the Learn-It-All™ podcast

What are the biggest pitfalls leaders face, and how can you avoid them? In this solo episode of the Learn-It-All™ podcast, Damon shares 16 common leadership mistakes, from canceling one-on-ones to over-delegating to top performers. Through candid stories and actionable advice, Damon helps listeners build trust, empower teams, and steer clear of costly missteps. Listen through to the end for a special birthday giveaway!

What You'll Learn:

• How to empower others instead of being the "hero"
• Ways to address tough conversations sooner, not later
• The risks of overloading your best people
• Why presence and consistency matter in leadership
• The dangers of promoting high performers without preparation

In This Episode:

• 00:01 – The inspiration for this episode
• 01:01 – Hero vs. hero maker
• 02:01 – Avoiding hard conversations
• 03:47 – Canceling one-on-ones
• 05:13 – Lack of clarity
• 06:35 – Over-delegating
• 08:16 – Adapting your leadership style
• 09:20 – Sharing credit
• 10:15 – Allowing toxic behavior
• 12:09 – Not being present
• 13:45 – Promotions gone wrong
• 16:05 – Overpromising, underdelivering
• 17:23 – Moving underperformers
• 18:13 – Listening to understand
• 19:28 – Not connecting enough
• 21:18 – Not standing up for your org
• 23:04 – Being a "yes-man"
• 24:27 – Recap and giveaway

About Damon Lembi:

Damon Lembi is a 3x bestselling author, the host of the Learn-It-All™ podcast, and CEO of Learnit – a live learning platform that has upskilled over 2 million people. Drawing from his prior baseball career, Damon brings an athlete's perspective to leadership. Through his journey, he has gained invaluable insights into what helps organizations grow, how great leaders learn, and why learn-it-all companies outpace their competitors every time.

Resources Mentioned:

• Traction by Gino Wickman
• Damon Lembi on LinkedIn

Let us know your key takeaways from the episode!

And remember, great leaders aren't born. They're always in the making.

New episodes of the Learn-It-All™ podcast with Damon Lembi every week. Subscribe on YouTube

📘 Get a FREE copy of The Learn-It-All Leader Book

Upskill yourself and your team with Learnit

Follow Damon Lembi:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

Build the culture, and the culture builds everything else. Neglect it, and you’ll never get buy-in.

Jon Gordon is the author of 19 bestsellers, including The Energy Bus and his latest release, The Power of Positive Habits. In his work with leaders in pro sports and business, he's seen what sets the great ones apart — and how you can lead like them starting today.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Three traits of leaders that build strong cultures
• The first step to turning around a subpar culture
• How to support your team while driving results in the age of AI
• The habit that earns you the right to challenge your team
• How to stop being your own worst critic
• Why the hardest habit to practice is the most impactful

Topics discussed:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:59) Three Traits of Top Leaders

(04:04) Turning Around Your Culture

(05:32) The Blueprint of a Strong Culture

(09:31) The Leader's Role

(14:10) Trust in the Age of AI

(17:18) Connect Before You Correct

(22:07) Become Your Greatest Encourager

(24:34) The Habit That Changed Jon's Life

(28:25) The Habit Before the Habit

(30:15) Dead Hangs & Squatting Like a Child

(31:22) Forgive Fast

(34:36) The Trust Tax

(38:16) Get Rid of Your Worst Habit

(39:31) Create an Amazing Funeral

Connect with Jon Gordon:

http://www.jongordon.com/

https://www.instagram.com/jongordon11/

https://x.com/JonGordon11

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jongordonenergy

https://www.facebook.com/jongordonpage/

https://www.threads.com/@jongordon11

About the Guest:

Jon Gordon is one of the most influential and sought after leadership authors and speakers today. He’s a consultant to numerous leaders, CEO’s, NFL, NBA, and MLB Coaches, championship teams and high performers and an inspirational teacher who has helped millions of people have a more positive mindset.

He is the author of 32 books including 19 best sellers and 5 children’s books. His books include the timeless classic The Energy Bus which has sold over 3 million copies, The Carpenter which was a top 5 business book of the year, Training Camp, The Power of Positive Leadership, The Power of a Positive Team, The One Truth and his latest release The Power of Positive Habits.

