Leadership & L&D
Course · 20 lessons · 2h 19m
Leadership Development and Team Motivation
Create a manager-training path around leadership behaviors, motivation, performance, and trust.
By the end, you'll be able to
- The Three Pillars of Effective Leadership Development
- Building Better Leaders: The Science of Effective Leadership Training
- Building Leadership That Lasts
- Transforming Managers into Leaders
Curriculum
20 lessons- 01The Three Pillars of Effective Leadership DevelopmentIn this episode, Claire and Edwin break down the science-backed foundations of leadership growth. From self-awareness and emotional intelligence to critical thinking and resilience, they explore the five essential areas every leader needs to thrive—plus the surprising trait that separates good leaders from great ones.
- 02Building Better Leaders: The Science of Effective Leadership TrainingWhat transforms leadership training from generic to game-changing? Claire and Edwin explore why structure and science matter, the essential components of a smart outline, and practical examples of leadership development in action. Discover how tailored approaches, personality insights, and clear measurement can boost engagement, performance, and retention.
- 03Building Leadership That LastsDive into the science of leadership development, exploring why so many programs fall short and what organizations can do to build a leadership journey that truly works. Claire Monroe and Edwin Carrington break down core strategies, common pitfalls, and real-world examples that make a lasting difference in organizational growth.
- 04Transforming Managers into LeadersDiscover how targeted leadership coaching bridges the gap between managing and inspiring, turning managers into influential leaders who fuel engagement, retention, and business growth. Claire and Edwin break down proven steps, pitfalls to avoid, and how data-driven insights personalize leadership development for lasting impact.
- 05Mirrors and Milestones: Unlocking Leadership with Self-AssessmentClaire and Edwin dig into how self-assessment shapes effective managers, the power of understanding your leadership style, and turning feedback into action. Science meets practical advice as they connect leadership theory to daily decisions and real-world growth.
- 06Unlocking Leadership Potential with ScienceDive into the world of leadership testing and discover how data-driven assessments are reshaping team performance and organizational growth. Claire and Edwin explore leading tools, the importance of emotional intelligence, and real strategies to build leadership cultures that last.
- 07Motivation Mechanics: How to Ignite Teams and Drive ResultsWhat truly motivates people at work, and how should leaders respond in a fast-changing, digital-first business landscape? Dive into the essential science and strategies of employee motivation, from the psychology behind performance to the impact of workplace culture and technology. Claire and Edwin unpack new research, practical frameworks, and real-world stories to help leaders build thriving, high-performing teams.10 min
- 08Motivation at Work: Myths, Models, and Measurable ImpactWork motivation isn't just an HR buzzword—it's a cornerstone of high-performing organizations. In this episode, Claire and Edwin unpack the science-backed strategies and common myths that shape how people really engage and thrive at work. Drawing from cutting-edge research and real-world examples, they illuminate what managers and leaders must understand to turn motivation into a sustainable advantage.11 min
- 09What Really Motivates High-Performing TeamsClaire and Edwin dig into the real science behind employee motivation, debunking myths and sharing evidence-based strategies that actually move the needle. They explore why motivation is about much more than perks, and reveal how understanding intrinsic and extrinsic drivers can transform your team's results—and retention.8 min
- 10Beyond the Annual Review: Smarter Strategies for High-Performing TeamsClaire Monroe and Edwin Carrington go inside modern performance management—why annual reviews alone won’t cut it, how the world’s best companies cultivate engagement and growth, and what you can take from data-driven hiring. Discover the science-backed strategies that fuel real business results and a thriving team culture.8 min
- 11Future-Proofing Teams Through Data and Continuous LearningExplore how data-driven leadership, future-ready talent practices, and modern learning strategies come together to build resilient, adaptable teams. Claire and Edwin dissect the latest research and real-world approaches—helping you turn uncertainty into opportunity through smarter people decisions.8 min
- 12Unlocking Team Performance with Leadership BehaviorsExplore how emotional intelligence, leadership styles, and clear team behaviors drive team effectiveness and successful project outcomes. Claire and Edwin dissect recent research and real-world examples, breaking down actionable insights for today’s leaders.9 min
- 13Building Better Leaders and Transforming Workplace CultureExplore actionable strategies for developing stronger leaders and shifting company culture. Claire Monroe and Edwin Carrington discuss research-backed approaches to leadership development, mentorship, communication, and more, with real-world examples from organizational experts.7 min
- 14Fueling Drive in the WorkplaceDive into what truly motivates employees beyond perks and pay. Discover practical strategies to boost intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, create positive work environments, and measure what works to sustain high performance.8 min
