Small Brave Moves

Nicole M. Bianchi
  • 4.9 (16)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Learn how to be braver in leadership and in life for exceptional results with Master Certified Executive Coach, Best Selling Author, and Certified Speaking Professional, Nicole M. Bianchi. Small Brave Moves is a podcast for mid-level to c-suite leaders who own their growth and development, know there is always room for improvement, and are ready to start making the Small Brave Moves to achieve their goals, unlock their full potential, and lead with confidence, clarity, and authenticity. 

  1. 6D AGO

    Braving the Future of Work: How to Future-Proof Your Leadership

    The future belongs to organizations with brave leaders.  The research is already telling you what you probably feel: most of the workforce is anxious, most leaders aren't ready, and the gap between where organizations are and where they need to be is widening every year. The question isn't whether change is coming. It's whether you'll be brave enough to lead through it.  Global keynote speaker, leadership expert, executive coach, and best selling author Nicole Bianchi makes the case in this episode of the Small Brave Moves Podcast that the future of work doesn't just need smarter leaders — it needs braver ones.  She walks listeners through the three frameworks she teaches to leaders to build bravery as a real, practiced skill — not a personality trait you either have or you don't. Because the conversations leaders are avoiding, the internal work they're deferring, and the small acts of courage they keep putting off aren't just leadership gaps. They're the difference between a team that survives disruption and one that leads through it. You'll leave this episode knowing how to: Identify why the leadership skills that got you here aren't the ones that will carry your team through what's comingApply Nicole's three Bravership® frameworks — Conquer Yourself™, Small Brave Moves®, and Five Tough Talks® — as practical, buildable, repeatable leadership skills to navigate the future of workTake one concrete step this week toward the conversation, decision, or action you've been putting offWhether you lead a small team or a large organization, whether you're navigating AI disruption or just trying to keep good people engaged, this episode will challenge you to stop waiting for certainty — and start leading anyway. Work with Nicole Bianchi⬇️ 🎤Book Nicole Bianchi as your next keynote speaker 🏅Hire Nicole Bianchi to coach you or your leadership team 🗣️Get certified in the Five Tough Talks 📖Check out Nicole Bianchi's books, often referred to as corporate survival guides, Small Brave Moves and Five Tough Talks Find Nicole Bianchi👇 LinkedIn Small Brave Mondays Newsletter

    10 min

  2. MAY 13

     Step Into Your Worth, Trust Your Vision, and Lead Others Along the Way with Maggie Seng Sadowsky

    What happens when you stop settling for what’s offered and start asking for what you’re truly worth? In this episode of the Small Brave Moves Podcast Nicole Bianchi sits down with Maggie Seng Sadowsky—food scientist, CPG innovator, and founder of 8 Track Foods—to explore what it truly means to step into your worth, trust your vision, and lead others along the way. Nicole and Maggie unpack a defining leadership moment that changed everything: a bold negotiation where Maggie doubled a consulting offer—and, in doing so, redefined how she saw herself as a leader. From that moment forward, she didn’t just build products—she built belief. This episode dives into the real, often messy journey of leadership: navigating uncertainty, scaling a business from the ground up, learning how to bring others along for the ride, and making the tough calls that shape both identity and impact. This conversation is a powerful reminder that leadership isn’t about having it all figured out—it’s about choosing courage in the moments that matter. In this episode, you’ll learn how to: Step into your worth and confidently advocate for yourself in high-stakes moments Balance big vision with practical execution to lead teams more effectively Navigate leadership challenges when scaling a business or team Make brave leadership decisions—even when they feel deeply personal Whether you’re building something of your own or stepping into your next level of leadership, this conversation will challenge you to think bigger, speak up, and take the Small Brave Moves that change everything. Follow along with Maggie's journey👇 Website Linkedln Work with Nicole Bianchi⬇️ 🎤Book Nicole Bianchi as your next keynote speaker 🏅Hire Nicole Bianchi to coach you or your leadership team 🗣️Get certified in the Five Tough Talks 📖Check out Nicole Bianchi's books, often referred to as corporate survival guides, Small Brave Moves and Five Tough Talks Find Nicole Bianchi👇 LinkedIn Small Brave Mondays Newsletter

