EP201: Listener Q&A
YOUR QUESTIONS.
Let’s answer them!
Enjoy!
Listen Here:
(The notes below are only a brief bullet point summary of what is discussed in the podcast. Be sure to listen to get all of the goodness! If you would like a full transcription of the episode, please send an email to angie@angie-robinson.com.
A while back, I asked listeners to send in any questions they had about leadership, Insights Discovery, or really anything at all. I’ve been collecting them, and today I’m answering a handful. They’re real challenges and real questions leaders face every single day.
What I love is that all of these questions share a common thread: a desire to grow, to understand yourself more, to understand others more, and to lead with more clarity and intention — which is exactly what we’re all about here.
I’m offering my own perspective, tools, and reflections pulled from my HR background, leadership development work, and personal experience. Of course, you might have different thoughts as you listen, so feel free to share those with me as well.
Thank you to everyone who submitted questions. Let’s dive in.
1. “If I'm thinking about a leadership job, what questions should I ask myself to get prepared?”
This is great for anyone moving from individual contributor to leader, or from one leadership level to the next.
The only way to truly understand leadership is by being a leader — and you can start that anytime because leadership is behavior, not a title.
At a minimum, ask yourself:
What does leadership mean to me?
Why am I interested in a leadership role?
Is it the title? Money? Responsibility? Impact? Developing people?Who do I consider to be a good leader? Why?
What behaviors do they model?Who do I consider a not-so-good leader? Why?
And what did I learn from both?
To go deeper, lean into self-awareness:
What are my natural strengths and gaps?
How do I show up under stress?
What are my core values and the impact I want to make?
What obstacles might show up as I move from “me” to “we”?
How open am I to learning, feedback, and not having all the answers?
These questions give you your baseline — where you can add value and where you may need to grow.
2. “How do I find out about blind spots in my organization before I’m blindsided?”
First, ask yourself why you want to uncover blind spots. Usually the reasons are good — to lead better, understand the culture, or ensure alignment with your values.
Blind spots are simply areas we don’t see. Organizations have them just like people do.
To uncover them:
Stay curious.
Listen intentionally — not just to what’s said, but what’s not said.Pay attention outside of meetings.
Culture lives in the hallways and in-between moments.Build trust.
People share more when they feel psychologically safe.Gather data.
Conversations, engagement feedback, observations, reports, trends, customer insights.Look beneath the surface.
Ask things like:
“What am I missing?”
“What are we not seeing?”
“What’s one thing people are afraid to say out loud?”
The answers usually live underneath the obvious.
3. “What should leaders be focused on for their future development?”
I love this question. Here are the areas I personally believe matter most today:
Adaptability, agility, and resilience
Change is constant. We need the mental toughness to stay human while navigating it.Understanding change and transition
Not just the operational side — the psychological transition people go through.Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
Managing your emotions, connecting with others, building empathy.Wellbeing
Burnout is real. Wellbeing belongs inside leadership conversations.Strategic thinking
Looking ahead, anticipating impacts, articulating a clear vision.Communication
Connecting with different styles, inspiring teams, setting expectations.Coaching and collaboration
Power-over leadership doesn’t work. Relationships do.Conflict resolution
It’s part of the deal. Handle conflict honestly and respectfully.Curiosity about the evolving world of work
Hybrid culture, AI, generational expectations — stay curious.
4. “Which leader inspired you most, and what did you learn from them?”
There are so many. My first job at McDonald’s when I was 16 had leaders I still think about.
But two standouts from my time at Hyatt Hotels are:
David Rice
He took me under his wing when I moved across the country after college. He gave me my first HR opportunity even though I didn’t have the background. He saw something in me I didn’t yet see myself — a lesson I carry forward.
Janell Peterson
She modeled courage, authenticity, compassion, and consistency. She made people feel seen while still holding expectations. Leadership was presence, not position.
I also learned from leaders with very different styles — including Perry Rynders, a CEO who pushed me to think differently in a completely safe way.
All of them shaped who I am as a leader and coach.
5. “How do I coach employees on compensation expectations?”
Start with yourself:
What do you believe about the compensation structure?
Do you buy into it?
It’s difficult to communicate something you don’t believe.
Then lead with compassion:
Suspend judgment.
Set aside assumptions.
Create clarity around expectations.
Common gaps often come from unclear understanding of how compensation works, especially in sales roles where commission plays a major part.
Make sure:
Expectations were clear from the start.
Conversations happen all year, not only at review time.
Rewards are tied to outcomes and behavior.
There’s space for disappointment.
You maintain trust rather than defend policy.
If the structure doesn’t make sense, leaders can bring forward solutions too.
6. “What mindset shift do you wish every leader would make?”
You don’t have to know it all or do it all.
Leaders carry invisible pressure to have all the answers or to do everything themselves. But leadership is about creating the conditions for clarity, collaboration, and contribution.
When we try to know it all, we stop listening.
When we try to do it all, we stop developing others.
And we burn out.
Honoring your humanness is a leadership superpower.
7. “What question do you ask clients that always gets them thinking?”
My favorite: “What else could be true?”
It cracks open possibility when we’re stuck in assumptions, interpretations, or worst-case stories.
Another favorite: “What might be different if…?”
(If you believed you were ready? If you didn’t assume the worst? If your team was firing on all cylinders?)
And another: “What’s the worst that can happen?”
Not to catastrophize — but to neutralize.
These questions interrupt limiting beliefs and make room for clarity.
8. “If you could have any guest on the podcast, who would it be?”
My big dream guests: Brené Brown and Bob Iger.
9. “What small daily practice helps you show up as your best self?”
Two small but powerful ones:
Check your thoughts.
Quick resets — before or after any situation.Make decisions ahead of time.
Decide from a logical place who you want to be and how you want to show up, then hold yourself accountable when emotions step in.
Both practices help with clarity, boundaries, and intention.
I hope you enjoyed this Q&A! I love answering your questions, so keep them coming — I’d be happy to do another one down the road.
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