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Episode #85: Your Priorities Become Your Life
Set Them Intentionally, Love and Serve People Well, Let the Rest Fall in Line, and Build Something That Lasts — A Conversation with Neal Mayo

On this episode, Matt sits down with Neal Mayo — a career Army leader who spent decades in command before answering a call to serve with Samaritan's Purse, now leading North American disaster relief operations. Neal and Matt dig into what it actually looks like to set your priorities on purpose instead of letting the calendar set them for you, why loving and caring for people has to come before results, and how trusting that God has a plan for all of us changes the way you lead. It's a conversation about building something that outlasts a title or a career — service that sticks around long after you've moved on.

Topics: Priorities, people-first leadership, calling, service, disaster relief, faith and purpose

Teach them to fish, feed their family for life.

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462

Let us know what you are think about this episode here. 💬 Text here.

Edward Graham attended Liberty University before transferring to West Point; commissioned into Field Artillery, then Infantry, then the Rangers; 16 years in the Army with multiple combat deployments in Special Operations leadership roles, including Afghanistan; felt called to leave the Army in winter 2018 and join Samaritan’s Purse; now serves as COO, overseeing international and domestic operations. Married to Kristy 20 years, four kids, family lives in the NC mountains.

Ed has been on the ground repeatedly in 2025–26 for the Central Texas / Kerr County flash floods (80+ lives lost). He’s also led Samaritan’s Purse response to the Ukraine war (met with President Zelenskyy on aid delivery, traveled to Ukraine with former VP Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo), the 2023 Turkey earthquake, and the 2021 Mayfield, KY tornado.

He’s used a signature line before (at a Liberty University convocation): “If you want to be part of a miracle, you’ve got to get out of the boat. I need courageous people who are willing to get out of the boat.” 

Core Meaning

• The Boat: Represents safety, routine, and predictable comfort.
• The Water: Represents risk, the unknown, and potential failure.
• The Miracle: Represents achieving something extraordinary by overcoming fear.

Key Takeaways

• Comfort kills growth: Security often stops us from reaching our full potential.
• Risk is required: High rewards demand facing the fear of the unknown.
• Action breeds results: You cannot experience a breakthrough by staying a spectator.

If you are facing a big decision right now, We can help you think through your next steps. Let us know:

• What specific choice or "boat" are you considering leaving?
• What is the biggest risk holding you back?
• What does your ideal outcome look like?

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462

Let us know what you are think about this episode here. 💬 Text here.

Manny Lamson has been tested in some of the highest-stakes environments the military has to offer — as a SERE instructor, as a B-1 Weapons Systems Officer, and now as OIC of RAD rucking and an alum of Soldiers to Sidelines. In this conversation, Matt and Manny dig into what actually separates people who perform under pressure from those who fold: not more skill, but more conviction. They cover the jump from survival instruction to combat aviation, what it takes to instill belief in people you're leading through something brutal, the wake-up call that shifted Manny from "a dad who was" to a dad who leads by example, and his no-excuses take on health — pushing back hard on blaming biology instead of fixing sleep, diet, alcohol, and screen time. This one's a masterclass in closing the gap between what you know you should do and actually doing it.

Guest Bio
Manny Lamson (@mannymustache) — B-1 Weapons Systems Officer, former SERE instructor, OIC of RAD rucking, Soldiers to Sidelines alum.

Connect
🎧 Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | All streaming platforms 
🔗 teachmetofish.buzzsprout.com

Key themes include:

• Leadership Philosophy (1:34:35 - 1:36:20, 1:47:21 - 1:48:07): Manny outlines four core leadership principles:
  1. Lead by example in everything you do.
  2. Be selfish to be selfless: Prioritizing your own health and discipline allows you to better serve and support others.
  3. Build relationships based on trust and care.
  4. Challenge yourself: Constantly get comfortable being uncomfortable to avoid complacency.
• Starting Over (1:05:03 - 1:06:00): Manny discusses the importance of approaching new chapters in life—whether a new unit, school, or career phase—with a "starting over" mindset. This allows leaders to be humble, learn from those around them, and remain open to new experiences.
• Health and Habits (1:12:43 - 1:17:22): Moving away from the common military excuse of being "too busy" for health, Manny emphasizes that fitness, nutrition, and discipline are essential habits. He advocates for prioritizing these over time rather than trying to achieve everything in a single week.
• The Power of Demonstration (1:23:05 - 1:26:00): The pair discusses how true leadership goes beyond simply demonstrating the right way to act; it requires active engagement to build deep trust with followers, which can then be leveraged to inspire them to grow.

