The Hidden Dynamics That Make or Break Tech Teams ft. Keith Klain
Uncommon Leadership
Most leaders believe their teams go quiet because people fear conflict, don’t know what to say, or lack confidence. But that’s almost never the real reason. In this episode of Uncommon Leadership, Keith Klain joins me to reveal a harder, more human truth: Teams go quiet when they stop trusting how honest their leaders will be with them. Keith shares the shift that transformed every organization he led—from global banks to fast-paced tech teams. When he stopped treating information as currency and started telling people the real “why” behind decisions,...
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Six Pillars of Resilient Leadership ft. Jim Carlough
Uncommon Leadership
What if the real competitive advantage in your organization isn’t your strategy or your technology— but the way you show up for your people when everything feels uncertain? In this episode of the Uncommon Leadership Podcast, I’m joined by Jim Carlough—a veteran healthcare executive, strategist, and author. Jim’s journey spans from captaining sports teams in his youth to helping organizations find their footing again. Through every experience, Jim kept returning to the same anchors: persistence, focus, and a genuine responsibility to his team. And this became the...
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How Top Leaders Build Teams That Speak Up ft. Fortune Buchholtz
Uncommon Leadership
Are your teams holding back? Are they experimenting, speaking up, or taking risks when the stakes are high? If not, you're dealing with a problem that hasn't surfaced yet. And it's not a skill problem. Or a process problem. It’s most likely a culture problem. When your people don’t feel safe, they don't take risks. They hide their vulnerabilities. And in an environment like this, even your best talent stays silent — or quietly leaves. Hi there! Welcome back! I’m Michael Hunter from Uncommon Teams, and in this episode of the Uncommon...
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The Chiropractic Leadership ft. Rita Malvone
Uncommon Leadership
Why aren't your teams bringing you their best ideas? Why are they silent in meetings? Most likely, they don't feel psychologically safe to speak up. Or they haven't connected with the real you yet. If this sounds true for your team, your leadership approach is heading into isolation, and you are facing a quiet crisis. The good news is that it's not too late, and together—we can fix it! Hi there! I'm Michael Hunter from Uncommon Teams, and welcome to another exciting episode of the Uncommon Leadership Podcast. Joining me today is Rita Malvone, a renowned business...
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Why True Leaders Create Space, Not Rules ft. Ravi Iyer
Uncommon Leadership
When 85% of medical practices in the USA shut their doors, Dr. Ravi Iyer, a Harvard-trained physician and human potential expert, became the last line of defense as he and his team kept theirs open. Dr. Iyer's mantra, all for one and one for all, led him to serve over 100,000 patients through the chaos and disruption caused by the pandemic. Hello and welcome to another fascinating episode of the Uncommon Leadership Podcast—I'm your host, Michael Hunter from Uncommon Teams. Today, we are conversing with Dr. Iyer—one of the rare TED speakers whose talks were removed and...
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How Self-Prioritization Drives Better Teams, Systems, & Outcomes ft. Lynn Juang
Uncommon Leadership
A lot of leaders believe that they need to sacrifice themselves to stand out. But what if prioritizing yourself—your clarity, your energy, and your pace—is the most strategic thing you can do for your team as well as your organization? What if you had to be a little selfish? Putting on your oxygen mask before you rushed to help everyone else around you? Welcome to another inspiring episode of the Uncommon Leadership Podcast. I'm your host, Michael Hunter, and today I'm honored to explore what it means to pause, reset, and focus on self with Lynn Juang, the founder of...
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Resilience Starts with Self-Care ft. Dr. Amanda Lynne Smith
Uncommon Leadership
For the first 15 years of her career, Dr. Amanda Lynne Smith was always the first to arrive and last to leave. And she expected the same relentless pace from everyone around. Then COVID arrived, and with it, an unexpected gift: the permission to breathe. But this isn't just a story about work-life balance. It's the story that led to a groundbreaking realization—you cannot keep pouring if your cup is empty. It's about the time when Smith realized that personal resilience is an important business strategy, something a lot of organizations overlook. Welcome to another...
