PODCAST · education
Coffee and Coaching
by Bernhard Kerres
Coffee & Coaching is an espresso, not a seminar.Each week, Bernhard Kerres explores difficult conversations leaders avoid—and why practicing matters more in the age of AI.Bernhard is an executive coach, founder of RolePlays.AI, and went from opera singer to tech CEO to Silicon Valley founder. He coaches executives at Henkel, PwC, and Strategy&, and teaches at London Business School.Leaders perfect slide decks but wing conversations that matter. Performance reviews. Restructuring. Feedback to high performers.Short. Intense. Actionable.www.bernhardkerres.com | www.roleplays.ai
Episodes
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Respond, Don’t React: What to Do When You Are Triggered
Press a button, and the coffee is there. Or: three pieces, coffee, water, on the stove, wait. Bernhard is drinking the second kind this morning. The waiting turns out to be the subject. FROM ROUTINE TO RESILIENCE Last episode was morning routines. Thanks to everyone who wrote in with theirs. Here...
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Four Things to Do Before the Day Owns You
Press a button. Coffee in three seconds. Or: grind, measure, tamp, froth, wait. Which morning do you actually want? THE ARTICLE THAT STARTED IT Hana Kabele Gala, PhD wrote "Screw Your Efficient Mornings." She had a fully automatic espresso machine. Then a Nespresso. Five or six cups a morning,...
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A Summer Like in My Childhood - And What I'm Taking Back to Work
It's back to school. After a real break - from the podcast and from the busyness - Bernhard returns with a summer that felt like childhood, and three things that made it so good. "When my friends ask about my summer, I say it was a summer like in my childhood. An absolute dream." ONE - NATURE...
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The Road to Abilene: Why Teams Choose What Nobody Actually Wants
One hot Texas afternoon, four people climbed into a car with no air conditioning and drove 85 km to Abilene for dinner. The drive was brutal. The food was bad. They came home exhausted. Not one of them had wanted to go. THE STORY BEHIND THE PARADOX Jerry B. Harvey, professor of management science...
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The Obsession for Excellence Drives Teams - Not Friendship.
Last week Bernhard claimed you don't need to be friends to be a high-performing team. Then he found a study that, at first read, said he was wrong. Was he? THE HARDEST POSSIBLE TEST A string quartet is the purest intense work group that exists. Four people, completely interdependent, who cannot...
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What Orchestras Teach Us About Psychological Safety
Flutist Agnes Vass asked Bernhard a question: what if you applied the Fifth Stage of psychological safety to an orchestra? It turns out an orchestra is one of the best models we have for how high-performing teams work. (With thanks to Agnes Vass, co-principal flute at the Bremerhaven Philharmonic...
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The Fifth Stage of Psychological Safety
Last week: Timothy Clark's four stages of psychological safety. This week: what they're missing. Most teams that believe they have psychological safety are stuck in a place where everything looks safe but nothing moves. TWO DIMENSIONS, NOT ONE Psychological safety has two distinct dimensions.…
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Why "I Welcome the Challenge" Is Usually a Lie
So much has been written about psychological safety. This is a different angle—practical, tool-driven, and building toward something new. Amy Edmondson gave us the concept. Timothy Clark made it practical with four stages. Bernhard walks through all four—and the tools to actually build…
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How AI Chatbots Replaced the Greek Oracles
What should I wear today? Coffee or tea? Espresso or cappuccino? Work from home or go to the office? Our days are filled with questions. "And one observation I made—with my clients, but also with myself—was that I increasingly use AI chatbots to get a decision. So I don't need to think." THE…
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The 47-Second Danger Zone: How AI Wait Times Are Fragmenting Your Attention
You prompt an AI agent. The spinner starts. 30 seconds. A minute. Three minutes. What do you do in that time? "To be honest, I switch to another task. Then a third. Then I check email. By the time the agent finishes, I've forgotten why I prompted it. It's a nightmare." FRAME 1 — CSIKSZENTMIHALYI:...
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What 18 Consultants Learned from a Granny, an Operator, and a Visionary
Can artificial intelligence bring us closer together as humans? It sounds contradictory. But last week in Budapest, 18 young consultants from an international strategy firm proved that it can. THE SETTING: Advanced consulting skills training. 18 consultants, late 20s, two years experience. They...
