The Leadership Habit

Summary: Former Paralympian and Army veteran John Register joins The Leadership Habit to discuss leadership decision-making, resilience, and overcoming adversity. After losing his leg while training for the Olympics, Register rebuilt his life and became a Paralympic silver medalist. In this episode, he shares his “Amputate to Elevate” leadership philosophy, encouraging leaders to let go of indecision, outdated thinking, and limiting beliefs in order to adapt and move forward. The conversation explores leadership under pressure, leading through uncertainty, and the critical importance of decisive leadership for organizational growth and change. Leadership today requires more than vision. It requires the courage to make difficult decisions before all the answers are available. On the latest episode of the Leadership Habit podcast, John Register joined host Jenn DeWall for a conversation about resilience, leadership decision-making, and what it truly means to move forward after adversity. John’s story is remarkable. A decorated Persian Gulf War Army veteran and elite athlete, he was training for the Olympic Games when a devastating injury changed everything. After a missed hurdle caused severe damage to his leg, he made the life-altering decision to amputate above the knee. Instead of allowing that moment to define him, he adapted, rebuilt, and eventually became a two-sport Paralympic athlete and silver medalist. But this episode is about much more than athletics. It is about leadership under pressure and the decisions leaders avoid making every day. Meet John Register, Paralympic Silver Medalist John Register is a leadership keynote speaker, strategic advisor, Army combat veteran, Paralympic silver medalist, and co-founder of the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Paralympic Military Sports Program. Today, he helps organizations navigate change and uncertainty through his “Amputate to Elevate” philosophy, which focuses on removing what no longer serves you in order to move forward with clarity and purpose. Throughout the conversation, John shares lessons from military leadership, elite sports, and personal adversity that apply directly to today’s workplace challenges. The Leadership Cost of Indecision One of the biggest themes in this episode is indecision. According to John, many leaders already know what needs to change. The challenge is not awareness. The challenge is commitment. Whether it is addressing an underperforming employee, adopting new technology, changing strategy, or having a difficult conversation, leaders often stay stuck waiting for certainty that never comes. As John explains in the episode: “You know what you need to cut. You know you’ve been holding onto that thing for a very long time.” That hesitation creates organizational drag. Teams lose momentum. Problems linger. Innovation slows down. Employees lose confidence in leadership. In many organizations, the real issue is not a lack of strategy. It is a lack of decisive leadership. The “Amputate to Elevate” Leadership Philosophy John’s “Amputate to Elevate” philosophy challenges leaders to let go of what no longer supports growth. That might mean: Letting go of outdated systems Releasing limiting beliefs Moving on from ineffective processes Making difficult personnel decisions Re-evaluating priorities Accepting that old approaches may no longer work The concept is uncomfortable by design. Transformation is difficult because it requires leaders to become something different. As John explains, most people say they want transformation, but what they really want is transition. They want improvement without discomfort. Real growth rarely works that way. This is especially relevant in a business environment shaped by rapid technological change, shifting employee expectations, economic uncertainty, and AI disruption. Organizations that wait too long to adapt risk falling behind. The Resonance Model: A Framework for Leading Through Change A major portion of the episode focuses on John’s “Resonance Model,” which includes three stages leaders move through during change: Reckoning This is the stage where leaders recognize something is no longer working. However, many organizations stay stuck here because they resist acknowledging the real problem. John describes reckoning as the tension between wanting things to stay the same while simultaneously knowing change is necessary. Revision Revision is the planning and possibility stage. Leaders begin exploring options, considering new paths, and imagining different outcomes. This is where creativity and adaptability become essential leadership skills. Renewal Renewal begins when leaders commit to action. Once a decision is made, there is no returning to the previous version of reality. That commitment creates momentum, learning, and growth. John repeatedly emphasizes that nothing changes until action happens. “Nothing starts until the button is pushed.” For many leaders, this is the hardest step. Leadership Decision Making in Uncertain Times One of the strongest leadership lessons from this episode is the idea that certainty is an illusion. Leaders often delay decisions because they want more data, more confidence, or guarantees about outcomes. John references former Secretary of State Colin Powell and his “40/70 Rule.” The idea is simple: With less than 40% of the information, you likely do not know enough to decide. With more than 70%, you may already be waiting too long. At some point, leaders must act without perfect information. This mindset is critical for modern leadership development. Markets change quickly. Employee expectations evolve rapidly. Technology advances constantly. Teams need leaders who can make thoughtful decisions and move forward with confidence. Leadership Resilience Is Built Through Action Another powerful takeaway from this episode is that resilience is not passive. John did not become resilient because adversity happened to him. He became resilient because he continued moving forward after adversity. After losing his leg, he did not initially know about the Paralympic Games. He simply took the next step available to him by swimming for physical therapy. That one step eventually opened entirely new opportunities. That lesson applies directly to leadership. Leaders do not need to have every answer immediately. They need the willingness to move forward, learn, adapt, and continue making progress. Action creates clarity. Indecision creates stagnation. Why Leadership Development Matters More Than Ever This episode reinforces why leadership development cannot be treated as a one-time event. Strong leadership requires ongoing growth, adaptability, communication, and decision-making practice. Leaders need opportunities to strengthen their confidence, challenge limiting assumptions, and develop the skills necessary to lead through uncertainty. Organizations that invest in leadership development create leaders who are better equipped to: Navigate change Communicate clearly Make difficult decisions Build trust Adapt quickly Support employee engagement Create accountability Those capabilities matter now more than ever. Where to Find More From John Register Listen to the full episode Visit John Register’s website Connect with John on LinkedIn Ready to Strengthen Your Leadership Skills? Leadership growth does not happen by accident. It happens through intentional development, practice, and learning. If your organization is looking to improve communication, accountability, decision making, and leadership effectiveness, Crestcom’s complimentary Leadership Skills Workshop can help. The workshop is available virtually or in person for teams around the world. Learn more at: Crestcom Leadership Skills Workshop Source transcript:   The post Why Decisive Leadership Matters More Than Ever With John Register appeared first on Crestcom International.

