October 15, 2024 • 14 mins
The original interview with Jim Merkle has been our most downloaded episode of all time. Listen in to this brief summary of the interview, hitting on the many highlights. If you like this, then you will love the full interview, which was episode 11 in season 1. Be sure to check it out and connect with Jim on LinkedIn
Be sure to rate and follow our podcast!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jason (00:06):
Welcome to the biblical leadership at work mid month.
Deep dive.
And today's bonus episode.
Our guest hosts revisit one ofour most popular interviews.
If this quick recap inspiresyou.
Then be sure to check out thefull episode.
For even more great insights.
Okay, so have you ever, like,met a leader whose path was, you
(00:30):
know, anything B.
U.
T.
straightforward?
You mean someone who didn't justclimb, like, a perfectly linear
ladder to success?
Exactly.
And today we're diving into oneof those wild rides, um, Jim
Merkle's leadership journey.
Let me tell you.
This is one for the books.
Seriously.
We're pulling from this awesomeinterview he did on YouTube
(00:50):
with, uh, Biblical Leadership atWork, right?
Yep.
That's the one.
And it's not every day you findsomeone who's gone from, get
this, the Marine Corps.
Okay, wait, what?
To the manufacturing.
Bring it on.
To managing multiple retailstores.
Whoa.
Talk about range.
It's like each stop, he'spicking up these skills you
wouldn't think would, like, gotogether.
But somehow, they blend intothis totally unique leadership
(01:13):
style.
It's like that secret ingredientyou don't see in the recipe, but
makes all the difference.
Totally.
So for those just tuning in, whoI is this Jim Merkle?
All right, picture this.
Veteran Marine, married for like30 years, father of three.
Okay, solid start.
Oh, and there's this really coolstory about how they adopted one
(01:33):
of their sons.
Oh, I love that.
Family man, A& D, a leader.
Right.
But what really got me was thisquote from Jim about his
childhood.
He said, I think my parents werekind of like gypsies.
I attended about 11 schools.
Eleven schools?
That's not moving, that'spractically time travel.
I know, right?
Seriously, I can't even imagineswitching schools that often.
(01:54):
You'd think it'd make someonehesitant to lead, you know?
Right, like afraid of change orsomething.
But Jim's the opposite.
Do you think all that movingaround actually helped shape his
leadership?
You know, it's funny you saythat, because I was thinking the
same thing.
It's got to, right?
Like, think about theadaptability you'd need.
Constantly adjusting, newenvironments, new people.
(02:15):
New rules, new everything.
Exactly.
It could either make you shutdown completely, or force you to
get really good at connectingwith people from all walks of
life.
And it sounds like Jim landedfirmly in the good at connecting
category.
Oh, for sure.
And you know what else?
I bet he picked up some seriousconflict resolution skills along
the way.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
You know, there were someplayground showdowns.
(02:38):
Right.
But seriously, it makes me thinkabout those early experiences we
all have that seem like totallyunrelated to our careers now.
But looking back, maybe theywere shaping us as leaders
without us even realizing it.
Absolutely.
Like they become these secrettraining grounds for the skills
we end up using every singleday.
Communication, problem solving,even just like reading a room.
(02:59):
So true.
And for Jim, two of thoseunexpected training grounds
were, get this, the MarineCorps, and wait for it, union
work.
Talk about two different worlds.
Right, like talk about a studyin contrasts.
What I found fascinating was howJim's leadership style seems to
like blend the best of boththose experiences.
Totally.
It's not like one erased theother.
(03:21):
No, it's more like he took thebest parts of each and like
forged his own path.
Yeah.
Exactly.
The Marines, with that wholediscipline and chain of command
thing, definitely gave him thisrespect for structure.
Right.
But it also showed him thelimitations of just, you know,
barking orders.
Oh, 100%.
Uh huh.
Especially if you want people tostick around.
(03:42):
It's true.
You need that buy in.
That feeling of, like, sharedpurpose.
Yes.
And that's where I think theunion experience comes in.
Not only was he in an actualleadership role, which most
people don't even realize aboutunions.
I know.
It's not all just, like,protests and stuff.
Exactly.
He saw how important it was forpeople to feel heard and
represented, like they had avoice.
(04:03):
Which is huge in anyenvironment, really.
Right.
