the Learn-It-All™ podcast

11 Skills AI Will Never Replace: Skill #10 Delegation 

Welcome to The Learn-It-All Podcast’s 11 Skills AI Will Never Replace-- our 11-part special series exploring the essential human skills that AI cannot replicate. With the start of the new year, we’re all facing unprecedented technological disruption and workplace transformation. To help you thrive in this new landscape, we’ve leveraged a study from MuchSkills that analyzed data from 28,000 professionals to identify the capabilities that will make you irreplaceable in an AI-enhanced workplace.     

Each week, we’ll take a deep dive into one critical skill, providing you with actionable strategies, expert insights, and Learnit’s proprietary frameworks to future-proof your career. This series isn't just about adapting to change – it's about mastering the unique human abilities that will define leadership success in the age of AI.    

Delegation Future-Proofs Your Leadership 

Are you sabotaging your team's growth and creating organizational bottlenecks by failing to delegate effectively?  

Many leaders struggle with delegation, either hoarding work or micromanaging their teams. This episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast tackles one of leadership's most challenging skills. 

In this episode, host Damon Lembi and leadership expert Mickey Fitch-Collins explore the critical skill of delegation for modern leaders framing it not merely as offloading work but as a strategic development tool. The conversation unpacks common delegation pitfalls, introduces a practical three-part framework, and shares personal stories of delegation failures and lessons learned. 

This Episode Covers: 

• Why reframing delegation as "development" transforms it from a burden into a strategic growth opportunity  
• The Learnit "Delegation Greenlights" framework 
• Why micromanagement creates bottlenecks that prevent organizations from scaling 
• How to be crystal clear about expectations, timelines, and the "why" behind delegated tasks 
• Strategies to avoid overloading your high performers with too many delegated tasks 

Episode Highlights:  

00:01 – Why Delegation is Critical for Leadership Success – How leaders who fail to delegate create bottlenecks and limit team growth. 

06:25 – The Delegation Greenlights Framework – A step-by-step approach to deciding what, when, and how to delegate. 

12:18 – How to Avoid Micromanaging – Why hovering over delegated tasks destroys trust and slows down teams. 

19:45 – Overloading High Performers – How over-delegation to top performers leads to burnout and disengagement. 

28:30 – How to Communicate Delegation Clearly – Why being crystal clear on expectations, goals, and deadlines prevents confusion. 

33:50 – Saying No Professionally – How employees can push back on delegation while maintaining credibility and collaboration. 

46:06 – Key Takeaways for Effective Delegation – Actionable strategies to delegate with confidence and improve leadership impact.  

About Damon Lembi:    

Damon Lembi is a 2x 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.     

About Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins    

Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins is a dynamic leadership development expert who serves as a Leadership and Professional Development Facilitator at Learnit. With a PhD in Leadership in Higher Education from Northcentral University focusing on middle manager self-efficacy, her expertise spans performance management, program development, and equity initiatives, while her high-energy approach has proven effective in leading teams across educational institutions and technology companies.    

Resources Referenced: 

MuchSkills     

The Learn-It-All Leader: Mindset, Traits, and Tools by Damon Lembi   

The Learn-It All Podcast episode with Jim Szlacta on reframing delegation as development

The Learn-It All Podcast episode with Chris Dyer ("Mr. Culture") on delegation enabling scaling  

Free to Focus: A Total Productivity System to Achieve More by Doing Less by Michael Hyatt  

Ethan Evans' five-step "Magic Loop" framework  

Learnit’s Delegate to Scale Your Impact Workshop (free code offered to first 25 listeners who message Damon or Mickey on LinkedIn) 

Podcast Contact Information 

Website: www.learnit.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates. 

Giving and receiving feedback is one of the most critical yet difficult skills in leadership. Many leaders avoid giving honest feedback, and even more struggle to receive it without defensiveness. But what if feedback didn’t have to feel so uncomfortable?

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Joe Hirsch, a communication expert, speaker, and author of The Feedback Fix. Joe introduces his Feed Forward approach—transforming feedback from a dreaded conversation into a tool for growth. He shares strategies on how to foster a feedback culture, filter out bad feedback, and turn tough conversations into learning moments.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why leaders struggle with giving and receiving feedback
• How to shift feedback conversations from blame to partnership
•  The science behind why feedback triggers defensiveness
• How to ask for better feedback and become a feedback magnet
• The Feed Forward approach to make feedback feel empowering, not punishing

00:01 – Introduction to Joe Hirsch

01:07 – Why Feedback is Hard (But Necessary)

03:56 – Becoming a Feedback Magnet

05:39 – Joe’s Personal Story: Why Feedback Became His Life’s Work

09:25 – What is Feed Forward?

