Chris Voss: Empathy, Understanding, and Leading Through Change

When markets shift and institutions feel shaky, many leaders reach for org charts, restructures, and new slogans—only to discover the real problem runs deeper. In this episode, Jonathan David Lewis—author, brand strategist, and president of McKee Wallwork & Company—joins Jennifer Colosimo to explore why so many “fixes” fail when character, trust, and internal clarity have eroded. Drawing on his book The Rebuilders, Jonathan explains how the world has flipped from outside-in branding to inside-out leadership: your people need to know who they are and what story they’re living before customers ever will. He discusses the “story wars” that play out inside large and small organizations, why indecision and misalignment are often identity problems in disguise, and how a clear, shared narrative can become a hard-edged competitive advantage. Along the way, he offers daily practices leaders can use to catch their own outdated stories, build alignment, and move teams from slow decline to renewed confidence and consistent action.

What separates the leaders whose teams truly thrive from those who are barely hanging on? In this episode, Patrick Leddin, Jennifer Colosimo, Victoria Roos Olsson, and Doug Faber introduce ideas from their new book, Expect a Lot, Care a Lot: How 6 Critical Practices Create High-Performing Teams. Drawing on years of FranklinCovey research and their own experience leading teams and business units around the world, they explore the “human edge” of strategy—why technology and plans aren’t enough without leaders who know how to build capability, trust, and sustained performance. The conversation covers the current state of leadership, the rise of “accidental leaders,” and the daily, repeatable behaviors that help people feel both challenged and supported. Whether you’re leading for the first time or have been in the role for decades, they offer a practical starting point for being more intentional about how you clarify expectations, develop others, and create a culture where people can do their best work over time.

When every leader is being told to “have an AI strategy,” where do you actually start? Neil Hoyne—Google’s Chief Strategist and author of Converted—joins Jennifer Colosimo to reframe the conversation around what really drives growth. Drawing on two decades in rooms with CEOs, boards, and frontline teams, Neil explains why the first question isn’t which AI model to buy, but what business problem you’re trying to solve and how you’ll deploy limited resources to capture real opportunities. He talks about the psychology of data—why even the most sophisticated leaders override it, how metrics get weaponized into sales pitches, and what it takes to build disciplined experimentation instead. Neil also shares how to reconnect spreadsheets to the human stories behind them, design standards for “how much data is enough,” and use AI as a tool in service of clear strategy rather than a shiny object that drives it.

How do you lead through constant disruption without losing sight of people, purpose, or performance? In this episode, Kat Cole—CEO of AG1, former president of Cinnabon, and longtime operator and investor—joins Jennifer Colosimo to share the pivotal moments that shaped her philosophy of leadership. Kat reflects on rising from restaurant hostess to executive, turning Cinnabon around after the Great Recession, and steering franchise and hospitality businesses through COVID when revenue evaporated overnight. She explains why “being clear-eyed” about what’s broken, focusing on what truly matters, and being willing to take unpopular actions are essential in volatile times. Kat also talks about the beliefs great leaders hold about people, how they balance optimism with realism, and the everyday habits—listening, taking action, seeking feedback, and growing on purpose—that allow them to build trust, unlock potential, and create opportunity in any environment.

What does effective leadership look like when every decision can affect a patient’s life? In this episode, Erica DeBoer, Chief Nursing Officer at Sanford Health, joins Jennifer Colosimo to share how she leads 11,000 nurses and 55,000 team members across one of the nation’s largest rural health systems. Erica describes her philosophy of stewardship, why leadership is less about having all the answers and more about creating the conditions for great decisions, and how she keeps “brilliance at the bedside” at the center of every choice. She explains why clarity matters more than certainty, how Sanford’s high-reliability journey and SAFE (Sanford Accountability for Excellence) framework guide communication, and practical ways she equips frontline teams to speak up, solve problems, and focus on what matters most. Along the way, she highlights simple practices—like huddles, repeated messaging, and visible presence—that build trust, strengthen engagement, and improve both the employee and patient experience.