THIS Leader Podcast

Claire Laughlin
  • 5.0 (12)
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The "THIS Leader" Podcast explores the transformational, high-impact secrets that turn ordinary people into extraordinary leaders! THIS Leader is hosted by Claire Laughlin, an organizational development consultant. She and her guests will explore: How individuals can enhance their leadership impact by showing up as their personal best; how teams can leverage connection and clarity to experience tremendous results; and how organizations can increase trust and engagement and improve outcomes by putting people and relationships at the center of business.

  1. 63. How to Get Unstuck with Dr. Ryan Gottfredson

    APR 20

    63. How to Get Unstuck with Dr. Ryan Gottfredson

    You're working hard. You're skilled. You're committed. So why do the same frustrations keep showing up — in your team, in your organization, and if you're honest, in yourself? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Ryan Gottfredson — Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, professor of leadership at Cal State Fullerton, and global authority on vertical development — to explore the question that changes everything: it's not what leaders need to do, it's who leaders need to be. We dig into: The difference between your Doing Side (talent, knowledge, skills) and your Being Side (mindsets, emotional regulation, internal operating system) — and why most leaders miss their "being" side The three vertical development levels — Mind 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 — and why 64% of adults never move beyond the first What Fifth Gear leadership looks like (urgency, control, high RPMs) and why pushing harder only leads to more burnout How shifting into Sixth Gear allows you to move faster with less strain — and what it actually takes to get there Three levels of Being Side development work: surface, deeper, and deepest — and practical starting points for each Why our fears and unconscious programming, not our lack of skill, are what's really holding us back  Resources Mentioned: Ryan Gottfredson's website & free assessments (Personal Mindset Assessment + Vertical Development Assessment) Becoming Better: The Groundbreaking Science of Personal Transformation by Dr. Ryan Gottfredson The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk The Five Minute Journal by Intelligent Change You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero Hit Refresh by Satya Nadella  Visit ClaireLaughlin.com and connect with me @Claire Laughlin Consulting on Instagram and LinkedIn. Thanks for listening! New episodes are released weekly—share with others who might benefit!

    54 min
  2. 62. Engagement, Enablement, and Entitlement

    APR 14

    62. Engagement, Enablement, and Entitlement

    You invested in someone. You coached them, advocated for them, went to bat for them. And then — they expected more than they'd earned. If that story sounds familiar, this episode is for you. In this episode, you'll hear about: The Three E's Framework — Engagement (the goal), Enablement (your role), and Entitlement (the signal that something needs to shift) — and why knowing the difference changes how you lead. The Generational Reality — What the research actually says about entitlement in today's workplace, and how to tell the difference between genuine entitlement and something else entirely. Three Patterns to Watch — The Generosity Gap, the Empathy Trap, and the Solver Problem — common ways well-meaning leaders can unintentionally feed entitlement on their teams. Four Tactics You Can Use Now: Name expectations clearly and early  Have the direct conversation — without the lecture Distinguish empathy from accommodation Stop solving. Start asking. Resources Mentioned: EVOLVE — Claire's leadership development platform, built for growth-minded leaders who want real tools and real community. Learn more at https://www.clairelaughlin.com/evolve Join the Conversation:  Is your organization experiencing the effects of low trust? How do you know? What strategies are you using to address challenging, low-trust behaviors? Share your thoughts with me on LinkedIn or Instagram @Claire Laughlin Consulting. Don't forget to Subscribe & Share: If this episode was helpful, please leave a 5-star review on Apple or Spotify and share it with a friend or colleague! To learn more about my services, subscribe to my newsletter, and for additional tools to enhance your leadership impact, visit ClaireLaughlin.com and connect with me on social channels @Claire Laughlin Consulting.  Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! New episodes are released weekly, so be sure to subscribe. Until next time, lead the way!