11:44 – How to Deliver Feedback Without Causing Defensiveness

16:13 – What to Do When People Resist Feedback

18:12 – Creating a Feedback Culture in Teams

20:07 – How to Normalize Feedback in the Workplace

24:12 – The Neuroscience of Learning from Mistakes

28:24 – How to Filter Good vs. Bad Feedback

32:21 – The Danger of Asking Too Many People for Feedback

35:31 – What to Do When Feedback Hurts

39:48 – How to Apply Feedback Effectively

41:25 – The Role of AI in Feedback

• The Feedback Fix by Joe Hirsch – Amazon Link
•  Joe Hirsch’s Website – https://www.joehirsch.me
•  Marshall Goldsmith (Author of What Got You Here Won’t Get You There) – Website
•  Amy Edmondson on Intelligent Failure – Harvard Business Review
• The Fearless Organization by Amy Edmondson – Amazon Link

Podcast Contact Information:

Website: www.learnit.com  

Email: [email protected]  

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates. 

Power Games: How Leaders Navigate the Workplace Dynamics of Power 

Are power games undermining your leadership and sabotaging your team's performance? 

In this thought-provoking episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, host Damon Lembi interviews leadership expert Zoë Routh about her forthcoming book Power Games and the complex dynamics of power in the workplace. According to Zoë 's research, power games exist in 100% of workplaces, and even well-intentioned leaders can fall prey to their destructive behaviors. Throughout their conversation, Damon and Zoë  explore how leaders can recognize the warning signs of unhealthy power dynamics, implement strategies to foster healthy team environments, and shift from "hero leadership" to collaborative approaches that distribute power more effectively. 

This Episode Covers: 

• Why people are uncomfortable with the word "power" but eagerly seek "influence,"  
• How power can be "a torch to light the way, not a sword to cut people down" 
• The four spheres of power that leaders must understand to master their own power usage 
• The five shadow archetypes of leadership (tyrant, manipulator, bully, fanatic, gambler) and how these destructive patterns emerge 
• Why transparency is one of the most powerful tools for preventing tyranny and manipulation in organizations 
• The five components of high-performing teams (purpose, performance, structure, strength, and safety) that can minimize power games 
• Practical strategies for approaching leaders who are beginning to display tyrant-like behaviors 

Episode Highlights: 

00:01 – Why Leaders Struggle with Power – How power is often seen as negative, but when used correctly, it fosters trust and collaboration. 

06:25 – What Are Power Games? – Zoe defines toxic workplace behaviors like manipulation, credit-stealing, and backstabbing. 

12:18 – The Five Shadow Archetypes of Leadership – Why even great leaders can unintentionally fall into toxic behaviors. 

19:45 – How to Identify and Disrupt Power Games – The subtle signs of dysfunction and how leaders can audit their teams. 

28:30 – Why Transparency Prevents Power Struggles – How openness in decision-making discourages manipulation and abuse of power. 

33:50 – Avoiding the ‘Yes-Person’ Problem – Why leaders must create a culture where people feel safe challenging authority. 

42:06 – The Future of Leadership is Collaboration – How shifting from ‘hero leadership’ to collective leadership minimizes power struggles. 

About Zoë  Routh 

Zoë Routh is a leadership futurist and award-winning author who helps executives navigate uncertain horizons with clarity and confidence. Her book People Stuff won Australian Business Book of the Year in 2020, and her forthcoming Power Games explores workplace power dynamics based on her 30+ years of leadership expertise. As host of "The Future of Leadership Podcast," she shares big ideas on the future of leadership with global audiences. Zoë's approach combines strategic foresight with practical frameworks for CEOs and leadership teams in multiple industries. Her unique background includes wilderness expedition leadership and corporate advisory, giving her distinctive insights into high-performing teams. A cancer survivor and adventurist, Zoë brings both wisdom and real-world experience to her work helping leaders create collaborative, transparent organizational cultures. 

Resources Referenced: 

Zoë  Routh's website

Zoë Routh on LinkedIn 

The Future of Leadership Podcast 

Free Shadow Archetypes Counter Moves handout for podcast listeners 

People Stuff - Beyond Personality Problems, An Advanced Handbook for Leadership by Zoë Routh  

Power Games - A Leader’s Guide to Office Politics and Drama-Free Collaboration by Zoë Routh  

Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present by Ruth Ben-Ghiat  

The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli (Author) 

Podcast Contact Information 

Website: www.learnit.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates. 