He learned about negotiation,clear communication, and the
power of, you know, staying calmunder pressure.
Those are skills that translateto any industry, any team, I
mean, heck, any relationship,really.
It makes you think, what werethose unexpected training
grounds in our own past thatshaped how WE lead today?
(04:26):
It's kind of wild when you thinkabout it like that, right?
How those experiences that seemso different from what we're
doing now actually, like, shapedwho we became as leaders.
Totally.
It's like, those unexpecteddetours often teach us the most
valuable lessons, you know?
For sure.
And speaking of unexpecteddetours, one thing that really
struck me about Jim's approachis this whole servant leadership
thing.
Oh, absolutely.
(04:47):
It's one of those buzzwords youhear a lot in leadership
circles, but Jim actually walksthe walk.
Right.
It's not just, like, a line inhis bio.
He seems to really live it.
100%.
And he doesn't shy away from thefaith element either.
Which I thought was reallyinteresting.
Yeah, he actually said, I'venever been afraid to say I'm
gonna pray for you.
Which, you know, in someworkplaces, that could be seen
(05:08):
as a little, uh Out there.
Yeah.
But with Jim, it just felt,like, totally genuine.
Like, he meant it.
Right.
It's not about, like, pushinghis beliefs on anyone.
He's just part of who he is.
Yeah.
And I think it speaks to thatgenuine care he has For the
people he leads.
It's true.
It's not just about the bottomline for him.
He's invested in his people.
Exactly.
(05:29):
But here's the thing, it's notjust words with Jim, you know?
Right.
It's not just lip service.
So what did that actually looklike?
How did he put that servantleadership into action?
Well, he gave some reallyconcrete examples, which I
appreciated.
First off, he's not afraid toget his hands dirty.
Literally.
Okay, hold up.
What do you mean?
(05:49):
He talked about how he'd be intheir cleaning bathrooms
alongside his team, scrubbingfloors, whatever needed to be
done.
No way.
Seriously.
Yep.
No task was too small or beneathhim if it meant showing his team
he was right there with them inthe trenches.
Wow.
That's a powerful message.
Right.
You're not above any task, nomatter your title.
(06:09):
That's huge.
It really levels the playingfield.
Totally.
And beyond that, he talked abouthow important it was to him to
really know his team members,like, as people.
Not just, like, what's your nameand what do you do?
Exactly.
He'd make an effort to learnabout their lives outside of
work, remember their kids names.
That kind of thing.
Little things that make a bigdifference.
Huge difference because it showsyou see them as human beings,
(06:34):
not just like cogs in a machine.
Totally.
Oh, and this might be the mostimportant part.
He encourages growth throughmistakes.
Okay.
Tell me more about that.
So instead of freaking out whensomeone messed.
He used it as a learningopportunity.
Which, let's be real, it'seasier said than done.
Most of us just want to, like,point fingers.
Right.
(06:54):
But Jim would sit down with theperson who made the mistake, and
instead of being all like, youscrewed up, he'd ask questions.
Like, what happened?
What were you thinking?
Exactly.
He wanted to understand theirthought process, figure out what
went wrong, and how they couldlearn from it.
Instead of just like, Punishingthem.
And that approach, thatwillingness to listen and
understand, it created thiswhole different dynamic.
(07:17):
You know, it builds trust.
Right.
People felt comfortableadmitting their mistakes because
they knew they weren't going tobe crucified for it.
Which probably led to, like, amore honest and open work
environment overall.
Exactly.
And the crazy thing is, Jim saidthat once they shifted away from
that whole blame game mentality,they started seeing, you know,
Better results, like actualtangible improvement.
(07:39):
Really?
Yeah.
Productivity went up, but moreimportantly, people felt valued
and respected, which made themwant to work harder and do
better.
So it wasn't just about beingnice for the sake of being nice.
It actually had a positiveimpact on the bottom line.
Exactly.
It's about creating that cultureof psychological safety, where
people feel supported to takerisks, try new things, and yes,
(08:01):
even make mistakes.
Yeah.
Because that's how we learn andgrow, right?
It makes you think, oh, yeah.
What if more workplaces adoptedthat kind of approach?
What kind of impact could thathave on, like, not just
individual teams, butorganizations as a whole?
Right.
It's a whole different way ofthinking about leadership.
It really is.
