What does it really mean to be a great leader? After being asked this question during a recent interview, I found myself reflecting deeply on the guests I’ve brought onto The Rising Leader and the mentors who made a lasting impact on my own journey. In this episode, I share the single thread connecting truly great leaders, not their personal achievements, but in how they uplifted and transformed the people around them. I unpack why legacy, impact, and service matter more than accolades and examine what happens when leaders focus solely on numbers and ego.

“The people who… focused on the numbers, were focused on the revenue, were focused on the accolades for themselves… ended up with something kind of empty.”

Today on The Rising Leader:

· True leaders focus on team and community impact, not individual accomplishments.

· Service, humility, and lifting others up are consistent traits among the most respected leaders.

· Prioritizing numbers and personal accolades may lead to bitterness and emptiness later in life.

· Long-term fulfillment comes from building relationships, supporting others, and creating lasting legacies.

· Leadership influences not just professional relationships, but personal ones with family and friends.

· How you treat people throughout your career determines who will show up for you when it matters most, at celebrations, retirements, and even funerals.

· Great leaders derive motivation from serving others, seeing their team thrive, and enabling the successes of others.

· Pursuing success is valuable but connecting it to relationship-building and positive impact ensures a richer, more meaningful life and career.

Grab Your Copy of The Rising Leader Handbook

Do you find yourself rising through your company's ranks so fast that you wish you had a manual to become an effective leader? Then, The Rising Leader Handbook is right for you.

In The Rising Leader Handbook, you’ll learn how to shift your perspective and gain the leadership skills you need, regardless of the breadth of your responsibilities, by leveraging the relationships you’ve built with the CEO, the Leadership Team, and the team you lead as well as your relationship with yourself.

Visit The Rising Leader Handbook: Turning High Achievers into Effective Leaders to grab your copy and start mastering your skills to become your team leader.

Leader, It’s Time to Rise!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

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This week, I’m stepping into a deeply personal space and sharing where I am right now: feeling both empty and fulfilled after the huge milestone of seeing my youngest son married, followed almost immediately by my older son’s engagement. In this solo episode, I get raw and vulnerable about the aftermath of big life transitions, the feeling of completion that can leave us unexpectedly blank, and what it really means to reinvent yourself when your old roles shift or disappear.

“I have a blank canvas all over again. I can reinvent myself. I can double down on what I’m doing. I can do anything. It’s my choice to create who I want to be.” ~Mark

This Week on The Rising Leader:

· Life’s biggest milestones can leave us feeling oddly empty after the excitement settles; this is a natural part of closure and change.

· Our sense of self is deeply tied to our roles, parent, worker, leader, and losing those roles means facing a blank slate.

· It’s critical to pause and take stock, to ask yourself why you’re doing what you do and whether you’re actively choosing your path or simply following inertia.

· There is power in choosing every aspect of your life, from your job to your family to your daily actions.

· Who you are isn’t fixed; it’s something you create, continuously, through your choices and commitments.

· A shift in identity—such as children leaving home or losing a job can be terrifying, but it opens up space to deliberately craft your next chapter.

· Bringing intentionality to how you show up at work, in your family, and in your relationships can renew your sense of purpose and energy.

· The blank page of “what’s next” isn’t a crisis; it’s an invitation to imagination, reinvention, and growth.

Grab Your Copy of The Rising Leader Handbook

Do you find yourself rising through your company's ranks so fast that you wish you had a manual to become an effective leader? Then, The Rising Leader Handbook is right for you.

In The Rising Leader Handbook, you’ll learn how to shift your perspective and gain the leadership skills you need, regardless of the breadth of your responsibilities, by leveraging the relationships you’ve built with the CEO, the Leadership Team, and the team you lead as well as your relationship with yourself.

Visit The Rising Leader Handbook: Turning High Achievers into Effective Leaders to grab your copy and start mastering your skills to become your team leader.

Leader, It’s Time to Rise!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners like you.

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website.

