Mike shares stories from across his career, from early failures that required full system redesigns to high-stakes programs that demanded focus, collaboration, and resilience. These moments reveal a consistent theme in his leadership approach: people matter most.

We explore how leaders can create environments where mistakes become learning, how to focus when everything feels important, and why leadership is less about control and more about engaging others to move through complexity together.

There are practical reflections on assuming positive intent, building strong relationships, and leading with a human-centered mindset.

Please check out Mike Uhl Coaching & Insights on LinkedIn to see how he is helping leaders sharpen focus, lead intentionally, and grow with purpose:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeuhl1/

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction and Background

01:41 – What Matters Most

03:00 – Portfolio Career Transition

06:00 – The Power of the Pause

09:50 – Early Career Failure

14:30 – Learning Without Blame

19:10 – High-Stakes Leadership

21:30 – Accountability and Empowerment

24:00 – Focus and Prioritization

27:00 – Experience and Mentorship

28:50 – How Can I Help

30:00 – The Sounding Board

32:00 – Vulnerability in Leadership

35:30 – Leadership Across Contexts

36:30 – Architecting Organizations

40:00 – Decision-Making and Design

45:00 – Inclusion and Human Worth

47:50 – Lessons from Fly Fishing

49:30 – Servant Leadership

52:00 – Staying Curious

53:30 – Leadership and Loneliness

55:25 – Closing Reflections

We explore how leaders can leverage vulnerability, not having all the answers, to unlock the intelligence of their team and create space for better thinking. Lynette shares a powerful reframe on conflict: people are always trying to get their needs met, and when leaders shift to finding shared care, conversations begin to open instead of stall.

We also dive into practical tools from the Intel Leadership Fitness Program, including Relationship, Possibility, and Action (RPA), along with LRA and the 3-2-1 perspective shift. These tools help leaders structure conversations, stay grounded, and move from tension to productive outcomes.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in conversations or misaligned with your team, this episode offers simple practices you can apply immediately.

Enjoy!

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction and focus on vulnerability and shared care

01:20 – Leading without having all the answers

03:00 – Beginner’s mindset vs expert mindset

05:00 – Introducing RPA: Relationship, Possibility, Action

07:00 – Leadership is about people, not just systems

08:30 – People are always trying to get their needs met

10:00 – Finding shared care to unlock conversations

11:30 – Structuring conversations with RPA

13:30 – Aligning on the type of conversation (relationship vs action)

15:30 – Naming where you are in the conversation

17:00 – Balancing preference for action vs possibility

18:00 – Divergence and convergence in decision making

19:30 – Practicing RPA as a team habit

22:00 – Reducing unproductive conflict through structure

24:00 – Practice over perfection: building the habit

27:30 – Start in low-stakes situations to build skill

31:00 – Leadership mindset: curiosity

32:00 – Lessons from parenting: humility and letting go of control

36:30 – Final takeaway: people are always trying to meet their needs

Lynette shares her perspective on reducing unnecessary suffering in teams by creating environments where people can both perform and feel a sense of belonging. We dive into how leadership starts within, and how a leader’s ability to regulate themselves directly impacts the team around them.

We also explore how to navigate disruption and uncertainty, not by controlling outcomes, but by asking better questions and staying open to what is emerging.

This episode introduces foundational tools from the Intel Leadership Fitness Program, including Listen, Reflect, Ask (LRA), and practices for engaging in difficult conversations and gaining perspective.

If you’re navigating tension, uncertainty, or change, this episode offers practical ways to stay grounded and lead effectively.

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction and Lynette’s focus on reducing suffering in organizations

01:30 – What matters: performance, belonging, and meaningful work

05:45 – Leadership starts within: self-awareness and regulation

09:00 – Leading through uncertainty and disruption

10:00 – “Things fall apart and come back together” mindset

14:00 – Innovation through disruption (COVID example)

18:00 – The role of community and support in uncertainty

20:00 – Navigating paradox and finding a third path

24:30 – From “right answer” to experimentation and learning

28:00 – Asking better questions: “What needs to be true?”

30:00 – Getting out of the room: talk to real people, not assumptions

33:00 – Curiosity question: “How might I be wrong?”

