What happens when pressure—not power—shapes the way leaders show up?
That's the question at the heart of this conversation with executive advisor, keynote speaker, and bestselling author Sabina Nawaz.

Sabina's thought leadership centers on a bold idea: pressure can squeeze the humanity out of even the best leaders. And in today's high-velocity business environment, every manager—from first-line supervisors to CEOs—is at risk. Her work helps leaders reclaim that humanity, especially when the stakes are highest.

In this episode, Sabina shares the research behind her book " You're the Boss: Become the Manager You Want to Be (and Others Need)" , built on 12,000 pages of interviews with employees about their managers. Her frameworks reveal the real drivers of effective leadership. Not charisma. Not authority. But the ability to stay grounded, present, and self-aware when demands are relentless.

Sabina also unpacks how senior-level coaching delivers exponential ROI. She explains why small behavioral shifts at the C-suite ripple through organizations, and why understanding value—not hours—is the key to pricing high-impact advisory work. Her insights on scope, pricing, and client alignment are a masterclass for anyone growing a thought leadership business.

We also explore the business of books. Sabina offers a candid look at what it truly takes to publish successfully with a traditional publisher—and why marketing, positioning, and community matter more than manuscripts. Her perspective on ethical promotion, generosity within the thought leadership ecosystem, and crafting high-quality, specific asks is practical and refreshing.

Finally, Sabina introduces one of her signature practices: "the blank space"—two intentional hours each week to step back from pressure, reset, and let insight emerge. It's a powerful mindset shift that every leader needs.

This episode is packed with actionable wisdom for executives, coaches, and thought leaders ready to lead with clarity, courage, and humanity.

Three Key Takeaways:

• Pressure changes leaders more than power does, and without intentional practices—like creating "blank space"—managers risk losing their humanity and effectiveness.

• High-impact coaching is valued by the long-term ripple effects it creates, making thoughtful pricing, scope alignment, and articulating ROI essential for senior-level advisory work.

• Writing a book is only the first step—successful thought leadership publishing requires strategic positioning, ethical promotion, and the courage to make focused, specific asks of your network.

If you found this episode insightful, you won't want to miss our conversation with Lance Tanaka. Both episodes unpack what really happens when senior leaders step into high-pressure roles, rethink how they lead, and learn to create impact through clarity, presence, and intentional development. Lance takes those themes even further—diving into how executives transition into high-value coaching, define their worth, and build influence that truly sticks.

If Sabina's insights on pressure, leadership behavior, and the real value of coaching resonated with you, Lance's episode will deepen your understanding and give you even more actionable ideas to elevate your own leadership practice.

Listen next: The Lance Tanaka Episode — and continue your growth journey.

What does it take to transform leadership into a calling — and build a business that transforms others?

Today, Peter Winick sits down with Daniel Harkavy, founder and CEO of Building Champions, a pioneer in executive coaching and leadership development. Daniel shares how he turned the lessons from his early career in mortgage banking into a structured, scalable system for growing leaders — and why his success is rooted in helping others unlock their potential.

Daniel's approach to thought leadership isn't about pedigree or credentials — it's about proof. He took what worked in one high-performance environment and codified it into frameworks, checklists, and playbooks that any leader could use to create lasting impact. From Becoming a Coaching Leader to Building Champions' current programs, Daniel's work continues to shape how organizations coach, communicate, and cultivate leadership at every level.

The conversation dives deep into what it means to scale a mission-driven business without losing its soul. Daniel opens up about the "near-death" moments that almost derailed his company — from failed partnerships to market crashes — and the resilience it takes to rebuild stronger each time. His story is a masterclass in balancing faith, strategy, and discipline in pursuit of a greater purpose.

Peter and Daniel also explore how AI is reshaping the future of leadership and coaching. Daniel sees it not as a threat but as a copilot — a tool that, when mastered, can amplify human insight, accelerate problem-solving, and deepen relationships. His message is clear: technology can enhance thought leadership, but it can't replace the leader.


Three Key Takeaways:

• Codify What Works: Turning personal insight into repeatable frameworks allows leaders to scale their impact, build stronger teams, and create lasting organizational value.

• Lead with Purpose and Resilience: Sustainable success comes from aligning business strategy with personal values and staying adaptable through inevitable market and operational challenges.

• Leverage AI as a Copilot, Not a Replacement: The future of leadership depends on mastering technology to enhance human insight, accelerate decisions, and deepen relationships — without losing the human touch that defines great leadership.

If Daniel's episode inspired you to think differently about leadership systems, purpose, and resilience, you'll want to listen next to "Becoming Resilient Through Thought Leadership" featuring James Harold Webb.

