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🎙 Through a Different Lens – A Leadership Perspective on Emotional Reactivity

Edition 30 – Elite Leader Insights™ Podcast

In this episode of the Elite Leader Insights™ Podcast, Donald C. Kunkel Jr. explores one of the most misunderstood traits in leadership — emotional reactivity — and why it can be both a challenge and a hidden strength.

Too often, leaders dismiss emotional sensitivity as a weakness. In reality, when understood and managed well, it can improve trust, increase empathy, and sharpen preparation. The difference comes down to one thing: how you interpret and use the signals it sends.

Drawing from the TECCA Influence System™ and insights from The Foundations of Influence, this episode shares a personal story from Donnie’s Air Force career, the latest research on neuroticism and leadership, and practical strategies for transforming reactivity into influence.

This is for every leader who wants to better understand themselves, their team, and the perspectives that shape decision-making under pressure.

You’ll learn:

• Why emotional sensitivity is often misread in leadership
• The neuroscience behind emotional reactivity
• How reactivity can actually strengthen leadership influence
• Three practical ways to channel emotional sensitivity into trust and adaptability
• How the TECCA Influence Assessment™ turns self-awareness into measurable growth

📚 Resources Mentioned:

• The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead & Inspire
• TECCA™ Influence Assessment + Power Profile™ (Free for a limited time)
• Elite Leader Insights™ Newsletter

🎯 Final Thought:
Emotional reactivity isn’t a flaw — it’s a signal.
When leaders learn how to read it, they can transform it from noise into one of their greatest sources of influence.

Elite Leader Insights is hosted by Donald C. Kunkel Jr., founder of the Elite Leadership Center, author of The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead and Inspire, and creator of the TECCA Influence System

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🎙 Leading Through Change — Why Most Transformations Fail Before They Start

Edition 29 – Elite Leader Insights™ Podcast

In this episode of the Elite Leader Insights™ Podcast, Donald C. Kunkel Jr. unpacks one of the most consistent failure points in organizational growth: change without influence.

Billions are spent on change initiatives every year, yet most still fail to gain lasting traction. Why? Because while strategy gets the spotlight, human behavior gets ignored.

Change feels strategic to leadership — but deeply personal to teams. And without influence, trust, and emotional intelligence, even the best plan collapses under resistance.

Drawing from the TECCA Influence System™ and insights from The Foundations of Influence, this episode explores the psychology behind change, the leadership blind spots that sabotage it, and the frameworks that help leaders build momentum instead of friction.

This is for every leader navigating transformation — whether you're guiding a team through a restructure or trying to shift culture in meaningful ways.

You’ll learn:

• Why most leaders fail to lead people through change (not just into it)
• How the Diffusion of Innovation and Stages of Change models reveal your hidden resistance points
• What it means to lead with trust during uncertainty
• Five specific actions that increase your influence during transitions
• How the TECCA Influence Assessment™ helps identify your leadership blind spots and strengths in change

📚 Resources Mentioned:

• The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead & Inspire
• TECCA™ Influence Assessment + Power Profile™ (Free for a limited time)
• Elite Leader Insights™ Newsletter

🎯 Final Thought:
Change isn’t a strategy problem.
It’s a leadership mirror.
And if you don’t lead with influence, the plan won’t matter.

—

Elite Leader Insights is hosted by Donald C. Kunkel Jr., founder of the Elite Leadership Center, author of The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead and Inspire, and creator of the TECCA Influence System™.

Elite Leader Insights is hosted by Donald C. Kunkel Jr., founder of the Elite Leadership Center, author of The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead and Inspire, and creator of the TECCA Influence System

🌐 Connect with Us: LinkTree | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (X)

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🎙 Why We Still Struggle to Develop Leaders — and What’s Missing

Edition 28 – Elite Leader Insights™ Podcast

In this episode of the Elite Leader Insights™ Podcast, Donald C. Kunkel Jr. unpacks one of the most frustrating truths in modern leadership development: we know what great leadership looks like—but we still struggle to create it.

