Pierre Khawand

Have you ever wanted the breakthrough… but not the process?    In this deeply honest episode, I sit down with Nathan Herzog, an educational leader who now serves as Dean at Biola University after previously serving at William Jessup University. And we talk about something almost no one says out loud: growth is uncomfortable.   Nathan shares what he hears in quiet, “secret conversations” with high achievers: “I want to do this… but this is uncomfortable.”   Everyone wants a breakthrough.   No one hands you a map for the path.   The truth? The process of becoming better requires discomfort. It requires loss. It requires intentionally choosing something challenging.   And one of the most powerful moments in our conversation is this question: Why are you choosing that? What are you choosing this discomfort for?   Training for an Ironman. Earning a PhD. Climbing toward something like Mount Whitney. None of those happens by accident. They require over a year—sometimes years—of intentional stretch.   Growth in leadership is no different. You get to choose your goal. You get to build relationships with your employees. You get to decide which hill is worth climbing.   And when you choose it with clarity, confidence, and courage, the discomfort becomes meaningful instead of miserable.   We also unpack the false beliefs—the lies—that quietly sabotage leaders: ➡️ If I’m not good at something, I shouldn’t do it anymore. ➡️ If I can’t figure this out on my own, I don’t deserve to lead. ➡️ Strong leaders don’t need help. True growth happens when you reach outside of yourself.   Humility is not weakness. Vulnerability is not failure. They are leadership strengths.   It is one of the practices of Grace Space, Connection vs. Protection, that reminds us of our need for others. It is through others that we become ourselves. Protection keeps us small. Connection grows us.   Growth touches every part of us—mind, body, heart, and spirit. It asks us to be learners before researchers. To choose discomfort rather than avoid it. To hear the truth even when it stings.   And yes—it’s vulnerable.   Yes—it’s uncomfortable.   But getting comfortable with being uncomfortable is what allows you to achieve great things. And over time, it makes other challenges feel less intimidating.   This episode is for you if… ➡️ You’re leading and feel stretched. ➡️ You’re leveling up and doubting yourself. ➡️ You’re tempted to isolate instead of reach out. ➡️ You secretly wonder if needing help means you’ve failed. It doesn’t.   People who are growing reach out.   People who are leveling up invite coaching.   People who become stronger choose their discomfort.   If you’re in a season of stretch, this conversation will steady you, challenge you, and remind you that discomfort is not a sign you’re failing.   It may be proof you’re becoming who you’re meant to be.   You don’t want to miss this one. #thelifeyouremadeforpodcast #growth #gracespace #3Clivingandleading

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On the upcoming episode of Land and Lead Carlos Ayala discusses building psychological safety by role modeling a learning mindset. "People expect the best from you when you make it to the top" shares Carlos during our enlightening conversation. Thanks so much for sharing your insights and wisdom, Carlos! Full conversation out 01/29/2026 - subscribe through comments.

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Switching Gears to Learning Key Practices to Learn Key Principles Tomorrow, 8am Pacific, I pick up the Amplio Meetup's effort to create a foundation of values, principles, and core practices to transcend the current stagnation I see in organizations attempting to improve their value adding capabilities. See the first comment for how to register for this free series. This session represents a shift in this series. While I believe a foundation on the physics of flow and how to coach / train is important, I have come to two conclusions: 1. most people don't to really learn new things unless it solves their problems 2. relatively few people are interested in learning theory; they are more interested in learning what to do. These two realizations have had me come to the conclusion that this series of sessions should be about learning missing practices in improving product development to create a solid theoretical foundation. I think this will serve two purposes: 1. learning a few key, missing practices can help people improve in areas they don't think they can 2. each lesson can also convey the principles underneath it. Essentially, I've come to the conclusion that a foundation of values and principles is not the right approach. Instead, a collection of actionable increments to solve problems is needed. This series of sessions will become about how to learn to solve our problems. This session will present the following ideas: 1. quickest valuable releases and why they are so important 2. how to do a premorem If you want to beak free of old thinking and improve your ability to think for yourself, I think you'll enjoy this session.

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We often think the best idea always wins. In reality, the idea backed by innovation capital wins, not necessarily the most brilliant one. Innovation capital is the credibility, trust, relationships, and track record that allow an idea to move forward. It is built over time through delivery, judgment, and the ability to bring others along. When innovation capital is strong, people listen, resources follow, and uncertainty becomes manageable. When it is weak, even good ideas struggle to get airtime. This is why innovation is not just about creativity or intelligence. It is about influence, timing, and confidence earned through consistent action. Leaders who understand this do not push ideas in isolation. They invest in people, networks, and small wins long before they ask for support on something bold. If this resonates, the episode How the Best Leaders Develop and Spend Innovation Capital from the HBR Leadership series is worth a listen. It offers a practical and grounded take on how innovation actually happens inside organisations. https://lnkd.in/g5N6MVS8 #InnovationCapital #Leadership #OrganisationalChange #InnovationLeadership #HBRLeadership

