Episodios

  • TLP493: "Sand People" - The Hidden Drag on Your Team's Performance

    TLP493: "Sand People" - The Hidden Drag on Your Team's Performance
    Jan 7 2026
    Jim and Jan tackle the uncomfortable truth about "sand people," those team members who grind everything to a halt, and why even your best glue guy can't overcome the friction they create. Drawing from their coaching experience, Jim and Jan reveal how to identify and deal with sand people before they destroy your team. They explore the telltale signs—projecting, hoarding resources, passive-aggressive behavior—and explain why leaders consistently wait too long to act. They also share the harsh truth that someone who is not performing well is costing more than they produce, and costing opportunities and damaging team morale in ways that are difficult to quantify. In this episode, you'll learn how sand people self-identify through their behavior, the specific ways they inhibit high performance, and most importantly, why it's critical to move quickly.. Find episode 493 on The Leadership Podcast, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Jim and Jan on "Sand People" - The Hidden Drag on Your Team's Performance https://bit.ly/tlp-493 Key Takeaways [01:35] Jim coined the term "sand people" to describe team members who act as sand in the gears, preventing smooth team operation. [03:05] Jan noted that 60% of people in the U.S. are not in high-value jobs with only 31% engagement, creating a disconnect between economic growth and worker fulfillment. [05:12] Sand people often project by complaining about what others aren't doing, which is exactly what they themselves aren't doing. [07:34] Jan confirmed that one bad person on a team poisons everything, making it impossible to have a successful team experience. [12:33] A-players immediately avoid sand people and start looking for better teams because they expect leaders to uphold standards. [16:04] Jim witnessed Larry Yost pick up a cigarette butt when no one was watching, demonstrating how modeling behavior matters more than words. [19:17] Jan admitted being a sand person as a young cynical military officer, making wisecracks without anyone coaching her on the impact. [21:05] Jim acknowledged being too harsh early in his management career and emphasized the importance of learning from mistakes. [22:06] Jan's biggest business mistake was bragging about new hires then keeping them too long trying to fix them instead of recognizing sunk costs. [23:49] Jim advocated hiring for unteachable qualities like curiosity in salespeople rather than skills you can train. [26:34] Jan recommended "Top Grading" by Brad Smart for distinguishing between easy-to-change skills and hard-to-change qualities like energy and passion. [33:36] Leaders must be attracted to friction to identify where to remove resistance and lubricate the machine for team effectiveness. [29:57] Jan identified two coaching buckets: helping people prioritize time strategically and having difficult conversations about performance expectations. [33:21] And remember… "The path of least resistance is the path of the loser." - H. G. Well Quotable Quotes "If getting rid of people is easy for you and you don't lose sleep over it, you're probably a sociopath." "The day it gets easy for you is the day you've kind of lost your soul." - "We've got to have good friction. Friction that produces traction, not friction that produces drag." "Your culture becomes the worst behavior you tolerate." "One bad person, even if they're a little bad, is way more powerful than the best person for a team." "Look for work, look for things to do, and give more than you take." - "Sand people are limiting your culture. They are in effect a toleration of sub optimal performance of weakness." "If we pay people that aren't getting the job done, then they're either a charity case or they are a thief." "As a leader, I think we need to be attracted to friction." "People are not fine wine." These are the books mentioned in this episode Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Jan Rutherford LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/janrutherford Jan Rutherford X | @JanRutherford Jim Vaselopulos LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/jimvaselopulos Jim Vaselopulos xX | @jim_va
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    34 m
  • TLP492: Stop Fitting In with Jinky Panganiban

    TLP492: Stop Fitting In with Jinky Panganiban
    Dec 31 2025