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Is Your Greatest Leadership Asset Hidden in Plain Sight? ft. Alfredo Borodowski
Uncommon Leadership
Have you ever hit a personal rock bottom that threatened your entire career? Our guest today, Dr. Alfredo Borodowski, knows that feeling intimately. Alfredo’s story is one of total collapse and remarkable redemption. He didn't find his way back with better systems; he found it by discovering his own forgotten character strengths. Hello! This is Michael Hunter from Uncommon Teams, and I'd love to welcome you to another episode of Uncommon Leadership, where we explore what it truly takes to thrive, not just survive, in today's chaotic world. Today, I sit down with Dr....
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The One Thing Uncommon Leaders Get Right ft. Romie Montpeirous
Uncommon Leadership
Hello there! I'm Michael Hunter, founder of Uncommon Teams, and I'm so glad you found this episode of the Uncommon Leadership Podcast. I started this series because I constantly meet leaders battling burnout and searching for deeper impact. While I may not have all the answers you're looking for, I truly believe that professional and personal success hinges on aligning personal fulfillment with business objectives. And today, my extraordinary guest, Romie Montpeirous from Leadership from the Heart, talks about the role of adaptability and empathy in leadership. ...
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The Making Of A Leader ft. Nick Goodin
Uncommon Leadership
What if the things you’ve been hiding are the very things that make you an extraordinary leader? In this episode of the Uncommon Leadership podcast, Michael Hunter sits down with Nick Goodin, a former chief product officer, to unpack a truth most leaders never discover: your personal story is your greatest asset. Nick shares his own incredible journey—from a traumatic childhood to the sudden, unexpected loss of his job—revealing how he learned to deconstruct life's challenges and rebuild with purpose. Through his unique philosophy of first principles thinking, Nick...
info_outlineWhy aren't your teams bringing you their best ideas?
Why are they silent in meetings?
Most likely, they don't feel psychologically safe to speak up. Or they haven't connected with the real you yet.
If this sounds true for your team, your leadership approach is heading into isolation, and you are facing a quiet crisis. The good news is that it's not too late, and together—we can fix it!
Hi there! I'm Michael Hunter from Uncommon Teams, and welcome to another exciting episode of the Uncommon Leadership Podcast. Joining me today is Rita Malvone, a renowned business performance expert and an executive coach.
Today, we’re diving straight to the core issues of leadership: cultivating the right workplace culture, establishing true psychological safety, and building authentic relationships.
We'll also explore the philosophy of Chiropractic Leadership—the art of finding the small, authentic adjustments that create massive organizational transformation. Through this approach, leaders can slowly realign human connections to unlock team potential.
Because at the end of the day, culture isn't something you do or say. It's about whether your people are willing to express their opinions in a meeting.
Before you go: What's that one small, precise, authentic adjustment you'd like to make as a leader for lasting impact and growth?
Not sure? Grab a seat and hit play.
Our work begins now.
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What We Discuss:
01:04 Intros
04:43 The Work-Life Myth: Choosing Integration over Balance
14:41 The Tigers, Dolphins, and Owls Communication Framework
24:31 Humanizing the Distant CEO
31:32 Communication is about what the receiver receives
34:14 Reacting vs. Responding in Leadership
38:22 The Business Case for Safety
42:20 The "47th in Line" Promotion Story
49:59 The Culture Audit
01:07:39 The Leadership Shadow: Why Authenticity Must Be 24/7
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In Conversation With:
Rita Malvone
A Certified DEI Professional and an ICF ACC coach, Rita is a New Yorker based in Shanghai, committed to driving impactful change through authentic communications. Drawing on her extensive corporate background, she guides industry leaders through corporate transformations, cultural alignment, and team effectiveness. Her notable work includes leading cultural integration for the Volkswagen Anhui NEV Hub and designing new leader programs for Airbus Greater China.
Rita Malvone on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamalvone/
Connect via email: rita@ritamalvone.com
Michael Hunter
Michael Hunter went from debugging code to debugging people. Now he helps people debug themselves. As the host of the Uncommon Leadership Podcast, Michael Hunter explores the why, how, and what of authentic leadership. He works primarily with tech leaders and founding teams, helping them navigate organizational chaos and change with resilience and grace.
Connect with Michael Hunter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/humbugreality/
Read more about his work: https://uncommonteams.com/
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Presented By: UncommonChange