Do Something Different: A Leadership Podcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Send us Fan Mail

If you're working hard but still not getting career growth, nobody told you the rules changed. 

After 30, getting promoted at work has nothing to do with doing more. It requires the professional development to become the leader your organization actually needs.

In this episode, I break down why the habits that built your career — reliability, responsiveness, the "I'll handle it" attitude — quietly become the things that keep you stuck. This isn't a motivation problem or a skills gap. It's an identity gap. And until you see it, no amount of hard work will close it.

I share the pattern I've seen across dozens of coaching clients (and my own experience as a Director at Apple): smart, driven people doing everything right — and hitting a ceiling they can't explain. I'll show you where the real shift happens and the three places it's hiding in your day-to-day work right now.

If you've been passed over, plateaued, or just feel like your effort isn't translating, this one's for you.

Listen Next to Season 2, Episode 2: Stop Asking For Feedback.

Follow Rusty on YouTube. 

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn. 

Send us Fan Mail

Most professionals think feedback is essential to self improvement. But what if feedback limits your personal growth?

This episode challenges one of the most common practices in professional development and gives you a 3-step framework that will transform how you think about self improvement, leadership development, and building confidence.

If you're a business leader focused on career planning, executive presence, and personal development, this episode will change your approach to professional growth. Whether you're navigating a promotion, stepping into a bigger leadership role, or simply want to stop second-guessing yourself, this framework puts you in control.

Next Up: Season 1 Episode 19: More Strategic Decisions in 3 Steps

Or listen / subscribe on YouTube. 

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn. 

Send us Fan Mail

There’s one deceptively simple question that most people never stop to ask, but it holds the key to clarity, confidence, and success. Whether you're facing a career crossroads, navigating workplace conflict, or stepping into a new opportunity, this question can shift your entire approach.

This episode breaks down how three professionals—each facing wildly different challenges—found their way forward by starting with this one question. You’ll hear how leaders get trapped by external pressures, and how to strip them away to find the clarity that fuels powerful action.

Key takeaways:

• Why clarity and confidence are the building blocks of personal power
• How external noise—like social pressure, past experiences, or fear of judgment—distorts decision-making
• The question that every leader should ask themselves in moments of uncertainty
• Why too much information can paralyze decision-making
• Real examples from leaders navigating career decisions, conflict, and strategic opportunities
• Why personal power isn’t about control—it’s about alignment and conviction
• The mindset shift that leads to authentic leadership and long-term growth

This episode is a practical, inspiring guide to reclaiming your power, redefining your path, and making decisions that align with who you truly are.

Episodes referenced

The Hidden Career Killer for High Performers (Episode 29)

More Strategic Decisions in 3 Steps (Episode 19)

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn. 

Send us Fan Mail

Executive presence is stubbornly difficult to define. This episode breaks down the critical connection between communication style and executive presence, and challenges the common belief that being smart is enough to lead effectively.

Whether you're naturally collaborative, soft-spoken, or conflict-averse, your style may be holding you back more than you realize. The key? Evolve how you communicate without losing who you are — and unlock the version of yourself that’s already capable of commanding a room.

Key takeaways:

• Why being “nice” can unintentionally make you forgettable
• How personality is more about past habits than future potential
• The danger of blending in with corporate norms — and how to stand out
• The mindset shift from authenticity-as-you-are to authenticity-as-you’re-becoming
• Five powerful “P” tools to boost executive presence

This episode is a masterclass in transforming your presence — not by becoming someone you’re not, but by expanding who you already are. Listen in and start crafting the leader you’re meant to become.

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn. 

Send us Fan Mail

When leaders build teams they can trust, they unlock not only organizational impact—but personal freedom. In this powerful episode, Eric Bensley, Head of Global Product Marketing at Asana, breaks down what it truly takes to lead a high-performing team you can count on, even during critical launches and high-stakes moments.

This conversation goes beyond theory. It’s a practical, honest look at the tension between control and empowerment, and the kind of leadership mindset required to scale trust, quality, and ownership across a team.

Key Points:

• Why the ultimate cost of a low-performing team is borne by the leader
• How to climb the “trust ladder” with your team—from run-rate tasks to high-stakes, ambiguous initiatives
• The mindset shift from doing the work to empowering others to lead and own outcomes
• A practical framework for coaching independence without sacrificing quality
• How to balance asking vs. telling when developing emerging leaders
• The hidden cost of perfectionism and how to replace control with purpose
• Why vulnerability is the gateway to growing your people—and your impact

This is a must-listen for leaders ready to elevate their team’s performance without burning out or bottlenecking progress. Unlock a new level of leadership by learning how to delegate trust, not just tasks.