11 Skills AI Will Never Replace: Skill #9 Collaboration 

Welcome to The Learn-It-All Podcast’s 11 Skills AI Will Never Replace-- our 11-part special series exploring the essential human skills that AI cannot replicate. With the start of the new year, we’re all facing unprecedented technological disruption and workplace transformation. To help you thrive in this new landscape, we’ve leveraged a study from MuchSkills that analyzed data from 28,000 professionals to identify the capabilities that will make you irreplaceable in an AI-enhanced workplace.     

Each week, we’ll take a deep dive into one critical skill, providing you with actionable strategies, expert insights, and Learnit’s proprietary frameworks to future-proof your career. This series isn't just about adapting to change – it's about mastering the unique human abilities that will define leadership success in the age of AI.    

The Power of Effective Collaboration 

Are toxic high performers quietly destroying your team's productivity and morale? According to research highlighted in this episode, teams that collaborate effectively are five times more likely to be high performing - but what happens when conflicting work styles and difficult personalities get in the way? 

In this episode, host Damon Lembi and leadership expert Mickey Fitch-Collins examine collaboration as an essential skill in today's hybrid workplace. They explore practical frameworks for understanding different work styles, fostering productive collaboration, and handling challenging team dynamics. With 79% of Gen Z and millennials preferring workplaces that foster teamwork, mastering these collaboration skills has never been more important for retaining talent and driving organizational success. 

This Episode Covers: 

• The MOVE framework for understanding team collaboration styles 
• Practical strategies for pairing team members with different styles on small projects  
• How to transform a dysfunctional team by giving members a common language  
• The distinction between authentic self-expression and behavior that undermines team culture and collaboration 

Episode Highlights: 

00:01 – Why Collaboration is Critical in Today’s Workplace – How teams that collaborate effectively outperform those that work in silos. 

06:25 – The MOVE Framework for Team Collaboration – A simple, actionable model to improve communication and teamwork. 

12:18 – How to Align Different Work Styles – Why understanding team dynamics reduces conflict and increases efficiency. 

19:45 – The Cost of Poor Collaboration – How lack of trust and communication leads to inefficiency, frustration, and disengagement. 

28:30 – Why Toxic High-Performers Hurt Organizations – The long-term impact of tolerating toxic behaviors, even from top performers. 

33:50 – Building Trust and Respect on Teams – How leaders can foster collaboration by creating a safe, open environment. 

46:06 – Key Takeaways for Improving Collaboration – Practical steps to immediately strengthen teamwork and engagement. 

About Damon Lembi:    

Damon Lembi is a 2x 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.     

About Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins    

Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins is a dynamic leadership development expert who serves as a Leadership and Professional Development Facilitator at Learnit. With a PhD in Leadership in Higher Education from Northcentral University focusing on middle manager self-efficacy, her expertise spans performance management, program development, and equity initiatives, while her high-energy approach has proven effective in leading teams across educational institutions and technology companies.    

Resources Referenced: 

MuchSkills     

The Learn-It-All Leader: Mindset, Traits, and Tools by Damon Lembi   

Working Genius Assessment by Patrick Lencioni - A tool for identifying team members' working styles and preferences 

Supercharge Collaboration with Team Styles - Learnit's most popular workshop, featuring the MOVE framework 

Learnit's MOVE framework ebook 

Podcast Contact Information 

Website: www.learnit.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates. 

Any Dumbass Leader Can Create an Exceptional Culture 

Are your team members running out the door excited to come to work? If not, why? 

Garry Ridge, former CEO and Chairman Emeritus of WD-40, joins Damon Lembi on The Learn-It-All Podcast to discuss how leaders can build high-trust, high-performance cultures where people feel valued and can learn, grow, and thrive. Drawing from his 25 years leading WD-40 and his new book Any Dumbass Can Do It, Garry shares how WD-40 achieved remarkable business results through people-first leadership. Under his guidance, the company expanded globally, grew market cap from $300 million to $3.5 billion, and maintained employee engagement above 90% - all while establishing a culture where 98% of employees loved telling others they worked there. 

This Episode Covers: 

• How reframing "failure" as "learning moments" became a cornerstone of WD-40's culture 
• How leaders often protect their comfort zones at the expense of other people's development, limiting growth opportunities for their teams and organizations 
• The power of purpose beyond your product  
• Why the "Maniac Pledge" at WD-40 eliminated finger-pointing by establishing clear ownership. 
• The importance of embracing "dumbassery" as your superpower. 

Episode Highlights:  

00:01 – Garry’s Leadership Journey at WD-40 – How he grew WD-40 into a global company with a thriving culture. 

06:25 – The Four Pillars of a Friction-Free Culture – A framework for creating a high-trust, high-performance work environment. 

