Three reframes that completely changed how I give feedback 👇 Before a tough conversation, I remind myself of this: 1. Feedback is a gift. Silence isn’t kindness. It’s withholding information someone needs to grow. 2. The mirror test. If it were me, I’d want to know every time, even if it stings. 3. Love over fear. Choosing the uncomfortable conversation is proof of care, not conflict. When you anchor in service instead of self-protection, you don’t walk in as an attacker. You walk in as an ally. #TheLeadershipProject #MickSpiers #Leadership #Feedback #DifficultConversations #EmotionalIntelligence #LeadershipDevelopment #PersonalGrowth #WorkplaceCulture #CommunicationSkills

Change rarely fails because people don’t care; it fails because we misunderstand what drives behavior. With author and change leadership expert Huw Thomas, we dig into the real forces underneath stalled transformations: loss aversion, identity threats, and the quiet stories we tell ourselves that keep us clinging to the status quo. From childhood curiosity to adult routines, we unpack how our wiring prioritizes safety, why we catastrophize the unlikely, and how a few practical shifts can restore agency and momentum. Huw shares a candid look at navigating personal and professional change—moving countries, facing a health crisis, and reframing setbacks as stepping stones. We explore the messy middle of change and the identity tension it creates, including the classic “expert with the legendary spreadsheet” who resists a new system because it threatens who they are at work. Instead of erasing the old self, we talk about upgrading to version 2.0: preserving dignity, building new capability, and making the future identity feel real through micro-wins, visibility, and support. You’ll learn concrete tools: pattern interrupts to test assumptions, emotional labeling to reduce intensity, future-self framing to re-anchor perspective, and success mapping that pairs a vivid destination with the true cost of inaction. We also preview why organizational change is so hard—scale, diversity, influence networks—and why technology and processes don’t create value until humans believe they can, want to, and know how to use them. If you’re ready to stop focusing on barriers and start steering toward the gaps, this conversation offers a clear, humane roadmap. If this sparked an insight, share it with one person who needs it, hit subscribe on your favorite podcast app or YouTube, and leave a review to help more leaders find the show. What’s one small behavior you’ll change this week, and what support will make it stick? 🌐 Connect with Huw: • Website: https://huwthomas.com.au/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashuw/ Send us a text (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1704997/open_sms) Support the show (https://paypal.me/theleadershipproject) ✅ Follow The Leadership Project on your favourite podcast platform and listen to a new episode every week! 📝 Don’t forget to share your thoughts on the episode in the comments below. 🔔 Join us in our mission at The Leadership Project and learn more about our organisation here: https://linktr.ee/mickspiers 📕 You can purchase a copy of the Mick Spiers bestselling book "You're a Leader, Now What?" as an eBook or paperback at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZBKK8XV If you would like a signed copy, please reach out to sei@mickspiers.com and we can arrange it for you too. If you're thinking about starting a podcast or upgrading your hosting, Buzzsprout is a great option! This link will give both of us a $20 credit when you upgrade: 👉 https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1701891 Create forms easily with Jotform! Sign up with my link: https://www.jotform.com/?referral=AkWimLxOBz Get extra Dropbox space—sign up with my link: Dropbox Referral Link (https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/AABS6mINckNfJfXjZEaOymg0zSdlShz83fk?src=global9) Wise Referral link: https://wise.com/invite/dic/michaels11434 ...

Ever feel your heart race before giving tough feedback? This video explores how giving feedback as a manager can trigger a 'fight or flight response,' causing physical symptoms and leading to avoidance. We discuss practical communication skills and strategies for conflict management to navigate these challenging conversations effectively. By understanding this biological reaction, leaders can foster personal growth and self improvement, ensuring feedback is delivered constructively rather than avoided.

Want to foster psychological safety on your team? Model openness. Listen without defensiveness. Empathy isn't agreement; it's understanding. Create a culture where feedback fuels growth. #LeadershipSkills #CriticalFeedback #TeamCulture #PsychologicalSafety

That shift from certainty to curiosity is tough yet powerful. Asking genuine questions engages their neocortex, helping them self-regulate. People like being heard. #Curiosity #CommunicationSkills #EmotionalIntelligence #SelfRegulation

Does giving feedback make your stomach turn? You’re not "soft"—you are fighting millions of years of biology. In this video, I break down the neuroscience of why leaders fear feedback and the one "Brain Hack" to overcome it instantly. Most leaders struggle with difficult conversations because of the "Amygdala Hijack"—a biological reaction that tricks your brain into thinking feedback is a life-or-death threat. It’s not a skills gap; it’s a survival instinct. I’ll show you exactly what happens in your brain (and your employee's brain) when you say "Can I give you some feedback?" and give you a simple, psychological tool called the "Micro-Yes" / "Safe Opener" to stop the defensive reaction before it starts. Timestamps 0:00 The Feedback Fear (You are not alone) 0:45 The "Amygdala Hijack" Explained 2:30 My $100k Mistake: When Feedback Goes Wrong 4:15 The Science of Social Rejection (dACC Activation) 6:00 The Solution: The "Micro-Yes" Safe Opener 8:30 How to Use This Tomorrow 9:45 Coming Up: What if They Cry or Get Angry? About The Leadership Project We empower modern leaders with the knowledge and emotional intelligence to create meaningful impact. If you want to challenge the status quo and lead better, subscribe for weekly insights.

