aren’t emergencies🧰 Put This Into Practice Pause before stepping in — ask if the work actually belongs to youReplace answers with questions that build thinking capabilityName uncertainty directly instead of smoothing it overProtect your boundaries — they’re leadership tools, not luxuriesAsk: Am I acting out of habit or intention right now?🗣️ Notable Quotes “When uncertainty shows up, humans revert to their baseline.” “If you keep handing out answers, you’re training dependence.” “Less talking, more listening is often the move in uncertainty.” “Most people listening don’t work in life-or-death environments — don’t panic.” “Doing things out of habit feels productive, but intention is what actually helps.” 🔗 Links & Resources Listen to other episodes co-hosted with Alli

    13 min

  8. FEB 6

    111: "Are You Taking Your Infrastructure For Granted?" (lessons from Victor Almeida)

    🧠 Erik’s Take In this follow-up to his interview with Victor Almeida, Erik zooms out to reflect on what building a digital business really looks like in Latin America—and what North American entrepreneurs often take for granted. From basic infrastructure challenges to deep-rooted cultural wisdom, this episode is a powerful reminder that hardship often breeds the greatest human capital. And behind Victor’s startup dream is a deeper calling: to create opportunity where access has long been limited. 🎯 Top Insights from the Interview Family wisdom is foundational: Victor’s uncle and mother passed down principles that shaped his view of life, work, and risk.Resilience is forged in scarcity: Political instability and economic fragility have created people who are hyper-adaptable, cross-functional, and entrepreneurial by necessity.Digital access is not universal: Things like Google Maps, reviews, or reliable Wi-Fi are luxuries in many parts of the world—and that has ripple effects on what businesses can be built.Latin America’s human capital is underutilized: Erik highlights the scrappy, multi-skilled digital talent he’s worked with—and how that edge is forged in environments of uncertainty.Building a platform is harder when no one’s online: Victor’s challenge isn’t technical—it’s cultural and infrastructural.🧩 The Personal Layer Erik’s reflection is rooted in humility—he acknowledges how much he’s taken for granted living and building in the U.S. The conversation made him reevaluate the assumptions baked into the startup ecosystem: bandwidth, funding, listing infrastructure, even social trust around digital tools. He draws a powerful connection between Victor’s “desert power” analogy (from Dune) and the strength of communities forged through challenge. Erik also shares a deep appreciation for the emotional backbone of Victor’s journey: his mom’s push to “go outside and take risks,” and his uncle’s mantra to “plant a tree, write a book, build a business, and have a kid.” 🧰 From Insight to Action Ask yourself: What am I taking for granted in my business infrastructure?Seek out and collaborate with underrepresented digital talent—they often bring unmatched versatility.Reflect on the wisdom that shaped your worldview—what life scripts are you still following?Remember that policy environments matter—support leaders and founders working to shift systemic barriers.Lead with humility when building in or with other cultures. Ask more, assume less.🗣️ Notable Quotes “Plant a tree. Write a book. Build a business. Have a kid. That’s a life well lived.” — Erik, reflecting on Victor’s uncle’s wisdom “Scarcity breeds resilience—and that’s what creates the best human capital.” — Erik Berglund “Most of us assume access to digital tools is universal. It’s not. That assumption is a privilege.” — Erik Berglund “Victor’s not just building a startup—he’s building infrastructure where none exists.” — Erik Berglund “You only need one win—and your life changes completely.” — Victor Almeida 🔗 Links & Resources Listen to Victor Almeida's Episode

    12 min
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5
out of 5
38 Ratings

About

What if leadership wasn’t about having the answers—but about asking better questions? On "I Have Some Questions…", Erik Berglund – a founder, coach, and Speechcraft evangelist – dives into the conversations that high performers aren’t having enough. This isn’t your typical leadership podcast. It’s a tactical deep-dive into the soft skills that actually drive results: the hard-to-nail moments of accountability, the awkward feedback loops, and the language that turns good leaders into great ones. Each week, Erik explores a question that has shaped his own journey. Expect raw, unpolished curiosity. Expect conversations with bold thinkers, rising leaders, and practitioners who are tired of recycled advice and ready to talk about what really works. Expect episodes that get under the hood of how real change happens: through what we say, how we say it, and how often we practice it. This show is for driven managers, emerging execs, and anyone who knows that real growth comes from curiosity rather than charisma. Subscribe if you’re ready to stop winging it and start leading with intention.

Information

  • Creator
    Erik Berglund
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    116
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 I Have Some Questions...
  • Show Website
    I Have Some Questions...