EP 176 - Like it or not, you are a leader. Here’s how to be a good one!

Two minutes you’ll want to hear: Jim Carlough breaks down leadership into six simple, life-ready pillars — starting with integrity and moving through empathy, compassion, and focus — in a conversation that’s as practical for CEOs as it is for parents.

Host John Suzuki sits with Jim to unpack real stories, including how promises and heart kept a team together during a multi-year technology transition.

Inside this conversation, you’ll learn:

Why integrity is the non-negotiable first pillar and the nightly question Jim still asks himself. How empathy and compassion transform parenting and workplace culture — not weaken leadership. Practical steps Jim used to keep a team engaged during a painful technology sunset. How to create clear focus and align teams around a single, prioritized goal. Real-world examples showing the difference between management (assigned) and leadership (earned). Actionable tactics to support people through change without losing trust or momentum.

💡 Key Takeaways:

Integrity first: ask “Did I benefit at another’s expense?” and fix it if the answer is yes. Lead with heart: empathy and compassion are leadership strengths, not soft skills. Make transitions human: give advance notice, paid training time, and job-search help. Focus wins: remove noise, dig into the problem, and model the work. Leadership applies everywhere — from executive teams to stay-at-home parenting.

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