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Have you ever had a boss who was… kind of a buffoon? Not evil, not stupid—just unaware of how they land.

In this episode of the Northbound Podcast, Chris breaks down why leadership usually fails: not because of bad intentions, but because self-awareness is missing. You'll learn how blind spots hide behind confidence, how power quietly shuts down honesty, and how "that's just how they are" becomes a culture that protects the wrong things.

Chris introduces the idea of "buffoon busting"—practical leadership work focused on identifying blind spots, auditing your language, building feedback loops, and creating a culture where clarity replaces chaos. This isn't about shaming leaders. It's about removing what's in the way so you can lead boldly, humbly, and with real credibility.

Main Points

• What "buffoon" really means

  • Not malicious, not stupid—often confident and well-intentioned.

  • The problem is impact without awareness (power used casually, language used carelessly).

  • "I didn't mean it that way" doesn't erase harm.

• How blind spots form

  • Blind spots don't announce themselves—they often look like confidence.

  • Power distorts feedback: the more power you have, the less truth you get.

  • Silence can become fake approval; laughter can replace honesty.

• Culture can calcify bad behavior

  • "That's just how he is" / "She didn't mean it like that" protects dysfunction.

  • Sometimes the "dirt bag" truly doesn't know—because no one tells them.

• Common blind spot categories

  • Language blind spots: "Relax, it was a joke," "You're too sensitive," "That's not what I meant" (invalidating/gaslighting).

  • Gender & identity blind spots: talking over, dismissing until repeated, mansplaining, commenting on tone/appearance instead of substance.

  • Emotional authority blind spots: using "intuition" to exclude; reframing dissent as ego/aggression; shutting down pushback.

  • Control confusion: mistaking leadership for control instead of creating belonging.

• Leadership behaviors that reveal blind spots

  • "Open door" leaders who punish honesty.

  • Favoritism disguised as trust (rewarding yes-people).

  • Asking for feedback but immediately defending or demanding examples to dismiss.

  • If feedback feels threatening, the blind spot is already active.

• The Northbound way forward

  • Being the buffoon isn't the failure—staying the buffoon is.

  • Replace certainty with curiosity:

    • "I missed that." "Tell me more." "What am I not seeing?"

  • Audit language, watch who goes quiet, notice who never challenges you.

  • Build structures: feedback loops, language/power audits, role play, coaching, "leadership mirror" sessions.

• Course / next steps

  • "Buffoon busting" course includes checklists, feedback sheets, deeper videos, and optional 1:1 Zoom coaching.

  • Focus: build a culture where clarity replaces crisis and chaos.

Key Takeaways

• Leadership breakdown is usually a self-awareness problem, not an intent problem.

• Power reduces honesty—leaders must design feedback back into their world.

• "That's just how they are" is a cultural excuse that protects dysfunction.

• Dissent isn't disloyalty—shutting it down creates blind spots and resentment.

• Credibility grows when leaders can say:

  • "I was wrong." "I'm sorry." "Help me understand."

• If nobody challenges you, that's not peace—that's data.

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The idea of a "work wife" or "work husband" gets tossed around casually—but is it actually harmless?

In this episode of the Northbound Podcast, Chris tackles why this language isn't just unprofessional, but actively harmful to individuals, marriages, teams, and organizations. What sounds like a joke often masks blurred emotional boundaries, misplaced intimacy, and real legal and ethical risk at work.

Chris breaks down why emotional intimacy is still intimacy—even without romance—and why borrowing marriage language in the workplace erodes trust, psychological safety, and respect for real partnerships at home. He also offers practical, healthy alternatives for building strong professional relationships without crossing lines that should never be crossed.

This episode is a must-listen for leaders, managers, and professionals who want to foster trust at work without sacrificing integrity, boundaries, or their most important relationships.

Main Points Discussed

• Why the terms "work wife" and "work husband" are toxic, not harmless

• How marriage language at work normalizes emotional boundary crossing

• Why emotional intimacy without romance is still inappropriate in the workplace

• The way "work spouse" dynamics create exclusion, favoritism, and broken trust

• How this language disrespects real marriages and partnerships

• The legal, ethical, and HR risks tied to perceived favoritism and power dynamics

• What people usually mean when they say "work spouse"—and better ways to say it

• The difference between healthy professional support and unhealthy emotional reliance

• Practical guidance for honoring boundaries while still building deep trust at work

Key Takeaways

• You don't get a second spouse at work—you get coworkers.

• Emotional intimacy is still intimacy, even without romance.

• If you wouldn't explain a "work spouse" relationship comfortably to your real spouse, that's your answer.

