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Most leaders only rest when they're forced to — and that reactive pattern is quietly eroding their decision quality, their presence, and their leadership effectiveness. In this episode of Lead With More, Tom DeBell introduces a reframe that changes everything: resting from work is recovery, but working from rest is preparation.
Drawing on what elite athletes have always known about peak performance, Tom breaks down three practical levels of intentional rest that every leader can build into their rhythm:
Tom also addresses why leaders must model healthy rest themselves before they can build it into their team's culture — because personal leadership always precedes team leadership.
If you're ready to stop collapsing into rest and start leading from a full place, this episode is your starting point.
Timestamps:
00:00 Why Most Leaders Are Resting Wrong
00:54 Working From Rest vs. Resting From Work
01:57 What Elite Athletes Know About Rest That Leaders Don't
03:16 Way #1: Daily Boundaries That Protect Your Leadership Energy
05:04 Way #2: The Weekly Sabbath Every High-Performing Leader Needs
07:03 Way #3: Extended Rest That Clears The Leadership Fog
09:38 Why Leaders Must Model Rest Before They Can Teach It
10:40 3 Ways to Build a Rest Rhythm That Makes You a Better Leader
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Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius.
https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com
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With permission from:
Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic)
from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)
What does it actually take to grow a manager into a leader? In this episode of Lead With More, Tom DeBell sits down with bestselling author, award-winning coach, and business owner Dr. Andy Neillie for an honest, experience-driven conversation about the gap between managing tasks and truly leading people.
Dr. Neillie shares his four leadership necessities — conviction, competence, character, and covenant — and explains why leadership development is a continuous journey, not a one-time certification. The conversation covers why hard conversations are the truest test of leadership character, how self-awareness is the foundation of every high-performing leader, and what Dr. Neillie calls the leader's hour: a daily habit the best leaders he's worked with consistently practice.
Dr. Neillie also introduces his Manager's Ascent program and the leadership principles behind his book, The Golden Principles.
Learn More About Dr. Andy Neillie and his company, The Neillie Leadership Group, here: https://neillieleadershipgroup.com/
Timestamps:
00:00 How to Turn Mangers Into High-Performing Leaders
01:33 Why Bad Bosses Ignite a Leadership Calling
03:42 Managers vs. Leaders: What's the Real Difference?
04:37 The Four Leadership Necessities: Conviction, Competence, Character, and Covenant
09:39 Why Leadership Is A Journey, Not a Certification
09:59 The Hard Conversation That Taught Me Character
12:00 Why Social Media Is Redefining Influence the Wrong Way
13:16 The 5% of Decisions That Separate Real Leaders
15:41 How Strong Leaders Delegate What They Don't Know
16:53 The Golden Principles: Leadership Lessons From Rescue Dogs
20:06 The Redford Principle: Meet People Where They Are
22:22 Why Character Is Missing In Today's Leaders
25:04 How Great Leaders Keep Growing After Every Failure
28:09 Why Reading Isn't Enough: The Case for Leadership Coaching
29:15 Inside the Manager's Ascent Program
31:12 Real-World Experience vs. Certified on Paper
32:14 When Coaching Reveals Someone Isn't Ready to Lead
35:27 The Leader's Hour: How the Best Leaders Start Their Day
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Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius.
https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com
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Podcast guests managed through PodMatch. If you’re a podcast guest or host (or both!), I would encourage you to check it out: https://www.podmatch.com/member/tomdebell (affiliate link).
#PodMatch
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With permission from:
Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic)
from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)
What does it really mean to lead with perspective?
In this episode of Lead With More, Tom DeBell sits down with leadership consultant and former CPA firm CEO Dennis Sherrin to unpack one of the most overlooked — and most critical — skills in leadership: the ability to shift perspectives.
Using a photography-based framework, Tom and Dennis explore three practical concepts every leader needs to develop:
Together, Tom and Dennis share real-world stories from careers in engineering, accounting, and executive leadership — including what it cost them when they couldn't shift perspectives, and what changed when they finally did.
Whether you lead a small team or a large organization, this episode will challenge you to examine the lens you're leading through — and give you practical tools to expand it.
