The Chris Voss Show

The Chris Voss Show


The Chris Voss Show Podcast – Mastering Communication: Bridging the Intention to Action Gap with Yosi Kossowsky

March 09, 2025



Mastering Communication: Bridging the Intention to Action Gap with Yosi Kossowsky



Linkedin.com/in/ykossowsky





About the Guest(s):

Yosi Kossowsky is a seasoned executive coach with over 18 years of experience, leveraging a robust background as a CTO and Senior Director of Talent Management. Specializing in leadership development, personal growth, and effective communication, Yossi uses neuroscience and organizational development principles to aid leaders globally. He assists them in navigating complex challenges, building high-performing teams, and driving meaningful change. His methodologies focus on transitioning individuals and teams from intention to action, fostering cultures of trust and collaboration.


Episode Summary:

In this engaging episode of The Chris Voss Show, Chris welcomes Yosi Kossowsky, a distinguished executive coach with a passion for leadership development and effective communication. Yosi shares his unique journey from an early career in engineering and IT to mastering the art of executive coaching. His approach, grounded in neuroscience, emphasizes understanding subjective perception and bridging the gap between intention and action. Through lively anecdotes and practical insights, Yossi delves into prevalent challenges faced by leaders today, offering strategies to overcome communication barriers and enhance team collaboration.


Throughout the conversation, Yosi discusses the importance of taking responsibility for one’s actions and the impact of clear communication on building trust within teams. With Chris, he explores common pitfalls in leadership, such as the “intention to action” gap and the dangers of a victim mindset. Yosi highlights the need for leaders to actively engage in confirming and validating communication to ensure alignment with their teams. This episode is packed with actionable advice and thought-provoking insights, making it a valuable listen for anyone looking to enhance their leadership skills.


Key Takeaways:

Subjective Perception and Communication: Understand that perception is subjective and influenced by individual filters, requiring intentional efforts to ensure effective communication.

Intention to Action Gap: Recognize the gap between knowing what to do and actual implementation, which often requires experiential learning and guidance.

Victim Mindset: Avoid the victim mindset that relinquishes personal agency. Embrace empowerment to enact personal and professional change.

Effective Validation Strategies: Use techniques like confirming and validating communication to improve clarity and understanding, fostering better teamwork and results.

Leadership Development: Employ a neuroscience-based approach to enhance leadership skills and build trust within teams, contributing to productivity and collaboration.


Notable Quotes:

“Perception is completely subjective. Every one of us has a filter system in our brain that we’re pretty much unaware of.”

“The only one who’s gonna solve your shit is you.”

“Life is either happening to you or for you. Whichever way you believe, you’re right.”

“It takes leverage… we do need to find that internal leverage because there’s no amount of external leverage I’ve seen that will really bring about internal change.”

“Own your agency… you can bite the hand that feeds you, or you can choose how you play it.”