Billions are spent on leadership programs each year, yet more than 70% of organizations still report major leadership gaps. Why? Because most development systems teach concepts, not behaviors—and ignore the one variable that holds everything together:

Influence.

Drawing from the TECCA Influence System™ and insights from The Foundations of Influence, this episode explores the behavioral blind spots holding leaders back, and why influence must become the foundation of every development effort.

This is for every leader who’s tired of vague training, unmeasured progress, and watching potential go unrealized.

You’ll learn:

• Why 50% of new leaders fail within 18 months—and what’s behind that number
• The 5 reasons most leadership development programs break down
• Why we keep promoting high performers who struggle to lead
• How influence—not title—is what employees respond to in real time
• How TECCA™ transforms influence into a measurable leadership practice
• What you can do now to close the leadership gap in yourself and your team

📚 Resources Mentioned:

• The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead & Inspire
• TECCA™ Influence Assessment + Power Profile™
• Elite Leader Insights™ Newsletter

🎯 Final Thought:
Leadership isn’t a mystery. It’s a set of measurable behaviors.
When we stop chasing titles and start building influence, leadership follows.

Elite Leader Insights is hosted by Donald C. Kunkel Jr., founder of the Elite Leadership Center, author of The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead and Inspire, and creator of the TECCA Influence System

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🎙 Emotional Intelligence Is a Leadership Discipline—Not a Personality Trait

In this episode of the Elite Leader Insights™ Podcast, Donald C. Kunkel Jr. breaks down one of the most misunderstood elements of leadership: emotional intelligence.

Too many leaders still treat EQ as a soft skill—or worse, a personality trait you're either born with or not. But the truth is, emotional intelligence is a discipline, and it’s one that separates those who manage people from those who truly influence them.

Drawing from the TECCA™ Influence System and insights from The Foundations of Influence, this episode explores why EQ is the thread that connects trust, communication, and leadership credibility—and how leaders can start developing it with intention.

This is for every leader who's ever been told to “stay calm” or “be more empathetic” but was never given the tools to do it.

You’ll learn:

• The Five Core Areas of Emotional Intelligence (based on Goleman’s research)
• Why empathy without self-regulation can do more harm than good
• How blind spots in EQ quietly derail your leadership
• A real-world story from Donnie’s First Sergeant experience that shows EQ in action
• Coaching tips to build your EQ as a habit—not a buzzword

Resources Mentioned:

• The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead & Inspire
• TECCA™ Influence Assessment + Power Profile™
• Elite Leader Insights™ Newsletter

Final Thought:
You can’t lead others if you can’t lead yourself—and emotional intelligence is where that leadership begins.

Elite Leader Insights is hosted by Donald C. Kunkel Jr., founder of the Elite Leadership Center, author of The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead and Inspire, and creator of the TECCA Influence System

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🎙 We All Hate Pointless Meetings—So Why Do We Keep Having Them?

In this episode of the Elite Leader Insights™ Podcast, Donald C. Kunkel Jr. unpacks one of the biggest productivity killers in modern leadership: meetings that waste time, erode trust, and derail execution.

Meetings were designed to move teams forward—but too often, they drain energy and deliver nothing. From performative face time to calendar chaos, Donald explores why we keep defaulting to meetings that don’t work—and what real leaders can do to fix them.

Drawing from the TECCA™ Influence System and The Foundations of Influence, this episode offers a powerful framework for making every meeting a moment of momentum—not confusion.

This is for every leader who's ever walked out of a meeting and thought:
“What did we actually accomplish?”

You’ll learn:

• Why most meetings create more confusion than clarity
• The neuroscience behind cognitive overload—and how meetings feed it
• Five research-backed strategies to lead meetings that actually matter
• How communication breakdowns start long before anyone speaks

Resources Mentioned:

• The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead & Inspire
• TECCA™ Influence Assessment and Power Profile™
• Elite Leader Insights™ Newsletter

Final Thought:
You don’t need another meeting. You need better meetings.
Because leadership isn’t about being busy—it’s about driving impact.

