What if the most powerful kind of leadership is the kind that stays the same, whether you're in uniform, in the boardroom, or serving your community?

In this inspiring episode of The Kind Leader Podcast, host Gino Degregori sits down with Sean Keller, entrepreneur, senior executive, retired U.S. Air Force Reserve Intelligence Officer, Catholic deacon, and president of NM Holdings, the largest UPS Store franchise operator in Central Florida. Sean's life spans military service, government contracting, business ownership, and ministry, yet his leadership philosophy has remained remarkably consistent across all of them.

Sean shares how growing up in a small community shaped his belief in treating everyone with dignity, why empathy is a sign of strength in both military and business environments, and how intention and purpose can guide a meaningful career, even when that career spans multiple worlds. From revitalizing underperforming businesses to navigating military structures to serving in the historic Baltimore Basilica, Sean shows that the heart of leadership never changes: it's about people.

💡 In this conversation, you'll learn how to:

• Lead with empathy while maintaining accountability and mission clarity

• Stay authentic across every role, professional, personal, and spiritual

• Build trust and connection in customer-facing environments (including UPS Stores)

• Apply lessons from military leadership to civilian teams

• Create meaningful experiences, not just transactions

• Use intention and discipline to pursue multiple passions without burning out

🎧 Listen now and discover why kindness, consistency, and dignity make leaders unforgettable.

1. Authentic leadership is non-negotiable.

Great leaders show up as the same person everywhere, in business, in service, in family life, and in community roles. Consistency builds trust, credibility, and a leadership legacy that lasts.

2. Experience matters more than service.

Anyone can complete a task, but leaders who create meaningful experiences, where people feel valued and truly seen, build loyalty that expands far beyond the moment of interaction.

3. Everyday kindness starts with human connection.

Asking someone where they're from, finding common ground, or simply greeting them with warmth transforms ordinary encounters into moments of dignity and respect.

4. Small gestures become powerful differentiators.

Your "hidden Mickey", the unexpected, thoughtful touches you add to customer or employee interactions, creates memorable moments that set your organization apart.

5. Compassion and accountability can coexist.

Even in tough situations like terminations or difficult conversations, leaders can uphold standards while still honoring people's dignity. Empathy builds trust, even when decisions are hard.

🔗 Connect with Sean KellerLinkedIn: Sean Keller

📚 Recommended BookBe Our Guest - The Disney Institute. A simple, actionable guide to building unforgettable customer experiences through service, consistency, and human connection.

00:00 Acts of Kindness: Small Moments That Shape How We Lead

02:38 From Navy to Entrepreneurship: The Unexpected Path of Sean Keller

12:14 What Kind Leadership Really Looks Like in Everyday Life

19:59 Creating Magical Customer Experiences: What Leaders Can Learn from Disney

23:56 Empathy in Uniform: Human-Centered Leadership in the Military

28:39 Serving with Purpose: The Role of a Deacon in Today's World

32:57 Leadership, Legacy & Kindness: Final Reflections That Stay With You

What if the most important tool in project leadership isn't a framework or a Gantt chart… but empathy?

In this insightful episode of The Kind Leader Podcast, host Gino Degregori sits down with Joe Launi, founder of Project Management Experts and a project leadership veteran with nearly 40 years of experience. Joe has spent his career training PMs, advising government agencies, and helping teams shift from transactional management to transformational leadership.

Joe shares why empathy is the foundation of trust, how boundaries actually strengthen relationships, and why the best leaders flip the org chart to learn from the people closest to the work. Through stories from government contracting, military training, and decades of project leadership, he reveals how kindness and accountability can (and must) coexist.

💡 In this conversation, you'll learn how to:

• Lead with empathy without losing accountability

• Shift from transactional to transformational leadership

• Set boundaries that prevent scope creep and protect teams

• Navigate conflict with emotional intelligence

• Encourage upward communication and avoid the "Iceberg of Ignorance"

• Serve teams the way the best military leaders do, through empowerment, not control

🎧 Listen now and discover why empathy is a project leader's strongest competitive advantage.

