The People Playbook with Coach Cora

Having a great idea or a solid solution is only half the battle—how you deliver it determines whether people lean in or shut down. In this episode of The People Playbook, Coach Cora sits down with HR professional and volunteer leader Dawn Cunningham for a live, just-in-time coaching session on effective communication and influence.

Together, they dive into why good intentions often meet resistance, how to shift people out of emotional states and into critical thinking, and how asking purpose-driven, reflective questions can turn potential conflict into genuine collaboration.

When a new leader steps in, even the most structured teams can experience a ripple effect of uncertainty. How do you stay focused on your performance metrics and maintain momentum when the expectations around you seem to be shifting?

In this episode of The People Playbook, Coach Cora sits down with guest Tracey James, an instructional design professional from Joint Base San Antonio. Together, they break down practical strategies for leading yourself through organizational change.

Welcome to a brand-new chapter of The People Playbook! In this solo episode, Coach Cora introduces an exciting new format for the show: moving forward, listeners will get a front-row seat to live, just-in-time coaching sessions featuring real professionals navigating everyday workplace hurdles like accountability, trust, and team dynamics.

To set the foundation for these future coaching conversations, Coach Cora breaks down one of the most practical leadership frameworks available: Situational Self-Leadership. She explains how workplace frustration grows when leaders guess what their team needs and employees mask their uncertainties. By shifting away from "good vs. bad" labels, this model empowers individual performers to take ownership of their own growth and development.

In this episode of The People Playbook, Coach Cora launches a new monthly nonprofit spotlight by welcoming a very special guest: Angie White, CEO of Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA).

CASA's mission is to ensure that children in foster care have a dedicated volunteer advocate to speak up for their best interests. For Angie, this work is deeply personal. Having grown up in the foster care and adoption systems herself, she shares how her own lived experience and trauma have shaped her deep conviction as a leader.

In celebration of America’s 250th birthday this Fourth of July weekend, The People Playbook is bringing back a powerful fan-favorite episode from the archives. To honor the freedom, sacrifice, and community that built our nation, host Coach Cora revisits one of her most respected conversations with a leader who embodies true service: Colonel Tre Irick of the United States Air Force.

In this episode of The People Playbook, Coach Cora is once again joined by her brother Dean Jenkins (Founder & CEO of Black Diamond Solutions) to tackle the hidden costs of over-processed workplaces. Together, they break down why hyper-focusing on tracking and reporting actually derails execution, turns "efficiency" into administrative drag, and drives employee disengagement.

In this episode of The People Playbook, host Coach Cora Lonning sits down with Tia Adaba (RN, BSN), Vice President of Operations for At-Home Services with ML Healthcare. Drawing from her 17+ years of nursing leadership and her book, Me First, Tia breaks down the critical balance between driving operational results and sustaining employee wellness in deeply human industries.

In this episode of The People Playbook, host Coach Cora sits down with Consuella "Connie" Roberts, a former elite track-and-field athlete, record-breaking powerlifter, and the founder and executive director of the Pretty Strong Movement. Connie shares her journey of breaking into the elite "1,000-Pound Club" with a massive 475-pound lift and explains how the exact same principles used on the lifting platform apply to leaders building high-performing corporate teams.

Behind every phenomenal career path is a network of leaders who extended trust, created opportunity, and recognized potential before we saw it in ourselves. In this episode of The People Playbook, Coach Cora sits down with banking executive Jacob Cavazos to discuss his inspiring journey and how formal and informal mentors shaped his rise to becoming a community leader.

Organizations don’t struggle because people are different—they struggle because they don’t understand what those differences mean. In this episode of The People Playbook, host Coach Cora sits down with Michael Segovia, a Principal Consultant and leading expert from The Myers-Briggs Company, to pull back the curtain on the world's most famous—and most misunderstood—personality assessment.

Ever wonder why a perfectly designed organizational strategy, flawless org chart, or shiny new software system still fails to deliver results? In this episode, Coach Cora kicks off a brand-new series breaking down the mechanics of organizational design and development.

While leaders spend massive amounts of time and capital building the visible parts of a business—Structure, Systems, Strategy, and Frameworks—organizations rarely fail from a lack of design. They fail from an under-investment in delivery.

In this episode of The People Playbook, host Coach Cora sits down with beloved San Antonio radio personality, motivational speaker, and intentional enthusiasm champion, Sonny Melendrez. Drawing from five decades of inspiring audiences, Sonny shares his powerful framework for leading with impactful positivity.

In this deeply personal episode of The People Playbook, Coach Cora is joined by a very special guest: her brother, Dean Jenkins. Dean brings a unique perspective to the table, bridging two worlds that many believe are at odds: high-level corporate business and spiritual leadership.

Coach Cora is joined by Wendii Lord for a practical conversation on feedback and why the language leaders use matters. This episode explores how clarity, consistency, and intentional communication can build trust, strengthen performance, and prevent unnecessary resistance.  

Wendii Lord joins Coach Cora on The People Playbook for a meaningful conversation about the power of the support role in leadership and organizational success. This episode highlights why the people who help leaders stay focused, prepared, and effective are essential to making big things happen.  

This weekend on The People Playbook, Deric Zies shares the leadership lessons that most shaped his journey as a leader in the workplace, at home, and in the community. In this conversation, we explore the weight of leadership, the shift from directing to serving, and how transparency, confidence, and responsiveness create meaningful influence.  

This week on The People Playbook, Coach Cora sits down with San Antonio leader Leo Gomez, CEO of Brooks City Base and San Antonio Legend Award winner, to discuss how great partnerships create momentum, belief, and shared success. Their conversation explores how leaders can build support for their vision by creating value for others, bringing in fresh perspectives, and aligning partners around the audiences they serve.

Behavioral assessments aren’t meant to label people—they’re meant to guide how leaders develop them. In this episode of The People Playbook with Coach Cora, Coach Cora sits down with Tony Alessandra, Founder of  Assessments 24x7, to explore how tools like DISC are often misused—and how to apply them more effectively.

Drawing on decades of experience, Tony explains how assessments create a shared language for understanding behavior—especially under pressure—and where leaders go wrong by oversimplifying results. When used well, these tools improve communication, increase self-awareness, and drive stronger performance across teams.

Values aren’t defined by what leaders say—they’re revealed in the decisions they make when the stakes are high. In this episode of The People Playbook with Coach Cora, Coach Cora sits down with Preston Atkinson, President and CEO of Trestleworks and former CEO of Whataburger, to explore what it really means to lead through values.

Drawing on decades of leadership in legacy, community-rooted organizations, Preston shares how leaders drift when they prioritize being right over being aligned—and how that erodes trust inside teams. When values are consistently modeled, people stay engaged, extend grace, and remain committed to the organization’s long-term success.

Leadership is not defined by what you say—it’s proven by the decisions you make when it matters most.

In this episode of The People Playbook with Coach Cora, Coach Cora is joined by Col Edward Irick, Deputy Commander of the Air Force Special Warfare Training Wing, to explore what it truly means to lead with purpose, trust, and care in high-stakes environments.

Drawing on 27 years of leadership experience, Col Irick shares how trust is built—or broken—through decisions under pressure, and why leaders often misunderstand the balance between caring for people and holding high standards. The conversation highlights how purposeful leadership shows up in real time and what it takes to rebuild credibility with teams that are tired or skeptical.