Elite Leader Insights™ is hosted by Donald C. Kunkel Jr., founder of the Elite Leadership Center™, author of The Foundations of Influence, and creator of the TECCA™ Influence System.

🌐 Connect: Link Tree | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | EliteLeadershipCenter.com

Elite Leader Insights is hosted by Donald C. Kunkel Jr., founder of the Elite Leadership Center, author of The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead and Inspire, and creator of the TECCA Influence System

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🎙 How Comparison Hijacks Growth—and Steals Your Momentum

In this episode of the Elite Leader Insights™ Podcast, Donald C. Kunkel Jr. takes on one of the most overlooked leadership traps: comparison.

It doesn’t just distract—it distorts. And when left unchecked, it slowly pulls even the most driven leaders off track.

From subtle self-doubt to unhealthy competition, comparison can quietly erode confidence, authenticity, and clarity. Drawing from his own experience as a competitive leader—and grounded in the TECCA™ Influence System—Donald explores what it really costs us to lead by someone else’s scoreboard.

This episode is a mindset reset for anyone who’s ever thought, “I should be further by now.”

You’ll learn:

• Why comparison impacts decision-making more than we realize
• How to spot when competition becomes misaligned
• Three powerful shifts to reclaim your focus and momentum
• Why identity-based goals lead to sustainable growth and influence

Resources Mentioned:

• The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead & Inspire
• TECCA™ Influence Assessment and Power Profile™
• Elite Leader Insights™ Newsletter

Final Thought:
Your timeline isn’t broken. But the lens you’re using might be.
You don’t need to catch up—you need to realign.
Because influence doesn’t come from chasing others. It comes from becoming more of who you are.

Elite Leader Insights™ is hosted by Donald C. Kunkel Jr., founder of the Elite Leadership Center™, author of The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead & Inspire, and creator of the TECCA™ Influence System.

🌐 Connect with Us: LinkTree | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (X) 

Read this week's article and take you TECCA Influence Assessment by visiting us at www.EliteLeadershipCenter.com

Elite Leader Insights is hosted by Donald C. Kunkel Jr., founder of the Elite Leadership Center, author of The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead and Inspire, and creator of the TECCA Influence System

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🎙 You Can’t Teach Initiative: Why Effort Still Matters

In this episode of the Elite Leader Insights™ Podcast, Donald C. Kunkel Jr. unpacks one of the hardest truths in leadership: you can teach almost anything — but you can’t teach initiative.

Whether you're leading a team, mentoring others, or building a high-performance culture, effort is the silent driver of results. Drawing from leadership experience, core principles of the TECCA™ Influence System, and practical coaching insights, this episode explores how to spot initiative, how to cultivate it, and what to do when it’s missing.

This is a wake-up call for leaders who are exhausted from carrying the team alone — and a challenge to stop pouring energy into people who aren’t ready to own their growth.

You’ll learn:

• Why initiative is a mindset, not a skillset
• How to distinguish potential from performance
• What to do when you’re leading people who aren’t meeting you halfway
• A coaching-based strategy to redirect your leadership energy where it counts

Resources Mentioned:

• The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead & Inspire
• TECCA™ Influence Assessment and Power Profile™
• Elite Leader Insights™ Newsletter

Final Thought:
Initiative can’t be taught — but it can be rewarded, modeled, and expected. Don’t confuse coaching with carrying. Influence is how we lead — in life and leadership.

Elite Leader Insights™ is hosted by Donald C. Kunkel Jr., founder of the Elite Leadership Center™, author of The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead & Inspire, and creator of the TECCA™ Influence System.

🌐 Connect with Us: LinkTree | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (X) 

Elite Leader Insights is hosted by Donald C. Kunkel Jr., founder of the Elite Leadership Center, author of The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead and Inspire, and creator of the TECCA Influence System

🌐 Connect with Us: LinkTree | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (X)

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🎙 The Power of Trust: The Cornerstone of Influence

Trust isn’t soft — it’s foundational. In this first episode of the Elite Leader Insights Podcast, Donald C. Kunkel Jr.explores why trust is the most essential trait in any leadership role — and how it directly impacts your ability to influence, inspire, and lead with impact.

