The H2 Leadership Podcast

Misalignment sneaks up slowly—and it’s expensive. When your life, work, or team drifts out of alignment, you start feeling it: fatigue, frustration, disconnection, and eventually burnout. In this episode, Alan unpacks how to spot misalignment early and realign your wiring, your purpose, and your team before things break down. You’ll hear: The story of a coaching client who ignored the “alignment rumble” too long Why wiring, purpose, and team are the three biggest alignment zones How to use the Working Genius Assessment to clarify your design The Drains & Fills exercise to reclaim energy and focus A simple Pacing Check to make sure your speed matches your team’s capacity Two reflection questions to realign your work this week “You will hit potholes. You will need realignment. It’s not if—it’s when.” Reflection Questions How can you align your work more closely to your wiring? What change can you make to align more closely with your team? Tools Mentioned www.h2leadership.com for more tools and resources. Chapters 00:00 – What is an H2 Leader? Health and high impact in harmony 02:15 – The need for new brakes and better alignment 03:30 – What misalignment looks and feels like 05:00 – The story of “Tim”: when wiring, purpose, and team fall out of sync 07:00 – The cost of misalignment in leadership and culture 09:20 – The great disengagement: how misalignment kills engagement 10:00 – Tools for realignment: Working Genius, Drains & Fills, Pacing Check 11:45 – Reflection questions and next steps Subscribe and follow the H2 Leadership Podcast for more episodes. Share this episode with another leader who might be feeling “out of alignment.”

We said goodbye to Stay Forth—and hello to H2 Leadership. Same mission, sharper clarity. This episode is our official announcement and a roadmap for where we’re heading: helping leaders become healthy and high impact (H2). From a beach pop-up studio in Delray Beach, we unpack: Why the name change (clarity over clever): people loved our work but didn’t always “get” the name. What H2 Leadership means: health (heart, soul, mind, body, relationships) + sustainable impact. Energy > time: lead by ROE—Return on Energy, not just calendars and hustle. The core shift: moving from reactive to proactive leadership. Priorities → elimination: clarity creates riverbanks; a to-don’t list protects what matters. Who we serve: business, nonprofit, and ministry leaders—any catalyst who wants to lead well. You’ll learn A simple way to audit the 5 domains of health How to tune tension (like a guitar string) between health and impact Practical steps to reclaim focus and build momentum with your team What’s changing (brand, clarity, systems) and what’s not (our mission + coaching) Chapters 00:00 Welcome & context 01:05 Why we’re rebranding 04:10 What “healthy + high impact” looks like 06:20 The five domains of health 09:20 What’s changing vs. what stays 11:25 ROE: Return on Energy 12:15 From reactive to proactive 13:55 Priorities, riverbanks & elimination 17:40 Who we serve (catalysts) 20:05 What’s next + how to connect Links Start here: https://www.h2leadership.com The H2 Leadership Podcast hub: https://www.h2leadership.com/podcast Stay connected YouTube: @H2Leadership Instagram: @h2leaders LinkedIn: H2 Leadership Call to Action If this helped, follow the show and share it with a leader you care about. Want personal coaching or team support? Tap the link above and let’s begin your H2 journey.

Ineffective leaders create dysfunction around them, but grounded, effective leaders create life, clarity, and vitality. Work is meant to bring dignity and meaning—not constant stress and confusion. In this episode, Jonathan and Alan unpack why grounded leaders are desperately needed right now and how they shape healthier, more focused, and high-impact teams. You’ll hear: The difference between being efficient with tasks and being effective with people Why grounded leaders produce both internal fulfillment and external impact Practical ways to shift from scattered to grounded leadership The markers of a healthy, focused team versus a stressed, reactive one How to stop doing in the name of efficiency and start doing in the name of effectiveness If you’re feeling the weight of distraction, burnout, or constant urgency, this episode will help you re-center on what matters most and lead in a way that protects both your health and your team’s impact. 👉 Don’t miss the other episodes in this leadership series: The Leadership Shift You Need Right Now Activity Is Not the Same as Action: The Value of Well-Crafted Work

