The Biggest Culture Killer Leaders Don’t Talk About

Fear has a sneaky way of creeping into organizations and keeping good ideas from ever seeing the light of day. Ryan Berman knows this better than most; he’s made a career out of helping companies stop letting fear run the show and start building a culture of courage instead. As the Founder of Courageous and Author of Return on Courage, Ryan has worked with everyone from Google to the Atlanta Falcons, showing leaders what’s possible when they choose courage over comfort. His perspective is simple but powerful: change is tough, but staying stuck is even tougher.

Ryan breaks down what he calls the Courage Formula: knowledge, faith, and action, and explains how those three ingredients can move people and teams past hesitation. We talk about what courage really looks like in leadership, and why it’s something every single person, not just CEOs, can tap into. He shares stories from his own path, including the leap from advertising to becoming a trusted advisor for some of the biggest brands out there. 

You’ll also hear some behind-the-scenes stories, the values that guide Ryan’s work, and even a glimpse into his new book Head of Mentals, which digs into overcoming negative self-talk. If you’ve ever felt stuck, second-guessed yourself, or wondered how to get your team moving in the right direction, this episode will give you a new way to think about it. More than that, it’ll leave you feeling like courage might be closer and more achievable than you think.

Key Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Welcome to Inside the Speakeasy Podcast

[00:02:30] Corporate fear-fighting strategies.

[00:03:22] Addressing fear in leadership.

[00:06:40] Creative business journey.

[00:15:21] The essence of courageous leadership.

[00:16:04] The journey of launching Courage.

[00:20:33] Definition of courage redefined.

[00:22:19] Courage through knowledge, faith, action.

[00:27:58] Courageous decision-making in business.

[00:29:01] Importance of core values.

[00:39:46] The value of collisions.

[00:41:35] Courageous corporate speaking.

Memorable Quotes:

"Courageous ideas die without courageous leaders." [00:13:46] – Ryan Berman

"Thought leadership does nothing without do leadership." [00:32:35] – Ryan Berman

Connect with Ryan Berman:

Website: https://www.ryanberman.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan_berman

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rberman2

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/RyanBerman

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courageousideas/

Connect with Eric Berman:

Website: https://speakeasymastermind.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakeasymastermind/

Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/speakeasymastermind/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericberman/

Produced by Evolved Podcasting: www.evolvedpodcasting.com

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