Are you a player or the grounds crew? Which do you prefer your manager to be? John and Nate dive into a LinkedIn post that divided them on what leadership actually means. John argues leaders should focus on building environments where people can succeed—you prep the field, not play the game. Nate pushes back, making the case for player-coaches who lead by example and can still do the work as well as anyone else.

The conversation gets personal as they explore what actually motivates people: Do you want a leader who sets perfect conditions for you to succeed, or one who can jump in and show you how it's done? From Pete Rose to Taylor Swift (yes, really), they unpack different leadership styles and what drives high performance.

Plus: John shares his "lethal when given space" philosophy, Nate reveals why seeing his mentor's messaging work still inspires him, and they both grapple with whether AI is making teams faster or just spinning gears that don't connect.

Whether you're managing people, being managed, or just trying to figure out what good leadership looks like in product roles, this episode will make you question what you actually want from the people above you—and what you should be giving the people below you.

Also featuring: Wisconsin music connections and power grid management as a surprisingly interesting career.

New Episodes every Tuesday

Videos and clips available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GettintoMarketPod