Leadership doesn’t always travel well without adaptation. In this episode of Leading Through Unlearning, Dr. Brandon Smith unpacks why the same leader can soar in one environment and stumble in the next. You’ll hear how contingency theory laid the groundwork for understanding that context matters, why past performance isn’t a guaranteed passport to future success, and how culture acts as an invisible current pulling behavior in subtle but powerful ways. From youth soccer fields to complex workplaces, this episode cuts through the clichés to show what actually makes leaders flourish, or falter, in real-world settings.

In this episode of Leading Through Unlearning, Dr. Brandon Smith challenges you to reflect on a fundamental question: What does it truly mean to be successful as a leader? While leadership is often measured by achieving goals, Brandon dives deeper into what it means to create a lasting and meaningful impact.

Through thought-provoking questions and actionable insights, this episode explores how great leaders go beyond goal attainment to foster job satisfaction, engagement, team building, and even life satisfaction for their followers. Drawing on the ideas of Gordon Murphy and James MacGregor Burns, Brandon discusses how leadership success can be redefined as improving the lives of the people you touch.

You’ll learn how to balance achieving results with more follower-focused outcomes and walk away with practical strategies to build your leadership legacy. Whether you're a seasoned leader or an aspiring one, this episode will leave you with the tools and reflections to elevate your leadership impact.

Key Takeaways:

• Why leaders should reflect on their motivations and legacy.
• How leadership creates ripple effects beyond the workplace.
• Strategies to balance goal achievement with follower well-being.
• Questions to help you define and measure your leadership success.

Tune in, reflect deeply, and discover how to lead in a way that transforms both outcomes and lives.

In this episode of "Leading through Unlearning," we dive into the concept of mental models and their profound impact on leadership. We’ll explore what mental models are, including similar terms like paradigms and mindsets, and how they shape our decision-making and leadership styles. The discussion will highlight the importance of recognizing and challenging outdated mental models to adapt to changing environments and enhance leadership effectiveness. We’ll introduce the idea of a disorienting dilemma—a critical incident that prompts leaders to question and reassess their existing models. By the end of the episode, you'll be encouraged to reflect on your own mental models that might be limiting your effectiveness as a leader, with strategies on how to identify and reshape them for better outcomes. Join us as we learn how to rethink and transform our approach to leadership by challenging the very models that define it.

What does it mean to lead? In this episode, we tackle the challenge of defining leadership—a concept that’s intuitively understood yet difficult to pin down. Drawing from insights and real-world examples, we explore the essence of leadership as influence, the distinction between formal and informal leadership, and how it compares to management. Whether you're an aspiring leader or already in a position of authority, this episode will inspire you to reflect on your own leadership style and discover how influence, not just authority, can drive meaningful results. Tune in and take the first step in becoming the leader you aspire to be!

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References

• Northouse, P. G. (2025). Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage publications.
• Kotter, J. P. (2008). Force for change: How leadership differs from management. Simon and Schuster.
• French, J. and Raven, B. (1959). The Bases of Social Power. In Studies in Social Power, D. Cartwright, Ed., pp. 150-167. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research.
• Simonet, D. V., & Tett, R. P. (2013). Five perspectives on the leadership–management relationship: A competency-based evaluation and integration. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 20(2), 199-213.
• Lewin, Kurt, Fritz Heider, and Grace M. Heider. 1936. Principles of topological psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc.

Dive into the inaugural episode of Leading through Unlearning with your host Dr. Brandon Smith. Bringing over 15 years of expertise in leadership development, along with experiences as a military leader and university professor, Dr. Smith invites listeners to challenge outdated leadership practices and adopt evidence-based strategies. This podcast is a beacon for new managers and experienced leaders alike, offering a mix of personal stories, hard-hitting statistics, and practical tips. From the significance of leadership in shaping civilizations to its daily impact on our personal lives, Dr. Smith emphasizes the crucial need for intentional leadership development. Whether you’re influencing a team or guiding a nation, tune in to transform how you lead and ensure your leadership is as effective as possible. Join us weekly for insights that promise to enhance not only your leadership skills but also the well-being and success of those around you.