    24 min
  3. 61. Rebuilding Trust After Scandal: Navigating Accountability and Leadership Challenges

    APR 7

    61. Rebuilding Trust After Scandal: Navigating Accountability and Leadership Challenges

    In this Q&A episode, Claire responds to two questions from leaders navigating trust challenges they didn't create — what she calls the Trust Tax. Question 1: The Inherited Accountability Vacuum. A leader inherits a team that has always operated independently — without clear standards or consistent oversight. Now every attempt to introduce accountability is met with resistance and defensiveness. Claire's four moves for navigating this: Connect first — listen, share your story, and lead with authentic vulnerability Share your vision — give people a compelling reason to show up differently Co-create the norms — people defend what they helped build Start with new work — introduce accountability structures on fresh projects, not territory people already own Question 2: Paying Someone Else's Trust Bill. A leader is navigating the fallout of a very public organizational scandal — with a reeling team, suffering productivity, and his own integrity under the microscope. Claire's guidance: Give yourself grace first — you were betrayed too Show up human before you show up as a leader. Let your actions speak louder than your words Stay close — don't pull back during a crisis Be the buffer between organizational chaos and your team Name the elephant, regularly  Resources Mentioned:  Building a High-Trust Workplace course Join the Conversation: Is your organization experiencing the effects of low trust? How do you know? What strategies are you using to address challenging, low-trust behaviors? Share your thoughts with me on LinkedIn or Instagram @Claire Laughlin Consulting. Don't forget to Subscribe & Share: If this episode was helpful, please leave a 5-star review on Apple or Spotify and share it with a friend or colleague! To learn more about my services, subscribe to my newsletter, and for additional tools to enhance your leadership impact, visit ClaireLaughlin.com and connect with me on social channels @Claire Laughlin Consulting. Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! New episodes are released weekly, so be sure to subscribe. Until next time, lead the way!

    24 min

  4. MAR 31

    60. Burnout, Bold Moves, and Building Better Organizations with Jeremy Hannah

    What happens when the person who helps organizations develop their people hits a wall of their own? Jeremy Hannah spent 20 years building talent ecosystems inside Fortune 500s and fast-growing companies — then burned out so completely he questioned whether he wanted to do the work at all. What followed was a globe-trotting sabbatical across 21 countries, a rediscovery of his own curiosity, and a return to this work with deeper clarity and purpose than ever. In this conversation, Jeremy shares both the personal journey and the practical frameworks leaders need to build talent pipelines that keep people engaged.  What You'll Learn Why burnout can be a signal worth listening to — and what bold action can look like on the other side. Why talent development is a team sport — and how hoarding your best people quietly destroys organizations. The Build, Buy, Borrow framework for thinking strategically about your talent landscape. Why career conversations are an act of organizational courage — even when they're uncomfortable. The real cost of not developing your people — and where to start. Key Insights 1. Burnout as a catalyst, not a failure. Jeremy's decision to sell everything and travel the world wasn't impulsive — it was a values-driven response to a life that had stopped fitting. Sometimes "more of the same" is the real risk, not the bold leap. 2. Talent development is a team sport. Leaders who protect their best people by keeping them invisible are actively undermining the company. Leadership teams need to see all of their talent collectively — not in silos. 3. The Build, Buy, Borrow framework. A practical, memorable framework for workforce strategy — paired with the People, Process, Platform lens — gives leaders a concrete architecture for building talent ecosystems that actually work. 4. Career conversations as organizational courage. Supporting people in their careers — even if that means leaving your organization — is counterintuitive retention strategy. Employees who feel genuinely supported are far more likely to return. 5. Professional athletes at the top of their game still have coaches. Why don't we look at our careers the same way? High performers need outside perspective to keep growing — not just when they're struggling, but especially when they're not. Notable Quotes "Professional athletes at the height of their career — the best in the world — still have coaches. Why don't we look at our careers the same way?" "I rediscovered my curiosity. I didn't realize I had lost it. And curiosity is all a great coach really is — asking the right questions to help create the path forward." "The goal is to support people in their career — even if that means leaving your organization. Because those people are far more likely to come back once they've gotten what they needed elsewhere." Connect with Jeremy Hannah LinkedIn & Instagram Website: viantetalent.com  Your Action Prompt Who on your team hasn't had a real career conversation in the last six months? That's your starting point.

