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The Leadership Podcast

The Leadership Podcast

We Study Leaders

TLP518: The Bravery Effect: Jill Schulman on Why Courage Is a Skill, Not a Trait

July 1, 2026

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Jill Schulman is a keynote speaker, Marine Corps veteran, and bestselling author of “The Bravery Effect: A Parable Teaching the Science of Conquering Fear, Achieving More, and Living Life to the Fullest.”. Jill argues that bravery is not a personality trait. It’s a skill. Most people assume brave people are simply wired differently. The research…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: bravery effect, building confidence, career development, courage training, Executive Coaching, facing your fears, fear and courage, Growth Mindset, how to be brave, how to overcome anxiety, jill schulman, leader mindset, leadership development, leadership skills, Leadership Strategies, marine corps officer, motivational, Overcoming Fear, performance coaching, personal development, positive psychology, Professional Growth, psychological resilience, science of bravery, self-confidence, self-improvement, stoicism, The Leadership Podcast

TLP508: Your Scars Are Your Resume

April 22, 2026

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Matt Cavanaugh is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, PhD, former Army Athlete of the Year, and author of “Best Scar Wins: How You Can Be More Than You Were Before.” Leaders often treat failures, setbacks, and scars as liabilities to hide. Matt Cavanaugh argues the opposite — that the scars you’ve earned, physical and…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: ambition, army, army lieutenant colonel, best scar wins, emotional growth, failure, Growth Mindset, judgment, leadership, leadership development, Leadership Lessons, Leadership Podcast, leadership superpower, matt cavanaugh, Military Leadership, mission driven leadership, overcoming setbacks, Personal Growth, purpose driven, resilience, retired military, scars, self improvement, servant leadership, turning failure into success

TLP462: Overcome Your Fear of Being Seen with Linda Ugelow

May 28, 2025

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Linda Ugelow is the author of “Delight in the Limelight: Overcome Your Fear of Being Seen and Realize Your Dreams.”  In this episode, Linda shares how fear often stems from past experiences, and how leaders can reframe internal narratives to demonstrate more confidence.  She dives into the power of self-acceptance and how it shapes leadership…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: confidence, emotional intelligence, empowerment, Executive Coaching, fear of speaking, Growth Mindset, inner voice, leadership, personal development, public speaking, Self-awareness, self-expression, vulnerability

TLP433: Today’s Top Leadership Challenges with Jim and Jan

November 6, 2024

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In the episode of The Leadership Podcast, Jan and Jim discuss a recent study from the Center for Creative Leadership that highlights key leadership challenges at all leadership levels: Jim critiques the study, highlighting the blurred distinction between leadership and management, and emphasizes that leaders must delegate and trust others to succeed.  Also discussed is…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Business Relationships, Communication skills, Compassionate Leadership, Cultivating Future Leaders, delegation, Disengagement, Fairness in Leadership, Growth Mindset, Leadership Challenges, leadership development, Leadership vs Management, Managerial Influence, Meeting Preparation, Operational Efficiency, Organizational Processes, Side Hustles, Simplifying Processes, Team Engagement, time management, Trust and Curiosity, Trust in Leadership