37:30 – Introduction to LRA: Listen, Reflect, Ask

42:00 – Listening beyond words: values, emotion, and intent

48:30 – Difficult conversations and regulating in the moment

55:00 – Perspective shift with 3-2-1

58:30 – Reflection: dysregulation and curiosity in leadership

In this episode of ROAR Mindset: Leading through Chaos, Peter Brandenburger sits down with Anil Kumar, Principal Engineer and System Architect at Intel, to explore what technical leadership means and why its lessons apply to every leader navigating complexity.

Anil explains that technical leaders are not just expert problem solvers. They are accelerators for others. Their role is to elevate capability, remove friction, clarify direction, and create conditions where teams move faster and with greater coherence.

The conversation covers collaboration across ecosystems, aligning innovation with business needs, and ensuring coherence across hardware, software, and go-to-market realities. Anil reflects on career lessons that shaped him, including the importance of zooming out, adapting plans with humility, and continuing to learn even when success feels comfortable.

Key Takeaways

• Technical leaders act as accelerators for others, increasing the performance of the whole system.

• Collaboration across disciplines creates coherence and impact.

• Innovation succeeds when it aligns with business and ecosystem realities.

• Understanding go-to-market constraints strengthens technical credibility.

• Coaching fosters ownership and sustainable growth.

• Adaptability requires humility and the willingness to pivot.

• Trust with customers and partners is a long-term advantage.

• Communication improves when you focus on what matters to the other person.

• Leaders must continuously assess the value they are adding.

• Zooming out prevents misalignment and wasted effort.

Links to Anil’s Books

Connecting the Internet of Things

https://www.amazon.com/Connecting-Internet-Things-Connectivity-Standards/dp/1484288963

Demystifying Internet of Things Security

https://www.amazon.com/Demystifying-Internet-Things-Security-Successful/dp/1484228952

Subscribe for more conversations on leading through chaos.

Chapters

00:00 – Why Technical Leadership Matters

02:05 – What Matters Most: Multiplying Capability

04:10 – Defining Technical Leadership

06:41 – The Three Criteria of Technical Leadership

09:39 – Communicating Across Disciplines

13:07 – Technical Leadership vs. Management

15:09 – The Wave Analogy: Coherence Across the Stack

19:38 – A Career Lesson: Another Technological Mistake

22:41 – Go to Market Reality

25:22 – Google TV and Scaling Under Pressure

28:37 – Leaving Comfort: What Am I Learning?

33:06 – The Three Criteria for a Role Shift

34:01 – Why a Technical Leader Became a Coach

36:39 – Calm Adaptability

38:44 – Synthetic Deadlines and Context Switching

41:04 – AI, Long Cycles, and Future Thinking

42:23 – Trust as a Competitive Advantage

44:37 – The Leadership Question That Guides It All

45:46 – Final Reflection

Book: Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson

Chapters

00:00 Intro

01:52 Building Trust for an Uncertain Organization

10:04 Know Your Capability Set

14:40 Headcount is NOT Success

18:10 Answering Challenging Questions in an Open Forum

19:58 Access to Leaders

22:09 Greatness Remains

25:16 The Power of Honesty in Leadership

28:27 Leadership Lessons from Soccer (Real Football)

They explore what Chris learned after leaving corporate life, how long-distance walking shaped his understanding of pace and agency, and two leadership stories from his time at Intel: building the PC reference board infrastructure and reframing senior technical leadership. Along the way, Chris offers practical insights on shelving ego, learning from mistakes without personalizing them, and avoiding the trap of vicious compliance.

This episode is filled with guidance for leaders navigating uncertainty and leading teams through disruption.

Book: Things Become Other Things by Craig Mod. The Japanese word Yoyū was the word from this book.