• Strong professional relationships do not require blurred emotional boundaries.

• Language shapes culture—and careless language creates real consequences.

• Trust, support, and collaboration can exist without borrowing intimacy from the home.

• Healthy workplaces protect marriages, teams, and psychological safety at the same time.

Do you need encouragement and support with your marriage?

Contact Matt Hallock at www.ManWarriorKing.com

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Can you have loyalty without action?

In this episode of Northbound Leadership, Chris reflects on a rafting trip through the Grand Canyon and draws a powerful parallel to leadership under pressure. Once you're in the canyon, you're committed. The water moves fast, the weather changes, and the rapids don't care how confident your guide sounds. In that kind of environment, loyalty isn't proven by words—it's proven by action.

Chris explores why loyalty without action is empty, how hesitation and silence expose teams to danger, and why decisive leadership builds trust when things get rough. Using real-world rafting experiences, he shows that great leaders prepare for what others can't see, step in when risk is highest, and absorb pressure so their people don't have to.

This episode challenges leaders to move beyond lip service and lead with courage, clarity, and commitment—especially when the waters are rough. Because loyalty isn't what you say when things are calm; it's how you lead when the rapids hit.

Pick up the oar. Read the river. Lead the raft.

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What happens when you trip—and no one's watching?

In this episode of Northbound, Chris shares a moment from the trail that became a powerful leadership lesson. While backpacking alone in the woods, Chris trips, falls flat, and immediately feels embarrassed—despite having no audience. That moment sparks a deeper reflection on leadership, performance, and the pressure to always look put together.

Through humor, Scripture, and honest self-examination, Chris explores why leaders often perform instead of live authentically, how image management makes us fragile, and why humility and self-awareness are essential for healthy leadership. He challenges the idea that falling is failure and reframes it as proof that you're moving forward.

This episode reminds us that great leaders don't pretend to be untouchable. They laugh at themselves, learn from the stumble, and keep walking—trusting that God shapes real people, not curated images.

Trip. Fall. Get up. Lead on.

Hike With Northbound

Northbound Summit - Remember The Trail That Got You There

The best shower of your life doesn't come from luxury—it comes after going without.

In this episode, Chris shares a backcountry story about three weeks without a shower and how discomfort sharpens gratitude. Using the Northbound climb as a framework, he explores why leaders who remember what it's like to go without stay more humble, empathetic, and grounded as they rise. Because comfort can create blind spots—but gratitude keeps leaders connected to their people.

The higher you climb, the more important it is to remember the trail that shaped you.

Northbound Community

Northbound Ascent - The Purpose Driven Climb

In this episode, Chris unpacks why this popular workplace phrase quietly trains burnout, replaces health with coping, and encourages people to escape their work instead of sustaining it. Using the Northbound framework of ascent, summit, and descent, he explains why healthy leadership isn't about pushing harder or rewarding exhaustion, but about designing rhythms people can actually endure.

Because leadership is a long climb—and the goal isn't surviving the week, it's staying strong for the journey ahead.

Northbound Approach Community - You are personnally invited.

Ultralight Leadership: Carry Less, Lead Farther

What if leadership worked the same way as ultralight backpacking?

In this episode, Chris uses the trail to illustrate a powerful leadership truth: the more unnecessary weight we carry, the harder it is to go farther. From auditing your "pack" to navigating the ascent, summit, and descent, this episode explores how removing excess—old processes, emotional baggage, and unnecessary systems—allows leaders to care for people better, move with clarity, and stay healthy for the long haul.

Because in leadership, just like on the trail, less weight means you can lead farther.

Contact Chris Miser: [email protected]

Northbound Approach Community

Contact Matt Hallock: [email protected]

DNA of a Man (Book on Amazon)

Man Warrior King Website

Man Warrior King Council

Staying On The Trail - Leading Well At Home And At Work

"We're like family here" sounds loyal and warm… until it quietly produces burnout, resentment, blurred boundaries, and leaders carrying emotional weight they were never meant to carry.

In this episode of the Northbound Podcast, Chris continues a conversation about popular leadership ideas that sound healthy but create long-term damage. Joined by Matt Hallock (author of DNA of a Man and founder of the Man Warrior King Project), they unpack why work is not family—and why treating it like it is often reveals something deeper: unmet emotional needs at home, unresolved tension in marriage, and leaders using work as an escape.

You'll hear a practical framework for examining your "inner world," leading yourself first, resetting your home leadership, and leading teams with clarity and purpose—without asking the workplace to carry what only family and faith can.

