Leveraging Leadership

Emily Sander
  • 5.0 (27)
  • Management
  • Updated Weekly

Leadership is messy. Most advice isn't built for the reality of competing priorities, difficult stakeholders, limited time, and imperfect information. Leveraging Leadership is a practical leadership podcast for Chiefs of Staff, executives, founders, and senior operators who want to lead more effectively and navigate complexity with confidence. Hosted by Emily Sander, former Chief of Staff and executive advisor, each episode delivers real-world lessons, practical frameworks, and candid conversations with leaders across business and beyond. Topics include executive communication, leadership presence, decision-making, delegation, organizational influence, operating rhythms, team effectiveness, and the often-unspoken challenges leaders face behind the scenes. If you're looking for thoughtful conversations, practical takeaways, and leadership advice you can actually use on Monday morning, you're in the right place.

  1. 4d ago

    Q&A: Balancing AI Adoption and Quality Leadership Strategies for a Maturing Tech Team

    Emily Sander answers a listener’s question about moving a tech company to AI-first, highlighting challenges when people use AI excessively or without checks. She shares practical ideas like approved use cases, tiered approval for AI spend, and the need for quality controls. Emily Sander also points out the importance of balancing AI experimentation with making sure standards and outcomes stay high. Get in touch with Emily: Want help leading your organization through AI adoption? Book a clarity call w/ Emily here.   Free Leadership Resources   LinkedIn Website Newsletter   Who Am I? If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.   Time Stamps: 00:25 Listener Question Setup 01:20 AI First Culture Shift 02:11 Experimenting vs Standardizing 03:34 Trust but Verify 05:05 Token Spend Guardrails 06:45 Quality Checks and Controls 07:39 Center the Pendulum

    14 min

  2. Jun 24

    Boost Your Presentation Presence With This Simple Technique

    Emily Sander shares a simple trick to boost energy and engagement in presentations: think about something you love, like movies, then bring that same excitement to your business talk. She uses a real story about bombing a dry run at a Risk Summit and how talking about her favorite movies helped her improve. Chiefs of Staff and executives can try this method to sound less flat or nervous during important presentations. Get in touch with Emily: Want to show up with more confidence and energy in your presentations? Book a clarity call w/ Emily here.   Free Leadership Resources   LinkedIn Website Newsletter   Who Am I? If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.   Time Stamps: 00:32 Why Presentations Fall Flat 02:31 Practice and Record Yourself 04:31 My First Big Dry Run 07:08 The Bombed Presentation 13:41 Monday Redemption Moment 16:10 Risk Summit Stage Debut 18:23 Beyond the Trick Long Term 20:37 Try It and Share Back 22:10 Wrap Up and Sponsor

    23 min

  3. Jun 22

    The Chief of Staff Role Through the Eyes of Principals

    This episode breaks down what a Chief of Staff actually does in different industries, from startups to government, and covers how the role is changing with AI according to Scott Amenta. Guests like Clara Ma share practical advice for pitching the Chief of Staff role internally and how to tailor your resume if you're switching from another field. Phil Burns talks about the confusion between Executive Assistant and Chief of Staff roles and why it's important to define them clearly. Get in touch with Emily: Want to chat with Emily? Book a quick clarity call here.   Free Leadership Resources   LinkedIn Website Newsletter   Who Am I? If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.   Time Stamps: 00:25 Scott Amenta 10:00 Jeremy Costa & Trent Smyth 21:42 Clara Ma 33:51 Phil Burns

    41 min

  4. Jun 17

    Practical Ways Leaders Can Release Guilt and Move Forward

    Emily Sander talks about how Chiefs of Staff often feel guilty or frustrated about things like not working long enough hours or not helping a struggling teammate. She explains that being too empathetic or self-critical can backfire and suggests telling yourself, "and that's okay," to relieve pressure and keep perspective. Real examples include feeling called out for working from home or regretting not helping someone in a team meeting. Get in touch with Emily: Feeling the pressure to do more, be more, or fix everything? Book a clarity call w/ Emily here.   Free Leadership Resources   LinkedIn Website Newsletter   Who Am I? If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.   Time Stamps: 00:25 Common Chief of Staff Struggles 01:04 When Empathy Becomes a Detriment 04:16 The Power of Saying It's Okay 06:17 Mountains Out of Molehills 08:03 Building a Higher Baseline 09:00 Try This Exercise