But you know, speaking ofdifferent approaches, there's
this other story about Jim thatjust blew my mind.
(08:22):
Remember how we talked about himlearning about the limitations
of the bad cop leadership stylefrom his time in the Marines?
You mean where someone's alwayson edge, ready to crack down at
a moment's notice, creating thatatmosphere of fear and
intimidation.
Exactly.
Well, there was this oneincident where he actually
called out a superior who wasstuck in that mode.
Oh no.
He said something.
(08:43):
He did.
He basically said, Sir, with alldue respect, this isn't working.
We can't both be the bad cophere.
Whoa.
Talk about a power move, to likespeak truth to power like that,
especially in a hierarchicalstructure like the military.
That takes guts.
Right.
It's risky.
But you know what?
It actually led to some reallypositive changes.
(09:05):
Seriously.
Sometimes it's those bold movesthat create the most impactful
breakthroughs, you know?
Yeah.
But how did it all play out?
So, what happened?
Spill the tea.
Okay, so get this.
After Jim spoke up, the wholeteam dynamic shifted.
It was like, his willingness to,you know, challenge the norm
gave everyone else permission todo the same.
But in a constructive way, youknow?
(09:26):
And what about the bad copleader?
Okay, this is the best part.
It actually had a positiveimpact on him too.
Get out! Seriously! Yeah.
It's amazing how one person'scourage to Like, address an
issue head on can create thisripple effect.
It's not just about the teamdynamic.
It can even influence those incharge.
That's so powerful.
But it's not about just callingsomeone out, right?
(09:48):
It's about offering a differentway to do things.
Exactly.
And in this case, Jim's good copapproach ended up being a game
changer for everyone.
Okay, so let's break down thiswhole good cop leadership thing.
What did that look like inaction?
Well, it wasn't about going softor anything.
More like leading with empathy.
Exactly.
Creating an environment wherepeople feel supported, not just
(10:10):
scrutinized.
Exactly.
Remember how we talked aboutgyms seeing mistakes as
opportunities for growth?
That was a big part of it.
So instead of coming down hardon someone when they mess up,
It's about turning it into alearning experience.
Right, which takes effort.
But Jim had this way of askingquestions instead of, like,
launching accusations.
He'd say something like, Okay,help me understand.
What were you thinking?
(10:31):
What did you learn from this?
He really wanted to understand,not just punish.
Exactly.
And that changed everything.
People were more open abouttheir mistakes because they knew
they wouldn't be, you know,destroyed for it.
It created a more trustingenvironment.
100%.
And get this, Jim said that oncethat whole blame game mentality
was gone, they saw some crazygood results.
(10:51):
Like what?
Give me the deets.
Productivity went up, but evenmore importantly, people felt
valued and respected, which madethem want to work harder.
So it wasn't just about beingnice.
There were real tangiblebenefits.
Totally.
It's about creating thatpsychological safety where
people feel comfortable takingrisks, trying new things, even
messing up sometimes.
(11:13):
Because that's how we learn,right?
It really makes you think, whatif more leaders In all areas of
life, not just work, adoptedthis approach.
Right.
Imagine the possibilities.
Okay, so we've talked about thegood cop, the servant
leadership.
There's one more jimism I gottaask about.
The misfit toys philosophy.
Oh, yeah.
(11:34):
The misfits.
What's the deal with that?
So Jim has this saying.
Give me the misfit toys, they'rethe ones full of ideas.
And honestly, he's on tosomething.
Jim believes that realinnovation comes from different
perspectives.
Having people on your team whosee things differently challenge
the status quo.
People who don't fit the mold.
Exactly.
(11:54):
He's not afraid of them, helooks for them.
So it's not just about liketolerating differences, but
actively building a team ofmisfits.
Exactly.
And here's how he made it work.
Clear Goals and Direction.
But then he empowered them tofigure out how to get there,
encouraged them to experiment.
That makes sense.
If everyone thinks the same way,you're not going to get those
(12:15):
groundbreaking ideas.
Exactly.
And he had this knack for, like,spotting people's strengths and
then putting them in positionswhere they could really shine.
It's like he saw the potential,not just the rough edges.
A hundred percent.
And because he built thatenvironment of trust and
respect, those misfits feltsafe.
That's awesome.
(12:36):
It makes me think about my ownteams.
Am I embracing those differentperspectives?
