What does it take to build a team that keeps getting better? The Oklahoma City Thunder's rise from a 24-win team to NBA champions in just three seasons offers an unexpected leadership blueprint.

In this episode, Rob and David explore research on "super teams" and unpack the three traits that set them apart: they get more done, they make each other better, and they continually improve. Along the way, they discuss why great leaders create permission to fail, how intellectual humility builds trust, and why coaching conversations often matter more than status updates.

The conversation concludes with a powerful reminder that exceptional teams are fueled by more than performance metrics. Great leaders help people understand why their work matters, who it serves, and how it contributes to something bigger than themselves. If you're looking to build a team that grows stronger, adapts faster, and stays connected to a meaningful mission, this episode is for you.

00:00 – Welcome & Introduction

01:00 – Summer check-in and NBA Finals conversation

03:30 – The Oklahoma City Thunder and the research behind super teams

05:00 – The three traits of high-performing teams

06:00 – Why continuous improvement is difficult to prioritize

08:00 – Creating a culture of experimentation and permission to fail

14:00 – Intellectual humility and the power of saying “I don’t know”

17:00 – Better one-on-ones: moving from updates to problem-solving

19:30 – Staying involved without micromanaging: the coach's role

23:00 – Connecting people to purpose, place, and community

26:00 – Why younger generations are seeking meaning at work

27:30 – Expanding the definition of success beyond outcomes

28:30 – Closing thoughts and key takeaways

• 11 Ten Leadership
• How to Build a Superteam That Keeps Getting Better — Seven research-backed practices, by Ron Friedman
• The Just Leader by David Spickard

What does it actually mean to “give power away” as a leader — and why is it so difficult to do?

In this episode, Rob Shields and David Spickard why leaders often hold onto control without realizing it, how identity and fear of insignificance drive that behavior, and what it costs teams when leaders don’t fully let go.

The conversation also reframes vulnerability — not as weakness, but as strength — and shows how giving power away can lead to greater freedom, trust, and healthier team culture.

Finally, they offer practical first steps for leaders who want to build real ownership and empowerment within their teams.

00:00 – Intro and the topic of giving power away

03:15 – Understanding power and leadership blind spots

06:15 – Why giving power away scored lowest in the Thrive Assessment

09:15 – The emotional and operational cost of holding onto control

12:15 – How teams experience leadership blind spots

15:15 – Delegation vs. true empowerment and authority

18:00 – Fear, identity, and the struggle to let go

20:00 – How faith reshapes leadership and power

23:15 – Practical first steps leaders can take today

25:00 – The “training wheels” analogy for empowering teams

• 11 Ten Leadership
• 2026 State of Leadership

In this episode of the 11 Ten Leadership Podcast, Rob Shields and David Spickard unpack one of the most concerning findings from the 2026 State of Leadership report: leader health is declining even as other leadership metrics improve.

The conversation explores the growing tension between external success and internal depletion, revealing how burnout, stress, overwork, and “always-on” leadership cultures are impacting both leaders and their teams. Rob and David discuss the ripple effects unhealthy leadership has on trust, morale, communication, and workplace culture and why organizations can no longer afford to ignore employee well-being.

They also tackle generational expectations around work-life balance, the hidden costs of hustle culture, and practical steps leaders can take to build healthier rhythms for themselves and their teams.

00:00 – Welcome + introducing leadership health

03:00 – Key findings from the State of Leadership report

08:00 – The hidden cost of success and burnout culture

13:00 – Generational differences and workplace expectations

19:00 – The ripple effects unhealthy leadership has on teams

23:00 – How overwork impacts families and relationships

27:00 – Practical ways leaders can create healthier rhythms

31:00 – Preview of next episode

Resources

• 11 Ten Leadership
• 2026 State of Leadership

What does it look like when leaders and their teams are in perfect alignment on trust, down to the decimal? In this episode, David Spickard and Rob Shields dive deep into one of the most compelling findings from 11 Ten Leadership's State of Leadership Report: trust scores that were identical between leaders and their teams, and what that means for building a thriving culture.

The conversation gets practical fast, exploring what happens when leaders get stuck in the weeds of day-to-day execution, why leaving the office might be the single best thing a leader can do to build trust, and the rhythms that make that sustainable. If you lead a team and want to know where trust really comes from and how to find out if you actually have it, this episode is for you.

00:00 – Welcome

01:00 – Why this conversation matters (State of Leadership Report)

03:30 – The highest scoring leadership question

05:00 – Care vs. thriving: where leaders overestimate impact

08:30 – Trust data insights: high scores + zero gap explained

11:00 – How trust impacts relationships, value, and engagement

14:00 – The danger of leaders stuck “in the weeds”

17:00 – First step out of overwhelm: creating space to think

19:30 – Why rhythms (daily, weekly, monthly) matter more than breaks

21:30 – The surprising trust-builder

24:00 – Practical takeaway: how to assess and grow trust today

26:00 – Closing thoughts + preview of next episode (health)

• 11 Ten Leadership
• 2026 State of Leadership

In this episode, David Spickard and Rob Shields introduce the 2026 State of Leadership Report, built from insights gathered through the THRIVE Assessment™.

The data reveals an encouraging trend: leaders and teams are thriving more than in previous years, with noticeable gains in trust, relationships, and value. However, a major tension remains—leader health continues to decline, highlighting a growing gap between external success and internal sustainability.