    33 min

  5. MAR 23

    59. The Five Keys to Conflict Resolution with Maryse Postlewaite

    We've all been there — a conversation shifts, our chest tightens, and we either shut down or come out swinging. Neither response is what we want, but most of us were never taught how to handle conflict well. That's exactly what this episode is about. Conflict resolution expert Maryse Postlewaite shares her Five Keys to Conflict Resolution — a practical framework built around the internal tools leaders need most:  Trust & Affirmations — Build rapport consistently, not just when things go sideways. Try starting meetings with: "If you really knew me, you'd know..." Cooperation — Practice being open to other people's ideas so when conflict arises, the muscle is already there Communication — The words we use don't always mean what we think they mean — and unpacking that gap is powerful Perspective-Taking — Your lived experience shapes how you see every situation; learning to notice your unique perspective and the perspectives of others changes everything Neuroscience — When we're triggered, our thinking brain goes offline. Knowing this — and asking for a pause — is a skill we can all develop and one that helps you stay calm Maryse shares why a five-minute investment before a conflict escalates is worth more than any roadmap, and why leading with authenticity and assuming positive intent can shift the dynamic entirely.  Resources Mentioned:  Maryse's self-paced course The Awakened Brain by Dr. Lisa Miller  Connect with Maryse on LinkedIn Visit ClaireLaughlin.com and connect with me @Claire Laughlin Consulting on Instagram and LinkedIn. Thanks for listening! New episodes are released weekly—share with others who might benefit!

    36 min

  6. MAR 17

    58. The Brain Science of Leadership with Dr. Lisa Riegel

    What if the resistance, disengagement, and burnout you're seeing on your team has nothing to do with your people — and everything to do with what's happening inside their brains?  In this episode, Claire sits down with Dr. Lisa Riegel, brain-based leadership expert and author of Aspirations to Operations, to explore the neuroscience behind why people behave the way they do at work — and what leaders can do about it. From the invisible filters that shape every person's reality, to why culture is never about the poster on the wall, to the 3-minute daily team ritual that transformed an entire hospital culture — this conversation is packed with insights that will change how you see your role as a leader. KEY TAKEAWAYS  Welcome and intro — how Lisa went from selling grease systems for tractors to brain-based leadership Why culture is not words — it's a collection of actions that become "the way we do things" The neuroscience of belonging: what happens in the brain when people feel safe vs. threatened Meet Harold and Bob — Lisa's brilliant framework for understanding how her brain processes reality  The banana and the strainer: why every person's perception of reality is different Why resistance to change usually has nothing to do with the change itself  The 3-minute hospital circle ritual that reduced a team's stress load  The "Punch It Up" culture-building program — and why voluntary, opt-in connection beats the annual pizza party every time  Lisa's 8 C Framework from Aspirations to Operations: Culture, Clarity, Coherence, Cadence, Collaboration, Coaching, Communication, and Celebration  The single most important question a leader can ask themselves when their team isn't following along Resources Mentioned: Aspirations to Operations by Dr. Lisa Riegel  NeuroWell by Dr. Lisa Riegel  Dr. Lisa Riegel's author page Learn more about Lisa's keynotes, workshops, and book studies Visit ClaireLaughlin.com and connect with me @Claire Laughlin Consulting on Instagram and LinkedIn. Thanks for listening!  New episodes are released weekly—share with others who might benefit!