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Do Ethics Have a Place in a Conversation with an AI Chatbot?
A student sexually harassed an AI character on RolePlays.ai. In a classroom. With 30 other students present. Then it happened again with another user. The question Bernhard kept coming back to wasn't technical. It was ethical. Does it matter how we treat machines? And if so, why? FRAME 1 —...
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How AI Will Help Humans to Become More Human Again
Host: Bernhard Kerres | Guest: David Martin Holte (Strategy&) | Duration: ~48 minutes Three weeks ago, an AI agent hacked McKinsey's internal platform in two hours. 46 million chat messages. 728,000 files. The system prompts were writable. The vulnerability? A bug from the 1990s. THE QUESTION…
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Conduct Beethoven's 5th: What Leadership Looks Like When You Can't Fake It
Host: Bernhard Kerres | Duration: ~12 minutes Ta da da dum. That's Beethoven's 5th. Everyone knows it. But have you ever conducted it? THE WORKSHOP: German bank. 10 executives. 4 musicians. Each executive conducted the opening of Beethoven's 5th. Far outside their comfort zone—standing in front…
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What I Think, I Become. What I Radiate, I Attract.
Host: Bernhard Kerres | Duration: ~13 minutes "What I think, I become. What I become, I radiate. What I radiate, I attract." A coffee conversation about energy—the energy we radiate and what it does to our surroundings. Connects to last episode: We need empty space to recharge the energy we then...
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The Empty Space
A white canvas. One black line. Nothing else. This is Bernhard's favorite painting—by German artist Lilo Rinkens—a meditation on the empty space. THE QUESTION: AI and digital tools encroach on every moment. Phones are with us constantly. What do we need to counter that? The empty space. THE LILO...
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50,000 Lines of Code in 4 Months, Part-Time. I'm Not a Coder.
50,000 lines of code. Four months. Part-time. In the evenings. Normally takes 12-18 months full-time. Bernhard isn't a coder. But he built RolePlays.AI anyway—using AI. You have 12 months before corporates catch up. CREATIVE TIME BLOCKS: Bernhard blocks 1 week every 2 months for creative time. No...
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Why Your Smartwatch Is Smarter Than NASA's Moon Landing (And What That Means for You)
Your smartwatch has more computing power than NASA used to put a man on the moon. Let that sink in. This episode is about what happens when computing power becomes essentially free—and why that's both terrifying and liberating. THE JEVONS PARADOX (1865): British economist William Stanley Jevons...
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Do AI Tools Kill our Ability to Connect?
I love building AI tools. But I'm worried we're forgetting how to connect on a human level. This episode is about presence, encounter, and why most leaders never practice the skill that matters most. THE 20:20:20 RULE (from Jacob Barnes / Simple Revolution): First 20 steps: How you enter the…
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Why Even the Best Musicians Practice Daily (And Why Leaders Don't)
In this episode, Bernhard Kerres shares insights from an unexpected meeting with 30-40 banking executives who just completed an orchestra leadership workshop. Their biggest takeaway? Even world-class musicians practice daily—but leaders rarely rehearse difficult conversations. Plus: Why the PR2...
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Why I'm Still Taking Risks at 60 (And Why You Should Too)
#Roleplace.ai, #coaching, #AI, #difficultconversations, #entrepreneurship, #personalgrowth, #consulting, #leadership, #feedback, #technology In this episode of Coffee & Coaching, Bernhard Kerres discusses his journey in creating RolePlays.ai, a platform designed to help individuals practice...
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Can You Get a Second Date? (Why We Built an AI to Find Out)
Key Topics: - Bernhard's California first date disaster - Arthur Aron's 36 Questions to Fall in Love - Why first date skills = leadership conversation skills - Meet Marcus (guarded divorcé) and Maya (curious nomad) - The verdict: Would they want a second date with you? Key Insights: - A first…
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The OKR Conversation Nobody Practices (But Everyone Needs)
In this episode, Bernhard Kerres discusses the challenges and importance of effective conversations in the implementation of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). He reflects on his experiences as a CEO and coach, emphasizing that the failure of OKRs often stems from inadequate conversations between...
