In this episode of Leadership Matters by The Bailey Group, Kaylee Thomsen talks with Mike Braun, founder of Pivotal Advisors, about what great leaders actually do. Mike shares how strong leaders shift from being the “answer man” to a coach who asks better questions, builds clarity, encourages feedback, and redefines accountability. Drawing on experience with 4,000+ companies, he explains why promoting top performers doesn’t always create great managers and why transparency matters most during tough moments. They also discuss how to scale teams, define success realistically, and move from daily operations to true leadership. If you’re a founder, sales leader, or manager who wants to build healthier teams and drive stronger results, this episode is packed with practical lessons you can apply right away.

In this episode of Leadership Matters by The Bailey Group, host Kaylee Thomsen brings together a panel of The Bailey Group’s executive coaches for an honest, heartfelt conversation about what truly shapes great leaders. They explore the power of the right conversation at the right time, the pivotal decisions that changed their trajectories, and the mistakes that became turning points. Through stories of executive presence, conflict, vulnerability, and growth, the panel pulls back the curtain on what really happens in executive coaching—and how meaningful reflection creates healthier workplaces, stronger teams, and better humans.If you care about leading with purpose and growing as both a professional and a person, this conversation is for you.

In this episode of Leadership Matters, we sit down with Craig Warren, CEO of Washburn Center for Children, for a powerful conversation about what it means to lead with courage, curiosity, and care, especially when the environment feels chaotic.

Craig’s leadership journey has been anything but linear. From his formative experiences in the U.S. military to his work in nonprofit leadership, he’s learned that no book or training fully prepares you for the moments when things don’t go your way. Drawing from both the battlefield and the boardroom, Craig shares how those early lessons taught him to “keep moving” through uncertainty and to cultivate resilience rooted in purpose.

Together, we explore how he’s navigated what he calls “crisis stacking,” why he believes in energy management over time management, and how curiosity fuels his ability to stay grounded and forward-looking as a leader. Craig also brings his passion for mental health advocacy to the conversation, offering insights into early interventions that build healthier children, and, ultimately, a healthier society and workforce.

If you care about leading through complexity without losing your humanity, this conversation will remind you that the most courageous leaders are the ones who stay curious, keep moving, and lead with heart.