In this grounded, real-world conversation, Danny sits down with healthcare leader Donna McNichol to explore what leadership actually looks like on the front lines. Drawing from decades of experience managing complex healthcare teams, Donna shares why great leadership isn’t about constant firefighting—it’s about building systems that prevent emergencies before they happen.

Together, they unpack the hidden cost of “fire hose management,” how workplace drama quietly drains energy, and why boredom can actually be a sign of healthy leadership. This episode is a must-listen for managers who want stability, trust, and momentum—especially in high-pressure environments like healthcare.

Key Takeaways:

• Constant emergency management is exhausting—and often preventable with better systems
• Strong leaders reduce drama by addressing issues early and directly
• Psychological safety grows when mistakes are treated as system issues, not personal failures
• Preventative leadership creates space for focus, energy, and even fun at work
• Culture is shaped through small, consistent behaviors—not big dramatic moves

Resources & Mentions:

• Guest: Donna McNichol
  • Connect with Donna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-mcnichol-782b3915
• Recommended Books:
  • The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

Host: Danny Ceballos – Unleashed Consulting
https://unleashedconsult.com/

Please click the button to subscribe so you don't miss any episodes and leave a review if your favorite podcast app has that ability. Thank you!

The Best Boss Whisperer is a leadership podcast for individuals who want to lead effectively without burning out or becoming the bottleneck that stifles their team’s decisions, momentum, and productivity.

© 2026 Danny Ceballos / Unleashed Consulting

In this episode, Danny is joined by executive coach and organizational psychologist Doni Landefeld for a thoughtful conversation about what it truly takes for middle managers to grow into confident, effective leaders. Doni shares why technical expertise alone isn’t enough—and how leadership growth requires a deeper metamorphosis rooted in emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and support.

Together, they explore why leadership can feel lonely as responsibility increases, the importance of having a trusted sounding board, and how empathy, humility, and continuous learning help leaders avoid becoming bottlenecks. This episode offers grounded wisdom for managers who want to lead well without going it alone.

Key Takeaways:

• Middle managers often stall not due to lack of skill, but lack of people and emotional intelligence skills
• Leadership growth accelerates when managers seek coaching, mentorship, and honest feedback early
• Emotional intelligence begins with self-awareness before it can be applied to leading others
• Empathy is a learnable leadership skill—and different from sympathy
• Sustainable leadership is built through partnership, reflection, and incremental habit change

Resources & Mentions:

Guest: Doni Landefeld, Ph.D.

Connect on LinkedIn: Doni Landefeld, Ph.D.

Recommended Books:

Flourish by Marting Seligman

Mindset by Carol Dweck

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Host: Danny Ceballos – Unleashed Consulting
https://unleashedconsult.com/

Please click the button to subscribe so you don't miss any episodes and leave a review if your favorite podcast app has that ability. Thank you!

The Best Boss Whisperer is a leadership podcast for individuals who want to lead effectively without burning out or becoming the bottleneck that stifles their team’s decisions, momentum, and productivity.

© 2026 Danny Ceballos / Unleashed Consulting

In this episode of The Best Boss Whisperer, Danny Ceballos sits down with Gabriel Najera, multicultural strategist, systems thinker, and founder of the Najera Consulting Group. Gabriel has spent decades helping organizations—from Fortune 100 companies to mission-driven nonprofits—solve complex problems through the lens of systems thinking.

Together, they unpack what it really means to “think in systems,” why every organization gets the exact results it’s designed for, and how leaders can break out of the cycle of quick fixes and blame. With stories ranging from potato fields to corporate boardrooms, Gabriel reveals how curiosity, reflection, and a little humility can transform leadership at every level.

Key Takeaways:

• A system is perfectly designed to produce the results you’re getting—change the system, change the results.
• Systems thinking helps uncover unintended consequences before they happen.
• The most effective interventions are often the least obvious ones—look for leverage, not just activity.
• A culture of blame creates fear, cover-ups, and silos; a culture of curiosity creates learning and innovation.
• Reflection isn’t a luxury—it’s the discipline that allows leaders to respond thoughtfully instead of reacting.