Both conversations explore how true leaders turn adversity into an advantage — Daniel through codifying leadership frameworks and James through channeling personal reinvention into influence and impact. Together, they reveal the blueprint for thriving in uncertainty: build systems that scale, lead with purpose, and use your story as fuel for growth.

Listen to both and discover how resilience isn't just about bouncing back — it's about building forward with clarity, structure, and intention.

What if you could stop running on empty—and still perform at your best?

That's the question Erin Coupe, author of "I Can Fit That In" (and host of a podcast by the same name), invites leaders to ask. She challenges the old "time management" mindset that rewards burnout and box-checking, replacing it with a human-centered strategy of presence, choice, and renewal. Her message? Productivity doesn't come from cramming more into your day—it comes from creating rituals that restore you.

Erin works with executives and teams to help them shift from survival mode to sustainable performance. Through keynotes, workshops, and cohort-based learning, she guides people to design their own energizing rituals—intentional practices that bring clarity, calm, and connection. It's not about doing more. It's about aligning what you do with what truly matters.

Her approach transforms corporate cultures. Teams that once ran on autopilot begin building trust, transparency, and shared language. Leaders rediscover focus and resilience. And when people take these lessons home—teaching them to spouses, partners, and even kids—the impact multiplies.

As Peter Winick explores in this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Erin's work goes beyond productivity hacks or quick fixes. It's about conscious leadership. Healthy boundaries. Self-respect. And recognizing that how we show up—at work and at home—is a choice.

Tune in to hear how organizations are embracing her frameworks to create more intentional, energized, and emotionally intelligent workplaces—one ritual at a time.


Three Key Takeaways:

• Rituals energize, routines drain. Intentional rituals create meaning and renewal, while rigid routines often lead to burnout.

• Mindset drives performance. Shifting from overcommitment to presence and self-respect builds clarity and sustainable success.

• Culture grows through connection. Shared rituals and language strengthen trust, resilience, and emotional intelligence within teams.

Loved Erin Coupe's insights on transforming burnout into clarity through intentional rituals? Then don't miss our conversation with Dre Baldwin on Think Big, Act Bigger. Both episodes explore how mindset shapes sustainable performance—Erin focuses on the inner rituals that ground us, while Dre breaks down the mental systems that drive consistent action. Together, they form a one-two punch for leaders who want to perform at a high level without losing themselves in the process.

What happens when life forces you to stop—and that pause changes everything?

Melissa Gonzalez, Principal at MG2 Design and author of "The Purpose Pivot: How Dynamic Leaders Put Vulnerability and Intuition into Action", knows firsthand. A medical crisis made her rethink what success truly means. Once a Wall Street professional turned retail design expert and author of "The Pop-Up Paradigm", Melissa built a thriving business helping brands tell their stories through physical spaces. But when her own defining moment arrived, she found a new story to tell—one about purpose, well-being, and the strength found in vulnerability.

In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Melissa joins Bill Sherman to explore how life's disruptions can fuel transformation. She shares her evolution from building pop-up experiences for brands to helping leaders embrace intuition, pause with purpose, and redefine balance. Through dozens of interviews with women leaders, Melissa uncovered a truth many resist—taking time to pause isn't weakness; it's wisdom.

Melissa also discusses the art of integrating her message of purpose into her business world. She reveals how partnerships with brands like Nordstrom, Simon G. Fine Jewelry, and Crate & Barrel amplified her book's message through events and collaborations that celebrate defining moments. Her story is a masterclass in aligning personal growth, thought leadership, and business strategy—without losing authenticity.

From managing the emotional and physical toll of overachievement to embracing JOMO (the joy of missing out), Melissa's journey offers a reminder: the most powerful pivots often happen when you stop chasing and start listening.

Three Key Takeaways:

• Pause is Power – Taking time to slow down, reflect, and prioritize well-being isn't a weakness—it's a strategic strength. Melissa's personal experience taught her that real success comes from making intentional choices rooted in impact, not busyness.

• Authentic Integration Fuels Influence – Thought leadership grows when your personal mission aligns with your professional platform. Melissa leveraged her network, brand partnerships, and events to bring The Purpose Pivot to life—blending purpose-driven storytelling with business acumen.

• Vulnerability Creates Connection – Sharing personal defining moments invites others to reflect on their own. Through candid storytelling and interviews, Melissa shows that embracing vulnerability deepens relationships, inspires trust, and sparks meaningful change.

If Melissa Gonzalez's story inspired you to rethink success, balance, and the power of the pause, don't stop there. Check out The Non-Linear Thought Leadership episode with Elizabeth McCourt. Both conversations explore how vulnerability, authenticity, and unexpected turns can become catalysts for growth.

Melissa's journey shows how a defining moment can reshape purpose. Elizabeth's episode builds on that idea—revealing how non-linear paths, reinvention, and resilience fuel thought leadership. Listen to both, and you'll walk away ready to embrace uncertainty, lead with heart, and turn every pivot into possibility.

