There is no magic pill for high performance - just boring, consistent reps. In this episode of Leading Without the BS, Cathy and Ivan break down why high performers succeed: daily reps, showing up, and embracing the boring work. From Michael Phelps to competitive shooting to frontline managers, they show how high performance habits are built through unsexy daily practice in listening, language, and follow-through.
What if empathy is burning you out as a leader? Cathy Maday sits down with Heather Hopkins to break down empathy vs. compassion in leadership and how to drive leadership accountability without guilt, over-functioning, or burnout. Learn why jumping in the hole with your team backfires, how to hold behavioral accountability around boundaries, asking for help, and saying no - and how compassionate leadership keeps high standards without shielding your team. Perfect for business owners and managers navigating accountability, team performance, and healthy boundaries.
Leaders - stop trying to motivate others and start by asking the right questions. Wingspan Performance Advisors, Ivan and Heather, unpack "big-hat" leadership, why support roles belong at the table, and how to turn “who am I to speak up?” into real ownership and co-creation. If you're leading and looking for practical tools that deliver results without the BS, this one's for you.
Leaders often wait for permission to grow. Ivan Konermann and advisor Heather Hopkins unpack continuous growth, asking for the roles and skills you want, and turning hard feedback into fuel. Learn how ownership of your development - and a growth mindset - builds real executive presence.
Discover Mother Jones’ powerful Labor Day legacy and why true leadership starts with the inside game. Learn how personal hardship becomes purpose, how Activating Language® shifts victim thinking to ownership, and practical ways to master self-talk for stronger results.
Brandon Burns, Director of Manufacturing Operations at Veeder-Root, joins Ivan on Leading Without the BS to discuss how behavioral leadership, accountability, servant leadership, and intentional coaching can transform high-performing teams. Brandon shares how Wingspan Performance helped him become a more effective leader, challenge organizational roadblocks, develop his leadership team, and ultimately drive measurable business results.
Leaders often treat red tape and policies as immovable barriers and slip into victim mode. Ivan and Cathy break down how to flip that script: become a rebel for the business, negotiate exceptions with clear reasons, capture the real risks of the status quo, and start saying "no" more often than "yes". Drawing on special operations examples and real client conversations, this episode of Leading Without the BS shows how to operate on an even playing field, influence senior leaders, and create better outcomes for your team and the organization.
Leaders who are too "easygoing" or overly composed often confuse teams about priorities and urgency. Cathy and Ivan explore how a compressed intensity range (think operating only at a 2–3.5 out of 10) sends mixed signals and practical ways to expand range with voice, body language, and Activating Language®. Learn why intensity is information, how positive intensity (curiosity, excitement) works, and why shifting from “appropriate” to “effective” drives better influence and performance.
