Podcast
Deliberate Leaders Podcast with Allison Dunn
Hosted by Allison Dunn · EN
Deliberate Leaders Podcast is dedicated to helping leaders build strong, thriving businesses. Join host Allison Dunn, executive business coach and owner of Deliberate Directions, as she spotlights today’s Deliberate Leaders who embrace the values of ownership, accountability, and reliability.
Each episode features best information for business and leaders on topics like culture, communications, employee engagement, leadership, time management, growth strategies, personal development, goal setting, mindset, financial management, business best practices, systems, accountability, recruiting and retaining talent.
35episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Leadership Habits That Built Your Success May Be Holding You Back
1w ago00:07:26Tap to summarizeThe Leadership Operating System Every leader develops an internal operating system. It's built from experience, reinforced by success, and often becomes invisible to the person running it. In this episode, Allison explores: Why the habits that created success may eventually create limitations How early-stage leadership instincts differ from scaling-stage leadership needs The hidden ways leaders become organizational bottlenecks Why recurring problems are often systemic rather than isolated The challenge of recognizing your own leadership patterns How authority limits honest feedback Why perspective is often more valuable than advice The role trusted peers play in helping leaders see blind spots How leaders can upgrade their operating system as they grow Key Question: What recurring pattern in your organization might be connected to how you operate as a leader? Resources: Think First: Stop Being the Bottleneck, Start Building Thinkers Deliberate Directions Executive Coaching & Leadership Development Think First
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Why Your Team Stops Telling You the Truth
2w ago00:07:30Tap to summarizeWhy Your Team Stops Telling You the Truth As companies grow, leaders often face an invisible challenge: they hear less of what's really happening. This isn't because employees are dishonest. It's because people naturally filter information when speaking to someone who holds authority over their career, compensation, and future opportunities. In this episode, Allison explores: How growth changes a leader's information environment Why teams begin filtering information The role power plays in workplace communication How leadership blind spots are created Why people stop raising concerns The hidden cost of operating on incomplete information Why asking for honesty isn't enough How to create psychological safety inside organizations The importance of trusted peers outside your business Key Question: When your team gives you an update, do you believe you're getting the full picture? If not, what have you done to make honesty truly safe? Resources: Think First: Stop Being the Bottleneck, Start Building Thinkers Deliberate Directions Leadership Development & Executive Coaching Think First
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The Loneliness That Grows With Success
3w ago00:07:00Tap to summarizeThe Loneliness That Grows With Success Success often brings opportunities, influence, and growth. It can also bring something leaders rarely discuss openly: loneliness. In this episode, Allison explores: Why leadership often becomes more isolating as organizations scale How the gap between leaders and their teams naturally widens over time Why people stop telling leaders the full truth The hidden cost of carrying leadership challenges alone How isolation impacts decision-making and strategic thinking The role of trusted peers in preventing leadership blind spots Why honest feedback becomes harder to access as your authority increases How to create relationships where truth can be shared without fear The importance of building support systems outside your organization Key Question: When was the last time someone told you something genuinely difficult to hear? If you're struggling to answer that question, it may reveal more about your leadership environment than you realize. Resources: Think First: Stop Being the Bottleneck, Start Building Thinkers by Allison Dunn Learn more: Deliberate Directions Think First
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The Hidden Cost of Being Easy to Work With
May 2600:06:53Tap to summarizeWhy “easy to work with” can become a leadership liability How small acts of avoidance create cultural drift The hidden relationship between accountability and trust Why high performers notice inconsistent standards first How unclear expectations frustrate teams over time The concept of “autopilot leadership” from Think First Learned helplessness and what it does to workplace culture The difference between Firefighter leadership and Architect leadership Why avoiding hard conversations creates bigger problems later A practical question leaders should ask themselves regularly:“Am I protecting this relationship, or avoiding discomfort?” How deliberate leaders create clarity without sacrificing compassion Why strong cultures are built through consistency, honesty, and accountability Think First
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The Slow Burn Problems Leaders Ignore
May 1900:09:08Tap to summarizeWhy the most damaging leadership problems are rarely the loudest How small tolerated behaviors become cultural standards The hidden cost of waiting too long to address issues Understanding “thinking debt” and how it compounds over time Why reactive leadership narrows long-term vision The difference between Firefighter mode and Architect mode How disengagement and resentment quietly build inside organizations A powerful leadership reframe: “What happens if this pattern continues for another year?” Why systems, not isolated incidents, shape organizational culture How deliberate leaders identify and address problems early before they escalate Reflection questions to help leaders identify their own “slow burn” issues Why resilient cultures are built through consistent, intentional leadership Think First
