Do Something Different: A Leadership Podcast
Rusty Gaillard 52 episodes Aug 25, 2026
Hosted by former Apple executive Rusty Gaillard, this podcast is aimed at high-achievers who want to increase their impact. Each episode focuses on the skills and mindset needed to move beyond conventional corporate leadership and lead in a more effective, sustainable way. Listeners hear practical guidance on sharing honest opinions, giving candid feedback, delegating while maintaining standards, and reclaiming control of their schedules. The show is intended to leave listeners empowered to apply these tools with their teams, companies, and careers.
Episodes
Delegation: The Key to Career Growth
Send us Fan MailDelegation is the management skill behind promotion and career growth—the professional development shift that builds executive presence. Most leaders stay buried in the work because they believe quality requires their personal involvement. It does -- just not how you think. If you don't learn this, it becomes a ceiling on your growth. In this video, you'll learn why deleg
Five Reasons To Start With Wins
Send us Fan MailStop having unproductive meetings that waste your team's time. Use this simple method to improve meeting quality and boost engagement.Many professionals struggle with meetings with lots of wasted time, where the most valuable content is buried at the end. If you are tired of disengaged participants, try this one simple fix. It will boost your executive presence, leadership ski
How to Get Promoted Without Working Harder
Send us Fan MailIf you keep getting passed over for promotion even though you're a top performer, if your career advancement is stalled, if you think you have good leadership skills, but you're not moving up... this video is for you.The real reason you're not advancing usually has nothing to do with your work ethic. It's something quieter that most people never get told directl
Speak Like a CEO
Send us Fan MailExecutive presence is the difference between having the right answer and actually sounding like a CEO in the room. If you've ever wondered how to speak with confidence when the stakes are high — and then watched someone less prepared get taken more seriously than you — this episode is about why that keeps happening.Here's the uncomfortable part: it isn't about intell
Why the Best Leaders Don't Resolve Conflict at Work
Send us Fan MailStop trying to resolve conflict at work. When you do, it costs you promotions, hurts your career, and shows weak leadership skills.Of course workplace conflict is frustrating, and it can feel personal, political, and exhausting. Often times, the harder you work to resolve it, the more stuck you feel.The truth is, the higher you rise, the more conflict you face. Competing agendas, a
Why Smart People Are Passed Over For Promotion
Send us Fan MailAre you being passed over at work? Learn the specific career blind spot that keeps high performers from getting a promotion.Many smart people struggle with career advancement because their own intelligence masks a critical professional issue: executive presence.If you are doing everything right but still not getting promoted, earning the recognition you deserve, this breakdown help
How to Build Confidence
Send us Fan MailMost confidence advice is designed to help you look confident to other people. That's the wrong game.In this video, I break down why the three most common confidence tips — prepare more, fake it till you make it, and stack small wins — are either incomplete or actively working against you. Then I share what actually changed confidence for me, through two of the hardest seasons
The Invisible Pattern: Why the Same Problem Keeps Happening
Send us Fan MailIf you're feeling stuck in your career, the problem may be invisible to you, but everyone else sees it. Until you see it, working harder, executive presence skills, or personal development won't help you move forward.In this episode, I share the story of a client who had four bad bosses in a row and never figured out he was the common factor. From there, we look at the fo
Executive Presence: Command Any Room Without Saying a Word
Send us Fan MailIf you've ever wondered why some people command the room the moment they walk in — and others don't — it's not about what they're saying. Your executive presence speaks for itself, before you even open your mouth.Learn the behaviors that quietly undermine your authority in every meeting, every hallway conversation, every moment someone is watching — and learn wh
How to Get Promoted After Age 30
Send us Fan MailIf you're working hard but still not getting career growth, nobody told you the rules changed. After 30, getting promoted at work has nothing to do with doing more. It requires the professional development to become the leader your organization actually needs.In this episode, I break down why the habits that built your career — reliability, responsiveness, the "I'll
Stop Asking For Feedback. Do This Instead.
