The Power of Discipline and Candor in Executive Leadership | Des Hague | 670
Release Date: 10/02/2025
Why Pressure—not Power—Breaks Leaders: | Sabina Nawaz | 680
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What happens when pressure—not power—shapes the way leaders show up? That’s the question at the heart of this conversation with executive advisor, keynote speaker, and bestselling author . Sabina’s thought leadership centers on a bold idea: pressure can squeeze the humanity out of even the best leaders. And in today’s high-velocity business environment, every manager—from first-line supervisors to CEOs—is at risk. Her work helps leaders reclaim that humanity, especially when the stakes are highest. In this episode, Sabina shares the research behind her book " " , built on 12,000...
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The Playbook for Scaling Thought Leadership | Daniel Harkavy | 679
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What does it take to transform leadership into a calling — and build a business that transforms others? Today, Peter Winick sits down with , founder and CEO of , a pioneer in executive coaching and leadership development. Daniel shares how he turned the lessons from his early career in mortgage banking into a structured, scalable system for growing leaders — and why his success is rooted in helping others unlock their potential. Daniel’s approach to thought leadership isn’t about pedigree or credentials — it’s about proof. He took what worked in one high-performance environment...
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How Rituals (Not Routines) Transform Leadership and Life | Erin Coupe | 678
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What if you could stop running on empty—and still perform at your best? That’s the question , author of "" (and host of a by the same name), invites leaders to ask. She challenges the old “time management” mindset that rewards burnout and box-checking, replacing it with a human-centered strategy of presence, choice, and renewal. Her message? Productivity doesn’t come from cramming more into your day—it comes from creating rituals that restore you. Erin works with executives and teams to help them shift from survival mode to sustainable performance. Through keynotes, workshops,...
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The Power of the Pause: Why Slowing Down Fuels Stronger Leadership | Melissa Gonzalez | 677
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What happens when life forces you to stop—and that pause changes everything? , Principal at and author of "", knows firsthand. A medical crisis made her rethink what success truly means. Once a Wall Street professional turned retail design expert and author of "", Melissa built a thriving business helping brands tell their stories through physical spaces. But when her own defining moment arrived, she found a new story to tell—one about purpose, well-being, and the strength found in vulnerability. In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Melissa joins Bill Sherman to explore how...
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The DPD Framework: How to Decide Faster and Lead Smarter | Dr. Geoffrey Mount Varner | 676
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What happens when life-and-death decision-making meets the boardroom? Today our guest is —a physician, author of "", and leadership expert—shares how his experience in emergency medicine led him to develop a powerful framework for decision-making under pressure. As the former head of Washington D.C.’s emergency Ebola response, Dr. Varner learned that hesitation can be deadly. Today, he brings that same clarity and urgency to the world of business leadership. Dr. Varner explains how most leaders waste valuable “decision energy” by treating every choice as equally important. His...
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The Power of Women’s Stories in Tech | Miri Rodriguez | 675
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What happens when a storyteller from Microsoft turns her lens on the women shaping technology’s past, present, and future? Today on Leveraging Thought Leadership, Peter Winick sits down with , CEO of , best-selling author, storyteller at , and co-author of "" (). Miri reveals how a simple Teams message from a colleague in Poland sparked a global collaboration — uniting 50 women from across cultures, career levels, and disciplines to tell their stories of innovation, resilience, and purpose. Miri’s thought leadership centers on mission-driven storytelling — using narrative as a...
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How Thought Leaders Win the Publishing Game | Ken Lizotte | 674
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What’s the real ROI of a book? That’s the question Peter Winick poses to Chief Imaginative Officer of , author of "" and publishing expert , in this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership. Ken has helped more than 350 thought leaders turn their ideas into published works—books, blogs, and articles that position them as authorities in their fields. He’s seen it all: the excitement of a new book idea, the confusion around agents and publishers, and the reality that the book itself isn’t the profit center—it’s the door opener. Ken breaks down the evolving world of...
