Leadership isn’t just about vision. Instead it’s about showing up in the everyday moments if you want to shape great teams, cultures, and results.

There’s myth that some people are “born leaders” but in today’s episode, leadership expert Dr. Scott Allen shares why leadership is learned, practiced, and most importantly, deeply personal.

In this episode you will learn:

• Why the idea of “natural-born leaders” is outdated
• The science behind charisma (and how to develop it)
• What leadership styles have in common with golf clubs
• The difference between authority and influence—and why influence wins
• Why “thinking partners” are essential for every leader
• How to combine knowledge, skill, mentorship, and experience for true growth

Timestamps:

00:14 – Are leaders born or made?

01:49 – What science says about charisma and learnable leadership

03:48 – How problem-solving, negotiation, and communication can be developed

06:00 – Leadership styles and the “golf club” metaphor

08:42 – Making leadership training stick: from hacks to habits

09:43 – Why self-awareness is foundational to great leadership

12:08 – Character, curiosity, and the power of learning

13:02 – Can self-awareness be taught?

15:36 – Curiosity as a leadership superpower

17:02 – Coaches who deflect blame vs. leaders who take ownership

18:12 – Empathy, ego, and the limits of expertise in leadership

20:26 – Why catchers make great managers

21:43 – Influence: the real heart of leadership

24:07 – Trust as the currency of leadership

25:48 – Influence tactics: from logic to coalitions

28:18 – Timing and persuasion in leadership conversations

30:01 – Why knowledge alone isn’t enough—real-world learning is essential

33:22 – The five domains of leadership learning

35:27 – Creating learning organizations with psychological safety

37:54 – The role of thinking partners in leadership development

41:04 – How to find (and build) your bench of thinking partners

46:57 – Why one partner won’t solve everything—and that’s the point

49:01 – “Who you are is how you lead” – Scott’s favorite leadership quote

50:39 – Final thoughts on responsibility, reflection, and showing up for others

About the Guest:

Dr. Scott J. Allen is an award-winning educator, keynote speaker, and leadership expert.

With over 17 years as a professor and more than 60 peer-reviewed publications, Scott brings academic rigor, humor, and real-world insight to every engagement.

He's co-authored several books on leadership and hosts Practical Wisdom for Leaders—a podcast ranked in the top 2.5% globally. He also publishes a weekly newsletter for busy practitioners, highlighting four leadership articles.

Scott energizes audiences at marquee organizations such as Toyota Motor North America, Cleveland Clinic, NASA-Glenn, Nestlé, Progressive, Whiting Turner, Sam's Club, the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, and Progressive through his dynamic keynotes, workshops, and retreats.

Whether on stage or in the boardroom, Scott’s expertise in leader development, the future of work, and executive communication empowers leaders to drive meaningful, lasting change.

Resources & Mentions:

• Connect with Scott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-j-allen/
• Visit Scott's Website:

Damon Lembi never set out to become a podcaster. But 2 years, 160+ episodes, and thousands of conversations later, he can say this with confidence: podcasting has been the single most transformative tool in his professional growth.

In this solo episode, Damon breaks down the 8 ways podcasting has made him a better leader, communicator, and human being and why every professional should seriously consider stepping behind the mic.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

- Why podcasting is the ultimate communication gym

- How storytelling on-air can make you more persuasive off-air

- What podcasting does for your confidence and clarity

- The hidden networking power that comes with each episode

- Why podcasting forces you to become a better listener and improviser

- How hosting a show accelerates your learning and thought leadership

- The simple way to turn one podcast guest spot into 10 pieces of content

- Why your personal brand matters (even if you don’t think it does)

Timestamps:

00:00 – Damon’s confession: The one unexpected thing that changed his career

00:35 – #1: How podcasting sharpened his communication

01:10 – #2: Why repetition made him a better storyteller

01:50 – #3: Overcoming fear and building confidence through reps

02:30 – #4: 10x network growth—and the power of asking

03:00 – #5: How the mic made him a better listener at work and at home

03:45 – #6: Learning to improvise and build trust fast

04:20 – #7: The accelerated learning effect (and why it feels like free coaching)

05:15 – #8: How podcasting helped him build a real, visible personal brand

06:10 – Guesting vs. hosting: Where to start and what tools to use

06:50 – Why you don’t need followers—just courage

07:10 – A final reflection: Podcasting made me better. It can do the same for you.

