419. AMMA — The Harsh Truth About Leadership Nobody Wants to Hear
The Game Changing Attorney Podcast with Michael Mogill
Delivering tough feedback out of care
Michael urges giving candid feedback because it helps people grow, distinguishing caring from ruinous empathy.
Most people want growth, but they surround themselves with people who quietly convince them to slow down.
In this episode of The Game Changing Attorney Podcast, Michael Mogill pulls back the curtain on what leadership really demands when the decisions you make are unpopular, misunderstood, or impossible to explain. From the hidden weight leaders carry to the emotional price of high standards, Michael breaks down why the toughest calls often define your future more than your biggest wins. If you have ever questioned whether doing the right thing was worth the fallout, this conversation will hit home.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Why great leaders are often criticized for decisions no one else has the full context for
- How to deliver tough feedback without sacrificing trust, connection, or standards
- What it takes to stay focused on long-term growth without being influenced by complacent people
If you want to rise above the noise, start by refusing to lower your standards for anyone.
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01:44 — How Michael and Jessica celebrate after the Summit with pizza, and an intentional return to routine the next morning.
04:06 — Why the reward for work done well is often greater responsibility and higher expectations.
05:22 — How human biology pushes us toward comfort and why resisting that instinct is essential for growth.
07:12 — How listeners consume the AMA in wildly different ways and why Michael keeps the show ad-free as a way to pay it forward.
07:50 — The part of leadership no one warns you about, where you make decisions others will not understand and still carry the blame.
10:18 — How holding someone accountable reflects deeper care than avoiding the hard feedback they need to grow.
13:22 — Why ego is often the biggest barrier to improvement and how people rationalize away criticism that could actually help them advance.
16:57 — Why your leadership style must align with your authentic values instead of whatever culture trend is circulating online.
21:26 — How the culture you build determines who you attract, who you repel, and the pace at which your organization can grow.
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Links & Resources:
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Past guests on The Game Changing Attorney Podcast include David Goggins, John Morgan, Alex Hormozi, Randi McGinn, Kim Scott, Chris Voss, Kevin O’Leary, Laura Wasser, John Maxwell, Mark Lanier, Robert Greene, and many more.
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If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like:
- 275. Kim Scott — The Power of Radical Respect
- 245. Sheila Heen — How to Master Difficult Conversations
- 25. Kim Scott — Radical Candor: How to be a Kickass Boss
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