12:18 – The Power of Learning Moments – Why reframing failures as learning opportunities builds innovation and engagement. 

19:45 – Why Leaders Must Be Brave – How avoiding tough conversations protects a leader’s comfort zone at the expense of team growth. 

28:30 – How Culture Becomes a Competitive Advantage – Why organizations with high engagement outperform those that ignore workplace culture. 

33:50 – Balancing Remote and In-Person Work – How to bring employees back together meaningfully without eroding trust. 

46:06 – Final Takeaways: Building a People-First Culture – How leaders can foster belonging, accountability, and long-term success. 

About Garry: 

Garry Ridge is the Chairman Emeritus of WD-40 Company, where he served as CEO for 25 years, building a renowned culture of learning and empowerment. He teaches in the University of San Diego's Master of Science in Executive Leadership program, sharing his expertise on corporate culture principles. Ridge has co-authored Helping People Win at Work with Ken Blanchard and recently published Any Dumb Ass Can Do It (2025). Calling himself "The Culture Coach" and more recently "The Dean of Dumbassery,” Gary runs his consulting business "The Learning Moment" where he coaches CEOs and helps leaders create environments where employees make meaningful contributions, learn continuously, and go home happy. 

Resources Referenced: 

Garry Ridge on LinkedIn 

The Learning Moment - Garry's website

Dumbass Quiz

Any Dumb-Ass Can Do It: Learning Moments from an Everyday CEO of a Multi-Billion-Dollar Company by Garry Ridge  

Helping People Win at Work: A Business Philosophy Called "Don't Mark My Paper, Help Me Get an A" by Garry Ridge and Ken Blanchard  

What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith  

To Be Honest: Lead with the Power of Truth, Justice and Purpose by Ron A. Carucci 

Podcast Contact Information 

Website: www.learnit.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates. 

Stop Hemorrhaging Top Talent: A Leader's Guide to Modern Employee Retention 

Are you tired of watching your best employees walk out the door despite competitive pay and benefits? What if retention actually begins before an employee's first day? 

In this enlightening episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, host Damon Lembi explores groundbreaking strategies for attracting and retaining top talent with Mike Harbour, author of Quit Losing Talent. Drawing from his extensive experience as both a headhunter and leadership consultant, Mike shares how traditional onboarding approaches are failing in today's workplace and introduces his STAY framework for creating a culture where employees want to, well, stay. He challenges conventional wisdom about hiring experienced staff and reveals why even top performers can be toxic to your organization's long-term success. 

 This Episode Covers: 

• Why sending a handwritten welcome note to new hires before their start date can dramatically improve retention 
• The costly mistake of skipping proper onboarding for experienced new hires, even when they have industry expertise 
• How focusing on skills over values in interviews leads to poor hiring decisions and higher turnover 
• Why investing in employee development isn't just about job skills - personal growth opportunities like financial planning classes can significantly boost retention 
• Why keeping a toxic top performer can actually cost more than losing their production 
• The importance of addressing generational "micro-bullying" that drives younger talent away 
• A systematic 90-day activation process that replaces traditional onboarding and ensures new hire success 

Episode Highlights: 

00:01 – Why Retention Starts Before Day One – How leaders must rethink hiring and onboarding to create lasting engagement. 

06:25 – Mastering the Welcome Process – Why a simple handwritten note or phone call before the first day can dramatically impact retention. 

12:18 – Sharpening Job Ads to Attract Top Talent – How companies must go beyond listing skills and emphasize mission, values, and growth opportunities. 

19:45 – The STAY Framework for Employee Activation – A structured 90-day plan to help new hires feel connected, valued, and set up for success. 

28:30 – Why Investing in Employee Development Improves Retention – How offering personal and professional growth opportunities keeps employees engaged. 

33:50 – Handling Toxic Top Performers – Why keeping a high-producing but toxic employee can destroy company culture. 

46:06 – How Leaders Can Build a Culture That People Want to Stay In – Practical steps for creating an environment where employees feel valued and empowered. 

About Mike: 

Mike Harbour is a leadership development expert and former U.S. Army officer who has helped transform talent retention and leadership practices at organizations across America. As founder and Chief Action Officer of Harbour Resources, he leverages over three decades of experience in healthcare operations, executive search, and leadership development to solve critical retention challenges. A founding partner on the John C. Maxwell Team where he serves on the President's Advisory Council, Harbour has interviewed thousands of leaders and successfully placed hundreds in key positions. His podcast, The Lead Up, has produced over 400 episodes of leadership content, and his book Quit Losing Talent provides a systematic framework for modern hiring and retention.  

