In this episode of the 11 Ten Leadership Podcast, Rob Shields and David Spickard revisit the rapidly evolving conversation around artificial intelligence and explore what it means to lead well in a world where AI can outrun our teams, our judgment, and even our rest.

Drawing from Notre Dame's DELTA framework: Dignity, Embodiment, Love, Transcendence, and Agency and 11 Ten Leadership's THRIVE model, Rob and David consider how leaders can embrace the real benefits of AI without allowing efficiency, productivity, or the pressure to keep up to redefine what matters most. They explore the tension between using AI to create margin and simply filling that margin with more work, the impact of AI on jobs and human dignity, and the danger of allowing AI to eliminate the wrestling and relational work that makes leadership meaningful.

Ultimately, AI is a mirror and it will amplify what is already present in us and our organizations. The question for leaders is: Are we approaching AI through a lens of love or a lens of power?

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – What does AI reveal about us?

03:00 – David's evolving relationship with AI

07:00 – What we could lose when AI eliminates the “wrestling”

09:00 – The DELTA framework: Dignity, Embodiment, Love, Transcendence & Agency

14:00 – AI as an extension of our leadership philosophy

16:00 – Love vs. power: What lens are we using?

20:00 – AI, jobs, and the dignity of work

24:00 – Using AI to create margin for people

27:00 – AI, team culture, and decision-making

29:00 – Why leaders shouldn't eliminate the pain and struggle of the journey

32:00 – The bottom line: Lead AI through a lens of love

RESOURCES

• 11 Ten Leadership
• Notre Dame's DELTA Framework (Institute for Ethics and the Common Good)
• Andy Crouch on the Good Faith podcast, "Spiritual Preparation for the AI Era" — source of the "lens of love vs. lens of power" framing
• Denver Institute for Faith & Work, "AI Series: Artificial Intelligence and Redemptive Work" with Andy Crouch
• Harvard Business Review, "AI Is Revolutionizing Strategic Decision-Making"

Most leaders are handed a simple scoreboard: achievement and wealth. Jessie Hathcock opens with a harder claim — success is neither of those. It's whether nine core needs are actually being met. And when a leader quietly stops tending to them, the people who count on them feel the cost long before the leader ever names it.

Jessie is president of The Loading Dock, a Raleigh coworking community, with two decades of leadership across education, nonprofits, and business — and a story of burning out twice before thirty that reshaped how she defines a life well led. With Rob Shields, she explores the nine core needs, the difference between dying to your ego and dying to yourself, the neuroscience of unmet needs, and the shift from leading out of protection to creation. Caring for ourselves, she argues, isn't an indulgence but the foundation of sustainable leadership — even a matter of justice.

That's where her framework meets the 11 Ten vision of Thriving Leaders, Thriving Teams, and Thriving Cities: we can't create flourishing around us while running on empty ourselves. When one leader becomes healthier and more whole, the impact ripples outward — at The Loading Dock, 82.5% of members reported their wellbeing had improved through being part of the community, a tangible picture of what that ripple can look like.

A city is better when its leaders are healthy.

Listen in, then ask yourself: Which core need have you quietly stopped tending?

00:00 – Welcome, and why this topic called for outside expertise

02:00 – The bold claim: success isn’t achievement or wealth

03:00 – Jessie’s origin story and the letters that redefined success

07:00 – When achievement becomes a substitute for what we need

10:00 – The nine core needs, and which ones leaders sacrifice first

14:00 – When a leader’s burnout ripples out to teams and community

19:00 – Dying to your ego versus dying to yourself

23:00 – The neuroscience of unmet needs

26:00 – The shift from protection to creation

29:00 – How to audit your nine core needs

32:00 – Why personal wholeness is a justice issue

36:00 – The ripple effect at The Loading Dock

38:00 – Rapid-fire questions

40:00 – Bottom line: The city is better when its leaders are healthy

• The Loading Dock — Jessie Hathcock’s Raleigh coworking community.
• Atomic Habits by James Clear — The source of the “habit stacking” concept Jessie adapts into her idea of “need stacking.”
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey — Jessie references the framework of circles of concern and influence when talking about discerning where leaders can make a difference.