Let us know your key takeaways from the episode!

And remember, great leaders aren't born. They're always in the making.

New episodes of The Learn-It-All Podcast with Damon Lembi every week.

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLearnItAllPodcast?sub_confirmation=1

Get your FREE copy of The Learn-It-All Leader: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/3ingcx2pp5

Upskill yourself and your team with Learnit: https://www.learnit.com

Follow Damon Lembi:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonlembi

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

Only one player scores the goal. But it's the team that wins championships.

Joanna Lohman played professional soccer for 16 years, including time on the U.S. Women's National Team. Now, she helps leaders build high-performing teams where every role gets the credit it deserves and no one settles for the bare minimum.

In this episode, you will learn:

• What happens when leaders only celebrate their star employees
• Why striving to be the greatest can keep you from being great
• How to reward the important work that often goes unnoticed
• Why your team is playing not to lose instead of playing to win
• What to do when a high performer struggles in a leadership role
• How to make the path to success clear for your team
• How to show up authentically in any situation

Topics discussed:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:26) The Risk of Focusing on Superstars

(03:01) Celebrating Role Players

(06:58) Playing to Win vs. Playing Not to Lose

(08:17) Playing at the Edges

(11:02) From Her Peak to Rock Bottom

(14:46) Shedding a Performance-Based Identity

(18:20) Letting Go of What You Can't Control

(20:21) Authenticity and Performance

(22:59) Why Top Performers Struggle as Leaders

(24:56) Making Success Simple

(28:10) Dialing Authenticity Up and Down

(31:48) 7 Words That Changed Her Life

(38:24) What Parents Get Wrong in Youth Sports

(44:09) Season 39 of The Amazing Race

Connect with Joanna Lohman:

https://joannalohman.com/about/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannalohman/

https://www.youtube.com/JoannaLohman

https://www.instagram.com/joannalohman15/

Get Joanna’s Book, Raising Tomorrow's Champions: https://rtcsoccer.com/

About the Guest:

Joanna Lohman is a former professional soccer player and member of the United States Women’s National Team. She is the first player in Washington Spirit history to have her jersey retired, honoring her 16-year playing career where she built a platform for social impact. She is the author of, "Raising Tomorrow's Champions", a global keynote speaker, and authenticity activator. She continues her influence as a Sport Diplomat and your new favorite celesbian.

Let us know your key takeaways from the episode!

And remember, great leaders aren't born. They're always in the making.

New episodes of The Learn-It-All Podcast with Damon Lembi every week.

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLearnItAllPodcast?sub_confirmation=1

Get your FREE copy of The Learn-It-All Leader: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/3ingcx2pp5

Upskill yourself and your team with Learnit: https://www.learnit.com

Follow Damon Lembi:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonlembi

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

Most leaders think they're managing stress. A lot of the time they're managing fear.

Michelle "MACE" Curran is a combat veteran and former fighter pilot who flew lead solo for the Thunderbirds. Her book, The Flipside: How to Invert Your Perspective and Turn Fear into Your Superpower, outlines how fear isn't something to get rid of — but rather something to use to make better calls when the pressure is highest.

What kept her steady in the cockpit is exactly what leaders need on the ground.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why the self-doubt or anger you feel is actually hiding fear
• How to mentally rehearse difficult conversations
• A two-second reset you can use anywhere without anyone noticing
• How much pressure you need to be a high performer
• How to build trust quickly in your team (and then keep it)
• What to say when someone on your team makes a costly mistake

Topics discussed:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:11) Fear That Lives in Your Mind

(02:51) Overthinking & Self-Doubt

(04:27) Self-Regulation Tools

(10:27) Too Little Pressure Is a Problem

(15:40) Setting the Standard for Female Pilots

(18:19) When the Room Turns to Look

(23:01) When Your Leader Believes in You

(29:27) Building Trust with 50% Turnover

(32:37) Debrief Without Blame

(35:54) The Right Way to Handle a Costly Mistake

(39:53) Thunderbirds Near-Death Experience

(44:27) Decisions Under Pressure

(50:54) The Pause Before You React

(53:37) The Impact of Her Book

(57:05) Feed Your Kid's Curiosity

Connect with Michelle “MACE” Curran:

https://www.instagram.com/mace_curran/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/macecurran/

