51ÁÔÆæ

Gord Sheppard, '13 MBA, is an executive coach, business advisor and host of the award-winning Drawing on a diverse background that spans acting, TV production and corporate leadership, Gord empowers senior leadership teams through strategic facilitation, authentic leadership development, and measurable outcomes. An MBA graduate from the Alberta school of business, Gord blends sharp insight with a candid, empathetic coaching style to help organizations align and grow. 

BAA: Why did you start the Executive Wins Podcast?

I started the Executive Wins Podcast so that I could interview senior leaders about their biggest wins in business so that other leaders could listen and learn from them. It is directly aligned with the work that I do as an executive coach and business advisor, where I work to empower senior leadership teams so they can grow their companies.

Selfishly, I’ve spent time with highly accomplished leaders who have openly shared how they achieved their successes — which is helping me to grow my own leadership skills and expanding the tools that I can bring to the table as a consultant.

But the show is also having a real-world impact. One senior leader told me that because she listened to half of one episode, she now does wellness check-ins with her team.(That conversation happened in featuring Karen Unland, Co-Founder of Taproot Publishing, during which she talks about the importance of doing wellness check-ins with a remote team.)

To have real world impact with the podcast is why I do what I do. It’s all about leadership capacity building.

BAA: You focus on authentic leadership, strategic alignment and measurable outcomes. How did your leadership philosophy develop over time? If you define authentic leadership in its simplest form, what would it look like in practice?

Originally I worked as an actor where seeking the truth and being authentic to the character was the main goal. I worked my way up into management in TV production and marketing, and while the work was enjoyable, authenticity in the corporate workplace was not an option. I also never worked for a trained manager in that setting, which is one of the main reasons that I decided to pursue an MBA in my early forties. In one of my MBA classes, an instructor put the ‘organization strategy’ process up on the board and I was hooked.

With my MBA experience, I was better able to combine my joy for authenticity and apply it to help the leadership team improve their entire organization. It has led to my current executive coaching style in which I say: I’m not in the family, so I will respectfully say what needs to be said so that you can move yourself forward, and work towards optimizing your entire organization.

In practice this leads to open, frank conversations where I can help a leader to objectively see themselves and the situation, so they can then have choices about how to move forward.

I’m also amazed that I’ve never been kicked out of the room when I speak truth to power — and that’s because I have the best intentions for everyone involved, combined with an authentic approach that gets results.

BAA: You’ve led countless strategic meetings. In your view, what makes a session truly transformational? 

One on one pre-interviews are really important before any session. As an outside, objective facilitator, I always start off a pre-interview by saying: I don’t want any surprises when we all get together, and I’m not here to throw anyone under the bus, but it would be helpful if you can describe the real issues that we need to tackle so that the meeting can be as productive as possible.’

This allows me to establish rapport with key people and make sure they are heard in a confidential call. Then when I facilitate a meeting, I’m able to quickly establish rapport with everyone in the room and set the ground rules for a safe conversation.

There are also a few consistent phrases that I have used to help people speak openly and honestly.

Is status-quo an option?: This is a great question that helps participants react honestly — they always say no — and sharpens their focus on the real goals they want to achieve in the future.

Say it now.: I  encourage senior leaders to say what they mean when everyone is together, rather than breaking off into parking lot conversations later on. The latter approach slows down communication, and ultimately prolongs their ability to execute their strategic plan. If you prepare a strong agenda, create rapport before the meeting and build a safe space for everyone to share openly then you can have a really productive meeting.

I also wrote a book called the Meeting Leadership Solution which has a 10-step system to help professionals have more productive and profitable meetings. 

BAA: Your work often focuses on helping leadership teams get aligned. What are some early warning signs that a team is out of sync, and what can leaders do to reset?

Lack of self-awareness is usually the biggest problem. For example, when I tell a senior leader that they can’t swear in the workplace,  they are often hearing that for the first time, because I’m the objective outsider and not a colleague or employee.

Beyond self-awareness, how leaders communicate is the next warning sign. Quite often, they don’t realize that they have options when it comes to communication.

For example, I have helped leaders find a way to work with someone they don’t get along with  by finding something about that person to empathize with,  and then finding the right modality for how to engage with that person (such as in-person conversations or emails.) 

BAA: You emphasize cutting through the noise and speaking frankly. How can leaders find the courage to have difficult conversations, while still showing empathy and staying constructive?

If a leader is coachable, they can start by understanding their own reactions during  difficult conversations and learn that there are options to how they react (a lesson I wish I’d known as a young dad). 

Ultimately senior leaders are busy.When they learn how to appropriately react to the scenario in front of them, they’re better able to quickly get their desired result, which will benefit everyone involved.

BAA: How did the 51ÁÔÆæ MBA program help shape the foundation for the work you do today?

The MBA gave me the critical thinking package to draw on to help leaders optimize their entire organization. I’m also glad that certain courses were mandatory. I  never would have taken managerial accounting, but that class gave me real-world tools and thinking that I apply in my work everyday.

With Executive Wins, you help people identify and define what a win looks like. What’s a win you’re personally most proud of — and why?

I’m really proud that the Executive Wins Podcast is the 2025: Best New Podcast Award Winner in the

To get this type of peer-reviewed feedback is a real affirmation that I’m on the right track.