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In this episode, Stephanie Licata is joined by Angela Cheng-Cimini for a candid conversation about toxic leadership, the “brilliant jerk” problem, and the organizational courage it takes to address bad behavior at work. Together, they explore why high-performing but harmful leaders are so often tolerated, how fear and power dynamics keep people silent, and what HR, executives, and employees can do to build healthier cultures. Angela, CHRO of The Chronicle of Philanthropy and has served in senior HR leadership roles at Harvard Business Publishing and Crabtree & Evelyn, brings deep perspective on psychological safety, accountability, and knowing when it’s time to speak up, or move on.

Host: Stephanie Licata, M.A. A.C.C. | Learning & Leadership Consultant

Contact: stephanie@stephanielicata.com

LinkedIn | Website

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-licata-m-a-a-c-c-1ab8573/

https://stephanielicata.com/

Guest: Angela Cheng-Cimini | CHRO / Board Advisor / AAPI Champion / Keynote Speaker

LinkedIn

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You’ve invested in training. People left energized. And then… nothing changes.

In this episode of No Jerks Allowed—Why Leadership and Team Development Doesn’t Stick—Stephanie Licata and guests Kristin Chase, and Blake Cason (more on the host & guests below!) unpack why even great programs fade fast when development is treated like a one-time event instead of a reinforced system. They cover the impact of burnout, unclear expectations, lack of leader modeling, and missing follow-through - and share practical ways to connect learning to real work so new behaviors actually stick.

Perfect for HR/talent/learning leaders, managers and fractional people practitioners who are done with “checkbox training” and want lasting culture and performance change.

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Host: Stephanie Licata, M.A. A.C.C. | Learning & Leadership Consultant

Contact: stephanie@stephanielicata.com

LinkedIn | Website

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-licata-m-a-a-c-c-1ab8573/

https://stephanielicata.com/

Guest: Blake Cason, MS, PCC | Team Development Facilitator and Master Coach

Founder, Pivot Team Building

LinkedIn | Website

https://www.linkedin.com/in/blake-cason/

https://startyourpivot.com/

Guest: Kristin Chase | Organizational Development Consultant, Culture Strategist & Executive Coach.

Founder & Principal, Chase Talent Development

LinkedIn | Website

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

https://www.chasetd.com/

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What do people actually remember about great leaders? Hint: it’s not tools, titles, or technical brilliance. In this first episode of No Jerks Allowed: Real Talk on Leadership, Stephanie Licata, M.A., A.C.C. breaks down why leadership is so often over-engineered, and why behavior matters more than frameworks.

Drawing from years of training middle managers and emerging leaders, she explores what truly defines great leadership, why coaching skills stick, and how organizations fall into the trap of solving leadership problems with one-off solutions. If you’re a People or Talent leader, a coach or consultant, or someone tired of watching the same leadership mistakes repeat themselves, this episode sets the foundation for doing leadership differently.