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The Influential Leader

The Influential Leader

By: Michael Dietrich-Chastain
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Great leadership isn't about telling people what to do. It's about asking the questions that move them. Hosted by executive coach and behavior change expert Michael Dietrich-Chastain, The Influential Leader delivers actionable strategies for driving team engagement, retaining top talent, and shaping a culture of performance, from the inside out. Each week, Michael brings you into bold conversations with top executives, organizational psychologists, and culture architects to uncover what it really takes to influence behavior at scale. You’ll hear live coaching sessions, research-backed frameworks, and the practical tools leaders are using today to unlock motivation, accountability, and clarity on their teams. This show is your field-tested playbook for: - Leading with inquiry, not just authority - Turning insight into influence - Building the kind of culture people don’t want to leave If you're a time-strapped senior leader who’s done the workshops, hired the consultants, and still feels like the real lever is you, and this is your next move. Subscribe now and join the conversation that’s reshaping leadership one question at a timeCopyright 2026 Michael Dietrich-Chastain Career Success Economics Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • How Do You Raise a Team’s Standards? with John Eades

    How Do You Raise a Team’s Standards? with John Eades
    22 Oct 2026
    How do you help people grow when you cannot make them change? John Eades joins Michael Diettrich-Chastain to explore the influence leaders have through mentorship, clear standards, honest feedback, and optimism grounded in reality. John shares his “double bounce” metaphor for helping others reach higher, explains why leaders need to understand their own identity, vision, and skills, and offers a practical approach to behavior change: show people why it matters, then make the first step small enough to take. They also discuss protecting focus, giving praise people can learn from, and building an impact that lasts beyond a title.Chapters:00:00:00 Meet John Eades and the value of seeking mentors00:05:00 The “double bounce” and a leader’s wider impact00:11:00 Why your impact can outlast your title00:17:00 Developing leaders through identity, vision, and skills00:22:00 Optimism that faces reality00:29:00 Choosing people and setting clear team standards00:35:00 Why specific, honest feedback matters00:41:00 ADHD, attention, and protecting your focus00:47:00 How to make behavior change easier to start00:52:00 John’s books, newsletters, podcasts, and closing thoughtsLinks and Resources:John Eades Website – https://www.johneades.com/LearnLoft – https://learnloft.com/The Sales Infrastructure – https://thesalesinfrastructure.com/Building the Best by John Eades – https://learnloft.com/building-the-best-book/The Optimistic Outlook Book – https://learnloft.com/the-optimistic-outlook/The Leadership Lens Newsletter – https://jeades.beehiiv.com/The Optimistic Outlook Newsletter – https://optimisticoutlook.beehiiv.com/The John Eades Podcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-john-eades-podcast/id1093687579The Optimistic Outlook Podcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-optimistic-outlook-with-john-eades/id1804989860Accelerate Leadership Program – https://learnloft.com/accelerate-leadership/Catalyst for Growth Program – https://learnloft.com/catalyst-organization/Lead the Room Presentation Skills Program – https://learnloft.com/lead-the-room/Good to Great by Jim Collins – https://jimcollins.com/books.htmlFirst Who, Then What by Jim Collins – https://www.jimcollins.com/concepts/first-who-then-what.htmlRegrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware – https://bronnieware.com/blog/regrets-of-the-dying/Dr. Myles Munroe / Munroe Global – https://www.munroeglobal.com/about-us/Jon Gordon – https://jongordon.com/The Bible in a Year with Father Mike Schmitz – https://app.ascensionpress.com/podcasts/bibleHoarders – https://www.aetv.com/shows/hoardersArc Integrated Website: https://www.arcintegrated.comStrategy Call Page: https://www.arcintegrated.com/leadership-strategy-callPodcast Page: https://www.arcintegrated.com/podcastMichael Diettrich-Chastain in Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdiettrichchastainMichael Diettrich-Chastain in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaeldiettrichchastain/Michael Diettrich-Chastain in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.diettrichchastainArc Integrated in Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arc-integratedThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to The Influential Leader? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And leave us a review!
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    55 min
  • Why Does Courage at Work Begin With Discomfort? with Bill Treasurer