    10 min

  5. Jun 15

    Weaving People First Leadership and Business Demands in the Chief of Staff Role

    Emily Sander talks with Lindsey Gardner, a multi-time Chief of Staff and co-founder of Sapphire Chief of Staff, about balancing people and business priorities. Lindsey Gardner shares lessons from working with the same CEO for a decade, why she always puts people first, and how clear communication builds trust. She also explains Sapphire’s approach to Chief of Staff recruiting and development and discusses how AI should be seen as a tool—not a replacement for humans. Links Mentioned: Sapphire Chief of Staff Website Connect with Lindsey Gardner on LinkedIn Get in touch with Emily: Want to chat with Emily? Book a quick clarity call here.   Free Leadership Resources   LinkedIn Website Newsletter   Who Am I? If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.   Time Stamps: 02:00 Selling the Chief of Staff Role 04:08 A Decade With One CEO 10:05 People First vs Numbers 13:45 Kindness vs Niceness 17:46 AI and Company Stage 21:45 Hard Tradeoffs in Practice 28:38 Sapphire Chief of Staff Wrap

    37 min

  6. Jun 10

    Q&A: Turning Board Back Channels into Your Strategic Leverage

    Emily Sander answers a listener question from Sarah in Charlotte, a Chief of Staff handling board governance, leadership meetings, and benefits rollout. The episode covers how to build strategic relationships with the board, use back channels professionally, and avoid being seen only as admin support while keeping the founder focused and the team aligned. Real examples include collaborating with consultants and prepping the chairman for meetings. Get in touch with Emily: Want help building stronger board and executive relationships? Book a clarity call w/ Emily here.   Free Leadership Resources   LinkedIn Website Newsletter   Who Am I? If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.   Time Stamps: 00:25 Listener Question Setup 01:20 Sarah’s Challenge 03:00 Leverage Board Access 05:20 Build Allies and Backchannels 08:03 Talk Strategy Not Admin 10:30 Coach the Board on Focus 13:15 When Founders Spiral 16:07 Create More Board Touchpoints 17:48 Wrap Up and Next Steps

    19 min

  7. Jun 8

    Real Stories from Leaders on Chiefs of Staff Relationships

    This compilation features conversations with four principals about why they brought on a Chief of Staff, how they built trust in the role, and the impact Chiefs of Staff had on their teams. Examples include Lawrence Coburn hiring a former intern for the role, Nikki Barua making the Chief of Staff her very first hire, and Marcus East describing the Chief of Staff as a force multiplier who connects teams. The episode highlights practical challenges and benefits, such as helping with communication, offering a trusted sounding board, and building strong team dynamics. Get in touch with Emily: Want to chat with Emily? Book a quick clarity call here.   Free Leadership Resources   LinkedIn Website Newsletter   Who Am I? If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.   Time Stamps: 00:26 Why This Compilation 01:16 Lawrence Coburn 10:07 Nikki Barua 20:50 Marcus East 27:23 Bethany McAleer

    36 min

  8. Jun 3

    How to Show Up as the Leader You Want to Be

    Emily Sander shares why showing up as an unhurried, intentional leader matters more than always hustling. She gives practical tips like taking walks, working out, or even sipping coffee outside to set the right mindset. Chiefs of Staff and executives are encouraged to build daily habits - whether it's meditation, reading, or attending their kids’ soccer games - that help them become the kind of leader others want to follow. Get in touch with Emily: Want help creating space to lead more intentionally? Book a clarity call w/ Emily here: https://www.nextlevel.coach/clarity-call   Free Leadership Resources: https://nextlevel.coach/resources   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilysander/ Website: https://nextlevel.coach Newsletter: https://emilysander.podia.com/newsletter-signup   Who Am I? If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.   Time Stamps: 00:25 The Missing Piece of Presence 02:06 Unhurried Leadership Defined 04:35 Practices That Ground You 05:56 Choose Your Leadership Adjectives 08:04 Focus on Top Priorities 10:03 Know Thyself and Recharge 12:39 Build the Habit and Flip the Script 19:22 Recap and Next Steps

    24 min
See All (293)

5
out of 5
27 Ratings

About

Leadership is messy. Most advice isn't built for the reality of competing priorities, difficult stakeholders, limited time, and imperfect information. Leveraging Leadership is a practical leadership podcast for Chiefs of Staff, executives, founders, and senior operators who want to lead more effectively and navigate complexity with confidence. Hosted by Emily Sander, former Chief of Staff and executive advisor, each episode delivers real-world lessons, practical frameworks, and candid conversations with leaders across business and beyond. Topics include executive communication, leadership presence, decision-making, delegation, organizational influence, operating rhythms, team effectiveness, and the often-unspoken challenges leaders face behind the scenes. If you're looking for thoughtful conversations, practical takeaways, and leadership advice you can actually use on Monday morning, you're in the right place.

Information

  • Creator
    Emily Sander
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    293
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Leveraging Leadership
  • Show Website
    Leveraging Leadership

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