In this episode of Off Script with Josh Fisher, leadership coach, professor, and author Dr. Wayne Applewhite joins the show to explore what it truly means to lead. Wayne doesn’t just talk about leadership—he lives it. From his unexpected start as a cook in the Air Force to becoming an officer, author, and leadership voice, his journey is proof that leadership is less about titles and more about the actions you take every day. Together, Josh and Wayne unpack: ✅ Why leadership is a verb, not a noun ✅The balance of people, time, and money in every leader’s toolkit ✅The role of mentors and the lessons they leave behind ✅Bloody noses, second chances, and the hard truths that shape real leaders ✅Why “practice makes good, and good makes consistent” beats the myth of perfection As Wayne puts it: “Leadership is always in motion. It’s not about being the smartest person in the room, but about listening, trusting, and never stopping your own growth.” Packed with candid stories and practical wisdom, this conversation is for anyone who wants to move beyond theory and become a leader who actually leads.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Leadership means taking action, even when it’s tough.
• Integrity and consistency matter more than titles.
• The best leaders are always learning—and always teaching.
• People, time, and money: Get the order right.

🧠 Resources & Guest Info

• Book: You Know It’s a Verb, Right? — by Dr. Wayne Applewhite & Jennifer Milius
• Contact Dr. Wayne Applewhite: Wayne@mindsyncing.com
• Website: mindsyncing.com
• Podcast: 27 minutes with Sheila and Wayne

📱 Connect with Josh: Instagram: @offscriptwithjosh X/Twitter: @JoshFisherLead LinkedIn: Josh Fisher

🎙️ Listen on Your Favorite Platform: Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/offscript-apple Spotify: bit.ly/offscript-spotify Amazon Music: bit.ly/offscript-amazon iHeart Radio: bit.ly/offscript-iheart

#Verb #Action #OffScriptPodcast #JoshFisher #DrWayneApplewhite #LeadershipAction #leadership #Leader #Integrity #LeadershipStories #LeadershipJourney

In this episode of Off Script, we step into a leadership workshop that wasn’t about policies, new rules, or checklists — but about people, connection, and the human work of leadership.

Josh takes us inside a room full of seasoned, gritty leaders — boots-on-the-ground types whose decisions carry life-or-death weight. When one of them asks a deceptively simple question — “How do we bridge the gap?” — it sparks a day-long conversation that leads to a transformative realization:

It’s leadership — not the kind we’re used to, but the kind that starts with human connection.

Through reflection, dialogue, and challenge, Josh unpacks why we too often confuse managing with leading, and how real leadership requires presence, vulnerability, and trust. And just like in the workshop, you’ll leave this episode with clear, actionable ways to bridge the gap in your own world.

• Leadership fills the gap — but only when it’s grounded in connection, not just compliance.
• Managing is about systems; leading is about people.
• Culture grows from trust, not from checklists.
• “Protect connection over perfection” — especially in high-pressure environments.
• Vulnerability in a leader is not weakness — it’s the foundation of trust and accountability.

• The Off Script Journal – Companion journal for deeper reflection: https://a.co/d/cR49607
• The Unfolding – 12-Phase Guided Journal for healing: https://a.co/d/cyk8JuR

In This Episode

1:25 OffScript Overview 3:32 Why? 4:40 Bridging the Gap 6:46 Ground Leadership 9:32 Checklists vs. Connection 13:16 Managing vs. Leading 19:33 The Mic Drop 21:03 Safety, Trust & Culture 24:29 Ditch the Script 27:03 Empathy & Accountability 28:40 Prompt Challenge 29:29 Closing

Off Script with Josh Fisher Podcast Podcast for those tired of performing and ready to lead with truth!

Join the Off Script Community

Drop a comment: How do we love thy neighbor regardless of beliefs, values, or background? Subscribe for honest, weekly conversations about what authentic leadership really means. Follow Josh Fisher:

• Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/JoshFisherLead
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/16dbPpkhaw/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fisherjoshleadership

Want to share your Off Script story? Email: joshua@offscript.us

In this solo episode, Josh Fisher dives headfirst into why presence—not polish—is the ultimate leadership flex. He shares a raw, personal story of his first love and how it robbed him of presence, leaving him disconnected from life’s most meaningful moments.

