You Might Try This

Many new leaders assume that a title automatically gives them power, but they quickly discover that authority alone can only take them so far. In today’s episode, Stacey and Cade explore the difference between compliance and commitment, drawing on classic leadership research and real-world examples. They discuss why title-based authority often erodes over time, how influence is built through trust and relationships, and the hidden “currencies” that help leaders gain buy-in without relying on hierarchy.Key takeaways:Titles create compliance, but influence creates commitmentAuthority is a limited resourceThe most powerful forms of influence are earned over time through expertise, relationships, trust, and credibilityEffective influence is based on understanding what others valueLeadership success at higher levels depends less on formal authority and more on the ability to influence peers, partners, and stakeholders who do not report to youChapters00:00 — Why Titles Don’t Create Real Leadership Power05:50 — The Six Sources of Power at Work10:12 — Why Title-Based Authority Has Limits15:19 — The Five Currencies of Influence20:19 — Building Trust Through Relationship and Personal Currency24:05 — Three Ways to Increase Influence Without AuthorityTo learn more about us and the podcast, visit youmighttrythis.com and check us out on social media @youmighttrythis

Welcome back!In this episode, Cade and Stacey explore the hidden burnout signals that leaders and high performers often miss until it’s too late. Drawing on the original research of psychologist Herbert Freudenberger and burnout expert Christina Maslach, they unpack why burnout is rarely about laziness or lack of commitment. In fact, the people most at risk are often the ones who care the most, work the hardest, and continue producing results long after they’ve started emotionally checking out.Key Takeaways:Burnout was originally identified in highly committed, high-performing people, not disengaged employeesCynicism and loss of meaning usually appear long before exhaustion doesHigh performers often hide burnout by increasing output and “pushing through”Small losses outside work (think exercise, friendships, reflection time, hobbies) can be early warning signsLeaders can spot burnout earlier by asking better questions about energy, momentum, and meaningChapters00:00 The hidden cost of high-performer burnout 02:15 How burnout was first identified04:21 The three stages of burnout leaders miss07:34 Why high performers hide burnout so well16:20 The early signals leaders should actually watch for 26:10 Practical experiments to catch burnout early To learn more about us and the podcast, visit youmighttrythis.com and check us out on social media @youmighttrythis#Leadership#BurnoutPrevention#WorkplaceCulture#HighPerformance

When the pressure is on and the clock is ticking, most leaders don’t rise to the level of their best thinking, they fall back on instinct. In this episode of You Might Try This, Cade Cowan and Stacey Philpot break down what actually happens in high-stakes decision-making moments, and why even experienced leaders can make poor calls under pressure.What You’ll Learn:• why pressure causes even smart leaders to make worse decisions• how your brain’s “system one” thinking takes over under stress• the difference between one-way and two-way decisions and why it matters• how to interrupt reactive thinking with simple, practical questions• how to build a stronger “pattern library” for better decision-making over timeChapters00:00 How pressure impacts decision-making04:49 System 1 vs. System 2 thinking08:49 Stress, physiology, and leadership13:21 One-way doors and two-way doors18:13 Emotional pattern matching under pressure22:23 Three tools for better decisionsTo learn more about us and the podcast, visit youmighttrythis.com and check us out on social media @youmighttrythis

Why do we still avoid difficult conversations, even when we know the cost? In this episode, Stacey Philpot and Cade Cowan explore the hidden reflexes driving conflict avoidance and escalation at work. Drawing on neuroscience and behavioral research, they explain how our brains interpret social conflict as physical pain, triggering automatic responses like silence or aggression. The discussion goes beyond awareness to offer practical ways to get “upstream” of these reactions by identifying what you’re protecting, whether it’s your relationships, self-image, or sense of control.TakeawaysAvoidance is often a reflex, not a choiceConflict activates a biological threat responseYour default conflict style gets reinforced over timeYour reflexes are protecting something within youHow to get ahead of your reactionChapters00:00 Understanding Your Conflict Reflex01:16 Why Knowing Isn’t Enough to Change Behavior03:01 The Science Behind Conflict Avoidance and Reaction06:37 Silence vs. Escalation: Two Common Conflict Patterns11:12 Identifying Your Triggers and Contextual Responses16:48 What Your Reflex Is Protecting22:04 A Practical Method to Interrupt Your ReflexTo learn more about us and the podcast, visit youmighttrythis.com and check us out on social media @youmighttrythis

In this episode of You Might Try This, Stacey Philpot and Cade Cowan welcome Executive Coach and She Leads and Succeeds host LaToya Jordan for a powerful conversation about the “good soldier” trap: the career pattern where being dependable, helpful, and highly capable can quietly limit long-term growth.Together, they unpack how high-performing professionals, especially women, can become boxed in by their own excellence as executors, fixers, and problem-solvers. From “office housework” to low-visibility, high-effort tasks, the episode explores why saying yes too often can keep leaders stuck in support roles rather than strategic ones.TakeawaysWorking harder can become the ceiling that limits career growthHigh-effort, low-visibility work often stalls advancementSaying yes to everything can reinforce the wrong professional brandStrategic visibility matters more than constant executionAsk questions before saying yes to new workChapters00:00:00 – The hidden cost of saying yes00:01:15 – When hard work stops working00:02:24 – The good soldier trap00:06:24 – Office housework & invisible labor00:09:00 – Every yes is a tradeoff00:11:53 – How to say no (without damage)00:17:48 – From note-taker to thought partner00:21:09 – Auditing your work & shifting perception00:23:56 – What leaders really look for00:28:13 – Experiments to change your trajectoryIf you’ve ever wondered why hard work alone isn’t translating into advancement, this episode offers the language, frameworks, and courage to rethink what you say yes to.#executivecoaching #careeradvancement #growth