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462

Let us know what you are think about this episode here. 💬 Text here.

Can you really talk someone into belief? Retired Army strategist Jared Wilson shares how he’s come to think about building a team that runs without you—conviction first, talent second—plus why a lot of “transformation” is really just modernization, why the words we use matter more than we admit, and how to use AI honestly. 

This episode, titled "#82 Building a Team of True Believers," features a deep conversation between the creator, Matthew Leclair, and his guest, Jared Wilson, focusing on leadership, team building, and the concept of "true believers." 

The best teams are not assembled by gathering the most impressive individual résumés and assigning them work. They are built in two deliberate movements. First, identify and recruit true believers—people who genuinely share the vision, goal, purpose, mission, and desired outcome. Second, organize those believers according to their distinct talents and abilities so that each contributes where they are strongest to achieving that shared end. Conviction is the qualifying condition for membership; talent is the logic of arrangement. Reverse the order—arrange by talent first and hope belief follows—and the team becomes a collection of capable people pulling in incompatible directions. 

The leader’s first responsibility is not to issue tasks but to articulate a vision compelling enough that the right people choose to believe in it, and to recruit selectively against that belief rather than against credentials alone. The second is diagnostic: to see clearly what each believer is best at and to place them there. Recruiting for conviction is slower and more discriminating than staffing for availability, and it will feel inefficient to any organization that measures itself by how quickly seats are filled. But a team of true believers, each working at the height of their talent toward one shared outcome, is the only configuration that reliably produces results no directive could have compelled. Assemble the believers first; arrange the talent second; and the team will pursue the outcome as if it were their own—because, by then, it is.

Key Concepts in Leadership

• True Believers: The speakers define a "true believer" as someone who has fully internalized a vision, transforming it into their own subconscious driver for their daily work (7:56 - 8:22). They emphasize that you cannot simply talk people into belief; it requires inspiration and a genuine shared vision (1:18:42 - 1:19:06).
• The Foundation of Virtues: Jared Wilson discusses how he grounds his leadership in the four Stoic virtues—prudence, justice, temperance, and courage—which serve as a compass for his decision-making (1:16 - 2:07, 42:03 - 42:55).
• Incremental Change: The importance of small, consistent steps is a recurring theme. Rather than trying to change everything at once, leaders should focus on small victories that lead to long-term transformation (1:31:34 - 1:32:02, 2:00:03 - 2:00:26).

Practical Systems for Team Alignment

The conversation highlights five specific tools used for communication and alignment within their team, categorized into internal and external functions:

1. Standups: Used to check the daily focus of team members and ensure alignment with the "North Star" (1:38:40 - 1:47:00).
2. Scrum Sessions: Facilitate cross-talk and help refine the team's approach and vision (1:38:40 - 1:47:48).
3. After-Action Reviews (AARs): Essential for capturing key takeaways and maintaining improvement (1:38:48).
4. Situation Reports (SitReps): Used to highlight what is worth attention for leaders and higher headquarters (1:39:13, 1:49:00).
5. Trifolds: Small, concise documents that clearly articulate who the organization is, its purpose, and its value proposition (1:39:31, 1:49:30).

Additional Topics

• Human Connection: The speakers discuss the necessity of face-to-face interaction over remote work, noting that deep team bonds and identifying stress in others are best achieved through physical presence (2:16:23 - 2:18:00).
• The Role of AI: Toward the end, they discuss how they are beginning to incorporate AI tools into their workflow, research, and podcast production to manage their vast collection of data and past discussions more effectively (2:31:24 - 2:34:40).

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462

Let us know what you are think about this episode here. 💬 Text here.