About the Guest:

Michelle “MACE” Curran is a combat veteran, former fighter pilot, and only the second woman in history to fly as the Lead Solo for the Thunderbirds, the Air Force’s elite demonstration squadron. Now on a new mission, she’s using her story to inspire others to take bold action and flip their fear. Mace has become a highly sought after keynote speaker for clients like Microsoft, PwC, and SpaceX, helping audiences build courage, trust their instincts, and take decisive action under pressure. Her latest book, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦: 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘍𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳, turns high-stakes cockpit lessons into powerful tools for life and leadership and recently landed in the Top 20 on the USA Today Bestseller list.

Let us know your key takeaways from the episode!

And remember, great leaders aren't born. They're always in the making.

New episodes of The Learn-It-All Podcast with Damon Lembi every week.

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLearnItAllPodcast?sub_confirmation=1

Get your FREE copy of The Learn-It-All Leader: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/3ingcx2pp5

Upskill yourself and your team with Learnit: https://www.learnit.com

Follow Damon Lembi:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonlembi

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

In Business, "Got five minutes?" is almost never five minutes. And the impact on your team doesn't end when the task does

Shawn Vanderhoven leads the executive development practice at The Wiseman Group and wrote the USA Today bestseller Pause: How to Lead Brilliant Work in a Busy World. His research found that there are two types of leaders: those who generate traction, and those who amplify distraction.

In this episode, you will learn:

• The leadership practices that help teams focus in distracting environments
• The five questions to ask before you hand someone work
• The digital wake you leave every time you hit send
• The eight-question quiz that shows how distracting you are to your team
• An exercise to find the hidden issues slowing your team down
• The AI habit that produces more work instead of better work

Topics discussed:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:05) The #1 Thing Holding People Back

(02:18) Traction Leaders vs. Distraction Leaders

(03:31) Tune In Before You Jump In

(09:18) The Origin Story of Pause

(13:23) Your Digital Wake

(15:23) The Distraction Test and Your House Rules

(18:01) Turn Out Your Pockets

(21:11) Pausing Up With a Boss or Client

(24:28) Bias for Action vs. Bias for Impact

(27:49) Using AI for Better Work

(32:58) What a Real Pause Looks Like

(36:04) Two Bosses, Two Outcomes

(41:45) Clearing Emotional Distraction

(43:39) Writing the Book With His Wife

(48:34) Which Practices to Start With

Connect with Shawn Vanderhoven:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnvanderhoven/

https://www.pausebook.co/

About the Guest:

Shawn Vanderhoven is the author of Pause: How to Lead Brilliant Work in a Busy World. He’s a Partner at The Wiseman Group, leading their development practice for senior executives and emerging leaders. He works with top brands like Apple, Johnson & Johnson, and Tesla, building strategies to leverage their greatest assets: talent. He lives with his wife, Anne, in Menlo Park, California.

Let us know your key takeaways from the episode!

And remember, great leaders aren't born. They're always in the making.

New episodes of The Learn-It-All Podcast with Damon Lembi every week.

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLearnItAllPodcast?sub_confirmation=1

Get your FREE copy of The Learn-It-All Leader: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/3ingcx2pp5

Upskill yourself and your team with Learnit: https://www.learnit.com

Follow Damon Lembi:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonlembi

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

What if AI is not replacing people because it is smarter, but because too many businesses have become broad, vague, and easy to copy?

Matthew Whyatt, founder of Tech Torque and Authority RevUp, believes founders must “get known before they can get chosen.” In an emergency, nobody calls a generalist. They look for the specialist who understands the exact problem and can solve it faster than anyone else.