    41 min

  7. MAR 10

    57. Organizational Trust: What Leaders Need to Know

    Low trust doesn't always announce itself. It shows up as Sunday night dread, meetings where the same issues get rehashed without resolution, silos between departments, and difficult behaviors nobody takes the time to address. In this episode — Part 2 of a short Trust Series — we zoom out from individual relationships to look at the bigger picture: what happens when low trust infects an entire team or organization?  In this episode, you'll learn: How to recognize the signs of organizational low trust — and why that "something feels off" instinct is worth paying attention to What low trust is actually costing your team (the research will surprise you)  Why remote and hybrid work has accelerated trust gaps — and what to do about it Three strategies to build and sustain trust at the team and organizational level  Resources mentioned in this episode: Stephen M.R. Covey, The Speed of Trust (Free Press, 2006) Amy Edmondson — Psychological Safety research, Harvard Business School Patrick Lencioni, The Advantage (Jossey-Bass, 2012) Gallup State of the Global Workplace Report Claire's Programs: Working Genius Assessment Building a High-Trust Workplace —  clairelaughlin.com/high-trust-workplace Team Reset Workshop — a half or full-day experience to help your team reset and recommit: clairelaughlin.com  Join the Conversation: Are you experiencing low trust in your workplace? What "tax" are you paying? What strategies are you using to address the situation and maintain resilience? Share your thoughts with me on LinkedIn or Instagram @Claire Laughlin Consulting.  Don't forget to Subscribe & Share: If this episode was helpful, please leave a 5-star review on Apple or Spotify and share it with a friend or colleague! To learn more about my services, subscribe to my newsletter, and for additional tools to enhance your leadership impact, visit ClaireLaughlin.com and connect with me on social channels @Claire Laughlin Consulting. Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! New episodes are released weekly, so be sure to subscribe. Until next time, lead the way!

    26 min

  8. MAR 2

    56. Navigating Low Trust Relationships

    In this episode, Claire explores the dynamics of low-trust relationships — what they feel like, how trust gets broken, and the one thing most people get wrong when they try to fix it. The Key Insight: We have a compulsion to blame the trust problem on others. The secret to clarity and the possibility of rebuilding is to bring calm curiosity to the situation and BE the solution yourself. Key Concepts Covered: The exhaustion of low-trust environments The difference between high-trust and low-trust relationships  Six trust-breaking behaviors (informed by DDI training): Avoidance, Broken Commitments, Negative Assumptions, Inconsistency, Doubt & Control, and Self-Interest The downward and upward trust spirals Why changing YOUR interpretation is the most powerful starting point  Smart trust and boundaries when relationships can't be rebuilt  Claire's personal approach to unworkable relationships Your Action Step This Week: Notice how you are interpreting people. When you feel defensive, pause and ask — is there a more generous interpretation? Then BE the solution. Use your best communication skills, treat them with respect, and let the chips fall. If it doesn't work, set the boundary. Coming Up: What happens to teams and organizations when trust is low, practical strategies for rebuilding, and an exciting new resource to help you develop these skills. Resources Mentioned: Stephen MR Covey's concept of "smart trust"  Development Dimensions International (DDI) Join the Conversation: Are you experiencing low trust in your work relationships? How do you know? What strategies are you using to address challenging, low-trust behaviors? Share your thoughts with me on LinkedIn or Instagram @Claire Laughlin Consulting.  Don't forget to Subscribe & Share: If this episode was helpful, please leave a 5-star review on Apple or Spotify and share it with a friend or colleague! To learn more about my services, subscribe to my newsletter, and for additional tools to enhance your leadership impact, visit ClaireLaughlin.com and connect with me on social channels @Claire Laughlin Consulting. Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! New episodes are released weekly, so be sure to subscribe. Until next time, lead the way!

    25 min
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About

The "THIS Leader" Podcast explores the transformational, high-impact secrets that turn ordinary people into extraordinary leaders! THIS Leader is hosted by Claire Laughlin, an organizational development consultant. She and her guests will explore: How individuals can enhance their leadership impact by showing up as their personal best; how teams can leverage connection and clarity to experience tremendous results; and how organizations can increase trust and engagement and improve outcomes by putting people and relationships at the center of business.

Information

  • Creator
    Claire Laughlin
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    64
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    THIS Leader Podcast

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