--- title: "Episode 37: Building High-Performing Teams: Why Tough Coaching Works — with Kayt Leonard" description: SAS marketing leader Kayt Leonard explains why tough coaching signals belief, how to hold a standard, and why full effort never requires an 80-hour week. --- [![Velocity Advisory Group](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Velocity-Logo-2023-Wide-1.png)](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/) ☰ Menu - About - [Meet Our Team](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/about/) - [Meet Our Coaches](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/coaches/) - [Careers](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/careers/) - [Speaking Engagements](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/velocity-speakers/) - Solutions - [Culture & Engagement](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/culture-engagement/) - [DISC Assessments & Training](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/disc-assessments-training/) - [Employee Experience](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/employee-experience/) - [Executive Coaching](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/executive-coaching/) - [Family Business](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/family-business/) - [Leadership Development](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/leadership-development/) - [Sales Training](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/5cs-of-selling/) - [Strategy & Implementation](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/strategy-implementation/) - Resources - [Activating Greatness Podcast](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/podcast/) - [Blog](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/blog/) - [Case Studies](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/case-studies/) - [News and Announcements](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/news-and-events/) - [OrderDisc](https://orderdisc.com/) - [Upcoming Events](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/upcoming-events/) - Industries - [Construction](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/construction/) - [Financial Services](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/financial-services/) - [Life Sciences](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/lifesciences/) - [Contact](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/contact/) Activating Greatness Podcast Episodes July 13, 2026 | Episode 37 # Building High-Performing Teams: Why Tough Coaching Works — with Kayt Leonard ## Tough Coaching Is a Vote of Confidence: SAS's Kayt Leonard on Leading Without Apology **In this post:** *SAS marketing leader Kayt Leonard explains why building high-performing teams starts with tough coaching and a clear standard. She shares how to learn each person's engine and why full effort never requires an 80-hour week.* Kayt Leonard knew her first answer would draw criticism, and she gave it anyway. Asked about building high-performing teams and the divide between employees who check boxes and those who chase growth, the Director of Global Healthcare and Life Sciences Marketing at SAS started with her childhood. She grew up in a humble, hardworking Marine family. If her parents thought she ran the school mile test too slowly, she ran again when she got home. Giving less than 110% "was never, never allowed," she said on Episode 37 of *Activating Greatness*, the leadership podcast from Velocity Advisory Group. The lesson she took from it was simple. "If it is worthwhile enough to put your energy and attention to, put all of your energy and attention to," she said. That conviction runs through everything Leonard believes about leadership. Tough feedback is not a punishment. A high standard is not cruelty. And pushing people to grow, delivered well, is one of the clearest signals that a leader believes in them. ## Full Effort, Not Longer Hours Leonard draws a hard line between effort and hours. "That doesn't mean have an 80-hour work week," she said. "It doesn't mean sacrifice your friends and your family." It means that during work hours, with your team or on a project, "you are giving all of yourself to that thing within that time space." She worries that the work-life balance conversation has swung so far that ambition now carries a stigma. Hard work, she said, has "kind of turned into cancel culture," and people who push for the next level get dismissed as overachievers or try-hards. The cost, in her view, is enormous. Every industry has tools to innovate and accelerate. "We're throttling not by the technology, we're throttling by people's willingness to really dive in and try hard," she said. ## Learn the Engine Before You Push It Host Alec McChesney admitted he tends to overdo it, performing at a high level for three weeks and then burning out for one. So how does a leader coach both the person who goes too far and the person who needs a push? Leonard rejected the idea of a fixed leadership style. "As a leader, you don't get to show up and say, this is my leadership style, everyone on my team adapt to me," she said. "The best leaders learn their people and lead the people the way that those people need to be led." She thinks in engines. Some people are a Corolla: slower from zero to 60, but consistent and built to