Josh unpacks his journey from hiding behind the haze of alcohol and the mask of perfection to discovering the power of showing up authentically. You’ll learn the difference between leading from the outside in (perfection) versus the inside out (presence), and why being fully present is the greatest gift you can give your team. Key Takeaways

• Embracing presence over perfection as a new leadership currency
• Vulnerability and authentic connection in leadership
• Navigating personal struggles and growth
• Moving from performance to being

In This Episode 0:00 Introduction & Presence 1:33 Podcast Launch Thoughts 3:14 Presence Over Perfection 5:17 Love & Presence 9:42 First Love & Feeling Safe 12:21 Cost of Escapism 15:52 High-Functioning Hollow 18:40 Chasing the Truest Version 20:38 Presence in Leadership 23:09 Presence in Real Life 25:50 Off Script Challenge 26:53 Journal Prompt 27:38 Closing & Call to Action

Join the Off Script Community

Drop a comment: How do we love thy neighbor regardless of beliefs, values, or background? Subscribe for honest, weekly conversations about what authentic leadership really means. Follow Josh Fisher:

• Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/JoshFisherLead
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/16dbPpkhaw/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fisherjoshleadership

Want to share your Off Script story? Email: joshua@offscript.us SUBJ: [NAME] Stories from the Stage – (Share or Do Not Share) Your voice might be featured in a future episode.

Journals:

• The Off Script Journal – Companion journal for deeper reflection
• The Unfolding – 12-Phase Guided Journal for healing

In this week’s Thursday Thoughts, Josh Fisher reflects on Frank Davis’s thought-provoking question from Episode 5:

How do we love our neighbor while holding space for freedom of thought?

Josh dives into the paradox of human connection, how we can honor others’ perspectives without compromising our own, and how love and freedom of thought don’t have to be opposites.

From emotional intelligence to curiosity over certainty, Josh explores what it really takes to lead with authenticity and live Off Script. If you're wrestling with how to hold compassion in a world full of division, this one's for you.

🖊️ Josh shares his personal journal response and invites you to do the same. 📩 Email your entry to: Episode 5 with Frank Davis for a powerful conversation about life, leadership, and yes—love.

• Emotional Intelligence is Foundational: Self-awareness and self-management are key to navigating conflict and difference with grace.

• Choose Curiosity Over Certainty: Being right feels good—but being curious leads to deeper understanding and growth.

• Focus on What You Can Control: You can’t control others' beliefs or actions, but you can control how you respond—with kindness, integrity, and respect.

• Lead by Example, Especially When It’s Hard: Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one’s watching. That’s real leadership.

• Have the Courage to Stay: When conflict arises, resist the urge to flee or fight. Stay, listen, ask questions—you might learn something.

• Be Willing to Be the Change: Like MJ said: “If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change.”

Reflect on today’s episode with the Off Script Journal. This week’s prompt: "How do you lead with love while making space for others' freedom of thought?"

Start journaling here: 👉 Download the Off Script Journal

Listener Discretion Disclaimer: This episode contains honest conversations about childhood challenges, racial experiences in the military, and personal growth. We discuss difficult topics with authenticity and respect. If you're looking for real talk about leadership, identity, and service, this conversation is for you.

—

In this powerful episode of Off Script with Josh Fisher, Marine Corps veteran and leadership coach Josh Fisher sits down with Frank Davis for an extraordinary conversation about leadership, identity, and the driving force behind authentic service. Frank's incredible 26-year Marine Corps journey took him through every rank from enlisted to warrant officer to commissioned officer, but his real story goes much deeper.

From a challenging childhood that shaped his character to becoming a successful entrepreneur with Red Valor Mobile—a luxury transportation service dedicated to honoring veterans—Frank shares raw insights about leadership without masks, the power of authentic service, and how one pivotal moment with his mother changed everything. This episode explores what it means to lead with genuine care, flip traditional priorities, and find your "second mountain" in life.

If you've ever questioned what drives real leaders or wondered how to serve others while staying true to yourself, Frank's story will inspire and challenge you.

Key Takeaways

• Leadership starts with authentic service to others
• The power of a mother's influence can drive lifelong purpose
• Success comes from taking life one step at a time
• Flipping traditional priorities (people first, mission follows)
• How to lead with inclusion and genuine care
• The platinum rule: treat people how they want to be treated

Resources Mentioned

• Red Valor Mobile: Luxury veteran transportation service
• The Second Mountain by David Brooks
• Contact Red Valor: info@redvalormobile.com

Journals:

• The Off Script Journal – Companion journal for deeper reflection
• The Unfolding – 12-Phase Guided Journal for healing

🎙 Thursday Thoughts: Emotion Isn’t the Enemy—Avoiding It Is

In this heartfelt solo episode, Episode 3.

Josh opens up about the powerful role emotions play in leadership—how they can hinder decisions, deepen relationships, and ultimately shape the way we lead. He shares raw, unfiltered insights from his own journey, reminding us that vulnerability isn’t weakness—it’s a bridge to connection.

This episode is a call to explore your own emotional depth, to lead with greater self-awareness, and to honor your truth.