Our top contributors often grapple with impostor syndrome, second-guessing themselves despite clear competence. This video explores how to provide feedback that genuinely supports personal growth and a confidence boost, rather than inadvertently feeding self doubt. We aim to foster better mental health by addressing these challenges head-on.

When tension spikes, leaders don’t rise to the occasion; they fall to their default. Today we dig into those defaults with Bill Benjamin, co-author of The Last 8%, and unpack why smart, well-intentioned people either blow up or go quiet when it matters most—and how to do better without losing your edge. We start by naming the two patterns that quietly define culture under pressure: the messmaker who reacts with heat and the avoider who retreats to keep the peace. Bill explains the brain science behind both, from cortisol searing memories to the fear of social judgment that feels like physical pain. That lens changes everything: people remember you in the hard moments, not the easy ones. So we get practical. Bill shares SOS—Stop, Oxygenate, Seek information—as a simple, reliable way to step out of fight-or-flight, regain working memory, and turn certainty into curiosity. Small moves like a sip of water, open palms, or one deep breath can buy the six seconds you need to choose a better response. We then move into preparation for planned hard conversations. Clarify the exact last 8 percent you must say, set a positive intention that signals safety, and ask open questions so the other person talks first. You’ll hear why many people self-diagnose if given space, how to draw out their last 8 percent, and how to model being coachable without giving up standards. We close with tactics to reset a reputation: share your growth edge with genuine vulnerability, invite real-time cues from your team, and follow up to measure progress. The result is a culture where people trade ego for empathy, certainty for curiosity, and silence for shared truth. If this sparked an insight, share it with one person who needs it. Subscribe on YouTube or your favorite podcast app, and leave a quick review to help more leaders find the show. Which are you under pressure—messmaker or avoider—and what last 8 percent will you tackle this week? 🌐 Connect with Bill: • Website: https://ihhp.com/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-benjamin-12b671/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bill.benjamin/ Send us a text (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1704997/open_sms) Support the show (https://paypal.me/theleadershipproject) ✅ Follow The Leadership Project on your favourite podcast platform and listen to a new episode every week! 📝 Don’t forget to share your thoughts on the episode in the comments below. 🔔 Join us in our mission at The Leadership Project and learn more about our organisation here: https://linktr.ee/mickspiers 📕 You can purchase a copy of the Mick Spiers bestselling book "You're a Leader, Now What?" as an eBook or paperback at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZBKK8XV If you would like a signed copy, please reach out to sei@mickspiers.com and we can arrange it for you too. If you're thinking about starting a podcast or upgrading your hosting, Buzzsprout is a great option! This link will give both of us a $20 credit when you upgrade: 👉 https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1701891 Create forms easily with Jotform! Sign up with my link: https://www.jotform.com/?referral=AkWimLxOBz Get extra Dropbox space—sign up with my link: Dropbox Referral Link (https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/AABS6mINckNfJfXjZEaOymg0zSdlShz83fk?src=global9) Wise Referral link: https://wise.com/invite/dic/michaels11434

Our top contributors often grapple with impostor syndrome, second-guessing themselves despite clear competence. This video explores how to provide feedback that genuinely supports personal growth and a confidence boost, rather than inadvertently feeding self doubt. We aim to foster better mental health by addressing these challenges head-on.

In this video, we explore the challenge of fostering a true speak-up culture and ensuring psychological safety within teams. Many leaders express a desire for open communication, yet unintentionally discourage it. We discuss how to cultivate a strong feedback culture by celebrating and rewarding every instance someone speaks up, even when you don't agree. This approach is essential for effective communication and robust team management.

