The Leadership Project Podcast

291. The Future of Leadership: Expand the Circle with Matt Poepsel

Mick Spiers / Matt Poepsel Season 5 Episode 291

What if leadership isn’t about pushing harder on performance, but about showing up with presence that energizes people and elevates outcomes? We sit down with Dr. Matt Poepsel—psychologist, Boston College professor, host of Lead the People, and author of Expand the Circle—to rewire how we think about leading in a world of AI disruption, remote ambiguity, and rising burnout. Matt shares how he moved from a “rubbish manager” copying others to a grounded leader who balances mission and people in equal measure, and he offers a practical path to do the same.

We dig into the leadership craft: clarifying values, aligning actions, and noticing what energizes or drains each person on your team. Matt explains why awareness is a performance tool, not a luxury, and how small, intentional shifts—like redesigning meetings for different thinking styles—unlock better ideas, trust, and speed. You’ll learn his outside-in/inside-out model: set intention by prioritizing customers and partners first, then take action by owning what you can control—your clarity, your cadence, your follow-through.

From healing separation through vulnerability to transforming “teams of executives” into true “executive teams,” this conversation is packed with usable frameworks and grounded stories. We also explore how to build a shared values language, create meaningful team identity, and ask the question that changes everything: What is it like to experience you as a leader?

If you’re ready to replace autopilot with intention and expand your circle from self to team to system, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a colleague who leads people, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway so we can keep raising the standard of leadership together.

🌐 Connect with Matt:
• Website: https://www.mattpoepsel.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattpoepsel/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattpoepsel/

📚 You can purchase Matt's book on Amazon:
• Expand the Circle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZ

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📕 You can purchase a copy of the Mick Spiers bestselling book "You're a Leader, Now What?" as an eBook or paperback at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZBKK8XV

If you would like a signed copy, please reach out to sei@mickspiers.com and we can arrange it for you too.

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