Bottom line: healthy teams aren't built on guilt and obligation. They're built on clarity, respect, growth, shared purpose—and clear boundaries that create safety.

Main points

• Why the phrase "we're like family" can create unhealthy expectations and hidden damage over time

• How blurred boundaries lead to burnout, resentment, misplaced loyalty, and heavier leadership

• The common root issue: when home life feels unhealthy, work becomes emotionally attractive

• "Inner world" self-examination:

  • Am I seeking identity, validation, belonging, respect primarily from work?

  • Am I emotionally neglecting my spouse/family because work feels safer or more affirming?

• A two-step leadership progression:

  1. Lead yourself (spiritual health, habits, vision, values, discipline)

  2. Lead your family (boundaries, direction, encouragement, example)

• The role of boundaries: boundaries aren't harsh—they can be loving and stabilizing

• The difference between peacekeeping vs peacemaking (real peace may require hard conversations)

• Practical "reset" steps: honesty, commitment, time with God, and a reset conversation with your spouse

• Work and home both improve when emotional weight returns to where it belongs: home first, work second

Key takeaways

• Work is not family. Don't ask your job—or your team—to carry emotional needs meant for home.

• If you aren't anchored internally, you'll look for external anchors. Work often becomes that anchor.

• Leadership gets lighter when boundaries get clearer. Clarity reduces resentment and burnout.

• Lead yourself before you lead others. Your home leadership starts with your inner life and discipline.

• Boundaries are often love in action. They stop enabling destructive patterns and create safety.

• Peacemaking beats peacekeeping. Avoiding conflict doesn't create health—it delays it.

• Take ownership. Even if something isn't your fault, it may still be under your stewardship.

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Still On The Trail - Why Education Matters For Leaders

Many leaders will tell you that education doesn't matter once you've made it. But the truth is more nuanced—and far more important.

In this episode of Northbound, Christopher Miser breaks down why continuing your education is critical for long-term leadership success. Using the metaphor of adventure and backpacking, he explains how leadership isn't a destination, but a long and changing trail—one where preparation, learning, and intentional growth make the difference between staying relevant or getting left behind.

From senior leaders quietly watching how you invest in yourself, to choosing the right kind of education that actually builds capability, this episode challenges leaders to think differently about learning, preparation, and what it really means to be ready for the next climb.

If you're serious about leadership longevity, adaptability, and impact—this episode is for you.

🧭 Main Discussion Points 1. Leadership Is a Journey, Not a Destination

Leadership is a long trail, not a finish line. Continuing education keeps leaders from becoming irrelevant, outdated, or lost as the terrain changes.

2. The Terrain Changes as You Climb

Early-career skills don't scale into senior leadership. As leaders rise, challenges shift from technical execution to strategic decision-making and organizational impact. Education helps leaders anticipate the terrain instead of reacting to it.

3. Senior Leadership Is Watching (Even When They Say They Aren't)

While some leaders claim degrees don't matter, most senior leaders do notice who is investing in themselves, stretching beyond minimum requirements, and preparing for future responsibility.

4. Education Is Pack Weight—Choose It Wisely

Not all education is equal. Overloading on credentials without purpose slows leaders down. The goal is capability, not collecting degrees or certifications.

5. Leaders Who Keep Learning Go Farther—and Stay Longer

Leaders who stop learning rely on outdated instincts, resist change, and lose relevance. Continued education keeps leaders curious, humble, adaptable, and effective over the long haul.

🎯 Key Takeaways

• Leadership requires continuous preparation, especially at higher levels

• The higher the elevation, the more intentional learning matters

• Senior leaders value those who demonstrate long-term thinking and discipline

• Education alone won't guarantee promotion, but a lack of growth can limit trust and opportunity

• Choose education that improves decision-making and prepares you for future roles

• Learning isn't about proving intelligence—it's about staying capable

• Leaders who keep learning stay relevant, adaptable, and effective longer

Your Personal Invitation

I want to personally invite you into the Northbound Approach Community.

This is a space built around leadership, faith, and adventure—created intentionally in a world where influence often matters more than integrity. Northbound is different on purpose. It's not about platforms, algorithms, or followers. It's about trust, humility, encouragement, and walking the leadership journey together.

I created this community because leadership was never meant to be done alone. There's a small cost to join, not for exclusivity, but because commitment matters and shapes how we show up for one another.

Whether you join the community or continue listening to the podcast, the mission stays the same: to encourage bold, humble, and confident leadership rooted in faith and purpose.

This is an open invitation—to grow together, lead well, and keep climbing Northbound.

-Chris