the Learn-It-All™ podcast 259: The Hidden Framework Behind Every High-Growth Partnership | Phil Hayes-St Clair
97% of business deals aren’t made in isolation—they’re forged through partnerships, trust, and strategic alliances. In this dynamic episode of the Learn-It-All™ podcast, host Damon welcomes executive coach, serial founder, and former soldier Phil Hayes-St Clair for a candid conversation on transforming leadership and unlocking growth. From a pivotal military transition to scaling eight companies, Phil reveals the real secret behind global commerce: high-trust partnerships. Together, they unpack why most leaders struggle with alliances, how to make your people feel they belong, and the IDEAL framework that has guided Phil’s career success. If you’re curious about building high-performing teams or leveraging partnerships to scale—this episode is your playbook for leadership and growth.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why great leaders must first be great followers—and how Phil’s military experience shaped his approach
- How to make new hires feel at home during their first week (not just day one)
- Tips for hiring: Why clear communication and “frontline bias” matter more than technical skills
- The IDEAL partnership framework: Six steps to building alliances that last
- Why 97% of global commerce depends on partnership (and how you can harness it for your business)
- How to coach specialists into stronger communicators and why self-awareness is the ultimate leadership unlock
Timestamps:
00:00 – 97% of global commerce runs on partnerships
00:31 – Meet Phil Hayes-St Clair: military to executive coach
02:05 – Great leaders are great followers first
03:30 – Phil’s identity shift: brotherhood to banking cubicle
05:08 – What Phil looks for in leaders: perceptiveness + humanity
07:12 – From “feeling new” to feeling like you belong (school metaphor)
08:09 – How to onboard new team members in their first week
10:16 – Interviewing for authenticity & finding your next play
12:11 – How to build employees up for their “next success”
14:17 – Why doubling down on strengths beats chasing passions
15:59 – What Phil hires for: communication and frontline mindset
18:40 – Can specialists become better communicators?
21:00 – Why confused teams are a communication problem (not theirs!)
24:01 – Leaders: are you setting your team up to do their “life’s best work”?
26:28 – Making mistakes as a leader: how vulnerability builds trust
29:18 – New leadership role? Listen first, then lead
32:41 – Partnership as the key growth lever; IDEAL framework
37:06 – IDEAL stands for Intent, Dual benefit, Era, Allies, Landing the first win
42:20 – How 97% of commerce gets done through partnership
45:08 – Why most partnerships fail: no intent, no first win
49:13 – The feeling of a “first win”—and why your partner should look like a hero
51:17 – Coaching leaders and teams to build win-win partnerships
About Phil Hayes-St Clair
Phil Hayes-St Clair is an executive coach, serial founder, and former soldier whose career spans military service, eight company launches, and pioneering partnership frameworks across global industries. After a formative transition from the armed forces to the corporate world, Phil developed his signature approach: great leaders are great followers first. Today, he coaches CEOs and leadership teams to develop high-impact cultures and leverage ecosystems for scale. Phil is the founder of the Partnership Lab and shares playbooks, solo episodes, and practical frameworks through his site, philhsc.com.
Resources & Mentions:
- Phil Hayes-St Clair’s website and partnership playbooks
- Phil Hayes-St Clair on LinkedIn
- The Alliance by Reid Hoffman (link)
- The Three Alarms by Eric Partaker (link)
- Learning Leader podcast by Ryan Hawk (link)
- Phil Hayes-St Clair solo episodes + frameworks
Podcast Contact Information:
Website: www.learnit.com
Email: podcast@learnit.com
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