Michael Bungay Stanier - #1 Coaching Expert | Why Smart People Give Terrible Advice

Success Story with Scott D. Clary

Success Story Media

How To, Education, Self-improvement, Business

4.6 • 326 Ratings

🗓️ 14 September 2025

⏱️ 76 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

➡️ Join 321,000 people who read my free weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.scottdclary.com ➡️ Like The Podcast? Leave A Rating: https://ratethispodcast.com/successstory Michael Bungay Stanier is a world-renowned author, speaker, and leadership coach whose work has redefined how millions of managers lead. His bestselling book The Coaching Habit has sold over 1 million copies, making it the most influential coaching book of the century and a go-to resource for leaders at companies like Google, Microsoft, and Salesforce. Recognized as one of the top voices in leadership and organizational development, Michael has trained hundreds of thousands of managers across 50+ countries to unlock potential through the simple but powerful act of asking better questions. With multiple bestselling books, international speaking tours, and a global reputation for practical, transformational leadership, he continues to shape how organizations build stronger leaders and more engaged teams. ➡️ Show Links https://www.instagram.com/mbs_works/ https://www.youtube.com/@mbs_works/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelbungaystanier/ ➡️ Podcast Sponsors Hubspot - https://hubspot.com/ Truth, Lies & Work Podcast - https://truthliesandwork.com ShipStation - https://www.shipstation.com/ (Code: SuccessStory) Square - https://square.com/go/success SurveyMonkey - https://www.surveymonkey.com/scott Monarch Money - https://www.monarchmoney.com (Code: Success) Claude - https://claude.ai/success Incogni - https://incogni.com/success (Code: Success) NetSuite — https://netsuite.com/scottclary/ Indeed - https://indeed.com/clary ➡️ Talking Points 00:00 – Intro 01:31 – When Helping Hurts 05:52 – Redefining Coaching 09:55 – Are Coaches Natural Leaders? 13:01 – The Power of Staying Curious 21:01 – Sponsor Break 23:47 – The Seven Why’s + What Else 29:30 – The Most Overlooked Question 35:25 – I–Thou vs. I–It 40:02 – How Michael’s Approach Stands Out 43:21 – Sponsor Break 46:13 – Common Coaching Mistakes 53:04 – Michael’s 5 Daily Questions 57:43 – What a Goal Really Is 1:08:25 – The #1 Lesson from The Coaching Habit 1:11:47 – Advice Michael Wants His Kids to Remember

Transcript

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0:00.0	Success story is a Square partner. Now, your favorite neighborhood spots run on Square.
0:05.6	You know, I was just at Panther Coffee here in Miami last week and beyond the incredible
0:09.2	gratato. What struck me was watching them seamlessly handle the morning rush. The barista mentioned
0:14.6	they've been using Square to manage everything from inventory to building their loyal customer base.
0:18.8	It's so much more than just that little white card
0:22.0	reader that we all recognize. Square knows that local businesses can be big businesses. And as
0:27.1	things get more complex, Square meets you at every opportunity. So whether or not you're expanding
0:32.0	to new locations, building a loyal following, even covering cash flow gaps, Squares powering all the behind-the-scenes stuff that matters.
0:39.7	They knock out today's to-dos and they unlock tomorrow's what-ifs.
0:43.7	If you're ready to see how Square can transform your business,
0:46.8	go to square.com slash go slash success to learn more.
0:52.5	That's square.com slash go slash success. Square. Meet you there.
0:58.1	I've been playing in this world for many years now. When I first got a taste of it, I was a teenager.
1:03.4	I volunteered at my local crisis support helpline for kids. Your advice, my advice, is never as good
1:09.6	as I think it is. and it's often not the thing
1:11.9	that is actually wanted in most interactions. Today's guest has changed the way leaders coach,
1:16.9	mentor, and create impact. Michael Bungay-Stanyer is the mind behind box of crayons, a global
1:22.7	company that's taught thousands to shift from being advice-driven to curiosity- led. Be the person who has the answer.
1:28.7	That's how you prove that you're the smart person, the good person, the valuable person. Good advice
1:33.4	has never been cheaper, faster, more accessible. We are kind of attached a good degree of our
1:39.2	sense of importance in the world as to being the person who has the answer.
1:44.6	He wrote The Coaching Habit, a book that sold over a million copies and is now considered
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