
780: Moving From Self-Sabotage to Self-Mastery, with Shirzad Chamine
From Coaching for Leaders by Dave Stachowiak
April 27, 2026 · 39 min · Episode 780
About this episode
Shirzad Chamine discusses how leaders can move from self-sabotage to self-mastery through the concept of Positive Intelligence.
Shirzad Chamine: Positive Intelligence Shirzad has been the CEO of the largest coach training organization in the world. He has lectured on Positive Intelligence at Stanford University and has trained faculty at Stanford and Yale business schools. He is the author of The New York Times bestseller Positive Intelligence: Why Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve Their True Potential and How You Can Achieve Yours ( Amazon , Bookshop )*. By overusing our strengths, they can become our weakness. It’s just one of the many ways that leaders self-sabotage. In this conversation, Shirzad and I explore how to shift from self-sabotage to self-mastery. Key Points Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them. -Henry David Thoreau We are all a mixed bag of Darth Vader (saboteur) and Jedi knight (sage). By overusing a strength, you turn it into a weakness. Rather than attempting to eliminate all our saboteurs, it’s more helpful to be intentional about quieting them down. The four most common saboteurs that show up for leaders are Controller, Stickler, Hyper Achiever, Hyper Rational. Sage perspective: Every outcome or circumstance can be turned into…
People in this episode
Host: Dave Stachowiak
Guest: Shirzad Chamine
Topics covered
- self-sabotage
- self-mastery
- leadership
- positive intelligence
- personal development
Keywords
- self-sabotage
- self-mastery
- leadership
- Positive Intelligence
- personal development
- saboteurs
- sage perspective
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Stanford University, Yale
Books & works: Positive Intelligence: Why Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve Their True Potential and How You Can Achieve Yours
More episodes of Coaching for Leaders
- 786: The Problem with Reorgs and How to Do Better, with Phil Le-Brun · June 8, 2026 · 37 min
- 785: Make Your Task List Work for You, with Liane Davey · June 1, 2026 · 39 min
- 784: How to Protect the Organization You Love, with Eric Ries · May 25, 2026 · 38 min
- 783: How to Take Back Your Evenings, with Guy Winch · May 18, 2026 · 39 min
- 782: How to Help a Team Get Unstuck, with Gustavo Razzetti · May 11, 2026 · 39 min
- 781: Bonni and Dave Reflect on Recent Episodes · May 4, 2026 · 40 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Coaching for Leaders podcast page.