🔥 Key Takeaways:

• Emotions impact us all—sometimes they cloud judgment, other times they deepen empathy.

• Effective leaders acknowledge and process their emotions instead of burying them.

• Vulnerability builds trust and invites others to be real with you.

• Boundaries help protect your identity and integrity as a leader.

• Self-acceptance is essential to growth—you can’t lead others if you abandon yourself.

• Sharing your fears and insecurities can reduce tension and foster connection.

• Emotional awareness is a daily practice—it’s not about perfection, but presence.

💭 Journal With Us Grab your copy of The Off Script Journal Or dive deeper with The Unfolding: A 12-Phase Guided Journal for Emotional Healing, Shadow Work, Inner Child Integration & Trauma Recovery.

#OffScriptWithJoshFisher #EmotionalIntelligence #AuthenticLeadership #VulnerabilityInLeadership #LeadershipPodcast

Listener Discretion Disclaimer:

Before we begin this episode, I want to let you know that the conversation you're about to hear is raw, honest, and at times, heavy. We talk about difficult topics including mental health, emotional burnout, and suicide. There's also explicit language throughout the episode.

If you or someone you know is struggling—whether it's a passing thought, a quiet mention, or something deeper—please don't ignore it. Start the conversation. You're not alone, and there is help.

You can call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988—anytime, 24/7.

Your life matters. Your story matters. Let’s keep talking.

What happens when the uniform comes off—but the weight of leadership doesn’t?

In this episode of Off Script, host Josh Fisher sits down with veteran and leader Mark Allen for an unfiltered conversation about leadership beyond the ranks, titles, and tough exteriors. Together, they explore what it really means to lead with vulnerability, emotional intelligence, and authenticity—especially after years of service and sacrifice.

From the mental discipline of cold plunges to the emotional unraveling that often follows retirement, this episode digs deep into identity, mental health, and the pressure to hold it all together. Mark shares personal stories of pain, healing, and rediscovery—and how stepping off the traditional script of leadership allowed him to reconnect with his truth.

Whether you’re in uniform, behind a desk, or in a season of transition—this is for anyone who’s ever asked, “Who am I without the role?”

• Leadership is about human connection, not just command

• Cold plunges reveal mental resilience and body trust

• Sacrifice in service often comes at a personal cost

• Emotional awareness builds stronger, more authentic leaders

• Vulnerability isn’t weakness—it’s the bridge to real connection

• Retirement can spark identity crises—but it can also spark growth

• You don’t have to be perfect to be powerful—you just have to be honest

• Strong Hope

• Mark’s Podcast: Voices in Silence

• https://a.co/d/2vKzM9A

• The Off Script Journal – A companion to the podcast

• The Unfolding – A 12-Phase Guided Journal for Healing What Hurts

Want to share your own Off Script story? Email it to: joshua@offscript.us SUBJ: [NAME] Stories from the Stage – (Share or Do Not Share) Your voice might be featured in a future episode.

In this episode of Off Script, Josh Fisher delves into the complexities of personal identity, self-reflection, and the importance of vulnerability in leadership. He shares his own journey of self-discovery, including struggles with insecurity, trauma, and coping mechanisms. Through candid storytelling, he emphasizes the value of authentic connections and the potential for community building through shared experiences.

Who am I, really?

I dive into the many versions of self we carry, the masks we wear, and how vulnerability and self-reflection have shaped my own identity. It’s raw. It’s uncomfortable. But it’s real—and that’s where leadership starts.

A few key takeaways:

• Self-awareness is the foundation of authentic leadership

• We often cope before we understand—then lead before we heal

• Journaling helps make thoughts visible, patterns clear, and growth possible

• You don’t need to have it all together to lead—you just need to show up honest

Journals to Go Deeper:

📝 The Off Script Journal: A companion to this podcast. Use it to respond to the weekly prompts, capture reflections, and track your own Off Script journey.

Amazon: The Off Script Journal: A companion to the Off Script Podcast

🌀 The Unfolding: A 12-Phase Guided Journal for Healing What Hurts: A trauma-informed journal designed for deep, structured inner work. With 12 phases and 52 weeks of prompts, The Unfolding gently guides you through grief, trauma, emotional suppression, identity, and more—with space to reconnect with your voice, your truth, and your self.

Whether you’re beginning your healing journey or returning to it, The Unfolding meets you where you are—no timeline, no pressure. Just structure, space, and stillness.

Amazon: The Unfolding: A 12-Phase Guided Journal for Healing what Hurts

Want to be part of the podcast? Have a story about leading Off Script—raw, real, and unpolished? Email it to: joshua@offscript.us SUBJ: [Your Name] Stories from the Stage – (Share or Do Not Share)

Your voice matters—and it might just help someone else find theirs.