    Jinky Panganiban serves as Professor of Practice at the University of Oregon's Sports Product Management Program, founder of 1969Blue Consulting, and founding member of Oregon Sports Angels. She is a former Vice President and General Manager at Nike with over 20 years of global executive experience. She led multibillion-dollar businesses across Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, and Europe. In this episode, Jinky reveals why "fitting in" kills leadership potential and how your cultural background becomes your superpower in global business. Jinky explains how the sports product industry has built intentional leadership development by translating a shared mission to fit local cultures instead of forcing one uniform way while maintaining a unified mission. She addresses the volatile state of global trade by emphasizing curiosity and critical thinking as essential skills for the next generation. Jinky argues that despite rising nationalism and tariff threats, consumers are already voting for a borderless world through their digital behavior and content consumption. In this episode, you'll discover how to leverage your cultural background as a superpower, build high-performing global teams, and lead with authenticity in an increasingly connected world. Find The Leadership Podcast episode 492 on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Jinky Panganiban on Stop Fitting In https://bit.ly/TLP-492 Key Takeaways [04:09] Jinky describes how she started at Nike through a blind ad in Manila and was handpicked to help build Southeast Asia operations. [06:26] Jinky reveals how three white male mentors helped her realize her cultural background was her superpower. [09:47] Jinky explains that great leadership starts with being—knowing who you are and what you stand for—not just the doing of checking off deliverables and performance goals. [12:51] Jinky distinguishes influence from selling. [13:42] Jinky describes how SPM deliberately keeps students in the same project teams for 18 months because leadership is formed in the messy middle when deadlines are tight and not everybody agrees. [17:12] Jinky explains the collective industry commitment to raising next-generation leaders who will progress the culture. [20:32] Jinky demonstrates how global brands must translate their message locally. [25:17] Jinky shares how mentor Kate Delhagen gave her courage to leave corporate and explore angel investing. [28:58] Jinky describes her current advisory work with startup brands where she's both business advisor and biggest cheerleader, modeling what Kate did for her. [31:04] Jinky argues that despite borders and tariffs, the next generation of consumers already thinks globally through social media and digital platforms, celebrating differences rather than fearing them. [34:09] Jinky emphasizes that curiosity combined with critical thinking—vetting sources and asking why—is essential for navigating today's information-saturated world. [37:26] Jinky encourages everyone to celebrate where they've come from because there's only one of you, and you can't be more original than that—your background is your competitive advantage. [ ] And remember… "To be one, to be united, is a great thing, but to respect the right to be different is maybe even greater." – Bono Quotable Quotes "There's only one of you, so you can't be more original than that." "My cultural background and where I came from and all of my lived experience actually isn't something that I should shy away from or even be embarrassed about, but actually use it to my advantage and actually leverage it." "Great leadership starts with being. It's knowing who you are, what you stand for, and how you show up, especially when no one's watching." "We believe that leadership is formed in the messy middle. You know, when the deadlines are tight, the tempers are like rising and then not everybody's agreeing, but then you still have a deadline to hit." "Global doesn't mean uniform. The best teams share common purpose but express it in ways that feel very local." "Even if we put borders around things, the consumers will vote anyway to go beyond borders. Ideas, innovation, their talent, creativity, I don't think it carries a passport." "Human leadership never goes out of style." "Learn to lead yourself first. Build credibility, make sure that you practice empathy, and then lead through action and not titles." "If you don't know how to work in teams, you cannot work in the industry." "It's not so much exporting the culture, it's about translating it so that it works for everybody." "Cultural intelligence or cultural fluency is really critical because I've seen how that has become the one skill that could bridge global teams and communicate even beyond language." "Making sure that you find sources that are credible. Not just take things face value. Critical thinking is also something that's really important to ask the ...
