Episodes

079: "Do You Really Need to Be This Busy?" ft. Alli Murphy
Nov. 24, 2025

079: "Do You Really Need to Be This Busy?" ft. Alli Murphy

This episode is a much-needed intervention on the culture of busy . Erik sits down with Alli Murphy, leadership coach, founder of The Elevate Lab, and creator of The Thrive Report , to unpack the toxic myths of productivity, ...

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078: "The Quiet Toll of Being the Go-To Person" (lessons from Michael Bostarr)
Nov. 21, 2025

078: "The Quiet Toll of Being the Go-To Person" (lessons from Michael…

🧠 Erik’s Take In this deeply reflective debrief, Erik unpacks the powerful themes that emerged from his conversation with Michael Bostarr—especially the tension between performing and leading. Drawing from his own experience ...

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077: "Performing and Leading Are Entirely Different Sports" ft. Michael Bostarr
Nov. 19, 2025

077: "Performing and Leading Are Entirely Different Sports" ft. Micha…

In this candid and energizing conversation, Erik sits down with Michael Bostarr — a coach, creative, and former sales leader who made a bold pivot from performance-driven achievement to values-based leadership. Together, they...

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076: What Actually Builds Trust in a Team? (It’s Not What You Think)
Nov. 17, 2025

076: What Actually Builds Trust in a Team? (It’s Not What You Think)

In this episode, Erik unpacks one of the most overused and under-examined words in leadership: trust. But instead of vague advice, he gives a direct, no-fluff framework for how to build trust that actually scales — across tea...

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075: "What Does It Mean to Truly Empower a Team?" (lessons from Chris Dyer)
Nov. 14, 2025

075: "What Does It Mean to Truly Empower a Team?" (lessons from Chris…

🧠 Erik’s Take In this solo reaction, Erik distills three powerful insights from his recent interview with culture expert Chris Dyer. As the pace of change continues to accelerate—fueled by AI and organizational upheaval—leade...

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074: "The Future CEO Will Be a Chief Executive Orchestrator" ft. Chris Dyer
Nov. 12, 2025

074: "The Future CEO Will Be a Chief Executive Orchestrator" ft. Chri…

In this episode of I Have Some Questions... , Erik sits down with culture strategist and bestselling author Chris Dyer to unpack the hardest leadership question of our time: how do you lead through relentless, accelerating ch...

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073: Which Leadership Phase Are You In (Really)?
Nov. 10, 2025

073: Which Leadership Phase Are You In (Really)?

In this solo episode, Erik maps out the leadership lifecycle — from the moment you step into a new leadership role to the point where you’re building your replacement. It’s a powerful framework for self-awareness and strategi...

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072: "Must Capitalism Be Realigned Toward More Desired Outcomes?" (lessons from Dr. Helmut Love)
Nov. 7, 2025

072: "Must Capitalism Be Realigned Toward More Desired Outcomes?" (le…

🧠 Erik’s Take In this solo reflection, Erik recaps and wrestles with the high-stakes conversation he had with Dr. Helmut Love — a guest who isn’t afraid to bring politically charged topics to the table. From socialism and wea...

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071: "Is It Possible to Restructure Capitalism Without Losing its Drive for Innovation? (ft. Dr. Helmut Love)
Nov. 5, 2025

071: "Is It Possible to Restructure Capitalism Without Losing its Dri…

Erik sits down with Dr. Helmut Love—entrepreneur, spiritual thinker, and former Atlanta mayoral candidate—for a bold conversation about the future of capitalism, personal responsibility, and what it means to lead with love in...

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070: Are You Too Nice to Be a Good Leader?
Nov. 3, 2025

070: Are You Too Nice to Be a Good Leader?

In this solo episode of I Have Some Questions... , Erik flips the script on a widely held belief: that being “nice” makes you a better boss. With characteristic fire and clarity, he challenges listeners to stop aiming for sho...

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069: "How Parental Pressence Intersect Across Sports And Leadership" (lessons from Sandy Cohan)
Oct. 31, 2025

069: "How Parental Pressence Intersect Across Sports And Leadership" …

🧠 Erik’s Take In this follow-up to his powerful interview with Sandy Cohan, Erik reflects on how grit, standards, and parental presence intersect across sports and leadership. With stories from the soccer field and frameworks...

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068: "The Dangerous Difference Between Expectations And Standards" ft. Sandy Cohan
Oct. 29, 2025

068: "The Dangerous Difference Between Expectations And Standards" ft…

In this powerful conversation, Erik sits down with mindset coach and author Sandy Cohan to dig into what grit really is—and what it definitely isn’t. From youth sports to corporate leadership, Sandy breaks down the habits, st...

