Most leadership doesn’t fail because of a lack of intelligence, strategy, or ambition. It fails because of ego, comfort, and the refusal to listen.

In this episode of The Change Agent Podcast, Eric Adams sits down with Tony Gunn—CEO of TGM Global Services and longtime manufacturing advocate—to unpack what leadership actually looks like when it’s forged through failure, discomfort, and lived experience.

Tony’s story doesn’t follow a polished leadership playbook. He grew up with very little, chased professional sport, fell accidentally into manufacturing, and spent years learning leadership not through theory—but through bad bosses, good mentors, global travel, and repeated failure. That journey shaped a leadership philosophy rooted in service, humility, and human awareness rather than power or control.

Throughout this conversation, Tony and Eric explore:
-Why ego is the most corrosive force in leadership
-How comfort zones quietly limit growth, perspective, and resilience
-The difference between confidence and ego—and why leaders confuse the two
-Why seeing the world changes how you lead people at home
-How fear-based leadership erodes trust and long-term performance
-Why the best leaders measure success by who they lift up, not who they outperform

This is not a motivational talk. It’s a grounded, honest discussion about leadership as it is actually practiced—messy, uncomfortable, and deeply human. If you lead a team, a business, a household, or yourself—and you’re willing to question how you lead—this episode will challenge your assumptions and sharpen your perspective.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction to Tony Gunn
2:50 Tony's Beginnings
7:14 Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone
11:26 Cultural Experiences and Leadership
16:06 Traveling and What You Can Learn
21:05 Leadership Failure and Impacts on Organizations
23:30 True Leadership Characteristics

Make sure you check out Tony and his work below:
Website
YouTube Channel
Amazon: (Book Link)
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Music: 
Neon Beach: What Actually Happened
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