In this episode of The Science of Leadership, Tom Collins is joined by West Point instructor and leadership expert Doug Crandall to discuss a core trait of great leaders: building people. Doug introduces the concept that leaders are always either building people up or diminishing them. He defines a builder as a leader who makes people feel more capable, more confident, and more valued.

Doug shares powerful personal stories, including one about Colonel Casey Brewer (now General), who went out of his way to affirm Doug early in his career and even quietly corrected a spelling mistake in an email before forwarding it to the entire department. This small act of grace built immense trust and demonstrated the profound impact of tiny, intentional actions.

The conversation delves into the "builder's mindset," which Doug attributes to relentlessly focusing on positive thinking about the people you lead. He offers practical advice on how to develop this mindset, including:

• Cutting off negative thoughts before they complete themselves.
• The profound impact of believing you've "never met a bad cadet" (or employee/player).
• The psychological reality of the Pygmalion Effect: people rise—or fall—to the level of expectation set for them.

Doug emphasizes that true builders are "relentlessly positive and unapologetically demanding". However, he warns that high standards without assurance of capability lead to burnout and cynicism. Citing neuroscience, he explains that sustained positive and optimistic thinking literally reshapes the brain and changes how we perceive and interact with others.

Also, I am excited to announce the release of my new book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

References

• Crandall, D. (Ed.) (2009). Leadership lessons from West Point. Jossey-Bass.
• Gladwell, M. (2007). Blink: The power of thinking without thinking. Back Bay Books.
• Newberg, A., & Waldman, M. R. (2013). Words can change your brain: 12 conversation strategies to build trust, resolve conflict, and increase intimacy. Avery.

In this timely and timeless episode of The Science of Leadership, hosts Tom Collins and Justin Hamrick dive into the vital importance of treating everyone with dignity and respect. Inspired by a personal conversation with his son, Tom confronts the damaging mindset of withholding respect until it is "earned."

The hosts delineate two critical forms of respect:

• Earned Respect: Deep admiration based on achievements, qualities, or abilities (e.g., respecting Michael Jordan for his accomplishments). This is contingent on the observer's value system.
• Owed Respect: Due regard and honor for a person's intrinsic value and humanity. This is irrespective of an observer's opinion or values.

The conversation emphasizes that true leadership requires giving owed respect universally. Withholding it dehumanizes others and makes it impossible to lead (only coerce). The hosts cite studies showing that respected employees are more satisfied, loyal, resilient, creative, and productive. Conversely, disrespectful treatment leads to rumination, decreased effort, and sabotage.

The episode concludes with actionable steps for leaders on how to show respect, including: actively listening to be persuaded , valuing a person's time, and respecting their perspective even when you disagree without demeaning them.

Also, I am excited to announce the release of my new book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

Key References

Grenny, J. Patterson, K., McMillan, R., Switzler, A., and Gregory, E. (2021). Crucial conversations: Tools for talking when stakes are high, 3rd ed. McGraw-Hill.

Huo, Y. J., and Binning, K. R. (2008). Why the psychological experience of respect matters in group life: An integrative account. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 2(4), 1570-1585.

Rogers, K. (2018). Do your employees feel respected? Harvard Business Review, 96(4), 62-71.

In this episode of The Science of Leadership, host Tom Collins sits down with Amanda Schagane, an expert in leadership and organizational development at the University of Kentucky HealthCare. They explore the idea that effective communication is the most vital leadership skill, calling it a "superpower" that is often underdeveloped.

Amanda defines effective communication not just as the ability to convey a message, but as the ability to do so in a way that is understood and inspires the right actions. She asserts that communication is the "delivery system for leadership" , and a reflection of a leader's mindset. A leader's effectiveness as a communicator determines how well their vision, expectations, and feedback are received.

The conversation highlights key takeaways:

• Trust and Psychological Safety: Effective communication, which includes intentional listening and respectful debate, is essential for building trust and psychological safety.
• Beyond Words: Communication isn't just about what is said; it is also about tone, timing, and non-verbal cues. When a leader's tone is dissonant with their message, it can totally derail the intended communication.
• Actions Align with Words: The most effective leaders communicate through consistent behavior, where their actions match their words, which fosters a culture of integrity and trust.

Amanda shares a powerful story of a senior leader at UK HealthCare who, by modeling vulnerability and listening to her frontline managers, created a safe space that led to a significant increase in confidence and improved collaborative decision-making. The hosts conclude with practical tips for improving communication, including pausing before responding, asking open-ended questions, giving specific praise, and regularly following up. Also, I am excited to announce the release of my new book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

Key References:

Dirks, K. T., & Ferrin, D. L. (2002). Trust in leadership: Meta-analytic findings and implications for research and practice. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(4), 611–628. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.87.4.611

Duhigg, C. (2024). Supercommunicators: How to unlock the secret language of connection. Random House.