Summary Most leaders step into their role without formal training. That gap often leads to uncertainty, hesitation, and missed opportunities to build trust early. In this episode of The Leadership Habit, Bruce Mayhew shares practical leadership skills for new leaders, focusing on building confidence, establishing trust, and creating a strong team culture from day one. Meet Bruce Mayhew Bruce Mayhew is a corporate trainer, keynote speaker, and author with over 20 years of experience helping leaders improve team performance and workplace culture. After working in leadership roles at Scotiabank, he saw how leadership directly impacts engagement, trust, and results. His latest book, The Path of an Inspired Leader, is designed as a practical guide covering more than 18 real-world leadership scenarios. Each chapter focuses on situations leaders face, from hiring and feedback to building trust and managing change.   Why Leadership Skills for New Leaders Matter More Than Ever Many professionals are promoted into leadership roles without the tools to succeed. They are expected to lead, but never taught how. As Bruce explains, this creates hesitation: “They don’t want to ruffle any feathers… they think they have to sit back and really learn the ropes for two months or six months.” The problem is not capability. It is a lack of clarity. New leaders often wait for permission instead of setting direction. But strong leadership requires stepping in early to shape the environment your team operates in.   What Confidence Really Means in Leadership One of the most important leadership skills for new leaders is confidence. But confidence is often misunderstood. It is not about having all the answers. Bruce reframes it clearly: “Confidence isn’t control… confidence isn’t knowing everything.” Instead, confidence looks like: – Being clear about the environment you want to create – Being willing to make mistakes – Trusting your team before they prove themselves Strong leaders do not walk in trying to prove their worth. They walk in reinforcing the value of others. How to Build Trust as a New Leader If there is one skill that defines effective leadership, it is trust. Trust is not built through speeches or titles. It is built through behavior. Bruce shares a powerful example of a leader who transformed a disengaged team in just weeks by focusing on trust and transparency. What did that leader do? – Spoke to people directly and consistently – Created a relaxed, human environment – Asked for input and feedback – Clearly shared a vision for the team The shift was immediate because people felt seen, heard, and safe. One simple but powerful reminder: “You can’t command respect. You have to give respect to get respect.” The same is true for trust.   Set the Tone Early Instead of Waiting A common mistake new leaders make is waiting too long to establish expectations. They observe. They analyze. They hold back. But your team is forming opinions immediately. Strong leaders take action early by: – Introducing themselves personally – Sharing how they lead – Setting expectations around communication and accountability – Creating clarity around team culture Even small actions, like where you sit or how often you engage, send strong signals. Leadership is always being interpreted. Turn Company Values Into Real Leadership Tools Many organizations have values posted on a wall or website. Few teams actually use them. Bruce offers a simple exercise that every leader can apply: Take your company values and discuss them with your team. Ask: – What does this value actually mean in our daily work? – What does it look like in action? – Where do we see gaps? This creates shared understanding and reduces confusion. You can go further by asking: – What additional values do we want to define as a team? When people help define expectations, they are far more likely to follow them. How to Handle Difficult Conversations as a Leader Avoiding difficult conversations is one of the fastest ways to lose credibility as a leader. Relationship building is crucial to becoming an effective leader. Bruce makes an important distinction: “Difficult conversations don’t have to be conflict… if you leave them alone, then they will become conflict.” The goal is not to avoid discomfort. It is to address it early. A simple leadership approach: – Set expectations for feedback from the beginning – Ask for permission to give input – Focus on improvement, not blame For example: If I see something that could help you improve, do I have permission to share it? This creates a culture where feedback is normal, not threatening. Leadership Is About Creating the Right Environment At its core, leadership is not about control. It is about creating the conditions where people can succeed. That includes: – Psychological safety – Clear expectations – Open communication – Accountability in both directions When those conditions exist, performance improves naturally. Without them, even strong teams struggle. Key Takeaways: Leadership Skills for New Leaders 1. Confidence comes from clarity, not control. 2. Trust is built through consistent, everyday actions. 3. Leaders should set the tone early, not wait. 4. Values should be defined and discussed as a team. 5. Difficult conversations prevent larger issues. 6. Leadership is about creating an environment for success. Where to Find More from Bruce Mayhew Bruce leaves leaders with a simple reminder: You do not need to have everything figured out to lead. You just need to start. Listen to the full episode today! Then, to learn more from Bruce Mayhew, you can: – Visit his website: brucemayhewconsulting.com – Connect on LinkedIn – Get his book: The Path of an Inspired Leader What’s Next? If you are developing new leaders or stepping into a leadership role yourself, the right tools make all the difference. Crestcom’s Leadership Skills Workshop helps leaders build confidence, improve decision-making, and strengthen team performance in just two hours. Request a complimentary workshop at crestcom.com/freeworkshop   The post Essential Leadership Skills for New Leaders with Bruce Mayhew appeared first on Crestcom International.

Summary Innovation at work rarely happens because leaders demand better ideas. It happens when leaders create the right conditions for ideas to emerge. In this episode of The Leadership Habit Podcast, creativity strategist Melissa Dinwiddie explains how leaders can spark innovation by encouraging experimentation, reducing perfectionism, and helping teams learn faster through small “micro-experiments.” Innovation is often described as a competitive advantage, but many organizations struggle to consistently generate new ideas. In this episode of The Leadership Habit Podcast, host Jenn DeWall speaks with creativity strategist Melissa Dinwiddie about how leaders can remove barriers to creativity and help their teams experiment, learn, and generate innovative solutions. Meet Melissa Dinwiddie, Creativity Instigator Melissa Dinwiddie is a Juilliard-trained dancer turned creativity instigator, innovation strategist, and author of The Creative Sandbox Way and Innovation at Work. She is the Chief Instigator and Lead Facilitator at Creative Sandbox Solutions, where she helps leaders and teams overcome creative barriers, strengthen collaboration, and unlock innovative thinking. Drawing from her background as a professional artist and creativity coach, Melissa developed practical frameworks that help teams move past perfectionism and rediscover the power of experimentation and play when solving complex problems. Why Innovation at Work Often Stalls Many organizations expect innovation, but unknowingly create conditions that prevent it. One of the biggest barriers is uncertainty. Innovation requires doing something new, which means stepping away from established best practices. For many employees, that feels risky. Another major barrier is perfectionism. High-performing professionals often believe every idea must be polished before it is shared. The result is hesitation, overthinking, and stalled progress. Melissa explains that when people feel pressure to be perfect, they often stop experimenting altogether. Instead of sharing unfinished ideas, they wait until something feels safe to present. Unfortunately, innovation rarely works that way. The Leadership Framework for Creating Innovation at Work Melissa introduces a simple approach called “Create the Impossible,” designed to help leaders break through barriers to innovation in the workplace. The framework encourages leaders to help teams explore ideas, experiment without fear of failure, and learn quickly from every attempt. The approach focuses on three behaviors that help teams move ideas forward. Play Hard: Encourage Exploration and Curiosity Play is not about wasting time. It is about exploration. When teams experiment, test ideas, and explore possibilities without immediate pressure to succeed, they unlock new perspectives and creative thinking. Exploration creates the mental space where innovation begins. Make “Crap”: Break the Perfectionism Barrier Innovation requires generating many imperfect ideas before discovering the best ones. Melissa explains that low-fidelity ideas help teams bypass perfectionism and restore momentum. When people feel safe producing imperfect work, they become more willing to experiment and share ideas. Learn Fast: Turn Experiments Into Insights The final step focuses on learning from every experiment. Instead of obsessing over whether an idea is perfect, teams focus on what they can learn from each attempt. Organizations that learn quickly improve faster and maintain a steady pace of innovation. Three Practical Micro-Experiments to Spark Innovation on Your Team Melissa’s book, Innovation at Work, includes 52 micro-experiments that leaders can run with their teams. These small exercises help teams think differently without requiring large workshops or lengthy innovation sessions. Here are three examples discussed in the episode. The “Crappy First Draft” Exercise Teams set a timer for ten minutes and deliberately create a terrible first draft of an idea or project. The goal is not quality. The goal is momentum. By removing pressure to be perfect, the exercise helps people move ideas forward and encourages open idea sharing. Silent Sync: Equalizing Participation in Meetings In this exercise, team members write ideas simultaneously in a shared document without speaking. This prevents meetings from being dominated by the loudest voices and ensures every team member has the opportunity to contribute ideas. For leaders managing diverse personalities, this technique helps create a more inclusive and balanced conversation. Make It Smaller: Turning Big Ideas Into Action When a project feels overwhelming, leaders ask one simple question: What is the smallest version of this that would still create value this week? Breaking large goals into smaller steps reduces anxiety and helps teams move from thinking to action. Where to Find More From Melissa Dinwiddie Connect with Melissa Dinwiddie on LinkedIn Visit her website at MelissaDinwiddie.com Subscribe to her YouTube Channel Innovation Leadership Is About Creating the Right Conditions One of the most important insights from the episode is that innovation does not start with better ideas. It starts with better conditions for ideas to emerge. When leaders create environments that encourage experimentation, psychological safety, and curiosity, innovation becomes a natural outcome. Instead of waiting for breakthrough ideas, teams begin generating them consistently. Small experiments like the ones Melissa shares help leaders shift their team culture toward exploration and continuous improvement. Listen to the Full Leadership Habit Podcast Episode In this episode of The Leadership Habit Podcast, Jenn DeWall speaks with Melissa Dinwiddie about how leaders can spark innovation at work through experimentation, creativity, and psychological safety. Listen to the full episode HERE. Want More Leadership Insights? If you’re exploring how leaders can strengthen innovation at work, these additional leadership resources may also be helpful: How to Escape the Delegation Trap with Atiba de Souza How to Drive Results as a Leadership Coach with Will Linssen How to Prepare for High-Stakes Conversations with Amy K. Hutchens These conversations explore leadership skills that help managers strengthen communication, empower teams, and improve performance. How to Strengthen Leadership and Innovation on Your Team Innovation grows when leaders know how to build trust, encourage new ideas, and help teams think independently. If you want to strengthen those capabilities across your organization, request a complimentary two-hour leadership skills workshop. Visit crestcom.com/freeworkshop to learn more. Frequently Asked Questions About Innovation at Work What helps teams become more innovative at work? Teams become more innovative when leaders create psychological safety, encourage experimentation, and allow space for imperfect ideas to develop. Why do many organizations struggle with innovation? Innovation often stalls because employees feel pressure to be perfect or fear making mistakes. This prevents experimentation and idea sharing. How can leaders encourage innovation on their teams? Leaders can introduce small experiments, encourage creative thinking, and focus on learning quickly rather than getting everything right the first time. The post How to Spark Innovation at Work with Melissa Dinwiddie appeared first on Crestcom International.