Even the most intelligent leaders are prone to making terrible decisions. Have you ever sat in a meeting at 4:00 PM and realized you simply can't think straight anymore? It’s not a lack of skill—it’s that your ability to decide has been drained. In this episode of The Leadership Project, we explore why this happens and how to fix it. We are diving into the real psychology of leadership to uncover the three hidden traps that sabotage your judgment and your team's performance: Decision Fatigue, the mishandling of Imposter Syndrome, and the lack of Psychological Safety. This video examines common leadership challenges such as decision fatigue, impostor syndrome, and a lack of psychological safety. We discuss strategies to address these issues, including automating decision zones to combat leadership fatigue and fostering an environment where vulnerability is normalized for personal growth. By embracing these changes, leaders can improve their decision making and overcome mental fatigue. We answer three critical questions from our community: The Decision Trap: Why does my decision-making quality drop by midday? The Feedback Trap: How do I give feedback without accidentally fueling Imposter Syndrome? The Silence Trap: Why does my team stay quiet instead of challenging bad ideas? Timestamps: 0:00 The hidden weights on your leadership 1:16 Decision Fatigue: Why smart leaders make bad choices 1:44 5 tactics to design "Decision Zones" 2:38 Imposter Syndrome: The danger of "False Praise" 3:52 How to give specific feedback that builds confidence 5:07 Psychological Safety: Why your team stays quiet 5:49 The "Worst Idea" technique for better decisions 6:49 The through-line: Energy, Honesty, and Curiosity #DecisionFatigue #ImposterSyndrome #PsychologicalSafety #LeadBetter

A new year doesn’t need a louder pep talk; it needs a clearer compass. We start 2026 by trading resolutions for direction and building a plan around identity, not intensity. Through honest reflection on 2025—what made us proud and what quietly drained us—we sketch a practical framework to design a year you’ll be proud to live, not just survive. We walk through four anchors that hold everything in place: health and energy, leadership and impact, craft and learning, and family and life. For health, we focus on consistency and recovery so progress compounds without burnout. For leadership, we commit to showing up authentically—coaching more than controlling, preparing for meetings with intention, and closing each day with a five-question reflection that checks whether we acted in line with our values. For craft, we go for depth over volume: fewer projects, fully finished, and psychology learning translated into actionable tools. For family, we protect presence with simple rituals and honest capacity, so the people closest to us experience our attention, not our leftovers. Two levers make the whole system work: time and autonomy. Guard them and your habits stick; lose them and everything drifts. We close with a challenge: define your anchors, choose habits that survive low‑motivation days, and decide what you’ll say no to so your yes actually counts. Along the way, we preview upcoming conversations on emotional leadership, behavior change, and clear communication, plus a new Lead Better video series turning practical psychology into tools you can use. If this resonated, subscribe, share it with someone who needs a reset, and tell us your 2026 anchors. What will you build by design this year? Send us a text (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1704997/open_sms) Support the show (https://paypal.me/theleadershipproject) ✅ Follow The Leadership Project on your favourite podcast platform and listen to a new episode every week! 📝 Don’t forget to share your thoughts on the episode in the comments below. 🔔 Join us in our mission at The Leadership Project and learn more about our organisation here: https://linktr.ee/mickspiers 📕 You can purchase a copy of the Mick Spiers bestselling book "You're a Leader, Now What?" as an eBook or paperback at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZBKK8XV If you would like a signed copy, please reach out to sei@mickspiers.com and we can arrange it for you too. If you're thinking about starting a podcast or upgrading your hosting, Buzzsprout is a great option! This link will give both of us a $20 credit when you upgrade: 👉 https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1701891 Create forms easily with Jotform! Sign up with my link: https://www.jotform.com/?referral=AkWimLxOBz Get extra Dropbox space—sign up with my link: Dropbox Referral Link (https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/AABS6mINckNfJfXjZEaOymg0zSdlShz83fk?src=global9) Wise Referral link: https://wise.com/invite/dic/michaels11434

We often believe our decisions are purely rational, but as this video shows, cognitive bias explained by real-world examples can lead to leadership bias. Mick shares a personal story of how his confirmation bias and leadership and ego impacted a project, causing him to initially dismiss a valuable alternative. This experience underscores the importance of overcoming ego and integrating practical psychology to foster better decision making in leadership. See the full video on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKVnpdyc7iw

We often believe our decisions are logical, but research by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky reveals that much of our "decision making" is driven by fast, intuitive System One thinking. This can lead to cognitive bias, distorting judgment and impacting leadership. Understanding the difference between "thinking fast" and "thinking slow" is crucial for making clearer, more conscious choices and reducing "human error" in the workplace. What's one decision you made recently that was shaped more by instinct or emotion than logic? See more of this video on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKVnpdyc7iw

What if you never get rejected? You're not playing big enough. Take that huge swing—even if you think you'll fail. Give yourself grace to fail and grow. #EmbraceRejection #PlayBigger #GrowthMindset #TakeRisks

At 26, I hated shoveling snow in Connecticut. My boss said no to LA. So I quit ESPN. I wanted a better life, not just a job. Best decision I ever made. #ESPN #LosAngeles #CareerChange #QualityOfLife