Make the Adjustment: Chris Mader on Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Change, and Executive Coaching

What if the biggest obstacle to your success isn't your circumstances—but your willingness to make the adjustment?In this episode of Books4Guys, Chris sits down with executive coach, leadership consultant, former professional baseball player, and author Chris Mader to discuss leadership, emotional intelligence, change, executive coaching, and the lessons behind his book Make the Adjustment. Drawing on experiences from professional baseball, a 30-year career in staffing and executive leadership, and now coaching business owners and executives, Chris explains why personal growth begins with taking ownership of your own actions rather than blaming external circumstances. Throughout the conversation, Chris shares the story behind the phrase "Make the Adjustment," a lesson passed down by his college baseball coach that ultimately became both the title of his book and the foundation of his coaching philosophy. Chris and Chris also explore why even the most successful leaders need coaches, how emotional intelligence often separates good leaders from great ones, and why many entrepreneurs unknowingly become the biggest bottleneck preventing their own companies from growing. They discuss delegation, humility, accountability, psychological safety, and creating environments where people are empowered to contribute their best ideas. The discussion also covers lifelong learning, fear of change, executive leadership, personal responsibility, entrepreneurship, staffing, artificial intelligence, and why the willingness to adapt is becoming one of the most valuable skills in today's rapidly changing world. Whether you're leading a company, managing a team, building a business, or simply trying to become a better version of yourself, this episode offers practical insights that will challenge you to embrace change and continue growing throughout your career and life. Key Discussion Topics The story behind Make the Adjustment Why emotional intelligence is the foundation of great leadership  Lessons from professional baseball and executive coaching  How leaders unintentionally become the bottleneck in their organizations  Delegation, humility, and creating psychologically safe teams  The importance of executive coaching and outside perspective  Overcoming fear and embracing change  Entrepreneurship, staffing, and scaling businesses  AI, lifelong learning, and adapting in a changing workplace  Book recommendations including Good to Great, The Energy Bus, Start With Why, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and What Got You Here Won't Get You ThereExecutive Development Partner: https://www.standardpursuit.com/