Am I creating a space wherethose misfit ideas are
celebrated?
It's a good question for all ofus to ask.
But as much as Jim was all aboutembracing differences, he also
wasn't afraid to talk about whathe saw as a major problem.
Lack of real tolerance andgrace.
(12:56):
And he did not hold back.
Nope.
He said, I think tolerance isthe biggest gap right now.
We talk about it, but we don'talways see it.
And, you know, he's not wrong.
Not at all.
And he wasn't just talking aboutsociety as a whole, but on our
own teams, in our workplaces.
It's easy to talk abouttolerance and acceptance.
Are we really living it,especially when faced with
(13:18):
people who challenge our beliefsor see the world differently?
It's a tough question, but animportant one.
Right.
And then there's grace, whichJim felt strongly about,
especially in the workplace.
You know how focused we are onresults, on performance?
Oh, tell me about it.
You said we need to create aculture where it's okay to not
be okay, where people feel safe,asking for help, admitting
(13:39):
they're struggling, withoutbeing judged or penalized.
It's about remembering we're allhuman.
We all have those days.
Exactly.
And I think that's something Jimdid so well as a leader.
He led with strength, but alsowith compassion, high
expectations, but with support.
And ultimately, that's whatpeople remember, right?
Which brings us to legacy.
(13:59):
What did Jim hope people wouldremember about his leadership?
He said, I just hoped that I wastrying to build wealth for
people, and they were able toretire wealthy.
He wasn't just talking aboutmoney.
More like a wealth ofexperience, knowledge, skills,
that they could take with themwherever they went.
Exactly.
It wasn't about building his ownempire, it was about empowering
others to build theirs.
(14:20):
Which is the mark of a trueleader, right?
Not about you, but about thepeople you're leading.
100%.
So as we wrap up this deep diveinto Jim's incredible journey, I
think the biggest takeaway isthis.
Leadership isn't a title, it'san action.
It's about showing up, beingpresent, really listening, and
genuinely caring about thepeople you lead.
(14:40):
And sometimes, it's about beingbrave enough to challenge the
way things are done.
To be the good cop.
To embrace the misfits.
Jin's story shows us that evenin the most unexpected places,
amazing leadership can bloom,leaving a lasting impact on
everyone it touches.
So as you go about your day,think about how you can embody
those qualities in your ownlife.
Welcome to the biblical leadership at work mid month.
Deep dive.
And today's bonus episode.
Our guest hosts revisit one ofour most popular interviews.
If this quick recap inspiresyou.
Then be sure to check out thefull episode.
For even more great insights.
Okay, so have you ever, like,met a leader whose path was, you
(00:30):
know, anything B.
U.
T.
straightforward?
You mean someone who didn't justclimb, like, a perfectly linear
ladder to success?
Exactly.
And today we're diving into oneof those wild rides, um, Jim
Merkle's leadership journey.
Let me tell you.
This is one for the books.
Seriously.
We're pulling from this awesomeinterview he did on YouTube
(00:50):
with, uh, Biblical Leadership atWork, right?
Yep.
That's the one.
And it's not every day you findsomeone who's gone from, get
this, the Marine Corps.
Okay, wait, what?
To the manufacturing.
Bring it on.
To managing multiple retailstores.
Whoa.
Talk about range.
It's like each stop, he'spicking up these skills you
wouldn't think would, like, gotogether.
But somehow, they blend intothis totally unique leadership
(01:13):
style.
It's like that secret ingredientyou don't see in the recipe, but
makes all the difference.
Totally.
So for those just tuning in, whoI is this Jim Merkle?
All right, picture this.
Veteran Marine, married for like30 years, father of three.
Okay, solid start.
Oh, and there's this really coolstory about how they adopted one
(01:33):
of their sons.
Oh, I love that.
Family man, A& D, a leader.
Right.
But what really got me was thisquote from Jim about his
childhood.
He said, I think my parents werekind of like gypsies.
I attended about 11 schools.
Eleven schools?
That's not moving, that'spractically time travel.
I know, right?
Seriously, I can't even imagineswitching schools that often.
(01:54):
You'd think it'd make someonehesitant to lead, you know?
Right, like afraid of change orsomething.
But Jim's the opposite.
Do you think all that movingaround actually helped shape his
leadership?
You know, it's funny you saythat, because I was thinking the
same thing.