Employee engagement is at its lowest point in more than a decade. Many organizations are filled with talented, capable people who want to contribute, yet hesitate to take action. The missing link is often not skill or motivation. It is empowerment. In a recent minisode of The Leadership Habit, host Jenn DeWall delivers a focused masterclass on how empowerment drives better decisions, stronger ownership, and sustainable performance. This episode explores why empowered leaders and teams consistently outperform those operating in environments of hesitation and dependency.   Why Empowerment Matters More Than Ever Low engagement, burnout, and slow decision-making are becoming common challenges across industries. Teams are capable, but without clear authority, confidence, and trust, they often wait for approval instead of taking initiative. As Jenn explains in the episode: “Empowerment is equipping people with the authority, confidence, information, and psychological safety to make meaningful decisions.” Without these elements, leaders become bottlenecks. Projects stall. Innovation slows. Accountability weakens. Empowerment is what turns leadership development into measurable business impact.   What Does Real Empowerment Look Like? In the minisode, Jenn outlines four essential components of empowerment: 1. Authority: People must know what decisions they are allowed to make. 2. Confidence They need training, support, and trust to act effectively. 3. Information They must have access to the right data, tools, and context. 4. Psychological Safety They need to feel safe taking risks without fear of punishment. When even one of these is missing, hesitation grows, and performance suffers.   The ABCs of Self-Empowerment Empowerment does not start with policies or programs. It starts with leaders themselves. Jenn introduces the ABC framework for self-empowerment: A: Know What You Own Understand which decisions belong to you and which can be delegated. B: Trust Your Judgment Waiting for perfect information increases stress and delays results. C: Give Yourself Permission to Decide You will never feel 100 percent ready. Progress requires action. As Jenn reminds listeners: “Not making a decision is still a decision.” Avoiding choices often creates bigger problems than making an imperfect one.   How Empowered Leaders Reduce Burnout and Decision Fatigue Many leaders struggle with decision fatigue after managing constant demands. Over time, this leads to hesitation, stress, and disengagement. In the episode, Jenn shares practical ways to overcome this: Make important decisions earlier in the day Limit unnecessary options Set time limits for decision-making Avoid major choices when tired, overwhelmed, or emotionally flooded Build reflection habits to strengthen confidence She also encourages leaders to regularly document wins to reinforce self-trust and momentum.   Delegation That Builds Leaders, Not Dependency One of the most powerful sections of the minisode focuses on delegation. Too often, leaders delegate tasks without context. This creates dependency rather than growth. Jenn distinguishes between task delegation and thinking delegation. When you delegate tasks, you may say something like, “Do this. Follow these steps.” However, if you are delegating thinking, it may sound more like, “Here is the desired outcome, how would you approach this?” To delegate effectively, leaders must provide: Information – Relevant facts, expectations, and constraints Why – The purpose behind the work Authority – Clear permission to decide When these elements are present, teams make faster, smarter decisions and require less supervision.   The Benefits of Empowered Teams When empowerment becomes part of workplace culture, organizations experience: Higher engagement Faster decision-making Greater innovation Increased accountability Improved retention Stronger leadership pipelines Jenn summarizes it clearly: “You can’t empower others if you can’t empower yourself.” Empowered leaders create empowered organizations. Want to Go Deeper into Empowered Leadership? If you want to take a deeper dive into empowered leadership, the first step is to listen to the full episode! Then, explore Crestcom’s additional leadership resources designed to help leaders apply these principles in real-world settings, including: The Empowerment eBook An on-demand empowerment webinar You can also request a complimentary leadership skills workshop to bring these concepts directly to your team. The post Minisode: Empowerment, Engagement, and Better Decisions at Work appeared first on Crestcom International.

