Coaching Real Leaders

Hosted by Harvard Business Review / Muriel Wilkins

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104

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Oct 2026

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About the show

We all want to get to the next level of our career, but so many of us get stuck. Longtime leadership coach Muriel Wilkins takes you inside real-life leadership coaching sessions with high performers working to overcome professional challenges and grow as leaders. Listen in on real conversations and leave with new insights and practical guidance for your own career. The views expressed on this podcast are those of its hosts, guests, and callers. ]]>

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60 recent

October 12, 202650 min

How Do I Ensure I Get Promoted?

She’s a leader who has worked hard to grow her career, but is currently feeling held back from reaching the next level. She wants to know what she needs to do to earn a promotion, especially given the challenges she faces with her team. Host Muriel Wilkins coaches her through how to manage the tension she’s feeling, and helps consider how she can keep developing even when there’s no guarantee of promotion. Vote for Coaching Real Leaders in the Signal Awards! https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2026/shows/genre/advice-how-to For Further Reading: Leadership Unblocked by Muriel Wilkins Chapter 5: LeadershipUnblocked.com Connect with Muriel: Website: murielwilkins.com LinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins Instagram: @CoachMurielWIlkins Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community: coachingrealleaderscommunity.com Read Muriel’s book: LeadershipUnblocked.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

September 28, 202641 min

Ask Muriel Anything with Special Guest Matt Abrahams

How do I show my team I’m listening when I don’t agree with them? How do I project confidence when I don’t know what the future holds? How do I balance empathy with accountability? How do I influence others when I don’t have formal authority? In this episode, Muriel and communication expert Matt Abrahams, lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business and host of Think Fast, Talk Smart , answer listeners’ questions about some of the trickiest communication and leadership challenges. They discuss how to demonstrate that you’re listening without having to agree, how to communicate with confidence in uncertain situations, and how to hold people accountable without sacrificing empathy. For further reading: Think Fast, Talk Smart: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast Matt’s book Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot: https://www.amazon.com/Think-Faster-Talk-Smarter-Successfully/dp/1668010305?tag=bookplease06-20&geniuslink=true Building Influence Without Authority (Coaching Real Leaders): https://hbr.org/podcast/2021/03/building-influence-without-authority Exerting Influence Without Authority (Harvard Business Review): https://hbr.org/2008/02/exerting-influence-without-aut Connect with Muriel: Website: murielwilkins.com LinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins Instagram: @CoachMurielWIlkins Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community: coachingrealleaderscommunity.com Read Muriel’s book: LeadershipUnblocked.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

September 14, 202654 min

How Do I Lead with Confidence Without Always Needing To Be Right?

She’s a leader who’s built a reputation for being direct, confident, and decisive. But she’s recently received feedback that her communication can create tense interactions with colleagues. Host Muriel Wilkins helps her look beyond the feedback itself to understand what’s driving those moments, and how she can exude confidence without the need to always be right. For further reading: The Right Way to Respond to Negative Feedback: https://hbr.org/2018/05/the-right-way-to-respond-to-negative-feedback How to Make Sense of Conflicting Feedback on Your Leadership: https://hbr.org/2022/01/how-to-make-sense-of-conflicting-feedback-on-your-leadership How Do I Stop Being Defensive?: https://hbr.org/podcast/2021/11/how-do-i-stop-being-defensive? What Leaders Get Wrong About Listening: https://hbr.org/podcast/2025/06/what-leaders-get-wrong-about-listening Leadership Unblocked Chapter 5: LeadershipUnblocked.com Own the Room: https://us.amazon.com/Own-Room-Discover-Signature-Leadership-ebook/dp/B00BAH7PQY/ref=sr_1_2?_encoding=UTF8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.epwJb2QC4llONZO6YeARJmJmT5QGtcapVuFP9fuTNbE.N4ouJEbmhKVyJS8dDcnMA_s1Ieg-1Da9XjVKtTDekp8&dib_tag=se&keywords=B00BBJZX2O&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1789330493&s=digital-text&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&sr=1-2 Connect with Muriel: Website: murielwilkins.com LinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins Instagram: @CoachMurielWIlkins Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community: coachingrealleaderscommunity.com Read Muriel’s book: LeadershipUnblocked.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