Every leader hits a wall and the instinct is to blame what's around us: the budget, the team, the difficult boss. But after two decades coaching hundreds of executives, Muriel Wilkins found the biggest blockers almost never live out there. They live in here, in beliefs so ingrained we don't even know we're carrying them.

In this episode, Rob and David explore Wilkins's seven hidden blockers — from “I know I'm right” to “I can't make a mistake” to “I don't belong here” — and self-diagnose in real time. They walk her three-step framework (uncover, unpack, unblock) and connect it to the work of just leadership: seeing the whole playing field starts with seeing yourself clearly. Along the way they get honest about where these beliefs come from, why a blocker is often a real strength that's outgrown its boundary, and why lasting change is an identity issue before it's a behavior one.

Because the healthiest leaders aren't the ones without blind spots — they're the ones humble enough to name them and invite others in. That's what it looks like to help people and cities thrive. Listen in, then take the challenge: put the seven in front of someone you trust and ask which one they see in you.

00:00 – Welcome and the seven beliefs running your leadership

02:10 – The article behind the conversation: Wilkins on hidden blockers

03:20 – Which one jumps out? David and Rob self-diagnose

05:50 – The three blockers they see most in the leaders they coach

09:40 – Seeing yourself clearly, and step one: uncover

10:40 – Step two, unpack: where the belief came from

11:30 – When strengths become blockers

18:20 – Why you can't skip straight to fixing

19:40 – Not a behavior problem, an identity problem

23:40 – Step three, unblock: reframing the belief

26:40 – Faith, identity, and where the reframe comes from

28:30 – The bottom line: your team already knows

30:50 – Closing thoughts and a challenge to listeners

• 11 Ten Leadership
• The Hidden Beliefs That Hold Leaders Back — Muriel Wilkins, Harvard Business Review
• The Just Leader: Thriving in a Fractured World — David Spickard

What separates good teams from great ones?

The answer often isn’t another superstar—it’s someone who quietly helps everyone else become better. Inspired by a recent Harvard Business Review article, Rob and David explore the role of the super facilitator and why every high-performing team needs one.

Drawing on Jamil Zaki’s research and the “Chris Paul effect”—the remarkable ability to elevate every team he joins—they unpack the three practices that define a super facilitator: Attunement (making people feel seen), Communication (helping them believe in themselves), and Distribution (making sure every voice is heard). Along the way, they explore why empowering leadership consistently outperforms a directive, top-down approach over the long haul and share practical ways to identify and develop the super facilitator already on your team.

At its heart, this conversation is about “die to self” leadership—the willingness to decrease so others can increase. That’s the kind of leadership that helps people thrive, strengthens teams, and transforms communities. As you listen, consider: Who is the super facilitator on your team? And how can you become the kind of leader who helps everyone around you thrive?

00:00 – Welcome and introduction

01:00 – From super communicator to super facilitator

02:00 – The Chris Paul effect: the star who makes everyone better

03:30 – What a super facilitator actually is, and collective intelligence

06:00 – Why the most talented team doesn’t always win

08:00 – The mindset shift: making your team great

11:00 – Three core practices: Attunement, Communication, Distribution

19:00 – Directive vs. empowering leadership over the long haul

22:00 – Three practical ways to start

25:00 – Bottom line: die to self leadership

• 11 Ten Leadership
• “Every Team Needs a Super-Facilitator” by Jamil Zaki
• The Just Leader by David Spickard

In the final episode of our State of Leadership series, Rob Shields and David Spickard move from insight to action. After analyzing leadership data from organizations across the country, one conclusion rises to the surface: leaders don’t have a passion problem—they have a sustainability problem.

Many leaders genuinely care deeply about their people. In fact, “I truly care for my employees” was the highest-scoring statement in the THRIVE Assessment. Yet leader health continues to decline, work-life balance remains a struggle, and giving power away ranks among the lowest-scoring leadership habits. So what needs to change?

In this conversation, Rob and David explore how leaders can build healthier rhythms, create sustainable cultures, and empower their teams to thrive. If you want to build an organization that flourishes—not just one that succeeds—this episode offers practical insights you can begin applying today.