In this episode of The Learn-It-All™ Podcast, Damon sits down with Matthew to unpack how founders can specialize without limiting their growth, identify their most profitable ideal customers, and build a repeatable B2B sales and marketing system. Matthew explains why a 90% close rate can signal a serious lead-generation problem, how to classify customers using his “absolute, beneficial, and convenient” framework, and why AI becomes jet fuel only after the underlying sales machinery works. They also explore how human taste, judgment, storytelling, and face-to-face relationships create trust in an AI-saturated market.

📘 Get a FREE copy of The Learn-It-All Leader Book: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/3ingcx2pp5

In this episode, you’ll learn...

1. Why generalists become easier to overlook as AI makes basic knowledge and execution widely available
2. Matthew’s “target, tolerate, and toss” framework for deciding which customers to pursue, accept, or avoid
3. How job listings can reveal your ideal buyer’s education, responsibilities, performance metrics, and internal priorities
4. Why your content strategy needs three distinct stages: growth, trust, and conversion
5. Why an 80% or 90% close rate usually means you are not generating enough opportunities or taking enough calculated risks
6. The difference between scaling from $2 million to $10 million and building the management structure required to reach $25 million
7. Why AI is “jet fuel” for a working sales engine but helps broken companies “do more dumb stuff faster”
8. How zero-based thinking helps leaders escape sunk-cost decisions: “Knowing what I know today, would I start this again?”

Timestamps

• 00:00 - Introduction
• 01:22 - The four foundations founders need before using AI
• 02:18 - Specialization makes you harder to replace
• 03:52 - Growth, trust, and conversion are not the same content
• 05:19 - Which customers should you target, tolerate, or toss?
• 09:24 - When your largest account becomes your greatest threat
• 11:28 - Building a software company at 22 without a real plan
• 14:13 - The franchise mistake that exposed a broken system
• 18:49 - Escaping an endless cycle of “got a minute?” meetings
• 23:01 - Why identifying as a problem solver can hold you back
• 24:53 - The $230,000 betrayal Matthew never saw coming
• 28:41 - Why 50/50 partnerships create dangerous deadlocks
• 31:01 - The red flags that reveal someone is taking you for a ride
• 32:29 - The zero-based question that kills sunk-cost thinking
• 36:49 - Why growing from $2M to $10M is a different game
• 39:18 - The business math behind predictable customer acquisition
• 40:19 - Why a 90% close rate should make founders nervous
• 40:59 - AI is jet fuel, but what happens when the engine is broken?
• 43:21 - The one human advantage you cannot outsource
• 46:50 - The speed of growth is the speed of transferred trust
• 49:09 - The sales books Matthew keeps coming back to
• 51:04 - Matthew’s most practical daily AI workflow
• 52:31 - How a podcast created an unexpected career opportunity
• 54:43 - Where to connect with Matthew

About Matthew Whyatt

Matthew Whyatt is the founder of Tech Torque and Authority RevUp, a two-time startup founder with more than 25 years of experience in B2B software, SaaS, sales, and marketing. After starting his first software business at 22 and scaling a company through the messy transition from founder-led hustle to professional management, Matthew now helps technology companies build clearer positioning, stronger demand-generation systems, and revenue operations that do not depend entirely on the founder. He is also the host of The CEO and the Salesman Podcast.

Resources and Mentions

Matthew Whyatt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewwhyatt/

Tech Torque’s Website: https://techtorque.co/

Authority RevUp’s Website: https://authorityrevup.com/

The CEO and the Salesman Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCeoAndTheSalesmanPodcast

Podcast Contact Information:

Website: www.learnit.com

Email: [email protected]

Subscribe to the Learn-It-All Podcast: Youtube I Apple I Spotify

Follow Damon Lembi: Linkedin I Instagram I Facebook I X

You may be hitting goal after goal, but where is your ambition actually taking you?

