Blanchard LeaderChat

What if the goal of great leadership isn't to eliminate friction, but to learn from it?
In this episode of LeaderChat, Maggie Sass, PhD, and Ross Blankenship, PhD, authors of Friction: How Tension, Emotion, and Change Reveal Better Leaders, join us to discuss what tension can reveal about leaders, teams, and the systems in which they work.
You'll hear about:
The three places friction shows up: within ourselves, between people, and within systems
How leaders can help teams navigate tension without simply smoothing it over
Why emotions can provide useful information during uncertainty
The difference between unhealthy conflict and productive tension
What can happen when a team becomes too frictionless
How to recognize when the system, not the individual, is creating the problem
Practical ways to respond more intentionally the next time friction shows up
If you're navigating change, uncertainty, or tension on your team, this episode offers a different way to look at those difficult moments—and what they might be trying to tell you.

Artificial intelligence is transforming the way we work, but its greatest impact may not be on technology at all. It may be on leadership.
In this episode of LeaderChat, Chad Gordon sits down with Kari Zeller, U.S. Air Force combat veteran, Founder and CEO of TGN Consulting, and author of Amazon bestseller Re-Placed: Answering the Call of Leadership in the Age of AI, to explore what it means to lead through one of the biggest shifts in modern work.
They discuss why AI is more than an operational change, how leaders can help people navigate uncertainty and build trust during transformation, and why human capabilities like judgment, curiosity, and connection may become even more valuable as technology advances.
Whether you're just beginning your organization's AI journey or helping others navigate what's next, this conversation offers practical insights for leading with confidence in a rapidly changing world.

Learning is changing faster than ever, and traditional training alone can no longer keep pace. In this LeaderChat episode, Ann Rollins, Vice President of the Design Studio, and Britney Cole, Chief Innovation Officer at Blanchard, explore how AI is transforming learning from a one-time event into a continuous, personalized experience. They discuss what an AI-enabled learning ecosystem looks like, where organizations are seeing the greatest impact today, and how learning leaders can evolve from creating content to building capability. Whether you're just beginning your AI journey or looking to scale it, this conversation offers practical ideas for helping people learn, grow, and perform in the flow of work.

Self leadership isn't about title or authority, it's about ownership. In this LeaderChat episode, Susan Fowler, co-author of Self Leadership, and Blanchard leadership content developer Lucy Dannewitz explore what it looks like to move from waiting for direction to taking initiative in today's workplace. They discuss why self leadership matters at every level, how people can challenge assumed constraints, and what happens when individuals bring solutions instead of just problems. From emerging leaders to experienced professionals, this conversation offers practical insight into building confidence, activating personal responsibility, and leading yourself with intention.

Leading today means delivering results while navigating constant change and still showing up for your people, and many leaders are feeling the strain. Mark Miller, co-author of The Secret: What Great Leaders Know and Do, shares what it looks like to lead differently in that kind of environment. Grounded in the SERVE model, he offers practical ways to create clarity, build trust, and stay focused on performance without losing sight of people. It's a grounded look at how strong leaders balance results, growth, and sustainability, for themselves and their teams.