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    36 m
  • TLP491: Letting Go of Old Frameworks with Jack Swift

    TLP491: Letting Go of Old Frameworks with Jack Swift
    Dec 24 2025
    Jack Swift is a West Point graduate, former CEO of TIFIN and Liminal Collective, and co-founder of Pacific Current Group and Sangha. He now advises frontier AI ventures, including Vantage Discovery (sold to Shopify), Brightwave, and Grid Aero, and co-founded Sangha, a community for conscious leadership. In this episode, Jack explains why the biggest threat to your organization isn't outside pressure. It's your need to be right. He shows why old leadership habits—command and control, chasing quarterly targets, and relying only on past wins—no longer work. He offers a different approach built on deep listening, less ego, and faster instincts. Jack talks about the blind spots he sees on boards, from big companies ignoring rapid change to startups burning cash to prove a point. He also shares how to spot the moment when governance stops supporting durability and starts blocking innovation—and what to do before bureaucracy kills your edge. Listen to this episode to learn how to drop old frameworks, trust your gut, and build a learning culture that works with AI instead of fighting it. Find The Leadership Podcast episode 490 on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Jack Swift on Letting Go of Old Frameworks https://bit.ly/TLP-491 Key Takeaways [02:28] Jack shares that stopping drinking a few years ago has been "incredibly clarifying" for his decision making and presence as a leader. [05:19] Jack shares how his perspective on leadership has evolved from military to entrepreneurship to board service. [10:11] Jack emphasizes three critical elements that make an effective independent board director: maintaining independence to evaluate organizational health, stepping into conflict early, and the ability to "look around corners" and anticipate future disruption. [15:07] Jack identifies the biggest blind spot for larger companies and the biggest blind spot for early-stage companies and founders. [19:26] Jack reflects on how his experiences as an entrepreneur shaped how he evaluates opportunities and risks. [21:48] Jack reflects on something 18 years ago that helped him learn without screwing up. [23:00] Jack discusses the role of ego versus intuition in leadership. [25:34] Jack defines governance in highly regulated industries like insurance and financial services versus the AI space. [29:56] Jack agrees AI works best in regulated spaces because "machine based learning and models work really well in systems, rules based systems" where regulatory review "may have taken humans six months to do, it can be done in like six minutes." [33:16] Jack describes how Boulder's ecosystem has influenced his approach to leadership and growth. [36:35] Jack advises traditional industry leaders to "let go of old frameworks" and "be open to how it might be done" because entrenched industries are "specifically ripe for innovation and disruption." [37:36] Jack says one piece of advice for leaders navigating uncertainty today. He explains why whole-body listening matters for the future of leadership. [41:19] And remember..."I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor." - Henry David Thoreau Quotable Quotes "Leaders make decisions and they look for and create alignment within an organization." "The need to be right is the biggest blind spot. Taking the position that I want to be right, I'm gonna burn capital to show the world that I'm right is a very risky way to go about your business." "I made a lot of mistakes. I screwed a lot of things up. Sometimes because I didn't know any better, sometimes because I let my ego make decisions, and sometimes because I was relying on old frameworks that just wouldn't work anymore." "Your go mind shouldn't always drive the car. Sometimes you need to put instinct in the driver's seat and let your brain be the passenger." "Let go of old frameworks. Don't think you know better. Work on self awareness, work on your personal growth edges. Better at you is better at what you do." "Listen with your whole body. Your body knows—that's your gut, your instinct, your intuition. The faster you can listen, receive, and act, the faster you'll be able to go." "Human beings are the only species that can imagine infinite future potentials and bring them into reality. That creative capability is uniquely human and incredibly special." Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Jack Swift Website | www.jackcswift.com Jack Swift LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/jack-c-swift
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    42 m
  • TLP490: Reinventing Candy and Culture with Katie Lefkowitz

    TLP490: Reinventing Candy and Culture with Katie Lefkowitz
    Dec 17 2025
