Leveraging Leadership
Are you ready to up your leadership game? Tune in to Leveraging Leadership, where Chiefs of Staff, executives, and business professionals find the tools, strategies, and insights they need to excel. Hosted by Emily Sander, a C-suite executive turned leadership coach, this podcast delivers practical and tactical takeaways every week.
Whether you're tackling tough conversations, fine-tuning your KPIs, or mastering delegation, this show offers new perspectives and actionable advice to help you feel confident and thrive in your role.
Each Monday, enjoy interviews with leaders from diverse fields—primarily business, but also from military, politics, and higher education. Every Wednesday, catch a solo episode where Emily shares concise, actionable insights on a specific topic you can apply immediately.
If you appreciate relatable, informal conversations that pack a punch with no fluff, you’re in the right place. While especially valuable for Chiefs of Staff and their Principals, the insights are useful for any leader aiming to grow.
Don’t miss your chance to advance as a leader.
Episodes
183 episodes
From the Admissions Desk to Chief of Staff: 36 Years of Campus Stories
Julie Barefoot shares her 36-year journey at Emory University, explains how she became Chief of Staff at the Goizueta Business School, and describes her daily work, including organizing a regional deans conference and coordinating keynote speak...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 183
•
33:31
Listener Question: How to Help Your Boss Listen Up in Meetings
A Chief of Staff named Angela asks how to stop her boss from dominating high-stakes planning meetings, despite her boss’s goal to empower others. The episode offers practical tips, like giving the boss a “What did you learn?” prompt before and ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 182
•
10:34
Breaking the Money Myths That Hold You Back
Money mindset expert Pericles Rellas explains why money can’t buy happiness and talks about the concept of a “financial thermostat”—the internal setting that influences how we earn, keep, and relate to money. He shares practical ways to check y...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 181
•
41:25
Just Say It: How Using Your Own Words Makes Presentations Clearer and More Impactful
This episode shares a simple tip for presentation prep: say exactly what you mean in your own words instead of trying to sound overly formal. Emily gives examples like replacing “after extensive cross functional collaboration and deep analysis”...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 180
•
4:01
Preventing and Managing Corporate Crises with FBI Negotiator and PR Comms Expert
Adele Gambardella and Chip Massey share lessons from handling high-stakes PR crises and FBI negotiations, like responding quickly during a company scandal or the early hours of 9/11. They explain why companies need crisis plans ready before dis...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 179
•
44:18
Shifting the Mindset: When Chiefs of Staff Move from Asking to Informing
This episode breaks down how a Chief of Staff should shift from always asking permission to confidently informing others about next steps. Emily shares real examples, like updating a principal before or after launching a new workflow, and expla...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 178
•
11:20
The Realities of Wearing a Million Hats at Work
Martin Dowling shares his journey from studying engineering and psychology in Germany and the US to becoming Chief of Staff at a manufacturing company in Munich. He talks about building trust as the new Chief of Staff, the value of tackling sma...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 177
•
48:11
Listener Question: How to Handle a Boss Who Won’t Listen
Emily answers a question from someone struggling to work with a new boss at a family-owned business who ignores process, oversells services, and doesn't value their input. She shares practical advice on "increment training"—giving the boss posi...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 176
•
17:04
From Office Escalations, Cybersecurity Attacks, to Surviving Mergers Without Losing Your Mind
Emily catches up with her old boss!Amy Martin talks about her journey from 30 years in HR technology and customer-facing SaaS roles to becoming a career ownership coach. She shares stories about staying calm during high-pressure moments...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 175
•
37:59
How Smart Leaders Prioritize Minimum Effort for Maximum Impact
This episode talks about how leaders can get the best results with the least amount of effort, instead of just working harder by default. Emily uses real examples like organizing a high-profile leadership retreat as a Chief of Staff and handlin...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 174
•
9:59
Improving Executive Search: Essentials for Selecting, Vetting, and Onboarding C-Suite Leaders
Jordan Burton talks about his work as an executive assessor and trainer, helping companies and investors improve their hiring process from defining roles to interviewing candidates. He explains why it's important to clarify what a business real...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 173
•
39:44
