--- title: The Sounding Board | Donovan Leadership description: Ask about the person who won't move, or the room you can't get into. An AI conversation about the ideas in Brian Donovan's two leadership books, for technical experts moving into leadership. --- [Skip to content](https://donovanleadership.com/sounding-board#main-content) ![cropped-DON\_LongRGB01](https://donovanleadership.com/hs-fs/hubfs/cropped-DON_LongRGB01.jpg?width=886&height=247&name=cropped-DON_LongRGB01.jpg) - [Home](https://donovanleadership.com/) - [Coaching](https://donovanleadership.com/executive-coaching-transform-your-leadership-style-donovan-leadership) Show submenu for Coaching - [One on One Coaching](https://donovanleadership.com/one-on-one-coaching) - [Group Coaching](https://donovanleadership.com/group-coaching) - [Blog](https://donovanleadership.com/blog) Show submenu for Blog - [All Posts](https://donovanleadership.com/blog) - [Research](https://donovanleadership.com/blog/tag/research) - [Books](https://donovanleadership.com/books) - [About](https://donovanleadership.com/about) Show submenu for About - [Contact Us](https://donovanleadership.com/contact) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Home](https://donovanleadership.com/) - [Coaching](https://donovanleadership.com/executive-coaching-transform-your-leadership-style-donovan-leadership) Show submenu for Coaching - [One on One Coaching](https://donovanleadership.com/one-on-one-coaching) - [Group Coaching](https://donovanleadership.com/group-coaching) - [Blog](https://donovanleadership.com/blog) Show submenu for Blog - [All Posts](https://donovanleadership.com/blog) - [Research](https://donovanleadership.com/blog/tag/research) - [Books](https://donovanleadership.com/books) - [About](https://donovanleadership.com/about) Show submenu for About - [Contact Us](https://donovanleadership.com/contact) - [Influence Curve Quiz](https://quiz.donovanleadership.com/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=site-header&utm_campaign=influence-curve) [Influence Curve Quiz](https://quiz.donovanleadership.com/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=site-header&utm_campaign=influence-curve) # The Sounding Board Bring your challenges and have a conversation about the ideas in Brian Donovan’s two books. It isn’t Brian himself, but it's informed by him. Ask it about the person who won’t move. Or the room you can’t get into. It draws on *Leadership Is Changing the Game*, *The Gentle Art of Leadership*, and this website. Nothing else. ## What it’s for Technical experts moving into leadership don’t ask about leadership. They ask about a situation. ### The question you can’t ask a human Is the problem me, or them? Is this role a dead end? Ask it here first, before you ask anyone who knows you. ### The person who won’t move A peer who blocks every proposal. A deputy who is technically ready and politically stuck. A CEO who hears risk and stops listening. Describe them. Work it through. ### The room you can’t get into The budget conversation that happens without you. The board paper someone else presents. Being right is not the same as being heard. Find out what gets you invited. ## What it draws on Both books. This website. Nothing else. It will tell you when a question is outside what Brian has written, and it will not pretend to be him. [![Leadership Is Changing the Game by Brian Donovan](https://donovanleadership.com/hubfs/3%20d%2019-2.jpg "Leadership Is Changing the Game by Brian Donovan")](https://donovanleadership.com/books?hsLang=en) ### Leadership Is Changing the Game The transition from technical expert to leader The Influence Curve. Why the skills that made you the authority stop working once you lead. How influence is built stage by stage, and what stalls it. [![The Gentle Art of Leadership by Brian Donovan and Dean Phelan](https://donovanleadership.com/hubfs/3D%20The%20Gentle%20Art%20of%20Leadership%20Book.pdf%20(2).png "The Gentle Art of Leadership by Brian Donovan and Dean Phelan")](https://donovanleadership.com/books?hsLang=en) ### The Gentle Art of Leadership Co-authored with Dean Phelan — drawn from 50+ leader interviews Gentle is not soft. What leaders who get the best results actually do differently, and why force is the least reliable way to move people. ## When you want a sharper answer The Sounding Board works on the situation in front of you. The quiz tells you where your influence is stalling — which stage of the Influence Curve you’re at now, and what moves you up. Three minutes, free. And when you’re ready to talk to Brian, book a call. [Take the free 3-minute quiz](https://quiz.donovanleadership.com/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=sounding-board&utm_campaign=influence-curve) [Book an exploratory call](https://calendly.com/briandonovan/exploratory-call) [facebook-f icon](https://www.facebook.com/DonovanLeadership/) [linkedin-in icon](https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfdonovan1/) [Twitter icon](https://x.com/Briandonovan1) - [Privacy Policy](https://donovanleadership.com/privacy-policy) - [Disclaimer](https://donovanleadership.com/disclaimer) - [Contact Us](https://donovanleadership.com/contact) --- PO Box 536 Camberwell VICTORIA, 3124 Australia [![Donovan Leadership](https://donovanleadership.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/cropped-cropped-DON_LongRGB01-Apr-17-2025-10-42-20-2134-PM-Jun-18-2025-10-42-41-2821-AM.jpg?width=886&height=236&name=cropped-cropped-DON_LongRGB01-Apr-17-2025-10-42-20-2134-PM-Jun-18-2025-10-42-41-2821-AM.jpg "Donovan Leadership")](https://donovanleadership.com/?hsLang=en) Copyright © 2025,