Magic in the Room #32- Leadership Challenge with Special Guest Bob Schooley

November 24, 2020

Recurring guest “Dr. Bob” shares with Hannah and Luke the five practices of exemplary leadership based on the research and book by James Kouzes and Barry Posner. Starting with his personal experience of meeting Kouzes and Posner as a young professor at San Diego State University, Dr. Bob describes each of the five practices and how we can apply them in our lives to become the best leaders we can be.

Are leaders born or made? Parents sometimes tell their kids that they are a born a leader, but is this helping them? By contrast, if you had a growth mindset, you would talk about the behavior that would give you the ability to become a great leader and the hard work and effort you put into it.

 

These are just a few reasons why Hannah looks at leadership from a growth mindset where everyone can learn the behaviors it takes to be an effective leader. Even if armed with raw talent, we don’t start as great leaders. But we can all hone our skills and learn to become better at leading our teams.

 

Many mistakenly believe that you need to belong to several stereotypes to be an effective leader. But it’s ridiculous to think that you must be of a specific gender or personality type to succeed. Dr. Bob advises that anyone can become an effective leader, and he has the research to prove it.

 

Dr. Bob also shares how he has many unforgettable memories of when he witnessed the actual moment people blossom in front of you when learning about leadership. Throughout Luke’s career, he has been interested in the subject too. From designing leadership programs and coaching folks to helping people become better leaders.

Everyone has an opinion on leadership, and these opinions seldom resonate with people. Luke would begin by asking, what are the behaviors that you would practice to help you become a leader? But follow up with, here’s an answer and it’s based on research.

In this episode, Luke also shares why he has always have cared about inclusivity, what’s on the horizon, and aligning everyone together on the journey forward. He also shares more about the importance of learning more about meaningful recognition and encouragement, calling out people’s character, and looking for opportunities to help them.

Finally, Dr. Bob warns listeners that you can’t think your way to leadership. Leadership is an affair of the heart. It truly is loving what you do and loving the people around you. If you want to be a successful leader, that’s a requirement. And if you can’t do that, then it’s probably time to look for something else.

 

Magic in the Room #196: Leading with Hope in a Cynical World

January 12, 2026
In this episode of Magic in the Room, Luke, Hannah, and Chris delve into the timely topic of hope versus cynicism in leadership, particularly in a world rife with uncertainty and negativity. The discussion focuses on whether hope alone is sufficient for transformational leadership or if, in environments steeped in cynicism, leaders must amplify their energy and intentionality, sometimes matching the intensity of cynics to move organizations forward. They examine the "hope recipe," which involves envisioning a better future, creating a pathway, and having agency. They also discuss the difficulty of maintaining agency when systems, culture, or fatigue threaten to sap it. They differentiate between strategically "letting go" and simply "giving up," emphasizing the importance of support, accountability, and self-awareness as antidotes to cynicism. 

Magic in the Room #195: Activity vs. Impact

By Sarah Whitfield • December 3, 2025
In this episode of "Magic in the Room," Luke, Hannah, and Chris unpack the difference between being busy and being truly impactful, exploring why organizations often get stuck in high-activity, low-impact cycles. They identify five common contributors: compliance-heavy environments, resistance to change, disconnected decision-makers, fear-driven “CYA” cultures, and firefighting systems that reward heroics over long-term strategy. From there, they highlight what creates real impact: clarity of purpose, agency, curiosity, intentionality, and the discipline to question assumptions and align action with a meaningful “why.” The conversation encourages leaders to build awareness of their strengths, design systems that support healthy impact, maintain congruence between their public and private influence, and cultivate the kind of presence that can genuinely move a room. 
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