How Leaders Build Momentum, with Bernie Banks

Today's episode of Sell With Authority is a special follow-up to my recent conversation with Don Yaeger about his new book, The New Science of Momentum.

In that episode, Don gave us a masterclass on how momentum acts as the "great exaggerator" — multiplying your wins when things are going well, or magnifying your challenges when they're not.

We're continuing that conversation with Don's co-author Dr. Bernard Banks, or Bernie, as most people know him.

Bernie is the Director of Rice University's Doerr Institute for New Leaders, where he's helping shape the next generation of leadership. He's earned multiple master's degrees from Northwestern, Columbia, and Harvard, along with a Ph.D. in social-organizational psychology from Columbia. His work has been featured in places like Harvard Business Review and The New York Times.

Bernie's academic background is impressive.

But here's the part that makes today's conversation uniquely powerful — Bernie has lived leadership in the trenches. He retired from the U.S. Army in 2016 as a Brigadier General after leading units ranging from 10 people to more than 3,000. He also served as Head of West Point's Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership.

In those roles, leadership isn't theoretical. Sometimes it means choosing the least bad option. It means making a call quickly and ensuring your people have what they need to lead effectively — even in less-than-ideal situations.

That's the perspective Bernie brings to today's conversation. Not war stories — but real-world, lived leadership experience you can take and apply inside your agency to build, protect, and reset momentum when it fades.

Dig into Bernie's perspective on how leaders can create momentum — and keep it moving forward.

What you will learn in this episode: 

• Why leadership must be intentional — not theoretical — when the stakes are high
• Behind-the-scenes research, stories, and lessons from The New Science of Momentum
• Why momentum is built through preparation long before the first spark
• A step-by-step framework: leadership, recruitment, culture, preparation, spark, communication, and climate
• What it looks like to unlock dormant potential in your team and clients
• How high integrity, trust, and intentional actions will set your agency apart
• How to protect — and reset — momentum when things get tough

Resources:

• Website: https://profiles.rice.edu/staff/bernard-bernie-banks
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernard-bernie-b-4458003/
• The New Science of Momentum book