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The Need for Creativity
In this episode of Coffee & Coaching, Bernhard Kerres discusses the impact of AI on our lives and the importance of integrating technology into education and coaching. He emphasizes the need to embrace technology, particularly AI, as a tool for accessing knowledge and enhancing our daily lives....
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Dumb LLMs - The Limitations of AI
In this episode of Coffee & Coaching, Bernhard Kerres explores the use of AI in coaching, highlighting his own tool, Coach Bernhard. He underscores the significance of maintaining high-quality AI responses by using content derived from his personal coaching resources. Bernhard critiques generic…
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Mozart Eats AI for Breakfast
In this conversation, Bernhard Kerres explores the intersection of creativity, leadership, and artificial intelligence through the lens of Mozart's work. He emphasizes that while AI can enhance efficiency and mimic creativity, it lacks the human elements of passion, emotion, and purpose that…
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A Fabulous Woman and a Fabulous Coach - Meet Ama Duncan
In this engaging conversation, Ama Duncan shares her journey from the hospitality industry to becoming a coach and the founder of the Fabulous Woman Network. She discusses the challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in Ghana, the cultural influences that drive women's entrepreneurship, and the...
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Listening is a Superpower - Meet Richard Bentley
In this conversation, Bernhard Kerres and Richard Bentley explore the transformative journey of coaching, discussing the shift from giving advice to fostering a listening environment. Richard shares his personal experiences, the importance of accreditation, and the role of coaching in leadership....
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A Romanian Coach in Toronto - Meet Roxana Radulescu
In this engaging conversation, Roxana Radulescu shares her journey from Romania to becoming a coach in Canada, emphasizing the importance of soft skills in professional development. She discusses the challenges faced by mid-level managers and how coaching can help them navigate their roles...
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When you can dream it, you can do it!
When you can dream it, you can do it! So, what holds you back? In this episode of Coffee & Coaching, Bernhard Kerres discusses the struggles faced by talented individuals trapped in corporate jobs they dislike. He encourages listeners to reflect on their life choices and financial needs,...
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Empower Women and Clients
Summary In this engaging conversation, Alexandra Deutsch and Bernhard Kerres explore the multifaceted world of coaching, touching on personal journeys, the significance of accreditation, the impact of coaching on clients, and the importance of empowering women in leadership roles. They discuss…
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Don't Be Sorry!
In this conversation, Bernhard Kerres explores the concept of apologies, particularly focusing on how often individuals, especially women, tend to say 'sorry' in various situations. He encourages listeners to reflect on the necessity of their apologies and to consider whether they are taking...
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C:\>Coffee
In this episode of Coffee & Coaching, Bernhard Kerres discusses the importance of bringing back the human spirit into our daily communication. He highlights the negative impact of fast messages and endless emails on our ability to connect with others truly. Bernhard emphasizes the need for more...
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My Voice
After ending his singing career, Bernhard never thought much of his voice anymore. However, it is one of his hidden talents that helped him a lot in his career in business and the arts. In this episode of Coffee & Coaching, Bernhard Kerres talks about the power of recognizing and utilizing our...
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Love & Appreciation
In this episode of Coffee and Coaching, Bernhard Kerres discusses the importance of love and appreciation in our lives. He emphasizes the need to practice self-love and appreciation, as well as expressing love and appreciation towards others. Bernhard suggests starting the day by taking a few...
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Profound Listening to Emma Slade
Emma Slade was an investment banker and Buddhist nun - experiences that shaped her approach to coaching. She believes in profound listening and asking challenging questions. She highlights the connection between mindfulness and coaching, emphasizing the value of unconditional positive regard and...
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Heartbeats
In this episode of Coffee and Coaching, Bernhard Kerres explores the connection between the heartbeat and our lives. He discusses how music is linked to our heartbeat and how it can create a sense of connection and unity among people. Kerres also emphasizes the importance of aligning our beats…
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When Coaching Becomes Embodied - Meet Dr. Blanka Bellak
Dr. Blanca Bellak, a coach with a PhD in conflict resolution, discusses her journey from academic research into conflict to coaching and embodiment. She emphasizes the importance of understanding patterns and limiting beliefs and how coaching can help clients overcome them. Blanca shares her...
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The Secret Formula to Endless Happiness and Success
Bernhard Kerres shares with you the very secret CCB formula, providing you with endless happiness and unlimited success. Bernhard Kerres is a coach based in Vienna, Austria, who works with clients from around the world. If you are interested in working with him, come for a free Coffee Meeting.…
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Am I Good Enough? (Again!)