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Check out this short video on workplace civility strategies. Explore actionable approaches to building and sustaining civility across teams. Boost your knowledge on the go with our Relational Skills app. Download it here: https://lnkd.in/gsnAXfgg Learn more about all 8 relational skills at our website: https://lnkd.in/gFQDPWny For even more information and to connect with us, email your question to support@workplaceconnections.ca #WorkplaceConnections #RelationalSkills

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The Magnetic Power of Coaching: 15 Leaders Taking the ICF Certification Leap! Today, across 9 industries—from medical to retail, legal to semiconductor, 15 remarkable leaders are stepping into a transformative journey: the Certified Associate Coach program. This path isn’t just about acquiring a credential—it’s about shaping the future of leadership through coaching. With the Corporate Coach Academy as their guide, these professionals will deepen their skills over the next 3 months. From mastering coaching frameworks to fostering growth mindsets, they’ll be well equipped to empower others. What’s powerful is seeing leadership evolve: not just directing teams, but coaching them to thrive. As they embark on this ICF journey stsrting today, these leaders are not only investing in themselves—they’re creating a ripple of impact in their organizations and beyond. Let’s walk this path together! Corporate Coach Academy (CCA) Malaysian Coaches

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So excited to share that our 2026 Washington State workshop list was forward thinking and covers many of these skills listed below: ✔️Communications ✔️Strategy ✔️Leadership All with an AI lens, as well as operational effeciency supporting your goals, and team. March 11, Achieving Results through Employee Engagement April 2, Adaptable Communication Strategies April 14, Strengthen Your Workplace Influence April 16, How to Accelerate Your Professional Development WA Department of Children, Youth, and Families Washington State Department of Transportation Washington State Department of Health LinkedIn: From AI engineering to communication, LinkedIn’s Skills on the Rise list highlights the fastest-growing skills that professionals should invest in to get ahead in today’s world of work. Our list surfaces emerging opportunities based on the areas that professionals are increasingly prioritizing and getting hired for right now. Skills focused on AI engineering and AI business strategy made the cut, alongside softer skillsets in executive communication and people management. See the full list and weigh in using #SkillsOnTheRise. You can also see the fastest-growing skills in 12 job functions here.

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What if the real innovation edge isn’t just in technology… but in the humans who know how to move with it — and with one another — wisely? Innovation has always lived at the edge — between what is and what’s possible. Yet as technology evolves faster than our capacity to adapt, the true frontier isn’t artificial intelligence — it’s augmented humanity. I’m honored to join Global Innovation Management Institute (GIMI) Think Tank to explore this idea in my upcoming session: 🔹 The Edge Effect: Where Human Intelligence Ignites Innovation We’ll explore how Human Intelligence—emotional, connectional, and intuitive—amplifies creativity, adaptability, and performance inside complex systems. And how the world’s most future-ready leaders are learning to convert friction into flow and pressure into possibility. Because the next leap in innovation won’t come from smarter machines—it will come from wiser humans, moving with technology and with each other. 💭 How is your organization learning to move with both technology and humanity to stay on the edge of innovation? #InnovationLeadership #HumanIntelligence #AugmentedHumanity #FutureOfWork #Edgewalker #TheEdgeEffect #GIMIThinkTank

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The latest iteration of “if you have a brain, you have bias®” Why Boards need to lead using Incisive Leadership 🌟 Inspired. Energized. Grateful. A protocol for human connection. The Inclusive Governance Summit at Santa Clara University brought together leaders and changemakers to explore how governance can operate with integrity, courage, and build from intersectional and intergenerational frameworks. A special thank you to the Black Corporate Board Readiness (BCBR) program for championing this vital work and preparing board-ready leaders whose perspectives will strengthen organizations everywhere. One theme that echoed throughout the summit: incisive is the new inclusion. It’s not enough to talk about diversity—we must step back from the constant deluge of gaslighting “news,” pause to see beyond the noise, and ask sharper questions. Only then can boards cut through bias and make decisions that increase trust and accountability. This challenge is even more urgent in an American landscape where 30 of 50 states passed DEI-related legislation by the end of 2024. Boards cannot afford to rely on generic approaches. They need nuanced tactical steps that embrace change while staying true to their company values. That means balancing compliance with courage, translating commitments into action, and ensuring the company values are not just aspirational, but operational. And in today’s landscape, that includes technology. Boards of every size must identify, define, and deploy an AI governance strategy. Without it, we risk embedding bias into our systems and falling short of the very inclusion we seek to advance. Especially critical is the work of addressing algorithmic bias, biased data sets, and the limitations of LLMs, alongside existing institutional biases. These three areas share the same word—bias—but the differences between them are profound. Recognizing those distinctions, and planning strategically for each, is what separates boards that are reactive from those that are proactive. At Percipio Company, we believe that if you have a brain, you have bias®. With awareness and action, leaders can move from bias to belonging®, ensuring governance isn’t just representative, but also incisive, responsible, and future-ready. ✨ Deep gratitude to the organizers, the BCBR program, and all who are advancing this dialogue. The ripple effects extend far beyond the summit.