Timestamps:
00:00 Why Perspective Is the Most Overlooked Leadership Skill
01:31 Guest Host Introduction: Leadership Lessons From 40 Years In Business
06:02 How Leaders Build Team Buy-In Through Shared Perspective
07:43 Lens-Switching: How Leaders Shift Between Big Picture and Ground Level
14:51 Leadership Filters: Changing How You Process Information as a Leader
19:44 The Leadership Filter: Redefining Success Through Your Team, Not Yourself
23:35 Vulnerable Leadership: Why CEO's Need to Take the Filter Off
30:45 Direct Communication: When Strong Leaders Remove the Filter Entirely
33:27 Camera-Switching: See Your Leadership From a Completely Different Angle
41:33 How to Practice Perspective-Shifting and Grow From Leadership Failure
44:31 Character-Driven Leadership: Why Knowing Your Audience Changes Everything
47:35 Closing Thoughts: Leading With More by Seeing More
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Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius.
https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com
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With permission from:
Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic)
from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)
After 20+ episodes, I almost stopped. Not because something went wrong — but because leading yourself with no external accountability, no visible results, and an easier path available is genuinely hard. And nobody talks about that honestly enough.
In this milestone 25th episode, I'm sharing what I've actually learned about leadership through this process — starting with the lesson that hit closest to home: self-leadership is the foundation of everything else. And it's the hardest thing I've ever had to build.
In this episode:
✅ Why self-leadership breaks down the moment external accountability disappears
✅ The honest story of almost quitting after more than 20 episodes — and what pulled me through
✅ What practice, discomfort, and recording yourself actually do for your growth as a leader
✅ Why authenticity is a character commitment, not a content strategy
✅ What 25 episodes of podcasting taught me about growth, perspective, and showing up
If you have something you've been putting off — a project, a habit, a platform — this episode is for you.
🎙️ Lead With More is a podcast for leaders who want to grow with clarity, character, and purpose.
Timestamps:
00:00 Why Self-Leadership Is the Hardest Leadership Challenge
00:54 Lead With More - Character-Driven Leadership For Today's Leaders
01:23 How to Lead Yourself When No One Is Holding You Accountable
02:49 What Almost Quitting Taught Me About Leadership And Personal Growth
04:19 Why Growth Requires Discomfort - and the Leadership Reps Nobody Sees
05:58 Authentic Leadership - How to Stay True to Yourself Under Pressure
07:16 How Podcasting Builds Leadership Skills and Grows Your Network
08:32 How to Start Before You're Ready - Leadership Lessons for New and Emerging Leaders
09:47 Lead With More - Keep Growing With Clarity, Character, and Purpose
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Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius.
https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com
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With permission from:
Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic)
from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)
Most first-time managers don't fail because they lack talent — they fail due to a lack of clarity about identity, purpose, and execution. In this episode of Lead With More, Tom DeBell sits down with ICF-certified leadership coach and author Alicia Rius to unpack why the transition from individual contributor to manager is one of the most underestimated challenges in the workplace. Alicia helps new managers, founders, and executive teams fix the clarity gaps that quietly undermine performance during growth.
Alicia shares her Four P's Leadership Framework — Personal, People, Purpose, and Process — a practical system designed to help new managers identify exactly where their leadership clarity is breaking down. The conversation covers why one-day team building workshops don't create lasting change, the critical difference between managing and leading, why mindset must come before frameworks, and how to have the hard conversations that most leaders avoid.
Alicia also discusses her book, Lead with Clarity, and her free 90-second Clarity Scorecard at HiveTeamCoaching.com/book — a quick self-assessment that tells you exactly where to focus first.
Timestamps:
00:00 Why Most First-Time Managers Fail - It's Not Talent
00:49 Meet Alicia Rius: International Leadership Coach and Author
03:11 The 4 P's Leadership Framework Explained
04:53 Why Most Leaders Only Seek Coaching After They've Already Failed
05:54 Why One-Day Team Building Doesn't Fix Leadership Problems
07:48 Individual vs. Team Coaching: Why Leaders Need Both
09:32 Long-Term Leadership Development vs. Short-Term Training
11:53 Managing vs. Leading: What Most People Get Wrong
13:02 The Mindset Shift Every First-Time Manager Must Make
15:12 Why Leadership Is a Lifelong Journey, Not a Destination
17:55 The Power of Self-Leadership and Why It Comes First
18:48 How Lead With Clarity Was Written, and Why Sofia's Story Matters
22:13 How to Use This Book as a First-Time Manager or Aspiring Leader
24:51 The Hidden Cost of Skipping Leadership Training in Year One
26:40 Why Hard Conversations Are a Skill, and How to Build It
27:22 Mindset Before Frameworks: The Step Most Coaches Skip
28:43 Why the Feedback Sandwich Doesn't Work
31:06 How to Identify Your Leadership Gap in 90 Seconds
32:17 Where to Find Alicia Rius and the Free Clarity Scorecard
33:47 Alicia's Final Challenge: Ask Yourself the Hard Questions
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Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius.
https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com
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Podcast guests managed through PodMatch. If you’re a podcast guest or host (or both!), I would encourage you to check it out: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/tomdebell (affiliate link).
