Leadership Voyage

Text Jason @ Leadership Voyage

About Brian Reich in his own words:

I don’t regret it. I worked hard. I played hard. But looking back, I can see it was just a little too much.

For more than three decades, I worked in the high-pressure world of automotive manufacturing. I led teams, hit deadlines, and managed stress—or so I thought. Then on December 12, 2019, everything changed. Lying on a hospital table, I had to face the toll my lifestyle had taken. That was the wake-up call. I chose a different path.

At first the plan was simple: eat better, move more, sleep well. That’s it. Then something deeper emerged. Mindfulness, meditation, and awareness weren’t part of the plan. But they became the foundation. What began as physical recovery turned into a reset in how I live, think, and show up.

These days I live by four pillars of health: nutrition, movement, rest, and cognitive awareness. In a world that moves fast and rewards distraction, the most important thing we can do is slow down and pay attention. Awareness isn't extra. It’s essential.

That’s what The Unscripted Mind is about. Not a brand or concept. A way of being. A quiet refusal to be programmed by culture, by algorithms, or by conditioning. Staying human in a world trying to automate us. Becoming a cognitive dissident, one who questions what they’ve been taught, even when it’s comfortable. Especially then.

Now at 60, with a measured biological age just under 50, I’m medication free and learning to live on my own terms. A life grounded in presence, simplicity, and meaningful work.

Find more at just breathe.ghost.io
Contact: [email protected]
Book: Life in Motion

Interested in connecting?
Brian is open to conversations with aligned podcasts, event organizers, and communities exploring mindful living, leadership, and personal transformation. Reach out to start a dialogue.

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SHOW NOTES

Mindfulness in Life’s Game

Life is like a football game:

• On the field — You're immersed in action, focused only on your position.
• From the sidelines — You pause, take a breath, and see more of the field.
• In the stands — Your perspective expands. You see both teams, the mascots, the crowd. You remember you're part of something larger.

Mindfulness helps you shift between these perspectives:

• A single breath activates the parasympathetic nervous system and brings you back to center.
• You can't escape chaos, but you can meet it with more clarity and less reactivity.
• Mindfulness is the door to awareness.

And awareness is something we’re born with:

• We forget, but with practice, we can remember.
• Neuroplasticity means the brain can change.
• Start by doing just one thing at a time, fully — like brushing your teeth.

Mindfulness doesn’t change the moment. It changes how you meet it.

Leadership Voyage
email: [email protected]
linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonallenwick/
youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipVoyage
music: by Napoleon (napbak)
https://www.fiverr.com/napbak
voice: by Ayanna Gallant
www.ayannagallantVO.com
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Text Jason @ Leadership Voyage

Jason read the latest from Gallup on hybrid work, so you don't have to! What are the latest trends and best practices in hybrid work? Find out here!

The section below is taken verbatim from Gallup's article:

Gallup research shows that four simple practices can increase employee trust by nearly 30 percentage points. Employees are more likely to feel more trust when they strongly agree with any of the following:

• I receive timely and consistent communication about what’s happening on my team, regardless of whether I’m working from home/remotely or on-site.
• My team has a strong sense of community, regardless of whether we are working from home/remote or on-site.
• My manager holds me accountable for meeting performance expectations when I work from home/remotely.
• When working from home/remotely, I receive the same opportunities for feedback and development compared to when I work on-site.

Leadership Voyage
email: [email protected]
linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonallenwick/
youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipVoyage
music: by Napoleon (napbak)
https://www.fiverr.com/napbak
voice: by Ayanna Gallant
www.ayannagallantVO.com
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Text Jason @ Leadership Voyage

Jason discusses the WSJ article Your Boss Doesn’t Have Time to Talk to You and the HBR article AI Is Making the Workplace Empathy Crisis Worse.

Leadership Voyage
email: [email protected]
linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonallenwick/
youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipVoyage
music: by Napoleon (napbak)
https://www.fiverr.com/napbak
voice: by Ayanna Gallant
www.ayannagallantVO.com
==========

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Text Jason @ Leadership Voyage

Jason discusses the Harvard Business Review article, "Why Senior Leaders Should Stop Having So Many One-on-Ones."

