The Leadership Foundry Podcast

We’ve talked a lot about virtues, leadership qualities and building trust in recent episodes of the podcast. Today’s topic nicely aligns as we’re revisiting our conversation with CEO Doran Oancia. Doran highlights an often under-represented practice: setting and leading with company values. Listen in for tips on how to select, promote and hire with those values.

Andrea Chilcote is CEO of Morningstar Ventures and author of the book What Leaders Need Now. For today’s conversation, Andrea joins Brandon and Randy to discuss the book and her findings from the accompanying assessment. How do leaders assess their performance on compassion, courage and humility? What do their direct reports say? In which areas do leaders tend to struggle the most? Listen in! 

Randy Hain's new book, Practical Virtue, is now available! Today on the podcast, he and Brandon take a deep dive into the virtues early career professionals must embrace to become leaders others want to follow. Randy guides senior leaders on how to use the book to connect with those on their teams and foster mentor relationships.

Last week, we focused on building healthy teams, comprised of healthy individuals. Today on the Leadership Foundry Podcast, we’re revisiting Brandon Smith's conversation with Chris Pacer, Vice President Group Executive at Motion Industries. Chris details how to align your people with their passions so you can lead at scale.    Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izkJ4-x2tbE 

A high-performing leader doesn't guarantee a high-performing team, but you can't have a high-performing team without a strong leader. In this episode from the vault, Rusty Chadwick of WinShape Teams joins Brandon to discuss the power of teams. 

As leaders, how do we create a culture of accountability while effectively driving ownership within our teams? Co-founder, Brandon Smith, details the three-step process on this edition of the podcast.  

Whether you're leading change, building influence, or navigating uncertainty, trust is the foundation. None of these are possible without establishing trust first! On today’s episode of the Leadership Foundry Podcast, we’re breaking down the three essential ingredients for building trust with colleagues, team members, customers, and beyond.

The outcome of the meeting determines the need for a meeting.  So - should you have less meetings in 2025?  Check out today’s episode from the vault as friend of the show and Inc. Columnist, Jeff Haden, details three ways leaders can set up their teams for success:  1 - Drive transparency around the promotion process.  2 - Match the proper managers and management styles to the context in which you work. (Think: in-person vs hybrid.)  3 - Limit the number of meetings.   

January is a great reminder to refocus and shift our attention back to those we serve: our employees, our partners and our customers. Atlanta Community Food Bank founder, Bill Bolling highlights this in our “timeless leadership masterclass” on the Leadership Foundry Podcast.  Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Fgd_Fz_55Q

What are some of the most common leadership best practices that leaders need to revisit in 2025? As the workplace transforms and challenges shift, staying effective requires a fresh look at timeless principles. Brandon and Randy discuss seven focus areas on today's podcast.