No More Carbon Copies

What do soccer, hockey, Abraham Lincoln, and executive leadership have in common?

In this conversation, Roger sits down with executive consultant and COO Vince Burens to explore why the best leaders don’t micromanage—they train people to think. Using powerful sports metaphors and real-world leadership experience, Vince unpacks what healthy leadership looks like in today’s complex, distributed world.

This is a conversation for leaders who want to build empowered teams, sustainable cultures, and organizations that flourish beyond short-term results.

Key Themes Covered:

✅ Why great leaders prepare people before the game—and trust them during it
✅ The danger of micromanagement and overcomplicated strategy
✅ Leadership as freedom within structure
✅ Accountability vs. clarity (and why most leaders confuse the two)
✅ Scarcity vs. abundance mindsets in leadership

🎙️ A New Swing for a New Season of Leadership

In this episode, Roger sits down with longtime friend and seasoned executive Vince Burens to explore the journey of leadership including that moment every leader eventually faces: the realization that their old “swing” no longer produces the results it once did. 

Vince shares about being identified early as a high-achieving leader, the insecurities that shaped his early career, and the painful but essential transition from achievement-driven leadership to wisdom-driven leadership.

Together, Roger and Vince discuss:

• Why early success can mask blind spots that catch up later
• The role of trusted voices who hold up “true mirrors”
• How self-sabotage shows up in even the most capable leaders
• The freedom that comes from redefining the scoreboard
• How your next season of leadership requires a new swing

This conversation offers clarity, honesty, encouragement, and a roadmap for leaders ready to grow beyond performance and into deeper impact.

In this conversation, Roger Johnson and Connor Walker explore the complexities of leadership, focusing on the importance of self-awareness, feedback, and stewardship. Connor shares his journey as a young CEO, discussing the challenges and surprises he faced while leading a growing company. Download the Point Guard Leadership Audit here: https://mailchi.mp/viveroleadership/pointguardleadershipaudit

In this conversation, Roger Johnson and David Fox discuss the intricacies of leadership transitions, focusing on the importance of preparation, strategic planning, and effective communication. David shares his personal experiences and insights on how to navigate the first 30, 90, and 180 days in a new role, emphasizing the need for listening, asking questions, and establishing relationships. The discussion also highlights the significance of feedback, self-assessment, and aligning team objectives with organizational goals through OKRs.

DOWNLOAD DAVID'S 30-60-90-180 DAY PLAN

In the first episode of the No More Carbon Copies Podcast, host Roger Johnson welcomes people expert, Rachel Eller, to discuss one of the toughest challenges in professional development: why high-performing individuals often struggle—or even fail—to grow, when promoted to senior leadership roles. The struggle to delegate, the crisis in middle management training, and how true confidence is built on humility, not power. Learn the difference between authentic leadership and just performing as a leader.