    28 min

  3. MAY 6

    The Courage to Raise Your Hand in High-Stakes Rooms with Olivia Lynch

    There's a moment most leaders know well — heart pounding, voice shaking, surrounded by people with bigger titles — where you have to decide whether to raise your hand or stay quiet. Olivia Lynch raised hers. In a room of 400 senior Salesforce executives, with her CEO present and cameras rolling. In this episode of the Small Brave Moves Podcast, Nicole Bianchi sits down with Olivia Lynch, Director of Sales Programs at Salesforce and Global President of the Salesforce Women's Network, for a conversation about what bravery actually looks like when the stakes are high and the whole room is watching. Olivia doesn't talk about bravery in theory. She talks about the specific moment she chose to speak up, what was running through her head before she did, and what shifted in the room after. Nicole and Olivia dig into why the bravest move in a high-stakes environment is rarely a grand gesture — it's usually one powerful question that reframes everything. In this episode, you’ll learn how to:  Build confidence and credibility—even when you don’t feel “ready”  Use curiosity and powerful questions to lead more effectively  Navigate imposter syndrome and high-pressure leadership environments Leverage Small Brave Moves to create lasting career impactIf you've ever talked yourself out of raising your hand, this episode is for you. Work with Nicole Bianchi⬇️ 🎤Book Nicole Bianchi as your next keynote speaker 🏅Hire Nicole Bianchi to coach you or your leadership team 🗣️Get certified in the Five Tough Talks 📖Check out Nicole Bianchi's books, often referred to as corporate survival guides, Small Brave Moves and Five Tough Talks Find Nicole Bianchi👇 LinkedIn Small Brave Mondays Newsletter

    25 min

  4. APR 29

    Call Them Up, Not Out: How to Handle a Pattern of Negative Behavior on Your Team

    There's a person on your team whose behavior has become a pattern — the one everyone talks about, but no one addresses. You know exactly who it is, don't you? Nicole Bianchi names what's actually happening when leaders keep delaying that conversation in this episode of the Small Brave Moves Podcast. Because every day you say nothing is a day your team reads your silence as a standard. She introduces the Being Better conversation — one of her Five Tough Talks — and reframes what most leaders think of as a difficult HR moment into something rarer and more powerful: a direct expression of belief in someone's potential. This isn't about calling someone out. It's about calling someone up. Whether you've been managing around a team member for weeks or you're a senior leader who knows a conversation is overdue but can't find the right words, this episode gives you the framework, the language, and the honest push you need to lead the conversation with courage and clarity. You'll leave this episode knowing how to: Deliver a clear, pattern-based performance conversation using Nicole's six-step frameworkDistinguish between behavioral feedback and character attacks — and why the difference changes everythingAvoid the four most common mistakes that make performance conversations backfireRecognize the hidden cost of avoidance on team trust, engagement, and retentionThis episode is direct, practical, and built for leaders who know they've been waiting too long. Work with Nicole Bianchi⬇️ 🎤Book Nicole Bianchi as your next keynote speaker 🏅Hire Nicole Bianchi to coach you or your leadership team 🗣️Get certified in the Five Tough Talks 📖Check out Nicole Bianchi's books, often referred to as corporate survival guides, Small Brave Moves and Five Tough Talks Find Nicole Bianchi👇 LinkedIn Small Brave Mondays Newsletter

    8 min

  5. APR 22

    How Brave Leadership Bridges the Gap to AI Adoption

    In this episode of the Small Brave Moves Podcast, Nicole Bianchi makes a bold claim that cuts through the noise of every AI conversation happening in boardrooms right now: AI adoption problem isn't a technology problem. It's a leadership problem.  With nearly two-thirds of organizations stuck in pilot mode and only 22% of workers globally feeling confident their job is safe, Nicole exposes the real story behind stalled AI adoption — one that has nothing to do with tools, prompts, or strategy, and everything to do with the courage gap quietly undermining it all.  Nicole breaks down the five specific leadership failures quietly killing AI adoption and makes the case that what organizations need right now isn't a better strategy. It's braver leadership. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why AI adoption stalls at the leadership level — and the five specific gaps that are costing organizations real results Why what looks like employee resistance is actually fear — and how to create the safety needed to move through itWhy confidence comes from permission, not training — and what leaders must model firstThree things you can do this week to lead your team through the AI shift with clarity and courageIf you're a senior leader, people manager, or HR executive navigating AI transformation inside your organization, this episode will reframe the entire conversation — from a technology problem to a leadership opportunity. Work with Nicole Bianchi⬇️ 🎤Book Nicole Bianchi as your next keynote speaker 🏅Hire Nicole Bianchi to coach you or your leadership team 🗣️Get certified in the Five Tough Talks 📖Check out Nicole Bianchi's books, often referred to as corporate survival guides, Small Brave Moves and Five Tough Talks Find Nicole Bianchi👇 LinkedIn Small Brave Mondays Newsletter

