Episode 197: What Got You Here Won’t Get You There; However, Eric Pfeiffer Reveals Your Next Level of Growth

Growth rarely stalls because the team isn’t smart enough; it stalls because everyone is running a different playbook. We sit down with Eric Pfeiffer to explore a leadership operating system that replaces drama with trust and equips people to think clearly under pressure. Instead of chasing a new tactic for every fire drill, Eric shows how a compact set of tools can align how your team communicates, decides, and learns—so talent compounds and execution speeds up.

We start with the hard truth about complacency and the “law of the lid”: organizations cap out where leaders stop growing. From there, we dig into symptom versus system thinking. Missed handoffs, slow decisions, and tense meetings are signals of deeper root causes—unspoken norms, conflicting assumptions, and inconsistent accountability. Eric lays out why a shared operating system acts like SOPs for humans, giving teams a common language for conflict, feedback, and ownership. His sports analogy hits home: elite players still lose without a shared playbook; companies do too.

The highlight is a high-stakes story. After a confidential pricing file was sent to every vendor, the exec team veered into blame until someone paused and drew the “Kairos” framework on the board. In minutes, the mood shifted from fear to focus. They owned the mistake, aligned the response, and not one vendor defected. More important than the outcome was the reflex they rewired: under pressure, they chose a shared process over old habits. That’s the promise of a real operating system—fewer fire drills, faster learning loops, and a culture where leaders train capacity instead of renting fixes.

If you lead a growing team, this conversation is a field guide for the moments that matter. You’ll hear how to diagnose root issues, codify a simple playbook, and train weekly so the right habits stick when the game speeds up. 

🎙️ Listen Now: https://coachjohngallagher.com/podcast/ 

Download and share this episode to build Uncommon Impact among the leaders you know. 

Connect with Eric Pfeiffer: 

➡️ https://mpwrcoaching.com/ 

➡️https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-pfeiffer-53964b173/overlay/contact-info/

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Did you know that many of the things that I discuss on the Uncommon Leader Podcast are subjects that I coach other leaders and organizations ? If you would be interested in having me discuss 1:1 or group coaching with you, or know someone who is looking to move from Underperforming to Uncommon in their business or life, I would love to chat with you. Click this link to set up a FREE CALL to discuss how coaching might benefit you and your team)

Until next time, Go and Grow Champions!!

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