This video, titled "Lead well today," focuses on leadership, personal development, and the importance of daily habits. The speaker shares insights gained from military service and professional experiences to encourage leaders to maximize their time and influence.

Key themes include:

• Intentional Time Management: The speaker emphasizes that how and with whom we spend our time are the most critical daily decisions, as time cannot be reclaimed (0:05).
• Leadership Philosophy: Good leadership involves empowering others. The speaker recounts a formative experience where a commander supported their ambition to deploy, emphasizing that a leader should prioritize getting their people to where they want to be (0:49 - 1:43).
• The Power of Small Actions: Greatness is not achieved through flashiness, but by consistently doing ordinary, small things with excellence (3:04 - 3:43).
• Accountability and Teamwork: Drawing from personal anecdotes, the speaker highlights that effective teams function like a team of horses—if one isn't pulling, the load doesn't move. Leaders must maintain standards and refuse to walk past mistakes (4:26 - 5:42).
• Training and Adversity: The speaker argues that people do not simply "rise to the occasion" under pressure. Instead, they revert to the level of their training, underscoring the necessity of preparation and discipline (6:18 - 6:37).

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462

Let us know what you are think about this episode here. 💬 Text here.

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462

Let us know what you are think about this episode here. 💬 Text here.

This episode features a deep-dive conversation between Matthew Leclair and Josh Saunders, the coach of the highly successful Robinson High School flag football team. They discuss the culture of excellence that has led the program to 11 state championships, including 10 consecutive titles, and a career record of 301-34 for Coach Saunders.

Key Themes & Takeaways

• The Power of "The Standard": The core philosophy of the Robinson program is centered on doing ordinary things exceptionally well consistently (1:18 - 1:54). Rather than chasing flashy plays, the team focuses on fundamentals like catching the ball and pulling flags (55:14 - 56:16).
• Preparing for Adversity: Coach Saunders emphasizes creating an environment where players can experience and learn from failure during practice. This ensures that when games get difficult, the team relies on "muscle memory" rather than hoping to just "rise to the occasion" (0:40 - 1:16; 1:02:58).
• Peer Leadership & Accountability: The program shifts responsibility to team captains, who are empowered to hold their teammates accountable. This peer-driven culture allows the team to handle high-pressure moments, such as navigating injuries to key players, by having others step up and support one another (1:06:26 - 1:07:27).
• Building Relationships: The video highlights how the program builds lasting bonds not only with players but also with families. Even after players graduate, these relationships continue, fostering a community of "alumni parents" and former athletes who stay connected to the program (1:57:31 - 1:58:20).
• Beyond Football: Throughout the conversation, Matthew Leclair—who works with military training and leadership—draws parallels between the Robinson flag football culture and high-stakes military discipline. They discuss the importance of intentionality, preparation, and leaving nothing to chance (16:04 - 16:09; 2:31:51).

Legacy and Future

Looking ahead, Coach Saunders remains focused on continuous improvement and "widening the gap" between his team and the competition, while also helping grow the sport of flag football nationally through initiatives like Team USA and a forthcoming book on his coaching methods (2:20:11 - 2:22:53).

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462

Let us know what you are think about this episode here. 💬 Text here.

This episode of Teach Me to Fish features a deep dive into leadership, culture, and professional development, drawing from the guest's transition from the 75th Ranger Regiment to Army ROTC at Texas A&M and his future role at the Army Ranger Training Brigade (ARTB).

Key Themes and Takeaways

• Culture Building and Standards (18:41 - 29:00): The guest emphasizes that effective leadership begins with a ruthless attention to detail and being "brilliant in the basics." He explains how he used the "because of a nail" mentality to improve the culture at Texas A&M, focusing on small habits to foster discipline and order.
• The Power of "Why" (23:08 - 24:00): Leaders must explain the reasoning behind tasks, not just the "how." He introduces the concept of "situational football"—understanding the context of combat to execute tasks effectively.
• The Big Five (37:00 - 39:00): He implemented five core pillars to govern organizational training: fitness, academics, Ranger skills, marksmanship, and patrolling.
• Innovation in Mentorship (50:57 - 55:00): Frustrated by the lack of reading among cadets, the guest created Ranger U—a digital platform utilizing social media and a podcast to make doctrine accessible and engaging for a new generation.
• Best Ranger Competition (1:09:20 - 1:14:14): He discusses the brutal reality of the competition, highlighting speed in recovery and the need for high-capacity endurance as crucial lessons learned.
• Leadership Development Advice (1:23:24 - 1:28:14): He stresses that leadership is a "people business." A Platoon Leader should facilitate and provide top cover, while the Platoon Sergeant focuses on the internal training and standards of the unit. The "top two" (PL and PSG) must act as a cohesive team to steward their platoon.