Listen next: The Non-Linear Thought Leadership | Elizabeth McCourt

What happens when life-and-death decision-making meets the boardroom?

Today our guest is Dr. Geoffrey Mount Varner—a physician, author of "FAST DECISIONS: Think Fast. Be Bold. Be Fearless", and leadership expert—shares how his experience in emergency medicine led him to develop a powerful framework for decision-making under pressure. As the former head of Washington D.C.'s emergency Ebola response, Dr. Varner learned that hesitation can be deadly. Today, he brings that same clarity and urgency to the world of business leadership.

Dr. Varner explains how most leaders waste valuable "decision energy" by treating every choice as equally important. His approach teaches executives to quickly identify which decisions deserve deep thought and which can be made in seconds. At the core of his DPD framework—Deep Breath, Pause, Decide—is a deceptively simple but scientifically grounded process that empowers leaders to quiet emotion, activate intuition, and make confident, timely decisions.

He and Peter Winick dive into how the corporate world often rewards inaction—where delayed or avoided decisions are seen as safe career moves. Dr. Varner argues that indecision is, in fact, a decision—and one that can cripple organizations. He offers practical, repeatable ways for leaders to break through analysis paralysis, train their teams for agility, and create a culture of accountability and speed.

Finally, Dr. Varner reflects on his own transition from medicine to thought leadership—transforming his crisis-tested experience into a business-ready system. Through books, speaking engagements, and workshops, he's building a new generation of leaders who make better choices, faster. Because in both medicine and business, the ability to decide well can be the difference between success and failure.

Three Key Takeaways:

• Decisiveness Is a Trainable Skill.
Great leaders aren't born decisive—they're trained. Dr. Varner's DPD framework (Deep Breath, Pause, Decide) helps leaders manage emotion, engage intuition, and act with confidence under pressure.

• Not All Decisions Deserve Equal Attention.
Leaders often waste energy treating minor choices like major ones. Dr. Varner categorizes decisions by consequence—low, medium, and high—so leaders can spend their time where it matters most.

• Indecision Is Still a Decision.
In business as in medicine, delayed action carries risks. Dr. Varner reminds leaders that avoiding decisions is itself a choice—one that can stall progress, weaken accountability, and erode trust.

If you found value in this episode's focus on making faster, smarter decisions under pressure, you'll want to check out "Making Better Decisions Through Thought Leadership" with Thomas Lahnthaler. In that conversation, Thomas explores how the strategic use of thought leadership isn't just about ideas—it's about preparing teams for inevitable crisis-points, creating choices rather than waiting for them, and harnessing collective insight when the pressure's on. Listen to both episodes back-to-back to unlock how frameworks + mindset + action combine to turn uncertainty into advantage and hesitation into leadership momentum.

What happens when a storyteller from Microsoft turns her lens on the women shaping technology's past, present, and future?

Today on Leveraging Thought Leadership, Peter Winick sits down with Miri Rodriguez, CEO of Empressa AI, best-selling author, storyteller at Microsoft, and co-author of "The Women of Microsoft" (Wiley). Miri reveals how a simple Teams message from a colleague in Poland sparked a global collaboration — uniting 50 women from across cultures, career levels, and disciplines to tell their stories of innovation, resilience, and purpose.

Miri's thought leadership centers on mission-driven storytelling — using narrative as a strategic tool for inclusion and brand love. She shares how metrics like "brand love" go beyond data to measure emotional impact, connection, and loyalty. Her goal isn't just to celebrate women at Microsoft, but to ensure their contributions are recorded in the technological history being written right now.

She challenges leaders to think beyond traditional boundaries of thought leadership inside corporations. For Miri, there's no dividing line between personal purpose and professional platform — every story she tells aligns with her mission to empower women's voices. Her journey demonstrates how clarity of purpose can attract the right opportunities and how a clear mission can transform your work into a force multiplier.

This conversation is a masterclass in how to use storytelling as strategy — to inspire action, build communities, and leave a lasting mark on the narrative of innovation.

Three Key Takeaways:

• Mission-driven storytelling creates lasting impact — when your message aligns with a clear purpose, it naturally attracts opportunities and amplifies your influence.

• Emotional connection is a powerful metric — concepts like "brand love" show that loyalty and inspiration can be measured through human connection, not just numbers.

• Authentic voices shape the future — sharing real stories, especially from underrepresented groups, ensures that innovation and progress include every perspective.

If you were struck by the power of storytelling, emotional connection, and mission-driven leadership in this episode, the conversation with Jenna Fisher will take you deeper into those same themes in a corporate leadership setting. In her interview, you'll hear how she interviewed dozens of women leaders to uncover the real barriers and strategies for rising to the top, even when the rules seem stacked against you. Listen next to discover how to merge narrative, metrics, and career strategy into a playbook for women (and all leaders) to advance influence, voice, and impact.