Leadership does not stand still. It changes as people change, as work changes, and as expectations evolve. In this special spotlight episode of The Leadership Habit, host Jenn DeWall speaks with Heather Rosenfeld, a Crestcom franchise owner celebrating 20 years of leadership development experience. Heather’s perspective is grounded in real-world application. Over two decades, she has worked with leaders across industries, generations, and shifting workplace norms. Her insights reveal not only how leadership has changed, but also what leaders must do to remain effective today. Meet Heather Rosenfeld Heather Rosenfeld is a Crestcom franchise owner and Area Representative serving the Massachusetts market since 2005. Originally from the United Kingdom, Heather built her early career working with diverse teams before transitioning into leadership development in the United States. In her 20 year tenure with Crestcom, she has facilitated hundreds of leadership workshops, helping leaders move from task-focused management to people-centered leadership. Heather believes leadership development is a lifelong journey — one that shapes both professional success and personal growth. How Leadership Has Changed Over the Last 20 Years Over the past two decades, leadership expectations have shifted in fundamental ways. Changes in workforce dynamics, communication norms, and employee expectations have reshaped how leaders are expected to show up every day. In this episode, Heather and Jenn discuss how the core responsibility of leadership remains the same, but how leaders achieve results has evolved significantly. From Authority-Based Leadership to Engagement Twenty years ago, leadership often relied on hierarchy and authority. Leaders gave instructions, and teams were expected to follow. Today, effective leadership looks very different. Heather explains that modern leaders must focus on engagement, collaboration, and shared purpose. Employees want to understand how their work matters and how they contribute to outcomes. Leadership has shifted from control to connection. Leadership in an Era of Constant Change Change has always existed in organizations, but the pace has accelerated dramatically. Technology, market shifts, and evolving workforce expectations mean leaders are navigating overlapping changes rather than isolated ones. Heather highlights that while change is faster, human reactions to change remain the same. Leaders must recognize resistance, provide support, and guide people through uncertainty with empathy and clarity. Managing a Multigenerational Workforce One of the biggest leadership shifts over the past 20 years is generational diversity. Leaders today may be working with up to five generations at once, each with different communication styles, motivations, and expectations. Heather emphasizes that successful leadership requires self-awareness and adaptability. There is no single leadership style that works for everyone. Leaders must learn to bring different perspectives together while fostering alignment and trust. What’s Still the Same: Leadership Is Still About People Despite advances in technology and changes in work structure, one truth remains constant: leadership is about people. Heather stresses the importance of trust, listening, and meaningful connection. Email and messaging tools may improve efficiency, but they do not replace human interaction. Trust is built through conversations, curiosity, and consistent engagement, not just transactions. 4 Leadership Lessons From 20 Years of Experience In this episode, Heather shared four clear leadership lessons she has learned over the last two decades: 1. Maintain a Teachable Attitude Leaders who thrive remain open to learning. A growth mindset allows leaders to adapt, reflect, and improve rather than resist change. 2. Listen With Intention Leadership effectiveness increases when leaders listen more than they speak. Asking questions and staying curious builds stronger relationships and better outcomes. 3. Set Clear Expectations Many leadership challenges stem from unspoken assumptions. Clear norms around communication, technology use, and collaboration reduce friction and confusion. 4. Lead the Whole Person Leadership development impacts more than performance. The skills leaders build at work influence confidence, relationships, and decision-making beyond the workplace. Continue the Conversation Leadership growth does not happen in isolation. If Heather’s perspective resonated with you and sparked reflection on how your own leadership has evolved (or needs to), this is an opportunity to keep the conversation going. Be sure to listen to the full episode to get all of Heather’s insights! You can connect with Heather Rosenfeld on LinkedIn to follow her insights, engage in leadership conversations, and learn more about the work she does supporting leaders and organizations through meaningful development. If you are exploring what leadership development could look like for your team, Crestcom also offers a complimentary two-hour Leadership Skills Workshop designed to introduce practical tools leaders can apply immediately. The post Crestcom Spotlight: How Leadership Has Evolved Over 20 Years With Heather Rosenfeld appeared first on Crestcom International.

As we close out a strong year for The Leadership Habit Podcast, we are revisiting three standout conversations that resonated most with listeners. These episodes sparked reflection, challenged assumptions, and gave leaders practical ideas they could use right away. This final post in our Best of 2025 series features a topic that matters in every workplace: trust. In this episode, host Jenn DeWall sits down with executive coach and culture strategist Andrea Wanerstrand to explore what it really takes to build trust in leadership. Their focus is refreshingly practical. Trust is not built through big speeches or one-time gestures. It is built through consistency in how leaders communicate, make decisions, and show up day after day. Andrea explains how inconsistency can create uncertainty and stress, even when leaders have good intentions. She introduces a simple leadership framework centered on Authenticity, Autonomy, and Accountability. Together, these behaviors help leaders create clarity, reduce fear-based reactions, and strengthen team performance over time. This episode is a strong reminder that trust is not a soft skill. It is a performance driver. When leaders lead with consistency, teams feel safer, communication improves, and people are more willing to take ownership and contribute ideas. We are grateful for the conversations we had in 2025 and excited to bring more fresh voices and real-world leadership insights in 2026. Until then, this episode is a powerful one to revisit if you want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and credibility. Listen to the Best of 2025 episode: The Secret to Building Trust in Leadership with Andrea Wanerstrand Ready to strengthen trust in your team? Request a complimentary two-hour leadership workshop at crestcom.com/freeworkshop. The post Best of 2025: Building Trust in Leadership with Andrea Wanerstrand appeared first on Crestcom International.

Make a Purpose Pivot in the New Year As we wrap up another incredible year on The Leadership Habit Podcast, we are revisiting three of our most impactful conversations from 2025. These episodes sparked reflection, inspired change, and created real momentum for leaders across industries. To celebrate the year, we are launching a short series called Best of 2025. Our first featured episode returns to a listener favorite: How to Make a Purpose Pivot: Finding Balance and Fulfillment with Melissa Gonzalez. In this conversation, Melissa shares how leaders can step back, realign their energy, and redefine what meaningful success looks like. Her insights continue to resonate, especially during moments of transition and year-end reflection. This replay is the perfect reminder that leadership growth often begins with a pause. As you prepare for the year ahead, Melissa Gonzalez offers a powerful guide for reconnecting with intention and building a more balanced approach to work and life. We look forward to bringing even more innovative voices and fresh perspectives to The Leadership Habit Podcast in 2026. Until then, enjoy this standout episode and revisit the ideas that shaped our conversations this year.   The post Best of 2025: How to Make a Purpose Pivot with Melissa Gonzalez appeared first on Crestcom International.

The latest episode of The Leadership Habit Podcast welcomes globally recognized leadership coach Will Linssen to discuss how leaders can drive measurable results through better coaching. Hosted by Jenn DeWall, this conversation explores what separates good leaders from great ones and why sustainable leadership growth depends on one crucial shift: moving from know-how to show-how. Leadership coaching has become one of the most effective ways to enhance results and strengthen teams, especially when paired with comprehensive leadership development programs. Meet Will Linssen, Executive Coach and Author Will Linssen is one of the world’s top executive coaches and the CEO of Global Coach Group. Named the world’s number one leadership coach by Global Gurus and the top coach trainer by Thinkers50, Will is also a Master Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the highest professional designation in the field. He is a number one Amazon international bestselling author and serves as an advisor to the Harvard Business Review, shaping global conversations around leadership development, coaching, and performance growth. Will’s work has influenced more than 100,000 leaders worldwide through data-driven coaching frameworks designed to deliver measurable impact for leaders, their teams, and their organizations. Why Leadership Coaching Matters More Than Ever Leadership today is harder than ever. Teams are stretched thin, priorities are constantly shifting, and leaders are expected to balance results, engagement, and well-being all at once. As Jenn DeWall noted during the episode, “Being a leader today is challenging. Being a coach is hard, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the tools or best practices within it.” Will agrees—and he believes much of the problem starts with how we prepare people to lead. “Most people never got any education in people skills,” he explains. “They step into leadership roles without preparation, and organizations just say, ‘Now it’s up to you.’ It’s like becoming a parent with no manual.” That gap between what leaders know and what they actually do creates frustration, burnout, and disengagement. It’s why many leaders, despite their best intentions, struggle to truly develop their teams or sustain results. From Know-How to Show-How One of Will Linssen’s central insights is that most leaders don’t fail because they lack knowledge—they fail because they lack application. “Most leaders we work with already know the right thing to do,” he says. “The challenge isn’t know-how. It’s show-how—doing the right things consistently so it impacts the people around them.” When leaders are overwhelmed, buried in meetings, or constantly reacting to problems, their good intentions don’t translate into meaningful behavior. As Will puts it, “When things heat up, the show-how suffers, and that’s how leadership effectiveness suffers.” This approach echoes the principles discussed in Crestcom’s Be the Coach They Need training module, which focuses on helping leaders turn awareness into consistent behavior. By choosing just two key areas to improve—and committing to practice those behaviors daily—leaders can make visible, lasting progress. The Triple Win Approach At the core of Will’s method is the idea of a Triple Win—helping leaders grow, improving team performance, and achieving better organizational results simultaneously. He explains, “We reverse engineer success. We define what success looks like for the leader, the team, and the business, then build a plan to get there.” This data-backed approach has been tested with more than 100,000 leaders worldwide, achieving a remarkable 95% success rate in measurable improvement. Here’s how the framework works in practice: Choose two leadership growth areas. Focus on the skills that matter most to both the leader and their team—such as empowerment, decision-making, or stakeholder management. Create a business case for change. Show how improving in these areas benefits not just the individual leader but the entire team and organization. Engage coworkers in feedback. Involve team members in providing suggestions and observations about the leader’s growth areas. Implement and measure progress. Use quarterly reflections and pulse surveys to track improvement from the perspective of both the leader and the team. This process not only creates accountability but also builds shared ownership of the change. “Leadership,” Will emphasizes, “is about co-creating change with coworkers. When the leader and the team work together, performance must increase. It always works.” Building a Culture of Feedback and Accountability Even with a solid process, many organizations struggle with one key challenge—getting honest feedback. Employees often hold back from sharing candid observations out of fear of retaliation or hierarchy. Will’s advice is simple but powerful: create psychological safety from the start. “Before sending out a 360-degree survey, ask the leader to send an email inviting open and honest feedback,” he says. “When leaders show humility and curiosity, people respond with candor.” This step transforms a typical evaluation into a collaborative experience. Will adds, “When coworkers see that the leader is serious about improving and that their input is valued, they become part of the change process.” He also emphasizes combining quantitative data from surveys with qualitative insights from behavioral interviews. This two-part approach provides a complete picture of a leader’s strengths and development opportunities—and helps avoid blind spots that pure numbers can miss. Will’s approach also reinforces the value of building a coaching culture, where feedback, accountability, and trust fuel performance improvement at every level. Turning Feedback into Lasting Habits Of course, insight alone doesn’t drive change—action does. Will recommends that leaders invest about 2% of their monthly work time—roughly four hours—into reflection and implementation. “Five minutes a day and a little discipline go a long way,” he explains. This consistent, focused effort turns new behaviors into habits that eventually shape culture. Over time, leaders move from conscious practice to automatic execution, and their teams begin to mirror that growth. Jenn DeWall summarizes it well: “Leadership isn’t about grand gestures. It’s about small, consistent actions that improve how we think, behave, and interact.” Coaching Through Challenges Even the best coaching plans face resistance. Some leaders struggle to control emotions, others lose focus or motivation. Will stresses the importance of addressing these issues directly through honest conversation and self-reflection. “When something goes wrong, ask: what was the impact of my behavior?” he says. “You always have the right to be upset—but it comes with consequences. If you want better results, you have to choose different behavior.” That mindset—taking responsibility for one’s influence—is what separates average leaders from exceptional ones. As Will notes, “It’s not about perfection. It’s about progress. Pick two things you’re excited to improve, involve your team, and stick with it.” Creating a “We” Movement Perhaps the most powerful message from the episode is Will’s reminder that leadership is not a solo journey. “Leadership coaching for leaders getting better is actually simple,” he says. “It’s not about more know-how. It’s about show-how. And the coworkers are the holy grail of creating forward momentum—because now it becomes a we movement, not a me movement.” That shift—from self-improvement to collective growth—is what creates lasting cultural change. When leaders model vulnerability, consistency, and collaboration, their teams follow. Where to Learn More Listen to the full episode for all the great insights Will and Jenn have to offer! Then, to explore Will Linssen’s proven approach in greater depth, check out his book, Triple Win Leadership Coaching, available on Amazon and major booksellers. And if this episode inspires you to strengthen your own leadership skills, Crestcom offers a powerful next step. You can request a complimentary two-hour leadership workshop designed to help your team enhance decision-making, build trust, and increase accountability. Visit crestcom.com/freeworkshop to get started.   The post How to Drive Results as a Leadership Coach with Will Linssen appeared first on Crestcom International.

In this episode of The Leadership Habit Podcast, host Jenn DeWall talks with Melissa Gonzalez, retail strategist, experiential designer, and author of The Purpose Pivot. Together, they explore how professionals and leaders can reconnect with what truly drives them—realigning their work, energy, and values to create a more fulfilling life. Gonzalez’s insights go beyond traditional career advice. She challenges the belief that constant busyness equals success and offers a practical roadmap for creating balance, purpose, and sustainable growth. Whether you’re leading a team or navigating your own next chapter, this conversation invites reflection on what it means to live and lead with intention. Why Every Leader Needs a Purpose Pivot Many leaders are running on autopilot—meeting after meeting, day after day—without pausing to ask if their actions truly align with their goals. In the podcast, Melissa Gonzalez explains that a purpose pivot is about stepping back, taking inventory, and asking: Am I creating the life I want to lead? Her inspiration for The Purpose Pivot came after a personal health crisis that forced her to slow down and reassess her priorities. Through that experience, she realized that wellbeing isn’t something to fit in “after work”—it must be part of how we lead and live every day. “Wellbeing shouldn’t be a side project,” Gonzalez says. “It deserves equal importance to your career growth.” The purpose pivot is about moving from busyness to impact—recognizing that filling your calendar isn’t the same as creating value. For leaders, this often means shifting from the mindset of doing more to doing what matters most. Overcoming the Challenge of Prioritizing Wellbeing Despite knowing the importance of rest and reflection, many high achievers still struggle to prioritize themselves. Gonzalez explains that this difficulty stems from how success is often measured—by how much we accomplish, not by how intentionally we live. She encourages professionals to ask key questions: Does this activity energize me or deplete me? Am I working out of obligation or genuine purpose? What would happen if I made space for reflection instead of rushing to the next task? In her book, Gonzalez includes an exercise where readers list what energizes them versus what drains them. This simple reflection often reveals patterns—time spent on tasks that deplete energy far outweighs the time spent on what brings joy or motivation. Taking time to reflect doesn’t slow progress—it fuels it. By giving yourself permission to pause, you create mental clarity, emotional balance, and stronger decision-making capacity. Building Trust in Yourself and Your Team As Gonzalez explains, purpose-driven leadership is rooted in trust—trust in others and trust in yourself. Many leaders resist delegating because they fear losing control or worry others won’t deliver at the same level. This lack of trust leads to burnout and exhaustion. True leadership, Gonzalez says, involves trusting your team to rise to the occasion while also trusting that you don’t have to carry everything alone. Jenn and Melissa also discuss self-trust, which can be even harder to cultivate. Self-trust means believing that you’ve prepared enough, done enough, and can let go when necessary. It’s recognizing when additional effort will no longer change the outcome and giving yourself grace to rest. Learning to delegate and release control not only improves wellbeing—it helps leaders model healthy behavior for their teams. When leaders demonstrate balance and confidence, others feel permission to do the same. How to Make Your Own Purpose Pivot Making a purpose pivot isn’t about quitting your job or overhauling your life overnight. It’s about intentionally adjusting how you spend your time and energy so that your daily actions reflect your long-term goals. Melissa Gonzalez outlines several strategies to begin this journey: Pause and Reflect. Schedule moments of quiet to check in with yourself. Reflection is not a luxury—it’s the foundation for clarity and creativity.  