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Artwork for The Hard Skills

The Hard Skills

Dr. Mira Brancu
Leadership
Leadership Development
Organizational Culture
Workplace Politics
Burnout
Change Management
Mentorship
Executive Coaching
Psychological Safety
Team Dynamics
Women In Leadership
Employee Engagement
Self-Awareness
Ambiguous Grief
Communication Skills
Inclusive Leadership
Human Resource Development
Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Performance Management

Welcome to “The Hard Skills” podcast, a practical and research-driven show that explores the core leadership skills needed to fuel leadership to activate real change, such as creating inclusive and healthy workplaces.

Through expert interviews and live coaching calls, we challenge the notion of "soft skills," question long-held but inaccurate leadership development beliefs, and offer real, practi... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes140Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ManagementCareersBusiness

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Artwork for The Hard Skills

Latest Episodes

Imagination as a leadership skill? Most people wouldn't even put it in their top 10. But what if it's the one thing separating leaders who repeat old systems from those who build new futures?

In this conversation, Dr. Mira Brancu sits down with Dr. ... more

You've been working so hard to be an effective leader, and somehow your team still doesn't see it. This episode shows you exactly why, and how to close the gap before it stalls your career.

Margaret Andrews ran the MBA program at MIT Sloan for seven... more

Emotional intelligence is supposed to make workplaces better. But what if it might also teach people to tolerate what should be intolerable?

Candice Schutter spent two decades inside the wellness industry, leading programs, training instructors, bui... more

Most women in leadership got there by working twice as hard as the men around them. And it's quietly destroying their health.

In this conversation, Dr. Mira Brancu sits down with executive coach Duygu Alpteka Gursu, who spent nearly three decades cl... more

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Recent Guests

Duygu Alptekin Gursu
Executive and team coach, keynote speaker and best-selling author
Independent coach
Episode: EXECUTIVE COACH: Why Strong Women Burn Out at the Top, with Duygu Alptekin Gursu
Dr. CarolLaine Garcia
Dominican American decolonial researcher, poet, and artist; founder of Queen Mindset Leadership Studio
Episode: I/O PSYCHOLOGIST EXPLAINS: When Success Demands Self-Abandonment, with Dra. CarolLaine Garcia
Dr. Mehul Mankad
Board-certified forensic psychiatrist; Chief Medical Officer at Novum Health
Novum Health
Episode: How to Make the Leap from Individual Contributor to Executive, with Dr. Mehul Mankad
Valerie Zolezzi-W Wyndham
Expert in inclusive leadership, organizational culture, and psychology of leadership behavior change
Promoting Good LLC
Episode: Why Leaders need to lead with both empathy and courage in 2026, with Valerie Zolezzi-Wyndham
Ira Chaleff
Author, speaker, and executive coach
Chaleff & Associates / Congressional Management Foundation (Chair Emeritus)
Episode: How Courageous Followership Creates Better Leaders And Governments, with Ira Chaleff
Dr. Paul Damiano
PhD in organizational psychology; president of Good Works Consulting; former Center for Creative Leadership trainer; creator of Funny Business
Good Works Consulting
Episode: EXECUTIVE COACH EXPLAINS: How Humor Makes You a Better Leader, with Dr. Paul Damiano
Daniel Lattimore
Founder and CEO of Omeo Consulting; psychologist specializing in experiential consultation and organizational innovation
Omeo Consulting
Episode: Using Humor as a Powerful Resiliency and Connection Tool, with Dr. Daniel Cruz Lattimore
Michael Woody Woodward
BetterUp's Chief Coaching Officer
BetterUp
Episode: The Science and Future of Great Coaching, with BetterUp’s Chief Coaching Officer, Dr. Woodward
Sharon Hull
Founder and CEO of MetaSolutions; author of Professional Careers by Design
MetaSolutions
Episode: How to Build a Career That Actually Serves Your Life, with Dr. Sharon Hull

Hosts

Dr. Mira Brancu
Host of The Hard Skills, clinical and organizational development psychologist specializing in leadership.
Dr. Woody Woodward
Chief Coaching Officer at BetterUp, leadership coaching expert.
Daniel Lattimore
Founder of Omeo Consulting; psychologist focusing on experiential leadership development.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 47 ratings
  • CEO

    Mira takes such great care to select people who have something concrete and productive to offer, and then treating them with great respect while asking thoughtful and provocative questions to deepen the listener’s experience. I highly recommend this podcast for anyone who is a leader in her field. Great stuff!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bchrmer
    United States5 months ago
  • Great insights

    Mira makes being a guest on the show effortless and enjoyable. She's done her homework on each guest and topic, and it shows. Best of all she adds a case-based approach to her interview style that force guests to share authentic experiences and insights, not fluff.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mapdock
    United States6 months ago
  • Improves my life!

