Thoughts Unlocked – The Invisible Trophy of Productivity
In this episode of Thoughts Unlocked, I read a little bit of Chapter 2 from my new book idea, called Misdiagnosed, and explore where our obsession with visible productivity came from. It starts with a stopwatch, a pile of pig iron, and Frederick Winslow Taylor’s attempt to measure human work like a machine.
Unlocking Micromanagement With Colin Fisher
In this episode of Unlocked, Skot Waldron talks with Colin Fisher, author of The Collective Edge, about improvisation, leadership, creative work, and why teams often struggle when the work gets messy, invisible, or hard to measure. They unpack the difference between checking in and checking up, why leaders need to make their intentions more explicit, and how even good leaders can start behaving badly inside broken systems.
Unlocking Why Smart People Still Make Bad Decisions With Dr. Ricardo Valerdi
In this episode of Unlocked, Skot sits down with Dr. Ricardo Valerdi, engineer, sports scientist, University of Arizona professor, and author of *The Five Tool Team*, to unpack the psychology behind decision-making, and why judging a decision by its outcome is one of the most common leadership mistakes.
Thoughts Unlocked – I Wish I Could Be More Like Them
During coaching sessions, I’ve heard a lot of different emotions from clients, particularly frustration and hopelessness. Yet, one phrase I hear too often is, “I wish I could be more like them.” This sentiment speaks volumes about how we perceive ourselves in the workplace. Often, those expressing this wish are comparing themselves to colleagues who appear to glide through their tasks with ease.
Unlocking Why Smart Leaders Weaponize Resilience With Nikki Langman
In this episode of Unlocked, Skot sits down with international speaker and emotional intelligence expert Nikki Langman to unpack what psychological safety really means (and what it doesn’t). Nikki shares the remarkable story of a 12-month emotional intelligence program she ran inside a high-risk maritime company, one that cut lost-time injuries by 86% and doubled near-miss reporting, proof that trust and safety directly move the needle on real business outcomes.
Unlocking Why Leadership Is Lonelier For Women With Lindsay Pinchuk
In this episode of Unlocked, host Skot Waldron sits down with award-winning entrepreneur and Dear FoundHer… founder Lindsay Pinchuk to unpack why the right community changes everything for women leaders and founders over 40. They dig into the mental load women carry at home while leading at work, why burnout from corporate America is pushing women into entrepreneurship, and the simple but powerful difference between having a network and having real people in your corner.
Unlocking The Secret Behind The Apple Store With Ron Johnson
Most people think the Apple Store succeeded because of great design. Ron Johnson says that’s only half the story. The real secret was something much more personal. In this episode, Ron Johnson, the man who built the Apple Store alongside Steve Jobs and later became CEO of JCPenney, breaks down the invisible forces that shape how leaders make decisions.
Thoughts Unlocked – How Stress Breaks Trust
Stress doesn’t create cracks in your culture. It reveals them. When teams are under pressure, trust can quickly turn into blame, assumptions, longer email threads, and people protecting themselves instead of solving problems. In this episode of Thoughts Unlocked, I break down why stress can break trust and what leaders can do about it.
Thoughts Unlocked – You Have Enough Time
“I don’t have time.” We say it all the time. But what if time isn’t actually the problem?
In this episode of Thoughts Unlocked, I’m challenging the idea that we don’t have enough time. The real issue is often ownership.
Unlocking Why Work-Life Balance Might Be The Wrong Goal With John Azar
In this episode of Unlocked, Skot Waldron talks with John Azar about why “work-life balance” might not be the real goal, what healthy seasons of imbalance can look like, and how to pursue big goals without accidentally turning your life into a motivational poster with Wi-Fi.