In this episode of Leading Edge, John Zettler sits down with Samantha Ennist, a lifelong educator turned organizational development and talent leader. Together, they explore how trust, mindset, and real-time coaching shape the leaders we need today.

Samantha shares her perspective on what’s keeping leaders up at night — from succession and critical roles to the time crunch that challenges every manager. She introduces the idea of “vulnerable trust” — the kind of trust that goes beyond reliability to include honesty, openness, and a willingness to admit mistakes.

John and Samantha unpack what it takes to build psychological safety, referencing Tim Clark’s four stages: inclusion, learning, contribution, and challenge. They discuss how leaders can weave coaching and development into daily work instead of treating them as separate activities.

The conversation also touches on growth mindset versus fixed mindset, why technical skill is not the same as leadership, and how simple acts like listening and feedback can shift team culture.

If you’re leading a team and want to create an environment where people feel safe to learn, speak up, and grow — this episode offers clear examples and practical advice you can use right away.

Key Topics:

• What “vulnerable trust” means and how to build it

• The four stages of psychological safety

• How to coach in real time without adding meetings

• The link between mindset and leadership growth

• Building succession through daily work, not paperwork

Quote from Samantha Ennist:

“We need that soft place to land at work, just like we do at home.”

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or at fairwindstraining.com.