Send us Fan MailMost professionals think feedback is essential to self improvement. But what if feedback limits your personal growth?This episode challenges one of the most common practices in professional development and gives you a 3-step framework that will transform how you think about self improvement, leadership development, and building confidence.If you're a business leader focused on
How to Prepare for Executive Meetings
Send us Fan MailMost leaders think executive presence in high-stakes meetings comes from being well prepared. But they prepare the wrong thing.In this episode, I share the 3-step formula I use with my coaching clients to help them walk into high-stakes meetings as a contributor, not just a survivor. You'll hear the question that completely changed how one of my clients prepared for a meeting
Stop Overthinking and Trust Your Gut: How Executives Make Good Decisions
Send us Fan MailExecutive presence isn’t just about communication. It’s also about making good decisions. In this episode, we discuss how to use leadership intuition in decision making when the stakes are high. Featuring Samyr Qureshi, CEO and co-founder of Knack, this conversation dives into the internal compass behind career growth, how to trust your gut when data falls short, and what it really
Career Success Secrets You Wish You Knew Sooner
Send us Fan MailMost professionals are never taught how to choose a career that leads to lasting professional growth and meaningful personal development. This episode reveals powerful insights from career coaching that will help you rethink everything you’ve been told about success.Forget the tired advice about following your passion or creating a rigid five-year plan. If you're feeling stuck
When Grit Backfires: The Hidden Obstacle to Career Growth
Send us Fan MailGrit may get you started in your career, but it’s not what gets you promoted. In this conversation on leadership, personal development, and professional development, Guy Yalif—Chief Evangelist at Webflow—challenges the belief that success requires relentless hustle.Key Takeaways:Why our culture rewards hustle, and how that mindset can quietly stall your career growthHow time tracki
What Successful Leaders Get WRONG About Career Growth
Send us Fan MailSuccess in your career doesn't just come from mastering skills—it comes from mastering your mindset. In this powerful conversation with Krishnan Venkata, Chief Client Officer at LatentView Analytics, we uncover two game-changing principles that can rapidly accelerate growth for any professional ready to step outside their comfort zone.Krishnan shares real-world stories from hi
The Hidden Leadership Mistake Costing You Promotions (And How to Fix It)
Send us Fan MailMany high performers unknowingly sabotage their chances at promotion by making a single critical mistake. Discover the hidden obstacle that holds back smart, capable leaders—and learn the three essential steps to break through it. With real-life stories and a clear roadmap, this conversation will shift how you think about advancement and help you align your actions with the role yo
Speak Like a Leader: 10 Communication Shifts for Executive Presence
Send us Fan MailIf you've ever wondered how to speak like a leader at work, this episode delivers the answer—through practical, tactical language shifts that instantly elevate your presence. Whether you're leading a team, presenting to executives, or looking to grow in your role, the way you speak plays a powerful role in how others perceive your leadership.In this episode, discover how
The Game-Changing Leadership Skill for Unstoppable Career Growth
Send us Fan MailWhat if the fastest way to advance your career isn’t about working harder, but thinking differently? In this episode, discover the mindset shift that elevates your leadership skills, strengthens your executive presence, and accelerates your income and impact. Learn how embracing mistakes and leaning into discomfort creates the foundation for self improvement and sustained personal
The Critical Leadership Question You Never Think to Ask
Send us Fan MailThere’s one deceptively simple question that most people never stop to ask, but it holds the key to clarity, confidence, and success. Whether you're facing a career crossroads, navigating workplace conflict, or stepping into a new opportunity, this question can shift your entire approach.This episode breaks down how three professionals—each facing wildly different challenges—f
Sounding Smart Isn’t Enough: How to Speak with Authority
Send us Fan MailExecutive presence is stubbornly difficult to define. This episode breaks down the critical connection between communication style and executive presence, and challenges the common belief that being smart is enough to lead effectively.Whether you're naturally collaborative, soft-spoken, or conflict-averse, your style may be holding you back more than you realize. The key? Evol
Building a High-Trust, High-Performance Team with Eric Bensley
Send us Fan MailWhen leaders build teams they can trust, they unlock not only organizational impact—but personal freedom. In this powerful episode, Eric Bensley, Head of Global Product Marketing at Asana, breaks down what it truly takes to lead a high-performing team you can count on, even during critical launches and high-stakes moments.This conversation goes beyond theory. It’s a practical, hone
The Hidden Career Killer for High Performers
Send us Fan MailHigh performers often double down on results—but that mindset alone ultimately leads to failure. Sustainable leadership requires more than performance. In this episode, discover why prioritizing personal and professional growth is not optional—it’s essential for long-term success. The difference between those who thrive and those who plateau comes down to one thing: growth.Key tak
Small Shifts for Big Leadership Growth
Send us Fan MailSmart, successful professionals often assume that career growth is about learning new skills. But the real unlock isn’t about your skillset—it’s about your mindset. In this episode, discover why redefining how you see yourself can be the most powerful move you make in your professional life.Key Takeaways:The most common mistake ambitious people make in career development—and how to
The Success Trifecta: How to Win More, Work Less, and Love It All
Send us Fan MailYour quality of life as a leader is directly tied to how well you leverage your team. Two real client stories illustrate this concept, one of which demonstrates the Success Trifecta—being more successful at work, working less, and actually enjoying your job.But how do you get there? This episode dives deep into the essential skillset and mindset needed to delegate effectively, empo
Leadership for Nice Guys. Or Don't Be Like Justin Baldoni.
