Fly on the Wall Podcast With Chris Sonksen
Be a “Fly on the Wall” as Chris Sonksen takes you behind the scenes on a coaching call with a ministry leader. In each episode, you’ll get to hear how a coaching call happens, practical tips on how to grow your ministry, and what it takes to be a healthy leader in today's culture. You'll get to be a "fly on the wall" and listen to a live coaching session between Chris and a church leader like yourself.
Fly on the Wall Podcast With Chris Sonksen
200 | Overcoming People Pleasing as a Leader
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We just hit a major milestone—Episode 200 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast.And before I say anything else, I just want to say thank you.
Whether you’ve listened to one episode or all 200… whether you’ve shared the podcast, sent it to a friend, or applied the leadership principles in your ministry—I’m genuinely grateful. This podcast exists to serve pastors like you, and it’s because of your support that we’ve made it this far.
Now, for Episode 200, we’re tackling something that every leader feels—but not every leader knows how to address:
Have you ever realized you’re making leadership decisions based more on keeping people happy than moving the mission forward?
If so—you’re not alone.
In Episode 200, I’m joined by my good friend Hannah for an honest coaching conversation about one of the most common leadership traps pastors face: people pleasing—and the anxiety that often comes with it.
What I love about this session is Hannah’s transparency. She shares how her people-pleasing tendencies have started shaping her leadership culture—especially as she’s onboarding new leaders. And she asks a question every pastor needs to wrestle with:
How do you overcome people pleasing and anxiety as a lead pastor… without losing your heart for people?
In this episode, we cover:
How people pleasing quietly controls your leadership decisions
Why you’ll never outlive this struggle—you can only outgrow it
The truth about identity: where it really comes from when nobody’s watching
Why “your vision is for sale” when people pleasing takes over
How to discern the source of criticism (and when not to receive it)
Why busyness can create a false sense of productivity in your church
How churches become “busy but not productive”—and what to do instead
The In-N-Out principle: doing a few things exceptionally well instead of everything average
The difference between task-driven ministry and leader-multiplying culture
Why systems—not personality—are what sustain long-term growth
This one is packed with insight, conviction, and practical leadership clarity—especially if you’re leading in a smaller church context where relationships, giving, and criticism can feel personal.
🎧 Listen to Episode 200 now and sit in on this coaching conversation.
And one more time—thank you for being part of the Fly on the Wall Podcast journey. It means more than you know.
Before you go, if you’ve ever thought, “Could I coach pastors and leaders?” I want to personally invite you to check out the Church Boom Coaching Certification Program at churchboom.org.
It’s 100% digital, you go at your own pace, and it’s helping leaders build a second chapter of ministry—and even a second income stream.
You can become a coach. And we’d love to help you do it.
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👋 About Us
Fly on the Wall Podcast, presented by Church Boom, takes pastors into a live coaching session with Chris Sonksen, CEO & Founder of Church Boom. Each episode features a pastor, just like you, as they share the challenges they face and get practical advice on how to overcome them.