#PodMatch
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With permission from:
Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic)
from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)
What happens when you hit every financial goal — and still feel like you're losing? In this episode, Tom DeBell sits down with entrepreneur, coach, and author Jim Sabellico to unpack the defining moment that changed everything: coming home to a half-eaten birthday cake and realizing he'd been building success on the wrong foundation.
Jim shares how high achievers tie their self-worth to financial results, why work-life balance is a myth, and what it actually looks like to lead with intention at work and at home. You'll also hear practical frameworks for capturing ideas, building productive routines, and using your personal story as a breakthrough tool — not a burden.
In this episode:
Jim Sabellico is an entrepreneur, marketing expert, and host of the No Half Cakes podcast. After building multiple 7- and 8-figure businesses, he realized success isn’t just about money—it’s about creating a life you won’t regret later. Now, he helps entrepreneurs redefine success, simplify their growth, and build businesses that align with their purpose. Through real stories and actionable insights, Jim empowers high achievers to take back control of their time, energy, and impact.
🔗 Connect with Jim: jimsabellico.com | nohalfcakes.com
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Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius.
https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com
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Podcast guests managed through PodMatch. If you’re a podcast guest or host (or both!), I would encourage you to check it out: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/tomdebell (affiliate link).
#PodMatch
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With permission from:
Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic)
from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)
Most leaders aren't failing — and that's exactly the problem. In this episode of Lead With More, Tom DeBell unpacks the hidden plateau that keeps competent leaders from making a lasting impact. If you've been leading well but still feel like something is missing, this episode is for you.
Tom explores the difference between transactional respect — which follows your title — and the relational influence that outlasts any role you'll ever hold. Drawing on John Maxwell's levels of leadership, he identifies why so many leaders stall at positional authority and what it actually costs them over time: depth, loyalty, and lasting influence.
You'll learn why character development is the most overlooked investment a leader can make, what servant leadership looks like in practice, and how one honest question about your own growth edge can change the trajectory of your leadership.
In this episode:
Ready to lead with more? Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review — it helps more leaders find this content.
Timestamps:
00:00 Why Good Leaders Stop Growing (And Don't Know It)
01:02 What It Really Means To Lead With More
01:51 The Leaders Who Leave A Lasting Impact
03:13 The Hidden Cost of Positional Leadership
04:46 Respected vs. Remembered: The Leadership Gap That Matters
06:19 Why Character Is the Most Overlooked Leadership Skill
07:54 How to Start Growing As A Leader Right Now
09:26 The Quiet Work of Becoming a Leader Worth Following
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Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius.
https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com
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Thumbnail created using ThumbnailCreator
https://thumbnailcreator.com?atp=BXnO05
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With permission from:
Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic)
from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)
Most leaders never question whether their influence is real — until the day it vanishes. In this FURTHER episode of Modern Leadership Solutions, host Tom DeBell returns to Episode 3: Influence Beyond Titles to introduce a concept that changes how leaders think about their impact: the difference between borrowed influence and built influence.
Borrowed influence belongs to your title. Built influence belongs to you. Using Maxwell's Five Levels of Leadership as a framework, Tom reveals how leaders at every level — including Level 2 and Level 3 — can be carrying more borrowed influence than they realize, and what to do about it before a role change forces the answer.
In this episode you'll learn:
If you want leadership influence that compounds over time and survives every transition, this episode is for you.
Most leaders facing execution problems look in the wrong place — blaming people, processes, or org charts. In this episode, Tom DeBell sits down with Mickey Anderson, co-founder of LoyaltyOps™️, to unpack why scaling companies stall and what actually drives team performance.
Mickey introduces the concept of the coordination layer — the critical infrastructure beneath your strategy that determines whether your team executes or stalls. Together, Tom and Mickey cover:
Whether you lead a team of 10 or 300, this episode delivers a perspective shift that changes how you build, align, and scale.
