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Ever watched a meeting get hijacked by the loudest voice and wondered what real inclusion would look like instead? We unpack the concrete moves that turn leadership ideals into daily practice: listening before speaking, setting fair norms, inviting quieter voices, and designing systems that help everyone contribute at full capacity—whether your team is in-office, remote, or somewhere in between.

We start by redefining inclusion beyond diversity metrics and get into the manager habits that actually shift culture: humility over ego, curiosity over certainty, and openness over optics. Greg shares how moving his desk to the team’s floor and saying “teach me” transformed engagement, while John walks through handling bullies with private candor and firm boundaries. We break down career reviews that prioritize growth, feedback loops that catch unseen barriers, and the role of ERGs and reverse mentorship in expanding perspective. You’ll hear practical scripts for drawing out quiet contributors, approaches for scheduling and communication that don’t exclude, and recognition tactics that spotlight behind-the-scenes excellence.

Bias and accountability sit at the core of this conversation. We talk about noticing your triggers, not letting a single misstep become a lifetime label, and weaving inclusive behavior into team goals. Trust is the accelerant: start with noble intent, offer stretch assignments with coaching, and build psychological safety so disagreement sharpens ideas instead of shutting people down. If you’re a new manager—or a seasoned one ready to level up—you’ll leave with a usable playbook for inclusive leadership that boosts creativity, productivity, and retention.

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Presented by John Wandolowski and Greg Powell

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Ever felt the room get quieter the moment your title got louder? John and Greg unpacking the hidden epidemic of leadership loneliness—why it shows up, how it quietly shapes decisions and culture, and the practical moves that bring leaders back into real connection without sacrificing authority.

We start with the masks leaders are taught to wear: projecting certainty, playing it cool on camera, and carrying confidential decisions alone. From early supervision lessons to high-stakes executive calls, we trace how distance builds, especially in remote and hybrid settings where spontaneity disappears and “always on” performance replaces authentic presence. Along the way, we challenge the myth that vulnerability weakens leadership, showing how it creates psychological safety, trust, and better outcomes.

Then we get tactical. We break down strategic networking anchored in giving first, not collecting contacts. We explore how peer circles outside your org become true sounding boards, and why coaches and mentors are essential for senior leaders who need honest pushback, blind-spot checks, and resilience tools. You’ll hear how daily habits—informal check-ins, specific questions, and small stories—humanize authority and open space for others to lead. We also tackle the mental loop of rumination and share simple interventions to shift from isolation to action.

By the end, you’ll have a playbook to build stronger networks, model healthy vulnerability, and sustain your energy in roles where the stakes are high and the spotlight is bright. Leadership will always include moments of solitude, but it never has to become a solitary life.

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Presented by John Wandolowski and Greg Powell

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Promotions feel like arrival, but the real journey starts when the title lands and the gap between managing tasks and leading people becomes painfully clear. The guys unpack "What we wish we knew before stepping up!"

How credibility is earned in action, why clarity beats complexity, and how to build trust that survives crises, change, and long weeks.

John shares a defining story from the plant floor—a fire, a split-second decision, and the moment a young supervisor became a leader in his team’s eyes. Greg takes us into the newspaper industry at the dawn of digital, where tradition clashed with the future and junior voices went unheard. These stories ground our playbook: prepare for promotion before it arrives, act at the next level, and translate goals into crisp, memorable direction. We pull lessons from The One Minute Manager, Dale Carnegie, and Who Moved My Cheese to show how simple, human skills create outsized impact.

We then map out six foundations every new manager needs: earn trust through consistency, grow self-awareness, listen more than you talk, delegate to empower, challenge the status quo with context, and build a feedback culture that makes learning safe. From there, we level up with modern essentials—emotional intelligence, self-care as strategy, and adaptability as a superpower. Leadership doesn’t end with delivery; it continues with developing people. Your legacy is the growth of your team, not the volume of your tasks.

If you’re moving into management or sharpening your edge, this conversation offers practical tools and honest perspective. Press play, then tell us the one skill you’ll level up this week. Subscribe, share with a new manager who needs a lift, and leave a review so others can find the show.

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Presented by John Wandolowski and Greg Powell