AP Leadership Podcast

Al Pilong

Leadership is hard!..., but leadership matters! AP Leadership Podcast is all about conversations with leaders on leading! My hope is that you will you will find fresh ideas and inspiration to propel you forward in your challenging leadership journey. AP Leadership Podcast is hosted by Al Pilong, CEO of AP Leadership Partners, an executive coaching practice that supports leaders in finding solutions for the myriad of challenges they face everyday. We are sponsored by CxO Coaching, where I also serve as a coach and advisor. CxO Coaching is focused on empowering leaders and driving results.

  1. Oct 15

    What Is It Like to Be Led by You | Al Pilong with Si Elliott

    The people you lead experience your leadership in everyday moments: how you listen, how you respond, and whether you follow through. In this episode, Al Pilong talks with Si Elliott, author of Customer Experience Thinking and Managing Director of Diversity, about what customer experience and behavioral science can teach us about leadership. They explore why people don’t make decisions on logic alone, how leaders can interrupt autopilot, and how trust grows through consistent experiences. Si also shares a practical perspective on AI: use it to help people do better work while preserving the human connection that makes them feel valued. The conversation closes with advice for first-time leaders and a Leadership Lens practice to try this week: pause before one interaction and ask, “What does this person need from me to do their best work?”

  2. Oct 1

    The Courage to Change Course | Al Pilong with Sean Connaughton on Leadership and Risk

    What does a leader do after making the wrong call? Sean Connaughton has led in local, state, and federal government and now serves as president and CEO of the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association. Across those very different roles, he has learned the value of a shared mission, earned trust, and a willingness to take thoughtful risks. In this conversation, Sean speaks candidly about decisions he got wrong—and how admitting a mistake and changing course made him a more effective leader. We also discuss working with people who disagree with you, leading through rapid change, and why new CEOs should take time to learn before making major changes. In the Leadership Lens, I reflect on a question Sean’s story raises: Are we willing to risk being wrong in order to move forward, and humble enough to change course when we are?

  3. Sep 16

    How Trusted Leaders Listen, Decide, and Build Trust | Al Pilong with Jim Daniel

    What separates leaders who sustain trust from those who eventually lose it? Jim Daniel has spent decades advising healthcare CEOs and senior executives through complex, high-stakes decisions. As a named partner at Hancock Daniel Johnson, he has had a front-row seat to leadership when the pressure is on. In this conversation, Jim and I explore what he has learned about listening, building trust, making difficult decisions, staying close to the work, and knowing when a trusted advisor needs to speak up. Jim also shares why he believes leaders should consider decisions through three lenses—legal, ethical, and moral—and why one lesson he would give his younger self is simple: “Good and on time is better than perfect and late.” In this episode’s Leadership Lens, I explore another challenge: leaders need to listen—but eventually, listening has to give way to deciding. When do you listen? When do you speak? And when is it time to decide?

  4. Sep 3

    Why People Resist AI — and What Leaders Can Do About It | Al Pilong with Dr. Gleb Tsipursky

    AI adoption isn't simply a technology challenge. It's a human one. In this episode, Al Pilong talks with behavioral scientist Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, author of The Psychology of AI Adoption at Work: From Resistance to Results, about what really drives resistance to AI — including fear, threats to professional identity, and the stigma around using AI at work. Their conversation explores what AI adoption can teach us about leadership and organizational change: the critical role of middle managers, the power of peer influence, psychological safety and accountability, creating appropriate guardrails for experimentation, and building trust while navigating uncertainty. Gleb also joins Al for the Leadership Lightning Round, including his advice to leaders: “Never simply trust your gut.” The episode concludes with a Leadership Lens on a question every leader navigating change should consider: What might really be underneath someone's resistance?