Pastors and ministry leaders are carrying more than ever—and too many are doing it in silence. Dr. Mark Mayfield (author of The Mental Health Handbook for Ministry, professor, clinician, and former pastor) joins Alan to demystify mental health in the church, unpack the real difference between coaching and counseling, and give you a practical playbook for when struggles walk into your office… or show up on your staff. This isn’t theory—it’s field-tested, grace-filled, and immediately actionable. In this episode you’ll learn: Coaching vs. Counseling (the clean line): when you need tools to move forward vs. when you need to heal backward How to spot pop-psych “silver bullets” and what trustworthy care actually looks like A fast diagnostic lens for depression: intensity + duration (and what to do next) ADHD or overloaded attention? Trauma, screens, and why so many leaders are being mis-labeled Burnout’s bottom layer: dissociation/avoidance—and how to interrupt the loop Boundary basics for pastors (why “I don’t know—let me check” is leadership strength) How to build a staff culture of care (and discuss hard topics without guessing) Chapter Markers 00:00 — Why this conversation matters now 02:30 — Coaching vs. counseling: the simplest way to decide 05:25 — The danger of pop psychology & “quick fixes” 08:20 — Inside The Mental Health Handbook for Ministry (how to use it fast) 12:25 — High-performing families & hidden pressure 16:30 — Where churches are actually making progress 19:10 — Staff discussions you should be having (and how) 20:40 — Depression in leaders: signs & next steps 32:30 — ADHD or attention trained by trauma & screens? 36:00 — What sits under burnout—and how to respond 40:50 — A word to lonely leaders: you don’t have to know it all Resources Mentioned Book: The Mental Health Handbook for Ministry — Dr. Mark Mayfield (Baker) Site: MentalHealthMadeSimple.life (discussion guides & tools) Mental Health Made Simple: For the churches Stay Forth: Coaching for healthy + high-impact leadership About Dr. Mark Mayfield Clinician, professor at Colorado Christian University, author, speaker, and former pastor. Mark equips churches to receive and care well for people in mental and emotional struggle—and to keep pastors healthy in the process.

Feeling called to your work is a gift — but it can also be the very thing that burns you out. In this conversation, Alan sits down with Dr. Arianna Molloy, author of Healthy Calling: From Toxic Burnout to Sustainable Work, to unpack the hidden costs of living from a deep sense of purpose. Leaders who love what they do often give until they break. Arianna calls this deep shame — the disorienting feeling of losing yourself when the work you once loved starts consuming you. Together, Alan and Arianna explore how to recognize the early signs of burnout, why calling carries both resilience and risk, and how leaders can craft healthier rhythms to sustain their impact. 👉 In this episode: Why those who feel “called” are statistically the most prone to burnout The unique fingerprint of burnout that purpose-driven leaders face Practical daily, weekly, and quarterly rhythms to de-stress and reset The role of micro-breaks, community, and job-crafting in sustaining your leadership How to pre-plan rest before you need it This isn’t a “work less” conversation — it’s a “work sustainably” conversation. If your leadership matters, your health matters more. 📘 Grab Arianna’s book Healthy Calling anywhere books are sold. 🌐 Connect with us at Stay Forth and learn how to lead healthy + high impact.

In this special episode, Alan Briggs steps away from the usual pace of life—and leadership—and invites us into a slower, deeper rhythm. Recorded on location from the island of Terceira in the Azores, Alan shares reflections from his very first pilgrimage—a spiritual journey with a physical component. What began as a walk through unfamiliar terrain turned into a profound time of rest, reflection, and reconnection with God. If you’ve ever felt burned out, spiritually dry, or simply curious about how to slow down long enough to hear from God… this one’s for you. In this episode, Alan explores: What really is a pilgrimage—and why it matters today The tension between being a tourist and a seeker Unexpected spiritual lessons from Holy Spirit houses and Catholic cathedrals Questions that shaped each day: How have I limited God? How am I different when I rest? How nature, walking, and reflection unlock new clarity and connection This isn’t your typical leadership episode—and that’s the point. Feeling the nudge to take your own pilgrimage? Whether that looks like a long walk or a short retreat, we hope this conversation helps you slow down, listen deeper, and reorient around what truly matters. Stay in the Loop Get resources, tools, and updates from the Stay Forth team: stayforth.com Let’s Connect Leave a review, share this episode, and tag us on social: #StayForthLeadership

Our phones promise connection but often choke out what matters most. Alan Briggs and Joey Odom dive into the “PID loop” of proximity, interaction, and dependence — and share practical ways to reclaim your time, creativity, and relationships from constant distraction. We all feel it. That little computer in our pocket is shaping our attention, our relationships, and even our leadership. But what if our phones aren’t just tools—they’re thorns? In this episode of the Stay Forth Leadership Podcast, Alan Briggs sits down with Joey Odom, co-founder of Reclaim Well and the ARO Box Book recommendation: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt Alan’s book The Sabbatical Journey — your field guide for deep rest and reorientation Subscribe, rate, and review the Stay Forth Leadership Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

