What do you call it when the work you do and the thing you love are so tangled together you can’t quite tell them apart?

In this conversation, I sit down with Joe Sprague, former CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, to explore what it actually takes to lead at the highest levels, and why his love of aviation made his career a little bit less like work.

Joe shares how his early days working the ticket counter in Southeast Alaska shaped his leadership philosophy, why delegation didn’t come naturally (and how he learned it anyway), and the surprising role humility plays in sustained success.

We talk about balancing safety and service, leading through massive organizational change, and why the best leaders spend more time listening than talking.

But what stood out most to me was Joe’s grounded perspective: leadership isn’t about status, it’s about stewardship.

This is a conversation about clarity, curiosity, and staying centered when everything around you is moving fast.

If you lead people, or aspire to, you’ll take something meaningful from this one.

Connect with Joe Sprague on LinkedIn

My free PDF, “The 5 Secrets of Impossibly Effective Teams,” will show you the simple leadership moves that help teams unlock their full potential and deliver outsized results, without burning out. Grab your copy now at geoffwelch.com/secrets