00:00 – Welcome + intro to the State of Leadership report

02:00 – What the report is + how data was gathered

04:30 – Key insight: leaders are thriving more

06:00 – Why scores are improving (focus on people)

07:00 – Growth in trust, relationships, and value

12:30 – Tension: health scores are still low

14:00 – Why leader health is declining

18:00 – Rethinking success + whole leadership

21:00 – The importance of knowing your “why”

24:30 – Expanding impact to teams and communities

28:00 – Leadership health tied to community health

29:30 – Rest as a competitive advantage

33:00 – Final takeaways + encouragement

Resources

• 11 Ten Leadership
• 2026 State of Leadership
• Email: [email protected]

In this replay from August 2023, David Spickard and Rob Shielfs introduce David's book The Just Leader: Thriving in a Fractured World and share the heart behind it. Drawing from years of leadership experience and work in underserved communities, they explore why justice and thriving are deeply connected and why leaders today must be equipped to navigate both.

This episode sets the stage for a conversation at the intersection of faith, leadership, and culture, offering a broader vision for what it means to lead well in a complex and divided world.

00:00 – Intro + episode context

02:00 – Book announcement: The Just Leader

03:00 – Why this book, why now

07:30 – Connecting justice and thriving

09:30 – Leading in a fractured world

12:30 – Burnout, culture, and today’s leadership challenges

14:30 – What it means to be a just leader

16:30 – Faith, leadership, and culture intersection

20:00 – Ways to stay engaged

Resources

• 11 Ten Leadership
• The Just Leader Book

We’re taking it all the way back to our very first podcast episode.

In this kickoff conversation that originally aired on June 9, 2023, David Spickard and Rob Shields unpack the vision behind the 11 Ten Leadership Podcast and the powerful idea from Proverbs 11:10: when the righteous prosper, the city rejoices.

They explore why leadership matters, how thriving leaders shape thriving organizations, and why your leadership has the potential to impact far more than just your workplace. You’ll also get an introduction to the THRIVE framework, six practical areas every leader can grow in.

Whether you’re new here or revisiting where it all started, this episode lays the foundation for becoming the kind of leader who helps others and entire communities thrive.

1. 00:00 – Welcome & vision for the podcast
2. 01:30 – Why another leadership podcast
3. 05:00 – David’s background & journey
4. 08:30 – Whole life stewardship
5. 11:00 – Introducing the THRIVE framework overview
6. 13:30 – What to expect in this series
7. 14:00 – Conclusion

1. 11 Ten Leadership

In this replay episode from November of 2024 David and Rob explore the integration of mental health and leadership, both for oneself and for the people you lead. Dr. Jason Young, a seasoned psychotherapist, shares insights from his work with business leaders, discussing the impacts of exhaustion, isolation, and the need for human connection.

The conversation emphasizes the interplay between spiritual formation and pursuing justice, offering practical guidance for leaders to start small and go slow in their mental health journey. Dr. Young also introduces the Six Stones retreat program, designed to help men engage deeply with their personal development and identity.

00:00 Opening & Leadership Perspective

02:26 Introducing Dr. Jason Young & Importance of Mental Health

06:41 Common Leadership Struggles & Strategies for Well-being

18:58 Supporting Team Mental Health & Organizational Insights

27:34 Jason’s Personal Journey & The Six Stones Program

38:15 Stages of Faith and Personal Growth

42:11 Balancing Inner Journey with Outer Justice

45:02 Practical Steps

Resources

1. 11 Ten Leadership
2. Dr. Jason Young’s website
3. Six Stones
4. JourneyMates
5. The Critical Journey

In this replay episode from March 2024, Rob and David unpack the concept of becoming a “Super Communicator” and why communication is at the heart of trust, leadership, and healthy team culture. Drawing from research and real-world leadership experience, they explore how the best communicators aren’t necessarily the most persuasive speakers — they are the most curious listeners.

The conversation centers on four practical ways leaders can strengthen connection, build trust, and improve team dynamics through more intentional conversations. From asking deeper questions to reading nonverbal cues, this episode offers simple yet powerful shifts that can transform how leaders communicate.

00:00 Introduction to the replay and why communication is a leadership issue

01:00 Introducing the “super communicator” concept

03:00 Research behind super communicators and the Dartmouth study

05:30 Rethinking what makes someone a great communicator

06:15 Way #1: Ask deep questions (moving beyond surface-level conversation)

10:45 Way #2: Prove you’re listening (looping for understanding)

14:00 Way #3: Determine what people want from the conversation

16:30 Way #4: Pay attention to more than words (nonverbal communication)

20:00 Leadership blind spots and nonverbal cues in meetings

22:00 Recap of the four practices and cultural impact

23:15 Bottom line: Become a professional question asker

Resources

1. 11 Ten Leadership
2. "How to Be a Supercommunicator" - Wall Street Journal article

In this replay episode from September 2024, we revisit a powerful conversation with Lauren Gill. Lauren brings a deeply thoughtful, accessible, and biblically grounded perspective on faith, work, and justice, helping leaders understand how the gospel reshapes not only what we do, but why and how we do it every day.

Together, David and Rob explore how our daily work fits into God’s larger redemptive story, why justice and mercy belong at the center of faithful leadership, and how leaders can become restorative presences in their workplaces and cities. Whether you lead a team, a church, or simply want to live more faithfully in your vocation, this conversation offers wisdom, clarity, and practical encouragement.

00:00 Introduction to the 11 Ten Leadership Podcast

02:00 Introducing Lauren Gill

07:00 Faith and work as mission

10:30 The gospel changes everything about work

14:00 Challenges leaders face in the workplace today

20:00 Faith, work, justice, and everyday leadership

24:00 Being a restorative presence

27:00 Case studies of justice in action

34:00 Bottom line: grace changes everything

Resources

1. 11 Ten Leadership
2. Redeemer City to City
3. Global Faith & Work Initiative
4. The Missional Disciple: Pursuing Mercy & Justice at Work
5. Faith & Work: Galvanizing Your Church for Everyday Impact