Send us Fan MailIs it possible to be too nice as a leader? We examine this question using the tension between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively as a real-world lens into leadership challenges. Explore how excessive niceness can become a barrier to strength, clarity, and effectiveness in leadership.Listen to learn four key truths about leadership and the pitfalls of prioritizing likability over stre
Gen X Grit Meets Gen Z Curiosity: Leading Across Generations
Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Do Something Different, Rusty Gaillard sits down with Erin Mantz, VP of Marketing at Zeno Group and founder of Gen X Girls Grow Up. They dive into the importance of your first boss, how generational traits shape leadership styles, and what Gen X can learn from Gen Z in today’s workplace. From latchkey resilience to mentoring the next generation, this conversation
SEVERANCE Teaches You Leadership Lessons?
Send us Fan MailEver feel like your corporate experience is just a little too similar to dystopian fiction?From emotional avoidance to culture as control, Severance hits uncomfortably close to the reality of corporate life—and offers a blueprint for leading with more authenticity, presence, and connection.Learn to stop operating like “outies”—detached, numb, and running from discomfort—and start s
3 Ways to Make Better Decisions
Send us Fan MailLeaders often find themselves with competing decision-making frameworks: impact vs. optics, managing risk vs. capturing potential, what you want vs. what you should do. This is a recipe for bad decisions.There's also a fundamental problem with analytical decision-making. Even the most rigorous frameworks can be manipulated to justify the outcome you secretly want. Meanwhile, s
Manage Your Team like a CEO
Send us Fan MailThere's a big gap between how most managers lead their teams and how the best CEOs drive organizational success. A good CEO builds a team that makes strategic decisions, executes independently, and continuously improves. Many mid-level leaders remain trapped in cycles of micromanagement, approval-seeking, and task-oriented direction.This episode explores why managing like you&
How to Win Every Interview... And More Job Search Tips with Andy Mowat
Send us Fan MailAt a senior level, jobs aren't posted... they're whispered. Join CEO of Whispered Andy Mowat for this conversation on how to run a successful job search. You'll learn:Why clarity and specificity are critical to an effective executive job searchThe counterintuitive reason why narrowing your focus actually creates more opportunitiesHow to take control of interviews and
5 Steps to Earn More Respect as a Leader
Send us Fan MailMost professionals claim they want to be respected as leaders, but they act like they want to be liked. This disconnect prevents many talented individuals from achieving their full leadership potential and earning the respect they desire. Discover why the behaviors that feel most comfortable may be the very ones limiting your effectiveness as a leader.You'll learn:The five cri
More Strategic Decisions in 3 Steps
Send us Fan MailDespite best intentions, many high achievers make suboptimal decisions in the workplace. The combination of stress, information overload, social pressure, and authority figures creates an environment where even the smartest professionals fall into predictable decision-making traps. These patterns—often the very same behaviors that brought early career success—become the invisible b
3 Steps to Mastering Influence
Send us Fan MailInfluence is about changing how others think and act, not simply directing them what to do. Discover why transformational influence—the kind that creates lasting change and builds strong relationships—requires a completely different approach than the transactional tactics many resort to.You'll learn:The difference between authority and influenceWhy common influence "hacks
How to appear more confident
Send us Fan MailMany accomplished professionals hit a ceiling not because they lack skills, but because they overuse "pleaser" behaviors that undermine their executive presence. This episode exposes how an over-reliance on being likeable and getting along - qualities that may have served you well early in your career - can actually diminish your leadership impact.Through real coaching sc
Mastering Executive Presence with Cindy Skalicky
Send us Fan MailWhat is executive presence, and why do so many talented leaders struggle to develop it? That is the theme of this conversation with Cindy Skalicky.Through practical examples and proven frameworks, this episode reveals why focusing solely on technical expertise and data can actually undermine leadership effectiveness, and how authentic storytelling and human connection create lastin
Less is More: 4 Steps to Productivity
Send us Fan MailThis episode tackles the counterintuitive truth about high achievement: doing more isn't always the path to greater success. Learn why many successful professionals get trapped in patterns of overwork and discover the CALM framework for breaking free from this cycle.Through real-world examples of executives who transformed their approach to work, the episode reveals how strate
Learn to Speak for Yourself, Because Your Work Doesn't
Send us Fan MailThe ingrained belief that "my work speaks for itself" - while admirable - is not true. It may be a major factor keeping you from reaching your full potential and gaining the recognition your contributions deserve. Learn why "the work speaks for itself" doesn't work, and how to authentically speak up about your accomplishments.Key themes:Why letting work &qu
How to Delegate Effectively: A Practical Guide