It's got to, right?
Like, think about theadaptability you'd need.
Constantly adjusting, newenvironments, new people.
(02:15):
New rules, new everything.
Exactly.
It could either make you shutdown completely, or force you to
get really good at connectingwith people from all walks of
life.
And it sounds like Jim landedfirmly in the good at connecting
category.
Oh, for sure.
And you know what else?
I bet he picked up some seriousconflict resolution skills along
the way.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
You know, there were someplayground showdowns.
(02:38):
Right.
But seriously, it makes me thinkabout those early experiences we
all have that seem like totallyunrelated to our careers now.
But looking back, maybe theywere shaping us as leaders
without us even realizing it.
Absolutely.
Like they become these secrettraining grounds for the skills
we end up using every singleday.
Communication, problem solving,even just like reading a room.
(02:59):
So true.
And for Jim, two of thoseunexpected training grounds
were, get this, the MarineCorps, and wait for it, union
work.
Talk about two different worlds.
Right, like talk about a studyin contrasts.
What I found fascinating was howJim's leadership style seems to
like blend the best of boththose experiences.
Totally.
It's not like one erased theother.
(03:21):
No, it's more like he took thebest parts of each and like
forged his own path.
Yeah.
Exactly.
The Marines, with that wholediscipline and chain of command
thing, definitely gave him thisrespect for structure.
Right.
But it also showed him thelimitations of just, you know,
barking orders.
Oh, 100%.
Uh huh.
Especially if you want people tostick around.
(03:42):
It's true.
You need that buy in.
That feeling of, like, sharedpurpose.
Yes.
And that's where I think theunion experience comes in.
Not only was he in an actualleadership role, which most
people don't even realize aboutunions.
I know.
It's not all just, like,protests and stuff.
Exactly.
He saw how important it was forpeople to feel heard and
represented, like they had avoice.
(04:03):
Which is huge in anyenvironment, really.
Right.
He learned about negotiation,clear communication, and the
power of, you know, staying calmunder pressure.
Those are skills that translateto any industry, any team, I
mean, heck, any relationship,really.
It makes you think, what werethose unexpected training
grounds in our own past thatshaped how WE lead today?
(04:26):
It's kind of wild when you thinkabout it like that, right?
How those experiences that seemso different from what we're
doing now actually, like, shapedwho we became as leaders.
Totally.
It's like, those unexpecteddetours often teach us the most
valuable lessons, you know?
For sure.
And speaking of unexpecteddetours, one thing that really
struck me about Jim's approachis this whole servant leadership
thing.
Oh, absolutely.
(04:47):
It's one of those buzzwords youhear a lot in leadership
circles, but Jim actually walksthe walk.
Right.
It's not just, like, a line inhis bio.
He seems to really live it.
100%.
And he doesn't shy away from thefaith element either.
Which I thought was reallyinteresting.
Yeah, he actually said, I'venever been afraid to say I'm
gonna pray for you.
Which, you know, in someworkplaces, that could be seen
(05:08):
as a little, uh Out there.
Yeah.
But with Jim, it just felt,like, totally genuine.
Like, he meant it.
Right.
It's not about, like, pushinghis beliefs on anyone.
He's just part of who he is.
Yeah.
And I think it speaks to thatgenuine care he has For the
people he leads.
It's true.
It's not just about the bottomline for him.
He's invested in his people.
Exactly.
(05:29):
But here's the thing, it's notjust words with Jim, you know?
Right.
It's not just lip service.
So what did that actually looklike?
How did he put that servantleadership into action?
Well, he gave some reallyconcrete examples, which I
appreciated.
First off, he's not afraid toget his hands dirty.
Literally.
Okay, hold up.
What do you mean?
(05:49):
He talked about how he'd be intheir cleaning bathrooms
alongside his team, scrubbingfloors, whatever needed to be
done.
No way.
Seriously.
Yep.
No task was too small or beneathhim if it meant showing his team
he was right there with them inthe trenches.
Wow.
That's a powerful message.
Right.
You're not above any task, nomatter your title.
(06:09):
That's huge.
It really levels the playingfield.
Totally.
And beyond that, he talked abouthow important it was to him to
really know his team members,like, as people.
Not just, like, what's your nameand what do you do?
Exactly.
