In this episode of the Knowing Kenning podcast, hosts Cathy Boeckmann and Thom Shaw draw on their shared roots as communications coaches at McKinsey to unpack what they think makes communications coaching a distinct discipline within executive coaching.
As they explain, communications coaching zeroes in on a narrower set of pain points and can act as a powerful career accelerator when a specific sticking point is holding someone back. Cathy and Thom share detailed case studies to show what the coaching experience is like for real clients. They also explore what makes a coachee successful, including a readiness to change, bringing real tasks into sessions, and a willingness to experiment.
The episode ultimately frames communications coaching as a highly practical, results-oriented intervention that pays off both in immediate performance and longer-term self-awareness and career clarity.
To find out more: https://www.kenningassociates.com/
Cathy Boeckmann
Thom Shaw
13 May 2026
Trust is a Core Leadership Skill
Why leaders need to build trust, and how to do it
When teams have a strong foundation of trust, the work just feels easier. Even when there's a lot going on -- changing technologies, pressing business imperatives, strategic uncertainty -- team members who feel a high degree of trust with each other can work through their challenges more successfully. But trust is a nebulous thing. What specifically can a leader do to increase trust when it seems to be lacking?
In this episode of the Knowing Kenning podcast, Partners Annie Howell and Jennifer Lachance share a powerful framework: the trust equation. They walk through four elements that build trust, and they bring them to life with illuminating case studies drawn from their own coaching work. In doing so, they describe small shifts that any leader can make to show up in a way that enhances stability, clarifies priorities, makes people feel seen and understood, and brings multiple perspectives into the room. If you suspect trust might be slipping on your team, they offer a call to action to make changes in small but important ways.
Reach out to Jen and Annie at https://www.kenningassociates.com/
6 Feb 2026
Beware Your Strengths!
We all have unique strengths that we bring to our work. And we rightly celebrate all the ways that our strengths support and improve our performance. At the same time, it’s also possible to overuse a strength in ways that lead to unintended, less than ideal results.
In this episode of the Knowing Kenning podcast, Partner Annie Howell interviews Partner Jennifer Lachance about how, at times, we all need to “Beware our Strengths”. Jennifer offers a wealth of examples of how strong leaders she has coached have come to realize that their strengths are on “overdrive”. She shares a step-by-step process that anyone can follow to name their strengths, build greater awareness of how these strengths show up, and take small steps to purposefully and productively dial back how they bring their strengths to bear.
To reach the hosts:
https://www.kenningassociates.com/jennifer-lachance/
https://www.kenningassociates.com/annie-howell/
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