Gallup, Inc. (2023). State of the global workplace: 2023 report. Gallup.

Goleman, D. (1998). What makes a leader? Harvard Business Review, 76(6), 93–102.

Ruben, B. D., & Gigliotti, R. A. (2016). Leadership as Social Influence. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 23(4), 467–479. https://doi.org/10.1177/1548051816641876

In this episode of The Science of Leadership, host Tom Collins sits down with Rob Carter, a visionary leader who recently retired after a 31-year career at FedEx. They discuss the invaluable leadership skill of seeing around corners—the ability to anticipate what's coming before it arrives and lead through uncertainty with clarity and conviction.

Rob shares that the key to this skill is a willingness to embrace change, recalibrating our "risk meters" to recognize that the status quo is often the riskiest strategy of all. He illustrates this with two powerful examples from FedEx's history:

• The Internet Revolution: Rob recounts how a chance meeting in 1994 with Bill Joy of Sun Microsystems led FedEx to build the first transactional website, long before other companies saw the internet as anything more than a communication platform. This innovation, which won a Smithsonian Award, fundamentally changed how the world thinks about business and logistics.
• The Wireless Revolution: Rob describes how FedEx strategically bought up radio spectrum and developed handheld computers in the late 70s to capture and transmit data from the "edge of interaction". This foresight created the foundation for modern supply chains and was a key driver of the company's global growth.

Drawing on scientific principles, Rob explains that this skill, known as strategic foresight, is a powerful predictor of superior organizational performance and profitability. The discussion introduces a new leadership metric, the Adaptability Quotient (AQ), which Rob describes as the antidote to a "leadership bug" of being stubborn and stuck in one's own paradigm. Rob also shares his personal leadership mantra: "Work hard, lead a balanced life, and have an undying respect for people."

Also, I am excited to announce the release of my new book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

Key References

Day, G. S. & Schoemaker, P. J. H. (2005). Scanning the periphery. Harvard Business Review, 83(11), 135–148.

Rohrbeck, R. & Kum, M. E. (2018). Corporate foresight and its impact on firm performance: A longitudinal analysis. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 129, 105–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2017.12.013

In this episode of The Science of Leadership, host Tom Collins is joined by Dutch organizational change expert Jurriaan Kamer, co-author of unblock and Formula X. Jurriaan challenges the conventional wisdom that an organization's success depends on having the "right people on the bus". Instead, he argues that the key to building high-performing, thriving teams is a leader's focus on how the team works together.

Jurriaan explains that while individual talent is important, it is not a complete picture. He has found that great teams spend time making explicit agreements about crucial aspects of their collaboration. These agreements include:

• How success is defined

• Roles and accountabilities

• Decision-making processes

• How feedback is given and received

Without these clear guidelines, teams—regardless of individual talent—will underperform. He shares a powerful story of a high-performing leadership team at a bank that was underperforming because members were quick to blame other departments for failures. By intentionally facilitating a conversation about how they worked together and creating a team charter, the team was able to overcome its biggest obstacles and achieve its goals.

Drawing on scientific evidence, Jurriaan cites a well-known Google study that found a team's effectiveness was not determined by the number of top performers or average intelligence, but by factors like psychological safety, social sensitivity, and conversational turn-taking. The conversation concludes with actionable advice for leaders, including shifting from a "traffic cop" mentality to a "road designer" mentality, and building the organizational muscle to constantly reflect, experiment, and improve.

To learn more about Jurriaan's work, visit his LinkedIn page or check out his book, unblock, on Amazon.

Also, I am excited to announce the release of my new book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

Key References

Google. (2016). What Google learned from its quest to build the perfect team [Project Aristotle research summary]. The New York Times Magazine. In re:Work from Google: Understand team effectiveness. Retrieved from Google re:Work website.

Kamer, J. (2024). Unblock: Clear the Way for Results and Develop a Thriving Organization. Kajurria Publishing.

Dr. Logan explains that an organization's "tribe" is the informal network of people who work there, and that these tribes are the most powerful force in any organization. He outlines five cultural levels that exist within these tribes, from Level 1 ("Life sucks") to Level 5 ("Life is great").

The conversation highlights why most organizations get stuck at Level 3, characterized by the mindset of "I'm great and you're not". Dr. Logan attributes this to how our society rewards individual achievement, citing the common interview practice of sharing stories about personal success. He notes that winning at a personal level provides a "dopamine hit" that is often reinforced by promotions and the prevailing employment culture, making it a difficult ceiling to break through.

