Guest: Robert Glazer
WHY.os: Better Way – Make Sense – Contribute

Robert Glazer is a bestselling author, leadership expert, and founder of a $35 million global company recognized by Inc. and Fortune as one of the best places to work. Known for his books Elevate and Friday Forward, Robert joins Dr. Gary Sanchez to talk about his newest book, The Compass Within—and how knowing your core values can guide better decisions in work and life.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How to identify your “core values” and use them to make choices that actually fit who you are.
Why high achievers lose direction when they ignore their values—and how to get back on track.
How to lead effectively when your WHY is “Better Way,” without overwhelming yourself or your team.

Listen to this episode of Beyond Your WHY with Dr. Gary Sanchez to learn how to stop chasing what’s next and start building a life that actually feels right.

Get in touch with Robert!

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robertglazer.com

Watch Full Episode Here!

00:00 Introduction to the Better Way Why
02:14 The Dual Nature of Better Way
04:11 Balancing Innovation and Team Dynamics
08:46 Understanding Core Values
10:02 The Compass Within: A New Approach to Values
13:24 The Story of Jamie: Core Values in Action
18:10 The Impact of Core Values on Decision Making
19:50 Navigating Challenges with Core Values
24:00 The Importance of Awareness in Leadership
27:46 Getting Back on Track with Core Values
31:42 Writing the Compass Within
36:35 Conclusion and Call to Action

Listen to Full Episode Here!

The Compass Within: How Robert Glazer Finds a Better Way to Lead, Live, and Stay True to What Matters

When “Better” Becomes Too Much

Robert Glazer knows a thing or two about success. He’s the founder of a $35 million global company, a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, and a recognized voice in leadership and performance. His work has been featured in Forbes, Inc., and Entrepreneur — and he’s even appeared on The Dr. Oz Show. But what makes Robert stand out isn’t just his business track record — it’s how he connects success to self-awareness and values. In his conversation with Dr. Gary Sanchez on the Beyond Your WHY podcast, Robert opens up about his WHY — “Better Way” — and how it’s shaped everything from his leadership style to his latest book, The Compass Within.

The “Better Way” personality is all about improvement — never satisfied, always tinkering, constantly asking, “What if we did this differently?” But Robert’s learned that constantly chasing “better” can also be a trap. “If I try to make everything better,” he says, “I won’t actually make things better.” It’s the paradox that so many high achievers face — progress at the cost of peace. And in this episode, Robert breaks down how he’s learned to balance the two through one simple but powerful idea: knowing and living by your core values.

Core Values Aren’t Fluff — They’re Your Filter

At the heart of Robert’s message is this: your core values aren’t lofty ideals or motivational poster quotes. They’re your non-negotiables — the principles that quietly guide every decision you make. “A great core value helps you make better decisions,” he explains. “It’s the instruction manual you didn’t get.”

Robert’s process for finding those values isn’t about picking words like integrity or family off a list. It’s about reflection — looking at what’s mattered most in your life, when you’ve felt proud, and when you’ve felt completely out of alignment. He says your values usually form early, often in childhood, and stick with you even if you don’t realize it. And when you go against them? You feel it. “You might get out of the tunnel,” Robert says, “but your car will be pretty beat up.”

His new book, The Compass Within, takes that idea and turns it into a story — literally. Instead of writing another how-to guide, he wrote a parable about a man named Jamie, a rising professional who’s stuck in all the wrong places — his job, his relationship, his environment. Through a mentor, Jamie learns to identify what truly matters to him and starts making changes that bring him back to himself. It’s storytelling with a purpose — simple, relatable, and painfully real for anyone who’s ever hit success but still felt off.

The Three Decisions That Shape Everything

Robert says every major turning point in life comes down to what he calls “the Big Three”: your partner, your vocation, and your community. These are the areas where values alignment (or misalignment) shows up the loudest. If any one of them is out of sync, the dissonance creeps in — in your mood, your motivation, even your physical health. He jokes that you can’t live in a place like Newcastle, where people go to the bar at 4 p.m. every day, if your top value is health. You’ll either give in or feel like an outsider.

That’s the power of knowing your internal compass — it keeps you from drifting toward a life that doesn’t fit. “You don’t always get credit when your values line up with the current,” Robert says. “The real test is when your boat is going upstream.” Whether it’s choosing the right team to work with or the kind of person you marry, those “Big Three” choices shape every part of who you become.

Leading from Values, Not from Vibes

As a CEO, Robert learned that leadership without self-awareness creates chaos. His advice? Don’t copy other leaders. Lead from your own values. “You either lead from your values with awareness or without it — and there’s a massive difference,” he says.

He also encourages leaders to teach their teams how to “manage them.” If your value is trust, tell your team exactly what earns it and what breaks it. If you’re a “Better Way” type who constantly has new ideas, give people permission to push back. That clarity doesn’t just make you easier to work with — it makes you more authentic. And when people understand what drives you, they can actually follow you.

The Real Takeaway

Robert Glazer’s message is simple but profound: success without alignment eventually cracks. When you know your values, every decision — personal or professional — gets easier. You stop chasing what looks good and start choosing what feels right.

As Robert puts it, “It’s hard to make good decisions without self-awareness… and it’s hard to make bad ones with it.”