last. Others are a Ferrari, capable of bursts of brilliance but "not the daily drivers," she said. A leader has to know which is which before pushing. That requires learning employees "as humans," she said, not as titles. When someone is dealing with a family crisis, she backs off for that season. When someone is working toward the next level, "I'm not going to block my words when I give them feedback." > "We're throttling not by the technology, we're throttling by people's willingness to really dive in and try hard." > > *Kayt Leonard, Director of Global Healthcare and Life Sciences Marketing, SAS* ## Coaching Is a Vote of Confidence McChesney asked why so much of the business world still treats coaching as a negative. Leonard gave two reasons. "Coaching has become an HR term and people get scared of it," she said. Others hear the word and assume it belongs to athletes and competitive people. Her own definition is simpler. Coaching, she said, rests on the premise "that you believe in your people so much that you want to see the best out of them," while also wanting them to believe in themselves enough to deliver it. She pointed to a Maryland women's coach whose sideline tirade looked furious out of context. What the coach was screaming was, "I believe in you so much, you have to believe in yourself." At the press conference, the player said the coach wanted the best out of her. That should not be limited to sports, Leonard argued. "Most of the time, not all the time, but most of the time, that leader sees so much potential in you and they want to see that belief in yourself at the same time," she said. Jason Casarella has drawn [the line between coaching and micromanaging](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/ep-8-coaching-vs-micromanaging-jason-casarella) on the show, and Laura London explained how to [sustain high performance without burning out](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/ep-24-calm-the-chaos-laura-london). FREE ONE-PAGE CHECKLIST ### The Coaching Conversation Checklist Prepare for your next tough feedback conversation by matching your approach to each person's engine and making clear the push comes from belief, not punishment. [Get the free checklist](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/leadership-library/coaching-conversation-checklist) ## Building High-Performing Teams Starts With a Standard Leonard believes companies helped create their own feedback problem. During the hiring boom after COVID, employers bet big on new graduates with rich packages, and power shifted to employees who could leave for three other offers. Her fix is to reset expectations. "Companies have to stop allowing that. We have to hold a standard," she said. "And we have to discipline against that standard, we have to promote against that standard." Promotions should not reward tenure, politics, or complaints. "We're promoting based off of outcomes and delivery and watching someone grow to the next level," she said. Holding that standard amid constant change takes discernment. Leonard acts as a "protective bubble" for her team, tracking the swirl but sharing only what matters. "I only need to communicate the things that are going to actually be impacting my team because I don't need them distracted," she said. Sometimes the honest message is, "Hey guys, I don't even know what's happening right now, but hold in there with me." She does not apologize for the pressure. "Yes, I am putting pressure on people to always grow," she said, "because if you're not growing, what are you doing?" She also credits SAS for making that style possible. The company has been around for 50 years, she said, "and our CEO still consistently says it's all about the people." A leader cannot succeed alone if the culture above pulls the other way. ## Rapid-Fire Leadership Lessons - **Daily habit:** Gratitude. The more gratitude you show your team, the more they will perform, and gratitude for your role keeps you from taking it for granted. - **Most underrated skill:** Discipline. "If you can't lead yourself, you can't lead others." - **Stop doing:** The 80-hour week. "You can't think creatively, you can't reflect if you're not actually unplugging." She recommends one day a week off the phone and laptop. - **Best advice:** "Stop trying to fit into the other leaders around you." Your team can see through it when you are not authentic. HOW VELOCITY HELPS ### Velocity Executive Coaching Leonard urged leaders to find mentors and coaches who will call them out, especially when chaos hits and the team needs a rock. Velocity's Executive Coaching gives leaders confidential one-on-one work with a Velocity Coach, a neutral and objective partner for the moments when blind spots grow with seniority. Leaders sharpen how they deliver tough feedback, hold a standard without apology, and sustain high performance without burning themselves or their teams out. [Explore Executive Coaching](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/executive-coaching/) ## The Takeaway: Be the Leader You Were Picked to Be The advice that caught Leonard off guard still shapes her. The emotional energy leaders spend "trying to mask and be someone else in a leadership role means they're taking energy away from being able to invest in their staff," she said. Her counsel: Be confident enough to know "you were picked for