1. Empathy Doesn't Mean Agreement, It Creates Connection Leaders can acknowledge emotions without endorsing every request. Saying "I hear you" lowers defensiveness, builds trust, and opens the door to solutions grounded in clarity and professionalism.

2. Boundaries Are an Act of Kindness Before accepting scope changes or extra work, pause. Recognize the value of the request and then set the necessary limits. Clear boundaries protect the team, the client relationship, and the integrity of the work.

3. Flip the Org Chart to Access Real Insight Executives usually see only 10% of what's happening inside their organizations. Frontline voices hold the other 90%. Creating safe, structured channels for bottom-up communication strengthens decision-making and culture.

4. Transformational Leadership Focuses on People, Not Just Projects Kind leaders look beyond deliverables and ask: "Will this person leave better than they arrived?" Mentorship, development opportunities, and genuine care elevate both people and performance.

5. Process and Kindness Work Together, Not Against Each Other Formal procedures, like change orders, approvals, and mission boundaries, aren't barriers. They create fairness, clarity, and protection for everyone. When combined with empathy, they become a foundation for trust.

🔗 Connect with Joe Launi Website: projectmanagementexperts.com Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: Joseph (Joe) D. Launi

📚 Recommended Book

Born Again - Chuck Colson A powerful memoir of transformation, responsibility, and rebuilding a life of integrity after ethical failure, rich with leadership lessons.

00:00 Introduction to Kind Leadership & Why It Matters Today 02:41 Joe Launi's 40-Year Journey in Project Management 05:41 Transactional vs. Transformational: Defining Kind Leadership 12:45 Why Empathy Is a Leadership Superpower 18:01 Empathy in Military Leadership: Lessons from the Frontline 22:02 Balancing Empathy with Boundaries and Accountability 28:54 Managing Scope Creep with Clarity, Kindness & Process 35:29 Flip the Mic: Gino's Personal Approach to Kind Leadership 41:35 Rapid-Fire Questions, Leadership Wisdom & Closing Reflections

What if the real differentiator in leadership isn't speed, strategy, or even talent… but culture?

In this powerful episode of The Kind Leader Podcast, host Gino Degregori sits down with Michael Chavira, Navy veteran, Ironman athlete, and co-founder of Axiologic Solutions, a company he scaled from a two-person startup to a 300+ person organization approaching $100M in revenue.

From intelligence work and ISR support in the military, to advising boards on ethical AI adoption, to leading a fast-growing federal contracting company, Michael's story is a masterclass in purpose-driven leadership. His journey proves that you can scale big without sacrificing humanity, clarity, or culture.

Michael opens up about the early missteps that almost stalled their growth, the turning point when culture became their engine, and why clarity, dignity, and accountability form the foundation of his leadership philosophy.

He also shares deeply personal reflections on family, legacy, and what it means to lead yourself with discipline, from 5 a.m. Ironman training rides to building a home life rooted in presence, values, and service.

💡 In this conversation, you'll learn how to:

• Build a culture strong enough to scale from 2 employees to 300 without losing your identity

• Lead with clarity and dignity so your people understand the mission, and their role in it

• Create psychological safety by learning from mistakes instead of penalizing them

• Protect culture while implementing processes, systems, and leadership layers as you grow

• Strengthen leadership stamina through discipline and long-term mindset (including Ironman lessons!)

• Navigate AI with ethics, governance, and trust at the center, not fear

• Leave a legacy rooted in family, community, and lifelong learning

Whether you're leading a small team, growing a company, or simply trying to become a better human at work and at home, Michael's blend of service, discipline, humility, and intentional culture-building will inspire you to rethink what leadership can be.

🎧 Listen now and discover how purpose, clarity, and culture can transform the way you lead.

1. Kind Leadership = Clarity + Dignity + Accountability Great leadership isn't soft, it's structured. When leaders communicate goals clearly, treat people with fairness, and hold themselves to the same standards as everyone else, trust becomes the foundation for high performance.

2. Culture Must Be Co-Created, Not Declared The most effective cultures are shaped with employees, not handed down to them. Bringing teams together regularly to revisit values prevents misalignment and builds authentic commitment across the organization.

