

The Resilient Leaders Podcast with J.R. Briggs
J.R. Briggs
The Resilient Leaders Podcast offers a variety of topics, perspectives, questions, and tools to help leaders navigate the new reality. In each episode, J.R. Briggs addresses pressing issues, and offers practical next steps on how to lead with resilience. Lean in, learn, and explore what it means to be resilient. Because leadership is irreplaceable in the new reality.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 7, 2026 • 14min
Ep 317: The Best Books I Read in 2025
Explore the transformative power of reading as key to effective leadership. Discover how artists' daily habits influenced personal routines and the valuable lessons from Jim Collins' work on nonprofits. Learn to navigate leadership challenges, including embracing hardships and fostering team culture. Delve into the insights of legendary figures like Banksy and Vincent Van Gogh, and uncover techniques for mental performance and public speaking. Finally, reflect on the importance of asking better questions to enhance leadership effectiveness.

Dec 24, 2025 • 8min
Ep 316: Looking Back, Looking Forward
Explore the concept of Janus, the god of transitions, as the host reflects on the past year and anticipates the next. Listeners are encouraged to celebrate achievements, recognize impactful habits, and extract valuable lessons learned. The discussion includes thought-provoking questions designed to highlight meaningful moments and set a primary goal for the upcoming year. Resources for year-end reflections and team discussions are shared, along with an opportunity to join a leadership growth journey.

13 snips
Dec 18, 2025 • 9min
Ep 315: Interesting Musings That Might be Important (Vol 3)
J.R. explores the power of joy as a form of resistance against oppression. He discusses practical soothing techniques and prompts reflection on impactful questions in leadership. The importance of nonnegotiables and selectivity in values is highlighted, along with the responsibilities leaders have concerning knowledge and caregiving. J.R. emphasizes the roots of apathy and the necessity of empathy. He ultimately encourages replacing scarcity with generosity and creating deeper connections through attentive listening.

4 snips
Dec 11, 2025 • 11min
Ep 314: Leading Well in No-Win Situations
Explore the complexities of leading in no-win situations and how to maintain emotional resilience. Discover the importance of knowing your people and building trust while combining wisdom, courage, and compassion. J.R. emphasizes reframing challenges as growth opportunities and communicating clearly during uncertainty. Get practical insights on meeting the varying needs of your team, setting healthy boundaries, and living with conviction in difficult times. Ultimately, learn to control what you can and let go of the rest.

Dec 4, 2025 • 8min
Ep 313: The Important Leadership Lessons of the Fiddle-Leaf Fig
Explore the fascinating world of the fiddle-leaf fig and its surprising lessons for leadership. Discover how resistance and micro-stresses help plants—and leaders—grow stronger. J.R. Briggs emphasizes that without challenges, leaders risk becoming weak and ineffective. Practical tips on providing 'healthy wind' through feedback and hard conversations highlight the importance of embracing discomfort. Ultimately, it's about allowing manageable challenges to foster resilience and build deeper roots in character.

Nov 26, 2025 • 9min
Ep 312: Gratitude is Not Just for One Week a Year
Discover how to make gratitude a daily practice, not just a holiday sentiment. J.R. Briggs shares inspiring stories of two joyful octogenarian brothers and discusses the essential role of gratitude in resilient leadership. Learn three powerful techniques to cultivate gratitude, such as morning journaling and a unique way to reframe complaints. Explore family rituals to enhance thankfulness and the art of writing heartfelt thank-you notes. Embrace gratitude as a muscle you can train to enrich your life year-round.

12 snips
Nov 19, 2025 • 7min
Ep 311: Interesting Musings That Might be Important (Volume 2)
Dive into fascinating reflections on leadership that prompt you to rethink success and influence. Discover how honesty anchors identity and the power of boring discipline in achieving goals. Explore the art of reducing friction in leadership and embracing the mundane aspects of life. J.R. shares insights on humility, motivation, and the importance of trust in conflict. Plus, learn how to practice impactful behaviors daily and be challenged to expand your vision. Get ready for deep thoughts that can ignite your growth!

Nov 12, 2025 • 10min
Ep 310: Honor the Past, Embrace the Present, Press into the Future
J.R. shares insightful reflections on preaching at a historic 390-year-old church versus a modern 21-year-old church. He discusses the importance of balancing tradition and innovation in leadership. Leaders are encouraged to consider if their focus is on the past, present, or future. The need for continual learning, unlearning, and relearning is emphasized to adapt to change. J.R. also delves into the vital role of wisdom, courage, and compassion in effective leadership, while reminding us to honor history without becoming trapped by it.

9 snips
Nov 5, 2025 • 9min
Ep 309: Leadership Lessons from this year’s World Series MVP
Discover the inspiring journey of World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, whose leadership shines both on and off the mound. His memorable habit of taking real-time notes reveals a commitment to continuous improvement. Learn how his quiet act of cleaning the dugout after games illustrates cultural values and servant leadership. Unpack four key leadership lessons that emphasize humility, the importance of actions, the impact of unseen work, and how a servant-minded approach can profoundly influence others.

6 snips
Oct 29, 2025 • 10min
Ep 308: The Important Trait Most Leaders Neglect
Dive into the overlooked trait of meekness in leadership. Explore how this quality, often mistaken for weakness, can actually signify strength. Discover historical figures like Cincinnatus, who exemplified serving others over seeking power. J.R. discusses biblical examples and teachings emphasizing the blessings of meekness. He also challenges leaders with reflective questions to enhance their character. Embrace the journey of practicing meekness and reshape your leadership approach.