00:00 Introduction to the Roar Mindset

00:19 What matters to Chris Kelly

01:41 Detoxing from Corporate Life

02:52 Abundance Mindset

06:37 Power of Agency

08:01 Exploring the World

16:26 Too Many Reference Boards

18:52 Navigating Uncertainties

26:20 Trust and Resiliency

32:43 Learning from Failures

36:11 Radical Honesty

40:35 Embracing Failure and the End

43:32 Celebrating Transitions

46:42 Midmortems: Learning and Improving Mid-Project

48:22 Creating Space for Creativity and Abundance

51:09 Radical Honesty and Authenticity in Leadership

54:30 The Pitfalls of Inauthentic Relationships

01:04:30 Improving Meeting Efficiency and Decision Making

01:13:59 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Josh describes how Project Athena began with uncertainty and no defined path forward. By listening directly to users, the team uncovered the insight of why people turn to their PCs. This reframed the direction and led to a new vision for what laptops should become. This is a story of leading a disruption, one you create, with curiosity instead of control, partnering across a global ecosystem, and letting clarity emerge through connection and insight. It is also a reminder that even the most successful innovations begin with ambiguity and require leaders to act before they know exactly where the work will lead.

Learn more about Intel® EVO™ at https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/systems-devices/laptops/evo.html l

Reference to Melissa Gregg's book Work’s Intimacy

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Roar Mindset

01:18 Meet Josh Newman: What matters most

02:47 PC Innovation Initiative

05:15 Understanding PC User Behavior

09:50 Project Athena: Vision and Execution

18:52 The Rise of Freelancers and the Impact of COVID-19

22:34 Reflecting on Remote Work and COVID-19

23:16 The Power of Connected Minds in Innovation

25:00 Industry-Wide Collaboration and the Intel® Evo™brand

27:30 Challenges and Successes in the PC Ecosystem

36:56 The Future of AI and PC Innovation

42:58 Leadership Insights and Final Thoughts

In this ROAR Mindset episode, host Peter Brandenburger talks with Delena Gutierrez, a certified coach with 17 years of corporate leadership experience, including senior and executive roles leading teams through growth and transition. She has seen up close what it takes to lead with courage and self-compassion, including her time inside a Deliberately Developmental Organization (DDO) where development was built into everyday work.

Delena helps leaders rethink their approach so both people and organizations can thrive. She shares how DDOs make development part of the operating system itself by integrating feedback, reflection, and shared learning into the flow of work. We explore the courage it takes to share development openly, how teams move past hesitation and expanding work to include individual growth creates thriving teams.

Related books and articles:

Immunity to Change by Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey

An Everyone Culture: Becoming a Deliberately Developmental Organization by Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey et al

HBR Article on DDO - https://hbr.org/2014/04/making-business-personal

________________________________________

Episode Highlights

00:00 Introduction to the ROAR Mindset

00:25 Meet Delena Gutiérrez: Leading Through Growth

02:00 What Is a Deliberately Developmental Organization (DDO)?

07:00 Why Development Belongs in Daily Work

10:00 The Cost of Avoiding Difficult Conversations

14:00 Retention, Trust, and Real Collaboration

18:00 Feedback Without Fear: Naming What’s True

22:00 The Fishbowl: Practicing Transparency and Challenge

25:00 Silence as a Leadership Tool

29:00 Integrating DDO Practices in Any Organization

33:00 Courage, Compassion, and Self-Leadership

38:00 Turning Chaos Into Growth

45:00 Leadership Lessons Relearned

48:00 One Word to Describe Her Leadership Mindset

Steve reflects on lessons learned from turning discarded components into opportunity, accelerating product launches with small agile teams, and building trust through honest conversations. They also discuss how to stay steady in moments of tension, when “no” is the right answer, and how mentorship and reflection sustain long-term leadership growth.

Resources Mentioned:

• MicroInequities: The Power of Small by Stephen Young – short introduction video
• The Power of the Five Whys: Drilling Down to Effectively Problem-Solve
• How I Did It: William Wang, CEO, Vizio (requires subscription), or LA Times: He lost money as a young CEO. Then he founded TV giant Vizio - Los AngelesTimes (free)

Connect with Steve: LinkedIn

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Roar Mindset

00:36 Personal Stories of Health and Resilience

02:27 Innovative Leadership in Technology

04:03 Navigating Uncertainty and AI Revolution

05:05 Lessons from Vizio Collaboration

09:58 The Power of Face-to-Face Interaction

13:15 Embracing Rotational Roles for Growth

17:28 Building Strong Relationships and Leadership

24:14 The Power of Asking 'Why'

26:03 Building Strong Customer Relationships

27:29 Mutual Value in Relationships

30:26 The Art of Saying No

39:25 Mentorship and Its Importance

44:53 Leadership Lessons and Mindset

47:42 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of ROAR Mindset, host Peter Brandenburger talks with Addy Roff, a Certified Integral Coach, consultant, and marketing leader with more than twenty years of experience in the tech industry. Addy combines Integral Coaching and Product Marketing to help leaders build awareness, courage, and connection.