Define Your Why. As Simon Sinek famously said, knowing your “why” brings direction and motivation. Identify what excites you and where you feel most fulfilled.  Set Boundaries. Protect time for thinking, rest, and relationships. Saying no to what doesn’t align is an act of leadership.  Celebrate Small Wins. Break large goals into milestones—25%, 50%, 75%—and celebrate each one. Progress builds confidence and momentum.  Trust the Process. Growth takes time. Learn to let go of perfection and embrace progress instead. A purpose pivot is not about doing everything—it’s about focusing on what’s most meaningful. The Power of Reflection and Recalibration One of the most powerful lessons from The Purpose Pivot is the importance of reflection. Gonzalez reminds us that most leaders don’t stop long enough to acknowledge how far they’ve come. Without reflection, progress can feel invisible, leaving even accomplished professionals feeling stuck or unfulfilled. By pausing to celebrate small achievements, you reinforce your sense of purpose and prevent burnout. Gonzalez also emphasizes that transitions are recalibration moments—opportunities to reassess what’s working and what needs to change. Whether you’re starting a new role, leading a new team, or entering a new phase of life, these transitions offer a chance to adjust, grow, and realign. Where to Find More From Melissa Gonzalez Visit MelissaGonzalez.com Connect on LinkedIn Buy her book: The Purpose Pivot Leadership Growth Through Purpose: The Crestcom Connection At Crestcom, we believe that the most effective leaders combine professional competence with personal awareness. Leadership isn’t just about achieving results—it’s about understanding yourself and guiding others with purpose, empathy, and authenticity. Crestcom’s leadership training programs are designed to help leaders make their own purpose pivot. Through monthly learning experiences, practical action plans, and accountability coaching, participants learn to balance ambition with wellbeing—creating teams that thrive on trust, collaboration, and continuous growth. Like Melissa Gonzalez’s message, Crestcom’s approach to leadership development centers on reflection and application. Leaders are encouraged to identify what energizes them, build emotional intelligence, and focus on meaningful impact instead of mere activity. The result is not just better leaders—but stronger organizations and healthier workplace cultures. Take the First Step Toward Purpose-Driven Leadership A purpose pivot isn’t a one-time event—it’s an ongoing practice of alignment between your values, goals, and actions. As Melissa Gonzalez reminds us, success isn’t about how much you do, but about how intentionally you live and lead. Listen to the full episode of The Leadership Habit Podcast featuring Melissa Gonzalez to discover how to make your own purpose pivot and begin leading with clarity and confidence. Ready to explore your own leadership journey? Visit crestcom.com/freeworkshop and request a complimentary leadership workshop for your team! Frequently Asked Questions What is a purpose pivot? A purpose pivot is a moment when you pause, reflect, and realign your career or leadership approach to better match your values and long-term goals. How can leaders balance success and wellbeing? By redefining productivity, setting boundaries, delegating effectively, and prioritizing self-care alongside professional achievement. Why does self-trust matter in leadership? Self-trust allows leaders to make confident decisions, delegate without guilt, and recover from setbacks with resilience. How can Crestcom help me grow as a purpose-driven leader? The Crestcom LEADER program helps leaders develop emotional intelligence, communication skills, and self-awareness through experiential learning and accountability.   The post How to Make a Purpose Pivot: Finding Balance and Fulfillment with Melissa Gonzalez appeared first on Crestcom International.

What will it take to lead in the year 2030? In this episode of The Leadership Habit Podcast, Crestcom’s Jenn DeWall speaks with leadership strategist and author Caroline Stokes about the critical mindset shifts leaders must make to stay relevant in a world defined by artificial intelligence, climate disruption, and societal transformation. From emotional intelligence to radical listening and future-ready leadership systems, this conversation challenges old paradigms and offers a practical path forward. Caroline invites leaders to step into the uncertainty—not with fear, but with curiosity, courage, and the willingness to reinvent themselves and their organizations. Meet Caroline Stokes Caroline Stokes is an executive recruiter, leadership coach, futurist, and the founder of Workplace EQ. She is the author of Elephants Before Unicorns: Emotionally Intelligent HR Strategies to Save Your Company and her most recent book, AfterShock to 2030: A CEO’s Guide to Reinvention in the Age of AI, Climate, and Societal Collapse. Drawing on decades of experience at companies like Sony and Disney, Caroline now works with founders, boards, and executives to build emotionally intelligent, trauma-aware, and adaptive leadership systems. She has spoken at the World Bank and the United Nations, and her insights appear in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and other leading publications. Leadership in a Polycrisis Era Caroline begins by identifying the defining feature of our current moment: we’re living in a polycrisis era—an interconnected web of challenges that include AI disruption, climate change, economic instability, and societal unrest. “We all have to reinvent our nervous system to be able to evolve in this particular age,” she explains. “It means doing it at a much faster pace than ever before.” This isn’t just about learning new technology. It’s about changing the way leaders show up emotionally, psychologically, and strategically. Traditional models of top-down leadership are no longer effective in an environment where employees are under unprecedented levels of stress. The Emotional Reality of Leadership in the Age of AI Many leaders today are navigating exhaustion, outrage, and anxiety—right alongside their teams. Caroline explains that many people are stuck in a stress response: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. She says: “We’re all pretty much paralyzed in some way to understand and comprehend the challenging environment that we see ourselves in.” This emotional context cannot be ignored. Whether it’s burnout, distrust, or the rising cost of living, Caroline emphasizes that leadership is emotional and psychological. CEOs can no longer separate performance from well-being. Caroline asks: “If you haven’t got the basics satisfied, how can you expect people to perform at a high level?” This is a direct challenge to leaders who try to motivate with perks or platitudes. A free yoga class won’t matter if your employees are worried about putting food on the table. Why Emotional Intelligence Still Wins Even in the age of artificial intelligence, emotional intelligence remains the most human and most powerful leadership skill. “AI is not emotionally intelligent. It can’t show empathy. It doesn’t care. That’s still our job.” Caroline urges leaders to go beyond performative empathy and instead practice radical listening—a deliberate effort to create space for honest feedback, without judgment or fear. “We’re trying to understand where the themes are, where the gaps are, where the opportunities are… and to put everybody’s ego on the line.” This shift isn’t about being soft. It’s about being real, responsive, and ready to act on what your team actually needs. Reinventing the CEO Mindset To lead through disruption, CEOs must embrace what Caroline calls a “blank slate” mindset. That means letting go of outdated goals and assumptions—especially those tied to unbridled growth. She explains: “We have left the old paradigm. The past is firmly in the past. We’re in a new paradigm, and it requires us to have a different mindset.” Caroline explains that growth targets and OKRs rooted in pre-pandemic expectations are no longer realistic—or responsible. “We’re not going to achieve growth right now. The world that we had previously experienced in previous decades just isn’t happening anymore.” Instead, leaders should build future-ready leadership systems that reflect current realities. That includes involving employees in shaping new goals, acknowledging the emotional toll of change, and aligning strategies with both performance and sustainability. Hope Is a Leadership Strategy With all the uncertainty ahead, is there still room for hope? Caroline says yes—but it must be grounded in reflection, not toxic positivity. “Hope can only be found once you’ve actually done the work.” In her book, AfterShock to 2030, she provides CEOs with tools to reflect, reset, and reimagine their leadership approach. The goal is to create transformation—not just for the organization, but for the individuals within it. “If we don’t have that hope, how are we… It’s very hard for people to get out of bed in the morning.” Leadership today demands resilience, self-awareness, and a willingness to change. And for those willing to do the work, Caroline believes there is a real opportunity to lead with purpose and make a meaningful impact. Where to Connect with Caroline Stokes Want to learn more from Caroline? Here’s where to find her: Check out her website: theforward.co Buy her latest book: AfterShock to 2030 Listen to her Podcast: Aftershock: Leadership for the Fifth Industrial Revolution Connect on LinkedIn: Caroline Stokes Want to Build More Emotionally Intelligent Leaders? At Crestcom, we help organizations develop the soft skills that drive hard results. Our interactive leadership development programs empower managers to lead with curiosity, compassion, and confidence. If you are interested in learning more, get started with a free, live-facilitated leadership skills workshop for you and your team. Click here to learn more: crestcom.com/freeworkshop Listen to the Full Episode This episode of The Leadership Habit is packed with insight, strategy, and a fresh perspective on what leadership must look like to thrive in the future! 🎧 Listen now: The Leadership Habit Podcast If you found this conversation valuable, share it with someone ready to lead with purpose in the face of change.   The post Emotional Intelligence Still Matters in the Age of AI with Caroline Stokes appeared first on Crestcom International.

