In this episode, Trisha sits down with Rick to talk about how communication really works inside organizations. They move beyond announcements and memos to look at communication as an ongoing cultural process that shapes trust, clarity, and effectiveness. Together, they explore how messages change as they move through layers of leadership, why first-line supervisors matter so much, and what makes listening across teams challenging, especially in times of change. Throughout the conversation, they return to a simple idea: communication gets better when leaders pay as much attention to what they are hearing as to what they are saying. Rick Rarick is a leadership coach and former Human Resources and Management Development executive with Levi Strauss, the Coca-Cola Company, Fiserv, and Invesco. During his professional career, Rick was responsible for helping his organizations define their vision and purpose, develop talent pipelines, and create cultures where people were committed to their work and each other. His work with clients is grounded in coaching the whole person: including the mental, emotional, and spiritual self. His approach to leadership is about taking initiative, defining a vision, and helping those around you be successful. Conversation Overview

• Communication as Culture, Not an Event
• Continuous Flow vs. Big Announcements
• The Critical Role of Supervisors and Context
• Listening and Feedback
• Communication Across Levels and Silos
• Leadership Self-Awareness and Assumptions

Resourses

Rick Rarick at The Leader's Journey

The Leader's Journey Blog

https://www.youtube.com/@theleadersjourney

We communicate every day, yet we rarely stop to think about what we are actually doing when we enter a conversation. In this episode, Trisha and Elissa explore the basics of communication through a simple but powerful metaphor: conversation as a game of catch. What does it mean to throw well? To catch well? To take turns? To play generously? Together they unpack how conversations flow, how they break down, and how we can become more mindful, generous participants in the everyday exchanges that shape our relationships at work, at home, and in our communities. Conversation Overview

• Conversation as a game of catch
• Throwing and catching: sending and receiving skills
• Interrupting, over-talking, and holding the ball
• Asking good questions and keeping the game moving
• Generosity, anxiety, and when catch turns into dodgeball
• Staying in the game instead of taking the ball home

Guest Bio Elissa Lappenga is a professional educator, trainer, and coach with over 20 years of experience in education, non-profit, corporate, and community settings. Elissa earned her Master of Education (M.Ed.) from UCLA with a concentration in counseling and was one of the first facilitators of the university's Intergroup Dialogue program. She also maintains a SHRM-CP certification with the Society for Human Resources Management and is a PROSCI certified change management practitioner. Resources and References Mentioned

• Elissa on The Leaders Journey
• Register for the Upcoming Zoom: How to Have a Converstation

Jim Herrington has been a steady voice on The Leader's Journey Podcast for years. In this episode, Trisha Taylor reflects with him on the long arc of his life, leadership, and learning as he steps into a slightly different role at The Leader's Journey. Together they explore the leadership principle that has shaped everything Jim does: leadership is all about learning. From early experiences of trauma and racism, to systems thinking, reflection, and the ongoing work of emotional and spiritual maturity, this conversation offers a deeper look at the experiences that formed Jim's perspective and continue to shape his work today. Conversation Overview

• Leadership is all about learning
• Learning shaped by pain, experience, and reflection
• Seeing yourself, your system, and your role within it
• Defining yourself and staying connected under pressure
• The long work of systems change and emotional maturity
• Encouragement and wisdom for the next generation of leaders

Resources and References Mentioned

• The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge
• Murray Bowen Family Systems Theory
• The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard
• Union Baptist Association

As a new year begins, leaders are often faced with uncertainty, change, and challenges that cannot be solved with a predetermined plan. In this episode of The Leader's Journey Podcast, Trisha Taylor welcomes Megan Mills for a thoughtful and practical conversation about improvisation and its surprising relevance to leadership and everyday life. Together, they explore how the principles of improv such as trust, listening, shared agreements, and adaptability offer a powerful framework for navigating complexity, collaborating well, and showing up fully when the path forward is unclear.

Megan Mills is originally from Waukegan, IL (north of Chicago), went to Hope College in Holland, MI and shortly after graduation, moved to New York City. Her early years in NYC were spent in stage management and personal assistant roles as well as performing, creating, teaching and directing improvisational theatre. Now daily life includes driving her son back and forth to numerous games and practices throughout Queens, NY and the tri-state area. Megan has a passion for organization, The Container Store, and Chicago Cubs. She has also been an advocate, public speaker, and volunteer for the American Heart and Stroke Association for the past 20+ years.

