The H2 Leadership Podcast

Ineffective leaders create dysfunction around them, but grounded, effective leaders create life, clarity, and vitality. Work is meant to bring dignity and meaning—not constant stress and confusion.

In this episode, Jonathan and Alan unpack why grounded leaders are desperately needed right now and how they shape healthier, more focused, and high-impact teams. You’ll hear:

• The difference between being efficient with tasks and b...

Pastors and ministry leaders are carrying more than ever—and too many are doing it in silence. Dr. Mark Mayfield (author of The Mental Health Handbook for Ministry, professor, clinician, and former pastor) joins Alan to demystify mental health in the church, unpack the real difference between coaching and counseling, and give you a practical playbook for when struggles walk into your office… or show up on your staff.

This isn’t the...

Feeling called to your work is a gift — but it can also be the very thing that burns you out. In this conversation, Alan sits down with Dr. Arianna Molloy, author of Healthy Calling: From Toxic Burnout to Sustainable Work, to unpack the hidden costs of living from a deep sense of purpose.

Leaders who love what they do often give until they break. Arianna calls this deep shame — the disorienting feeling of losing yourself when the w...

In this special episode, Alan Briggs steps away from the usual pace of life—and leadership—and invites us into a slower, deeper rhythm.

Recorded on location from the island of Terceira in the Azores, Alan shares reflections from his very first pilgrimage—a spiritual journey with a physical component. What began as a walk through unfamiliar terrain turned into a profound time of rest, reflection, and reconnection with God.

If you’ve...

Our phones promise connection but often choke out what matters most. Alan Briggs and Joey Odom dive into the “PID loop” of proximity, interaction, and dependence — and share practical ways to reclaim your time, creativity, and relationships from constant distraction.

We all feel it. That little computer in our pocket is shaping our attention, our relationships, and even our leadership. But what if our phones aren’t just tools—they’...

Every leader faces seasons of busyness, drift, and distraction. When that happens, what helps you stay the course? Your purpose.

In this episode, Alan and Jonathan unpack why purpose acts like a compass — keeping you oriented, steady, and moving in the right direction when everything else feels chaotic. Alan shares his discipline of taking quarterly Think Days to step back, reflect, and regain clarity. You’ll hear how these rhythms...

What separates leaders people trust from leaders they just tolerate? It’s not charisma. It’s not talent. It’s self-leadership — the ability to lead yourself with consistency, clarity, and accountability before you ever try to lead others.

In this episode, Jonathan Collier and Alan “Stay Forth” Briggs unpack why self-leadership is the hidden competitive advantage in today’s world, how to model it for your team, and what practical ha...

Summer’s winding down, kids are heading back to school, and your weekly rhythm is about to look very different. In this episode of our H2 Leaders summer series, Jonathan and Alan define what true resilience looks like for a leader—and why it has nothing to do with “toughing it out” and everything to do with maintaining what matters most in your life.

You’ll learn Alan’s 3-C framework for navigating change (Change | Clarity | Commun...

In today’s episode, Alan shares how a rare open Saturday—spent hiking into the Colorado mountains to fly-fish—quickly turned into another to-do list. He realized that our most life-giving pursuits (hobbies) are constantly at risk of becoming tasks we “have to” check off. In this conversation, Alan unpacks why hobbies are essential to flourishing, offers a framework for rediscovering them, and gives practical steps to reclaim joy, c...

Halfway through summer and already feeling the rush of back-to-school and end-of-year deadlines? In this episode of the H₂ Leader Summer Series, Alan Briggs and Jonathan Collier challenge the “grind-only” mentality by uncovering the power of relational leadership over mere transactions. You’ll learn:

• The difference between transactional (BNI-style) and relational (Coharbor-style) approaches

• How a high-trust culture drives b...

We’re living through a hurricane of distraction—constant pings, endless opportunities, and FOMO-fueled comparison. In Episode 5 of our H2 Leader Summer Series, Alan and Jonathan unpack why today’s leaders feel overwhelmed yet under-productive, and share a simple but counter-intuitive answer: do fewer things—better.

Press play to learn how to develop “healthy tunnel vision” in a scattered world, why prioritization and elimination go...

We’re halfway through summer—and if you’re like most leaders, you’re both craving a break and wrestling with guilt, unfinished to-dos, and screen addiction. In Episode 6 of our H2 Leader Summer Series, Alan and Jonathan go deep on rest as a strategic, creative, and spiritual practice—not just “doing nothing.” Learn why resting well actually multiplies your impact, how to design your unique rest rhythm, and why trust (in God, yourse...

In this powerful—and at times convicting—fourth episode of our H2 Leader Summer Series, Jonathan and Alan tackle emotional presence in leadership. Far too often we slip into “performance mode,” juggling screens, tasks, and to-do lists at the expense of our families, teams, and even our own well-being.

Discover how a simple weekly audit in the Right Side Up Journal helps Alan pull back from the whirlwind, process his emotions, and p...

In Episode 4 of our H2 Leader Summer Series, Alan and Jonathan hit on one of the most liberating leadership truths: “Who you are matters more than what you do.” In a world that obsessively equates titles, achievements, and performance metrics with worth, it’s easy to lose sight of the unshakeable identity and purpose beneath the surface.

Join them as they unpack:

• The difference between your role (what shows up on your org cha...

Originally released on Johnny Levy’s Workplace Delight podcast, this episode was too good not to share with our Stay Forth audience! Alan Briggs—leadership & sabbatical coach, “mountain guide for the leadership journey,” and co-host of the Stay Forth Leadership Podcast—joins Johnny to explore why intentional sabbaticals are the next frontier in workplace culture.

Whether you’re in HR, the C-suite, or you’ve built a startup from...

Alan and Jonathan expose the dark side of hustle culture and introduce a far better alternative: rhythms. We all know the story—“push harder, grind longer, you’ll get your big payday.” It glitters until you crash. Instead, learn why top performers thrive on repeatable, sustainable habits and how you can wage war on burnout with simple, life-giving routines.

You’ll walk away with:

• A clear definition of hustle vs. sustainable p...

Welcome to Year 3 of our Summer Series—and this time, we're going all in on what it means to become an H2 Leader: someone who is both healthy and high impact.

In this kickoff episode, Jonathan and Alan introduce the theme for the summer, reflect on past unhealthy and high-impact seasons of their own leadership, and share why this H2 tension is so important in today's fast-paced world.

You’ll get a clear picture of what this series ...

We’ve been holding this one close, and it’s finally time to share the big news...

After years of coaching hundreds of leaders through sabbaticals—and taking a few ourselves—we’re beyond thrilled to announce a double launch that we believe could change how leaders rest, recover, and re-enter their work with purpose.

In this episode, Alan and Jonathan unveil:

• The Sabbatical Journey Field Guide — a beautifully designed, practica...

In this unique episode, Jonathan and Alan explore how the 7th inning stretch in baseball offers a powerful metaphor for leadership—especially during the summer. Whether you're crushing your goals or feeling stuck halfway through the year, summer provides a built-in opportunity to pause, reset, and reconnect.

They unpack how leaders can make intentional use of this season to reflect, recalibrate, and reengage before heading into the...