Pulling from neuroscience, real-world case studies, and core concepts from The Foundations of Influence, this episode breaks down the mindset and methods of high-trust leaders — and offers three actionable strategies you can use today to grow your influence by building trust.

Whether you’re leading a team, raising a family, or mentoring others, trust is the thread that holds influence together.

You’ll learn:

• Why trust is the foundation of all influence — not authority
• What neuroscience reveals about trust and team performance
• How leaders like Luis Urzúa used trust to lead in crisis
• Three research-backed strategies to build trust in any setting

Resources Mentioned:

• The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead & Inspire
• TECCA Influence Assessment™ and Power Profile™
• Elite Leader Insights™ Newsletter

Final Thought:

Trust is your greatest currency. It multiplies influence, and influence is how we lead — in life and leadership.

Elite Leader Insights is hosted by Donald C. Kunkel Jr., founder of the Elite Leadership Center, author of The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead & Inspire, and creator of the TECCA Influence System™.

🌐 Connect with Us: LinkTree | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (X) 

Elite Leader Insights is hosted by Donald C. Kunkel Jr., founder of the Elite Leadership Center, author of The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead and Inspire, and creator of the TECCA Influence System

🌐 Connect with Us: LinkTree | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (X)

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🎙 The Ripple Effect: How Leaders Shape Culture

Culture doesn’t start with a slogan — it starts with a leader. In this episode of the Elite Leader Insights Podcast, Donald C. Kunkel Jr. explores how small, consistent leadership behaviors create long-term ripple effects that shape team culture, for better or worse.

Drawing from a real-world leadership case study, he shares five practical, research-backed strategies for driving cultural transformation — without fancy programs or corporate jargon. You’ll hear how clarity, feedback, accountability, and values-based hiring can reshape even the most misaligned teams.

Whether you're a seasoned executive or a frontline leader, this episode will challenge you to reflect on what you're permitting, what you're perpetuating, and how to lead culture change from the inside out.

You’ll learn:

• Why culture is built through repetition, not intention
• The #1 phrase that changed how Don leads and teaches
• Five best practices for shaping culture that actually stick
• How to hire, coach, and correct in ways that reinforce values

Resources Mentioned:

• The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead & Inspire book
• The TECCA Influence Assessment™ and Power Profile™
• Weekly Elite Leader Insights™ newsletter

Final Thought:
What you permit, you perpetuate. Leadership isn’t what you preach — it’s what you consistently practice

Elite Leader Insights is hosted by Donald C. Kunkel Jr., founder of the Elite Leadership Center, author of The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead and Inspire, and creator of the TECCA Influence System

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When Favoritism Fails: The Cost of Playing Favorites

Favoritism rarely announces itself—but your team always feels it.

In this episode of Elite Leader Insights, Donald Kunkel Jr. explores the hidden impact of favoritism—how even well-intentioned patterns can quietly erode trust, credibility, and team engagement.

You’ll hear:

• A personal leadership lesson from Donald’s Air Force experience
• Why perceived favoritism is just as damaging as the real thing
• Research-backed insights on morale and retention
• Action steps to build fairness, development, and team culture

👉 If you lead people—this one’s for you.

📚 Resources Mentioned:

📊 Take the free TECCA Influence Assessment and get your personalized TECCA Power Profile — including your Influence and Development Archetypes:
FoundationAssessments.com

📬 Subscribe to the Elite Leader Insights weekly newsletter for practical leadership tools:
EliteLeadershipCenter.com

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Elite Leader Insights is hosted by Donald C. Kunkel Jr., founder of the Elite Leadership Center, author of The Foundations of Influence: The Power to Lead and Inspire, and creator of the TECCA Influence System

🌐 Connect with Us: LinkTree | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (X)