For James "J.R." Reid, it took two years to notice his success on paper wasn't translating at home. While working with Hall of Famers, All-Star athletes, and Fortune 500 executives, he found the same problem: most underperformance can be traced back to one thing.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why the real problem isn’t your ambition (and what really is)
• Why you need someone you can be 100% honest with
• How to handle betrayal without becoming cynical
• The runner-up mindset holding you back
• The four questions behind his Diamond of Identity
• The habit that helps you reset before you get home

Topics discussed:

(00:00 Introduction

(00:58) Ambition Isn’t the Problem

(06:07) The New Leader Trap

(09:34) Hold Yourself Accountable

(15:37) Find Your 100% Person

(17:10) When Trust Gets Broken

(21:06)The Cost of Going Cynical

(24:36) Executive Athletic vs. Runner-Up Mindset

(27:43) One Change to His Pregame

(30:55) Identity in the Age of AI

(33:04) The Diamond of Identity

(35:47) Inside The Clutch Club

(43:10) Transition From Work to Home

(48:50) What "Made It" Looks Like

Connect with James Reid:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesjrreid/

https://jamesreid.com/

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

https://www.facebook.com/jamesJRreid

https://www.instagram.com/jamesjrreid

https://x.com/jamesJRreid

About the Guest:

J.R.” is the Founder of the J. Reid Group and an International Performance, Mental Game, & Life Strategist, Podcast Host, and Author. His work is designed to help relentless pro athletes, public figures, and leaders master life, business, mental, and emotional strategies so they can make winning a lifestyle.

Since 2005, he’s empowered clients to excel in their pressure-packed careers while confidently upgrading their health and relationships. Some of his clients include World Series Champions, All-Stars, Hall of Famers, Fortune 500 Executives, and Award-Winning Entrepreneurs whose professional contracts have exceeded the hundreds of millions. By earning an M.B.A, J.D., M.S. in Human Performance, and a 9.8 average client satisfaction rating, J.R. has put himself in an elite category of trusted advisors.

After a life-altering car accident gave him a major wake-up call, J.R. devoted himself to mastering human performance and showing up bigger for his wife and three kids. As a result, J.R. has been featured by Focus on the Family and New York Times Best-Selling Author and Leadership Expert, Michael Hyatt, in Your Best Year Ever. He also co-authored the book W.O.W. Factor: How Defining Words Can Define Your Life and regularly speaks to athletes, entrepreneurs, and executives on overcoming failure, winning in your career and at home, and maximizing human performance.

Let us know your key takeaways from the episode!

And remember, great leaders aren't born. They're always in the making.

New episodes of The Learn-It-All Podcast with Damon Lembi every week.

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLearnItAllPodcast?sub_confirmation=1

Get your FREE copy of The Learn-It-All Leader: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/3ingcx2pp5

Upskill yourself and your team with Learnit: https://www.learnit.com

Follow Damon Lembi:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonlembi

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

What if earning more money didn’t create freedom, but quietly made you a hostage to the life you built? Real estate expert, Keynote speaker, and business strategist Alexa DePaolo escaped poverty, became a national top producer, and created the financial security she once dreamed about. Yet even after the desperation was gone, she continued answering calls at 11 p.m., stepping away from her daughters’ activities, and sacrificing family time to protect a success she feared could disappear at any moment.

In this episode of The Learn-It-All™ Podcast, Alexa joins Damon to explain why high earners feel trapped by success, how a scarcity mindset can survive long after financial hardship ends, and why peace sometimes feels like laziness to high performers. She shares the boundaries that helped her stop operating from desperation, the 30-day hiring rule that prevents resentment, and why she now gives paying business away when a client’s values do not align with hers.

If you are financially successful but still feel overworked, guilty when resting, or unable to disconnect from your business, this conversation will help you redefine success around freedom, family, meaningful relationships, and work you actually enjoy.

📘 Get a FREE copy of The Learn-It-All Leader Book: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/3ingcx2pp5

In this episode, you’ll learn...

