Leadership Unlocked: The Stories That Shape Great Leaders

Dusty breaks down one of the most overlooked traps in leadership: the urge to rescue. Drawing from real-world coaching conversations and timeless wisdom from Viktor Frankl, Dusty unpacks what happens when leaders carry the emotional weight of their team's problems—and why it backfires. You’ll learn how to use powerful questions to redirect responsibility, reinforce agency, and build a culture of accountability. This isn’t ...

Dusty sits down with Chuck Hall, the chairman of Vitality Living and founder of Charles Hall Construction, to explore his incredible journey—from his childhood hustle of working on the docks with his dad in Rhode Island to building a company that now employs over 2,300 people across 11 states. He opens up about being fired, starting over at 32, and the lessons he learned about vision, mentorship, and living a Life by Desig...

What if your greatest leadership superpower wasn’t your voice—but your questions? In this episode of Leadership Unlocked, Dusty unpacks the single best advice he ever received: be interested, not interesting. From a homeschool upbringing that sparked lifelong curiosity to a game-changing moment inspired by Jim Collins and Peter Drucker, Dusty shares how learning to ask the right questions transformed his leadership. He exp...

Dusty welcomes Bridgett McMahan, President of BESCO, for a powerful conversation about leadership, confidence, and community. Bridgett shares the transformative impact of the book Gravitas and how it empowered her as a new leader in a male-dominated industry. She discusses the importance of assembling a trusted "Gold Team" to lead collaboratively, her leadership superpower of listening, and the loneliness that can come wit...

Dusty Holcomb breaks down three of the most common leadership blind spots he sees every week in coaching sessions with high-performing teams, seasoned executives, and fast-scaling founders. With clarity and conviction, he unpacks how these often-unseen patterns quietly derail execution, dilute energy, and create frustration. Drawing from real-world experience, Dusty explores the cost of vague expectations, the gap between ...

Today on Leadership Unlocked, Gene Boehm, President and CEO of AAA, joins Dusty and shares the experiences, values, and lessons that shape his leadership philosophy, emphasizing clarity, empowerment, and authenticity. From childhood stories and career setbacks to learning resilience during the Enron scandal and embracing feedback, Boehm highlights the transformative power of self-awareness, mentorship, and organizational c...

In this episode of Leadership Unlocked, we explore the powerful concept of the “BS flag” — a simple, symbolic tool used to build a culture of candor, clarity, and accountability on leadership teams. Drawing inspiration from football, where a penalty flag stops play and signals a rule violation, the BS flag empowers team members to safely and respectfully call out issues in real time, including those caused by the leader. D...

Dusty and Jeremy sit down with retired Vice Admiral Mike LeFever to explore the defining moments and lessons from his distinguished career in the US Navy. Vice Admiral LeFever shares his journey, from his time at the Naval Academy to leading complex operations and joint task forces in high-stakes environments. He emphasizes the importance of resilience, adaptability, expecting the unexpected, and the necessity of evolving ...

Dusty Holcomb speaks with Claudia Caballero, CEO of Centro Hispano, about her powerful journey from Honduras to leading a thriving nonprofit in Knoxville. Claudia shares how she grew from second-guessing her instincts as a young Latina immigrant to confidently integrating intuition, data, and self-awareness in her leadership. Drawing from her upbringing, education, and entrepreneurial experiences, she emphasizes authentici...

Dusty reflects on his leadership journey which began in 1998 as a third shift supervisor in a call center. At the young age of 22, he initially focused on personal career growth but had a pivotal moment when his mentor, Colonel Greg Camp, introduced him to the principles of servant leadership. Through book clubs and personal mentorship, Greg taught Dusty that true leadership is about serving and empowering others. This epi...

What does it truly mean to unlock leadership?

At Leadership Unlocked, we believe leadership isn't defined by titles—it's forged through stories, influence, and the unwavering commitment to serve others. Each week, we delve into candid conversations with real people who've navigated the crucibles of leadership, emerging with scars, wisdom, and a desire to uplift those around them.

This isn't about generic leadership c...