3. Psychological Safety Turns Mistakes Into Momentum Borrowing the Special Forces "Hot Wash" model, teams grow faster when they debrief honestly without blame: What worked? What didn't? What did we learn? Transparency strengthens relationships and accelerates improvement.

4. Build the Infrastructure Before You Scale Growth from 20 to 300 people requires systems, recruiting, HR, communication, and leadership layers. Investing early in structure protects culture and prevents leaders from burning out as the organization expands.

5. Discipline Creates Possibility, in Fitness and in Leadership The mindset that completes a 140.6-mile Ironman is the same one that builds resilient organizations: set clear goals, create a plan, track metrics, and show up consistently. Discipline is a form of self-leadership.

🔗 Connect with Michael Chavira Personal Website: Michael Chavira Axiologic Solutions: Axiologic Solutions

📚 Recommended Books

• Step Up, Step Back – Elsbeth Johnson

  A research-backed guide that helps leaders stop micromanaging and instead create the conditions for long-term success. It teaches when to step in for clarity and when to step back to empower teams.

• Meditations – Marcus Aurelius

  A timeless collection of personal writings from the Roman emperor, offering practical wisdom on resilience, humility, discipline, and leading with integrity, foundational to modern Stoicism.

• Books by Ryan Holiday (Modern Stoicism)

  Holiday's work makes ancient Stoic philosophy accessible for modern leaders, offering daily insights on emotional balance, perspective, and intentional leadership in fast-changing environments.

• The Lincoln Highway – Amor Towles (fiction recommendation)

  A beautifully written novel exploring adventure, moral choices, and personal growth. Not a leadership book, but a powerful reminder of character, resilience, and the journeys that shape us.

00:00 Finding Joy in Life's Everyday Moments 01:35 From Wyoming to Founder: The Journey of a Kind Leader 03:05 What Kind Leadership Really Means: Clarity, Dignity & Accountability 04:03 Why Culture Is the Heartbeat of Every Successful Organization 07:04 Scaling with Intention: Protecting Culture as You Grow 11:30 Developing Leaders Through Training, Mentorship & Example 14:45 Ironman Lessons: Stamina, Discipline & Leading Yourself First 20:54 Leadership in the Military: Empathy Lessons from the Navy & Special Forces 22:46 AI, Trust & Governance: The Future of Responsible Leadership 30:42 Family, Legacy & Creating Impact Beyond the Workplace

What if your greatest leadership strength isn't discipline or drive, but self-compassion?

In this heartfelt episode of The Kind Leader Podcast, host Gino Degregori sits down with Massimo Backus, executive coach, speaker, and author of Human First, Leader Second: How Self-Compassion Outperforms Self-Criticism. With over 15 years of experience coaching leaders at Amazon, Salesforce, and Cisco, Massimo helps high-achieving executives overcome their inner critic, lead authentically, and create cultures grounded in humanity.

Massimo shares his personal journey from being labeled an "unkind leader" to discovering that compassion begins within. Through stories, frameworks, and deeply human moments, including a touching reflection on parenting, he reveals how learning to treat ourselves with kindness transforms how we lead others.

💡 In this conversation, you'll learn how to:

• Redefine leadership by putting human first and leader second

• Transform self-criticism into curiosity and growth

• Build trust and connection through authentic vulnerability

• Practice self-compassion as a daily act of accountability, not indulgence

• Replace perfectionism and external validation with sustainable confidence

Whether you're leading a global team or navigating your own personal transitions, this episode will help you reconnect with what truly drives meaningful leadership, being human.

🎧 Listen now and discover why the path to leading others begins with being kind to yourself.

Key Takeaways

• Practice the Three-Direction Framework: When facing challenges, move inward to acknowledge your feelings, practice self-kindness through both gentle and courageous actions, and connect outward by recognizing shared human experiences.

• Replace self-criticism with curiosity: Use the mantra "Don't judge yourself, don't judge others, don't judge the process" to move from defensiveness to discovery, creating space for genuine learning and growth.

• Self-compassion as a strategic advantage: Research shows self-compassion outperforms self-criticism in driving resilience, perseverance, and accountability, making it a competitive edge for leaders and organizations.

