It’s easy to see the faults in others—but real growth begins when we have the courage to look inward and ask, “Am I the problem?”

In this revisit to episode 582 of Daily Influence, Brian Smith explores how self-awareness can transform negative influence into positive impact. Drawing from The I in Team Series and S.M.A.R.T. Management principles, Brian helps you identify repeating patterns, manage emotional reactions, and practice accountability without shame.

Listen in to learn how reflection, emotional intelligence, and intentional resets can help you own your influence and use it for good.

What happens when the strengths that helped you become successful start limiting the way you lead?

On this episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with executive coach, former software developer, and former attorney Adam Quiney to explore why leadership growth often requires more than acquiring new skills or knowledge. Adam explains that highly capable leaders can become so accustomed to knowing the answer, being right, and relying on proven approaches that those same strengths can make it difficult to recognize what they are protecting, avoiding, or unwilling to see.

Adam shares how his own leadership development required vulnerability and a willingness to be humbled rather than simply becoming more self-aware. He discusses why certainty can sometimes signal that a leader may be overlooking something and offers a practical exercise: pay attention to the behaviors you judge most strongly in other people, then become curious about where those same tendencies may appear in yourself.

The conversation also examines the difference between understanding leadership intellectually and actually transforming how you lead. Adam argues that transformation often requires stepping forward before you fully understand the answer rather than continually trying to solve the problem through more analysis, knowledge, or effort.

Gregg and Adam also discuss mindfulness, curiosity, relationships, and responsible influence including Adam’s challenge to become genuinely fascinated by the people around you instead of assuming you already have them figured out.

In this episode:

• Why intelligence, competence, and certainty can eventually become leadership limitations

• How to recognize when you may be protecting your ego, identity, control, or need to be right

• Why awareness alone does not necessarily create transformation

• How judgment of others can reveal potential blind spots in yourself

• Why vulnerability and uncertainty are essential parts of leadership development

• How curiosity can change the way you experience relationships, networking, and everyday interactions

• Why responsible influence requires paying attention to your impact, not just your intentions

Adam leaves listeners with an invitation to approach both others and themselves with greater curiosity, empathy, grace, and acceptance—and to notice the moments when an automatic reaction could instead become an intentional choice.

Connect with Adam Quiney:

Website: adamquiney.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamquiney

Substack: Search for Adam Quiney

Podcast: The Transformational Leader with Adam Quiney

In this revisit to episode 540 of Daily Influence, Brandon Cohen interviews Brian Smith about the delicate balance of preserving culture while planning for leadership succession. The business in focus had one major concern: maintaining its strong internal culture through future ownership—without sacrificing value or vision.

Brian unpacks how the SMART Management framework helped align team members, clarify stakeholder roles, and create a multi-year succession plan rooted in intentionality. Through stakeholder discovery and transparent conversations, the company moved from uncertainty to confidence about its path forward.

If you're leading a mission-driven organization and thinking about succession—even five years out—this episode offers powerful lessons on planning with heart, structure, and strategy.

Talking about death can feel uncomfortable, but avoiding the conversation can leave families making difficult decisions during a crisis without knowing what their loved one truly wanted.

On this episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno speaks with Sandi Bianchi, an end-of-life doula, founder of Shepherd U Home, and co-founder of the Chicago Death Doula Collective. Sandi explains how death doulas provide non-medical emotional, practical, and educational support while working alongside hospice, medical, legal, and funeral professionals.

Drawing on her Mexican heritage and the communal traditions around death she experienced growing up, Sandi shares how community, ceremony, family involvement, and simply being present can help people navigate grief and the end of life with greater dignity and connection.

The conversation also explores what happens when fear begins influencing end-of-life decisions. Sandi discusses how family members can unintentionally place their own fears onto someone who is dying, and why listening, empathy, and respect for the individual’s wishes are essential to preserving autonomy and dignity.

Listeners will also hear a practical step they can take now, even if they are healthy and nowhere near the end of life. Sandi recommends beginning a simple conversation about personal wishes and documenting preferences over time, including where you would want to be, who you would want around you, and what comfort and care would look like for you.

This episode is ultimately about more than preparing for death. It is about communicating intentionally, protecting individual choice, reducing uncertainty for the people we love, and recognizing that difficult conversations can be an important form of responsible influence.