Conversation Overview

• Beginning the year without a script
• Improv as a tool for adaptive leadership
• The importance of shared agreements and trust
• "Yes, and" as a mindset for collaboration
• Listening, presence, and patience in real time
• Supporting others instead of competing
• Improv games as practice for real life skills
• Applying improv principles to teams and leadership
• Creating safety and inclusion for all voices
• Meeting uncertainty with openness and curiosity

Resources and References Mentioned

• Megan Mills at The Leader's Journey
• Truth in Comedy by Del Close and Charna Halpern
• Harvard Business Review - Three Improv Exercises That Can Change the Way Your Team Works
• TED Talks on improv, adaptability, and leadership
• Improv exercises including Three Headed Expert and listening games

In this episode of The Leader's Journey Podcast, Trisha Taylor and Edie Lenz delve into the complex role of nostalgia within faith communities. They examine the emotional pull of "the way things used to be" and how leaders can honor the past without letting it prevent forward movement. Through personal reflection and practical examples, they invite listeners to cultivate a healthier relationship with change and cherish fond memories of the past. Conversation Overview

• When Looking Back Warps the Present
• Nostalgia as Emotional Comfort
• Generational Dynamics Around the Past
• The Spiritual Dimension of Nostalgia
• Practices for Moving Forward
• Learning to Grieve What Has Changed

Resources Edie Lenz at The Leader's Journey Edie Lenz Substack The Leaders Journey Courses The Leader's Journey - Systems Thinking Bowen Theory System Course The Leader's Journey - Spiritual Formation Course

In this episode of The Leader's Journey Podcast, Edie Lenz is joined by Ken Eriks and Chelsey Harmon of Churches Learning Change for a rich conversation about the power of mental models in congregational life. They explore what mental models are, how they shape the way churches function, and why unearthing and reforming them is essential for leading meaningful, lasting change. Through stories, examples, and practical processes, they describe how congregations can move from feeling stuck to discovering clarity, creativity, and a shared path forward. Conversation Overview

• What Mental Models Are and Why They Matter

• Different Perspectives and Conflicting Assumptions

• Why Churches Engage Mental Models Work

• Competing Models in a Congregation

• Unearthing Mental Models in Community

• Congregational Practices for Surfacing Mental Models

• Experimentation as a Pathway to Learning

• Reforming and Rooting New Mental Models

• Why This Work Takes Time, Reflection, and Community

• How to Connect With Churches Learning Change

Edie Lenz, Ken Ericks, and Chelsey Harmon are the staff of Churches Learning Change (CLC), an organization dedicated to helping congregations engage deep change through adaptive leadership, reflective practice, and intentional learning communities. Through coaching, content curation, and process facilitation, they equip churches to unearth, test, and reform the mental models shaping their life together. Their work integrates theology, systems thinking, and practical tools to support leaders and congregations seeking clarity, transformation, and renewed imagination. Resources: Churches Learning Change Learn more about Chelsey Harmon Edie Lenz at The Leader's Journey Learn more about Ken Eriks

In this episode of The Leader's Journey Podcast, Jim Harrington sits down with pastor and coach Mac McCarthy to explore how emotional intelligence shapes the life of a leader and the health of a congregation. Together, they discuss what emotional intelligence truly means, why it's essential for spiritual formation, and how leaders can embody and cultivate it within their teams and churches. Through real stories and practical insight, they invite listeners to see emotional maturity as a lifelong journey of formation and courage.

Mac McCarthy is a coach with The Leader's Journey and the lead pastor of Crosspoint Community Church in the Milwaukee area. He has served in ministry since 2008 and is known for his thoughtful integration of emotional maturity, discipleship, and leadership development. Mac also hosts the Praxis podcast, where he explores faith and practice in everyday life.

