Building and Leading High Performance and Championship Teams with Chantal Vallée
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
Release Date: 08/06/2025
Three Steps to Better 1-on-1 Meetings - Thoughts from Kevin
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
1-on-1 meetings are one of the most powerful tools leaders have—yet many leaders struggle to make them consistent, productive, or mutually valuable. In this episode, I’m sharing three practical steps to help you create better, more effective 1-on-1s with your team members. You’ll learn: • Why having a consistent rhythm matters more than you think • How to transform your 1-on-1s from reporting sessions into working meetings • Why letting your team member go first changes the quality of the conversation • The key mindset shift that makes these meetings valuable for both people...
info_outline
Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups with Colin Fisher
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
What if understanding group dynamics is the secret to building high-performing teams? In this episode, Kevin speaks with Dr. Colin Fisher about what makes successful teams work. They debunk the myth of the lone genius and explore why collaboration, not individual brilliance, drives real innovation. Dr. Fisher explains when team synergy happens and why so many teams underperform without realizing it. He also shares practical insights on optimal meeting sizes, how remote and hybrid work affects collaboration, and how to harness healthy competition without damaging team performance. Listen For...
info_outline
Five Minutes to Greater Influence - Thoughts from Kevin
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
How can you become more influential—in just five minutes? In this episode, Kevin Eikenberry shares five simple actions that can strengthen your influence as a leader, teammate, or friend. These are small, intentional steps that take only minutes but can create lasting impact. Leadership isn’t about control—it’s about connection. Influence grows when we focus on others first, and Kevin walks through how to do exactly that. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why asking good questions is more powerful than giving good answers How small investments in relationships lead to greater trust ...
info_outline
Removing Organizational Roadblocks with Don Kieffer and Nelson Repenning
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
Have you ever felt like you're constantly putting out fires at work instead of making progress? Kevin welcomes Don Kieffer and Nelson Repenning to discuss why so many workplace processes feel frustrating and ineffective, and what leaders can do about it. Drawing on decades of experience in operations and organizational design, Don and Nelson reveal why quick-fix workarounds backfire, how firefighting becomes the default mode of operation, and the hidden costs of constantly reacting instead of leading. They introduce the concept of dynamic work design and explain why breaking down silos isn't...
info_outline
Are You Focused on the Clock or Your Contribution? | Thoughts from Kevin
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
Too often, we measure our days by how much we get done—instead of by how much we contribute. In this episode, I’m sharing an idea that’s stuck with me since a conversation years ago with Lisa O’Dell. She asked a simple but powerful question: Are you thinking about the clock or your contribution? That question changed how I think about productivity, focus, and leadership. It’s not about racing the clock or checking off boxes—it’s about doing the few things that truly move the needle. Join me as I explore how to: Shift from busyness to meaningful accomplishment Focus on what...
info_outline
Leading for Wellness with Katina Sawyer and Patricia Grabarek
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
What if everything you believe about workplace wellness is only part of the story? In this episode, Kevin welcomes Dr. Katina Sawyer and Dr. Patricia Grabarek to discuss the real drivers of well-being at work and the critical role leaders play in shaping thriving environments. Drawing on their research, Katina and Patricia challenge the overreliance on surface-level wellness programs and demonstrate how authentic leadership, trust, and team connection have far greater impact. They introduce the concept of "generators", leaders who energize and empower their teams and contrast them with...
info_outline
One Key to Goal Achievement
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
What’s the most important thing you need to achieve your goals? It isn’t the target—it’s your why. In this episode, I share a story about The Biggest Loser (yes, the reality show!) and how I could often predict who would win before the competition even began. The secret? It all came down to their reasons—their why. Whether your goals are personal or professional, the same truth applies: the clearer and stronger your why, the greater your chance of success. If you’ve ever felt stuck, unmotivated, or unsure how to reach your goals, this episode will help you reconnect with your...
info_outline
Coaching Power with Luciana Núñez
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we’d be thrilled if you’d let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. for posting a review. Review on Apple: What if, instead of giving your team answers, you asked the right questions and listened? In this episode, Kevin sits down with Luciana Núñez to discuss how coaching can be more than just a skill; it can be a leadership philosophy that transforms individuals, teams, and entire organizations. Luciana shares why the command-and-control leadership model no longer works in today’s world, and how...
info_outline
What is the Biggest Secret to Giving Feedback?