Learn More and Connect with Sandi:

https://shepherdyouhome.com/

https://www.chicagodeathdoulacollective.com/

INELDA- International End of Life Doula Association: https://inelda.org/

NEDA- National End-of-Life Doula Alliance: https://nedalliance.org/

University of Vermont End-of-Life Certification Program: https://learn.uvm.edu/program/end-of-life-doula-certificate/

Values Worksheet from the Compassion & Choices website: https://compassionandchoices.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Values-Worksheet-Only-FINAL-6.29.20.pdf

My Particular Wishes Only from the Compassion & Choices website: https://compassionandchoices.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/My-Particular-Wishes-Only-FINAL-6.29.20.pdf

In this revisit to Episode 520 of The Daily Influence, Brian Smith challenges the reactive mindset of desperate hiring and invites leaders to embrace a more intentional, values-based approach. He explores how rushed hiring decisions can erode your organizational culture and how responsible influence starts with knowing your values—and the true value of every role.

Brian shares practical insights for aligning hiring practices with long-term vision, focusing on core values, and asking the right questions before making a hire. If you’ve ever felt stuck in a revolving door of turnover, this episode will help you reframe hiring as a positive, powerful influence on your culture, your people, and your business.

In this revisit to Episode 515 of the Daily Influence, Brian explores the powerful—but sometimes conflicting—forces of analytics and gut instinct in leadership and decision-making. He breaks down why relying too much on either can lead to poor choices, missed opportunities, or burnout—and shares how integrating both leads to responsible, authentic leadership. Whether you’re overwhelmed by data or flying blind on feelings, this episode will help you find your balance and lead with clarity, intention, and influence.

What separates effective leaders when circumstances are difficult, trust has been lost, and every decision seems urgent?

In this episode of Daily Influence, Gregg-Brooke Koleno talks with Gigi Fergus, healthcare executive, transformational leader, and founder of Memorable Care, about leading through organizational change, rebuilding trust, creating accountability, and making better decisions under pressure.

With more than 25 years of leadership experience, Gigi has stepped into organizations facing cultural, regulatory, financial, staffing, and operational challenges. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she helped bring California’s Sleep Train Arena Alternative Care Facility to operational readiness in just seven days and went on to lead more than 300 healthcare professionals.

Gigi shares a practical approach leaders can use when everything feels important: separate priorities into must have, need to have, and nice to have. She also explains why rebuilding trust requires more than communication, it requires leaders to follow through, close the loop, show results, and take ownership when results fall short.

The conversation explores:

• How leaders build credibility before asking people to change

• Why employees experiencing “change fatigue” may actually be experiencing a loss of trust

• How to prioritize when resources and time are limited

• Why accountability and psychological safety need to coexist

• How seemingly separate cultural, operational, regulatory, and financial problems are interconnected

• Why financial problems can be a lagging indicator of deeper organizational issues

• How leaders can correct problems without defaulting to blame

• Why patience and urgency can and should exist together

Gigi also challenges listeners to begin a gratitude practice and consider keeping a simple one-line-a-day journal to recognize growth, maintain perspective, and stay grounded through difficult periods.

This episode is a practical conversation about what responsible influence looks like when leadership is difficult: listen, establish clear expectations, make intentional decisions, follow through on your commitments, and leave the organization and the people around you better than you found them.

Connect with Gigi Fergus

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gigi-fergus-mba-rn-7090a23/

Email: gigi@memorablecare.com

Memorable Care: https://www.memorablecare.com/

Join Brian Smith from the I in Team Series with this revisit to episode 234 of The Daily Influence as he delves into the critical role of data analytics in shaping strategic decisions and tactical development. In this insightful episode, Brian underscores the importance of understanding and leveraging key metrics beyond just sales and bank balances to drive organizational growth and efficiency.

Discover how labor utilization, among other vital analytics, can provide a comprehensive understanding of your business operations. Brian shares practical tips on creating dashboards and utilizing data to make informed decisions, identify trends, and implement effective tactical solutions. Whether you're a leader, manager, or team member, this episode offers valuable insights on how to harness the power of data to enhance your influence and operational success.

Listen now to learn how data analytics can transform your strategic planning and boost your organization's viability and growth. Don't miss out on this essential guide to making data-driven decisions that propel your business forward.

For more expert advice, check out our latest book, Responsible Influence: Build the I in Team, available now on Amazon.