The Art Of Coaching

The Art Of Coaching

Hosted by best-selling author, speaker and performance coach Brett Bartholomew, the Art of Coaching Podcast is a weekly show aimed at getting to the core of what it takes to change attitudes & behaviors in the weight-room, boardroom and everywhere in between.

Episodes

December 29, 2025 28 mins
I get asked about books constantly—what I’m reading, what actually stuck, and what shaped the way I think about leadership, communication, and the world over the past year.   In this episode, I walk through some of my favorite books of 2025—a mix of fiction and nonfiction—and talk about why they mattered to me, not just what they were about.   Some influenced how I think about people and power. Some sharpened how I see leadership a...

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The holidays are supposed to be relaxing. Instead, they tend to throw you into rooms full of tired people, loaded topics, and conversations that go sideways fast.

Everyone’s heard the advice to “just avoid certain people.” That works until you can’t.

In this episode, I break down real conversational situations people actually run into during the holidays—family dinners, extended relatives, friends-of-friends, awkward small talk, em...

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One thing we work with a lot of organizations on is communication issues related to different generations, conflict resolution, and mismatched communication styles.    In this episode, we dive into what actually sits underneath those blowups: the human nature piece most people never address.   We get into why certain leaders lean on directness, why others interpret that same directness as an attack, and how those reactions are root...
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Expectations are the backbone of any team that wants to function without drama, drift, or constant hand-holding.

Clear expectations create alignment. Maintaining them creates culture. But what happens when standards start slipping, people get complacent, and the gap between “what we said” and “what’s happening” widens?

This episode digs into a simple, practical framework leaders in any industry can use to reset standards without de...

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Listen, we all have a lot of information coming at us and limited time to process it. Most days it feels like the world is set up to keep you confused, reactive, and chasing your tail. Between research, social media, “thought leaders,” news, and whatever’s happening at work and home, it’s easy to either shut down or grab at the loudest voice in the room.   This episode is about pushing back on that. I walk through a clear framewo...

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This episode dives into one of the most personal and difficult conversations Brett’s ever had — not with a client, colleague, or friend, but with his son.   It started when Bronson said he felt lonely — that the kids around him didn’t like to do hard things, didn’t stick with commitments, and quit when things got tough. What followed was a raw conversation about what it really means to live with conviction, pursue mastery, and stay...

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Ever had a discussion that felt like quicksand? You’re trying to solve one thing, but somehow you end up defending three other things that weren’t even part of the original issue. The topic shifts, the tone changes, and before you know it, you’re stuck in a loop.   In this episode, Brett breaks down why some people constantly derail conversations—whether by changing the subject, twisting words, or moving the goalposts—and how to st...

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At some point, every one of us becomes “the bad guy” — the person who says no, sets a line in the sand, or disappoints someone who wanted a little too much. And truthfully? That’s a good thing.

In this episode, Brett breaks down why being willing to let people down is essential if you want to keep your sanity, your focus, and your self-respect. Because saying yes to everything doesn’t make you a better leader, coach, or friend — it...

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People pleasing -  we’ve all seen it before (whether we recognized it or not) - constantly being agreeable, always saying yes, never setting any boundaries - all to the point of self-destruction.  If you haven’t experienced it yourself, it’s likely you’ve witnessed someone else demonstrate these behaviors.

And although it may have short-term benefits, we know that these self-destructive tendencies are not sustainable, and can lea...

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We all get busy. Work piles up, routines take over, and before you know it, years have gone by since you last checked in with people who actually mattered to you. This episode is a reminder — and a bit of a kick in the ass — that it doesn’t take much to change that.

You don’t need a reason, a holiday, or the “right time.” Just reach out. Call someone you haven’t talked to in five or ten years. Shoot a text. Reconnect. The longe...

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Logic rarely wins people over — emotion does.   In this episode, Brett breaks down the timeless principles of persuasion through the lens of a real NIL recruiting scenario, showing why even great offers fall flat when they don’t connect to what truly drives human decision-making.   You’ll learn how to see through the surface — beyond talking points, incentives, or facts — and understand the emotional and psychological levers that m...

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Everyone talks about “stepping out of your comfort zone,” but few actually do it.   In this episode, Brett breaks down one of the biggest lies in modern leadership and personal development — the illusion that we’re pushing ourselves when in reality, we’re just circling around what we already know.   We love to say we’re doing “hard things” — grinding through workouts, taking on new projects, logging long hours — but most of that st...
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David Clancy is a world-class sports physio and author who’s taken more than a few sharp turns in his career. He’s had to face the same questions many of us wrestle with: Do I stay in the safe lane or risk starting over? How do I manage different passions without spreading myself too thin? What do I do with that voice in my head telling me I don’t belong?   In this episode, David and I dig into the practical side of career pivots...
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Most of what you see online right now isn’t designed to help you grow. It’s designed to keep you nodding, scrolling, and agreeing.    Viral soundbites, 30-second reels, celebrities chasing trends—it’s all part of a system that rewards superficiality over substance. And if you’re someone putting real effort into your work, it can feel like you’re shouting into the void while the BS racks up likes and followers.   In this episode, I...

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In this episode, I sit down with Keith Ferrazzi — author, speaker, and one of the most recognized voices on leadership and collaboration.   We dig into the future of “teamship,” the traps of popular leadership clichés, and why generosity isn’t just a feel-good concept but a competitive advantage.   We also talk about the new era of AI, how leaders can navigate it with strategy and authenticity, and what separates those who adapt fr...

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In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Adam Wright and Dr. Nick Holton for a wide-ranging conversation on anti-fragility—the ability not just to endure difficulty, but to grow stronger because of it.   We go beyond the philosophical jargon and buzzwords and get into what anti-fragility actually looks like in real life, whether you’re leading athletes, running an organization, or just trying to manage your own day-to-day stress.   We ...

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We’ve all met somebody—and been there ourselves—where no matter how much success you’ve had, you still feel like you’re about to get found out. Like it’s not enough. Like eventually the mask slips.   This episode gets to the core of that feeling, builds off our previous episode on imposter phenomenon, and most importantly gives you tools to get out of your own head so you can quit playing small. The goal: to stop letting that inter...

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We’ve all been stuck in conversations that feel like hostage situations. This isn’t about passionate people with good stories — it’s about the chronic monologuers, the one-uppers, and the human foghorns who think “conversation” means “your turn to listen to me, and now your soul is mine.” 

In this episode, you’ll get five tactical ways to keep your sanity, stay engaged enough to be polite, and maybe even turn things around. Whether...

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There’s a lot of noise out there telling you that if you’re not jumping out of bed every morning with boundless energy, something’s wrong with you. 

That’s false. Low-energy days aren’t proof you’re broken — they’re part of being human. 

In this episode, we’ll talk about why those days happen, how to stop shaming yourself for them, and simple, low-effort ways to make the day suck less without pretending everything’s perfect. 

You’l...

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When most people think about persuasion, they go straight to education (“if they just understood, they’d agree”), inspiration (“let me tell you an inspiring story”), or force (“do this now”). 

But there’s a big difference between persuasion, influence, power, and warmth — and understanding that difference can change how you get things done. 

This episode, inspired by a fable I read to my son, breaks down why subtlety often beats fo...

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