In this episode of You Might Try This, hosts Stacey Philpot and Cade Cowan explore a critical leadership shift many high performers never see coming: when the skills that earned you a promotion start holding you back.They unpack the “expert trap”: how relying too heavily on your own expertise can turn you into a bottleneck, undermine your team’s confidence, and quietly derail your leadership trajectory. Through real-world examples and research-backed insights, Stacey and Cade explain why rewriting your team’s work, stepping in too fast, or role-modeling instead of coaching can erode trust, limit growth, and prevent future promotions.This conversation dives into the identity shift required when moving from individual contributor to leader, the hidden costs of control, and why organizations promote leaders who build successors, not bottlenecks. You’ll also hear practical strategies for delegating without disengaging, coaching without rescuing, and creating real ownership across your team.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why being an expert can quietly damage your leadership effectivenessHow rewriting work and “saving” your team reduces capability and trustThe difference between role modeling and coaching and why it mattersHow fear, control, and identity protectiveness show up in new leadersPractical ways to delegate, build successors, and scale your impactChapters00:00 When your strengths start holding you back01:15 The promotion shift no one explains02:53 How experts become bottlenecks09:16 The gap leaders don’t see (and why it matters)12:05 Why you won’t get promoted without a successor17:22 How to stop overworking and start leadingIf you’re an emerging leader, newly promoted manager, or ambitious professional aiming for your next level, this episode will help you rethink how you create value and what to let go of to grow.#leadership #management #careergrowth

Delegation is one of the most important leadership skills, and one of the hardest to master. In this episode of You Might Try This, executive coaches Stacey Philpot and Cade Cowan unpack why delegation creates so much discomfort for managers and leaders, and how shifting from assigning tasks to delegating responsibility can transform your team, your leadership impact, and your workload.In this episode, you’ll learn:• Why delegation is about responsibility, not just tasks• The emotional barriers that make delegation so difficult• How poor delegation creates burnout and bottlenecks• A three-part framework for delegating effectively• How to launch work in a way that builds trust and ownership• Why asking better questions leads to better outcomesChapters03:09 Distinguishing tasks vs. responsibilities in delegation06:00 Common fears leaders experience when delegating10:52 Stacey’s three-part rubric for effective delegation16:35 Asking questions to guide and support delegated work24:34 Key takeaways: delegating as a process, not a one-off conversationTo learn more about us and the podcast, visit youmighttrythis.com and check us out on social media @youmighttrythis#delegation #leadershipdevelopment #managementskills

In this episode, Cade Cowan and Stacey Philpot talk about what influence really means in leadership and why it often matters more than having a title. They explore the idea of leading beyond your role and how real influence comes from how you relate to people, not the authority you’re given. Stacey breaks down the difference between “pushing” influence versus “pulling” it, sharing why influence works best when you focus on understanding what others care about instead of trying to persuade or control them. They also touch on common assumptions we make at work, like jumping to conclusions about people’s intentions, and how those habits can quietly undermine communication.Takeaways:Lead the way you wish leadership showed up for you, not just the way it’s modeled around you.When you push, you might get compliance, but not real buy-in.Influence grows when you understand people’s goals, concerns, and circumstances.Most people are looking for fairness and a sense of give-and-take.Leading with grace can strengthen trust and working relationships.How well you listen directly affects how much influence you have.Good communication creates value instead of friction.Chapters 00:00 introduction01:39 Leading without authority: influence vs persuasion06:10 The fundamental attribution error and workplace misunderstandings11:20 Push vs pull communication: why curiosity works better15:00 Understanding people: purposes, concerns, and circumstances20:40 Power dynamics at work: role, expertise, and relationships31:45 What to try: practical influence strategies that workTo learn more about us and the podcast, visit youmighttrythis.com and check us out on social media @youmighttrythis#leadership #communication #persuasion

Welcome to You Might Try This!In this episode, Cade Cowan and Stacey Philpot unpack what authenticity really looks like in leadership, challenging common assumptions about transparency and vulnerability. They discuss why authenticity must be intentional and selective, the role of boundaries in professional relationships, and how leaders can stay grounded in who they are while adapting to different responsibilities.Takeaways:Authenticity is frequently mistaken for total transparency.Being “more authentic” does not automatically create stronger relationships.Authenticity should be shaped by context, audience, and role.Vulnerability can build connection, but it works best after trust and competence are established.Authentic leadership requires flexibility and a willingness to evolve.Strong professional relationships depend on clear, well-defined boundaries.Chapters00:00 Introduction1:09 Myth One: Authenticity is the same thing as transparency8:31 Myth Two: The more authenticity, the better11:32 Myth Three: Authenticity is all about staying true to your past self.14:53 Creating boundaries21:46 What You Might TryTo learn more about us and the podcast, visit youmighttrythis.com and check us out on social media @youmighttrythis#leadership #Authenticity #coaching