  5. Aug 20

    Leading With Head and Heart — Al Pilong with Dr. Tracy Hoke

    What does it mean to lead with both accountability and humanity? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Tracy Hoke, Chief of Quality and Performance Improvement and Acting Chief of Population Health at UVA Health, for a candid conversation about trust, accountability, vulnerability, and staying connected to the people doing the work. Tracy shares a leadership lesson from her father that has shaped her career: “Lead yourself with your head and others with your heart.” We explore what that looks like in practice — creating professional safety so people can tell you the truth, getting out of the conference room and onto the front lines, solving problems that matter, and avoiding becoming the “emperor with no clothes” who is the last to know what’s really happening. Tracy also shares a deeply personal story about standing before hundreds of people during one of the most difficult periods of her life and choosing to be real rather than polished. And in this episode’s Leadership Lens, I reflect on what may be the deeper lesson from Tracy’s story: perhaps vulnerability isn’t simply about sharing more of ourselves. Perhaps it’s about trust — creating an environment where truth can travel upward. A question to consider: What are you doing as a leader that makes it easier for people to tell you the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable?

  6. Aug 5

    Listen First. Lead Better. | Al Pilong with Chris Siebenaler

    What do the best leaders have in common? According to Chris Siebenaler, Executive Vice President of Network Hospitals at Houston Methodist, they don't have all the answers—they ask better questions, listen first, and create an environment where others can succeed. In this episode of the AP Leadership Podcast, Chris and Al Pilong explore servant leadership, the importance of understanding the "why" behind change, leadership standard work, and the daily habits that build high-performing teams. Along the way, Chris shares practical stories from his leadership journey that demonstrate why the people closest to the work often have the best solutions. If you're committed to becoming a better leader tomorrow than you are today, this conversation is full of practical insights you can put to work immediately.

  7. Jul 22

    Be Bold: Leadership with Al Pilong and Tina Freese Decker

    What does it take to lead one of America's largest health systems during a time of unprecedented change? In this episode of The AP Leadership Podcast, I sit down with Tina Freese Decker, President & CEO of Corewell Health, to explore the leadership principles that have shaped her journey—from lessons learned from her grandmother to leading a $14 billion integrated health system serving communities across Michigan. Tina shares why great leaders embrace healthy debate, create "we over me" cultures, lead with curiosity and humility, and have the courage to be bold even in uncertain times. We also discuss Abraham Lincoln's "Team of Rivals," the importance of staying connected to the front lines, how leaders inspire hope, and why healthcare remains, at its core, a profoundly human business. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why "doing hard things" shapes great leaders• How bold leadership inspires hope in others• The importance of healthy debate and diverse perspectives• Why leadership behaviors matter more than leadership titles• How curiosity, humility, and adaptability build stronger organizations• Practical ways leaders stay connected to their people Whether you lead a healthcare organization, a business, a nonprofit, or a small team, Tina's insights offer timeless lessons on leading with courage, purpose, and humanity. If you enjoy conversations with exceptional leaders, please subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review.

  8. Jul 8

    Why Leaders Fail—and What Great Leaders Learn | Al Pilong with Scott Stringer

    Why do capable leaders fail—and what helps great leaders adapt, grow, and keep moving forward? Al Pilong sits down with Dr. Scott Stringer, Vice Dean of the VCU School of Medicine, President of MCV Physicians, and Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. Scott shares lessons from a leadership journey that has taken him from physician and educator to department chair, practice plan leader, and health system executive. The conversation explores servant leadership, self-control, resilience, the discipline of saying no, and the importance of people and systems. Al and Scott also dig into a particularly difficult question: why do leaders fail? From the speed of change and organizational readiness to alignment with your boss, Scott offers a practical framework for understanding both the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that shape a leader's success. A candid conversation about leadership for the long haul—and why the work can be both deeply rewarding and incredibly hard.

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About

Leadership is hard!..., but leadership matters! AP Leadership Podcast is all about conversations with leaders on leading! My hope is that you will you will find fresh ideas and inspiration to propel you forward in your challenging leadership journey. AP Leadership Podcast is hosted by Al Pilong, CEO of AP Leadership Partners, an executive coaching practice that supports leaders in finding solutions for the myriad of challenges they face everyday. We are sponsored by CxO Coaching, where I also serve as a coach and advisor. CxO Coaching is focused on empowering leaders and driving results.

Information

  • Creator
    Al Pilong
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Al Pilong
  • Show Website
    AP Leadership Podcast