Send us Fan MailMany high achievers struggle with deeply empowering their team. Learn why letting go might be the key to unlocking your next level of leadership. Rather than focusing on doing more, explore how doing less - strategically - could transform both your effectiveness and your team's engagement.Key themes:Why control can become a career liabilityThe hidden cost of "adding value
Overcoming lack of discipline
Send us Fan MailDo you consistently avoid doing things you know would make you more successful? In this episode, Rusty tackles the hidden truth about why high achievers struggle to implement important changes. Learn why defaulting to "I need more discipline" or "I don't have time" completely misses the point, and discover a new way to understand what's really holding
Master motivation with 1 simple question
Send us Fan MailMany people struggle maintaining motivation to achieve their goals. It's why so many people don't achieve their New Year's resolutions. In this episode you will discover a powerful perspective shift that can transform how you approach change - whether in your career, health, or relationships.Perfect for:Professionals feeling stuck in unproductive routinesAnyone strug
Setting better goals for 2025
Send us Fan MailAre your New Year's resolutions setting you up for another unfulfilling year? This episode tackles the common pitfall of traditional goal-setting that keeps ambitious professionals stuck in patterns of busyness and disconnection. Through examining holiday reflections and end-of-year planning, learn why focusing solely on achievements and to-do lists undermines the potential fo
3 Actions to Go from Manager to Leader
Send us Fan MailHigh achievers often get trapped by their own success.Learn why the mindsets and behaviors that fueled early career wins often become barriers to reaching senior leadership roles. Discover why the relentless drive to do more, better, and faster can actually limit growth, and why stepping out of your comfort zone and changing those habits may be exactly what's needed to advance
5 Rules for More Confident Decisions
Send us Fan MailSmart, high achieving leaders often make sub-optimal decisions. In this episode, learn how our brain's built-in bias toward risk and safety can derail confident decision-making, and uncover the biological reason why focusing on potential problems feels so natural. Through an exploration of brain science and behavioral patterns, the episode reveals why traditional "pros an
3 Easy Habits to Command More Respect at Work
Send us Fan MailStruggling to command respect at work? This episode tackles why blaming external factors - like company culture or difficult colleagues - completely misses the point. The discussion explores how habitual behaviors, particularly those of high achievers, can actually undermine authority and influence.Through 3 simple yet powerful new habits, professionals can learn to command the res
Increasing Your Executive Presence in Meetings
Send us Fan MailMeetings with senior leaders are a prime opportunity to demonstrate executive presence. But they make many leaders anxious. In this episode, we tackle the uncomfortable truth about why capable professionals often stay silent in high-stakes conversations. From claiming introversion to avoiding vulnerability, discover the five hidden barriers that may be limiting your impact and visi
Navigating Challenging Times: A Thanksgiving Reflection
Send us Fan MailOn Thanksgiving, most of us practice gratitude. It's easy during the holidays, but finding gratitude in the midst of difficulties requires a fundamental shift in perspective that can transform how we experience and overcome obstacles.Rusty Gaillard is an executive coach, helping mid-level corporate leaders create more career success while working less and enjoying it more. Tha
Getting Promoted: 3 Actions to Take Today
Send us Fan MailHas your career progression slowed down? In this episode of Do Something Different, we tackle promotion and career advancement - specifically why many high achievers hit a plateau and struggle to reach the next level. Learn why the behaviors that made you successful early in your career may now be holding you back, and how the "A Trap" can limit your growth.Through practi
Delivering Effective Feedback
Send us Fan MailIs performance review season making you anxious? In this episode, Rusty Gaillard tackles the elephant in the room: why most leaders either avoid giving feedback or do it poorly. He reveals why treating feedback as a time management problem completely misses the point, and shares a personal commitment that transformed how he approaches difficult conversations.Through the simple but
Conquering Fear of Failure
Send us Fan MailAre you a high achiever who's built your career on being smart and avoiding mistakes? In this episode, Rusty tackles the paralyzing pressure that successful professionals face when it comes to making mistakes, especially in high-stakes situations.Through a revealing client story about "Steve," who struggles with a seemingly unfixable situation, Rusty challenges the c
Mastering Prioritization
Send us Fan MailAre you constantly juggling back-to-back meetings, endless Slack messages, and mounting deliverables? If you're like most senior leaders, you've probably tried various prioritization techniques to manage it all. But what if prioritization isn't actually the answer?In this episode, Rusty shares a personal story from his time at Apple that changed his perspective on ti
Do Something Different Trailer
Send us Fan MailWelcome to Do Something Different, a leadership podcast. This podcast is for high achievers: smart, ambitious, successful people who've done a lot in their career, but want even more impact and fulfillment. The premise of this podcast is that the behaviors and habits that have been key to your success so far may be the things that are holding you back now. You’ll learn new ski
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