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067: How to Build Rock Star Teams (Even If You Didn't Hire One)
Oct. 27, 2025

067: How to Build Rock Star Teams (Even If You Didn't Hire One)

In this solo episode of Leadership Unplugged , Erik breaks down the myth that great teams are hired—and reveals the truth that they’re built. If you’ve ever felt stuck with an underperforming team or unsure how to level up yo...

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066: "Is Loyalty Enough to Keep Someone From Leaving?" (lessons from Alan Bell)
Oct. 24, 2025

066: "Is Loyalty Enough to Keep Someone From Leaving?" (lessons from …

🧠 Erik’s Take In this personal reflection on the interview with Alan Bell, Erik unpacks the hidden dynamics behind one of the boldest career moves he’s heard: a 14-person walkout, where nearly 80% of a team left a company at ...

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065: "What Happens When a Whole Team Quits Together?" ft. Alan Bell
Oct. 22, 2025

065: "What Happens When a Whole Team Quits Together?" ft. Alan Bell

In one of the most gripping interviews yet, Erik sits down with Alan Bell—mortgage expert, former film lab engineer, and team-builder extraordinaire—to dissect a rare and bold professional move: the collective exit of 14 team...

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064: What’s the Real Cost of Winging It?
Oct. 20, 2025

064: What’s the Real Cost of Winging It?

In this solo episode, Erik confronts the quiet crisis of preparation—or more often, the lack of it. He takes listeners through a bold reframing of how to prioritize prep time, not based on urgency or frequency, but on consequ...

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063: "Is Your Company Ready for AI, or Just Excited by the Hype?" (lessons from Tulio Siragusa)
Oct. 17, 2025

063: "Is Your Company Ready for AI, or Just Excited by the Hype?" (le…

🧠 Erik’s Take This conversation with Tulio Siragusa left a deep imprint. Here’s a guy who’s both deeply competent in business and deeply rooted in service, and that rare blend made this conversation one of the most fulfilling...

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062: "Why Most Leaders Aren’t Self-Aware (and How to Change That)" ft. Tullio Siragusa
Oct. 15, 2025

062: "Why Most Leaders Aren’t Self-Aware (and How to Change That)" ft…

Tulio Siragusa has led in New York, London, Silicon Valley, and Latin America—and his leadership philosophy is rooted in empathy, not ego. In this conversation, Tulio and Erik dive into the real mechanics of emotional intelli...

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061: What’s the Best Way to Change Your Culture (Without Faking It)?
Oct. 13, 2025

061: What’s the Best Way to Change Your Culture (Without Faking It)?

In this episode, Erik tackles one of the most frequently asked leadership questions he gets in coaching: “How do I change my company’s culture?” Drawing from real stories, industry frameworks, and his own systems-thinking app...

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060: "Are You Coaching Your Team or Just Saving the Deal?" (lessons from Kim Willis)
Oct. 10, 2025

060: "Are You Coaching Your Team or Just Saving the Deal?" (lessons f…

🧠 Erik’s Take In this post-interview reflection, Erik breaks down his conversation with Kim Willis, exploring what makes someone truly excellent at sales—and why that matters for leadership. Rather than glamorizing charisma o...

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059: "Can Storytelling Be Your Most Underrated Leadership Skill?" ft. Kim Willis
Oct. 8, 2025

059: "Can Storytelling Be Your Most Underrated Leadership Skill?" ft.…

In this episode, Erik sits down with Kim Willis, a speaker coach and story mentor who helps founders, creatives, and entrepreneurs reclaim their voice by getting radically honest about the stories they tell—and the ones they ...

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058: How To Deal With The Looming Talent Glut
Oct. 6, 2025

058: How To Deal With The Looming Talent Glut

In this thought-provoking solo episode, Erik unpacks a major second-order consequence of AI: the collapse of the entry-level talent pipeline. As AI increasingly absorbs the "grunt work" across industries, we risk losing the s...

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057: "Are We Training People to Know—or to Do?" (lessons from Cortney Harding)
Oct. 3, 2025

057: "Are We Training People to Know—or to Do?" (lessons from Cortney…

🧠 Erik’s Take After interviewing Cortney Harding, Erik reflects on how VR, AI, and immersive learning are reshaping the way we train people—especially in communication. But beyond the tech, this episode is about mindset shift...

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056: "Will VR Reshape The Future Of Corporate Learning & Training?" ft. Cortney Harding
Oct. 1, 2025

056: "Will VR Reshape The Future Of Corporate Learning & Training?" f…

What if workplace training wasn't passive, boring, or easily ignored—but instead felt like an unforgettable lived experience? In this conversation, Erik sits down with Cortney Harding, a pioneer at the intersection of VR, AR,...

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