    Every time I listen I get insights I still think about days later or tips that improve my life. Great show!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JillGZ
    United States8 months ago
  • on the pulse

    So timely and fantastic researched based work, without the buzzfeed garbage slop that is most of the hack leadership advice ALL over the internet. This is the REAL REAL, that folks in the HR space should be influenced by!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dr Hendrick
    United States8 months ago
  • Great format

    Enjoy the conversations!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MitaM13
    United States9 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Host's preparation and case-based interviewing style is highly valued by guests and listeners alike.
Listeners praise thoughtful, actionable leadership insights and rigorous questioning.
Show is widely regarded as a practical, research-backed resource for leaders seeking depth over buzzwords.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#121
Mexico/Business/Management

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How to Make the Leap from Individual Contributor to Executive, with Dr. Mehul Mankad
Q: How did you handle prioritization when dozens of demands competed for attention?
I benefited from executive coaching that helped me understand how to identify the highest-impact priorities and structure a clear framework to defend decisions to stakeholders, essentially Whac-A-Mole but with a principled approach to what gets done first.
How to Make the Leap from Individual Contributor to Executive, with Dr. Mehul Mankad
Q: What sparked your move from a medical educator role to leadership?
A colleague warned that without leadership, you may end up training your boss; that nudge, combined with a desire for impact, led me to pursue leadership despite risks, realizing it could be a temporary detour if it didn't work out.
Why Leaders need to lead with both empathy and courage in 2026, with Valerie Zolezzi-Wyndham
Q: What is the Promoting Good methodology and how does it help leaders close the intention-action gap?
It starts with a diagnosis to uncover organizational and leadership gaps, followed by leadership culture and system solutions, using a validated eight-trait assessment and a framework called Equity Pause to align actions with stated intentions.
Why Leaders need to lead with both empathy and courage in 2026, with Valerie Zolezzi-Wyndham
Q: How did Valerie transition from law to the psychology of leadership change, and what core insight guided that shift?
Her shift was driven by recognizing that while law can manage risk, it cannot cultivate culture; true improvement comes from diagnosing organizational dynamics and focusing on people and systems, not just legal compliance.
How to Build a Career That Actually Serves Your Life, with Dr. Sharon Hull
Q: Can you describe the five strategies for lifelong career satisfaction?
They are: be the CEO of your life, keep your top 10 list updated, cultivate a circle of mentors and friends who support your goals, think creatively to meet those needs, and invest in strong negotiating skills to expand opportunities.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Hard Skills

What is The Hard Skills about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on practical, research-driven leadership skills aimed at creating healthier, more inclusive workplaces. Episodes feature in-depth conversations with executives, coaches, and scholars, often exploring themes like women in leadership, psychological safety, workplace resilience, and the role of humor and empathy in effective management. Across interviews and live coaching-style segments, the host debunks conventional “soft skills” myths and provides evidence-based strategies for navigating workplace politics, leading with agency, and building durable organizations. A notable strength is its blend of rigorous psychology with real-world coaching, plus a consistent focus on healthcare, tech, and academia as high-impact sectors.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Hard Skills?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Hard Skills. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Hard Skills and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Hard Skills get?

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What are the audience demographics for The Hard Skills?

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How many subscribers and views does The Hard Skills have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Hard Skills has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Hard Skills?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Hard Skills:

1. Speaking of Psychology
2. The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant
3. Vibe Check
4. A Bit of Optimism
5. On Purpose with Jay Shetty

How many episodes of The Hard Skills are there?

The Hard Skills launched 3 years ago and published 140 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Hard Skills?

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Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Hard Skills?

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What guests have appeared on The Hard Skills?

Recent guests on The Hard Skills include:

1. Duygu Alptekin Gursu
2. Dr. CarolLaine Garcia
3. Dr. Mehul Mankad
4. Valerie Zolezzi-W Wyndham
5. Ira Chaleff
6. Dr. Paul Damiano
7. Daniel Lattimore
8. Michael Woody Woodward

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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