• The intention–impact gap: Many leaders strive to appear kind while being unkind to themselves. True external kindness can only come from inner compassion and self-acceptance.

• Model self-compassion to transform culture: When leaders practice and talk openly about self-kindness, they give their teams permission to do the same, reducing burnout and fostering psychological safety.

Important Links & Resources

🔗 Connect with Massimo BackusWebsite: massimobackus.comLinkedIn: Massimo Backus

📖 Book MentionedHuman First, Leader Second: How Self-Compassion Outperforms Self-Criticism - Massimo Backus. A practical and deeply human guide for transforming leadership through self-awareness, courage, and compassion.

📚 Recommended Reading

Transitions: Making Sense of Life's Changes - William Bridges. A timeless guide to understanding and navigating the psychological journey behind life's transitions—helping leaders grow through change, not just manage it.

Chapters

00:00 Opening & Introduction to Self-Compassion in Leadership 04:01 The Importance of Being Kind to Yourself 10:40 Vulnerability as a Core Leadership Strength 16:13 Parenting, Presence, and Practicing Self-Compassion 20:27 Building Daily Self-Compassion Practices 30:55 Exploring the Power of Self-Kindness and Connection 36:37 Declaring a Commitment to Self-Compassion 46:32 Closing Reflections on Kindness, Humanity, and Leadership

What if the kindest thing a leader can do, is to be clear?

In this insightful episode of The Kind Leader Podcast, host Gino Degregori sits down with Jamie Tozzi, former Microsoft executive turned leadership coach, investor, and board member. Over two decades at Microsoft, Jamie led multi-billion-dollar business units, shaped culture across global teams, and helped drive one of the most significant leadership transformations in corporate history under Satya Nadella.

Today, she applies those lessons to her work as an executive coach, guiding leaders to build cultures of trust, inclusion, and intentional impact. Jamie shares how clarity and courage go hand in hand, and why true kindness requires transparency, accountability, and empathy in equal measure.

💡 In this conversation, you'll discover how to:

• Lead with clarity and conviction, even in times of uncertainty

• Build high-performing cultures grounded in empathy and inclusion

• Balance results-driven leadership with humanity and presence

• Foster growth by believing in others and amplifying their potential

• Redefine kindness as the courage to be clear

Whether you're leading a team, an organization, or your own personal growth journey, this episode will help you rethink how clarity, culture, and compassion create transformational leadership.

🎧 Listen now and learn how to lead with courage and kindness, because clear truly is kind.

Key Takeaways

• Practice the Three Questions Framework: Before driving your own agenda, ask others, "What are your needs? What are your objectives? What are your challenges?" This others-focused approach builds trust, alignment, and influence.

• Give constructive feedback with permission: Connect your feedback to the person's goals, then ask if you can offer guidance. This transforms criticism into collaboration and accelerates growth.

• Clear is kind: The most compassionate act a leader can take isn't avoiding tough conversations, it's having them with empathy and courage. Clarity builds trust, accountability, and respect.

• Others-focused leadership creates impact: When leaders prioritize understanding others' needs before their own, influence and performance rise naturally.

• Identify hidden potential: Name and nurture strengths your team members may not see in themselves. Great leaders develop confidence by helping others recognize their own capability.

Important Links & Resources

🔗 Connect with Jamie Tozzi LinkedIn: Jamie Tozzi

📚 Recommended Reading

• The Outward Mindset - The Arbinger Institute. A foundational framework for others-focused leadership, built around three key questions: What are your needs? What are your objectives? What are your challenges?

• From Strength to Strength - Arthur Brooks. A thoughtful guide for leaders navigating career transitions and redefining purpose later in their professional journey.