Resources & Mentions:

Episode with Marques Ogden: https://youtu.be/dqsRJhGIeFI?si=98MKdtArx30guTBE

Episode with Stephen M.R. Covey: https://youtu.be/iP6cnAqNwIc?si=pl6lCTHKgM9v-sn5

Episode with Doug Conant: https://youtu.be/418p49ClihY?si=YuLozGLm4VsFXM1B

Episode with Dr. Jessica Kriegel: https://youtu.be/TUJ-8zUolI4?si=UNYpf_LwQ5pzi2Ni

Episode with Matt Dixon: https://youtu.be/0LpEfvxsOYs?si=mAEJwxIREFnmeg3g

PodMatch: Tool to book guest spots: https://www.podmatch.com/

Opus Clip to make podcast clips: https://www.opus.pro/

Pat Flynn’s Guide: How to Start a Podcast in 2025: https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/

Connect With Us:

Level up your sales team at Learnit.com

Email us: podcast@learnit.com

Follow Damon on LinkedIn

Follow Damon on Instagram

The traditional way of selling in B2B businesses no longer works. Win rates are at an all-time low. Sales reps are burning out faster than ever. Quotas are missed quarter after quarter. And so what are teams trying? To just do more. More calls. More demos.

But the solution isn’t more. First, you have to break the cycle you are stuck in.

In today’s episode, Damon is joined by Dave Brock. He’s a legendary sales advisor, executive coach, and author of The Sales Manager Survival Guide. He's here to break down what’s wrong with the way we train sales teams today, and how modern leaders can build cultures that actually drive performance.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why most sales teams are stuck and what it really takes to break the cycle
• How business acumen and curiosity outperform slide decks and sales pitches
• The real reason tenure is shrinking in sales and what to do about it
• How to coach your team effectively
• What Dave is building with AI and why it might be the future of learning

Timestamps:

00:00 – What’s going wrong in sales today?

02:10 – Why win rates are declining and panic is missing

05:27 – Are people losing their drive to achieve?

07:34 – COVID’s effect on employee disconnection

08:49 – Culture, belonging, and why people leave

10:32 – What great leaders do differently

12:22 – The math doesn’t work: ramp time vs. tenure

15:56 – How short-term thinking hurts everyone

16:36 – Why most sales cycles end in no decision

18:59 – The key to building trust: problem-first conversations

21:23 – The pitch is dead—long live collaboration

23:39 – Why salespeople lack business acumen

24:42 – The real role of subject matter experts

26:20 – The $500k SDR: a credibility case study

29:23 – Where to find your next great SDR

31:15 – Brand damage from bad conversations

33:56 – One-size-fits-all coaching doesn't work

34:55 – What frontline managers get wrong

36:58 – Directive vs. non-directive coaching

38:56 – Coaching inside every conversation

42:32 – Using improv to teach collaborative coaching

44:59 – Coaching in “cracks of time”

45:54 – What’s changed since The Sales Manager Survival Guide

47:52 – Preview of Dave’s next book: Sales Executive Survival Guide

49:05 – Using AI as a debate partner, not a crutch

51:25 – Learning faster through collaborative AI tools

53:59 – Dave’s master prompt strategy for ChatGPT and Claude

54:18 – What keeps Dave curious after decades of success

56:35 – What extreme sports and Wu-Tang taught him about innovation

59:28 – Why mentoring high schoolers keeps him sharp

Resources Mentioned:

• Partners in EXCELLENCE Blog
• Follow Dave Brock on LinkedIn
• Sales Manager Survival Guide by Dave Brock

If you want to be a successful leader in today’s fast paced world, stop focusing on just hitting your targets in business. Instead, you need to focus on understanding your team, so that they can help you achieve more than you could on your own. But how do you do that?

