Welcome to a special episode of the look and sound of leadership, an ongoing series of

executive coaching tips designed to help you be perceived in the workplace the way you want to be

perceived. I'm Tom Henshiel, your executive coach, and today we're talking about nice girls

don't get the corner office.

I am excited to do something new with you.

After 17 years of this podcast, I'm doing my first interview.

I have always stayed away from interviews.

I watch people like Dave Stahoviac on the Coaching for Leaders podcast.

I watch what it takes to create a really great meaningful interview week after week. I think,

oh my goodness, that is a lot of work and I don't want to do it. But this interview was easy.

This interview was irresistible, actually.

I'll tell you why.

I'm going to begin the story in the present day.

These days, it sometimes happens that when people hear I'm an executive coach, the conversation goes like this.

I say, I'm an executive coach.

And they say, oh, who do you coach?

And I say corporate executives. And they say, oh, who do you coach? And I say, corporate executives.

And they say, huh, what do you coach them on?

And then I drop into sorting and labeling, and I say, I usually coach on one of three things. One, being more executive, which is the look and sound of leadership.

Two, helping disruptive executives be a little less disruptive.

And three, helping women rise, helping women get their voices heard.

I never know what people are going to be interested in.

...