    Katie Lefkowitz is a neuroscience-trained entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Harken Foods who's reinventing candy with gut health at its core. In this episode, Katie reveals how her neuroscience background taught her to demand feedback systematically and observe behavior over words—skills that proved universal across consulting, scaling, and founding companies. She shares why she chose measured growth at Harken after experiencing Caulipower's explosive trajectory. Katie explains how the "seven questions framework" helps teams navigate the market's rapid shifts by keeping core values fixed while pivoting operational tactics. Discover practical approaches to data-driven decision-making, building authentic workplace culture, and leading through uncertainty without losing sight of core values. Find The Leadership Podcast episode 490 on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Katie Lefkowitz on Reinventing Candy and Culture https://bit.ly/TLP-490 Key Takeaways [03:03] Katie explains her neuroscience background taught her the scientific method, helping evaluate questions less emotionally and with reduced bias. [04:05] Katie describes how all decisions need to be based in data, seeking feedback from every person on the Harken team. [05:44] Katie shares Harken was created after a health scare related to colon cancer introduced her to food as medicine. [07:25] Katie explains Caulipower grew as the fastest growing brand in all of CPG, but for Harken she wants to be more measured. [09:03] Katie confirms the Caulipower success gave her confidence to go at it alone with Harken. [09:48] Katie reflects on trying to be what she thought a leader looked like, being insecure about her age and gender. [11:45] Katie explains there will always be some imposter syndrome, but having Harken within her control has helped relieve that feeling. [13:20] Katie recalls a pitch where the first person said her product doesn't taste good, leaving her crying in the cab to the airport. [15:25] Katie describes watching if people take a second bite during tastings because behavior tells more than words. [16:36] Katie emphasizes listening more than talking as the key leadership lesson. [17:29] Katie explains the company uses Southwest Airlines' seven questions framework where core values don't change but goals and focus do. [19:05] Katie notes that running decisions through core values becomes second nature and prevents losing time on wrong priorities. [20:18] Katie states at their early stage it's about hiring people who believe in what they're doing because culture is what happens when she's not in the room. [21:44] Katie explains parents understand prioritization better because anything to get more time with their kid is of high value. [23:40] Katie reflects that taking pauses to pick up her kid allows her to process things better and make better decisions. [24:46] Katie advises knowing what motivates you—autonomy, mastery, purpose or status, wealth, power—and making decisions based on who you actually are. [27:41] And remember... "If there is no struggle, there is no progress." – Frederick Douglass Quotable Quotes "If you're not telling me I'm doing something wrong or questioning what I'm doing, very frequently, I'm gonna have a problem with that because there's no way that I'm doing everything right." "Listen more than you talk. You will always get a lot more from really hearing people than you're ever going to get from talking at them." "When you're just yourself, it actually comes off much more authentic. And it's those relationships that you're holding yourself back from if you're not able to be your full self." "Have confidence in yourself, own who you are. And it'll actually take you much further than trying to fit into some old mold." "All decisions just need to be based in data and not necessarily, you know, stories." "It's about keeping your core values and making sure that runs through every decision that you're making." "My time is my most valuable resource, not only to myself personally, but to the company." "Taking that pause actually allows me to process things much better. And having that breathing room, I think I just make better decisions." "Know what motivates you... Not who you want people to think you are, but who you actually are." Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Katie Lefkowitz Website | https://harkensweets.com Katie Lefkowitz Facebook | www.facebook.com/people/Harken-Sweets/61551227397377/?_rdr Katie Lefkowitz LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/katielefkowitz Katie Lefkowitz Instagram | @harkensweets TLP478: The Consequences of Inaction with Nick Cooney TLP472: Embracing Uncertainty with Dr. Margaret Heffernan
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    28 m
  • TLP489: Quitting – Knowing When to Walk Away

    TLP489: Quitting – Knowing When to Walk Away
    Dec 10 2025
    Annie Duke is a three-time bestselling author, decision strategist, and former professional poker champion. She holds a PhD in cognitive psychology and is co-founder of the Alliance for Decision Education. Annie's latest best-selling book is "Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away." In this episode, Annie reveals why knowing when to walk away is the most underrated leadership skill. Drawing on cognitive psychology and real-world coaching with executives and venture capitalists, she breaks down why we're wired to stick with bad decisions, and more importantly, how to override that wiring. Annie explains how sunk costs, identity attachment, and status quo bias conspire to keep us committed past the point of reason. Listen now to stop grinding on goals that don't serve you, and start quitting your way to better outcomes. Find The Leadership Podcast episode 489 on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Annie Duke on Quitting – Knowing When to Walk Away https://bit.ly/TLP-489 Key Takeaways [02:01] Annie reveals she's an avid tennis player and has a Bernadoodle dog not mentioned in her public bio. [02:54] Annie explains quitting is central to success because decisions are made under uncertainty and even perfect choices have bad outcomes 20% of the time. [06:25] Annie discusses how over-optimism harms decision-making by overestimating both likelihood and quality of good outcomes. [09:41] Annie