If you’ve ever felt stuck, burnt out, or unsure whether your “better way” is still serving you, this episode is worth a listen.

👉 Listen to the full conversation with Dr. Gary Sanchez and Robert Glazer on the Beyond Your WHY Podcast — and find your own compass within.

Get to Know Robert!

Robert Glazer is the founder and chairman of the board of Acceleration Partners, a global leader in partnership marketing. He also cofounded and chaired BrandCycle, which was acquired by Stack Commerce/TPG in 2021. A serial entrepreneur and award-winning executive, Robert is passionate about helping individuals and organizations elevate their performance.
Under his leadership, Acceleration Partners garnered numerous accolades, including Glassdoor’s Employees’ Choice Awards, Entrepreneur’s Top Company Culture, Inc.’s Best Place to Work, and Fortune’s Best Small & Medium Workplaces. Robert himself was twice named to Glassdoor’s list of Top CEOs for Small and Medium Companies in the U.S., ranking #2.

Robert shares his insights through Friday Forward, a weekly inspirational newsletter reaching over two hundred thousand readers in more than one hundred countries. He is also the #1 Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and international bestselling author of seven books, including Elevate, Friday Forward, Elevate Your Team, and How to Thrive In The Virtual Workplace. Additionally, Robert hosts the Elevate Podcast, a top 1 percent show on business, performance, and leadership with over three million downloads globally.

His work has been featured in outlets such as Harvard Business Review, The Today Show, Business Insider, Fast Company, Inc., Forbes, and Entrepreneur. Robert speaks to audiences around the world on topics of leadership, culture, and personal and professional development and has also spoken on the TEDx stage.
Outside work, Robert enjoys skiing, cycling, reading, traveling, spending quality time with his family, and overseeing home renovation projects.

To learn more about his writing, speaking, or partnerships opportunities, please visit robertglazer.com.

Imagine Gary, a dentist with a flair for the latest gadgets and a resume sparkling with the best training available. Yet, his waiting room remained empty more often than not. The problem? It wasn’t his competence—it was his connection with potential patients. This realization resonates deeply in our roles as coaches. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but even with a toolkit stuffed with the best strategies, if we’re not truly connecting, we’re just treading water. Like Gary, we might be perfectly equipped, yet somehow, we miss the mark in making those essential client connections that drive real change.

Top Signs Your Your Coaching Might Need a Fresh Coat of Paint

1. You’re Digging Deep, But Only Finding Fragments

You’re thorough, you’re committed, and you know the right questions to ask. Yet, you can’t seem to unearth the deep, underlying motivations of your clients. It feels like you’re mining for gold in a river that’s long been panned out. If you’re not getting to the core of why they’re coming to you, it may be time to reevaluate your approach. Perhaps your techniques are technically sound but lack the personal touch or the psychological depth to truly resonate with your clients.

2. Your Client Roster is Thinning

When new clients are few and far between, or when repeat appointments start to decline, it’s an indicator that your coaching approach might not be as engaging or effective as it needs to be. It’s as if the market is gently hinting that your brand of coaching, while once vibrant and sought-after, may now lack the relevance or allure it once had. This is your cue to revitalize your practice, infusing new life and methods into your sessions.

3. Coaching Feels Like a Routine Task

Think back to when each coaching session was exhilarating, filled with discoveries and growth. If those days have given way to monotony, feeling more like routine than inspiration, your passion—and methods—might need reigniting. Coaching should be dynamic and invigorating not just for the client but for you as well. When it starts to feel like clockwork, it’s time to inject some new ideas and passion back into your practice.

4. The Applause Has Quieted

Feedback from your clients can be a goldmine of information. If the enthusiastic reviews have dwindled to polite thanks, it’s a signal that your coaching impact may not be hitting as hard as before. This diminishing feedback is often the first sign that your influence is waning, prompting a need for introspection and perhaps a shift in how you engage, motivate, and inspire your clients.

Why the Old Approaches Don’t Resonate Anymore

What worked well in the past doesn’t always stand the test of time. Just as technology evolves, so do the needs and expectations of our clients. Our coaching strategies must evolve too, to stay relevant and effective. Sticking to old maps while the terrain has shifted will only lead us astray; hence, continuous learning and adaptation are crucial.

Is Now The Perfect Time For A New Beginning?

The right time to adopt new strategies is when you recognize that your current methods aren’t producing the results they used to. This isn’t just about keeping up—it’s about staying ahead and continually finding better ways to connect and support your clients. It’s about being proactive, not reactive, and ensuring your coaching methods grow and evolve with the times.

Meet The Newest Advancement In Personal Discovery Tech

WHY.os is like discovering GPS after years of navigating with a paper map. It cuts through the noise and hones in on what really drives people: their WHY, HOW, and WHAT. This innovative tool doesn’t just add to your coaching arsenal—it transforms it, allowing you to reach deeper into the client’s psyche than ever before, and in doing so, revitalize both your practice and their lives.

Giving your coaching methods a makeover with something like WHY.os can bring back the spark and effectiveness to your sessions. It’s about more than keeping pace; it’s about setting the pace and ensuring that what you bring to the coaching table is as fresh and effective as the day you started. So, if you’re ready to stop treading water and start making waves again, it’s time to try on some new tools and see just how deep the changes can go.

Click here to learn about how you can become WHY.os Certified!