Todd Holzman: Get to Candor, Lead for Real

Todd Holzman has spent decades transforming leaders, organizations, and the way we communicate, working with top executives at IBM, Honeywell, and McKinsey’s Change Center. As the founder of Holzman Leadership, his groundbreaking Real Work Process has helped Fortune 500 and Global 2000 companies “Get to Candor” and break through leadership barriers to drive real impact. Passionate about cutting through the noise, Todd is on a mission to equip leaders with the tools to have the hard conversations that truly matter—because better conversations mean better leadership, better performance, and better lives.

In this episode, Wendi and Todd discuss:

• Why leadership isn’t about power or position, but the courage to face hard truths
• The “overprotective program” that silently sabotages effective leadership
• Why most leadership development efforts fail to create real change
• How to bridge the gap between avoidance and aggression in critical conversations
• The Real Work Methodology and how it’s transforming leaders across global industries

Key Takeaways:

• The instinct to stay silent during high-stakes conversations isn't a matter of lacking courage, but rather the unconscious grip of an "overprotective program" designed to shield us from discomfort.
• Leadership is redefined not by authority or title, but by the ability to confront uncomfortable truths and guide others toward meaningful action.
• At the heart of impactful leadership lies the quality of conversation—honest dialogue becomes the catalyst for elevated performance, trust, and transformation.
• Through immersive role-play and sharp behavioral feedback, a methodology emerges that rewires instinctive reactions, offering leaders a tangible path to lasting growth.
• Rather than focusing on personal recognition, Todd frames legacy as the ripple effect of empowering others to lead with skill, candor, and conviction well into the future.

“The ethos that my colleagues and I share at Holzman Leadership is that every human being is capable of being a force for good in the world. And one of the primary ways to do good is by engaging other people—whether they work for you, are your colleagues, your bosses, or your customers—in facing the truth of things.” - Todd Holzman

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