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Leadership isn't a destination. The demands change Leadership isn't a destination. The demands change.Jim Vaselopulos points to a different way of thinking about leadership. The work is ongoing, and much of it comes down to balancing competing priorities, needs, and interests.That balance is not something a leader achieves once. It is something they continue to navigate.Listen to the full conversation on The Leadership Podcast. Link in the first comment.#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #LeadershipLessons #LeadershipMindset #DecisionMaking #TheLeadershipPodcast
There's a formula to building bravery. Jill Schulm There's a formula to building bravery. Jill Schulman, bravery expert and Marine Corps veteran, breaks down the three-stage framework. Stage one: master your mindset. Shift from fixed to growth. Stage two: take action before you feel ready. Confidence comes after, not before. Stage three: curate your tribe. Surround yourself with people who won't let you quit. The genius part? They reinforce each other. Each stage amplifies the next. Master the three-stage formula. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-518?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#bravery #leadershipdevelopment #personalgrowth #framework #mindset #courage #leadership #psychology
Most people treat networking like a numbers game. Most people treat networking like a numbers game.Donnie Boivin treats it like a business model.The shift from collecting contacts to building other people's success is what actually opens doors.Hear how he built an entire company around it in this week's episode. https://bit.ly/TLP-521?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#networking #leadership #businessdevelopment #relationshipbuilding #salesmindset #entrepreneurship #leadershippodcast #b2bsales
Experience is invaluable. Until it convinces you t Experience is invaluable. Until it convinces you that you don't need to question yourself.David Robson calls this the curse of expertise. The more experience we accumulate, the easier it can become to trust our instincts without looking for evidence that might prove us wrong.His advice is simple: listen to your intuition, but interrogate it like any other piece of data.Ask yourself: What would I need to know to disprove what I believe to be true?That question may be one of the most useful habits an experienced leader can develop.#leadership #leadershipdevelopment #decisionmaking #cognitivebias #executiveleadership #selfawareness #davidrobson #leadershippodcast
Most leaders spend years perfecting self-awareness Most leaders spend years perfecting self-awareness and almost no time on other-awareness.Tom Rath, #1 New York Times bestselling author of StrengthsFinder 2.0 and How Full Is Your Bucket, joins the show to talk about his newest book, What's the Point?In this episode, Tom breaks down why purpose isn't a big moment you find once, it's a question you ask five times a day.Listen now to rethink how you spend your next hour. https://bit.ly/TLP-523?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersWatch it on YouTube - https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-523?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershippodcast #purposedriven #strengthsfinder #tomrath #leadershipdevelopment #workplaceculture #findingpurpose #leadershipmindset #executivecoaching #meaningfulwork
Complexity doesn't announce itself. There's no sig Complexity doesn't announce itself.There's no sign on the wall.David Craig ran Refinitiv through some of the toughest years in financial services, and he says the first warning sign isn't in the numbers.It's in the answers. Ask three people what the company does. If you get three different answers, you've found the problem.David walks through what he actually looks for when walking into a struggling organization.Full episode is live now https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-525?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #davidcraig #organizationalculture #businesstransformation #leadershippodcast #executivecoaching #companyculture #leadershipdevelopment
He was one of Kim Svoboda's best performers. He wa He was one of Kim Svoboda's best performers. He was also a bully.She tolerated it. The results were good. Then he quit in a rage.A week later, the truth came out. Team culture lifted almost overnight.Kim breaks down what tolerating bad behavior really costs a team.Ask yourself who's costing you culture. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-522?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#boldleadership #kimsvoboda #teamculture #toxicemployee #leadershipdevelopment #highperformingteams #leadershippodcast #accountability
Tribalism is part of human nature, but its role in Tribalism is part of human nature, but its role in modern organizations is more complicated than it once was. People still seek belonging and connection, yet those same needs can create division when groups begin defining themselves against one another.Jim Vaselopulos and Jan Rutherford explore how tribalism shapes leadership and organizational culture. They discuss four approaches to leadership: subtraction, division, addition, and multiplication, and what each reveals about the way leaders influence the people around them.The conversation also examines fear in the workplace, the importance of psychological safety, and the ongoing tension between developing people and focusing on the work that matters most.At the center of the discussion is a question leaders cannot easily avoid - how do you create belonging without creating an "us vs. them" culture?Listen to the full episode. Link in the first comment.#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #LeadershipLessons #OrganizationalCulture #TheLeadershipPodcast
Being good at something can make you worse at maki Being good at something can make you worse at making decisions.The more experience and expertise we gain, the easier it can become to trust our judgment without questioning it.David Robson calls this the "curse of expertise."He argues that good judgment requires something that doesn't always come naturally to smart, experienced people: actively looking for evidence that challenges what we already believe.In our conversation, we explore what that looks like in leadership, along with the role of curiosity, vulnerability, communication, and self-compassion in becoming more effective.Listen to the latest episode of The Leadership Podcast.#leadership #leadershipdevelopment #decisionmaking #leadershippsychology #cognitivebias #executiveleadership #selfawareness #davidrobson
We cannot always choose the circumstances we begin We cannot always choose the circumstances we begin with, but we can choose how we move forward.In her conversation with Jim Vaselopulos and Jan Rutherford, Bouchra Danwra reflects on personal agency, the choices that shape our lives, and the importance of taking ownership of our direction, even when we cannot control where we start.Her perspective is a reminder that our beginnings do not have to determine our destination.Listen to the full conversation on The Leadership Podcast. Find the episode on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.#TheLeadershipPodcast #BouchraDanwra #PersonalGrowth #Leadership #PersonalAgency #LeadershipDevelopment #Mindset #PurposefulLeadership
