Ep 177 Mike Ettore - 50+ Years in Leadership / Marine to the Core / Sharpen your Listening
Thu Feb 05 2026
Question-by-Question Highlights
1) Best coaching advice you’ve gotten
Coaching is more about listening than talkingAsk multiple layers of questions before offering insightLet clients uncover their own answersResist the urge to jump in early2) What are you still trying to improve about your coaching?
Slowing down despite decades of experienceAsking more follow-up questionsAvoiding knee-jerk solutionsLetting the real issue surface naturally3) Most outrageous thing you’ve done in a coaching session
Told a CEO he was the primary problemEnded a lucrative engagement on ethical groundsRefused to be an “ally” to blame-shiftingWalked away when accountability was impossible4) What still makes you uncomfortable?
Leaders who blame everyone elseLack of self-awareness and humilityResistance to honest self-reflectionCoaching people who won’t look in the mirror5) Advice for new or aspiring coaches
Learn how to truly listenKnow what you don’t knowStay in your laneDon’t pretend to be the expert in everything6) What have you had to conquer to be a great coach?
The urge to “fix” too quicklyThe temptation to impress with answersWalking away when coaching won’t workAccepting that not everyone is coachable7) How are you using AI in your coaching practice?
Content creation and thought leadershipEliminating the blank-page problemExpanding solution options for clientsSupporting judgment, not replacing it8) What have you learned about yourself?
Delivery matters as much as insightExperience must be paired with empathyTrust and relationships drive changeCoaching is art, not just scienceFun Stuff Question
Favorite movie: PattonWhy: history, leadership, discipline, stoicismBelief: ancient wisdom still applies todayLeadership lesson: study history or repeat it
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Question-by-Question Highlights 1) Best coaching advice you’ve gotten Coaching is more about listening than talkingAsk multiple layers of questions before offering insightLet clients uncover their own answersResist the urge to jump in early2) What are you still trying to improve about your coaching? Slowing down despite decades of experienceAsking more follow-up questionsAvoiding knee-jerk solutionsLetting the real issue surface naturally3) Most outrageous thing you’ve done in a coaching session Told a CEO he was the primary problemEnded a lucrative engagement on ethical groundsRefused to be an “ally” to blame-shiftingWalked away when accountability was impossible4) What still makes you uncomfortable? Leaders who blame everyone elseLack of self-awareness and humilityResistance to honest self-reflectionCoaching people who won’t look in the mirror5) Advice for new or aspiring coaches Learn how to truly listenKnow what you don’t knowStay in your laneDon’t pretend to be the expert in everything6) What have you had to conquer to be a great coach? The urge to “fix” too quicklyThe temptation to impress with answersWalking away when coaching won’t workAccepting that not everyone is coachable7) How are you using AI in your coaching practice? Content creation and thought leadershipEliminating the blank-page problemExpanding solution options for clientsSupporting judgment, not replacing it8) What have you learned about yourself? Delivery matters as much as insightExperience must be paired with empathyTrust and relationships drive changeCoaching is art, not just scienceFun Stuff Question Favorite movie: PattonWhy: history, leadership, discipline, stoicismBelief: ancient wisdom still applies todayLeadership lesson: study history or repeat it