Conversation Overview

• Defining Emotional Intelligence and Why It Matters
• Jesus as the Model of Emotional Maturity
• Practicing What You Teach
• From Learning to Practicing to Reflecting
• Building Emotionally Intelligent Cultures
• Creating Shared Language and Playful Learning
• Leadership Practices for Growth
• Navigating Conflict with Maturity
• The Long Work of Formation
• Encouragement for the Journey

Resources Mentioned

• Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
• A Failure of Nerve by Edwin H. Friedman
• The Leader's Journey: Accepting the Call to Personal and Congregational Transformation by Jim Herrington, Trisha Taylor, and R. Robert Creech
• Praxis Podcast by Crosspoint Community Church
• Emotional Intelligence Dialogue – November 11, 11:30–12:30 PM CST

In this episode of The Leader's Journey Podcast, Trisha Taylor and Michael DeRuyter explore empathy as a guiding principle for leaders. Is empathy always a strength, or can it sometimes get in the way? Through stories, humor, and systems thinking, they unpack what empathy really is, why it is often misunderstood, and how mature empathy helps us stay grounded, connected, and responsible. This conversation invites leaders to move beyond reactive compassion toward empathy that sustains courage, clarity, and truth.

Conversation Overview

• Redefining Empathy
• Empathy, Sympathy, and Emotional Fusion
• The Role of Perspective and Curiosity
• Empathy and Systems Thinking
• Boundaries, Responsibility, and Courage

Resources Mentioned

• A Failure of Nerve by Edwin H. Friedman
• Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
• Empathy Zoom Dialogue – October 21

What does it mean to be truly welcoming? In this episode of The Leader's Journey Podcast, Trisha Taylor is joined by author and spiritual director Laura Murray to explore welcome as a guiding principle for life and leadership. Together they unpack how hospitality goes deeper than surface-level friendliness, why boundaries are essential to real welcome, and how leaders can create environments of safety, curiosity, and belonging. This conversation will inspire you to rethink what welcome looks like in your home, your leadership, and your community.

Laura Murray is a minister, author, and spiritual director who brings faith formation into the digital space through her innovative work with online retreats and resources. She is passionate about integrating ideas, connecting people, and releasing the gifts of others. Her newest book, Becoming a Person of Welcome, explores what it means to embody hospitality in ways that are healthy, grounded, and transformative. Learn more about Laura's work, including her retreats and resources, at laurabmurray.com.

Conversation Overview

• Welcome as more than friendliness

• Why genuine welcome requires boundaries and limits

• Protecting both people and purpose in our communities

• The grief and gift of acknowledging our limitations

• Learning to welcome our own humanity before we can welcome others

• Endings, closure, and repair as essential parts of welcome

• The multiplying effect of welcome beyond ourselves

• How God's welcome shapes the way we welcome others

Resources Mentioned

• Becoming a Person of Welcome by Laura Murray

• LauraBMurray.com

• The Leader's Journey Coaching

Introduction

Life and leadership inevitably bring seasons of disruption and instability. What do we do when the ground shifts beneath us, and the places we thought were safe no longer hold? In this conversation, Trisha Taylor talks with Rusty Mackey about resilience as a guiding principle—learning to live with instability, to cultivate presence, and to find stability not in circumstances but in God.

Guest Bio

Rusty McKie is a spiritual director, spiritual formation coach, and somatic coach. He is the founder of Steadfast Ministries, where he helps leaders survive and thrive in ministry. Rusty is also the host of The Art of Stability podcast and author of the book The Art of Stability: How Staying Present Changes Everything. His newest initiative, Man School, is a five-year rite of passage curriculum designed to equip fathers to raise their sons into men of character. Rusty lives out his passion for helping leaders and families build resilience through presence, reflection, and spiritual depth.

Conversation Overview

• Guiding principles as steady reference points in instability
• Instability as an invitation from God rather than betrayal
• The link between fragility, resilience, and presence
• The role of lament and compassion in cultivating resilience
• Orientation, disorientation, and reorientation as a cycle of growth
• Noticing our bodies and responses in times of instability
• How personal growth reshapes leadership and relationships

Resources

• The Art of Stability
• Steadfast Ministries: steadfastmin.com
• Man School: manschool.co
• The Art of Stability Podcast

Guiding Principles Series - The Leaders Journey Podcast

Integrity in Action: Alligning Words, Promises, and Values