How Gratitude and Grace Build Resilient Leaders with Chris Visami
Release Date: 10/22/2025
Your Next Level Requires You to Play Offense
The John Eades Podcast
Most leaders are good. Some are really good. But a lot of them are playing with a ceiling they don't even know they have. Not because of talent. Because of how they're choosing to show up. "Life rewards those who play offense. Not the most prepared, not the most talented, but the ones willing to step up, take the risk, and go for it." In this episode, John breaks down why leaders default to defense, how to build the skill and confidence to play offense in yourself and your people, and the three things that actually move the needle when your team is ready but still won't take the shot. ...
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AI Fluency: The Skill Every Leader Needs Now
The John Eades Podcast
In this episode of The John Eades Podcast, I sit down with Charlene Li, author of Winning with AI, to unpack one of the biggest shifts leaders are facing right now. Not just how to use AI… but what it means for your role, your team, and your identity. At one point, Charlene tested AI against her own thinking. The results were uncomfortable. The AI was 80% as good as her. That moment forced a deeper question. If AI can do most of what you do… what actually makes you valuable? We talk about what AI really is, why so many leaders are either overestimating or underestimating it, and what...
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The Length of Adversity
The John Eades Podcast
If this episode encouraged you, share it with someone walking through a difficult season. Use your gifts.
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Employee Engagement Isn’t a Perk Problem, It’s an Experience Problem
The John Eades Podcast
Jacob Morgan has spent years studying what actually drives employee engagement, and what leaders keep getting wrong. In this wide ranging conversation, we unpack why most engagement efforts turn into short term “dopamine hits” like perks and programs, and why they never solve the real issue. We talk about the difference between employee engagement and employee experience, the cost of disengagement for both the employee and the organization, and how AI is changing the pressure on performance and expectations. Jacob also breaks down a simple framework from his new book and explains how...
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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...
info_outlineIn this powerful episode, former professional baseball player and performance coach Chris Visami 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:
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How to control what matters most and release what doesn’t
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Why “micro moments” shape your character and leadership impact
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The 4 G’s that guide Chris’s life: Grind, Grace, Gratitude, and Great
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How to reframe struggle as a classroom for growth
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The simple morning habit that sets the tone for your entire day
Key Quote:
“Start every day with gratitude and end it with grace.”
If you’ve ever faced adversity or simply want to lead yourself and others more intentionally, this episode will inspire you to focus on the things that truly count.
You can see if the Teamwork Advantage is right for you or your team here.