Lead With Influence
Lead with Influence is about influencing positive change — in yourself, your relationships, and your leadership. Hosted by executive coach Matt Norman, each episode distills insights from decades of experience helping people communicate with impact, lead with humility, and build trust across differences. These short, thoughtful reflections will help you grow in self-awareness, develop emotional intelligence, and show up more powerfully in your work and life.
Episodes
27 episodes
The ROI of an Others Orientation
Modern leadership is quietly being shaped by a powerful undercurrent: the pull toward self.In this episode, we break down Matt Norman’s argument that cultural narcissism, social media, and performance-driven environments are conditioning...
The Weight of the Future
Why does the future feel so heavy, even when nothing has happened yet?In this episode, we unpack Matt Norman’s article “The Weight of the Future” and explore how anticipating what’s ahead can quietly drain our energy and focus.<...
The Architecture of Delivery: Communication Strategies for Strategic Influence
In this episode, we explore why how we say something often matters more than what we say.We unpack how tone and delivery can either build trust or quietly dismantle it, especially in high-stakes professional conversations. Rather than de...
Why Your Brain Fears Meaningful Work
In this episode, we explore why we tend to avoid the very things that could move our lives and careers forward. We unpack a real-world example of avoiding networking and how that pattern was broken—not through motivation, but through structure ...
The Weakest Posture in an Interaction
In this episode, we explore why defensiveness is the weakest posture we can take in an interaction. Drawing on a real moment from a city council presentation, we show how quickly credibility and trust can erode when someone reacts with frustrat...
The Conductor’s Influence: Harmonizing Teams Through Acceptance
In this episode, we unpack a powerful article by Matt Norman that uses a high school choir as a metaphor for leadership.We explore the idea that great leaders don’t just drive performance. They build confidence. While students may wrestl...
How Good Leaders Accidentally Damage Teams
To foster trust and psychological safety, leaders must avoid volatility, unpredictability, and reactivity. These behaviors cause others to become guarded and anxious. By practicing self-regulation, you create a non-anxious presence that encoura...
5 Corporate Survival Skills for 2026
In this episode, Matt Norman breaks down five key professional development trends shaping leadership in 2026 and why personal agency matters more than ever in an unpredictable world.You’ll hear why decision-makers increasingly wan...
Building Identity Not Just Habits
In this episode, Matt Norman explores identity-based habit formation and why it works better than traditional goal setting. Instead of chasing outcomes or rigid processes, Matt argues that lasting growth starts with changing how we see o...
Emotive Deflective Cooperative Championship Leadership
What does championship-level leadership actually look like in real life, under real pressure?In this episode, Matt Norman breaks down a post-game interview that says far more about leadership than football. After Indiana’s historic win o...
Preparing Communication for Edge Cases: The Ultimate Test of Trust
In this episode, we break down why the rare, high-pressure moments in our relationships—our “edge cases”—reveal more about us than all the easy conversations combined. Borrowing a concept from product development, we explore how couples, collea...
Time-Restricting the Four Horsemen of Reactivity
In this episode, Matt Norman explores how limiting your engagement with “The Four Horsemen” — productivity, achievement, measuring up, and connectivity — can transform your mental, emotional, and physical health. He shares how setting daily and...
Balancing Short and Long-Term Action
In this episode, Matt explores the ongoing tension between urgent demands and long-term priorities—and why so many leaders struggle to balance both. Drawing from his post “The 4 Ways to Balance Short and Long-Term Action,” he shares le...
Reactivity Kills Relationships and Influence: The Antidote of Differentiation
Inspired by Matt Norman’s article “What to Avoid When Building Relationships and Influencing Others,” this episode explores how reactivity—our instinct to defend, blame, or panic—undermines trust, credibility, and influence. Through a ...
The Next Step to Overcoming Overwhelm
When life feels overwhelming, it’s easy to freeze under the weight of everything on your plate. Inspired by Matt Norman’s article “The Most Important Thing to Do When You’re Overwhelmed," this episode explores why the way forward often...
How to Stop Neglecting Activities That Will Pay Off in the Future
Inspired by Matt Norman’s article How to Stop Neglecting Activities That Will Pay Off in the Future, this episode explores why important but non-urgent tasks are so easy to avoid—and how leaders can overcome neglect through three prove...
The Value of Space
Inspired by Matt Norman’s “The Value of Space in Meetings, Schedules, and Plans,” this episode explores why leaving room for silence and spontaneity leads to deeper reflection, authentic connection, and stronger outcomes. From family life to le...
Mastering Self-Regulation: The Key to Trust, Psychological Safety, and Consistent Relationships
In this episode, we explore why consistency is the foundation of safe, trusting relationships. Inspired by Matt Norman’s article, the discussion unpacks how unpredictable behavior erodes psychological safety, and why self-regulation—both emotio...
The 3 Ways People Defend Themselves and How to Get Past It
When feedback hits a nerve, defensiveness often kicks in. In this episode, we unpack the three ways people protect their self-image—by deflecting, rationalizing, or fishing for reassurance—and how those reactions can block real connection and g...
The Four Messages that Build Trust and Influence
Inspired by Matt Norman’s article “The Four Messages that Build Trust and Influence,” this episode explores how four simple but powerful messages can transform communication and rebuild trust in teams, relationships, and leadership. Th...
The Five Conversations Everyone Needs to Have with Confidence and Skill
Whether you're making small talk at a party or navigating a tough disagreement at work, strong communication can make or break the moment. In this episode, Matt Norman breaks down the five essential conversations everyone needs to master, from ...
What the Best Leaders Train Themselves to Do
What if the best thing you could say as a leader… was nothing at all? In this episode, Matt Norman unpacks a powerful yet underrated leadership skill: self-restraint. Inspired by insights from podcaster Dan Heath, we explore how great leaders r...
Navigating Your Inner Critic Amongst Social Interactions
Ever leave a conversation replaying everything you said — and cringing? You’re not alone. In this episode, Matt Norman explores the sneaky voice of the inner critic and why so many of us base our self-worth on how others respond to us. We dive ...
The Simple Starting Point for Broader Influence
Here we talk about the power of remembering and using names as a foundational element for building influence and fostering genuine connections referencing personal anecdotes, such as interactions with Costco employees as well as public figures ...
The Issue with Moving from Problem to Solution
This episode explores the complexities of moving from problem to solution, arguing that a linear approach often overlooks crucial human elements. Drawing on Matt Norman's personal experience in corporate technology, we illustrate how focusing s...