Founder’s Guide to Executive Skills

Being a founder requires many skills. As your company grows these skills overlap with those of an executive. To this end I’ve really enjoyed and learned a lot from the following episodes of Tom Henschel’s executive coaching podcast [The Look and Sound of Leadership](https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/) among others. *Last updated January 2026*  ## Relationship Building and Rapport Must listen: [Your Goodwill Bank Account — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs_Glu5k) [Creating Devoted Followers — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs-dL_cM) [Personal Connections — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs9B_g9Y) [Dynamic One-on-ones — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs_frtog) [Intimacy in Business: Setting Boundaries — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs-vCFQA) [How to Balance Positive and Constructive Feedback](https://overcast.fm/+AAAJG5VSseY) ## Conflict Resolution and Difficult Conversations [Building Consensus – Savvy or Sin? — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs-4X1MM) [How to Disarm a Trigger — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs8DyNxU) [The Conflict Resolution Wheel — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs8v8Qxw) [Taming the Defensiveness Dragon — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs9Popcc) ## Team Management & Development [How To Coach Your People — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs85pWOw) [Psychological Safety — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs_czgiw) [Your Team’s Best Interests - Part One — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs8pnS94) [Your Team’s Best Interests - Part Two — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs9SfmNg) [How to Respond When You Don’t Have Resources — Coaching for Leaders](https://overcast.fm/+AAAJG7ig7UE) If you’re struggling with a new hire: [Managing Disruptive Executives — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs_OgJ4E) ## Meetings [Taming Meetings — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs-mtmtk) [How to Tackle Overtalking — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs_h1ZiQ) ## Communication (tactical) Very good structure: [Sorting and Labeling — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs_8O_zQ) [Communicating with Clarity — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs_mxTCs) [Inviting Dialogue — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs8mZ0mo) ## Communication (general) [Being Concise — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs8H3gd4) [Assertion Versus Aggression — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs_puCJI) [Showing Teeth — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs_mjywg) [Leading Teams — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs82Bhco) [How to Fight Well - The Art of Accomplishment](https://overcast.fm/+AApyUHA61Xo) [Passive Aggression - The Art of Accomplishment](https://overcast.fm/+AApyUGwV55E) ## Leadership Styles & Approaches [The Flexible Leader — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs9EEHak) [The Generous Executive — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs-ITKDI) [The Honorable Executive — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs_LqFTU) ## Personal Development and Well-being [The Well-Balanced Executive — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs_rHnRU) [Stop Giving Away Your Secrets — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs9U4Hw4) [Self-Awareness & Self-Management — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs-T3o0E) [Unlocking Executive Presence through Emotional Intelligence — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs9PXflg) [Mastering Anxiety — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs-Iylx4) [Failure - The Art of Accomplishment](https://www.artofaccomplishment.com/podcast/failure) (If you have imposter syndrome) [Managing Former Peers — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs8EyFaw) ## Executive Presence and Influence Usually useful for founders, useful for your team [Influence — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs-qVeDE) [Status — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs9_m54c) [Gravitas — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs8cve2M) [Smiling—The Look of Leadership — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs9Dz3Jw) Have been told this one is very useful! [Women as Powerful Communicators — The Look & Sound of Leadership](https://overcast.fm/+AAbfs_ZbZH4) --- Let me know if you other materials worth sharing!