Listen now: "Women in Corporate Leadership"

What's the real ROI of a book?

That's the question Peter Winick poses to Chief Imaginative Officer of Emerson Consulting, author of "The Expert's Edge: Become the Go-To Authority People Turn to Every Time" and publishing expert Ken Lizotte, in this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership.

Ken has helped more than 350 thought leaders turn their ideas into published works—books, blogs, and articles that position them as authorities in their fields. He's seen it all: the excitement of a new book idea, the confusion around agents and publishers, and the reality that the book itself isn't the profit center—it's the door opener.

Ken breaks down the evolving world of publishing—traditional, hybrid, and self-publishing—and reveals how authors can choose the right path based on their business goals. He and Peter cut through the myths about literary agents, unpack how the publishing game really works, and share why alignment between author and publisher is so rare (and so essential).

More importantly, Ken makes it clear that a book's success isn't measured in units sold—it's in how well it builds credibility, opens doors to speaking gigs, attracts clients, and establishes long-term brand authority. Whether you're dreaming about your first book or looking to turn ideas into influence, this conversation will show you how to treat your book as a strategic asset, not just a creative project.

Three Key Takeaways:

• A Book's True ROI Isn't in Sales—It's in Strategy.
The financial return on a nonfiction book rarely comes from copies sold. Instead, it comes from what the book enables: paid speaking gigs, consulting work, and business growth. A book is a credibility tool, not a revenue product.

• Authors Must Choose the Right Publishing "Game."
Traditional publishing, hybrid, and self-publishing each serve different goals. Ken stresses that authors need to decide early whether they're playing the publisher's game (focused on sales volume) or their own game (using the book as a business and thought leadership tool).

• A Great Book Builds Authority, Not Just Audience.
The most successful thought leaders use their books to define expertise, attract the right clients, and create long-term influence. The focus shouldn't be on pleasing everyone—it's about reaching the specific audience where your ideas have the greatest impact.

If you're fired up by Ken Lizotte's strategies for making a book a business-building tool, then you'll definitely want to hear Lucinda Halpern's episode too. In it, Lucinda debunks the myths that trap many thought leaders—like thinking an agent guarantees a book deal, that publishers will handle all marketing, or that you need huge social media numbers to get published. You'll walk away with clearer insight into publishing timelines, how to build a platform that matters, and how to make a book a lead-generation engine, not just a creative side project.

Tune in and get sharper on how to align your ideas, your reach, and your publishing strategy—all toward real growth.

What makes a podcast truly powerful — and worth your time?

In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Peter Winick sits down with Ryan Estes, co-founder of Wildcast and Kitcaster, to unpack what separates a great podcast guest — and host — from the rest. Ryan's work connects CEOs, founders, and thought leaders to the right audiences through strategic podcast placement. His mission: to turn conversations into meaningful distribution.

Ryan explains why founder-led marketing outperforms brand marketing — by as much as 80%. He reveals how showing up authentically on podcasts isn't just about exposure; it's about building credibility, creating demand, and sparking conversations that open doors to your ideal clients.

Together, Peter and Ryan explore what makes a podcast worth appearing on. It's not about chasing the biggest show or the biggest name — it's about relevance. For many business leaders, the right niche podcast might be the only place where all their potential buyers are listening. Ryan walks through how to identify the right shows for your goals, the importance of energy and chemistry in a podcast conversation, and how to develop the skills — from delivery to lighting — that make you a guest worth remembering.

They also discuss the "guest hygiene" problem: why so many smart leaders fail to prepare properly, neglect to promote their episodes, or treat podcasts like disposable media hits. Ryan argues that building a personal distribution network — your own voice, audience, and presence — is an investment that carries over to every project, every company, and every new venture.

If you've been thinking about launching a podcast, or becoming a
sought-after guest, this episode is your roadmap to doing it right — and doing it with purpose.

Three Key Takeaways:

• Founder-led marketing drives results. When leaders speak directly to audiences through podcasts, their message builds far more trust and engagement than traditional brand marketing.

• Relevance beats reach. The best podcasts for business growth aren't always the biggest — they're the ones where your ideal buyers actually listen and engage.

• Consistency builds credibility. Thought leaders who prepare well,
promote their episodes, and keep showing up authentically develop a personal brand that outlasts any single company or project.

If this conversation inspired you to think differently about using
your voice and platform, take the next step by listening to our
episode with Srinivas Rao. He dives deep into how creativity,
curiosity, and personal expression fuel powerful thought leadership. Discover how to build an audience that connects with your ideas — not just your brand.

Listen here.