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Michaela "Mickey" Anderson is the Co-Founder of LoyaltyOps™, an operational advisory firm that installs the structural foundation that keeps execution strong as organizations grow.
She started her career as Head of Operations, leading a fitness company through three consecutive years of double growth. She has since founded two companies and worked with $20M businesses preparing for capitalization events.
Michaela co-founded LoyaltyOps™ with her husband, a retired Tier 1 Assaulter in the Special Missions Unit. Together, they have spent their careers studying one question: how do capable people execute reliably when the pressure is real, and the margin for error is small?
https://loyaltyops.com/workshops
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Timestamps:
00:00 Why Your Team's Execution Problem Isn't a People Problem
00:42 Meet Mickey Anderson: From Operations to Elite Team Strategy
04:36 The Hidden Layer Most Leaders Ignore: People, Processes, Performance
06:05 Culture Is Your Infrastructure, Not Your Mission Statement
07:51 The Two Sides of Accountability Leaders Miss
10:49 Closing the Gap Between Leadership Intent and Team Reality
14:26 Getting Leadership Team Buy-In
21:18 When Scaling Breaks Everything: The Control-to-Command Shift
27:27 About LoyaltyOps
28:37 Closing Thoughts
29:17 Conclusion
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Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius.
www.modernleadershipsolutions.com
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Podcast guests managed through PodMatch. If you’re a podcast guest or host (or both!), I would encourage you to check it out: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/tomdebell (affiliate link).
#PodMatch
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With permission from:
Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic)
from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)
What happens after the crisis ends? Most leaders focus on surviving the storm — but the real leadership work begins when it's over.
In this episode, Tom DeBell sits down with Savio P. Clemente — bestselling author, journalist, TEDx speaker, and two-time cancer survivor — to explore a side of crisis leadership that rarely gets discussed: post-crisis recovery, recalibration, and what it takes to lead effectively after the pressure subsides.
Savio P. Clemente is a keynote & TEDx speaker and healthcare leadership strategist who helps leadership teams make faster, clearer, high-stakes decisions after disruption, when the crisis is over, but performance hasn’t recovered. Drawing on 2,000+ interviews with global leaders and his own experience as a two-time cancer survivor, he developed the Adaptive Resilience Leadership framework to help leaders reduce cognitive overload, avoid costly decision fatigue, and improve execution and performance across teams. His work sits at the intersection of healthcare, leadership, and human performance. He equips organizations to operate with clarity, precision, and resilience, so leaders can make faster decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and sustain performance when it matters most.
https://www.saviopclemente.com/
Timestamps:
00:00 How Leaders Survive Crisis - and What Comes After
00:32 Meet Savio P. Clemente - From Mumbai to Leadership Coach
03:09 Stage 3 Cancer at 38 - When Crisis Hits Without Warning
05:36 Mindset Under Pressure - How to Stay Grounded During a Crisis
08:40 Reframing the Crisis - The Mental Shift That Changes Everything
10:35 The Replapse - Facing a Second Cancer Diagnosis 10 Years Later
14:04 Stem Cell Transplant and the Power of Stillness and Silence
18:48 Turning Pain Into Purpose - Finding Meaning After Crisis
21:04 Adaptive Resilience - The Leadership Skill Most Teams Are Missing
25:20 Post-Crisis Recovery - What Leaders Must Do After the Storm Passes
28:03 Self-Regulation and Metacognition - The Keys to Leading Under Stress
30:13 Leading With a Different Lens - Why Perspective Shapes Better Leaders
34:43 Finding Common Ground - How Great Leaders Build Trust Across Differences
37:41 The ALOHA Framework - A Simple Tool for Leader Self-Awareness
42:05 You Are Not a Victim - The Mindset Shift Every Leader Needs
44:37 Connect with Savio P. Clemente - Resources and Final Thoughts
45:29 Key Takeaways - Recalibrating After the Storm
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Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius.
www.modernleadershipsolutions.com
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Podcast guests managed through PodMatch. If you’re a podcast guest or host (or both!), I would encourage you to check it out: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/tomdebell (affiliate link).
#PodMatch
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With permission from:
Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic)
from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)
From the publisher's feed
Leadership isn't just about what you produce — it's about who you're becoming in the process. Lead With More is a practical leadership development podcast for today's emerging and…