In this episode, Bernhard explores the question of whether we are good enough. He discusses the Imposter Syndrome and how it affects our self-perception. Bernhard delves into development psychology and the shift in perception as we grow older. He emphasizes the importance of developing filters to...
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Resonance - How We Resonate with Others
Sometimes, we resonate with others, and sometimes, we don't. And often, it is a mystery to us why. Bernhard takes the example of music to explain the concept of resonance. Even the best violinist playing the best violin in the world might not resonate with each other. Bernhard Kerres is a...
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More Morning Routines
How can we focus on what matters to us in a single day? Bernhard suggests having a morning notebook and scribbling down every morning what really would make a difference for that day. Bernhard Kerres is a coach based in Vienna, Austria. He focuses on leadership, teamwork, entrepreneurship, and...
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Morning Routines
What are you doing when you wake up? Are you also grabbing your phone immediately? Bernhard Kerres suggests spending time on your spiritual, physical, intellectual, and emotional well-being before being drawn into the virtual world of re-acting instead of acting. The book he is referring to is:...
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On Love and Partnership
How can we continue and grow our love and partnership over time? Bernhard Kerres ventures into a territory he usually does not speak about or coach on. Still, he developed a model many people found helpful for developing love partnerships. What do you think about it? What do you think keeps a...
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Ikigai in Recruiting
Ikigai is a beautiful concept for finding your purpose in your professional life. But what if we take that concept to our recruiting efforts - regardless of hiring a new employee, adding someone to our team, or getting a new ensemble member? In hiring, we focus on skills, expertise, and…
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Good Feedback Conversations
Can you remember the last time you received good feedback? Feedback conversations are often mixed up with appraisals, judgments, mentoring, and other forms of top-down communication. But a good feedback conversation is about "us." Listen to Bernhard Kerres talking about good feedback…
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The Johari Window
The Johari window concept was developed by psychologists Joseph Luft (1916–2014) and Harrington Ingham (1916–1995). It is an excellent way to understand that we need others to learn about ourselves. It lays the foundation for the importance of feedback, vulnerability, coaching, and curiosity.…
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Create Magic!
It isn't about getting from good to great. It is all about getting from good to magic! Bernhard speaks in this podcast about a project he did with Q595 in 2022. He brought four musicians together for a concert. It was part of a corporate training program on teams. When you bring four…
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On Harmony
What is harmony? We all strive for harmony, but we often are content with artificial harmony, simply avoiding conflict. Our brain has the unique ability to put different notes together and hear them in harmony, even if the instruments are entirely out of tune. That also happens in real life. We...
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Movember - Talking About Men's Health
November is a month focusing on men's health. The Movember foundation brings our attention to testicular cancer, prostate cancer, and suicide prevention. In today's episode, Bernhard Kerres talks about Movember's ALEC model: Ask, Listen, Encourage, Check-in. It is a great model for good...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Coffee & Coaching is an espresso, not a seminar.Each week, Bernhard Kerres explores difficult conversations leaders avoid—and why practicing matters more in the age of AI.Bernhard is an executive coach, founder of RolePlays.AI, and went from opera singer to tech CEO to Silicon Valley founder. He coaches executives at Henkel, PwC, and Strategy&, and teaches at London Business School.Leaders perfect slide decks but wing conversations that matter. Performance reviews. Restructuring. Feedback to high performers.Short. Intense. Actionable.www.bernhardkerres.com | www.roleplays.ai
HOSTED BY
Bernhard Kerres
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Coffee and Coaching have?
Coffee and Coaching currently has 74 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Coffee and Coaching about?
Coffee & Coaching is an espresso, not a seminar.Each week, Bernhard Kerres explores difficult conversations leaders avoid—and why practicing matters more in the age of AI.Bernhard is an executive coach, founder of RolePlays.AI, and went from opera singer to tech CEO to Silicon Valley founder. He...
How often does Coffee and Coaching release new episodes?
Coffee and Coaching has 74 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Coffee and Coaching?
You can listen to Coffee and Coaching on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Coffee and Coaching?
Coffee and Coaching is created and hosted by Bernhard Kerres.
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