True leadership isn't about being nice. It's about being kind, honest, and challenging people to reach their full potential.

In this episode, Alan Stein sits down with Dave Kline, former Bridgewater Associates leader turned management consultant, to explore the radical transparency that shaped Dave's leadership philosophy. Dave shares insights from his decade at Bridgewater, where feedback was constant and unfiltered, revealing how this approach built stronger teams despite its intensity. Learn how Dave and his wife are now helping managers through their management accelerator programs that have already transformed over 1,200 leaders.

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In this episode, host Alan Stein sits down with Jeff Sipe, a seasoned technical recruiter with 5+ years at Google and 15+ years of recruiting experience. They dive into practical interview techniques including Jeff's CFAS method for answering hypothetical questions, the one-minute rule for "tell me about yourself," and the psychology behind making memorable first impressions in interviews.

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In this episode, Alan Stein sits down with Kristi Coulter about her bestselling book "Exit Interview," exploring how she navigated Amazon's male-dominated environment while battling imposter syndrome. Kristi shares candid insights about the company's frugal approach to employee well-being, strategies for women to claim their seat at the table, and why diverse teams make better business decisions than homogeneous ones.

Tune in now to discover how to own your career path even in the most challenging environments!

The reality of software engineering for the 99% who don't work at Big Tech ❓ In this episode, Alan sits down with John Crickett and talks about the differences between software engineering at Big Tech versus where most engineers actually work.

They also discuss why interview practices like LeetCode make sense for companies receiving thousands of applications but are often counterproductive elsewhere, and why people skills become more critical than technical skills for career advancement.

Tune in to gain valuable perspective on building an engineering career outside the Big Tech bubble.

In this episode, Alan sits down with Dexter Zhuang, founder of Money Abroad, to explore the fascinating journey from traditional corporate roles to building a portfolio career. Dexter shares his experience transitioning from tech giants like Dropbox to international ventures in Singapore, and finally to creating his own path.

They also dive deep into relationship building, cold outreach strategies that actually work, and how to make successful career transitions across countries.

Tune in to learn how to design your own path while maintaining the lifestyle you desire!

Has your job ever been eliminated unexpectedly? In this episode, career coach Anne Baker joins host Alan Stein to tackle the often-stigmatized world of "outplacement" services and share a bold new vision for helping displaced employees relaunch their careers.

Drawing from her decades of experience in the corporate world, Anne discusses why mass layoffs are becoming more common in the age of AI, and why being let go is no longer the career "scarlet letter" it once was. They also dive deep into what's broken with traditional outplacement support, from inconsistent coaching quality to outdated approaches, while exploring modern solutions for what they call career "re-acceleration."

Tune in to learn why traditional outplacement services need reimagining and how companies can better support their departing employees.

Tired of letting nerves sabotage your career opportunities?

In this episode, communication coach Nausheen Chen reveals her journey from being a brand manager to becoming an expert public speaking coach, sharing how she went from "faking" confidence to truly embodying it. Alan and Nausheen dive deep into the two biggest blockers to effective communication - nerves and delivery - while offering practical strategies to overcome them.

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Get in touch with Nausheen: www.speaking.coach

Can being too humble hurt your job search? In Korean business culture, it might be the norm – but Western recruiters see things differently.

In this episode, Alan sits down with Grant Sundbye, and they explore the challenges Korean professionals face in international job searches, from cultural differences in resume writing to LinkedIn optimization. They also discuss the contrasts between Korean and Western job search approaches and insider tips for standing out in interviews.

Tune in to discover how cultural understanding and effective communication strategies can bridge the gap between Eastern and Western professional environments, and learn actionable tips you can apply to your own job search.