In this episode of The Resiliency Quest podcast series, guest host Adam Mock continues his discussion with Dr. Doug McKinley, diving into the next trailhead on the journey toward resilient leadership: Connection.

At first glance, connection might seem like a soft skill—but in reality, it’s the backbone of sustainable leadership. Leaders often find themselves isolated at the top, praised for independence but starving for authentic human connection. Dr. McKinley reminds us that resiliency isn’t built in a vacuum. It grows in community, in honest conversations, in spaces where people feel seen and safe enough to be real.

Doug and Adam talk about what happens when leaders trade performance for presence, and how vulnerability isn’t a liability—it’s a leadership advantage. They explore the shift from surface-level interaction to soul-level trust, and the quiet power of being known without needing to impress. If you’ve ever felt the ache of relational drift or the pressure to keep up a front, this conversation offers a refreshing alternative.

Because in the end, the leaders who go the distance aren’t the ones who muscle through alone—they’re the ones who allow others to walk alongside them.

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