Together, they explore what it means to lead from within by finding energy and alignment in uncertain times. Addy shares how leaders can transform self-doubt into self-trust, listen to their inner wisdom, and take grounded, courageous action. Addy shares lessons from Playing Big by Tara Mohr, weaving together practical insights for quieting the inner critic, cultivating an inner mentor, and moving from perfectionism to purposeful action.

They also dive into Addy’s perspective on core nutrients or the daily sources of energy that sustain creativity and well-being. They discuss how fear, failure, and feedback can become teachers rather than obstacles. The conversation closes with Addy’s reflections on the wisdom she draws from her Icelandic roots. Enjoy!

Books Mentioned

• Playing Big — Tara Mohr

Other recommended related books:

• Soul Without Shame: A Guide to Liberating Yourself from the Judge Within — Byron Brown

• Real Self-Care — Pooja Lakshmin

• Positive Intelligence — Shirzad Chamine

Learn More About Addy

🔗 Website: www.addyroff.com

🔗 LinkedIn: Addy Roff

Episode Highlights

00:00 Introduction to the ROAR Mindset

00:26 Meet Addy Roff: Integral Coach and GTM Leader

02:10 Discovering Core Nutrients that Sustain Leadership

08:15 The Energy of Alignment and Integrity

13:40 Lessons from Playing Big and the Inner Critic

20:30 The Enneagram Lens on Team Connection

27:15 Real Self-Care and Boundaries for Leaders

35:00 Positive Intelligence and the Power of Inner Awareness

43:40 Reconnection, Renewal, and Courage in Practice

48:00 Leadership Lessons Relearned

50:00 One Word to Describe Her Leadership Mindset

In this episode of the ROAR Mindset, host Peter Brandenburger speaks with Ahmed Omer, a global technology leader who brings calm and connection to complex environments. Ahmed shares how he creates alignment among diverse teams by listening deeply, clarifying intent, and focusing on shared purpose.

He reminds us that most conflicts arise not from disagreement but from misunderstanding, and that alignment is one of a leader’s most powerful tools. By focusing on harmony rather than control, leaders can build trust, strengthen collaboration, and lead through disruption with confidence.

Connect with Ahmed on LinkedIn to learn more about his work guiding global teams through technical and cultural complexity.

Episode Highlights

00:00 Introduction to the ROAR Mindset

00:24 Meet Ahmed Omer: A Leader Who Builds Harmony

02:10 Finding Rhythm, Happiness, and Flow

07:00 Navigating Noise and Building Trust

10:00 Aligning Teams Around Shared Purpose

14:45 Creating Strength-Based Organizations

21:30 Becoming a Partner of Choice

27:00 The Extra Mile: Adding Value Through Collaboration

30:00 Leading Through Disruption and Change

38:00 The Power of Listening Without Judgment

50:00 Turning Misunderstanding into Alignment

57:00 Techniques for Clarity and Connection

1:01:00 Leadership Lessons Relearned

1:03:00 One Word to Describe His Leadership Mindset

Playing A Powerful Leadership Game with Archana Sundareshan.

In this episode of Roar Mindset: Leading Through Chaos, host Peter Brandenburger talks with Archana Sundareshan, a versatile technologist, creative, philanthropist, and trekker. Archana shares her journey from an influential role at Intel to exploring the deeper facets of leadership through the lens of power, game theory, and the transformative experience of trekking. Together, they discuss redefining power as internal energy, the finisher's mindset, work-life integration, and the minimalism learned from trekking. Archana shares a few tips she learned from trekking that apply to leadership.  Peter and Archana reflect on the importance of living in the present, the significance of mutual support, and the profound impact of community on leadership.