August 31, 202634 min

Ask Muriel Anything: Staying Motivated, The Pros and Cons of People Management, and Handling Ambitious Employees

How do you stay motivated in your career after years of success - and conquering so many mountains? How do you decide if taking on people management is the right move for you? How should you respond to an ambitious employee that you think needs to be more patient? In this episode, Muriel and her producer, Mary, answer listeners’ questions to help leaders of all levels navigate the challenges they are facing. For further reading: A Guide to Motivating Yourself at Work: https://hbr.org/2023/07/a-guide-to-motivating-yourself-at-work The 7 Hidden Beliefs That Hold Leaders Back: https://www.radicalcandor.com/podcast/hidden-beliefs How Do I Stay Motivated After Surviving Layoffs? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjy_GCrZTnQ Should I Become a People Manager? https://medium.com/@fun_cuddles/should-i-become-a-people-manager-the-difficulty-of-identifying-management-potential-8fbfb534f0b1 Want to stay connected? You can find Muriel here: Website: murielwilkins.com LinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins Instagram: @CoachMurielWilkins Want to be coached by Muriel? If you’re facing a professional challenge, apply to be coached by Muriel on the Coaching Real Leaders podcast: Apply here Keep the conversation going: Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community where Muriel hosts live debriefs and Q&A sessions: coachingrealleaderscommunity.com Go deeper: Read Muriel’s newest book, Leadership Unblocked : LeadershipUnblocked.com For executive coaches: Learn more about Evolve, Muriel’s immersive program for executive coaches: murielwilkins.com/evolve See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

August 24, 202631 min

Behind the Scenes: A Coaching Debrief

Join host Muriel Wilkins as she unpacks last week’s Coaching Real Leaders’ episode, “Why Haven’t I Made It To The C-Suite”, where she coached Randy - a leader who has spent years coming close to landing the most senior level executive roles, only to be passed over without clear feedback. In this special bonus and companion episode, Muriel debriefs the coaching conversation with her Coaching Real Leaders Community and provides additional context to what was really going on during the coaching session and helps listeners better understand her coaching approach. Be sure to listen to the episode we debrief: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/best-of-crl-why-havent-i-made-it-to-the-c-suite/id1545444200?i=1000783849495 Want to stay connected? You can find Muriel here: Website: murielwilkins.com LinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins Instagram: @CoachMurielWilkins Want to be coached by Muriel? If you’re facing a professional challenge, apply to be coached by Muriel on the Coaching Real Leaders podcast: Apply here Keep the conversation going: Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community where Muriel hosts live debriefs and Q&A sessions: coachingrealleaderscommunity.com Go deeper: Read Muriel’s newest book, Leadership Unblocked : LeadershipUnblocked.com For executive coaches: Learn more about Evolve, Muriel’s immersive program for executive coaches: murielwilkins.com/evolve See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

August 17, 202648 min

Best of CRL: Why Haven’t I Made it to the C-Suite?

He’s spent years coming close to landing the most senior level executive roles, only to be passed over without clear feedback. Host Muriel Wilkins coaches him through what to do when you feel you've done everything "right" but still don't get the opportunity you were hoping for. For further reading: What to Do After a Final-Round Job Interview : https://hbr.org/2021/01/what-to-do-after-a-final-round-job-interview Cracking the Code That Stalls People of Color : https://hbr.org/2014/01/cracking-the-code-that-stalls-multicultural-professionals What Do Black Executives Really Want? : https://hbr.org/2021/11/what-do-black-executives-really-want Connect with Muriel: Website: murielwilkins.com LinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins Instagram: @CoachMurielWIlkins Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community: coachingrealleaderscommunity.com Read Muriel’s book: LeadershipUnblocked.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