He'd make an effort to learnabout their lives outside of
work, remember their kids names.
That kind of thing.
Little things that make a bigdifference.
Huge difference because it showsyou see them as human beings,
(06:34):
not just like cogs in a machine.
Totally.
Oh, and this might be the mostimportant part.
He encourages growth throughmistakes.
Okay.
Tell me more about that.
So instead of freaking out whensomeone messed.
He used it as a learningopportunity.
Which, let's be real, it'seasier said than done.
Most of us just want to, like,point fingers.
Right.
(06:54):
But Jim would sit down with theperson who made the mistake, and
instead of being all like, youscrewed up, he'd ask questions.
Like, what happened?
What were you thinking?
Exactly.
He wanted to understand theirthought process, figure out what
went wrong, and how they couldlearn from it.
Instead of just like, Punishingthem.
And that approach, thatwillingness to listen and
understand, it created thiswhole different dynamic.
(07:17):
You know, it builds trust.
Right.
People felt comfortableadmitting their mistakes because
they knew they weren't going tobe crucified for it.
Which probably led to, like, amore honest and open work
environment overall.
Exactly.
And the crazy thing is, Jim saidthat once they shifted away from
that whole blame game mentality,they started seeing, you know,
Better results, like actualtangible improvement.
(07:39):
Really?
Yeah.
Productivity went up, but moreimportantly, people felt valued
and respected, which made themwant to work harder and do
better.
So it wasn't just about beingnice for the sake of being nice.
It actually had a positiveimpact on the bottom line.
Exactly.
It's about creating that cultureof psychological safety, where
people feel supported to takerisks, try new things, and yes,
(08:01):
even make mistakes.
Yeah.
Because that's how we learn andgrow, right?
It makes you think, oh, yeah.
What if more workplaces adoptedthat kind of approach?
What kind of impact could thathave on, like, not just
individual teams, butorganizations as a whole?
Right.
It's a whole different way ofthinking about leadership.
It really is.
But you know, speaking ofdifferent approaches, there's
this other story about Jim thatjust blew my mind.
(08:22):
Remember how we talked about himlearning about the limitations
of the bad cop leadership stylefrom his time in the Marines?
You mean where someone's alwayson edge, ready to crack down at
a moment's notice, creating thatatmosphere of fear and
intimidation.
Exactly.
Well, there was this oneincident where he actually
called out a superior who wasstuck in that mode.
Oh no.
He said something.
(08:43):
He did.
He basically said, Sir, with alldue respect, this isn't working.
We can't both be the bad cophere.
Whoa.
Talk about a power move, to likespeak truth to power like that,
especially in a hierarchicalstructure like the military.
That takes guts.
Right.
It's risky.
But you know what?
It actually led to some reallypositive changes.
(09:05):
Seriously.
Sometimes it's those bold movesthat create the most impactful
breakthroughs, you know?
Yeah.
But how did it all play out?
So, what happened?
Spill the tea.
Okay, so get this.
After Jim spoke up, the wholeteam dynamic shifted.
It was like, his willingness to,you know, challenge the norm
gave everyone else permission todo the same.
But in a constructive way, youknow?
(09:26):
And what about the bad copleader?
Okay, this is the best part.
It actually had a positiveimpact on him too.
Get out! Seriously! Yeah.
It's amazing how one person'scourage to Like, address an
issue head on can create thisripple effect.
It's not just about the teamdynamic.
It can even influence those incharge.
That's so powerful.
But it's not about just callingsomeone out, right?
(09:48):
It's about offering a differentway to do things.
Exactly.
And in this case, Jim's good copapproach ended up being a game
changer for everyone.
Okay, so let's break down thiswhole good cop leadership thing.
What did that look like inaction?
Well, it wasn't about going softor anything.
More like leading with empathy.
Exactly.
Creating an environment wherepeople feel supported, not just
(10:10):
scrutinized.
Exactly.
Remember how we talked aboutgyms seeing mistakes as
opportunities for growth?
That was a big part of it.
So instead of coming down hardon someone when they mess up,
It's about turning it into alearning experience.
Right, which takes effort.
But Jim had this way of askingquestions instead of, like,
launching accusations.
He'd say something like, Okay,help me understand.
What were you thinking?
(10:31):
What did you learn from this?
He really wanted to understand,not just punish.
Exactly.
And that changed everything.