    Why Does Courage at Work Begin With Discomfort? with Bill Treasurer
    15 Oct 2026
    Bill Treasurer was afraid of heights even while diving from more than 100 feet. In this conversation with Michael, he explains how practicing at gradually greater heights shaped his approach to courage at work. They explore how leaders can create safety before challenging people, receive difficult feedback without becoming defensive, ask more questions than they make statements, and address conflict before avoidance becomes costly. Bill also reflects on authenticity, family, succession, and a question from his mentor that still brings him back to his own motives. The episode closes with practical lessons from six of his books and a reminder to pause before reacting.Chapters:00:00:00 Courage at Work and Bridging Differences00:07:00 Bill’s Fear of Heights and High Diving00:14:00 What Is Your Courage For?00:21:00 Psychological Safety and Receiving Feedback00:28:00 Authenticity, Family, and Work Identity00:35:00 How to Build Leadership Training That Works00:42:00 Ask More Questions and Address Conflict Debt00:49:00 Succession Planning at Giant Leap Consulting00:56:00 Finding Purpose Beyond Work and Asking Why01:03:00 Practical Lessons From Bill’s Six Books01:10:00 The Beautiful Beat and Starting the Day WellLinks and Resources:Giant Leap Consulting Website – https://www.giantleapconsulting.com/Courage Building Website – https://couragebuilding.com/Right Risk – https://bkconnection.com/products/9781576758854_right-riskCourage Goes to Work – https://bkconnection.com/products/9781523098569_courage-goes-to-workLeaders Open Doors – https://www.giantleapconsulting.com/leaders-open-doors/A Leadership Kick in the Ass – https://www.giantleapconsulting.com/kickass/The Leadership Killer – https://www.giantleapconsulting.com/killer/Leadership Two Words at a Time – https://www.giantleapconsulting.com/2words/Bill Treasurer’s Coaching Q Cards – https://www.giantleapconsulting.com/digital-qcards/Margie Warrell – https://margiewarrell.com/StoryBrand by Donald Miller – https://storybrand.com/ storybrand.comRadical Candor Framework – https://www.radicalcandor.com/our-approachThe Good Fight by Liane Davey – https://lianedavey.com/books/goodfight/Conflict Debt by Liane Davey – https://lianedavey.com/conflict-debt/The One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson – https://books.google.com/books?id=galpAAAAMAAJArc Integrated Website: https://www.arcintegrated.comStrategy Call Page: https://www.arcintegrated.com/leadership-strategy-callPodcast Page: https://www.arcintegrated.com/podcastMichael Diettrich-Chastain in Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdiettrichchastainMichael Diettrich-Chastain in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaeldiettrichchastain/Michael Diettrich-Chastain in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.diettrichchastainArc Integrated in Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arc-integratedThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to The Influential Leader? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And leave us a review!
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    1 hr and 18 min
  • Do Your Leadership Frameworks Hold Up Under Pressure? with Victor Cho

    Do Your Leadership Frameworks Hold Up Under Pressure? with Victor Cho
    8 Oct 2026
    What happens to a team when its leader acts from insecurity? Victor Cho joins Michael Dietrich-Chastain to explore how self awareness, empathy, and transparency shape trust at work. Victor explains why he asks questions before advocating for a decision, and why employees at every level should be able to flag a problem when they see one. He also introduces his Fourth Stakeholder Framework, which asks leaders to consider how their companies affect society beyond their customers, employees, and shareholders. As the conversation turns to AI, Victor makes the case for planning how organizations will change and protecting trust in digital communication. It is a conversation about the questions leaders ask, the problems they choose to see, and the example they set for everyone around them.Chapters:(00:00:00) - Victor Cho on Leadership, Inquiry, and AI(00:05:02) - Defining Your Three Circles of Purpose and Impact(00:09:40) - How Insecurity, Empathy, and Transparency Shape Leadership(00:16:07) - Inquiry Versus Advocacy: How Leaders Influence Behavior(00:22:43) - CEO Frameworks and Emotional Intelligence(00:29:41) - The Fourth Stakeholder and Business Responsibility to Society(00:36:33) - Business Ripple Effects and the Employee Red Button(00:43:21) - AI Strategy and the Future Structure of Companies(00:50:11) - Deepfakes and Trust in Business Communication(00:54:03) - Why Leaders Must Address Their Own InsecurityLinks and Resources:Website - https://www.victorcho.com/4 Stakeholder - https://www.victorcho.com/4th-stakeholderCEO Career Accelerator - https://www.victorcho.com/courseInquiry vs. Advocacy - https://www.victorcho.com/course-lesson-4Leadership Frameworks - https://www.victorcho.com/resourcesThe Deming Institute - https://deming.org/What Should We Tell the Kids? Navigating Work, Learning, and Purpose in the Age of AI - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMnIJJ3_khAArc Integrated Website: https://www.arcintegrated.comStrategy Call Page: https://www.arcintegrated.com/leadership-strategy-callPodcast Page: https://www.arcintegrated.com/podcastMichael Diettrich-Chastain in Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdiettrichchastainMichael Diettrich-Chastain in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaeldiettrichchastain/Michael Diettrich-Chastain in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.diettrichchastainArc Integrated in Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arc-integratedThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to The Influential Leader? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And leave us a review!
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    58 min
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