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
19 episodes
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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12:11
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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14:56
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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14:32
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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13:41
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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13:33
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 ...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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13:13
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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12:02
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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14:47
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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14:40
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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10:50
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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13:16
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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14:52
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 ...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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13:20
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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31:51
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 ...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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9:10
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 ...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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8:25
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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8:13
The Art of Influence: Seven Phrases for Understanding and Buy-In
This episode focuses on the critical role of communication style over content in achieving comprehension and acceptance from others. We introduce seven specific phrases—"so that," "could we," "say more," "you'd mentioned," "f...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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13:05
Words to Avoid for Influence and Collaboration
If you’re leading change, influencing people, or just trying to get your team on the same page, the words you don’t say might matter more than the ones you do. In this short and powerful episode, Matt unpacks common words that subtly d...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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4:42