Dr. Logan makes the compelling case that culture is the most important factor for success, stating, "The data said the best culture wins, not the best process, because if you've got a good culture and you give them a bad process, they'll either make it work or they'll fix it". He offers a three-step action plan for leaders looking to advance their culture:

1. Listen: Pay close attention to how people are talking to identify the dominant cultural level.
2. Join: Participate in the existing conversation with humility and respect.
3. Model: Over time, with respect and humility, model the conversations of the next cultural level.

The episode provides invaluable insights for anyone looking to understand, navigate, and transform their organization's culture.

Also, I am excited to announce the release of my new book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

Key References:

Jackson, P. (2013). Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success. Penguin Press. New York.

Logan, D., King, J., & Fischer-Wright, H. (2008). Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization. Harper Business, New York.

In this episode of The Science of Leadership, hosts Tom Collins and Dr. Justin Hamrick tackle a topic that may seem counterintuitive to many: the importance allowing mistakes has in effective leadership. They argue that in a world demanding perfection, a culture that allows for mistakes is the only way to foster true innovation and growth.

Dr. Hamrick kicks off the discussion by questioning whether any great innovation has ever come from "playing it safe." Tom defines the necessary conditions for this culture, emphasizing that allowing mistakes is not about promoting incompetence or lowering standards. Instead, it's about creating an environment of psychological safety where team members feel free to take thoughtful, calculated risks without fear of public humiliation or career damage.

The conversation highlights key insights:

• Mistakes as Learning Opportunities: A zero-mistake organization is a zero-learning organization. True failure only occurs if you don't learn from a mistake.
• Systemic vs. Personal Failure: A healthy leadership perspective views significant mistakes as systemic problems, not individual shortcomings. This approach, central to quality improvement, allows the team to work together to improve the system rather than blaming a single person.
• The Leader's Role: Leaders must model vulnerability by admitting their own mistakes, which builds trust and psychological safety for the entire team. In fact, if a leader doesn't admit their mistakes, they're the only one who thinks they don't make any.
• Rewarding Honesty: When a team member admits a mistake, leaders should reward that honesty, reinforcing a culture of transparency and continuous improvement.

Drawing on powerful examples from congenital heart surgery and the story of former IBM CEO Tom Watson, the hosts illustrate how a fear-based, zero-mistake environment can stifle innovation and hinder progress. They conclude that a leader's fundamental job is to create an environment where the team can learn from missteps and grow to be the best they can be, because accepting and not learning from failure is "ethically, morally inexcusable."

Also, I am excited to announce the release of my new book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

In this episode of The Science of Leadership, Tom Collins is joined by Dr. Jay Lemons, President of Academic Search and former president of Susquehanna University, to discuss what organizations truly look for in their leaders. Drawing from a national study and his extensive experience in executive recruitment, Dr. Lemons outlines the most sought-after leadership competencies.

• Timeless Virtues: Dr. Lemons highlights a study of college and university presidents that identified seven core leadership competencies: trust-building, resilience, communication savvy, emotional intelligence, courage, a decisive nature, and resource management. He notes these qualities are timeless and have been key to effective leadership for generations, even before the digital age.

• The Myth of the "Unicorn Leader": The conversation challenges the idea of the perfect leader, or "unicorn," who possesses every desirable trait. Dr. Lemons emphasizes that the best leaders are deeply self-aware of their own limitations and proactively surround themselves with people who have complementary skills and abilities. This collaborative approach, he argues, is where true organizational progress is made, as leadership is fundamentally a "team sport".

• Character as the Bedrock: Dr. Lemons asserts that the most fundamental and "make-or-break" quality for any leader is character or integrity. He states that without it, effective and successful leadership that benefits an institution is not possible. He reinforces that a leader's role is to serve a purpose larger than themselves and their self-interest.

• Practical Wisdom: The episode offers practical advice for aspiring leaders, including being willing to do whatever needs to be done, staying open to new opportunities, embracing loving critics, and understanding that leadership is exercised at every level of an organization.

The episode concludes with the powerful maxim that leadership is a team sport, not a solo act. Dr. Lemons cautions that leaders who take on all burdens by themselves risk cracking under the weight, becoming less effective than they might otherwise be.

Also, I am excited to announce the release of my new book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

Key References:

Goleman, D. What Makes a Leader? Harvard Business Review.

Zaccaro, S. J., et al. Leadership adaptability: An essential organizational competency.

Center for Creative Leadership. Key Competencies for Effective Leadership.

Boyatzis, R. E. The Competent Manager: A Model for Effective Performance.