#25: How Great Leaders Think - Integrity, Impact & Making Things Happen

Nov 19, 2025

Mike Maughan, an executive with Smith Entertainment Group and co-founder of Five for the Fight, dives into the essence of impactful leadership. He discusses his transformative work on Salt Lake City's urban core, emphasizing the importance of community in billion-dollar projects. Maughan shares insights on the growing value of in-person connections amidst AI's rise, and the necessity of integrity and collaboration in leadership. He argues against chasing passion, instead advocating for solving meaningful problems, and highlights the importance of humility in leadership.

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INSIGHT

Different Beats 10x Better

Being different is often easier and more effective than being 10x better.
Differentiation can create outsized impact when 10x improvement isn't feasible.

INSIGHT

Urban Cores Need Singular Anchors

Urban cores need intentional, generational investment or they decay into 'donuts'.
Singular entities like teams and symphonies anchor downtown revitalization.

ADVICE

Double Down On In-Person Experiences

Prioritize in-person live events as digital experiences increase.
Use shared, hard experiences to create lasting social connection and demand.

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Before helping lead the transformation of Salt Lake City’s urban core, Mike Maughan’s journey was shaped by discipline, faith, service, and a belief that leadership is defined by integrity above everything else.

In this conversation, he shares how he built his career across organizations with massive community impact, from Qualtrics to Smith Entertainment Group, and the lessons behind navigating billion-dollar city projects, activating live experiences, and helping bring an NHL team to Utah. He breaks down the principles that great leaders use to build trust, make clear decisions, and “never get blocked,” even in environments filled with complexity.

He reflects on the power of in-person connection in the age of AI, the importance of working with good people, and why ego and humility must coexist for leaders to scale. From frameworks for choosing what matters to the truth about toxic cultures, he explains why solving meaningful problems creates better careers than chasing passion.

A grounded masterclass in clarity, purpose, and impact, proving that real leadership is built on service, courage, and the commitment to make things happen.

Follow Mike - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MikeMaughan
Follow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen

Timestamps:
0:00 — Why Being Different Beats Being 10x Better
1:25 — Transforming Salt Lake City’s Urban Core
5:26 — The Value of In-Person Connection in the AI Era
8:42 — A Framework for Choosing What Actually Matters
10:02 — Working With Good People & Recognizing Integrity
14:15 — The Cost of Toxic Environments
19:03 — Don’t Chase Passion — Solve Big Problems
25:05 — Ego + Humility: The Rare Leadership Combo
31:01 — Building Five for the Fight & Meaningful Causes
36:23 — Service as a Competitive Advantage
43:36 — How Great Leaders Deliver Hard News
57:44 — Bringing an NHL Team to Utah & Making Vision Real

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Hashtags:
#Leadership #PurposeDriven #ScalingImpact #CommunityBuilding #HighPerformance #AIandHumanConnection #SportsBusiness #FoundersMindset