describes Don Moore's research showing optimistic people just spend more time on unsolvable problems without performing better. [11:44] Annie clarifies that quitting feels too early in the moment but people looking back realize they quit too late. [14:27] Annie explains not quitting creates two problems: pursuing unhelpful goals plus losing opportunity cost of redirected resources. [15:03] Annie recommends using psychological distance through quitting coaches and kill criteria involving mental time travel. [16:19] Annie describes an exercise where executives set six-week benchmarks for underperforming employees, accelerating decisions. [19:38] Annie advises adding "unless" statements to goals since cost-benefit analyses change over time. [24:45] Annie addresses information paralysis by emphasizing the time-versus-accuracy trade-off in decisions. [30:49] Annie acknowledges self-knowledge matters but notes people have competing preferences between short-term wants and long-term values. [33:28] Annie explains how implicit decision-making allows bias to highlight factors supporting desired conclusions. [36:49] Annie explains explicit frameworks resolve short-term versus long-term conflicts by creating future accountability. [37:57] Annie tells negotiation clients every deal can be broken, paralleling keeping quitting as an option. [38:30] Annie addresses opportunity cost neglect where people focus on immediate goals without considering sacrifices. [44:32] Annie connects quitting to innovation since minimal starting information requires flexibility to pivot. [46:22] And remember…"If at first you don't succeed, try again, then quit, there's no point in being a damn fool about it." - W.C. fields. Quotable Quotes "When you make decisions to start things, you are making those decisions under conditions of uncertainty." "When you're thinking about quitting, it will generally feel like it's too early. But when you're looking at someone from the outside, if you're coaching, it'll feel like they're too late." "We quit way too late, as judged by our happiness." "When we don't quit something that we ought to quit, we have a double problem. One problem is that we're doing something that isn't helping us achieve our goals. And the other problem is an opportunity cost problem." "You don't want the goal itself to become an object because it is a representation of a cost benefit analysis." "In order to be a really good innovator, you have to build in this whole idea of quit." "Every deal can be broken, and even if you break it's not broken." These are the books mentioned in this episode Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Annie Duke Website | www.annieduke.com Annie Duke X | @annieduke Annie Duke Facebook | www.facebook.com/AnnieDukeAuthor Annie Duke LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/annie-duke-30ab2b5/ Annie Duke Instagram | @_annieduke
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    47 m
  • TLP488: From Fleeting Moments to Sustained Momentum

    TLP488: From Fleeting Moments to Sustained Momentum
    Dec 3 2025
    Bernie Banks is a professor and institute leader at Rice University and co-author of "The New Science of Momentum: How the Best Coaches and Leaders Build a Fire from a Single Spark." As a Brigadier General, he led West Point's Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership in his final military assignment. In this episode, Bernie decodes how fleeting moments morph into sustained momentum. Drawing on eight years of research, over 250 interviews and thousands of survey responses across sports, business, politics and the military, Bernie shares a tried-and-true model leaders can use to spark movement, sustain it, and redirect it when needed. Momentum doesn't happen by accident—it's built through small wins, clear culture, situation-readiness, and intentional follow-through. Whether you're leading a team, an organization, or your own career, listen in for practical tools to recognize the early spark, harness the energy, and turn it into a flame that drives real progress. You can find episode 488 on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Bernie Banks on From Fleeting Moments to Sustained Momentum https://bit.ly/TLP-488 Key Takeaways [03:27] Bernie explains the book originated from the 2017 Super Bowl when the Patriots came back from 28-3 to win against the Falcons. [06:39] Bernie explains momentum is overlooked because people view it as common sense rather than a vital leadership skill. [08:23] Bernie outlines the momentum model starts with leadership setting culture, then moving into preparation where leaders actively seek to generate momentum. [11:29] Bernie uses Nvidia as an example, explaining they made strategic decisions long ago to prepare for the AI revolution. [14:05] Bernie emphasizes "culture is not what you talk about, it's what you tolerate, it's what you reinforce." [15:35] Bernie shares Alan Mulally telling a disruptive Ford executive they needed a transition conversation because those behaviors wouldn't be tolerated. [19:23] Bernie quotes Warren Buffett on hiring: look for smart, driven, and principled people, never hiring someone high on the first two without the third. [21:57] Bernie explains hiring depends on whether you need to maintain or innovate. [25:05] Bernie advises being open and honest with people about gaps they'll have to address for the new reality. [27:39] Bernie explains momentum requires both managers who optimize systems and leaders who produce change. [30:36] Bernie notes the most effective leaders were high on both people and results