00:00 – Welcome and the thesis: caring without limits

02:00 – Two ends of the assessment: care at 97, work-life balance at 42

04:00 – Cultural norms of work and the irony of AI eroding margin

06:00 – The downstream cost: what doesn’t get built without margin

07:00 – You manage what you measure: wholeness and thriving

10:00 – Shifting the work through your people

11:00 – Leadership teams as a rhythm

14:00 – Being your team’s biggest fan

19:00 – Inside 11 Ten: meeting depleted leaders where they are

20:00 – The smallest rhythm: listening before directing

22:00 – One structural limit every leader should build in

24:00 – How a rest plan empowers your team

25:00 – A teaser: model good health, not hard work

• 11 Ten Leadership
• 2026 State of Leadership

Across 100-plus episodes, one thread has continually surfaced without ever being fully pulled: place. In this episode, Rob and David finally pull on that thread, asking a deceptively simple question: How does where you lead actually shape the way you lead? For leaders whose work has become increasingly remote, individualized, and untethered, it’s a question that gets to the very purpose of business.

Drawing on insights from the State of Leadership Report, Rob and David explore why Giving Power Away ranks as the lowest of the four qualities of Just Leadership. They unpack the gap between investing in a community and truly measuring its impact, challenge the limits of the traditional “service day” model, and invite leaders to adopt a different posture—one of humility, curiosity, and learning. Through the story of 11 Ten Leadership’s Just Fund, they share how giving away decision-making power to trusted community leaders has transformed not only their approach to generosity, but also their understanding of leadership itself.

This conversation brings the vision of Proverbs 11:10 to life—leaders using their influence so their cities can flourish. If you’ve ever felt there has to be more to leadership than growing your organization, this episode is an invitation to expand your vision, invest more deeply in the place you lead, and discover what your own “Just Fund” could look like.

00:00 – Welcome

02:00 – Are leaders tethered to place?

03:00 – The Proverbs 11:10 foundation

08:00 – State of Leadership Report findings

10:30 – Community impact as a success metric

13:30 – Beyond the service day

14:30 – The posture of a learner

16:00 – The Just Fund

21:00 – The cost — and why it’s worth it

24:00 – “Would the work stop?”

26:30 – Bottom line

30:30 – Closing

• 11 Ten Leadership
• 2026 State of Leadership
• The Just Leader by David Spickard

Employees with a strong sense of purpose are 5.6 times more likely to be engaged at work—yet only 18% of workers say their job has a purpose they believe in. In the 11 Ten Leadership’s State of Leadership Report, leaders consistently reported feeling more connected to their organization’s purpose than their teams. That gap isn’t just a statistic; it’s a leadership challenge.

In this episode, Rob Shields and David Spickard explore why purpose has become one of the most important conversations in leadership today. From the impact of COVID and remote work to the rise of AI and shifting generational expectations, they discuss why people are increasingly asking deeper questions about meaning, work, and contribution.

They also unpack why many leaders struggle to articulate their own personal why, how purpose differs from success, and what leaders can do to help their teams move beyond simply knowing the mission statement to truly owning the mission. David closes with practical exercises leaders can use to reconnect with their purpose — and create cultures where people show up knowing exactly how their work contributes to th

00:00 – Purpose and engagement: the leadership challenge

00:01 – The 5.6x engagement statistic and the purpose gap

00:03 – Why purpose gets lost in organizations

00:04 – Why purpose matters more than ever in today’s workplace

00:07 – Work, faith, and human flourishing

00:09 – AI, efficiency, and the deeper question leaders must answer

00:10 – Why leaders often lose sight of their own why

00:13 – Purpose versus success: understanding the difference

00:17 – Signs your team has truly embraced the mission

00:20 – Closing the gap between leaders and teams

00:21 – Helping employees connect their work to impact

00:24 – Why purpose can’t be treated as a profit hack

00:25 – Practical exercises for discovering and renewing purpose

00:28 – Final reflections and encouragement for leaders

• 11 Ten Leadership
• State of Leadership Report
• Start With Why by Simon Sinek
• Gallup Employee Engagement Research

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