In today’s episode, Damon is joined by Kerry Rockers, an executive coach, HR veteran, and passionate advocate for helping leaders build more human-centered workplaces.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why great coaching isn’t about fixing people, but about helping them hear their inner voice again
• How to navigate career pivots with clarity and confidence
• The difference between leading and managing—and why it matters now more than ever
• Why HR is more strategic than it’s ever been
• Simple shifts to help your team find meaning in their work

Timestamps:

00:20 – The true goal of coaching: helping people remember what they already know

02:14 – Coaching the ambitious vs. the stuck: what’s different?

03:34 – What makes someone “coachable”?

04:26 – Kerry’s journey from HR executive to full-time coach

06:47 – How HR has evolved in the past 20 years

07:50 – Making the leap to entrepreneurship (even if it’s unexpected)

09:26 – How to approach a career pivot with intention

12:19 – Why experimenting and networking is key to a successful transition

13:58 – Tools for gaining clarity on what you want next

15:44 – How to learn in a way that works for you

16:40 – Why more people are searching for meaning in work

18:07 – How Kerry helps clients discover their values

19:52 – The calendar and checkbook audit: aligning time and values

20:20 – How managers can help their team feel more connected to their work

22:21 – Listening for values in everyday conversations

23:52 – One simple way to become a better listener

24:52 – A powerful 1:1 question Kerry uses to surface meaning

26:36 – What to do if you’re not good at receiving feedback

28:03 – The trust cost of canceling 1:1s

30:02 – What a “stay interview” is and why every manager should use it

33:12 – How to keep top talent even when change isn’t possible

33:44 – One mindset shift middle managers need to build trust

35:50 – The story of the leader who helped Kerry make a pivotal leap

39:23 – Tools for increasing self-awareness (and why it matters)

42:08 – Can self-awareness be taught?

43:18 – How StrengthsFinder helped one client reframe chaos into purpose

45:46 – How to work better with different strengths on your team

47:07 – Final thoughts on intentionality, curiosity, and leadership

About the Guest:

Kerry Rockers is a certified executive coach and former global HR executive with over two decades of experience. Kerry has consulted and coached leaders across multiple business lines and functions (Technology, Digital Channels, Wholesale Banking, Corporate Support teams etc.) with significant experience working internationally. Her business acumen and broad experience working with teams and leaders during times of change help her quickly understand her coaching client's challenges.

Resources Mentioned:

• Kerry Rockers' Website
• Connect with Kerry on LinkedIn

In this solo episode, Learnit CEO and bestselling author Damon Lembi shares 12 powerful truths he’s learned over the years that he wishes someone had told him in his 20s.

From managing money and making bold career moves, to saying no, navigating failure, and redefining your identity, Damon gets real about the missteps and wake-up calls that shaped who he is today.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

- Why time—not money—is your most valuable asset

- How to stop making decisions you’ll regret

- A 5-part plan to take control of your finances (without needing to be a CPA)

- What most people get wrong about failure

- How to know when it’s time to quit the job, relationship, or habit

- Why your job title isn’t your identity—and what matters more

- A mindset shift that makes confidence inevitable

- The secret to avoiding burnout (especially if you're a top performer)

- How living abroad can completely change the way you lead

Timestamps:

00:35 – #1: Time is the only asset you can’t get back

02:00 – Why you need to be intentional about your relationships

03:00 – Are you overworking or failing to delegate?

