The Charismatic Leader

Charisma is the difference between being heard and being followed. In The Charismatic Leader, Brett McDermott unpacks the skills, strategies, and stories behind Confidence, Connection and Real Influence. Through solo episodes and interviews with world-class leaders, performers and communication experts, you’ll learn how to inspire loyalty, communicate with impact, and become the leader people show up for.

The Charismatic Leader is a education podcast hosted by Brett McDermott, with 185 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Brett McDermott hosts The Charismatic Leader, a education show with 185 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  The Charismatic Leader

  #169 - Your Best Team Ever with David Burkus

  Aug 14, 202632 min

  Welcome to the Charismatic Leader Podcast. In this episode, Brett McDermott sits down with David Burkus , organizational psychologist, Columbia University professor, and best‑selling author whose research has been featured in Harvard Business Review , The Wall Street Journal , and The New York Times . David makes the case that talent doesn’t make the team—the team makes the talent. Together, Brett and David explore why leaders often get team‑building backwards, focusing too much on individual talent instead of the habits and norms that create culture. David shares the three elements that define high‑performing teams: common understanding , psychological safety , and pro‑social purpose . He explains how leaders can audit their team’s sense of purpose, outsource inspiration by bringing in customer stories, and make metrics meaningful. They also dive into the misconceptions around psychological safety, why treating everyone “equally” is not the same as treating them fairly, and how remote leaders can recreate unstructured moments of connection virtually. This episode is packed with actionable insights for leaders who want to stop chasing talent and start building cultures where talent thrives. Key Takeaways: Why talent doesn’t make the team—the team makes the talent The three pillars of high‑performing teams: common understanding, psychological safety, pro‑social purpose How to audit and clarify team purpose Why leaders should outsource inspiration with customer stories The difference between fairness and equality in management How to build psychological safety through respectful conflict and candor What great remote leaders do to recreate unstructured moments of connection

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  The Charismatic Leader

  #167 - How to Supercharge your Sales Pipeline in 2026 with Donald Kelly

  Jul 31, 202631 min

  Welcome to the Charismatic Leader Podcast. In this episode, Brett McDermott sits down with Donald Kelly , widely known as The Sales Evangelist . Donald shares the modern playbook for building a pipeline of leads that actually close in today’s marketplace. From cold calling to cold emailing to LinkedIn prospecting, he breaks down how sellers can cut through the noise and connect with decision-makers in authentic, human ways. Together, Brett and Donald explore why cold calling isn’t dead, how to turn a cold call into a warm email, and why relevance beats volume every time. Donald explains his three-step sequence—LinkedIn, call, then email—and shows how to personalize connection requests, leverage posts for engagement, and craft short, text-like emails that get opened and answered. He also shares stories from the field, including how a call to the “wrong person” can still yield valuable intel that moves a deal forward. This episode is packed with actionable insights for salespeople who want to stop spamming, start connecting, and build pipelines that actually convert. Key Takeaways: Why cold calling is alive and well in 2026 How to turn a cold call into a warm email Donald’s three-step sequence: LinkedIn → Call → Email The power of personalized connection requests tied to posts Why short, text-like emails outperform long pitches How even “non-decision makers” can provide intel that moves deals forward

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  The Charismatic Leader

  #166 - Stop Believing Your Own Excuses with Marc Hildebrand

  Jul 23, 202636 min

  Welcome to the Charismatic Leader Podcast. In this episode, Brett McDermott sits down with Marc Hildebrand , former LAPD sergeant turned self-leadership coach. After 20 years in law enforcement, Marc realized the biggest threat to his potential wasn’t external—it was the narrative in his own head. He shares how rewiring our inner dialogue can transform health, relationships, and leadership. Together, Brett and Marc explore the foundation of self-leadership: how we speak to ourselves, how we coach ourselves through resistance, and how to replace limiting beliefs with empowering stories. Marc recounts his journey of losing 100 pounds, building a thriving coaching business, and navigating the challenges of fatherhood—including his son’s fight for life in the NICU. He explains why leading yourself is the prerequisite to leading others, and how small daily choices compound into identity-shaping votes. This episode is packed with practical strategies for anyone who wants to stop self-sabotage, rewrite their story, and step into the leader they were meant to be. Key Takeaways: Why self-leadership is the foundation of all influence How negative self-talk traps us—and how to rewrite the story The difference between solving technical problems vs. addressing root beliefs Why small daily choices are votes for your identity How to coach yourself through resistance with powerful questions The importance of allowing others to help uncover subconscious limiting beliefs

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  The Charismatic Leader

  #165 - Building Trust and Better Mondays with Amanda Gulino

  Jul 17, 202629 min

  Welcome to the Charismatic Leader Podcast. In this episode, Brett McDermott sits down with Amanda Gulino , founder of A Better Monday , coach, facilitator, and truth teller who has spent nearly a decade inside teams uncovering why some leaders earn instant trust while others never do. Amanda shares her journey from burnout to building a company designed to make Mondays something people look forward to, not dread. Together, Brett and Amanda explore why trust is the foundation of thriving workplaces, how fractures in trust quietly erode culture, and what leaders can do to repair and rebuild it. Amanda introduces frameworks like the Trust Equation and Brené Brown’s BRAVING model , showing how shared language helps teams move from conflict to connection. She also explains why leaders must learn to respond rather than react, and how creating space—through pauses, deep breaths, or even a walk—can transform communication. Finally, Amanda offers practical ways to tap into team creativity by changing environments, embracing silence, and priming with playful exercises. This episode is packed with actionable insights for leaders who want to build trust, foster creativity, and create workplaces people actually look forward to. Key Takeaways: Why trust is the foundation of culture and performance How fractures in trust quietly erode teams—and how to repair them Frameworks like the Trust Equation and BRAVING for shared language The importance of responding vs. reacting in leadership communication Amanda’s three M’s framework : mindset, meeting space, and message Practical ways to tap into team creativity by changing environments and priming exercises

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  The Charismatic Leader

  #163 - How to Reinvent yourself with Lindsay Dowd

  Jul 3, 202631 min

  Welcome to the Charismatic Leader Podcast. In this episode, Brett McDermott sits down with Lyndsay Dowd , who spent 23 years climbing the ranks at IBM before turning a career collapse into two best‑selling books, a top 2.5% global podcast, and a worldwide speaking brand. Lyndsay shows us what reinvention really looks like—and how leaders can do it too. Together, Brett and Lyndsay explore why culture starts at the top, how recognition fuels performance, and why appreciation is a habit that rewires the way we see the world. Lyndsay shares her framework of power skills —trust, communication, delegation, and radical candor—and explains why they’re far too powerful to be called “soft.” She also reveals the importance of listening tours for new leaders, creating space for autonomy and failure, and why side hustles can be the first step toward reinvention. This episode is packed with actionable insights for leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone ready to reinvent themselves with courage and care. Key Takeaways: Why culture starts at the top and trust is a leader’s currency The power of genuine appreciation to fuel teams and relationships How delegation creates opportunities for others to shine Why radical candor must be delivered with care, not cruelty The importance of listening tours for new leaders How side hustles can be the first step toward reinvention

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