Leadership Voyage
email: [email protected]
linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonallenwick/
youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipVoyage
music: by Napoleon (napbak)
https://www.fiverr.com/napbak
voice: by Ayanna Gallant
www.ayannagallantVO.com
==========

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Text Jason @ Leadership Voyage

**GET A FREE BOOK** Be one of the first three to comment on this interview with Jim Carlough and get a signed copy of his book, "The Six Pillars of Effective Leadership," for free. No strings attached!

Leadership + Writing a Book

• even though there's a gene for some tendencies, leaders are made and not born
• he wrote a book because managers aren't given guidance when promoted
• he started mentoring others and common manager challenges were around dealing with people
• Jim stopped watching the news because he wasn't sure who was telling the truth anymore

Integrity

• it's the foundation of effective leadership
• "Did I do anything today for my benefit that was at the expense of someone else?"
• Integrity leads to trust, commitment, focus, and retention
• to build integrity, journal, listen to your people, and take notes
• CEOs aren't necessarily role models, but they are easy to find references to help us connect the dots

Empathy

• put yourself in the shoes of your employee, understand the problem, and help them solve it
• "What would I want?" when thinking situationally about others
• very challenging to develop empathy
• we're afraid to say the wrong thing; first, start by listening
• ask yourself where you've seen empathy being shown and then model it
• people right now need to hear "it's going to be okay"

About Jim Carlough in his own words: I am a graduate of Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey with a degree in Psychology.  I am an accomplished executive with experience in the C-suite and EVP/VP with over 30 years of expertise in driving explosive growth and profitability for healthcare and healthcare technology organizations ranging from start-ups to large scale enterprises. With a demonstrated history of success in building high-performance teams, revitalizing struggling portfolios, and leading successful M&A integrations.  A strategic leader capable of energizing and transforming any organization.

His 2024 book is "The Six Pillars of Effective Leadership."

Leadership Voyage
email: [email protected]
linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonallenwick/
youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipVoyage
music: by Napoleon (napbak)
https://www.fiverr.com/napbak
voice: by Ayanna Gallant
www.ayannagallantVO.com
==========

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Text Jason @ Leadership Voyage

Jason talks about Leading By Example versus Delegating. There's meaning and benefits in doing it yourself, but there are also effective ways to delegate to your team that free you as the leader/manager up (and give your folks growth opportunities!).

References in this episode:

• Why I’ve Become More Mindful About What I Delegate
• The Power Of Letting Go: Why Delegation Drives Organizational Success
• William Davis on how others might do things differently than you
• Liz Kearins' LinkedIn post

Leadership Voyage
email: [email protected]
linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonallenwick/
youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipVoyage
music: by Napoleon (napbak)
https://www.fiverr.com/napbak
voice: by Ayanna Gallant
www.ayannagallantVO.com
==========

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Free delivery on your first order over $35.

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Text Jason @ Leadership Voyage

When looking for a job:

• know yourself
• anticipate what you want to grow into

It's a challenging job market because:

• domino-effect of layoffs
• it's crowded; it will be a long process and you need to be persistent

Writing a great resume

• Think of Tinder: you don't have a recruiter or hiring manager's time for long
  • how you market yourself leads to those first impressions
• Common mistakes
  • don't make others have to sift through your resume
  • think of how we read (top to bottom, left to right) and position important details accordingly
  • layout is important, being first bullet point with important stuff
  • think of accomplishment - problem - how you solved it
• One page resume
  • early career should be a page; mid career can be 2
• Have a master resume
  • that way you ruthlessly edit to a new version for each job you're tailoring it to
• Cover letter
  • it's very important
  • it complements your resume in a narrative way that bullet points can't
• Employment gaps
  • just address the elephant in the room in one sentence
  • don't make it the focal point
  • most employers understand
• AI
  • it's a great tool for efficiency
  • but know that it can hallucinate
  • you are the driver

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As a dynamic and innovative IT leader with 15+ years of experience, Sherman Chen is passionate about driving technology transformations that empower organizations to achieve their strategic objectives. With a proven track record of successfully leading 100+ projects, he has a keen ability to bridge the gap between business and technology, delivering solutions that not only meet but exceed expectations.