1. Why Alexa felt happier when she was poor and how the fear of losing everything kept her trapped in a desperation mindset even after she became successful
2. How scheduling family time like a client closing prevents empty calendar space from automatically becoming more work
3. Why overgiving is not always generous and how giving to everyone else can quietly take time, energy, and presence away from your family
4. How avoiding an uncomfortable employee conversation caused Alexa to build resentment and become the kind of leader she never wanted to be
5. Why Alexa evaluates new hires at 30, 60, and 90 days and believes poor performance during the “honeymoon phase” rarely improves later
6. How high performers can stop chasing every deal, choose relationships that align with their values, and accept that calm can sometimes be the goal

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Introduction
• 01:02 – Why Alexa was happier when she was poor
• 03:11 – Did ignoring an 11 p.m. call ever cost her a deal?
• 03:51 – The boundary that protects both business and family
• 04:43 – Growing up without water, electricity, or security
• 06:19 – The moment her daughter made change non-negotiable
• 07:20 – “I’ve survived worse than this”
• 09:52 – Learning to belong in rooms filled with wealth
• 11:35 – Giving value without giving yourself away
• 13:39 – When generosity becomes another person’s mess
• 15:39 – The people who showed Alexa what safety feels like
• 17:30 – Building a team where questions feel safe
• 19:08 – How kindness turned into resentment
• 21:37 – The 30-day rule that prevents bad hires
• 24:05 – Alexa’s no-bullshit approach to high performance
• 25:25 – Leaving a predatory leader and facing a lawsuit
• 28:47 – What broken trust taught her about leadership
• 31:13 – Why great leaders expect good people to leave
• 34:03 – The simple systems Alexa teaches from the stage
• 36:40 – The hustle-to-hostage trap high performers recognize
• 37:15 – Why peace can feel suspiciously like laziness
• 40:03 – Raising capable kids without recreating hardship
• 45:27 – Schedule family time before it is too late
• 46:42 – Where to connect with Alexa

About Alexa DePaolo

Alexa DePaolo is a real estate expert, business strategist, and national keynote speaker known for her authentic, no-fluff approach to growth. After rising from poverty and navigating single motherhood, she built a thriving career helping others turn grit into momentum. With almost 20 years in the mortgage industry, Alexa empowers real estate professionals, entrepreneurs, and sales teams to master their mindset, build sustainable systems, and create businesses they actually love. She is the founder of The Ripple Effect, both a live event and YouTube show where she sits down with professionals to hear their stories, business lessons, and real-world strategies for growth.

Resources and Mentions

Alexa DePaolo’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexadepaolo/

Alexa DePaolo’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thealexadepaolo/

Alexa DePaolo’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlexaCOHomeLender/

Alexa DePaolo’s Website: https://www.alexadepaolo.com/

The Ripple Effect: https://www.alexadepaolo.com/the-ripple-effect

Podcast Contact Information:

Website: www.learnit.com

Email: [email protected]

Subscribe to the Learn-It-All Podcast: Youtube I Apple I Spotify

Follow Damon Lembi: Linkedin I Instagram I Facebook I X

Most people think there are two ways to succeed: be talented, or get lucky — but there are two more no one talks about.

Kyle Austin Young is a strategy consultant and author of Success Is a Numbers Game, which outlines his probability hacking framework for achieving your goals. He's spent a decade using it with leaders and their organizations: mapping out what has to go right, removing risks, and stacking the odds in their favor.

In this episode, you will learn:

• How to calculate the real odds on any goal you’re chasing
• The averaging trap that leaves you blind to failure
• How to find the real threats to your goal
• Why "think positive" can lower your odds of success
• Two paths to success most people never consider
• What to salvage when a goal falls apart

Topics discussed:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:47) #1 Predictor of Success

(01:56) The Success Diagram

(05:52) Get Good Advice

(07:53) Hired as a Director at 21

(12:01) Success Diagram for Hiring

(14:16) Four Paths to Success

(18:00) Probability Hacking

(20:10) Why Businesses Fail

(23:15) Think Negative

(27:22) Repurposing Failure

(30:40) The $6,000 Mistake

(38:28) Context Changes Your Odds

(40:02) Prioritizing Your Goals

(44:22) The Edison Story

(49:35) Success Diagrams for Sales

Connect with Kyle Austin Young:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleaustinyoung/

https://kyleaustinyoung.com/

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/760298/success-is-a-numbers-game-by-kyle-austin-young/

Resources Mentioned:

The JOLT Effect: How High Performers Overcome Customer Indecision by Matthew Dixon and Ted McKenna

About the Guest:

Kyle is an award-winning strategy consultant for leaders and teams in a wide range of fields. At the core of his methodology is a powerful system for accomplishing big, meaningful goals that focuses on understanding and changing your odds of success. The nicest compliment Kyle has ever received happened unexpectedly when the phone rang during dinner. The biotech CEO on the other end was brief. “I just felt like I should tell you that you’re the first consultant we’ve ever worked with who did exactly what he said he was gonna do.” That was nearly a decade ago, and it has set the tone for everything since.