Every leader faces seasons of busyness, drift, and distraction. When that happens, what helps you stay the course? Your purpose. In this episode, Alan and Jonathan unpack why purpose acts like a compass — keeping you oriented, steady, and moving in the right direction when everything else feels chaotic. Alan shares his discipline of taking quarterly Think Days to step back, reflect, and regain clarity. You’ll hear how these rhythms not only renew his own leadership but also fuel alignment and energy for his entire team. This conversation also dives into the Unique Design framework — the intersection of your wiring, gifting, and calling. When you discover and lead from your unique design, you stop running on fumes and start moving with focus, impact, and fulfillment. Whether you’re leading a business, an organization, or your family, this episode will help you rediscover your compass and navigate with confidence. What You’ll Learn: Why leaders lose clarity when they don’t create space to think How a Think Day can reset your focus and energy The 4 H’s Alan looks for in every coaching client How to spot your “fills and drains” and delegate wisely The critical difference between dumping and delegating Why aligning with your Unique Design increases resilience and impact Two key reflection questions to help you realign with your deeper purpose Resources Mentioned: Unique Design Framework — Want to discover your unique leadership design? 👉 Email: Stayforth.com Reflect + Respond: Take a moment to sit with these two questions: What’s the deeper purpose that’s driving your life and leadership? Where have you lost sight of that purpose along the way? Use them to journal, fuel a team discussion, or even guide your own Think Day. Remember: Your purpose is your compass. Stay true to it, and you’ll lead yourself — and others — with clarity, health, and lasting impact.

What separates leaders people trust from leaders they just tolerate? It’s not charisma. It’s not talent. It’s self-leadership — the ability to lead yourself with consistency, clarity, and accountability before you ever try to lead others. In this episode, Jonathan Collier and Alan “Stay Forth” Briggs unpack why self-leadership is the hidden competitive advantage in today’s world, how to model it for your team, and what practical habits build trust faster than any title or resume ever could. You’ll learn: Why consistency breeds credibility (and how to spot it on any team) The simple 3-foot rule that keeps your leadership grounded How to model behaviors your team will actually copy Why deadlines and follow-through create instant trust How to manage your energy, not just your calendar The tension between bringing your best and not being perfect Practical steps to raise your self-leadership game this week Reflection Questions: Where are you leaking time and energy? What’s one area in your leadership where you need more accountability? Resources Mentioned: Right Side Up Journal by Stay Forth — https://a.co/d/fUaXcFh Subscribe for more healthy + high-impact leadership conversations so you can multiply your influence without losing yourself in the process.

Summer’s winding down, kids are heading back to school, and your weekly rhythm is about to look very different. In this episode of our H2 Leaders summer series, Jonathan and Alan define what true resilience looks like for a leader—and why it has nothing to do with “toughing it out” and everything to do with maintaining what matters most in your life. You’ll learn Alan’s 3-C framework for navigating change (Change | Clarity | Communication), plus practical habits to build both proactive steadiness and responsive flexibility so you can lead with confidence through every season. What You’ll Learn What Is Resilience? Why it’s not grit or forced optimism, but the ability to maintain your values, boundaries, and priorities when your world shifts. The 3-C Framework: Change is inevitable—embrace that it’s coming. Clarity lets you decide your next move, even in uncertainty. Communication (louder and clearer!) keeps your team trusting you through every pivot. Proactive vs. Responsive Practices: – Proactive: Routines that build your “resilience muscle” (sleep, exercise, Sabbath rhythms). – Responsive: Short breaks and mental shifts when the unexpected pops up (a tech failure, a new tariff, a sudden deadline). Why Reevaluation Matters: How and why you must regularly revisit your goals, metrics and projections as conditions evolve. Quick Tips for Staying Grounded: – Five daily habits Jonathan and Alan swear by. – The “stimulus → pause → response” window you can train for. Key Takeaways Change never knocks—it busts in like the Kool-Aid Man. You can’t control every shift—but you can control how you prepare and respond. Communicate more (not less!) when things feel most uncertain. Clarity of next steps beats false hope: ask “Who can help me?” and “What 2–3 areas do I need to grow?” Stop chasing certainty—build your resilience through repeated small wins and honest conversations. Action Challenge Pause & Reflect: How do you typically respond when change hits? Pick One Practice: Schedule one proactive habit this week (e.g. a 10-minute walk, dedicated Sabbath hour, or quick mindfulness break). Reevaluate: Block off 15 minutes to update your top 3 priorities in light of any recent shifts. Resources Mentioned Right Side Up Journal — Alan’s go-to tool for weekly audits and clarity Anti-Burnout — a coaching-powered guide to sustainable leadership