The Future

Looking ahead, the guest is preparing to join the Army Ranger Training Brigade, where he aims to continue his focus on instructional excellence and building winning cultures, while also maintaining Ranger U as a resource for the next generation of leaders.

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462

Let us know what you are think about this episode here. 💬 Text here.

This episode of Teach Me to Fish features a deep dive into intentional leader development within the military. Hosted by Matthew Leclair, the conversation centers on the philosophy that great organizations do not leave leadership development to chance.

Key Discussion Points:

• The Power of Mentorship and Counseling: The guest, Colonel Sam Deal, emphasizes that leader development is the most effective way to solve an organization's biggest problems (0:06 - 0:21). He highlights that counseling is not just a procedural requirement, but a tool for understanding subordinates' strengths, weaknesses, and motivations to build trust.
• Practical Leadership Culture: The discussion shifts to creating a culture of excellence, noting that "words whisper, but actions thunder" (1:33, 38:09). Leaders are encouraged to be visible, provide clear standards, and act as models for their teams (0:54 - 1:13).
• Managing Field Grades: A significant portion of the episode (59:00 - 1:06:00) addresses the often-neglected professional development of field-grade officers (Majors and above). The speakers discuss the shift from being a tactical problem-solver to becoming a strategic, communicative teammate who can operate with autonomy and trust.
• Normalization of Deviance: The host and guest analyze the concept of "practical drift"—where small, innocuous deviations from standards eventually lead to more dangerous failures (1:53 - 2:20). They argue that leaders must coach and hold others accountable to prevent the erosion of discipline (1:11:00 - 1:12:30).
• The "Team of Teams" Approach: Colonel Deal shares his experience on the importance of building connective tissue between different units to facilitate cooperation, rather than competition, among staff and subordinate leaders (1:01:40 - 1:03:15).

Core Takeaway:
Leadership development is a continuous, everyday responsibility. It requires personal investment, the willingness to have difficult conversations, and a commitment to helping every member of an organization reach their maximum potential (33:05 - 33:15, 1:29:40 - 1:30:00).

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462

Let us know what you are think about this episode here. 💬 Text here.

This episode of Teach Me to Fish features a deep dive into the career and leadership philosophy of Sergeant First Class Mike Meegan. The conversation focuses on the importance of being a reliable teammate and the cultural impact of high-standard military training.

Key themes and discussions include:

• The "Great Teammate" Philosophy: Mike emphasizes that more than physical achievements or test scores, a soldier's legacy is defined by how they treat others and their reliability as a teammate (3:06 - 4:21).
• Military Background and Motivation: Mike discusses his path to joining the Ranger Regiment, motivated by a desire to contribute to an elite team after struggling with academic and personal discipline in his youth (21:16 - 25:00).
• Navigating Failure and Resilience: He shares a humbling experience of being medically dropped from Ranger School (36:02 - 42:17) and how that experience forced him to adopt new techniques and ultimately excel in the program upon his return.
• The "Student First" Mentality: Mike details his time with Small Unit Ranger Tactics (CERT), where he and his team shifted from a transactional approach to a "student first" philosophy. This involved rigorous preparation, professionalism, and building systems that prioritized the development of future leaders (43:21 - 47:47).
• NCO Leadership: A recurring theme is the responsibility of NCOs (Non-Commissioned Officers) to mentor, prepare, and protect their subordinates, treating them as a "treasured commodity" (49:02 - 50:46).

Looking Ahead:
This episode serves as part one of a two-part series. The conversation will continue in the next episode, focusing on Mike's time at Texas A&M, his approach to culture and training there, and his future career goals.

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462