What helps a leader bring out the best in the people they lead? In this introductory episode of The Influential Leader, Michael Diettrich-Chastain shares how his work in psychology, mental health, and organizational leadership led him to that question. He explains why he started the podcast and introduces the idea he wants to explore with future guests: that influence may begin with the questions we ask ourselves and others. Michael also considers why asking thoughtful questions could matter even more as AI makes information easier to access.

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 The Question Behind The Influential Leader
• 00:01:00 Michael’s Background in Behavior Change
• 00:02:00 From Organizational Work to Clinical Therapy
• 00:03:00 Returning to Leadership and Launching Arc Integrated
• 00:04:00 Changes: The Book and Question Cards
• 00:05:00 Leadership Challenges and One Core Question
• 00:07:00 Four Reasons for Starting the Podcast
• 00:08:00 Testing the Theory: Influence Through Inquiry
• 00:09:00 Asking Better Questions in the Age of AI

Links and Resources:

• Arc Integrated Website: https://www.arcintegrated.com
• Strategy Call Page: https://www.arcintegrated.com/leadership-strategy-call
• Podcast Page: https://www.arcintegrated.com/podcast
• Michael Diettrich-Chastain in Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdiettrichchastain
• Michael Diettrich-Chastain in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaeldiettrichchastain/
• Michael Diettrich-Chastain in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.diettrichchastain
• Arc Integrated in Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arc-integrated

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to The Influential Leader? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And leave us a review!