August 3, 202647 min

Ask Muriel Anything with Special Guest Damien Faughnan

Have you ever been passed over for a promotion? Are you wondering whether you're ready for the CEO role—or your next big career move? Are you struggling to figure out when it's time to leave for good? In this episode, CEO Coach and Advisor, Damien Faughnan, joins host, Muriel Wilkins, to answer questions from the Coaching Real Leaders community. For further reading: Learn more about Damien: https://damienfaughnan.com/ Rewriting the Playbook: Leading Through Compounding Uncertainty: https://www.russellreynolds.com/en/insights/articles/rewriting-the-playbook-leading-through-compounding-uncertainty Leaders, It’s Time to Build Your Tolerance for Uncertainty: https://hbr.org/2026/01/leaders-its-time-to-build-your-tolerance-for-uncertainty How to Become a First Time CEO: https://www.russellreynolds.com/en/about/careers/careers-with-our-clients/how-to-become-a-first-time-ceo The Midlife Chrysalis: https://www.meawisdom.com/podcast/ Connect with Muriel: Website: murielwilkins.com LinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins Instagram: @CoachMurielWIlkins Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community: coachingrealleaderscommunity.com Read Muriel’s book: LeadershipUnblocked.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

July 20, 20261 hr 4 min

How Do I Lead Someone Who Doesn’t Seem to Fit the Team Culture?

She’s recently taken on a bigger leadership role and with that shift comes a new challenge: how to lead a team where one person’s style doesn’t seem to fit the culture she’s worked so hard to build. Host Muriel Wilkins coaches her through how to manage a difficult dynamic while addressing the larger team leadership issues it raises. For further reading: More on the DISC assessment: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/8692-disc-assessment.html Difficult People: https://hbr.org/podcast/2018/02/difficult-people Stop Hiring for Culture Fit: https://hbr.org/2018/01/how-to-hire How To Handle Employees Who Don’t Fit Your Culture: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/handandassociates_what-should-you-do-if-current-employees-don-activity-7299836392640020480-nzc0/ How to Support a New Employee Who Doesn’t Seem to Fit In: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/ca/resources/manage-employees/employee-doesnt-fit-in-corporate-culture/ Connect with Muriel: Website: murielwilkins.com LinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins Instagram: @CoachMurielWIlkins Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community: coachingrealleaderscommunity.com Read Muriel’s book: LeadershipUnblocked.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

July 6, 202635 min

Ask Muriel Anything: Becoming My Friend’s Boss, Upsetting a Coworker, Dealing With Micromanagers

How do I handle becoming my close friend’s boss? How do I recover after upsetting a coworker? How do I get my boss to stop micromanaging? In this episode, Muriel and her producer, Mary, answer listeners’ questions to help you navigate the issues you face at work. For further reading: Good Leaders Admit Mistakes: https://hbr.org/video/2228473497001/good-leaders-admit-mistakes Transitioning from Peer to Manager? Here’s What to Expect: https://www.csinsider.co/email/transitioning-from-peer-to-manager The Secret to Building a High-Performance Team: https://hbr.org/2025/09/the-secret-to-building-a-high-performing-team Why Micromanagement Is So Harmful: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mind-of-the-manager/202409/why-micromanagement-is-so-harmful Connect with Muriel: Website: murielwilkins.com LinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins Instagram: @CoachMurielWIlkins Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community: coachingrealleaderscommunity.com Read Muriel’s book: LeadershipUnblocked.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

June 22, 202655 min

How Do I Lead When Being the Expert Isn't Enough?

He's built his career on technical excellence and those skills have always been his path to success. But as AI reshapes his organization and his role, he senses that expertise alone won't carry him to the next level and he's unsure where to spend his time and energy to grow. Host Muriel Wilkins coaches him through how to expand his identity beyond the technical expert he's always been. For further reading: Our Favorite Management Tips on Leading With AI: https://hbr.org/2026/03/our-favorite-management-tips-on-leading-with-ai AI Won’t Replace Leaders: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/james-kamanski_ai-wont-replace-leaders-but-leaders-who-activity-7353744446443700224-iz97 How Can a Manager Maintain a Balance Between Technical and Managerial Skills? https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/04/01/how-can-a-manager-maintain-a-balance-between-technical-and-managerial-skills/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .