Best Debbi Gardiner McCullough Podcasts (2024)

1
Barbara Reveron on heritage, parental lessons, and confidence 22:40

5h ago22:40

22:40

How do we build our confidence as leaders when our heritage and lessons from our elders don’t quite align with the confidence we need and see around us? Marketing consultant, Barbara Reveron, ponders on this idea when reflecting on how her Puerto Rican parents raised her to do well at work. It’s a delightful conversation which chronicles Barbara’s …

1
How do we coach, not “perform”? MCC Coach Ben Dooley on managing our evaluators’ judgement 22:51

3h ago22:51

22:51

To certify with the International Coaching Federation, the world’s largest nonprofit organization, coaches must submit a recording of a coaching call they deem…well, worthy of certification. The stakes and expense (and the agonizing decision on which recording to submit) goes up with our credentials. The fee to submit a recording for the Master Coa…

1
End your meetings early. Listen actively 10:43

7d ago10:43

10:43

Meetings can drain most of us. New leaders tasked with connecting and growing their teams endure endless 1:1’s with their team and peer leaders. Without blocked off time for thinking and tasking, empty slots on shared calendars attract invitations like mosquitoes at a nudist beach. Many find that active listening can help; meaning, listening with a…

1
Clocking off. Kyana Gayden on balancing work, rest, and play 19:30

13d ago19:30

19:30

Air Force contract specialist Kyana Gayden finds that it’s the small tweaks in how we spend our time that yields the biggest results when it comes to work-life balance. She also marvels in that fabulous invention: Paid Time Off, which she never had as a graduate student, and does something fun—and spontaneous—when not working hard. “It makes a diff…

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Leadership and life lessons learned from taking a 4-week break: Jessica Pelegio 23:46

21d ago23:46

23:46

Like most professionals, PTO brings up mixed feelings for NY-based Head of Technical Program Management, Jessica Pelegio: fear of falling back, fear of burdening others, or fear of a deluge of of work when coming back. The Pew Research Center tells us many professionals in the U.S. do not take their full paid time off for these very same reasons, B…

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Meet Ben Dooley, my new MCC Mentor Coach. Joy (and struggles) with certifying as an ICF master certified coach 27:54

27d ago27:54

27:54

Warning: This episode's super ad hoc. This week, I met my new mentor coach, Ben Dooley. He's a former actor (among other things) and now runs his own coaching training academy and helps coaches certify in empowering ways. (I felt so inspired connecting with him via our Discovery session, I had to hit record.) In our conversation, we hear from Ben o…

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Introduce ourselves in less ho-hum ways. Reporting tools to the rescue 11:51

2M ago11:51

11:51

Professionals all over wonder how to introduce themselves, especially to new bosses, teams, or a recruiter — even to new friends. Introductions (done well) become conversation starters, build connections, even elevate our personal brand. But how do we talk about our work — and life — in ways that stand out and align with our personality and values?…

1
“I have the best job in the world!” Oliver Singh on hotel ownership and the calm that comes from vacation 19:42

2M ago19:42

19:42

Four in ten Americans don’t take their full paid time off (around 46%) of full-time workers according to the Pew Research Center. But that’s a real shame says Oliver Singh, manager and part-owner of the Ocean Mile hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Fl., who really gets to see the benefits of holidaying when interacting with his guests. In our lovely convers…

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“Connect technology to peoples' daily life. They'll get it.” CTO Advisor Suhail Syed on demystifying jargon and daring to dream 29:15

2M ago29:15

29:15

When Silicon Valley-based CTO advisor Suhail Syed tells his dear mother back in India about his work helping companies grow business revenue through using products in the cloud, she looks up to the sky. "She's wondering what’s there," Suhail recalls. This sweet story reminds us of the need to clarify any jargon we use and stay audience centered, to…

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"I'm Puerto Rican. I celebrate everything." Anita Rodriguez Cordero on celebrating as we coach 28:58

2M ago28:58

28:58

With so much mayhem, worry, and turmoil, more clients struggle to find much to celebrate or to declare a true win. But coaches like my show guest this week, Coach Anita Rodriguez Cordero, set that intention each session to ask her coachees what they want to celebrate. Coach Anita takes this intention far beyond the International Coaching Federation…

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A short story about my New Zealand grandmother rescued my otherwise abysmal presentation 21:24

2M ago21:24

21:24

Fear of public speaking has certainly intensified. I first knew this point because my clients kept telling me so. I confirmed the phenomena for sure when I allowed myself recently to feel that intense fear once more, presenting on active listening to a live audience, with a story and a live coaching session within. My essay and musings on being kno…

1
Why I’ve returned to journaling (and hope to never let it go again) 12:45

3M ago12:45

12:45

I’m recently back to journaling most days after a good nine-month hiatus. I’ve missed it so much. For me, journaling feels like emptying my bucket of all that’s within. As I get older, I’ve noticed its importance for my mental and physical health. My journal’s a forum for not explaining things, unless I want to and a place to unlock enormous ideas …

1
“If I see others struggle, I build a bot to help them” Marketer, Builder, and Innovator Simone Morellato on the joys of AI 25:25

3M ago25:25

25:25

My guest today is marketer, builder, and innovator Simone Morellato, an Italian born technologist and marketer based in the Bay Area, California. Having long worked as a marketer for some of the world’s largest IT firms, Simone’s become expert at many things: communicating and demystifying tech for high-stakes audiences, launching beautiful product…

1
“Maintaining presence starts with checking in on myself” Live Coaching & Musings with Coach Sophia Casey 45:10

3M ago45:10

45:10

My guest this week is my friend and MCC mentor coach Sophia Casey who trains coaches like me to strive to become our very best version of ourselves and with that, our most present. We chat about all the barriers getting in our way, including wanting to perform, or solve, even direct our coachees towards profound epiphanies and results. (None of whi…

1
“Football has built me into a leader.” Defensive Lineman Nicholas McCullough on getting into Harvard 16:39

3M ago16:39

16:39

With some bias perhaps, I think Muskego Highschool’s varsity footballer here in Wisconsin, Nicholas McCullough’s, an impressive teen. He’s the youngest captain in the Muskego Warrior’s team history. He coaches and mentors younger kids on leadership, and is ranked best in his state for his age and position. The bias comes from him being my son and I…

1
What high school freshmen can teach us about not stressing out 14:54

3M ago14:54

14:54

Guess who my podcast guest is this week? It's Jackson James McCullough, my 14-year-old son who I consider a hugely calming influence on me and my life. (I've long wanted to interview this wise young man and he finally said 'yes.' ) Join us on our adhoc interview and woodland walk in our leafy state of Wisconsin, just days after Jackson finished his…

1
Kenza Fourati on challenging brands and finding joy and learning from her Tunisian shoe business 22:21

4M ago22:21

22:21

My guest this week is Kenza Fourati, a Tunisian fashion model in New York, U.S. who’s co-launched a shoe business that’s done very well, teaching she and her co-founders many lessons along the way. The business employs local Tunisian shoemakers, helping keep a craft alive, repurposes leather that would otherwise go to waste, and brings comfortable,…

1
“Nature’s the one thing that brings us together” Jacqueline Crivello on birding, nature, and truth 21:26

4M ago21:26

21:26

I’m one of millions of people globally who not only love bird watching, I love to do so from my garden. What a treat to interview Jacqueline Crivello, an award winning photographer, author, bird feeding store owner, a birder, entrepreneur and even an inventor of a bird feeder for hummingbirds. (The latter comes inspired from her very first bird fee…

1
“You build your brand by getting in front of people.” Hyacinth Tucker, Owner of the Laundry Basket 21:26

4M ago21:26

21:26

Hyacinth Tucker always loved people, enterprise, and community when growing up in Jamaica. Here in the states, she’s found a way to channel that love through her new venture, the Laundry Basket, an on-demand mobile laundry and dry cleaning delivery company in Maryland, U.S. In a short time, she’s scaled, gained a considerable client base, and gaine…

1
How do I train to become a coach? One coach’s journey 16:19

5M ago16:19

16:19

More coachees are asking me each week how to become an International Coaching Federation (ICF) certified coach and how I became a coach, specifically the decisions before me and the training itself. (I’m delighted they ask, because coaching’s a truly delightful field.) I’ve found a fantastic home in this new industry, now coaching full-time for an …

1
What fashion models can teach us about leadership and stage presence 10:57

5M ago10:57

10:57

I'm still swooning over the delightful Chicagoans I met on a recent April visit. (They're the nicest and most open people ever!) In another ad-hoc interview, we learn from Gina Magro, a fashion model adorned in an $8.5k leather Carolina Herrera gown, on how to focus when on stage. She's also expert on seeming open, calming our mind, and showing neu…

1
The challenges and joy of certifying as an ICF coach. Two coaches’ musings 30:25

5M ago30:25

30:25

Certifying with the International Coaching Federation, the world’s largest nonprofit for professional coaches, challenges many coaches because it’s no easy feat. We must speak only 10% of the time, drive clarity, insights, and accountability too. Submitting a recorded coaching call to ICF evaluators for review often erodes our presence with our coa…

1
“A great communicator really understands their audience.” Product leader Nupur Thakur on demystifying tech 20:55

5M ago20:55

20:55

My guest this week is product, strategy, and operations leader Nupur Thakur who has spent a greater part of her career ensuring that leaders and customers understand her technology well. In a lovely conversation from her Bay Area, SF base, she unpacks what’s helped her understand her audience and how she breaks down and demystifies technical topics…

1
How do we stay calm amidst heated emotions? Musings from Coach Karen du Four des Champs 39:19

5M ago39:19

39:19

Solar eclipse. Mercury retrograde. New moon. Job layoffs. Overwork. No surprise many of us are losing it at home and at work. But if you’re a mental fitness practitioner with a goal to stay calm and peaceful no matter what, some ways exist to find the ease and flow and stabilize the mood and feeling in yourself and those around you. In our delightf…

1
“I’m married to my violin” John Chang on the gifts from music and managing audition jitters 22:27

6M ago22:27

22:27

John Chang moved to the U.S. from a balmy part of China with one core goal: To perform violin for orchestras. His practicing’s intense and rigorous as are his auditions. We spoke a few days after auditioning for Chicago’s opera where he and other players must perform their excerpts to faceless judges separated from the musician by a black curtain. …

1
“Kindness is my legacy from adversity” Magdalena Kranz on luxury fashion and feeling happier with less 14:20

6M ago14:20

14:20

My interview with Chicago-based fashion consultant and stylist, Magdalena Kranz, kicks off a series of ad hoc interviews across my two podcasts. (I also host the Sage Sayers on Apple podcasts). I love that dear Magdalena takes us from her turbulent past in Poland before migrating to the U.S. We hear that she arrived in Chicago as a teen with little…

1
“My dad’s my first coach.” Abhijeet Patil on heritage, leadership, and writing 30:35

6M ago30:35

30:35

North Carolina-based executive architect Abhijeet Patil has long led complex hybrid cloud initiatives for Fortune 500s and loved the challenge. A recent self-generated challenge to write in the public space—his “writing spree”— has helped him discover the joy, clarity, and courage that comes from expressing ourselves in the written word. He’s also …

1
“I’m loving this new creative space.” Coach Malvika Joshi on the joy of entrepreneurship. 33:03

6M ago33:03

33:03

Building your own venture can bring a whirlwind of creativity, problem solving, and joy from building something you love. Partner it with coaching and certifying as a coach and you’ve endless surges of energy and happiness. This becomes the life and outlook of Coach Malvika Joshi, a London-based coach who’s just launched her own coaching practice w…

1
“I find joy in improving people’s health” Jill Staudacher on pharma, alternative medicine, and sisterhood 26:18

7M ago26:18

26:18

Jill Staudacher has spent the best part of her career in pharmaceutical sales; but since COVID she’s felt drawn additionally to alternative ways to heal—both herself, her family, and friends as well. In this timely interview, from my Muskego, Wisconsin base, Jill shares her journey into a powerful career selling excellent medicines to finding a gro…

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“Yoga helps us notice our feet have toes.” Yasna Garcia Da Rosa on certifying as a yoga instructor 24:55

7M ago24:55

24:55

If you’ve practiced yoga, you know: This ancient practice stills our busy mind and grounds us in our bodies while building stamina and strength. Yasna García da Rosa ACC (Associate Certified Coach) por ICF knows this shift well, especially from taking her love for yoga all the way to the top by certifying ( this quarter) as an instructor. Yasna sha…

1
How to make the important words fit. 10 cruel but powerful résumé edits 14:48

7M ago14:48

14:48

If you’ve reworked your resume recently via Resume IO, Canva, or (my favorite platform: My Perfect Resume.com) you’ll see the creative challenge in describing our work efforts, skills, and triumphs within a few words. The summary section on Resume IO rations a cruel 200 characters. The work experience for each role? Three bullets, each worth 200 ch…

1
The Lost Sunglasses. The stress of losing lovely things 17:06

7M ago17:06

17:06

Losing my first Tom Ford sunglasses in New Zealand’s Pacific Ocean at Ohope Beach on New Year’s eve this year reminded me that the fear of falling back financially never really leaves us. That's the fodder for this week’s podcast episode. I’m narrating an essay I wrote soon after losing my lovely Tom Fords and one I continued finessing during a sno…

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“You know when it’s time for career change. Listen for it. You know.” Rebecca Perreault on changing our work, outlook, and life 19:15

8M ago19:15

19:15

My guest this week has reinvented herself multiple times through multiple life stages—even focuses of her study, career, and the way she chooses to live her life. Her name’s Rebecca, and after several decades in the corporate world—most recently in a high-powered supply chain role—she’s decided to step down, change her focus, and move away from the…

1
More trust is vital for mastery of coaching 15:41

8M ago15:41

15:41

In this week’s musings, reading from my musings on Medium, I’m sharing what I’ve learned from completing 2:10 of the required mentor sessions with my MCC mentor coach as I strive to certify as a Master Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation. The insights I’ve gathered so far have changed how I feel, think, and how I coach — all …

1
How (and why) to hook and compel your audience in a minute—or less 15:25

8M ago15:25

15:25

As we rise closer to the top-tier audiences of the companies where we serve, hooking and compelling our audience in our opening sentences feels vital. I know, because I’ve needed to cut to the chase when interviewing experts and executives for articles I’ve written — or anyone with power and visibility. I find this audience more rushed than rude an…

1
Growing things gives us inner strength: Pamela Currall on finding peace in her garden 17:07

8M ago17:07

17:07

Such a lovely way to launch season two for Competency No 5, my podcast focused on finding calm when we coach, lead, and live our lives. Meet Lady Pamela at the Sea, AKA Pamela Currall, a retired practice nurse in New Zealand. She’s also my dear Mum, and in our delightful interview (which takes place in her garden off of the Kapiti Coast) she shares…

1
How Do We Share Our Successes When Data is Scant? 12:28

8M ago12:28

12:28

Job seekers and those on the rise within their org need data. Numbers and trends within those numbers quantify how we excel at our craft and trade, become proof, and help paint a story — a vision — of success we can bring our future employer or team. But at least 50% of the coachees I coach struggle here because not enough time has passed to show t…

1
I find calm, confidence, and joy from playing flute: Emma Zhou 19:53

9M ago19:53

19:53

Boston-based project manager Emma Zhou has long found joy, calm, and courage from playing flute. What began as a hobby in her undergraduate studies in China has now become part of her personal branding and a delightful activity she maintains alongside advanced analytics work. She performs often with local musicians and solo in the greater Boston ar…

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Want to Boost Clarity and Confidence? Travel. An Interview with Azra Bandali 25:59

9M ago25:59

25:59

I often get asked how to boost our confidence—a tough question, because so many ways exist! My guest in this week’s Sage Sayer’s podcast shares a passion with me for travel. Her name’s Azra Bandali and she’s ventured to 32 countries, an almost annual practice she started as a girl. Azra feels convinced travel has molded her into the woman she is to…

1
How Do Active Minds Learn to Meditate? Helio Fujita Knows 20:28

10M ago20:28

20:28

If your mind wanders too much for you to effectively meditate, then this week’s interview might delight you. My guest is Helio Fujita, an HR executive based in Switzerland. And (among other things) he’s a student at a prestigious UC Berkeley school training the bright and gifted how to teach meditation, the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certificat…