Leaders know that keeping a team innovative is easier said than done. The pressure to deliver results, stick to timelines, and avoid mistakes can stifle the very creativity that sparks breakthrough ideas. But what if leaders could borrow a proven process from one of the most successful creative teams in entertainment history? In a recent episode of The Leadership Habit Podcast, Rob Kutner and John Krewson shared how the Saturday Night Live (SNL) approach to creating sketches can inspire leaders to spark creativity, embrace iteration, and launch winning ideas. Meet John Krewson and Rob Kutner John Krewson is the founder and CEO of Sketch Development Services, a two-time member of the Inc. 5000 list, and a former comedian who even appeared on an episode of SNL in 1997. With a background in both entertainment and software development, John has a unique perspective on how to blend creativity and business strategy. Rob Kutner is an award-winning comedy writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Conan, and more. For the past six years, he has taught sketch comedy writing at Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television. Together, John and Rob co-authored Pitch, Sketch, Launch, a book that applies the principles of sketch comedy to team innovation. 1. Start with a Flood of Ideas On SNL, the week kicks off with a high-energy pitch session where anything goes. As John described, “This is a no-holds-barred, no ideas are bad ideas brainstorming session.” Around 100 ideas are generated, knowing that only a handful will make it to air. Leaders can use this approach by creating safe spaces for idea generation where quantity comes before quality. Removing judgment in the early stages gives your team the freedom to think bigger. Try this: Schedule a weekly 30-minute “idea jam” with no evaluation—just contribution. 2. Iterate Quickly and Often John emphasized that creativity is rarely instant perfection: “The best solutions do not emerge fully formed from the thigh of a great leader.” Instead, they’re the product of steady, incremental improvement. In business, this is an essential creative leadership strategy. Keep projects small and self-contained so you can evaluate, adjust, and move forward without being bogged down by weeks of sunk effort. Try this: Break projects into two-week sprints with a review session at the end of each cycle. 3. Create the Freedom to Fail Rob pointed out that in comedy, mistakes are part of the process: “Freedom to make bad pitches” is a core value. Even seasoned professionals start with “not this, but something like it” ideas to spark the right solution. For leaders, encouraging failure in early stages prevents fear from killing creativity. Make it clear that less-than-perfect ideas are stepping stones to the winning concept. Try this: Reward contributions to the process, not just final results. Publicly acknowledge when a “bad” idea inspired a breakthrough. 4. Keep the Boss Out—At First Reflecting on his own career, Rob shared that hierarchy can unintentionally stifle creativity: “We couldn’t really pitch when Conan was in the room.” Even with a supportive leader, the pressure to impress can limit bold thinking. Leaders should step back in the early creative phases, then rejoin when ideas are ready for refinement and alignment with business goals. Try this: Assign a peer facilitator for brainstorming sessions and review ideas as a group later. 5. Stay Anchored to End-User Value Rob also stressed the importance of keeping the audience—or in business, the end user—front and center: “Is this enhancing the desired end user value?” On SNL, the metric is simple: did it make people laugh? In business, your “laugh” is the value your customer receives. Try this: Define your team’s “end-user value” and revisit it during every project review. Where to Find More From John and Rob You can connect with John Krewson on LinkedIn, or learn more about John’s work at sketchdev.io and find Pitch, Sketch, Launch on Amazon in print, e-book, and audiobook formats. In the audiobook, you’ll hear sketches performed by a comedy team—bringing their concepts to life in a fun and memorable way. Rob can be found on LinkedIn and at robkutner.com, where he shares his comedy and writing projects. Bring More Creativity to Your Leadership Crestcom’s leadership training programs are designed to help leaders apply practical strategies—like the ones shared here—to inspire innovation, strengthen teams, and achieve results. In our interactive workshops, you’ll learn proven techniques to foster leadership and creativity, build trust, and adapt quickly to change. Discover how you and your team can unlock your creative potential—request a complimentary leadership skills workshop today.   The post Pitch, Sketch, Launch Your Team’s Creativity with John Krewson and Rob Kutner appeared first on Crestcom International.

What happens to a business when its founder is ready to step away? Too often, legacy companies are absorbed, shuttered, or changed beyond recognition. But what if there were a better way—one that preserves the company’s culture, protects jobs, and gives employees a meaningful stake in its future? In this episode of The Leadership Habit podcast, host Jenn DeWall sits down with John Abrams, co-founder of South Mountain Company and author of From Founder to Future, to explore the growing movement of employee-owned businesses. Whether you’re a business owner planning for succession, a leader interested in sustainable growth, or simply curious about new organizational models, this episode is a must-listen. Meet John Abrams, Founder and Author John Abrams founded South Mountain Company in 1973 and spent nearly 50 years turning it into one of the highest-scoring B Corps in the world. In 1987, he transitioned the company to a worker cooperative—at a time when there were only a dozen such businesses in the U.S. Today, he’s a leading voice on employee ownership and runs a consulting firm helping others do the same. “My only goal was to leave the company in the best shape it’s ever been,” Abrams reflects. “And as I look at it now, it’s in better shape than that.” Employee Ownership Isn’t Just a Trend—It’s a Solution Employee ownership isn’t just a feel-good concept—it’s a proven way to address economic inequality, increase engagement, and build more resilient businesses. Abrams highlights the stark economic disparity that has grown over the past few decades, pointing out that at the end of the 1970s, the typical corporate CEO earned roughly 20 times the typical worker’s salary. Today, that ratio is more than 250 to 1. This widening gap has left many workers feeling disillusioned and undervalued. In contrast, employee-owned companies offer a model where profits, decision-making, and purpose are shared more equitably among employees. Studies have shown that these organizations tend to have higher retention, better morale, and stronger long-term performance. In a moment when Americans are seeking more stability and fairness at work, employee ownership offers a powerful solution. There’s More Than One Path to Ownership Many leaders assume that converting to employee ownership means launching an ESOP—and nothing else. But as Abrams explains, there are three primary structures: ESOPs (Employee Stock Ownership Plans), which are tax-advantaged and ideal for larger businesses Worker Cooperatives, which emphasize democratic governance and are common in smaller organizations Employee Ownership Trusts, popular in the UK and gaining traction in the U.S., which allow founders to sell their companies to employees through a trust structure Abrams urges founders to explore all options: “There’s no right answer to this. Every business is different. Each has its own culture, its own values, its own aspirations.” By understanding these pathways, leaders can choose the structure that best aligns with their company’s size, goals, and values, ensuring a smoother transition and greater long-term success. Succession Planning Is an Urgent Need According to Project Equity, nearly half of privately held businesses in the U.S. are owned by people over the age of 55. That means millions of businesses will change hands or cease to exist over the next 15 to 20 years. Yet most small businesses have no succession plan in place. Abrams calls this a silent crisis: “Trillions of dollars will change hands in the coming years, and many of those businesses will close or be sold to private equity. Employee ownership offers another way.” Instead of shuttering companies or watching their missions erode under new ownership, founders can consider selling to their employees. This protects jobs, preserves local economies, and honors the culture they’ve worked so hard to build. It’s not just succession—it’s legacy planning. Culture Matters More Than Control One of the most surprising myths about employee ownership is that it leads to chaos or a lack of leadership. Abrams flips that idea on its head: “Employee-owned companies need stronger leadership, not weaker. The key is separating what decisions owners make from what managers lead.” He also encourages business owners to view every new hire as a potential owner, which shifts how companies recruit and develop talent. Hiring for long-term alignment, rather than just immediate skills, ensures a stronger culture over time. Culture is one of the strongest predictors of employee engagement, and that’s critical right now. Gallup’s 2025 State of the Global Workplace report shows that only 21% of employees worldwide are actively engaged at work. Companies that create a sense of shared purpose, transparency, and involvement—hallmarks of employee-owned businesses—have a significant competitive edge when it comes to attracting and retaining top talent. Redefining Growth for a Sustainable Future Many leaders are pressured to pursue growth for growth’s sake, but Abrams argues for a more mindful approach. “There’s another word besides growth—and that is ‘enough.’ Sometimes, enough is enough.” He challenges the notion that success is only measured by expansion or shareholder returns. Instead, he encourages leaders to define growth in terms of depth, not just scale: getting better, not just bigger. This mindset isn’t anti-profit. In fact, it can lead to more sustainable, values-aligned success. Abrams calls it the “triple bottom line”: profit, people, and planet. Companies that adopt this framework prioritize long-term health, community well-being, and employee satisfaction, rather than pursuing quarterly wins at all costs. As he puts it, “The ideology of continuous growth… that’s the ideology of the cancer cell.” True leadership means knowing when growth serves the mission—and when it undermines it. Why It Matters Leadership isn’t just about profits—it’s about purpose and legacy. This episode is a timely reminder that how we structure businesses has a direct impact on employee engagement, community resilience, and long-term sustainability. As Abrams puts it, “We can all share in the bounty.” Employee ownership isn’t a radical concept—it’s a practical solution for preserving what matters most in business: people, culture, and impact. Where to Find More from John Abrams Buy his book: From Founder to Future: A Business Roadmap to Impact, Longevity, and Employee Ownership. Check out his consulting firm, Abrams & Angell Connect on LinkedIn Looking to strengthen your leadership bench or plan for long-term success? 🔗 Request a Complimentary Leadership Skills Workshop   The post Why Employee Ownership Matters More Than Ever with John Abrams appeared first on Crestcom International.

What causes a well-intentioned, capable leader to become the kind of boss that leaves employees feeling disengaged or demoralized? That’s the central question of this episode of The Leadership Habit podcast. Host Jenn DeWall sits down with Jamie Woolf—CEO of Creativity Partners and former Director of Culture at Pixar Animation Studios—to explore the concept of power blindness and the common derailers that turn good humans into bad bosses. Whether you’re in a leadership role or aspiring to be, this episode offers an honest and compassionate look at how power, pressure, and blind spots can undermine the very qualities that make someone a strong leader. The good news? With self-awareness and reflection, these behaviors can be corrected. Meet Jamie Woolf, CEO of Creativity Partners Jamie Woolf brings more than 30 years of experience in organizational behavior and workplace culture. As the first Director of Culture at Pixar, she helped shape environments that nurtured creativity and trust. Through her consultancy, Creativity Partners, Jamie has worked with Google, DreamWorks, Gilead, and other major organizations to develop leaders who elevate teams through clarity, emotional intelligence, and humanity. Her work focuses on bringing more respect, trust, and authenticity into the workplace, starting with understanding your own influence as a leader. Why Good People Become “Bad” Bosses Many “bad boss” behaviors don’t stem from malice but from stress, blind spots, or outdated mental models of leadership. Jamie introduces the idea of power blindness—when leaders forget what it feels like to be on the receiving end of their authority. A simple behavior, like canceling a one-on-one meeting or sending late-night emails, can unintentionally signal disrespect or unrealistic expectations. Recognizing Leadership Derailers Even well-meaning leaders have derailers—traits that show up under stress and negatively impact their teams. Using the Hogan Assessment as a framework, Jamie explains how a strength like enthusiasm can morph into over-intensity, or how cautiousness can become paralysis. Leaders must learn to recognize when their “strengths in overdrive” are doing harm. Feedback: A Leadership Superpower Feedback can be hard to hear, especially when it challenges how we see ourselves. But as Jamie Woolf reminds us, it’s one of the most important tools a leader has to grow. “It’s our ego—we humans have fragile egos,” she says. “So just take a beat and let your physiology settle. Even the word feedback can trigger a physical reaction.” Instead of jumping into defensiveness, Jamie recommends slowing down and getting curious. She offers a practical tip: ask yourself, “Where is maybe 5% of truth in this, even if 95% I might disagree with?” That mindset shift allows leaders to stay open without immediately dismissing what’s being said. Jenn also notes that many leaders hear the same feedback over and over but still act surprised. “It’s wild,” she says. “You likely heard a variation of that feedback from your spouse, your boss, your child—but we still pretend it’s new.” Jamie adds, “That’s because our strengths, when overused, become our shadow sides. Passion becomes intensity. Caution becomes paralysis. Feedback helps us recognize those patterns—if we’re willing to hear it.” How to Increase Self-Awareness Self-awareness isn’t a one-time realization—it’s a daily practice. Jamie encourages leaders to ask reflective questions often, such as: “Have people disagreed with me recently?” “Am I talking more than listening in meetings?” “How is my stress showing up in my body, and is it rippling out to my team?” These aren’t just hypothetical questions—they’re a self-check for power blindness. “Just knowing that by virtue of your title, people are treating you differently is a game-changer,” Jamie says. “If your team meetings are too harmonious or too courteous, that’s a red flag. People may not feel safe enough to tell the truth.” Before any meeting, she recommends taking a moment to pause and ask yourself, “What’s my intention? How do I want to show up?” That simple practice can help leaders act with more clarity, humility, and openness. Repairing Leadership Mistakes Even the best leaders have bad days, but what separates a great boss from a bad one is what they do next. According to Jamie, it starts with accountability. “Say you got too defensive or shut someone down,” she says. “You don’t just say, ‘Sorry, I was having a bad day.’ You reach out and say, ‘Here’s how I showed up. I’ve been thinking about what you said. Here’s the gem I found in your feedback, and here’s what I’m going to do differently.” That kind of repair is what builds real trust over time. “Self-blame is still ego-driven,” she explains. “It’s not about beating yourself up. It’s about recognizing the gap between your intention and your behavior—and then course correcting.” Jenn sums it up simply: “We all show up as less ideal versions of ourselves. Every single person you’ve encountered does. But growth starts when we admit it and choose to lead better.” Where to Find More From Jamie Woolf Want to explore Jamie’s work and resources in more depth? Here’s where to connect: creativity-partners.com Email: jamie@creativitypartners.com Coming soon: Download the Power Blindness Assessment and watch Jamie’s TED Talk on the same topic. Want to Become a Better Boss? Leadership isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being aware. If you’re ready to develop your emotional intelligence, enhance your leadership skills, and unlock your team’s full potential, Crestcom is here to help. Sign up for a complimentary Leadership Skills Workshop where you’ll learn practical ways to build trust, strengthen communication, and improve accountability across your team. Request your free workshop here.   The post Why Good Humans Become Bad Bosses with Jamie Woolf appeared first on Crestcom International.