Coaching Real Leaders

Today, we’re sharing an episode from Cold Call, the chart-topping management podcast from our colleagues at Harvard Business School.
Hosted by HBS Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Brian Kenny, Cold Call explores the real-world business case studies taught at HBS, with the professors who write them and often the executives and innovators who lived them. From the history of Hershey to today's biggest AI case studies, Cold Call breaks down the decisions, tradeoffs, and leadership lessons behind some of the most fascinating organizations.
In today’s episode, Harvard Business School Professor Len Schlesinger and TypeCoach President Rob Toomey join host Brian Kenny to discuss how managers can recognize and work across cognitive differences to improve team dynamics. They dig in on two team case studies where dysfunction isn’t loud or dramatic, and they explore how to address that subtle tension before it derails performance or strains relationships.
To listen to more episodes, follow Cold Call on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts.

Connect with Muriel:
Website: murielwilkins.com
LinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins
Instagram: @CoachMurielWIlkins
Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community: coachingrealleaderscommunity.com
Read Muriel’s book: LeadershipUnblocked.com

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She’s a leader who has worked hard to grow her career, but is currently feeling held back from reaching the next level. She wants to know what she needs to do to earn a promotion, especially given the challenges she faces with her team. Host Muriel Wilkins coaches her through how to manage the tension she’s feeling, and helps consider how she can keep developing even when there’s no guarantee of promotion.
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For Further Reading:
Leadership Unblocked by Muriel Wilkins Chapter 5: LeadershipUnblocked.com
Connect with Muriel:
Website: murielwilkins.com
LinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins
Instagram: @CoachMurielWIlkins
Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community: coachingrealleaderscommunity.com
Read Muriel’s book: LeadershipUnblocked.com
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How do I show my team I’m listening when I don’t agree with them?
How do I project confidence when I don’t know what the future holds?
How do I balance empathy with accountability?
How do I influence others when I don’t have formal authority?
In this episode, Muriel and communication expert Matt Abrahams, lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business and host of Think Fast, Talk Smart, answer listeners’ questions about some of the trickiest communication and leadership challenges. They discuss how to demonstrate that you’re listening without having to agree, how to communicate with confidence in uncertain situations, and how to hold people accountable without sacrificing empathy.

For further reading:
Think Fast, Talk Smart: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast
Matt’s book Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot: https://www.amazon.com/Think-Faster-Talk-Smarter-Successfully/dp/1668010305?tag=bookplease06-20&geniuslink=true
Building Influence Without Authority (Coaching Real Leaders): https://hbr.org/podcast/2021/03/building-influence-without-authority
Exerting Influence Without Authority (Harvard Business Review): https://hbr.org/2008/02/exerting-influence-without-aut
Connect with Muriel:
Website: murielwilkins.com
LinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins
Instagram: @CoachMurielWIlkins
Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community: coachingrealleaderscommunity.com
Read Muriel’s book: LeadershipUnblocked.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

She’s a leader who’s built a reputation for being direct, confident, and decisive. But she’s recently received feedback that her communication can create tense interactions with colleagues. Host Muriel Wilkins helps her look beyond the feedback itself to understand what’s driving those moments, and how she can exude confidence without the need to always be right.
For further reading:
The Right Way to Respond to Negative Feedback: https://hbr.org/2018/05/the-right-way-to-respond-to-negative-feedback
How to Make Sense of Conflicting Feedback on Your Leadership: https://hbr.org/2022/01/how-to-make-sense-of-conflicting-feedback-on-your-leadership
How Do I Stop Being Defensive?: https://hbr.org/podcast/2021/11/how-do-i-stop-being-defensive?
What Leaders Get Wrong About Listening: https://hbr.org/podcast/2025/06/what-leaders-get-wrong-about-listening
Leadership Unblocked Chapter 5: LeadershipUnblocked.com
Own the Room: https://us.amazon.com/Own-Room-Discover-Signature-Leadership-ebook/dp/B00BAH7PQY/ref=sr_1_2?_encoding=UTF8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.epwJb2QC4llONZO6YeARJmJmT5QGtcapVuFP9fuTNbE.N4ouJEbmhKVyJS8dDcnMA_s1Ieg-1Da9XjVKtTDekp8&dib_tag=se&keywords=B00BBJZX2O&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1789330493&s=digital-text&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&sr=1-2

Connect with Muriel:
Website: murielwilkins.com
LinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins
Instagram: @CoachMurielWIlkins
Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community: coachingrealleaderscommunity.com
Read Muriel’s book: LeadershipUnblocked.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How do you stay motivated in your career after years of success - and conquering so many mountains?
How do you decide if taking on people management is the right move for you?
How should you respond to an ambitious employee that you think needs to be more patient?
In this episode, Muriel and her producer, Mary, answer listeners’ questions to help leaders of all levels navigate the challenges they are facing.
For further reading:
A Guide to Motivating Yourself at Work: https://hbr.org/2023/07/a-guide-to-motivating-yourself-at-work
The 7 Hidden Beliefs That Hold Leaders Back: https://www.radicalcandor.com/podcast/hidden-beliefs
How Do I Stay Motivated After Surviving Layoffs? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjy_GCrZTnQ
Should I Become a People Manager? https://medium.com/@fun_cuddles/should-i-become-a-people-manager-the-difficulty-of-identifying-management-potential-8fbfb534f0b1
Want to stay connected? You can find Muriel here:
Website: murielwilkins.com
LinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins
Instagram: @CoachMurielWilkins
Want to be coached by Muriel?
If you’re facing a professional challenge, apply to be coached by Muriel on the Coaching Real Leaders podcast: Apply here
Keep the conversation going:
Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community where Muriel hosts live debriefs and Q&A sessions: coachingrealleaderscommunity.com
Go deeper:
Read Muriel’s newest book, Leadership Unblocked: LeadershipUnblocked.com
For executive coaches:
Learn more about Evolve, Muriel’s immersive program for executive coaches: murielwilkins.com/evolve

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