The Human Capital Leadership Podcast Interview

Be the Leader You Always Wanted: How to Inspire Employees, Build Engagement, and Drive Real Results

In this conversation, I unpack what leadership actually requires in today’s world — not just hitting numbers, but inspiring your people to show up fully, stay engaged, and produce sustainable, lasting results.

If you’re a leader who wants to move beyond outdated carrot-and-stick management, this conversation is your blueprint.

Here are the key takeaways:

[01:00] The Real Work of Leadership
Why true leadership isn’t about forcing outcomes, but creating the kind of environment where people motivate themselves and show up with ownership.

[04:30] My Origin Story: Leading by Figuring It Out
How I went from poverty in the South Bronx to driving $600M+ in revenue across LinkedIn, Google, Uber, Tesla — all by leading with vulnerability and learning through doing.

[10:00] How Authenticity Changes Your Entire Leadership Arc
I share how showing up fully as my authentic self — as a queer, Latino, first-gen leader — became my superpower in building trust and breaking through ceilings.

[14:20] Leading Experts You Aren’t an Expert In
Why the most effective leaders don’t have to be the smartest person in the room — they have to manage greatness, create alignment, and get egos out of the way.

[19:10] My Pivot from East Coast Sales Culture to Silicon Valley Leadership
The day my first director at LinkedIn projected her personal calendar to the entire team — and completely rewired how I thought about transparency, leadership, and human-centered management.

[26:00] Leadership Sets the Tone
Why your team will mirror how you show up — and why building a culture of competence, confidence, and transparency starts with your own modeling.

[31:20] Clarity Drives Engagement
Without clear lanes, people don’t know how to win. As a leader, your job is to clarify expectations, highlight what good looks like, and celebrate wins visibly.

[36:10] Servant Leadership Is Not Being Soft
Why servant leadership is the most effective — and most misunderstood — leadership philosophy. It’s not about being a pushover. It’s about rigorously coaching, developing, and empowering your people.

[42:00] Energy Is the True Driver of Revenue
Why even in sales, where metrics rule, it’s ultimately your team’s collective energy, confidence, and engagement that drive deal flow and revenue growth.

[47:00] The Power of Counterintuitive Leadership
How I intentionally broke away from authoritarian leadership models, leaned into vulnerability, and built high-performance teams by empowering people to own their growth.

[53:10] The Final Word: Human > Algorithm
In an age of AI and constant disruption, it’s the most human leaders who will build the most grounded, stable, and successful teams.

This is the conversation every leader, manager, and aspiring executive needs right now.