David Gray calls it empathetic accountability. And David Gray calls it empathetic accountability.And it's the thing most leaders get wrong.You can hold people responsible. But only if you've connected with them first.Skip the connection? Accountability feels like harassment.David has spent 34 years learning this: exhausted people need to know they're valued before they'll respond to expectations.That doesn't mean lowering standards. It means raising empathy.Hear David's full philosophy on leadership in uncertain times. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-520?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#empathyatwork #leadership #leadershipphilosophy #podcast #davidgray #theleadershippodcast #managementskills #leadershipdevelopment
Your circle isn't static. It's a decision. Donnie Your circle isn't static. It's a decision.Donnie Boivin says your five prospects, five clients, and five closest people all shape where you plateau.Not walking away from anyone, just paying attention to who's actually pulling you forward.Dive deeper into the full conversation https://bit.ly/TLP-521?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #networking #personalgrowth #businessmindset #relationshipbuilding #entrepreneurship #leadershippodcast #successmindset
You have two deaths, not one. The first is physic You have two deaths, not one.The first is physical. The second is the last time someone says your name.Tom Rath says legacy isn't about what you build or leave behind. It's about what quietly outlives you in someone else's habits.You may never see the moment your influence shows up in someone else's life. That's the point.Listen to the full episode with Tom Rath now. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-523?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#tomrath #leadershippodcast #legacyleadership #purposeatwork #leadershipmindset #executivecoaching #meaningfulwork #leadershipdevelopment
Steve Jobs is often remembered for his vision. Bu Steve Jobs is often remembered for his vision.But vision was not enough.After being pushed out of Apple, Jobs had to learn something he had not fully understood before: building a great product and building a successful business are two different things.He had to learn to listen to people who disagreed with him. To understand the market. To trust people with responsibilities outside his own expertise. And to recognize when persistence was becoming stubbornness.That period of failure and uncertainty may have been just as important to his leadership as the successes that came later.In this episode of The Leadership Podcast, Geoffrey Cain joins us to explore what Steve Jobs learned during those wilderness years, and why the lessons extend well beyond one famous leader.Sometimes the wall in front of us isn't failure. It's information about what needs to change.#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #SteveJobs #LeadershipLessons #VisionaryLeadership #LeadershipMindset #BusinessLeadership #Adversity #DecisionMaking #TheLeadershipPodcast
This applies to families. It applies to teams. Mo This applies to families. It applies to teams.Most leaders and parents focus on outcomes. Lee Benson focuses on the environment.Get the environment right, and value creation follows, at home and at work.Learn how Lee builds that environment. #leadership #valuecreation #leebenson #familyleadership #executivecoaching #teamculture #podcast #theleadershippodcast
Patrick Emmons wasn't a great student. He'll tell Patrick Emmons wasn't a great student.He'll tell you that himself.But he's built and sold three companies over 25 years.His point: the hero story isn't the requirement people think it is.Hear Patrick's full story on episode 524. https://bit.ly/TLP-524?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #entrepreneurship #growthmindset #careeradvice
Give first to gain everything sounds noble. Donnie Give first to gain everything sounds noble. Donnie Boivin says it's a trap. One-sided giving just trains people to take advantage of you. His fix: give, give, get, give — mutual respect over martyrdom. It changes how you should be showing up in every relationship you're building. Catch the full breakdown on this week's episode. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-521?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#networking #leadershipmindset #businessstrategy #relationshipbuilding #salesleadership #entrepreneurmindset #leadershippodcast #businessgrowth
Most networking advice is training you to waste yo Most networking advice is training you to waste your time in the wrong rooms.Donnie Boivin, CEO of Success Champion Networking and creator of the C3 Model, built a 30-chapter, 450-member organization on one reframe: networking means building other people's businesses, not collecting business cards.This episode breaks down his 30/30/30 framework, the Home Depot story that changed everything, and why give-give-get-give beats give-first-to-gain-everything.Listen now, then rethink your next room. https://bit.ly/TLP-521?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersWatch it on YouTube -https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-521?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #networking #businessdevelopment #salesleadership #b2bsales #leadershippodcast #executivecoaching #relationshipbuilding #salesstrategy #entrepreneurship
Jim Brown watches this play out in every organizat Jim Brown watches this play out in every organization.Leaders who have all the answers don't develop leaders. They develop followers.Your job isn't to be the hero. It's to build heroes.The moment your team stops thinking for themselves, you've become a bottleneck, not a leader.Watch episode 517 for the full story. https://bit.ly/TLP-517?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershipaccountability #leadershipdevelopment #organizationalhealth #teamleadership #leadershipcoaching #executiveleadership #theleadershippodcast #westudyleaders
Your people spend more hours with you than with th Your people spend more hours with you than with their families.That's not a business metric. That's a moral obligation.David Gray sees it as both privilege and responsibility. You're not just developing workers. You're developing humans—their skills, their confidence, their sense of purpose.Most leaders treat people like resources. David treats them like people entrusted to his care for a significant portion of their lives.It changes everything about how you lead.Explore David's complete philosophy on servant leadership. https://bit.ly/TLP-520?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershipphilosophy #servantleadership #peopledevelopment #westudyleaders #theleadershippodcast #teamleadership #managementphilosophy #compassionateLeadership
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