orientation. [33:17] Bernie discusses the Pygmalion study, stating people rise to the level of expectations when leaders show vested interest in their well being. [34:51] Bernie explains he replaced "failure" with "embrace challenge" because failure has negative connotation and finality. [37:23] Bernie emphasizes intentionality matters, explaining legacy means our story will be told by others, not ourselves. [41:44] Bernie closes stating "momentum is leader business" and the book is designed as a how-to guide with immediate actions. [44:30] And remember…"The world is wide, and I will not waste my life in friction when it could be turned into momentum." - Frances E. Willard Quotable Quotes "Culture is not what you talk about. It's what you tolerate. It's what you reinforce." "Results are one thing, but the how matters." "Momentum is not something they stumbled upon. It was something they actively sought to generate." "People will rise to the level of your expectations so long as they believe you have a vested interest in fostering their well being and that you're equipping them to meet those expectations." "In the best organizations, accountability is the word, and in many organizations, accountability is a bad word." "Challenges can lead to opportunities, and we can always learn things along the way as we push through challenges." "Legacy comes from the Latin word legatus, which means people, person, delegated, which means our story will not be told by self." "Be intentional. The great leaders are." "Momentum is a leader business. " "A core obligation of every leader is to put their people in a position to win." "You don't put people in a position to win by watering down expectations." "Wherever there's a challenge, there's an opportunity." These are the books mentioned in this episode Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Bernie Banks Facebook | www.facebook.com/bernard.banks.9 Bernie Banks LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/bernard-bernie-b-4458003
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    45 m
  • TLP487: Three Ways to Motivate Teams and Align Strategy

    TLP487: Three Ways to Motivate Teams and Align Strategy
    Nov 26 2025
    Hans Lagerweij is the author of The Why Whisperer: How to Motivate and Align Teams That Get Your Strategy Done. In this episode, Hans shares that he wrote the book after watching great strategies fail during execution. He saw a gap between understanding the importance of purpose and actually implementing it. Hans explains that you can't shout your way to purpose. Whispering requires getting close to your team and having two-way conversations. He emphasizes that leaders need to listen to personal motivations and ideas from team members. Hans presents three options when there's misalignment between personal and organizational purpose: change your personal why, take leadership to influence the organizational why, or leave. Listen to this episode to learn how to move your organization's purpose from theory into practice. You can find episode 487 on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Hans Lagerweij on Three Ways to Motivate Teams and Align Strategy https://bit.ly/TLP-487 Key Takeaways [03:06] Hans reveals his first job at 15 was in a DIY store managing screws and tools, sparking his commercial curiosity. [05:04] Hans explains the "Why Whisperer" addresses the gap between Simon Sinek's purpose theory and practical implementation. [06:25] Hans attributes strategy failure to lack of discipline in communicating and aligning teams, not discipline itself. [07:06] Hans explains whispering means close two-way conversations with teams rather than top-down broadcasting. [10:37] Hans outlines three options for misaligned purposes: change your why, influence the organization's why, or leave. [15:35] Hans talks about clarifying the why and how that helps simplify decision making for leaders. [19:18] Hans recommends asking team members what makes them most proud to understand what drives them. [20:53] Hans introduces the "reverse elevator pitch" where leaders articulate direction, importance, and excitement in three minutes. [22:30] Hans explains "purpose" is universal across cultures but requires different communication approaches depending on cultural norms. [27:47] Hans challenges leaders to move "purpose" from wall posters into the organization's heartbeat. [28:50] And remember…"The louder the world becomes, the more radical it is to whisper truths. Not to be heard by all — but to be remembered by someone" - Lawrence Nault Quotable Quotes "You can't shout your way to purpose." " Whispering means you need to be so close with your team to have actually a conversation, a two way conversation and you know, to listen to ideas and personal motivations from your team. So yeah, it's really whispering to me is, you know, about getting people to own the why, not just follow it. So it is seriously going from a beautiful slogan on the wall to something that is, you know, in the hearts and minds. " "A clear purpose really helps, you know, to reduce options. Choices from a million to just a few right ones." "A clear purpose absolutely will save your time, will, you know, set your directions. As I said, it's your North Star." "Purpose is absolutely universal language, but, you know, you have to speak it in different accents." "In the end, the most powerful strategy is the one that your team believes in and that they're willing to fight for." "If there is a conflict between the two, if there's disconnect, it will always feel like misalignment. It will always feel like, you know, you're not at the place in that organization." "If you can synchronize individual and organizational purposes, you know, or wise, you know, then you create an authentic connection that really drives results." "In every culture, in every country, you know, people want to feel a sense of purpose. I think it's simply a fundamental human need." These are the books mentioned in this episode Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Hans Lagerweij Website | www.hanslagerweij.com Hans Lagerweij X | @hanslagerweij Hans Lagerweij LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/hanslagerweij Hans Lagerweij Instagram | @hansblagerweij