Resources & Mentions:

Guest: Gabriel Najera – Najera Consulting Group

Connect on LinkedIn: Gabriel Najera

Recommended Books:

• Thinking in Systems: A Primer by Donella Meadows
• The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge

Free Resource: TheSystemsThinker.com – Download classic system archetypes

Host: Danny Ceballos – Unleashed Consulting
https://unleashedconsult.com/

Please click the button to subscribe so you don't miss any episodes and leave a review if your favorite podcast app has that ability. Thank you!

The Best Boss Whisperer is a leadership podcast for individuals who want to lead effectively without burning out or becoming the bottleneck that stifles their team’s decisions, momentum, and productivity.

© 2026 Danny Ceballos / Unleashed Consulting

In this episode of The Best Boss Whisperer, Danny Ceballos talks with Laura Gassner Otting — executive coach, author, and provocateur behind "Limitless" and "Wonderhell." Together, they explore what it means to thrive at the edge of your potential, navigate burnout, and find alignment between who you are and the work you do.

Laura shares insights from interviewing over 100 high achievers about what she calls Wonderhell — that uncomfortable but exhilarating space between who you are and who you realize you could become. She and Danny unpack leadership authenticity, ambition, and the myth of “balance,” offering practical ways to redefine success and rediscover your energy when the pressure mounts.

Key Takeaways:

• Wonderhell is the space where potential meets discomfort — learning to thrive there is key to growth.
• Success doesn’t equal happiness; fulfillment comes from consonance — when what you do aligns with who you are.
• Instead of fighting imposter syndrome, reframe it as an invitation to learn rather than a limitation.
• Authenticity at work isn’t about bringing your “whole” self — it’s about knowing which parts of yourself serve your purpose best.
• Burnout often comes from doing too much that doesn’t matter; focus on the work only you can do and protect your best time fiercely.

Resources & Mentions:

Laura Gassner Otting’s website: LauraGassnerOtting.com

Follow Laura on social media: @HeyLGO

Books by Laura Gassner Otting:

• Wonderhell
• Limitless
• Mission Driven

Host: Danny Ceballos – Unleashed Consulting
https://unleashedconsult.com/

Please click the button to subscribe so you don't miss any episodes and leave a review if your favorite podcast app has that ability. Thank you!

The Best Boss Whisperer is a leadership podcast for individuals who want to lead effectively without burning out or becoming the bottleneck that stifles their team’s decisions, momentum, and productivity.

© 2026 Danny Ceballos / Unleashed Consulting

The Best Boss Whisperer is a leadership podcast for individuals who want to lead effectively without burning out or becoming the bottleneck that stifles their team’s decisions, momentum, and productivity.

Hosted by Executive Coach Danny Ceballos of Unleashed Consulting, each episode offers a handful of powerful whispers - short, practical leadership insights grounded in executive presence, stopping self-sabotage, and applying leadership best practices for what actually works inside real organizations. In just 20 minutes, you’ll hear ideas you can immediately put into practice, whether you lead an organization, a team, or yourself.

You’ll learn how to strengthen your “leadership mind”, build psychological safety, navigate challenging people dynamics, and lead with greater clarity, confidence, and humor. These small shifts create meaningful improvements in performance, culture, and connection without adding more to your already full plate.

Perfect for executives, managers, and organizational leaders who want to think better, lead smarter, and stop feeling like everything depends on them.

Small whispers. Big breakthroughs.

Host: Danny Ceballos – Unleashed Consulting
https://unleashedconsult.com/

Please click the button to subscribe so you don't miss any episodes and leave a review if your favorite podcast app has that ability. Thank you!

The Best Boss Whisperer is a leadership podcast for individuals who want to lead effectively without burning out or becoming the bottleneck that stifles their team’s decisions, momentum, and productivity.

© 2026 Danny Ceballos / Unleashed Consulting