From food delivery to dating, much of modern life is designed to help us eliminate friction.

But today’s guest suggests that we may have eliminated too much friction.

Ross Blankenship is an organizational psychologist, executive coach, and author who works with CEOs and senior leadership teams on the human side of leadership. In his forthcoming book, Friction: Uncover the Power of Leading Through Tension, Ross and his co-author, Maggie Sass, explore how leaders can lead through friction for better decisions, stronger relationships, and healthier performance.

In this conversation, Daniel, Peter, and Ross discuss why the right amount of friction is key to learning and leading for long-term success.

Ross points to studies that show when learning is more difficult, retention is higher. “If you take too much of the friction out of my thinking… then I’m not really thinking about it anymore,” he says.

Tune in to learn:

• The different types of friction that affect how people work and lead
• Why a little bit of friction is actually good
• How “sticking points” can help improve thinking

Like most beneficial practices, leveraging and navigating friction starts with habits. Find “the very simplest, smallest version of a task,” says Ross, and reflect or put energy into thinking about that friction. “That’s the kind of habit that can start to change your identity over time.”

Questions, or comments? E-mail us at podcast@stewartleadership.com

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Resources and Links

Everyday Leadership Website

Ross Blankenship’s Substack “Theory of Change”

Tuesday Advisors

Ross Blankenship website

Ross Blankenship LinkedIn

Friction: Uncover the Power of Leading Through Tension (August 2026)

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

Why this One Skill is a Non-Negotiable for Your Next-Level Leaders

8 Tips to Manage Critical Feedback

5 IQ Lessons from a Leader Who Turned Criticism Into Growth

Burned Out vs. Bored Out: The Hidden Engagement Crisis

6 Ways Leaders can Master Emotional Self-Control

How to Increase Your Emotional Intelligence

8 Keys to Managing Conflict Well

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#leadership #podcast #leadershippodcast #leadershipdevelopment #StewartLeadership #LeadershipGrowthPodcast

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

By the time you read this sentence, the AI landscape has already changed, says Bala Muthiah, Director of Engineering for Lyft.

“It’s like A Tale of Two Cities,” he says, citing the tension between champions and skeptics. “There are dreamers, and we need them. And there is a realism when code goes to production.”

In this conversation with Daniel and Peter, Bala shares his insights about how to balance aspirations around the great potential of AI with a healthy dose of realism about its capabilities and use cases.

Tune in to learn:

• A framework to help apply AI with a “human first” approach
• What you should NOT do to promote AI literacy
• Why leaders should let go of AI FOMO

Ultimately, Bala encourages leaders to be curious. “As a leader, the number one job is to help your team be their best,” he says. Being curious “is always going to be the winning formula.”

Questions, or comments? E-mail us at podcast@stewartleadership.com

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Sign up for Stewart Leadership's newsletter: https://stewartleadership.com/newsletter/

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Resources and Links

Bala Muthiah LinkedIn

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

4 Mistakes Leaders Make with AI–and What to Do Instead

4 Ways to Encourage a Healthy Failure Culture

The AI Integration Roadmap

How to Stay Relevant at Work

6 Ways to Gain Support for Organizational Change

The 4 Steps for Managing Constant Change in the Workplace

4 Ways to Develop a Strategy of Adaptation

5 Signs You’re Ready for Digital Transformation

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#leadership #podcast #leadershippodcast #leadershipdevelopment #StewartLeadership #LeadershipGrowthPodcast

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

Resilience isn't a personality trait, says today's guest, Dr. Marie-Hélène Pelletier. "It is a state” that runs from high to low on a continuum.

Dr. Pelletier, also known as MH, is a leadership psychologist, executive coach, and senior leader with over twenty years of experience across the corporate, insurance, and governance sectors. Her award-winning book, The Resilience Plan, was named a “Top Five Book to Read” by both Inc. Magazine and Forbes.

In this episode, MH joins Daniel and Peter to examine what resilience means for today's leaders and how to apply strategic thinking to today’s challenges.

Tune in to learn:

• Why resilience exists on a continuum
• The three pillars for building resilience in the age of AI
• How leaders can support team resilience

The answer to facing the relentless pace of the AI-world isn’t heroic endurance, says MH. Rather, it's a calmer brain. With strategic thinking, leaders can strengthen resilience for both themselves and their teams.

Questions, comments, or topic ideas? Drop us an e-mail at podcast@stewartleadership.com.

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Listen to The Leadership Growth Podcast!

https://open.spotify.com/show/6tYdz1gQAxHIQMeNXtkA3z?si=5cf424f1e2954749

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leadership-growth-podcast/id1726606341

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Sign up for Stewart Leadership's newsletter: https://stewartleadership.com/newsletter/

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Resources and Links

Dr. Marie-Hélène (“MH”) Pelletier website

The Resilience Plan: A Strategic Approach to Optimizing Your Work Performance and Mental Health (Amazon link)

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

https://stewartleadership.com/lead-in-uncertain-times/

https://stewartleadership.com/leading-through-uncertainty/

https://stewartleadership.com/improve-your-work-life-integration-by-managing-microstress/

https://stewartleadership.com/how-to-zoom-out-and-manage-your-inner-chatter/

https://stewartleadership.com/4-ways-to-encourage-a-growth-mindset-culture/

#leadership #podcast #leadershippodcast #leadershipdevelopment #leadershipcoaching #StewartLeadership #LeadershipGrowthPodcast

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.