04:00 – #2: Money management tips Damon wishes he learned earlier

06:00 – #3: Stop making emotional decisions—use “purposeful awfulizing”

07:30 – #4: Get comfortable with failure (and why not trying is the real risk)

08:10 – #5: Don’t stay stuck—recognize the sunk cost fallacy

09:00 – #6: Life isn’t linear—adaptability is the superpower

10:30 – #7: Take action—confidence comes from reps, not perfection

11:45 – #8: Learn to say no—and avoid the “VIP curse”

13:00 – #9: Don’t avoid tough conversations (especially as a leader)

14:30 – #10: Your identity isn’t what you do—it’s who you are

15:40 – #11: You’ll regret the chances you didn’t take

16:50 – #12: Travel, live abroad, and widen your worldview

17:55 – Damon’s challenge to listeners: Pick one, apply it this week

About Damon Lembi:   

Damon Lembi is a 2x bestselling author, the host of The Learn-It-All Podcast, and CEO of Learnit – a live learning platform that has upskilled over 2 million people. Drawing from his prior baseball career, Damon brings an athlete’s perspective to leadership. Through his journey, he has gained invaluable insights into what helps organizations grow, how great leaders learn, and why learn-it-all companies outpace their competitors every time. 

Resources & Mentions:

Damon’s book: The Learn-It-All Leader: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZXKR784?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_4NRSE6WY9TWPASVJZ2H2

Gary Ridge’s book: Any Dumb Ass Can Do It: https://a.co/d/hTV9gD0

Erin Lewellen and Tilting Futures: https://www.tiltingfutures.org: https://tiltingfutures.org

Connect With Us:

Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com

Email us: podcast@learnit.com

Follow Damon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi/

Follow Damon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonlembi/

Have you ever wondered what it takes to succeed in a high-stakes business?

It’s not a simple life. There’s things to gain, but also things to lose. Today’s episode is an incredible cautionary tale for those of you who are building your way to success.

In today’s episode, Damon is joined by Butch Meily, former PR strategist to Reginald Lewis, a leveraged buyout dealmaker, and now humanitarian—to discuss his powerful memoir From Manila to Wall Street.

In this episode you’ll learn

• Why proximity to power can be both a blessing and a burden
• The personal cost of chasing high-level success
• What business titan Reginald Lewis taught Butch about leadership, identity, and pressure
• How Butch transitioned from PR executive to global humanitarian
• Why “ordinary lives” often lead to the deepest happiness
• And so much more.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro to Butch Meily

00:29 – The cost of attaching yourself to powerful people

01:30 – Why Butch finally wrote his memoir

02:36 – Who the book is for and how it's structured

03:50 – Butch’s first meeting with Reginald Lewis

05:17 – Reg’s early PR battle and the New York Times story

07:10 – Getting screamed at in a Bentley: Butch’s first ride with Reg

08:49 – The emotional toll of working under constant pressure

10:35 – Life regrets and the wisdom of Barbara Bush

12:10 – Can you have both success and happiness?

14:02 – Leveraged Buyouts 101 + the Beatrice takeover story

18:55 – Where Reg’s courage really came from

20:10 – Reg’s mantra: Keep going no matter what

22:18 – The role of luck and hard work

23:27 – Why America is still the land of opportunity

25:03 – Butch’s “candy cane” vision of America vs. Reg’s experience as a Black man

27:14 – The pressure of being “not a Black success—but an American success”

29:21 – The Hamptons mansion fire: real-life suspense

34:12 – Reg passes away, then Butch’s father dies days later

37:39 – Butch is fired—then brought back by an unexpected new CEO

40:12 – How Loyda Lewis led with grace, faith, and fierce business savvy

42:34 – Would Reg like the book? And why Butch wrote it now

44:36 – Butch’s new life: humanitarian work and startup mentorship

46:01 – Final lesson: why “ordinary” is extraordinary

Resources Mentioned:

• From Manila to Wall Street by Butch Meily
• Butch Meily LinkedIn
• Butch Meily’s Website
• Reginald F. Lewis Museum

About the Guest:

Butch is the author of the memoir, From Manila to Wall Street – An Immigrant’s Journey With America’s First Black Tycoon.

Butch’s current job is President of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), a private sector disaster management organization that includes the major business groups in the country. He helped found PDRF,...

Mentorship isn’t a box to check or a corporate initiative to roll out. It’s a deeply human exchange that only works when it’s honest, unforced, and rooted in trust.

