What if some of the advice we’ve been given about leadership is actually making us worse at leading? After nearly four decades running sales organizations and billion-dollar operations, Larry Coval believes we’ve become too focused on authenticity, self-awareness, and how leaders feel, and not focused enough on competence, accountability, and helping other people succeed. His new book, Misled, takes aim at some of the most familiar ideas in modern leadership and asks a provocative question: What do people actually need from their leaders?
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- Why the multi-billion-dollar leadership development industry is seeing declining employee sentiment despite increased spending on emotional intelligence and soft skills training.
- How focusing excessively on authenticity and vulnerability without operational competence can backfire for managers and their teams.
- The hidden pitfalls of hiring strictly for cultural fit and sameness rather than seeking out productive differentiation.
- Practical ways to shift from acting as an emotional prop for your team to becoming an active upskiller who invests directly in their success.
- Why traditional corporate meeting culture drains time and energy, and how red-teaming your calendar can give teams their productivity back.
Episode Chapters
- (00:00) Intro
- (00:54) Welcome Larry Coval
- (01:33) The Flaws of Emotional Leadership
- (03:01) What Employees Actually Need
- (05:00) Fixing Broken Hiring Practices
- (07:53) Preparing Individual Contributors for Management
- (13:09) Unpacking Servant Leadership
- (17:38) Building Competency-Based Leadership Programs
- (21:12) Eliminating Meeting Culture
- (24:43) Brand Smile and Outro
About Larry Coval
Larry Coval is an executive leader, coach, and author who has spent nearly four decades running sales organizations and billion-dollar operations. Drawing on his extensive corporate experience, his new book, Misled: Why Almost Everything We Learned About Leadership Is Wrong and How to Fix It, challenges conventional wisdom in leadership development by shifting the focus from emotional states back to skill, competence, and accountability.
What Brand Has Made Larry Smile Recently?
Larry highlighted Honolulu Pickleball, a small family-owned business that has captured major industry awards against multi-million-dollar competitors through rapid innovation, cutting-edge paddle technology, and exceptional customer care.
Resources & Links
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