People were more open abouttheir mistakes because they knew
they wouldn't be, you know,destroyed for it.
It created a more trustingenvironment.
100%.
And get this, Jim said that oncethat whole blame game mentality
was gone, they saw some crazygood results.
(10:51):
Like what?
Give me the deets.
Productivity went up, but evenmore importantly, people felt
valued and respected, which madethem want to work harder.
So it wasn't just about beingnice.
There were real tangiblebenefits.
Totally.
It's about creating thatpsychological safety where
people feel comfortable takingrisks, trying new things, even
messing up sometimes.
(11:13):
Because that's how we learn,right?
It really makes you think, whatif more leaders In all areas of
life, not just work, adoptedthis approach.
Right.
Imagine the possibilities.
Okay, so we've talked about thegood cop, the servant
leadership.
There's one more jimism I gottaask about.
The misfit toys philosophy.
Oh, yeah.
(11:34):
The misfits.
What's the deal with that?
So Jim has this saying.
Give me the misfit toys, they'rethe ones full of ideas.
And honestly, he's on tosomething.
Jim believes that realinnovation comes from different
perspectives.
Having people on your team whosee things differently challenge
the status quo.
People who don't fit the mold.
Exactly.
(11:54):
He's not afraid of them, helooks for them.
So it's not just about liketolerating differences, but
actively building a team ofmisfits.
Exactly.
And here's how he made it work.
Clear Goals and Direction.
But then he empowered them tofigure out how to get there,
encouraged them to experiment.
That makes sense.
If everyone thinks the same way,you're not going to get those
(12:15):
groundbreaking ideas.
Exactly.
And he had this knack for, like,spotting people's strengths and
then putting them in positionswhere they could really shine.
It's like he saw the potential,not just the rough edges.
A hundred percent.
And because he built thatenvironment of trust and
respect, those misfits feltsafe.
That's awesome.
(12:36):
It makes me think about my ownteams.
Am I embracing those differentperspectives?
Am I creating a space wherethose misfit ideas are
celebrated?
It's a good question for all ofus to ask.
But as much as Jim was all aboutembracing differences, he also
wasn't afraid to talk about whathe saw as a major problem.
Lack of real tolerance andgrace.
(12:56):
And he did not hold back.
Nope.
He said, I think tolerance isthe biggest gap right now.
We talk about it, but we don'talways see it.
And, you know, he's not wrong.
Not at all.
And he wasn't just talking aboutsociety as a whole, but on our
own teams, in our workplaces.
It's easy to talk abouttolerance and acceptance.
Are we really living it,especially when faced with
(13:18):
people who challenge our beliefsor see the world differently?
It's a tough question, but animportant one.
Right.
And then there's grace, whichJim felt strongly about,
especially in the workplace.
You know how focused we are onresults, on performance?
Oh, tell me about it.
You said we need to create aculture where it's okay to not
be okay, where people feel safe,asking for help, admitting
(13:39):
they're struggling, withoutbeing judged or penalized.
It's about remembering we're allhuman.
We all have those days.
Exactly.
And I think that's something Jimdid so well as a leader.
He led with strength, but alsowith compassion, high
expectations, but with support.
And ultimately, that's whatpeople remember, right?
Which brings us to legacy.
(13:59):
What did Jim hope people wouldremember about his leadership?
He said, I just hoped that I wastrying to build wealth for
people, and they were able toretire wealthy.
He wasn't just talking aboutmoney.
More like a wealth ofexperience, knowledge, skills,
that they could take with themwherever they went.
Exactly.
It wasn't about building his ownempire, it was about empowering
others to build theirs.
(14:20):
Which is the mark of a trueleader, right?
Not about you, but about thepeople you're leading.
100%.
So as we wrap up this deep diveinto Jim's incredible journey, I
think the biggest takeaway isthis.
Leadership isn't a title, it'san action.
It's about showing up, beingpresent, really listening, and
genuinely caring about thepeople you lead.
(14:40):
And sometimes, it's about beingbrave enough to challenge the
way things are done.
To be the good cop.
To embrace the misfits.
Jin's story shows us that evenin the most unexpected places,
amazing leadership can bloom,leaving a lasting impact on
everyone it touches.
So as you go about your day,think about how you can embody
those qualities in your ownlife.
Popular Podcasts
Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com