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Results don’t care about your intention—and that’s exactly why they’re the most honest measure of leadership. We take you from a formative Management By Responsibility moment—shifting from truck mechanic to frontline supervisor—through a practical breakdown of what makes leaders promotable: owning outcomes, communicating so clearly that action becomes inevitable, and developing people who can replace you without missing a beat.

We unpack the U.S. Army’s leadership competencies and translate them into everyday business moves: lead others by turning strategy into steps, extend influence beyond the org chart with diplomacy and coalition-building, and lead by example so your standards show up in your team’s habits. Communication sits at the core—less slideware, more translation power—and culture isn’t perk-driven; it’s the daily environment where feedback is normal and progress is visible. If you’ve ever wondered why “I’ll try” stalls careers, we explain how to replace intent with artifacts: plans, decision logs, shipped work, and postmortems that make your contribution legible.

You’ll also hear a simple but powerful reframing: replace “performance review” with “career review.” The topics stay the same, but the mindset shifts to goals, stretch assignments, and promotion signals. Whether you’re aiming for your first leadership role or leveling from manager to director, the throughline is clear: leaders get results ethically, repeatedly, and in ways that lift others. Ready to build a results portfolio you’re proud to share with your mentor, your team, and your future self? Follow the show, leave a review to tell us your biggest takeaway, and share this episode with someone who’s ready to own their next step.

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Presented by John Wandolowski and Greg Powell

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Promotions rarely hinge on perfect reports—they hinge on proof that you grow people, steer outcomes, and communicate when it counts. John and greg open with a simple shift that changes everything: start with WIIFM—the listener’s “what’s in it for me”—and build leadership from the audience’s needs, not your talking points. From there, we map the real hiring filters (degrees, certifications, years of experience, capital projects, budget responsibility), how applicant tracking systems screen you in or out, and why “potential” without preparation keeps you parked.

We get practical about the next barrier: succession. If no one on your team can take your seat, your promotion odds drop. We talk through building bench strength with deliberate delegation, sponsoring certifications, and scheduling short 1:1s to learn each person’s goals—whether they want management or mastery. You’ll hear why honoring skilled tradespeople who choose craft over climbing is a leadership advantage, and how daily presence on the floor beats desk‑bound perfection every time.

Communication becomes the force multiplier. Instead of claiming you’re a “strong communicator,” we show how to prove it: present across departments, speak to executives and peers, and take on stretch topics with real risk attached. You’ll hear stories—from a supervisor who turned stage fear into system‑wide trust, to a lead electrician whose insight under pressure earned the room and elevated the whole department—that demonstrate how sharing the mic builds credibility in both directions. The through‑line is self‑ownership: you are responsible for your career, for closing your gaps, and for teaching your team how to close theirs. If you’re ready to shift from potential to preparation—and from solo performer to builder of builders—this one’s for you.

If the episode helped, follow the show, share it with a colleague who’s ready for the next step, and leave a quick review so others can find it. Then tell us: who are you developing this month?

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Presented by John Wandolowski and Greg Powell

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A milestone is only meaningful if it changes what we do next. We’re celebrating 100 episodes by unpacking the MBR leadership framework, mapping advise from avoidance to transformation, and showing how data, story, and practice experiences combine to create lasting impact you can measure and feel.

We break down the eight MBR competencies—strategic foresight, global citizenship, disruptive mindset, people-first leadership, value creation, curiosity, inclusion, and agility—and connect them to the realities of modern work. You’ll hear how experiential learning and peer coaching turn abstract values into daily habits, why 360 feedback accelerates growth, and how podcast analytics mirror the way high-performing organizations track leadership effectiveness. We also preview our forthcoming book, a narrative-meets-seminar that follows Jack’s journey through the gears: from control and burnout to clarity, trust, accountability, and legacy. The book's working title is "The Fifth Gear of Leadership."

The conversation moves from global reach and AI-driven insights to practical dashboards and rituals leaders can adopt right now: explicit decision logs, feedback cadences, stakeholder mapping, and small, repeatable experiments that compound over time. If you lead remote teams, shape culture, or simply want to build a sturdier operating system for change, this one’s designed to be both inspiring and actionable.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a leader you trust, and leave a review. Tell us which gear you’re shifting into next and what topic you want us to explore in the next 100.

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Presented by John Wandolowski and Greg Powell