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How Great Thought Leaders Use Podcasts to Scale Influence | Ryan Estes | 673
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What makes a podcast truly powerful — and worth your time? In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Peter Winick sits down with , co-founder of and , to unpack what separates a great podcast guest — and host — from the rest. Ryan’s work connects CEOs, founders, and thought leaders to the right audiences through strategic podcast placement. His mission: to turn conversations into meaningful distribution. Ryan explains why founder-led marketing outperforms brand marketing — by as much as 80%. He reveals how showing up authentically on podcasts isn’t just about...
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Why the Best Idea Isn’t Enough | Gavin McMahon | 672
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What if the world didn’t reward the best ideas — but the best-packaged ones? That’s the question at the heart of this conversation between Bill Sherman and , CEO of and author of . Once an engineer designing submarines, Gavin discovered that technical brilliance alone doesn’t move ideas forward — storytelling does. Now, he helps leaders use story as a tool for influence, clarity, and change. In this episode, Bill and Gavin explore why ideas don’t speak for themselves — and how story gives them a voice. They unpack the idea of “storytelling power” versus organizational...
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The Power of Peer-to-Peer Leadership | Ken Banta | 671
Leveraging Thought Leadership
What happens when senior executives step into a room and speak with radical candor? In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, host Peter Winick sits down with , Founder and CEO of the , to explore how real leaders grow stronger through dialogue—not monologues. Ken doesn’t just advise on leadership—he builds ecosystems where executives learn directly from each other. The Vanguard Network creates peer-to-peer forums where GCs, CEOs, and senior leaders share their toughest challenges and unfiltered lessons. The power comes not from lectures or PowerPoint, but from raw, honest...
info_outlineWhat happens when a CEO treats thought leadership as essential as strategy?
In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, host Peter Winick sits down with Des Hague, an acclaimed executive who has led global brands like PepsiCo, IHOP, and Centerplate, and now advises startups, nonprofits, and private equity firms. He’s also the author of "Think Your Way to the Top" and "15 Minutes of Shame", with a third book on the way.
Des doesn’t see thought leadership as an optional side project. For him, it’s the natural extension of leadership itself—codifying the models, frameworks, and mindsets that fuel success. He shares why talent is always the starting point, how leaders must prioritize relentlessly, and why making time for writing and reflection is a choice, not a luxury.
We dig into the dangers of mediocrity and entitlement, the critical role of sacrifice, and how to stay focused in a world addicted to distraction. Des’s mantra, NSL—Never Stop Learning—pushes leaders to reject complacency and demand excellence from themselves and others.
He also opens up about resilience, accountability, and how leaders respond to their lowest moments. Through transparency and candor, Des reframes failure as a lesson, not a life sentence. His story challenges executives to hold themselves to higher standards, embrace growth, and remain relentless in their pursuit of impact.
This is an episode for leaders who want more than buzzwords. It’s about discipline, clarity, and the courage to lead with integrity—even when the spotlight is harsh.
Three Key Takeaways:
• Thought leadership is leadership. Codifying frameworks, sharing ideas, and investing in personal development are essential for leading organizations and people effectively.
• Focus and sacrifice drive results. Great leaders prioritize ruthlessly, avoid distractions, and make deliberate trade-offs to create time for what matters most.
• Resilience and accountability matter. Owning mistakes, learning from setbacks, and maintaining a growth mindset separate leaders who stagnate from those who continue to make an impact.
If you enjoyed Des Hague’s perspective on leadership, focus, and turning ideas into impact, you’ll want to dive into our episode with Will Milano. Both conversations tackle the discipline behind thought leadership—how leaders move beyond inspiration to frameworks, focus, and execution. Des shows how personal accountability and clarity shape great leadership, while Will unpacks how organizations can build a repeatable engine that scales those ideas into measurable business results.
Together, these episodes give you a 360° view: the mindset of the leader and the system that powers the enterprise. Listen to both, and you’ll walk away with practical insights for making thought leadership not just personal, but organizational.
Listen to Will's episode here.