1
Why Cold Calls Nor Outreach Bother Me (Some Reporter Tips) 14:35

10M ago14:35

14:35

Many of us dread cold calling and following up with folks, especially when we want or need something from them. Why? Because we can feel (in these delicate moments) that we’re a bother or demanding or even desperate, when none of the above’s normally true. I’m convinced that our Inner Judge plays a role. Our critical inner voice wants to protect us…

1
How Feeling Thanks Boosts My Presence and Business 12:43

10M ago12:43

12:43

This week is Thanksgiving in America. I love that this country I’ve made home stays one of a few nations around the world devoting an entire holiday to giving thanks. (How lovely. And perhaps more countries can follow suit?) As a mental fitness practitioner and coach, I find that feeling thankful daily helps me feel more confident, calm, and center…

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“Diwali Connects Us with Our Culture and Celebrates Life” Madhu Chawla on the Gifts of Diwali 17:25

10M ago17:25

17:25

Diwali, an annual Hindu festival of lights, celebrates Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, and marks the beginning of the fiscal year in India. For the 17.9 million Indians living overseas, many still celebrate Diwali this month in the countries where they’re based. Madhu Chawla, an Arizona-based Senior Manager at American Express, says Diwali beco…

1
Using Candor and Presence to Speak and Challenge the Truth 30:33

11M ago30:33

30:33

We have my dear friend and peer coach Sathya Sethuraman back with us this week to discuss with me a curious dynamic that comes up for coaches when maintaining presence: The occasional but powerful need for radical candor. In this context we mean challenging our coachee on the words they lay down and asking open-ended, short, but powerful questions …

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The Gifts and Opportunities of Fertility Treatments. One Woman’s Story 22:53

11M ago22:53

22:53

My guest today wants to share her story (anonymously for her privacy) of two fertility treatments she has undertaken (the second still in progress) and the gifts, the learning, and the opportunities she has found along the way. Her motivation: Wanting to plan ahead to ensure she can have a family, when she’s ready. And she’s part of a larger and gr…

1
Celebrating 5,250 Individual Coaching Hours: Lessons and Tactics 12:50

11M ago12:50

12:50

This week, I’ve reached 5,250 individual coaching hours, which more than doubles the 2,500 individual hours the International Coaching Federation asks for coaches certifying as a Master Certified Coach. MCC certified coaches make up only 4% of global ICF coaches, because of all the other lengthy requirements they ask for, and because it’s so hard a…

1
The Sage Sayers: How (and When) to Explain Blips in Our Work Story? 11:17

11M ago11:17

11:17

If you're job interviewing, you may feel a bit nervous about the inevitable blips which come up in our work story, especially during turbulent times. I've beaucoup ideas and tactics in this week's podcast episode and in my article on Medium on how to iron out those kinks in confident, non-apologetic ways and in ways which help our personal brand. A…

1
Riptide Adventures. A Tale of Trust and Presence 13:42

11M ago13:42

13:42

Anyone who knows me well knows that Lake Michigan, the world’s fifth largest lake, is my happy place here in Wisconsin bringing me calm, clarity, gratitude, and creativity. One visit can bring powerful shifts in perspective and unlocks big ideas. A recent trip to a new access lake point, Two Rivers, brought an unexpected adventure: Getting caught i…

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The Sage Sayers: Building Confidence With Your Voice. An Interview with Isaac Te Reina 21:26

12M ago21:26

21:26

New Zealander Isaac Te Reina, a documentary and film producer and actor who has featured in Avatar returns to the Sage Sayers this week. Together we share tools and techniques for managing the vocal quirks coming up for many of us when under pressure: Verbal filler, speeding, and going on a bit because we struggle to bottom line. It all starts with…

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Taming Our “Monkey Brain” When We Coach. An interview with Coach Sathya Sethuraman 24:02

12M ago24:02

24:02

My guest this week is Sathya Sethuraman, a financial Services and insurance industry strategist and thought leader who's served for 20+ years as a trusted advisor to Fortune 100 global insurance and financial service firms. Sathya’ s also my friend and a coach. Sathya’ s realizing, as he applies to certify in more advanced ways with the Internation…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Debbi Gardiner McCullough Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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