Can I lead without being liked?

We’ve all felt it: the tension between being real and being in charge. But as inner-city middle school teacher Carla and retired Air Force commander Naomi reveal, that’s a false choice. Connection isn’t a distraction from leadership—it’s the doorway into it.

This episode explores what happens when leaders stop hiding behind roles and start showing up as people. The result? Teams that listen, trust, and rise to meet the moment, not because they’re forced to, but because they want to.

Bottom line: The most credible leaders are the most human ones and trust is built at the intersection of expectation and empathy.

Questions we answer:

02:00 – How do you build real connection with people you also have to hold accountable?

06:10 – What is it like to lead in a culture that prizes command over connection?

08:55 – How do you decide between personal crisis and professional responsibility?

12:05 – How can vulnerability help strengthen trust and culture in a high-stakes organization?

15:45 – What happens when leaders avoid accountability conversations to preserve relationships?

17:55 – Why does accountability without connection lead to failure—and how can we avoid that?

19:55 – How can embracing our own humanity unlock deeper engagement from others?

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