this role," and surround yourself with people who will tell you the truth. That is the thread tying her philosophy together. Leaders who stop performing a borrowed style have more to give their people, and more credibility when they push. High standards, tough coaching, and full effort are not apologies to make. They are investments in people worth believing in. ## Listen to the Full Episode Hear Kayt Leonard's full conversation with host Alec McChesney on *Activating Greatness*. [Find it on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@VelocityAdvisoryGroup), or listen on [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/4LcgAut0KyYiGyDhFvMjPD) and [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1868386871). FREE GUIDE ### The Fit-In Tax Borrowing another leader's style drains energy your team needs. This self-authenticity guide helps you spot where you are performing instead of leading and reclaim that energy for your people. [Get the free guide](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/leadership-library/fit-in-tax) Share: [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/ep-37-tough-coaching-high-performing-teams-kayt-leonard) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/ep-37-tough-coaching-high-performing-teams-kayt-leonard) [Twitter icon](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/ep-37-tough-coaching-high-performing-teams-kayt-leonard) [pinterest-p icon](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/ep-37-tough-coaching-high-performing-teams-kayt-leonard) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/ep-37-tough-coaching-high-performing-teams-kayt-leonard) [Communication & Coaching](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/tag/communication-coaching) [Accountability & High Performance](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/tag/accountability-high-performance) ## Ready to activate greatness on your team? Velocity Advisory Group helps leadership teams build the culture, strategy, and systems that let good people do their best work. [Book a discovery call](https://www.velocityadvisorygroup.com/contact/) ## Related posts [Accountability & High Performance](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/tag/accountability-high-performance), [Life Sciences & Healthcare](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/tag/life-sciences-healthcare) ## [Episode 48: Competition as a Leadership Engine: Scoreboards That Work — with John Worden](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/ep-48-competition-as-a-leadership-engine-john-worden) [Alec McChesney](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/author/alec-mcchesney) Sep 17, 2026, 4:00:00 AM Share the Why to Get the Buy: John Worden on Competition as a Leadership Engine In this post:... [Read more](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/ep-48-competition-as-a-leadership-engine-john-worden) [Communication & Coaching](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/tag/communication-coaching), [Leadership Mindset](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/tag/leadership-mindset) ## [Episode 42: Imposter Syndrome in Leadership: Quiet the Inner Critic — with Dymon Lewis](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/ep-42-imposter-syndrome-in-leadership-dymon-lewis) [Alec McChesney](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/author/alec-mcchesney) Aug 17, 2026, 7:00:00 AM Stop Trying to Prove You're Smart: Dymon Lewis on Storytelling, Imposter Syndrome, and Unlearning... [Read more](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/ep-42-imposter-syndrome-in-leadership-dymon-lewis) [Accountability & High Performance](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/tag/accountability-high-performance), [Strategy & Change](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/tag/strategy-change) ## [Episode 46: Evolving Organizational Culture Through Crisis and Growth — with Tom Ulbrich](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/ep-46-evolving-organizational-culture-tom-ulbrich) [Alec McChesney](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/author/alec-mcchesney) Sep 8, 2026, 4:00:00 AM Evolve, Don't Replace: Tom Ulbrich on Growing Goodwill From $6 Million to $25 Million In this post:... [Read more](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/ep-46-evolving-organizational-culture-tom-ulbrich) --- [![](https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Velocity%20Logo%202023%20Wide-2.png?width=1025&height=267&name=Velocity%20Logo%202023%20Wide-2.png)](http://velocityadvisorygroup.com) Copyright © 2026, Velocity Advisory Group ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Alec McChesney", "url" : "https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/author/alec-mcchesney" }, "dateModified" : "2026-10-20T14:54:32.868Z", "datePublished" : "2026-07-13T08:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Episode 37: Building High-Performing Teams: Why Tough Coaching Works — with Kayt Leonard", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/activating-greatness-podcast-episodes/ep-37-tough-coaching-high-performing-teams-kayt-leonard", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://coaching.velocityadvisorygroup.com/hubfs/Velocity%20Logo%202023%20Wide-2.png" }, "name" : "Velocity Advisory Group" } } ```