• Check out Archana’s travel stories and DIY guides at www.somedaynomadic.com
• Explore her photography in her published book The Moments I Took a Pause, with her second book currently in the works
• She is now ideating on Aurum Walls by Archana Sundareshan, a luxury concept that transforms photography into timeless, curated walls.

00:00 Introduction to the Roar Mindset

00:26 Meet Ana Sunder: A Multifaceted Leader

01:24 Exploring Leadership and Power

03:29 The Concept of Power and Self-Doubt

06:08 The Trekking Metaphor for Leadership

09:21 Ambitions and Game Theory

17:52 Applying Game Theory to Leadership

23:56 Personal Challenges and Career Reflections

25:07 Rediscovering Purpose and Work-Life Integration

26:27 A Life-Changing Call and New Beginnings

26:47 Balancing Career and Personal Life

27:30 The Power of Technology and Purpose

28:22 Identity Beyond Work

29:43 Game Theory and Life Milestones

30:40 Non-Linear Life Paths and Career Setbacks

35:45 Leadership Lessons from Trekking and Travel

42:25 The Importance of Community and Relationships

48:18 Final Reflections and Future Discussions

In this episode of the ROAR Mindset, host Peter Brandenburger converses with Emily Hannenberg, a leadership coach with a rich background as an army officer and a consultant for senior leaders. Emily shares insights on viewing leadership as a profound human endeavor, combining confidence with humility, and the importance of distinguishing facts from stories. She discusses the concept of tactical patience in decision-making, the loneliness often felt by leaders, the necessity of mindfulness and self-care, and draws intriguing parallels between surfing and leadership.

See more from Emily on her newsletter at A Human Endeavor

Follow her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyhannenberg/overlay/about-this-profile/

00:00 Introduction to the Roar Mindset

00:21 Meet Emily Hanenburg: A Leader with Depth

01:13 Exploring Leadership as a Human Endeavor

05:29 The Power of Confidence and Humility

08:37 Navigating Uncertainty and Change

15:45 Tactical Patience in Leadership

24:23 The Loneliness of Leadership

24:58 Building a Support Network

25:40 Delegation and Empowerment

25:49 Creating Personal Boards and Mentorship

27:39 The Importance of Community

28:50 Diversifying Sources of Connection

30:01 Shifting Perspectives: Work and Life Balance

32:23 Surfing Lessons for Leadership

38:34 The Power of Self-Care

40:42 Mindfulness and Energy Management

43:14 Final Thoughts and Contact Information

00:00 Introduction to the Roar Mindset

00:26 Guest Introduction: Hamid's Journey

02:02 Hamid's Return from Retirement

05:17 Leadership Lessons: Micromanagement and Empowerment

12:26 Taking Bold Actions in Leadership

24:23 Authentic Leadership and Promises

25:09 Empowerment and Common Purpose

25:55 Building Trust with a New Team

27:24 The Power of Listening

27:54 Leading by Removing Roadblocks

29:25 Impact Beyond Technical Achievements

34:08 Feedback and Continuous Improvement

38:27 Trust and Empowerment in Leadership

43:31 Customer Orientation and Ownership

46:37 Final Thoughts on Leadership

Follow Dani at

Newsletter: https://selfmade.substack.com/

Website: https://www.joinselfmade.co/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/danicirignano

Books: 

Leadership and the New Science - Margaret Wheatley

Emergent Strategy - adrienne maree brown (her name is intentionally not capitalized)

Liz offers a 6-month leadership coaching package designed for purpose-driven professionals who want to lead with greater clarity, alignment, and impact. It’s a powerful container for personal and professional transformation. She also partners with organizations to design and facilitate high-impact team engagements that support trust, communication, and performance. You can learn more at www.lizsmith.coach or reach out to connect directly.

00:00 Introduction to the Roar Mindset

00:26 Guest Introduction: Liz Smith

00:43 The Concept of Aligned Decision Making

01:00 Starting the Conversation with Liz

03:31 Exploring Aligned Decision Making

10:30 Practical Application: Peter's Dilemma

22:06 Corporate Adaptations and Team Applications

23:18 Challenges and Generational Differences

29:18 Conclusion and Final Thoughts