Most of us look at confident people and assume they have something we don’t: a mysterious inner certainty that lets them walk into any room, take the stage, or tackle a new challenge without missing a beat. In reality, confidence and courage aren’t feelings you wait to have—they’re qualities you build by showing up scared and doing the hard thing anyway. In this episode, I share my personal journey from self-doubt and fear, through years spent faking it until it became real, and how true courage means stepping up even when your insides are shaking.

"Every single thing I’ve ever done in my life is because of the courage to do something scared."

~Mark Silverman

Today on The Rising Leader:

· Courage is not about the absence of fear but about taking action despite it.

· Confidence grows through repeated experience, not through waiting to feel ready.

· Preparation is the foundation—true confidence is earned through putting in the work and practicing beforehand.

· Failure is inevitable; what matters is surviving it, which builds resilience and a stronger sense of self-confidence.

· Success isn’t about never being scared—it’s about consistently showing up, even when you want to pull the covers over your head.

· Many highly accomplished people still feel fear inside; outward signs of confidence can be built through courage and consistent effort.

· The willingness to “do it anyway” is more important than feeling brave or believing you’re exceptional.

· Reflecting on your track record—surviving challenges and bouncing back—can bolster your faith in your ability to handle future fear.

Grab Your Copy of The Rising Leader Handbook

Do you find yourself rising through your company's ranks so fast that you wish you had a manual to become an effective leader? Then, The Rising Leader Handbook is right for you.

In The Rising Leader Handbook, you’ll learn how to shift your perspective and gain the leadership skills you need, regardless of the breadth of your responsibilities, by leveraging the relationships you’ve built with the CEO, the Leadership Team, and the team you lead as well as your relationship with yourself.

Visit The Rising Leader Handbook: Turning High Achievers into Effective Leaders to grab your copy and start mastering your skills to become your team leader.

Leader, It’s Time to Rise!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners like you.

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website.

When someone asks, “Would you like a little feedback?”, do you cringe inside, even as you force a smile and nod eagerly? If so, you’re not alone. Today I’m diving deep into the uncomfortable yet transformative experience of receiving feedback, and why, despite its sting, it’s the single most valuable tool for growth. I get personal about my own struggles with taking feedback (even as a coach!), map out the emotional journey most of us go through, and share how to process criticism in a way that actually moves us forward.

“Getting feedback is not easy. And again, I admit it, I don’t like it. But it’s invaluable and will change your life.” ~Mark

Today on The Rising Leader:

· You’re not alone in dreading feedback—even those dedicated to growth can find it deeply uncomfortable.

· It’s normal for feedback to trigger discomfort physically and emotionally; breathe through it rather than avoid it.

· Saying “thank you” is a powerful way to receive feedback, creating space for clarity and reflection.

· Active listening and asking for examples or clarification makes feedback actionable, not just emotional.

· Not all feedback is equally relevant; seek trusted allies to help discern what to take on and what to set aside.

· If someone takes the time to give you feedback (and they’re not just critical by nature), it’s a powerful sign they value your growth and contribution.

· Focus your efforts—pick one new behavior or habit to address at a time for real, lasting growth.

· Sharing feedback with someone who knows your worth can help you separate projection from genuine opportunities for improvement.

Resources Mentioned:

Book: Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott

Grab Your Copy of The Rising Leader Handbook

Do you find yourself rising through your company's ranks so fast that you wish you had a manual to become an effective leader? Then, The Rising Leader Handbook is right for you.

In The Rising Leader Handbook, you’ll learn how to shift your perspective and gain the leadership skills you need, regardless of the breadth of your responsibilities, by leveraging the relationships you’ve built with the CEO, the Leadership Team, and the team you lead as well as your relationship with yourself.

Visit The Rising Leader Handbook: Turning High Achievers into Effective Leaders to grab your copy and start mastering your skills to become your team leader.

Leader, It’s Time to Rise!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Rising Leader Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more listeners like you.

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website.