Author & thought leader
Michael Bungay Stanier - Author & thought leader
Michael is the world's number one thought leader in coaching, regularly delivering keynotes at Leadership, HR and Learning & Development conferences around the world.
Michael is also the author of several books, including The Coaching Habit and Do More Great Work, and his work has been featured in Business Insider, Forbes and The Huffington Post.
Michael's coaching philosophy focuses on being less advice-driven and being more curiosity led.
Michael's new book: https://www.theadvicetrap.com
Box of Crayons: https://boxofcrayons.com
Verbatim from the transcripts — each quote links to the moment.
“I would say there are questions I find myself wanting to ask more. So one of the questions I would ask is, what do I know to be true?”
“You've got to focus on the critical few and not get seduced into the trivial many.”
“As soon as you notice you're in a funk, you're already pulling yourself out of the funk.”
“A trouble shared is a trouble halved, I think is the saying.”
“You can't be responsible for emotional states of other people. You can— your job is to control what you can control.”
“The most important thing is the thing most easily forgotten.”
“You can only put so much lipstick on a pig.”
“It's actually self-belief. If you think you are creative, You are creative. If you think you are not creative, you are not creative.”
How do you decide what to focus on when everything feels urgent during a crisis?
Ask yourself 'what's the most important thing to focus on?' and resist the urge to chase every problem; focus on the critical few rather than the trivial many.
How can I combat feelings of isolation while physically distancing?
Recognize that physical isolation doesn't require social isolation; proactively reach out and build connection through your 'weak ties' network, becoming the host or connector who gathers people together (e.g., via regular Zoom hangouts).
How do I pull myself out of a negative emotional spiral or funk?
First notice and name the feeling (using core emotions mad/sad/glad/ashamed/afraid), use physical movement or stretching to shift mood, build in small gratitude rituals, and avoid 'double time' self-criticism for feeling bad in the first place.
Am I responsible for how other people feel?
You cannot control other people's emotional states, only your own behavior and how you show up; set personal boundaries to protect yourself from others' negativity rather than trying to manage their moods.
How do I show up as a thought leader or leader without seeming tone-deaf or self-serving during a crisis?
Walk the line between acknowledging real pain/anxiety and holding space for optimism and possibility; avoid both doom-mongering and toxic positivity, and check that your public content is genuinely serving others rather than self-promotion.
How should I approach a product or book launch during a crisis?
Treat the launch as a start line rather than a finish line by committing to a long-term (e.g. 12-month) marketing effort, define an early 'win' condition so you can celebrate regardless of short-term results, and experiment with creative campaign ideas rather than relying only on launch-week hype.
Stanier describes an email exchange with his parents who misunderstood self-isolation, planning picnics and school drop-offs, requiring him to clarify what proper isolation meant.
Stanier shares how his work partner Ainslie, a divorced parent, found something to celebrate (getting her daughter back and going for a run) during their daily 4:40pm gratitude check-in.
Stanier recounts a participant in his Cocktails and Questions call who, as CEO of a $20 million company, had laid off 20 people that day and relied on human connection for resilience.
Stanier describes receiving mocking comments on his newly released TEDx talk, including jokes about his tight pants and needing a comb, and how he chose not to let them affect him.
Stanier pulls a physical Brian Eno Oblique Strategies card live during the recording and uses the prompt ('the most important thing is the thing most easily forgotten') to improvise a new book marketing campaign idea called 'Chapter 2'.
Drawn from the episode transcripts.
Michael Bungay Stanier explains that crises trigger a craving for certainty, making directive advice feel good even if it's wrong; citing Dan Goleman's six leadership styles, he argues great leaders mix clarity/direction with curiosity rather than relying on just one or two styles.
From episode 649→He treated the launch as a 'start line not a finish line,' committing to a 12-month marketing experiment, declaring an early 'win' regardless of bestseller status, and using Brian Eno's Oblique Strategies cards to generate creative marketing ideas like a 'Chapter 2' video campaign.
From episode 649→Michael Bungay Stanier describes the Advice Monster as the urge to jump in with answers the moment someone starts talking. He suggests pausing and asking a few more questions first — like "what's the real challenge here for you?" and "and what else?" — before offering advice, which often makes the advice better and less necessary.
From episode 535→Mentioned on 31 episodes Michaelwasn’t on.
A listener email cited an episode featuring him as changing how she approaches her clients.
Author/creator of 'MBS questions' coaching framework that Josh used to coach Mason before his meeting.
Tommy references his 'advice monster' concept from coaching literature while discussing unsolicited advice.
Author of The Coaching Habit, referenced for his favourite coaching question used to close the Brad Blanks segment.
Every episode featuring Michael Bungay Stanier on The Daily Talk Show.
Michael Bungay Stanier joined Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen on Episode 649 (25 March 2020) — "Michael Bungay Stanier On Self-Management". MBS is back and joins us live from Toronto, Canada! We chat about coaching in a time like this, self-managing, remote work and whether everyone can be creative.
Michael Bungay Stanier joined Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen on Episode 535 (2 December 2019) — "Reframing Coaching With Michael Bungay Stanier". Michael Bungay Stanier - Author & thought leader Michael is the world's number one thought leader in coaching, regularly delivering keynotes at Leadership, HR and Learning & Development conferences around the world. Michael is also the author of several books, including The Coaching Habit and...