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I Have Some Questions...
What if leadership wasn’t about having the answers—but about asking better questions?
On "I Have Some Questions…", Erik Berglund – a founder, coach, and Speechcraft evangelist – dives into the conversations that high performers aren’t having enough. This isn’t your typical leadership podcast. It’s a tactical deep-dive into the soft skills that actually drive results: the hard-to-nail moments of accountability, the awkward feedback loops, and the language that turns good leaders into great ones.
Each week, Erik explores a question that has shaped his own journey. Expect raw, unpolished curiosity. Expect conversations with bold thinkers, rising leaders, and practitioners who are tired of recycled advice and ready to talk about what really works. Expect episodes that get under the hood of how real change happens: through what we say, how we say it, and how often we practice it.
This show is for driven managers, emerging execs, and anyone who knows that real growth comes from curiosity rather than charisma.
Subscribe if you’re ready to stop winging it and start leading with intention.
I Have Some Questions...
082: "What If Leadership Looked Like a Hammock and a Hoodie?" ft. Alli Murphy
In this refreshingly honest episode, Erik and returning co-host dive headfirst into the unspoken expectations of professionalism—how we dress, how we show up, and who gets to decide what “looking the part” really means. What begins with a t-shirt story becomes a deep, nuanced look at power, performance, self-expression, and cultural bias in the workplace.
From tattoos and team meetings to hammocks and sweatpants, they ask the real question: Are we showing up with intention—or just following outdated rules?
🧭 Conversation Highlights
- The t-shirt that sparked a whole conversation on internalized expectations
- Why Erik’s decision to wear a hat is really about casual competence
- Tattoos, team calls, and the myth of the “professional” Zoom square
- How Alli used a hammock to model culture—and what happened next
- Why intentionality might matter more than polish
💡 Key Takeaways
- Professionalism is made up. If it’s not serving your team, change it.
- We all run an internal playbook every morning. The question is: whose rules are you playing by?
- Your appearance is a signal—make sure it’s intentional.
- Trust is earned by consistency, not clothes.
- Leading with purpose beats dressing for perception.
❓ Questions That Mattered
- What are you wearing for you—and what are you wearing to appease an expectation?
- Who decided what professional should look like?
- How much does your outfit actually impact your performance—or just your perception?
- What would change if you led your team from a hammock?
- Are you dressing for power—or proving you don’t need it?
🗣️ Notable Quotes
“I don’t need a particular type of clothes to do my job well.” — Erik Berglund
“What are your preconceived ideas of what ‘professional’ looks like—and are they actually serving you?” — Alli Murphy
“If you're going to show up in gym clothes, you better bring it. But if you do—who cares?”
“The world was built around a very narrow definition of professionalism. Maybe it's time to question it.”
🔗 Links & Resources