- 15Work Motivations: A Practical Framework to Improve Employee Motivation and SatisfactionThis episode of The Science of Leading gives HR and People leaders a practical, research-backed framework to understand and improve employee motivation and satisfaction. Claire and Edwin unpack why motivation is not a personality trait but a system outcome, and how to separate motivation from engagement and satisfaction so HR stops guessing. They explore the core drivers of workplace motivation – meaning, autonomy, mastery, fairness, psychological safety, belonging, and clarity – and connect them to Self-Determination Theory in plain language. Then they translate theory into action: how to design intrinsic and extrinsic motivators that actually work, how to distinguish motivation problems from role-fit problems, and how tools like OAD’s organization analysis and design system help HR add a structured assessment layer instead of relying on "diagnosis by vibes." Finally, the episode walks through a concrete implementation playbook for HR: short, effective pulse surveys, a minimal motivation dashboard, and a 60–90 day pilot roadmap HR can run with managers to improve clarity, autonomy, and psychological safety – with clear before-and-after metrics. If you’re an HR leader who wants fewer engagement slogans and more practical levers you can pull within a quarter, this conversation is your field guide.14 min
- 16Beyond Gut Feel: Building Fair, Defensible Leadership Evaluation SystemsIn this episode of The Science of Leading, Claire Monroe and Edwin Carrington break down how HR and People leaders can move beyond political, vibes-based leadership reviews and design a fair, defensible evaluation system that actually improves leadership performance.Drawing on real-world best practices, they explore how to define a clear, role-specific leadership competency model, translate it into observable behaviors, and align it with your organization’s strategy and culture. They unpack how to combine tools like 360-degree feedback, validated assessments, performance reviews, and simulations without creating noise or burnout.Claire and Edwin also discuss how to protect psychological safety and DEI, ensure anonymity and trust in feedback, and turn assessment data into concrete development plans, coaching priorities, and promotion decisions. If you’re an HR or People leader tired of biased talent conversations and fuzzy ratings, this episode will help you build a leadership evaluation system your executives can trust—and your leaders will actually use.13 min
- 17Why Performance Reviews Fail (And How to Actually Make Them Fair)In this episode of The Science of Leading, Claire and Edwin unpack why so many performance reviews feel unfair, political, or just plain useless—and what leaders can do about it.Drawing on OAD’s performance evaluation framework, they break down the most common pitfalls in team and individual reviews: recency bias and halo/horns effects, personality-based judgments disguised as "fit," confusing effort with real outcomes, and rating scales that mean something different in every department.Claire surfaces the real questions managers are wrestling with—how do you keep reviews consistent, avoid bias, and still move fast?—while Edwin offers concrete, research-backed practices: anchoring reviews to shared team goals, insisting on specific evidence and work artifacts, using simple rating scales with behavioral anchors, and running calibration sessions that turn "manager opinion" into a defensible system.If you’re an HR leader, people manager, or founder who wants performance reviews to drive clarity, accountability, and development instead of anxiety and politics, this episode gives you a practical roadmap for doing reviews fairly—and making them actually useful.14 min
- 18From Vague to Valuable: A Plug-and-Play Leadership Review TemplateIn this episode of The Science of Leading, Claire and Edwin dive into why so many leadership performance reviews feel like vague narratives—and how HR and People Ops can replace them with a structured, defensible leadership review template. They unpack what a strong leadership evaluation sample should include, from role context and business priorities to concrete outcomes, observable leadership behaviors, and culture impact. You’ll hear how to translate soft skills like communication, decision making, and emotional intelligence into specific, copy-paste-ready review phrases and examples that managers can actually use. Claire and Edwin walk through an annual performance review checklist, explore when and how to use multi-rater feedback, and explain how calibration sessions keep ratings fair and consistent across teams. They also connect leadership reviews to real development by outlining how to turn feedback into measurable 30/60/90-day plans that improve team performance over time. Throughout the conversation, they touch on how structured, science-based tools like OAD can strengthen leadership evaluation and succession decisions—and why testing OAD for free at OAD.ai can be a practical next step for teams that want less guesswork and more evidence in their leadership reviews.12 min
- 19Google's Team Secret: Why Interactions Beat TalentThis episode breaks down Google’s Project Aristotle and the surprising finding that team performance depends less on star talent than on how people interact. It explores psychological safety, why silence can hide problems, and the practical habits leaders can use to build stronger, more effective teams.9 min
- 209/80 Schedules: The Real Test Is TrustA flexible 9/80 schedule can boost retention and improve work-life balance, but only when leaders focus on outcomes, fairness, and clear coverage rules. This episode also breaks down the operational and compliance details that make or break a rollout, from overtime and handoffs to pilot goals and employee feedback.8 min
Your instructor
The Science of Leading
Powered by the experts at OAD, The Science of Leading is your behind-the-scenes guide to smarter hiring, stronger teams, and workplace strategies that actually work. Whether you’re a busy HR leader, a founder scaling fast, or a manager navigating team dynamics, this podcast helps you cut through the noise with real, research-backed insights.
Join co-hosts Claire Monroe (curious sidekick) and Edwin Carrington (calm expert) as they break down the psychology, data, and practical tools behind great people decisions—from hiring bottlenecks and behavioral fit to retention, leadership, and beyond.
No fluff. No theory for theory’s sake. Just actionable wisdom from the front lines of organizational growth.
New episodes drop regularly.
And if you're ready to see it in action, visit OAD.ai to book a free demo.
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20 lessons · 2h 19m. Free, no signup.
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