How Non-Action Conversations Enhance Business Relationships
Emily Sander talks about the importance of conversations focused on understanding, not always on doing. As a Chief of Staff, you're often in "go mode," but sometimes it's essential to just listen and understand a team member's perspective. She ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 172
•
8:20
Switching Lanes: Finding Your Stride as a Chief of Staff
Melissa Yap shares her journey to becoming Chief of Staff at Deloitte, highlighting the shift from client-facing roles to internal strategic leadership. She discusses the challenges of embracing a less visible role and the unique perspective it...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 171
•
37:42
From Zero to Sixty Percent: Leadership Lessons in Iteration
Emily shares a story about a Chief of Staff facing resistance from their boss who prioritizes efficiency and speed over detailed planning. The Chief of Staff is encouraged to roll out initiatives that may feel only 60% complete to get things st...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 170
•
3:31
Thriving as a Chief of Staff: Four Quadrants from Entry-Level to Strategic Partner
Richard Charette shares his journey from user experience design to becoming a Chief of Staff at Wells Fargo. He discusses the influence of the McChrystal group's four quadrants model on building trust and evolving into a strategic partner. Rich...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 169
•
49:14
Listener Question: How to Request Feedback as a New Chief of Staff
Emily Sander answers a listener's question about getting specific feedback in the Chief of Staff role. She suggests asking more focused questions and tailoring the feedback process to fit individual preferences, like providing options for writt...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 168
•
9:59
Exclusive Edition: AceUp’s Game-Changing Coaching Platform and 360 Feedback Reports
Emily Sander hosts Sara Dakin, Senior Coach Network Manager at AceUp, to discuss their coaching platform focused on leadership development using technology and data. They explore the use of 360-degree feedback reports, highlighting strengths an...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 167
•
46:23
Tackling Office Politics: Are You Ready to Play the Game?
Emily Sander discusses the challenges of navigating office politics, identifying the "games" at play, and deciding if you're willing and able to participate. Examples include dealing with strong personalities or working long hours. She also tal...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 166
•
8:21
Effective Event Networking for Introverts: Enjoy Building Connections Without The Stress
Emily Sander introduces Rob Giardinelli, an introvert with a long career in the tech industry, who has attended over 2000 networking events and founded Event Mindset to help others with similar experiences. Giardinelli offers specific strategie...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 165
•
35:56
Beyond Predictions: How Real Outcomes Shape Effective Leadership
Emily Sander discusses how we often let assumptions and predictions about future meetings or situations affect us. She shares examples like a boss announcing role changes and budget approval meetings to highlight the gap between our internal st...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 164
•
10:24
Executive Assistant to Chief of Staff: Navigating Cultural Challenges with Confidence and Skill
Rhea Concepcion shares her journey from an Executive Assistant at Ernst and Young to becoming a Chief of Staff in different countries and industries, like LA and Denmark. She emphasizes the importance of adaptability, communication, and buildin...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 163
•
31:21
Simplifying Success: Remove Obstacles to Achieve Objectives
In this episode of Leveraging Leadership, Emily explores the concept of removing obstacles to achieve goals instead of just adding new strategies. He uses examples like eliminating junk food to meet personal health goals, cutting unnecessary me...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 162
•
5:19
Chief of Staff Success: Tips for Thriving in Startup Environments
Emily Sander talks with Rafael Mari about the role of Chief of Staff and its development in France compared to the US. Rafael shares his journey from financial consulting to Chief of Staff roles in various companies, including his current posit...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 161
•
37:47
Crafting Clear Job Descriptions for Attracting The Right Talent to Your Org
Emily Sander discusses how Chiefs of Staff, particularly in smaller to mid-sized companies, can craft effective job descriptions. She shares a five-section structure: intro paragraph, what you'll be doing, what we're looking for, benefits and p...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 160
•
12:46
Implementing EOS for Aligning Strategic Prioritization and Employee Motivation
This episode of Leveraging Leadership features Claire Podulka, Chief of Staff at TXI, who discusses prioritization as a key part of business leadership. Claire shares how TXI uses the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to set and align busi...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 159
•
45:44