195: 5 Habits That Will Instantly Make You a Better Leader | Damon Lembi

Winning leaders aren’t defined by charisma or complexity—they’re defined by consistent, simple habits. 

In this practical solo episode, Damon Lembi reveals the five most impactful daily leadership habits he’s seen in world-class leaders and top-performing organizations. Drawing from his own experience as CEO, plus interviews with leaders like Tom Mendoza and Doug Conant, Damon shares actionable, no-fluff rituals to boost your trust, focus, and connection with your team. Whether you’re new to leadership or seeking to level up, you’ll walk away with tools you can use immediately—including strategies to strengthen loyalty, reduce burnout, and make every conversation count. 

Stay tuned to the end for Damon’s leadership challenge and a generous offer for free live learning to accelerate your growth. 

 In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• How to set your “Big Three” priorities and avoid being overwhelmed by daily chaos 
• The relationship-building power of starting conversations with something personal 
• Why asking “and what else?” leads to deeper trust and better communication 
• How a “gratitude quota” transforms morale—and two leaders who reached thousands with this habit 
• The hidden cost of weekend emails, and how to protect your team from burnout 
• Damon’s challenge: implement all five habits this week and track your team’s response 
• Access free live learning resources to grow your leadership skills instantly 

 

Timestamps: 

00:00 – Why great leadership is built on a few simple habits 

00:40 – Habit 1: Set your “Big 3” priorities every morning 

01:30 – Habit 2: Start conversations with something personal 

02:10 – Habit 3: End conversations with “What else is on your mind?” 

02:55 – The power of questions from The Coaching Habit 

03:30 – Habit 4: Set and hit a gratitude quota 

04:00 – Doug Conant’s 30,000 thank-you notes example 

04:30 – Public recognition and the OC Tanner stat 

05:10 – Habit 5: Stop sending weekend emails (and why) 

06:00 – Harvard Business Review on after-hours stress 

06:30 – Recap of all 5 habits and how they build trust 

07:15 – Damon’s weekly challenge: Try them all, track the impact 

08:00 – Free gift: 45 days of Learnit classes + book plug 

08:30 – Final takeaway: Consistency builds credibility 

 

About Damon Lembi 

Damon Lembi is a 2x bestselling author, the host of The Learn-It-All Podcast, and CEO of Learnit – a live learning platform that has upskilled over 2 million people. Drawing from his prior baseball career, Damon brings an athlete’s perspective to leadership. Through his journey, he has gained invaluable insights into what helps organizations grow, how great leaders learn, and why learn-it-all companies outpace their competitors every time. 

 

Resources & Mentions: 

• Damon LinkedIn 
• Learnit  
• The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier (book link) 
• Gallup Workplace Report (Gallup website) 
• Tom Mendoza profile (Tom Mendoza LinkedIn) 
• Doug Conant profile (