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
Over the years, I’ve learned that feedback conversations often fail before they even begin — and I’ve made my fair share of mistakes too. But in this episode, I’m sharing what I believe is the biggest secret to giving feedback that actually works. Whether you’re a leader, a coach, or just want to help someone grow — the key is not in what you say first, but in what you ask. In this video, I’ll walk you through: - The powerful shift that makes feedback more effective - A few simple, open-ended questions I use to start these conversations - How to respond when someone says too...
info_outline
How to See Your Leadership Blindspots with Martin Dubin
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
How do you uncover what you can't see, especially when it's holding you back as a leader? Kevin talks with clinical psychologist and executive coach Marty Dubin about one of the most critical yet often overlooked leadership capabilities: self-awareness. Marty shares his comprehensive six-part model for self-awareness, providing leaders with a practical framework for deeper self-understanding. Kevin and Marty also discuss how our greatest strengths can become liabilities when overused, how blind spots can derail otherwise successful leaders, and how small, intentional changes in behavior can...
info_outlineWhat lessons can leaders draw from championship-winning coaches? Kevin is joined by Chantal Vallée, who discusses her academic research on leadership and coaching success across sports, business, education, and healthcare. She identified four essential elements shared by great leaders: a compelling vision, strong organizational skills, a focus on individual development, and the ability to utilize key leadership traits. Together, Kevin and Chantal explore topics like setting a vision, handling pressure, and trusting the process. Chantal also offers practical tools for leadership, including the Council of Advisors and symbolic team-building exercises.
Listen For
00:00 Welcome to the Remarkable Leadership Podcast
00:39 Join Our Live Recordings
01:05 About Flexible Leadership
01:32 Introducing Chantal Vallée
02:48 Chantal’s Journey from Player to Coach
04:14 Why Chantal Wrote Her Book
05:13 Research Behind High-Performance Teams
06:28 Applying Research to Build a Championship Team
07:09 The Four-Part Leadership Framework
08:57 The Power of Vision
09:38 Organizational Skills as a Leadership Pillar
10:37 Investing in Individual Growth
11:12 Leadership Attributes: The Full Spectrum
11:42 Connecting to Flexible Leadership
12:02 Clarifying Organizational Skills
12:54 The Five-Year Vision and Recruiting
14:17 Making the Vision Real Through Staged Goals
16:19 Trusting the Process
17:28 Sacrificing Short-Term Wins for Long-Term Culture
18:29 Teaching Culture Through Strategic Decisions
19:13 Undervalued Leadership Attribute
20:27 The Importance of Lifelong Learning
21:34 Building a Council of Advisors
24:17 Inclusive Decision-Making as a Leader
25:06 Leading After a Crushing Defeat
26:10 Symbolism of the Hill and Letting Go
28:32 Applying Coaching Lessons to Business Leadership
28:52 Coaching Men’s Professional Basketball
30:22 Rapid Organizational Transformation
30:35 What Chantal Does for Fun
31:22 Recommended Book: Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself
32:14 Final Thoughts and Next Steps
Chantal's Story: Chantal Vallée is the author of Dare to Win: The Blueprint to Building and Leading High Performance and Championship Teams. She is the Windsor Lancers Women’s Basketball Coach and transformed a last-place team into five-time national champions. She was also the first woman worldwide to coach and manage a men’s professional team (Hamilton Honey Badgers), guiding them to the finals. Chantal Vallée lives in Windsor, ON.
This Episode is brought to you by...
Flexible Leadership is every leader’s guide to greater success in a world of increasing complexity and chaos.
Book Recommendations
Like this?