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Less than 30% of public and private boards have women as board members, even though research reports, including McKinsey, share that 'gender-diverse boards positively impact corporate success by enhancing firm value, profitability and innovation.' I will have the privilege of moderating a panel of top women board members who will share the rarely discussed insights, experience and connections needed to get on public and private boards. If you are an International Women's Forum member from anywhere in the world, scroll down and register for this live program on Zoom on Feb. 25th, 6 pm EST. Featured experts: Lucie Claire Vincent, QRD® Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire Gail F Lieberman

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🎙️ I'm excited to announce I'll be speaking at the 2026 Career Thought Leaders Consortium Symposium in San Diego, April 19–22! 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. I wrote about this last year in our LinkedIn Newsletter, and I stand by it even more today. Gallup reports that replacing an employee can cost up to 2 times their annual salary. SHRM puts specialized roles even higher. And Harvard Business Review found that losing one key person can drop team performance by 9% and trigger more departures. However, most organizations are so focused on who's coming in the front door, they're not paying attention to who's walking out the back. My session, 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, is for anyone who owns retention, development, and succession inside their organization or helps others do it. Career coaches and consultants who want to help organizational leaders stop losing their best talent. Managers and team leaders who are tired of watching good people leave and want to build cultures where people actually want to stay. Through our award-winning work in leadership and talent development, we've seen one thing consistently: 𝘰���𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦, 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤��. That's exactly what we'll be digging into. If you work with organizations navigating talent development and succession, this session was built for you. 👇🏾 📍 San Diego, CA | April 19–22, 2026 🔗 Register: https://lnkd.in/gs33rZWT See you there! @CareerTL --- 🧭 I'm Dr. Carol Parker Walsh, JD, PhD, PCC, executive leadership coach + performance culture strategist. Founder of the People-Forward Leadership™ framework and trusted advisor to transit, pharma & nonprofit leaders (and their teams).

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Unlock Your Leadership Potential: Elevate your public speaking and communication skills to lead with confidence. Explore how AI technology can refine your speech delivery and pronunciation. ⁠ https://bit.ly/SSAdvantage ⁠#PublicSpeaking #AIEnhancement

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Check out the newest Harvard Business Review playbook, “Make Better Strategic Decisions Amid Uncertainty.” Featured authors and experts include  Scott D. Anthony, Laura Huang, Adi Ignatius, Ernie Tedeschi and Martha Gimbel - each offers unique insights to help leaders at all levels navigate ambiguity. Article Summary: Big-bet strategic decisions can define an organization’s success. But when so much is changing and ambiguous and the amount of information available is overwhelming, leaders are often tempted to just make the call based on instinct. How can you make a decision without being distracted by the wrong data or slowing down the process? This HBR Executive Playbook will help you ask the right questions to keep the process focused so you can make the best decision possible. If you’re wrestling with strategic dilemmas, uncertain paths, or high-stakes tradeoffs, I hope this article offers some useful insight! I'd love to hear your take-aways! https://lnkd.in/eVbe8VC9

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I almost skipped the Summit today because I woke up grouchy and staying in sweatpants in my home office seemed better than leaving. I'm so happy I went anyway. I was able to reconnect with so many people in such genuine ways. I had a few surprising heart-to-hearts with other people that almost didn't attend because they are also feeling the grind. In addition to learning a lot (I'm not taking cyber security serious enough!), I was moved by Whitney Savoie sharing that the more she sees technology advance, the more she wants to spend time with her kids in the backyard. The more advanced it gets, the more she values real-life connections. I felt so convicted by this. I am constantly looking for ways to be more intentional about technology, only to realize it's less about how I'm using technology, and more about putting on real pants and going to the damn event. The human connections I've been seeking can only really happen IRL.

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365 V-O Tips for 2026. #33. The foundation of all connected voice acting is sincerity. It’s what gives you believability and makes people want to listen to you. Find more tips like this in “V-Oh! Tips, Tricks, Tools and Techniques to Start and Sustain Your Voiceover Career.” https://lnkd.in/eupnWBt. Want coaching info/not on my mailing list? Want to be eligible for upcoming auditions? Email me: marc@cashmancommercials.com. #voiceovercoach #voiceovertraining #voiceacting #voiceactingcoach #voiceoverartist #voicetalent #voicetraining #voicetechnique #voiceoverclass #voicemastery #voiceoverclasses Follow me on LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/dHvvJ54V  

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