Connect with Eric on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericbensley/

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn. 

Send us Fan Mail

High performers often double down on results—but that mindset alone ultimately leads to  failure. Sustainable leadership requires more than performance. 

In this episode, discover why prioritizing personal and professional growth is not optional—it’s essential for long-term success. The difference between those who thrive and those who plateau comes down to one thing: growth.

Key takeaways:

• Why delivering results isn’t enough to succeed as a leader in today’s fast-paced world
• The hidden cost of valuing performance over personal development
• A mindset shift that sets the stage for exponential impact
• The three critical components of a growth strategy
• How to improve in just 90 seconds a day
• Why specificity is the secret to consistent action and real change

Growth isn’t about grand gestures—it’s about deliberate steps taken consistently. Learn how to shift your focus, unlock new levels of leadership, and ensure you're evolving as fast as the world around you.

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn. 

Send us Fan Mail

Smart, successful professionals often assume that career growth is about learning new skills. But the real unlock isn’t about your skillset—it’s about your mindset. In this episode, discover why redefining how you see yourself can be the most powerful move you make in your professional life.

Key Takeaways:

• The most common mistake ambitious people make in career development—and how to avoid it.
• Why asking “What do I want?” is more transformational than learning another new skill.
• How self-perception silently limits your potential—and how to break free.
• Why "authentic leadership" can be a trap that prevents future growth.
• The mindset shift that turns a $100K earner into someone who believes they can thrive in a $500K role.
• What it really means to adopt a growth mindset—and how it shapes your choices, confidence, and outcomes.

Listen now to discover the hidden factor that determines your success—and how to start seeing yourself differently, today.

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn. 

Send us Fan Mail

Your quality of life as a leader is directly tied to how well you leverage your team. 

Two real client stories illustrate this concept, one of which demonstrates the Success Trifecta—being more successful at work, working less, and actually enjoying your job.

But how do you get there? This episode dives deep into the essential skillset and mindset needed to delegate effectively, empower your team, and create sustainable success without burnout. You'll discover why the goal isn’t just delivering high-quality work—it’s building a high-performing, empowered team that lifts the whole organization.

What You’ll Learn:

🔺 What the Success Trifecta is—and why most leaders believe it's impossible.

🔧 The two critical skills every leader must master: Setting Clear Expectations and Holding Accountability.

🧠 How your mindset and beliefs about performance, failure, and control could be limiting your growth.

🚫 Why "fixing it yourself" undermines your team (and what to do instead).

🔄 The role of resilience in becoming a more strategic, less reactive leader.

🔁 How to rewire your beliefs for sustainable success—both for you and your team.

Key Quote:
"Your job is not to deliver perfect work. Your job is to build a team that can." — Rusty Gaillard

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn. 

Send us Fan Mail

Is it possible to be too nice as a leader? We examine this question using the tension between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively as a real-world lens into leadership challenges.  Explore how excessive niceness can become a barrier to strength, clarity, and effectiveness in leadership.

Listen to learn four key truths about leadership and the pitfalls of prioritizing likability over strength:

1. Being nice is not the same as being strong.
2. Pleasing others leads to leadership failure.
3. People-first leadership requires tough conversations.
4. Accountability needs systems, not just personality.

This episode will inspire you to rethink your leadership style and find the courage to pair kindness with clarity, strength, and structure.

Key Takeaways:

• Why trying to be liked can cost you respect—and results.
• How to lean into hard conversations while maintaining high EQ.
• The shift from solving problems for your team to helping them solve their own.
• The importance of systems in creating fair and consistent accountability.

Shows Referenced in the Podcast

Liked or Respected? Five Questions to See Which You Secretly Prefer.

Delivering Effective Feedback.

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn. 

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Do Something Different, Rusty Gaillard sits down with Erin Mantz, VP of Marketing at Zeno Group and founder of Gen X Girls Grow Up. They dive into the importance of your first boss, how generational traits shape leadership styles, and what Gen X can learn from Gen Z in today’s workplace. 

From latchkey resilience to mentoring the next generation, this conversation is packed with insights on navigating careers, building strong teams, and adapting as a modern leader.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why your first boss can shape your entire career
• How Gen X’s upbringing influences their work ethic and leadership style
• What Gen Z values at work—and why it matters
• Tips for creating better intergenerational communication at work
• The power of vulnerability and authenticity in leadership
• How to mentor and be mentored across generations

Follow Erin on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinmantz/

And at Gen X Girls Grow Up:

https://www.facebook.com/GenXBlog/

Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. That's real freedom.

Get more leadership tips to grow your skillset and mindset at rustygaillard.com, and follow Rusty on LinkedIn.