Let us know your key takeaways from the episode!

And remember, great leaders aren't born. They're always in the making.

New episodes of The Learn-It-All Podcast with Damon Lembi every week.

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLearnItAllPodcast?sub_confirmation=1

Get your FREE copy of The Learn-It-All Leader: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/3ingcx2pp5

Upskill yourself and your team with Learnit: https://www.learnit.com

Follow Damon Lembi:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi

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This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

When your company’s values are just words on the wall, trust crumbles—and so does your team.

In this revealing episode of The Learn-It-All™ podcast, Joe Machicote, veteran leadership coach and bestselling author, joins to unpack the hidden (and costly) gap between what leaders say and what they actually do. Joe pulls back the curtain on why culture begins at the top, how one word can transform blame into trust, and why needing to be “right” can destroy more than any honest mistake ever could. Through candid stories, ranging from boardrooms to personal tragedy, Joe offers a masterclass in owning your actions, rebuilding credibility, and creating environments where people want to show up, not check out.

You’ll walk away with tools to close the say/do gap, handle tough feedback, lead teams through conflict, and, most importantly, lead yourself with more humility and intention.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why as much as 50% of turnover stems from leaders whose actions don’t match their words, and how to fix it
• The science behind trust: what happens when there’s a gap between stated values and daily behaviors
• How to hold even CEOs accountable (hint: it takes “straight talk” and real relationships)
• The magic of shifting from “you have a problem” to “we have a problem”
• Why owning your mistakes publicly actually builds more credibility than always being right
• Joe’s most vulnerable story of shifting from “why me?” to “why not me?” and how it made him a better leader and person

‍In This Episode:

00:00 – The say/do gap: when visions & values don’t match employee experience

01:30 – Why up to 50% of people leave over leadership hypocrisy

02:49 – People “make stuff up” when behavior doesn’t match the wall

03:51 – How trust (or lack thereof) drives disengagement

04:40 – Can a CEO really shape a 150,000-person culture? (yes, here’s how)

06:47 – What happens when a leader “whispers”—the whole organization hears a roar

07:08 – How to deliver feedback up the chain and the power of straight talk

09:33 – “My bad”: Why quickly owning mistakes changes everything

11:38 – Joe’s early-career failure: choosing service over the need to be right

16:02 – The real price leaders pay for always needing to be right

17:59 – How to lead teams through collective mistakes and turn “you problems” into “we problems”

22:30 – Joe’s two life rules learned from his mother (and a dance studio metaphor you’ll remember)

37:14 – Pivotal life moments & leading through personal crisis

48:51 – Moving from “buried” to “planted”—the ultimate leadership mindset

54:20 – The impact you never see: how a single keynote changed a security guard’s life

56:10 – Why Joe’s company logo is a black steel butterfly

About Joe Machicote:

Joe Machicote is the Founder and CEO of Transformational Leadership Solutions Group and the #1 bestselling author of Own Thy Stuff. With more than 35 years of experience, Joe has helped CEOs and executives at organizations as large as 150,000 people build cultures where values aren’t just words, but daily realities. He’s passionate about closing the gap between what leaders say and do, reshaping trust, and leaving both people and organizations better than he found them.

Resources Mentioned:

• Joe Machicote on LinkedIn
• Transformational Leadership Solutions Group
• Own Thy Stuff (Book by Joe Machicote)
• George Carlin on “Stuff” (YouTube video as mentioned)
• Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Background on trust & self-esteem)
• Southwest Airlines & Herb Kelleher (More on culture leadership)

Let us know your key takeaways from the episode! And remember, great leaders aren't born. They're always in the making.

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