Throughout his career, he's had the privilege of working with companies like AT&T and Children's Hospital Los Angeles, where he played a pivotal part in implementing innovative technology solutions, driving efficiency and effectiveness while transforming the way they do business.

Beyond his technical prowess, Sherman takes great pride in his mentorship skills, nurturing talent and fostering a culture of growth within the teams he leads. As he continues his journey, he's eager to tackle new challenges and explore opportunities that allow him to leverage his experience and drive meaningful change.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherman-chen/
Email: [email protected] 

Leadership Voyage
email: [email protected]
linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonallenwick/
youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipVoyage
music: by Napoleon (napbak)
https://www.fiverr.com/napbak
voice: by Ayanna Gallant
www.ayannagallantVO.com
==========

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Free delivery on your first order over $35.

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Text Jason @ Leadership Voyage

Jason talks about the HBR article "5 Ways Leaders Accidentally Stress Out Their Employees."

1. Negative language
2. Erratic actions
3. Emotional volatility
4. Excessive pessimism
5. Ignoring people's emotions

Other references in this episode:

3 Vital Questions

Gallup's 2025 State of the Global Workplace Report

Managers Have Major Impact On Mental Health: How To Lead For Wellbeing

‘Everybody’s Replaceable’: The New Ways Bosses Talk About Workers

Leadership Voyage
email: [email protected]
linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonallenwick/
youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipVoyage
music: by Napoleon (napbak)
https://www.fiverr.com/napbak
voice: by Ayanna Gallant
www.ayannagallantVO.com
==========

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Free delivery on your first order over $35.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Text Jason @ Leadership Voyage

Meet William Davis—a man who’s spent 38 years not just leading teams, but lifting them up. With a career that spans the heights of corporate America, William has become a trusted voice in leadership, blending decades of experience with a genuine passion for guiding others. He’s the kind of leader who doesn’t just talk about success—he builds it, one relationship, one project, one person at a time. Full biography here.

In this episode, Jason and William talk about:

• Management v. Leadership
  • we're facing a leadership crisis across the corporate world
    • we have a disconnect between what followers and need and what leaders think they're giving
    • we've lost some of the interpersonal skill
  • management is "checking boxes" and managing checklists
  • leadership is when you help drive direction
    • your people can depend on you
    • connection with others
    • your team isn't your competition
    • nurturing and helping others
    • it stretches every component of who you are, blending your experiences and your team's cumulative experiences
• Change management
  • "bad" version: say there's a directive from above, which leads to
    • stale 
    • lose traction
    • anxiety
  • "good" version: explain why we're doing this, which leads to 
    • understanding
    • "we're in this together"
    • imagination and efficiency
    • solutions mindset, energized by the path ahead
    • you end up leveraging the team's specialties
• Building relationships
  • first know that you WANT to lead
    • be secure in your own skin
    • you're not competing with your team!
    • you want your people to grow and surpass you; take pride in it!
  • you're dealing with humans
    • work is not their be all end all
    • help them get through good and bad times every day
    • pick up slack if you have to
    • help them find balance and encourage them to take their PTO
  • build rapport out of the work zone
    • William's example was golfing with an employee
    • help your followers get to a comfort level with you

Leadership Voyage
email: [email protected]
linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonallenwick/
youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipVoyage
music: by Napoleon (napbak)
https://www.fiverr.com/napbak
voice: by Ayanna Gallant
www.ayannagallantVO.com
==========

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Text Jason @ Leadership Voyage

• Do we have decision-making all wrong?
  • Wall Street Journal's "The Best Leaders Aren’t Decisive. They’re Ambivalent."
• Don't rush!
  • Don't fall into what Michael Watkins calls the "action imperative."
• How much information is the right amount before making a decision?
  • Bezos' 70%
  • Bain's Pareto principle
• Improve your decision-making process.
  • Farnam Street's decision journal template

Leadership Voyage
email: [email protected]
linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonallenwick/
youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipVoyage
music: by Napoleon (napbak)
https://www.fiverr.com/napbak
voice: by Ayanna Gallant
www.ayannagallantVO.com
==========

Instacart - Groceries delivered in as little as 1 hour. 
Free delivery on your first order over $35.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.