In today's episode, Damon is joined by Award-winning Researcher, Author and Founder of The Mentor Project, Dr. Deborah Heiser, who is here to challenge everything we think we know about what it means to be a mentor.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The essential ingredients that make mentorship actually work
• Why most formal mentorship programs fall short
• Why vulnerability is the often-missing key to meaningful connection
• How to reframe mentorship if you feel too busy or not “qualified” to be one

Timestamps:

00:01 – Intro to Deborah Heiser and her book The Mentorship Edge

00:17 – The story of Vinny and Fred: how a casual conversation changed a life

05:01 – Deborah’s definition of mentorship through a psychologist’s lens

06:55 – Why mentorship needs trust, intrinsic motivation, and connection

08:30 – What most companies get wrong about mentorship

09:32 – Deborah’s career pivot: From studying depression to studying joy

11:56 – How her nursing home research helped change federal policy on depression

14:33 – The difference between generativity, generosity, and reciprocity

16:11 – Everyday examples of being generative without realizing it

18:35 – Why formal workplace mentorships often backfire

22:07 – A space shuttle story: how lateral mentorship helped save an astronaut

24:39 – What is lateral mentorship, and why it matters

33:31 – The story of the “two Steves” (Jobs & Wozniak) and unsung mentorship

37:00 – How to find mentees: look to your left and your right

38:20 – Why advice only works when it’s built on trust

39:43 – Where to learn more about Deborah’s work

About Deborah:

Deborah Heiser, Ph.D., is an applied developmental psychologist, author, and thought leader in mentorship and personal growth. She is the founder and CEO of The Mentor Project, a global nonprofit connecting experts like Nobel laureates and astronauts with mentees to foster innovation and leadership. Her latest book, The Mentorship Edge, launched on November 13, explores the transformative power of mentorship in creating meaningful connections and empowering individuals to thrive at any stage of life. With her work featured in Psychology Today and other leading outlets.

Resources Mentioned:

• Follow Deborah on LinkedIn
• Visit Deborah’s website
• The Mentorship Edge by Deborah Heiser
• Learn more about Deborah’s The Mentor Project
• Deborah’s articles on Psychology Today
• Erik Erikson’s theory of generativity
• STS-114 NASA mission

Connect with Us:

• Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings:...

What happens when life throws something at you that you didn’t see coming?

In this personal solo episode, Damon opens up about a life-altering diagnosis that challenged his vision—both physically and metaphorically.

Whether you're navigating personal challenges or professional setbacks, this episode offers a roadmap to move forward with resilience, community, and purpose.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The surprising diagnosis that reshaped Damon’s outlook on leadership and life
• How to reject the victim mindset and replace it with gratitude
• The role of community and connection in overcoming struggle
• How constraints can actually sharpen your leadership and focus
• What it means to lead by example—especially when life gets hard

Timestamps

00:00 – Damon introduces a personal story about unexpected adversity

00:48 – Early signs something was off—on the tennis and basketball court

01:30 – A trip to the optometrist turns serious

01:55 – Diagnosis: PRPH2, a rare degenerative eye disease

02:35 – Processing the fear, uncertainty, and future ahead

03:00 – The 5-step playbook for facing adversity

03:20 – Step 1: Acceptance—“There is no cure, but I can move forward”

03:50 – Step 2: Refuse the victim mentality—"Why not me?"

04:40 – Step 3: Faith—in family, skills, and what you can control

05:10 – Step 4: Community—why you don’t have to go through it alone

05:55 – Foundation Fighting Blindness and the power of peer groups

06:30 – Step 5: Lead by example—turning constraints into strengths

07:05 – Lessons for his kids and why vulnerability builds strength

07:50 – The final takeaway: adversity is inevitable, but it doesn’t define you

08:10 – Connect with Damon to share or seek support

Resources Mentioned:

• Foundation Fighting Blindness

Connect With Us

• Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com
• Email us: podcast@learnit.com
• Follow Damon on LinkedIn