    11 min

  6. APR 15

    How to Use Fear as a Leadership Compass, Not a Stop Sign

    In this episode of the Small Brave Moves Podcast, Nicole Bianchi makes a confession most leadership experts won't: she still feels fear. And she's here to tell you that's not a problem — it's the point. This episode is built around a single reframe that changes everything: fear isn't a stop sign. It's a compass. And the leaders who grow the fastest aren't the ones who eliminate it — they're the ones who learn to follow it. Nicole dismantles the myth that confident leaders have somehow moved past fear, and makes the case that avoidance — not fear itself — is what's actually stalling your leadership.  Every time you go quiet, delay the hard conversation, or wait until you feel ready, you're not protecting yourself.  You're reinforcing a pattern. And when the high-stakes moment finally arrives — the one that actually matters — you'll default to whatever pattern you've been building in the small moments.  That's why Small Brave Moves matter so much. They're not just practice. They're preparation. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why fear is a signal, not a flaw — and what it's actually pointing you towardWhy confidence is built after action, not before itHow to use small, low-stakes brave moves to build the courage muscle you'll need when it counts mostBravery isn't a personality trait. It's a pattern. And this episode is where you start building it. Work with Nicole Bianchi⬇️ 🎤Book Nicole Bianchi as your next keynote speaker 🏅Hire Nicole Bianchi to coach you or your leadership team 🗣️Get certified in the Five Tough Talks 📖Check out Nicole Bianchi's books, often referred to as corporate survival guides, Small Brave Moves and Five Tough Talks Find Nicole Bianchi👇 LinkedIn Small Brave Mondays Newsletter

    11 min

  7. APR 8

    5 Brave Leadership Moves to Repair a Broken Workplace Culture

    In this episode of the Small Brave Moves Podcast, Nicole Bianchi delivers a direct, no-excuses framework to begin repairing broken workplace culture without a budget, without a title, and without waiting for permission.  Drawing on her years of executive coaching experience, Nicole cuts through the noise on why culture breaks in the modern workplace — tolerated behavior, unclear expectations, and the conversations nobody wants to have. She makes the case that culture repair doesn't start with a new mission statement, a team-building day, or another initiative that won't stick. It starts with braver leadership. Whether you're a frontline leader watching your best people disengage or a senior executive who knows something is off but can't name it, this episode gives you the language, the questions, and the courage to go first. In this episode, you'll learn: Why culture breaks down — and why misalignment, not bad intentions, is almost always the root causeHow to use the "How We Work" conversation to rebuild team agreements and stop the guessing gameWhy self-leadership is the non-negotiable first step in any culture repair effortHow to rebuild hope and belief in a team that's been burned by change beforeIf your culture feels off, this episode won't just name the problem — it will show you exactly where to start. Work with Nicole Bianchi⬇️ 🎤Book Nicole Bianchi as your next keynote speaker 🏅Hire Nicole Bianchi to coach you or your leadership team 🗣️Get certified in the Five Tough Talks 📖Check out Nicole Bianchi's books, often referred to as corporate survival guides, Small Brave Moves and Five Tough Talks Find Nicole Bianchi👇 LinkedIn Small Brave Mondays Newsletter

    12 min

  8. APR 1

    How to Make Tough Leadership Conversations Easier

    In this episode of the Small Brave Moves Podcast, keynote speaker, executive coach, and leadership expert Nicole Bianchi explores one of the most overlooked drivers of leadership effectiveness: brave communication. Nicole reveals a powerful truth — leadership is not defined by strategy, title, or experience, but by the conversations leaders are willing (or unwilling) to have. Drawing from her experience working with Fortune 300 leadership teams, she explains how avoided conversations quietly erode trust, slow decision-making, and create cultural misalignment. Through real-world examples, Nicole demonstrates how small communication breakdowns — when left unaddressed — can evolve into major performance issues. She outlines the proven framework from her best selling book, Five Tough Talks, which equips leaders with a clear, repeatable structure for navigating the most important conversations in leadership. From aligning team expectations to giving feedback, making clear asks, addressing performance, and knowing when it’s time to move on, Nicole shows how building a shared language for communication transforms teams from reactive and guarded to aligned, accountable, and high-performing. If you want to improve leadership communication, strengthen team alignment, build trust, and lead more effectively through difficult conversations, this episode provides a practical roadmap to lead your next brave conversation by Monday. Work with Nicole Bianchi⬇️ 🎤Book Nicole Bianchi as your next keynote speaker 🏅Hire Nicole Bianchi to coach you or your leadership team 🗣️Get certified in the Five Tough Talks 📖Check out Nicole Bianchi's books, often referred to as corporate survival guides, Small Brave Moves and Five Tough Talks Find Nicole Bianchi👇 LinkedIn Small Brave Mondays Newsletter

    16 min
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4.9
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

Learn how to be braver in leadership and in life for exceptional results with Master Certified Executive Coach, Best Selling Author, and Certified Speaking Professional, Nicole M. Bianchi. Small Brave Moves is a podcast for mid-level to c-suite leaders who own their growth and development, know there is always room for improvement, and are ready to start making the Small Brave Moves to achieve their goals, unlock their full potential, and lead with confidence, clarity, and authenticity. 

Information

  • Creator
    Nicole M. Bianchi
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    76
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Small Brave Moves
  • Show Website
    Small Brave Moves

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