Chapters

00:00 Opening & The Essence of Kind Leadership 02:55 Navigating Constructive Feedback with Clarity and Care 06:10 The Power of Gratitude in Leadership 09:00 Transformational Leadership and Building Culture 12:07 From Executive to Coach: Jamie's Leadership Journey 15:20 Adaptive Leadership and Driving Organizational Change 23:36 Lessons from Transitioning Between Large and Small Organizations 24:59 Why Culture Is the Core of Leadership 25:26 Leading with an Outward Mindset 27:00 The LAER Model: Listening to Understand Before Responding 28:35 Assuming Good Intent in Leadership and Relationships 30:33 The Power of Perspective in Navigating Challenges 32:06 Coaching Frameworks That Empower Growth 34:45 Engagement, Team Dynamics, and Human Connection 35:42 Authenticity as the Heart of Effective Leadership 39:19 Closing Reflections: Leadership, Legacy, and Impact

What if work-life balance isn't the goal, but integration is?

In this transformative episode of The Kind Leader Podcast, host Gino Degregori speaks with Gabriela Embon, founder of Power Within Coaching Academy and a former Intel engineer who traded equations for emotional intelligence. Drawing from her journey from corporate success to becoming a master coach and trainer, Gabriela helps high-achieving professionals and couples design lives where career, purpose, and relationships don't compete, they coexist.

Gabriela explains why the traditional idea of "balance" creates unnecessary conflict, and how integration, the art of aligning values, communication, and connection, creates lasting fulfillment both at work and at home. She also shares her frameworks for connection rituals, operational rituals, and energy alignment that leaders can apply daily to lead with intention and authenticity.

💡 In this conversation, you'll discover how to:

• Replace work-life balance with intentional life integration

• Build meaningful connection rituals that strengthen both teams and relationships

• Communicate consciously to reduce friction and build trust

• Align energy, purpose, and priorities across every area of your life

• Lead from wholeness, because your best leadership starts at home

If you've ever felt pulled between success and connection, or wondered how to thrive in both career and relationships, this episode offers the mindset and tools to do just that.

🎧 Listen now and discover how to build a life and leadership model where everything (and everyone) works together.

Key takeaways:

• Implement weekly planning meetings: Schedule a 30-minute weekly check-in with your partner to coordinate logistics, anticipate challenges, and align priorities, preventing last-minute stress and fostering teamwork.

• Create a non-negotiable 90-minute weekly date: Protect this time exclusively for emotional connection, no logistics, no planning, just presence. Connection fuels the energy that drives every other part of life.

• Your relationship is a two-founder business: Treat your partnership with the same intentionality you apply to your career, define roles, share vision, and hold regular "operational" and "connection" check-ins.

• Connection precedes communication: Most communication problems stem from disconnection, not lack of skill. Reconnect emotionally first, and clarity follows naturally.

• Distinguish operational from connection rituals: Operational rituals (like planning and logistics) keep life organized, while connection rituals (like touch, gratitude, and dates) keep relationships alive. Both are essential for true integration.

Important Links & Resources

🔗 Connect with Gabriela Embon

Website: gabrielaembon.com LinkedIn: Gabriela Embon

📘Book

Becoming a Power Couple: 4 Pillars to Engineer Legendary Marriages by Gabriela Embon

📚 Recommended Readings

• The Big Leap - Gay Hendricks. A transformative guide to overcoming self-imposed limits and stepping fully into your zone of genius.

• The Surrender Experiment - Michael A. Singer. A profound story about letting go of control and allowing life to unfold through trust, flow, and spiritual awareness.

Chapters

00:00 Opening & Connecting Through Personal Stories 02:04 From Engineering to Coaching: Gabriela's Journey of Transformation 05:34 Redefining the Essence of Kind Leadership 08:49 The Role of Commitment in Authentic Leadership 11:44 Hands-On Leadership: Lessons from the Ground Up 15:03 Beyond Work-Life Balance: The Power of Integration 19:05 Designing Integration Rituals for Work and Family 20:19 Communication That Strengthens Connection 23:45 Rituals for Commitment, Presence, and Growth 28:21 Blending Roles: Building Harmony in Relationships 31:59 The Power Couple Framework Explained 37:02 Creating Connection Rituals That Last

What does it take to build more than 30 businesses, and still make people your purpose?