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The "I'll Just Do It" Habit
May 1200:05:56Tap to summarize• Why the “I’ll just do it” habit feels productive but creates long-term leadership problems • The difference between being the fastest person to solve a problem and the right person to solve it • How leaders unintentionally train teams to become dependent • The hidden cycle of organizational bottlenecks and learned helplessness • Why stepping in too quickly limits strategic thinking across the organization • The shift from reactive firefighting to building thinkers • Coaching questions that encourage ownership and better decision-making • How to scale leadership by multiplying thinking capacity instead of personal effort • Insights from Allison Dunn’s book Think First: Stop Being the Bottleneck, Start Building Thinkers • Reflection question: “Where am I stepping in too quickly, and what is that teaching my team?” Think First
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The Trust Equation Is Broken
May 500:04:15Tap to summarizeWhy “trust takes time” is an incomplete leadership belief Time reveals patterns, it does not create trust The real foundation of trust: consistency in behavior and response How teams evaluate trust through patterns, not words Signs trust is breaking: hesitation, avoidance, filtered communication The impact of inconsistent leadership on team engagement and performance Common leadership gaps: uneven accountability, defensive reactions, shifting expectations Why predictability creates psychological safety The difference between being rigid and being reliable Practical reflection: Where am I being inconsistent without realizing it? How consistent leadership builds high-performing, trust-driven teams Connection to Think First: slowing down reactions to lead with intention Think First
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The Cost of Neutral Leadership
Apr 2900:04:05Tap to summarizeWhat we cover: Why neutral leadership feels reasonable but creates unintended consequences How silence communicates standards more powerfully than words The subtle way culture drifts through unaddressed moments Why high performers feel the impact of inconsistency first The real reason capable leaders avoid addressing issues The connection between neutral leadership and autopilot decision-making A practical leadership lens: “If I don’t address this, what am I teaching my team?” How to address issues without becoming reactive or overly critical The long-term cultural cost of avoidance Key takeaway: Leadership is always teaching. The question is whether you are teaching intentionally or by default. Think First
Transcribe →When Consulting Becomes a Platform
Apr 2100:33:26Tap to summarizeEpisode Notes About Amy Farner Amy Farner is Executive Vice President and Head of Product at The Josh Bersin Company. She previously led Deloitte Consulting’s survey research and analytics practice and brings over 20 years of experience helping organizations drive results through data, insights, and industry trends. What You’ll Learn in This Episode Why consulting firms are shifting from projects to AI-powered platforms How tools like Lilli, AskGartner, and Galileo are changing the industry What early signals, like higher renewal rates, reveal about AI adoption The difference between access to information and trusted insight How AI is accelerating speed, scale, and personalization in consulting Why SaaS models are becoming more valuable than traditional services How AI is opening access to advisory services for underserved markets The evolving role of consultants in a world of instant information Where human judgment remains essential in decision-making What the next 3–5 years of consulting could look like Key Insights from the Episode The value of consulting is shifting from delivering answers to guiding decisions AI is not replacing consultants, it is redefining where they create value Firms that fail to adapt to AI-enabled delivery models risk being displaced Smaller and mid-sized companies now have access to insights that were once reserved for the enterprise level Communication and strategic thinking are becoming more important than traditional “hard skills” Resources & Links Galileo AI Agent by The Josh Bersin Companyhttps://getgalileo.ai/agent The Josh Bersin Companyhttps://joshbersin.com/ Think First
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From “Good” to Exceptional Leadership | Featuring David Grossman
Apr 1400:27:52Tap to summarizeIn today’s environment, leadership requires more than results. It requires connection, clarity, and the ability to lead people through constant change. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why “good” leadership is a hidden liability What employees are really thinking but not saying The six differentiators of exceptional leaders Why Heart skills are critical in today’s workplace How leaders unintentionally create distance by “wearing armor” What it looks like to lead with authenticity and clarity Simple, practical actions you can implement this week Learn more from David Grossman: 📘 Book + resources:https://www.yourthoughtpartner.com/heart-work-modern-leadership?utm_source=deliberateleaderspodcast&utm_medium=pr_podcast&utm_campaign=heartworkbooklaunch 📊 Research study:https://www.yourthoughtpartner.com/hubfs/Heart%20Work%20Modern%20Leadership%20Book/Bonus_Gifts/Bonus%20Gift_The_Grossman_Group_Harris_Poll_Study_Exceptional%20Leadership_v.4_FINAL.pdf?utm_source=deliberateleaderspodcast&utm_medium=pr_podcast&utm_campaign=heartworkbooklaunch 🎤 Speaking & leadership insights:https://www.yourthoughtpartner.com/leadership-speaker?utm_source=deliberateleaderspodcast&utm_medium=pr_podcast&utm_campaign=heartworkbooklaunch 📝 Blog:https://www.yourthoughtpartner.com/blog?utm_source=deliberateleaderspodcast&utm_medium=pr_podcast&utm_campaign=heartworkbooklaunch 🔗 LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidgrossmanaprabc/ Think First
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