The Leadership Foundry Podcast

Brandon tackles a leadership challenge he continues to encounter in various organizations: striking the balance between compassion and accountability. He explores how leaders can offer grace and empathy without losing sight of performance, standards, and the mission at hand.

It’s time for our first “Leadership Intention for the Week!" Your mission, if you choose to accept it: be intentional to set (or maintain) a boundary this week.

The best leaders “pull complexity up and push simplicity down.” This episode featuring Frank Blake, former Chairman and CEO of The Home Depot is a true gift! Frank highlights how CEOs and senior teams need to understand the inverted pyramid (you’re at the bottom, folks!). Communication does not cascade. He also talks about listening to your team and maintaining the mindset of a continuous learner. These are important concepts to revisit on a regular basis. 

Have you ever made a $2 million mistake at work? Today’s guest did during his early days as CMO of Chick-fil-A. Listen in to this special edition of the podcast as Steve Robinson, author of Covert Cows and Chick-fil-A, shares what he learned and how it changed his career.  

We’re taking it back to one of our favorites from the vault this week. In this episode, Brandon Smith sits down with Rick Gilkey, a member of the Emory University family as a professor for many years. The two discuss how, if we better understand our brains, we better understand ourselves AND our relationships! Our brain creates 10,000 new neurons each day! But as Rick says, “use it or lose it!”

Keynote speaker and bestselling author Jennifer Kahnweiler has been a friend of the show for many years. We’re excited to welcome her back later this spring for a brand new episode on her book, The Introverted Leader 3rd Edition! So to help us prepare, we’re pulling one of Brandon’s previous conversations with Jennifer from the vault for this week’s release. Whether you lead with quiet influence or you’re looking for tips on how to be the best “introvert ally” - today’s show is for you!  

Embracing transformation takes courage, but just like spring, it's a chance to bloom into something new. So today, we’re revisiting our conversation featuring Brandon Smith and Ashley Freeman on the topic of career purpose. 

Navid Ahdieh is Senior Managing Director and Partner at North Highland. In this special re-focus episode from the vault, Navid and Brandon explore the personal evolution of leadership, reflecting on how our histories shape self-awareness and leadership philosophies. They dive into the power of patience, the importance of authenticity, and the value of creating space for team members to share their own stories as well.

As a leader, is patience one of your superpowers? If used at the right time and in the right context, having patience can actually give you better results. Listen in as co-founders Brandon Smith and Randy Hain explain in this important episode from the vault.

If you’re looking to make a smooth and beneficial transition from CEO to board member, today’s episode is for you. We’re revisiting our conversation with Dave Stockert on The Leadership Foundry Podcast. Dave details the three T’s of a good board member along with the markers of an effective board chair.