In this powerful episode of The Kind Leader Podcast, host Gino Degregori speaks with Aaron Davis, CEO of AMD Enterprises, a multi-brand conglomerate that began as a single title office and has grown into one of the largest independent title networks in the U.S. Through hard work, grit, and heart, Aaron scaled his business empire while staying deeply committed to philanthropy and community impact.

Aaron shares his journey from humble beginnings in Plant City, Florida, to becoming a nationally recognized leader, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, earning recognition in People Magazine and The Kelly Clarkson Show for his disaster relief efforts as the "Chainsaw Man." He also discusses how empathy, perspective, and kindness shape his approach to leadership and how giving back creates purpose far beyond profit.

💡 In this conversation, you'll discover how to:

• Build a company culture rooted in empathy, accountability, and service

• Lead through adversity with grit, gratitude, and grounded perspective

• Balance business growth with genuine community impact

• Empower leaders through trust, mentorship, and investment

• Turn success into a platform for kindness and change

If you've ever wondered how to scale without losing your soul, or how leadership can drive both profit and purpose, this episode will inspire you to lead with heart and hustle.

🎧 Listen now and learn how Aaron Davis built an enterprise powered by people, purpose, and perseverance.

Key Takeaways

✨ Actionable Steps

• Practice the "Empathy Pause": Before any difficult conversation, take a moment to consider the other person's circumstances and challenges, understanding creates connection before correction.

• Invest in core leadership development: Focus your resources on the top 5–10 leaders who can cascade culture and values throughout the organization.

💡 Conceptual Insights

• Servant leadership structure: Lead from service, not status, Aaron even lists his title as "Janitor" to remind his team that leadership's job is to support others' success.

• Cultural acquisition strategy: When acquiring companies, prioritize cultural alignment and community engagement over financial metrics to build long-term value.

🚀 Strategic Application

• Purpose-driven differentiation: Integrate meaningful community impact initiatives that elevate both employee engagement and brand identity, proving that doing good drives growth.

Important Links & Resources

🔗 Connect with Aaron Davis Website: AMD-1.com LinkedIn: Aaron Davis

Chapters

00:00 Building Businesses and Strengthening Communities 05:00 Leading Through Empathy and Perspective 14:54 Navigating Growth, Change, and Cultural Integration 22:54 Philanthropy and Purpose-Driven Leadership in Action 29:54 The Story of the Chainsaw Brothers: Service in Motion 38:53 Final Reflections and Advice for Future Leaders

What if the true engine of business success isn't strategy, but culture?

In this powerful episode of The Kind Leader Podcast, host Gino Degregori sits down with Chris Hornbecker, Managing Partner at Stronghorn Ventures Capital, investor at RightSeat.ai, and serial founder who built and sold multiple companies, including Xgility. With decades of experience leading high-growth ventures across technology and federal sectors, Chris shares how value-driven culture, compassionate honesty, and intentional leadership are what truly sustain long-term success.

From growing startups into thriving organizations to mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs, Chris reveals how kindness, clarity, and curiosity create not just better teams, but better outcomes. He also discusses why culture should be treated as a measurable strategic lever, how to give compassionate feedback without sugarcoating, and what today's leaders can learn from the rise of AI and emerging talent.

💡 In this conversation, you'll discover how to:

• Lead with "compassionate honesty" instead of brutal truth

• Build intentional cultures that define success before strategy does

• Catch and celebrate desired behaviors in real time

• Foster curiosity and empathy as tools for leadership growth

• Use culture as the foundation for scaling teams and innovation

If you've ever wondered how to lead with both accountability and heart, or how to build companies that last through every market shift, this episode offers the blueprint.

🎧 Listen now and learn how to lead with kindness, curiosity, and intention to create cultures that outlast strategy.

Key Takeaways

✨ Actionable Steps

• Implement "Compassionate Honesty" in real time: Catch behaviors, both positive and negative, as they happen instead of waiting for reviews. This builds trust, prevents resentment, and shows genuine investment in people's growth.

• Define your cultural values before hiring: Identify 3–5 behavioral values that guide how your team collaborates, makes decisions, and treats each other. Hire, measure, and reward based on these values before building strategy.