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    30 m
  • TLP486: Unruly: Deconstruct the Rules, Defy the Norms, and Define Your Success

    TLP486: Unruly: Deconstruct the Rules, Defy the Norms, and Define Your Success
    Nov 19 2025
    Lauren Wittenberg Weiner is a speaker, business therapist, and bestselling author of Unruly: Deconstruct the Rules, Defy the Norms, and Define Your Success. In this episode, Lauren shares the pivotal moment that crystallized her unruly philosophy. When told she couldn't do something, she learned to transform that doubt into motivation rather than letting it paralyze her. She explains how reframing negative feedback as challenge fuel drives her leadership. Lauren explains the difference between gatekeepers who clone themselves and gateways who open doors. She tackles the transactional trap and why building an unconditionally supportive village matters more than networking scores. Lauren discusses managing multiple demanding roles through ruthless curation of priorities. She emphasizes that priorities must be constantly reassessed as circumstances change. Listen to this episode to learn how breaking free from conventional expectations can lead to more authentic success and fulfillment in both leadership and life. You can find episode 486 on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Lauren Wittenberg Weiner on Unruly: Deconstruct the Rules, Defy the Norms, and Define Your Success https://bit.ly/TLP-486 Key Takeaways [02:36] Lauren reveals she almost joined the circus as a dancer between college and graduate school after a friend who was a trapeze artist convinced her. [04:09] Lauren explains the philosophy of "unruly" crystallized over many years, starting when she was a "good girl" who did everything expected of her. [09:12] Lauren discusses her "prove me wrong" attitude, explaining she reframes negative feedback as a challenge rather than trying to forget it, using research about not thinking about a white bear. [13:09] Lauren outlines her three-step framework: know the rules, find the space between them, and change them when needed. [15:42] Lauren clarifies she's "not a big believer in breaking the rules" but rather in knowing what rules say, finding space within them, and changing them consciously and thoughtfully when they don't work. [22:16] Lauren describes the shift from leaders being "gatekeepers" who pick people who look and think like them to being "gateways" that allow different people to prove they're qualified. [25:28] Lauren discusses transactional versus non-transactional relationships, and emphasizes the importance of having an "unconditionally supportive village" of people who pick you up when you're down and cheer for you unconditionally when you succeed. [29:23] Lauren explains how redefining luck as preparation influenced their breakthrough when winning a $200 million SOCOM contract, saying "we didn't get lucky, we were prepared." [33:48] Lauren discusses "ruthless curation" of priorities as an iterative process, using the example of her kids being a priority but their spirit week costumes not being her priority. [37:54] Lauren advises her 35-year-old self to "stop worrying about what anyone else thinks, figure out what you want" and own your decisions without feeling guilty. [40:25] And remember…"Never assume you can't do something. Push yourself to redefine the boundaries." - Brian Chesky Quotable Quotes "Just because you can do something doesn't mean you have to." "You can't hack your own psychology. You can't stop doing what your brain is going to make you do, but you can move around it and understand it and use it to your own advantage." "It's not about bringing people in that aren't qualified. It's about allowing people to show that they're qualified, even if they don't look or think or have gone on the exact same trajectory that everyone who came before did." "Transactional begets transactional and non transactional begets non transactional." "You've gotta have the same people who will pick you up when you're down and who will cheer for you unconditionally when you make it." "Stop worrying about what anyone else thinks, figure out what you want." "Nobody else gets to define for you what makes sense for you, but then own your decisions." These are the books mentioned in this episode Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Lauren Wittenberg Weiner Website | https://laurenwittenbergweiner.com Lauren Wittenberg Weiner Ted Talk on ""Credibility and Connection Through Thoughtful Authenticity ": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BjOjr7FLyI Lauren Wittenberg Weiner Podcast | Unruly The Podcast Lauren Wittenberg Weiner Facebook | www.facebook.com/TheLaurenWittenbergWeiner Lauren Wittenberg Weiner LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-wittenberg-weiner-1732865 Lauren Wittenberg Weiner Instagram | @laurenwittenbergweiner
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