Leadership Isn’t About Results: How People-First Cultures Drive Performance with Maren Perry

On BizBlend, host Sana sits down with Maren Perry, Founder & CEO of Arden Coaching, to challenge a sacred cow: leadership isn’t about chasing KPIs—it’s about developing people. We unpack how leaders create performance throughcoaching cultures, clear “why” communication in change, and repeatable learning loops that outlast one-and-done workshops. Expect direct strategies CHROs and execs can use this quarter to improve engagement, cut resistance in reorganizations, and turn results into a by-product of human-centered leadership.

About the guest:

Maren Perry is the founder of Arden Coaching, a leadership development firm serving enterprise organizations for nearly two decades. Her work equips executives and managers to communicate the “why,” coach for growth, and build cultures where learning sticks.

Key takeaways:

• Results matter—but leading people to achieve them requires a different focus than reading the scorecard.

• In change (reorgs, metric shifts), explain the why in terms that matter to frontline teams to avoid “us vs. them” resistance.

• “Sell more” isn’t coaching. Break outcomes into trainable behaviors (stance, reps, practice, feedback).

• Leadership programs fail when they’re one-and-done. Learning sticks through more touches: practice, coaching, iteration.

• Build a coaching culture: feedback-rich, safe to try/fail/try again, manager-as-coach expectations.

• Treat people as strategic advantage: motivated humans innovate, collaborate, and improve processes beyond baseline SOPs.

• Match motivation: some respond to numbers, others to connection, innovation, mission—know your audience.

• Leaders must model growth: keep developing skills and mindset or it gets delegated to HR and dies on a checklist.

• AI is useful, but human acknowledgment and ownership sustain trust in complex, nonstandard problems.

• Practical tip: pair every workshop (e.g., negotiations, tough talks) with on-the-job application plus supervisor coaching.

Connect with the guest

• Website: ardencoaching.com

• LinkedIn: Arden Coaching

• Special offer: Mention “BizBlend” when you contact Arden Coaching to receive a complimentary assessment of your organizational leadership development needs 

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Disclaimer: This video is for educational and informational purposes only. The views expressed are the personal opinions of the guest and do not reflect the views of the host or Healthy Mind By Avik™️. We do not intend to harm, defame, or discredit any person, organization, brand, product, country, or profession mentioned. All third-party media used remain the property of their respective owners and are used under fair use for informational purposes. By watching, you acknowledge and accept this disclaimer.

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