💡 Conceptual Insights

• Culture as a competitive moat: A clearly defined culture isn't a soft skill, it's a strategic advantage that drives scale, resilience, and alignment. Founders who articulate and measure culture create organizations that thrive beyond them.

• The championship mindset framework: Sustainable success comes from mastering the daily habits of high performers, focusing on excellence in process, not just outcomes.

🚀 Strategic Application

• Remove non-fits quickly: Once cultural standards are defined, leaders must act decisively when someone doesn't align. Protecting the integrity of your culture safeguards morale, trust, and long-term performance.

Important Links & Resources

🔗 Connect with Chris Hornbecker LinkedIn: Chris Hornbecker

📚 Recommended Readings

• What Got You Here Won't Get You There - Marshall Goldsmith. A powerful guide to breaking the habits that hold even the most successful leaders back, and learning how to evolve as you grow.
• Blink - Malcolm Gladwell. An exploration of rapid cognition—how intuitive, split-second decisions can be both powerful and perilous in leadership.
• David and Goliath - Malcolm Gladwell. A fresh perspective on how perceived disadvantages can become strengths when leaders rethink courage, innovation, and resilience.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome & Introduction to Kind Leadership 03:02 Chris Hornbecker's Journey: Lessons from Building and Scaling Companies 06:12 Redefining the Essence of Kind Leadership 09:00 Building a Culture of Kindness and Accountability 12:02 Why Intentional Culture Outperforms Strategy 15:00 The Real Role of Kindness in Effective Leadership 17:46 Navigating the Future: AI, Adaptability & Human Connection 21:07 Mentorship and the Power of Shared Experience 24:11 The Impact of AI on Work, Teams, and Leadership 26:59 Leading Across Cultures: What Changes and What Doesn't 29:58 Final Reflections and Leadership Takeaways

What if leadership wasn't about control, but generosity?

In this heartfelt episode of The Kind Leader Podcast, host Gino Degregori sits down with Joe Davis, former Senior Partner and Managing Director at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where he led North America, co-founded BCG's Washington, D.C. office, and launched both the Public Sector Practice and BCG Digital Ventures. Joe is also the author of The Generous Leader: Seven Ways to Give of Yourself for Everyone's Gain, a practical and deeply human guide to leading with heart, humility, and authenticity.

After nearly four decades advising global leaders, Joe shares what he's learned about the power of giving, how small acts of care, curiosity, and vulnerability can transform teams and organizations. He also reveals how generous leadership isn't about being "nice," but about being courageous enough to listen deeply, develop others, and create environments where people can thrive.

💡 In this conversation, you'll discover how to:

• Redefine generosity as a strategic advantage in leadership

• Build deeper trust through curiosity and genuine connection

• Give feedback that develops rather than diminishes

• Lead with humility and courage, even when you don't have all the answers

• Create a culture where recognition, inclusion, and allyship drive performance

If you've ever wondered how kindness and generosity can fuel real results, this episode will challenge everything you know about what it means to lead.

🎧 Listen now and learn how generosity can become your greatest leadership multiplier.

Key Takeaways

✨ Actionable Steps

• Practice generous listening: Before your next team meeting, ask your team what challenges they're facing that you might not fully understand. Listen deeply and ask follow-up questions instead of rushing to solve.

• Implement the "Test Your Message" technique: Before major communications, share your draft with a small group and ask, "What did you hear me say?" Refine your message based on what they understood, not just what you intended.

• Engage skeptics strategically: Seek out your most vocal challengers and ask, "What am I missing?" Their perspectives can strengthen your decisions and uncover hidden risks.

💡 Conceptual Insights

• Vulnerability amplifies performance: Admitting you don't have all the answers builds psychological safety, which sparks creativity, collaboration, and trust.

• Recognition multiplies engagement: Small, specific acknowledgments, like a quick thank-you email or public praise, create stronger and longer-lasting motivation than financial incentives.

🚀 Strategic Applications

• Build upward feedback systems: Evaluate leaders not only by results but by how well they develop and empower their people.

• Replace command with connection: Shift from having all the answers to ensuring the best answers emerge through dialogue and collaboration.

