Direct Dialogues: The Leadership Skill Too Many Avoid
Release Date: 05/21/2025
Bring Your Own Pencil: The Discipline Leaders Forget First
The John Eades Podcast
In this episode of The John Eades Podcast, I sit down with Dan Casey and Griffin Brand, co-authors of Bring Your Own Pencil. At its core, this conversation is about preparation, discipline, and respect. Not as buzzwords, but as daily practices that quietly separate professionals from amateurs. Dan and Griffin share stories and principles behind the idea of “bringing your own pencil,” the mindset of taking ownership before you’re asked, and why leaders who prepare consistently earn trust faster and sustain credibility longer. We talk about: Why preparation is a signal of respect for...
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The Hard Conversation You’re Avoiding Is the One You Need Most
The John Eades Podcast
Most people avoid difficult conversations because they believe silence will keep things from getting worse. In reality, avoidance almost always does the opposite. In this episode, John shares a powerful coaching moment with a young physical therapist who was struggling with unmet expectations, growing resentment, and the quiet cost of things left unsaid. That moment opens the door to a simple but uncomfortable truth: confronting in the short term is far better than resenting in the long term. You’ll learn: Why motive, not wording, is what truly determines the outcome of a hard conversation...
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Your Growth and Goals Exercise for 2026
The John Eades Podcast
Most people rush into goal setting without slowing down long enough to recognize the life they’ve already lived. In this episode, John walks through the updated 2026 Growth and Goals exercise, a reflective framework he uses with coaching clients and leadership teams to help them honor their growth and set intentional direction for the year ahead. Through a personal story and a guided, question by question walkthrough, this episode invites you to slow down, look honestly at how far you’ve come, and then define goals that actually matter. 🟩 Download the 2026 Growth and Goals Exercise: ...
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Speed in Leadership is Perpetually Underrated
The John Eades Podcast
Most people move too slowly. They wait for clarity, permission, or the perfect moment. High performers do something different. They take advantage of the moment at hand. In this episode, John explains why speed and urgency are perpetually underrated advantages in leadership, sales, and life. Drawing from real-world examples, including healthcare, sales, and high-performing leaders, he shows why speed is not recklessness but respect for the moment in front of you. You’ll also learn how leaders can build a culture of urgency without burning out their teams by demonstrating speed, talking about...
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Choosing Your Optimistic Voice
The John Eades Podcast
Today I want to share something meaningful with you. What began as a simple idea to help my kids strengthen their mindset on the way to school grew into a daily newsletter, then a podcast, and now a book. In this special episode, I read the full introduction to my new book, . The introduction sets the tone for everything the book stands for. It is honest about the reality we all face and the negativity that can shape our thinking, and it offers a simple but powerful truth. You can choose your optimistic voice. One thought at a time. One lesson at a time. If you have been encouraged by this...
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How to Lead with Gratitude (Even When It's Not Easy)
The John Eades Podcast
Gratitude changes how you feel without changing your circumstances. In this episode, John explains why gratitude is a leadership advantage, not a soft skill. You will learn how the Gratitude Five Challenge reframes stress, connects you with the people who matter most, and increases engagement on your team. John shares real examples from his own life, research on recognition and appreciation, the handwritten note habit of Frank Blake from Home Depot, and three areas where leaders often withhold gratitude even though it fuels growth. If you want to become a leader people remember for the right...
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Warren Buffett’s Final Lesson on Life and Leadership
The John Eades Podcast
Warren Buffett’s final annual letter ended with a message about character, growth, and kindness. It was a reminder that success is measured by how you live and how you treat people. In this episode, I break down the four lessons from his closing words and why they matter for your leadership and your life. 🟩 Quote of the Day: “Kindness is costless but also priceless.” In this episode: Why failure is feedback How to pick the right heroes and copy their strengths Why writing your obituary creates clarity Why kindness builds trust in every room Subscribe to the daily newsletter: Learn...
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How Gratitude and Grace Build Resilient Leaders with Chris Visami
The John Eades Podcast
In this powerful episode, former professional baseball player and performance coach joins John Eades to explore how gratitude, grace, and daily discipline shape resilient leaders. After facing a life-changing cancer diagnosis, Chris shares how he repurposed his athletic mindset to focus on what truly matters — and what we can all learn from it. In this conversation, we cover: How to control what matters most and release what doesn’t Why “micro moments” shape your character and leadership impact The 4 G’s that guide Chris’s life: Grind, Grace, Gratitude, and Great How to...
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Energy, Ownership, and the Work of Leadership
The John Eades Podcast
Gary Scott is the President of Howard Hanna | Allen Tate. He joins John Eades to share how energy and momentum drive performance. We dig into getting an A in the controllables and the prep needed to win. We cover ownership over accountability, clear standards, and the shift from transactions to relationships. Stay to the end for two simple moves that pay off. Write down what you completed at the end of each day. Order 500 note cards and start sending handwritten notes. Quote of the Day: “Ownership over accountability. Own the actions, own the outcome.” — Gary Scott 🔗 Subscribe to the...
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The Difference Between Interested and Committed
The John Eades Podcast
There’s a world of difference between being interested in something and being committed to it. John shares a personal story, Inky Johnson’s powerful definition of concrete commitment, and why commitment is what carries you long after feelings fade. Quote of the Day: “Commitment carries you when feelings can’t.” 🔗 Subscribe to the daily newsletter: 📘 Get the Daily Optimism Blueprint ($17):
info_outlineA group of porcupines huddling together in winter provides an unlikely but powerful metaphor for leadership. In this episode, John Eades dives into the critical importance of direct dialogue and the necessity of difficult conversations for team performance, accountability, and growth.
You’ll learn:
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Why avoiding conflict is more harmful than facing it
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The 3-part formula for effective direct dialogue: Standards, Evidence, and Courage
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How to act on the truth behind Alex Hormozi’s quote: “Confronting someone in the short term always beats resenting them in the long term for things left unsaid.”
Whether you're leading a team, managing a project, or striving for healthier relationships, this episode will equip you to speak up, lean into conflict, and lead with clarity.