• Train for generous feedback: Help managers deliver developmental feedback that recognizes strengths while guiding growth with empathy and clarity.

Important Links & Resources

🔗 Connect with Joe Davis Website: www.joedavis.com LinkedIn: Joe Davis

📖 Book – The Generous Leader: Seven Ways to Give of Yourself for Everyone's Gain Available on Amazon

📚 Recommended ReadingEndurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage — Alfred Lansing. A timeless story of perseverance, teamwork, and resilience under extreme pressure, essential lessons for every leader.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction & Welcome to Generous Leadership 02:11 The Story Behind The Generous Leader 06:08 Redefining Kind and Generous Leadership 09:43 The Seven Ways to Lead with Generosity 13:42 Connection and Care as the Heart of Leadership 16:57 The Power of Vulnerability in Leadership 19:57 Navigating and Shaping Organizational Culture 30:02 Legacy, Purpose, and the Ripple Effect of Leadership 39:52 Rapid Fire Questions & Closing Reflections

What if leadership wasn't just about performance, but about how you show up in your hardest moments?

In this inspiring episode of The Kind Leader Podcast, host Gino Degregori speaks with Lani Phillips, founder of Full Circle Leadership Group and former Vice President at Microsoft, where she spent over 25 years leading global teams, partner ecosystems, and cultural transformation initiatives.

Lani shares why courageous leadership is not about perfection, it's about clarity, compassion, and the willingness to grow. Drawing from her Full Circle Leadership Framework, she reveals six domains every leader must practice: self-awareness, visionary leadership, connection, role modeling, accountability, and cultivating talent.

She also opens up about her personal journey of resilience, navigating both corporate transitions and major life challenges, and how those experiences shaped her passion for coaching the next generation of leaders.

💡 In this conversation, you'll discover how to:

• Balance driving results with putting people at the center

• Use clarity, connection, and cultivation to strengthen team trust and loyalty

• Lead with resilience during times of uncertainty and change

• Recognize judgment as a hidden "cancer" in organizations and replace it with growth-focused support

• Redefine kind leadership as strength rooted in empathy and accountability

If you've ever questioned how to bring more humanity into leadership without sacrificing results, this episode will give you both the inspiration and the framework to start.

🎧 Listen now and learn how to lead with courage, clarity, and compassion, while building cultures where people and performance thrive.

Key Takeaways

✨ Actionable Steps

• Implement the Three C's daily: Practice clarity in expectations, connection through authentic conversations, and cultivation by pairing team members' strengths with growth opportunities.

• Replace judgment with curiosity: When team members struggle, ask "What support do they need?" instead of "Why aren't they performing?", shifting from blame to empowerment.

💡 Conceptual Insights

• Redefine kind leadership: Leading with empathy and accountability together creates strength, not weakness, it's about having both heart and backbone.

• Compassion = Empathy + Action: True compassion means understanding emotional states and taking tangible steps to support success.

🚀 Strategic Applications

• Create operating systems, not just processes: Build comprehensive leadership frameworks that weave together all six domains (self-awareness, vision, connection, role modeling, accountability, and talent cultivation) instead of treating them as isolated tactics.

Important Links & Resources

🔗 Connect with Lani Phillips Website: fullcircleleadershipgroup.com LinkedIn: Lani Phillips

📖 Recommended ReadingDare to Lead - Brené Brown. A guide to leading with courage and vulnerability while building trust and resilience in teams.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction & Welcome to Kind Leadership 02:51 Rediscovering Yourself Beyond Success 03:16 Emotional Honesty as a Leadership Strength 03:18 The Journey Toward Courageous Leadership 06:49 What It Really Means to Lead with Kindness 11:34 Why Investing in People Always Pays Off 18:00 Rebuilding Identity After Personal Loss 23:38 Resilience and Growth Through Adversity 28:01 Building Authentic Connections with Your Team 30:59 How Judgment Undermines Leadership 31:27 The Full Circle Leadership Framework Explained 37:24 Developing the Next Generation of Leaders 41:18 Common Misconceptions About Kind Leadership 44:02 Practicing Empathy and Compassion in Action