Resources Referenced: 

Mike Harbour on LinkedIn 

Harbour Resources 

Quit Losing Talent: Expanded Edition: Twenty Leadership Tactics to Win, Keep, & Inspire Great Employees  by Mike Harbour 

The Lead Up Podcast  

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey  

John Maxwell (mentioned as a mentor) 

Zig Ziglar (quoted) 

Podcast Contact Information 

Website: www.learnit.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates. 

11 Skills AI Will Never Replace: Skill #8  Coaching 

Welcome to The Learn-It-All Podcast’s 11 Skills AI Will Never Replace-- our 11-part special series exploring the essential human skills that AI cannot replicate. With the start of the new year, we’re all facing unprecedented technological disruption and workplace transformation. To help you thrive in this new landscape, we’ve leveraged a study from MuchSkills that analyzed data from 28,000 professionals to identify the capabilities that will make you irreplaceable in an AI-enhanced workplace.     

Each week, dive deep into one critical skill, providing you with actionable strategies, expert insights, and Learnit’s proprietary frameworks to future-proof your career. This series isn't just about adapting to change – it's about mastering the unique human abilities that will define leadership success in the age of AI.    

The Art of Coaching: Unlock Your Team's Full Potential 

Are you struggling with underperforming team members despite their obvious talent? What if the key isn't more directives, but a fundamental shift in how you lead? 

In this episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, host Damon Lembi speaks with Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins, Learnit's top-ranked facilitator and leadership expert, about transforming ordinary management into impactful coaching. Their conversation reveals how coaching differs from traditional command-and-control leadership and provides a practical five-step framework for non-directive coaching. Through real examples and actionable advice, Mickey shares how coaching can elevate team performance, increase employee satisfaction, and drive retention—turning regular teams into "unstoppable" ones. This episode offers business leaders a clear roadmap to transition from simply managing outcomes to unlocking their team's true potential. 

This Episode Covers: 

• The crucial difference between managing and coaching 
• How shifting from directive management to coaching questions completely transformed an underperforming team member 
• The five-step non-directive coaching model with "magic questions" that puts employees in the driver's seat 
• Why to coach strengths rather than weaknesses 
• "Chameleon leadership" 

Episode Highlights:  

00:01 – Why Coaching is Critical in Today’s Workplace – How coaching helps leaders move from managing people to unlocking their full potential. 

06:25 – The Cost of Not Coaching – Why command-and-control leadership leads to disengagement and turnover. 

12:18 – The Five-Step Non-Directive Coaching Model – A structured approach to asking better questions and guiding problem-solving. 

19:45 – The Magic Questions of Coaching – How "What’s on your mind?" and "What’s the real challenge?" create deeper conversations. 

28:30 – Coaching vs. Mentoring – Understanding the key differences and when to apply each leadership style. 

33:50 – Why Strengths-Based Coaching Works Best – How focusing on what people do well leads to better performance and engagement. 

46:06 – Final Takeaways & Next Steps – How leaders can immediately apply coaching techniques to their teams. 

About Damon Lembi:    

Damon Lembi is a 2x 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.     

About Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins    

Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins is a dynamic leadership development expert who serves as a Leadership and Professional Development Facilitator at Learnit. With a PhD in Leadership in Higher Education from Northcentral University focusing on middle manager self-efficacy, her expertise spans performance management, program development, and equity initiatives, while her high-energy approach has proven effective in leading teams across educational institutions and technology companies.    

Resources Referenced: 

MuchSkills     

The Learn-It-All Leader: Mindset, Traits, and Tools by Damon Lembi    

Learnit's Coach Your Team workshop 

New Sales. Simplified.: The Essential Handbook for Prospecting and New Business Development by Mike Weinberg  

The Learn It All Podcast episode featuring Ethan Evans discussing "chameleon leadership" 

The Learn It All Podcast episode featuring Stephen M.Covey on trust 

Podcast Contact Information 

Website: www.learnit.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates. 

Why High Performers Often Fail as Leaders (And What to Do About It) 

Are your top individual contributors struggling in leadership roles? According to David Kitchen, founder of Edge Leadership Academy, there's a crucial reason: leadership requires a completely different skillset than individual excellence.  

On this episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, David Kitchen shares insights from his journey from Division I basketball coach to leadership development expert. In conversation with host Damon Lembi, David explains why high performers often struggle when promoted to leadership positions, outlines his framework for developing leadership skills, and reveals the four hard truths every aspiring leader needs to face. 

This Episode Covers: 

• Why promoting top performers to leadership roles often backfires and how to avoid this common mistake 
• The four hard truths of leadership, including why it's lonely at the top and why leaders must chase love instead of likes 
• The five C's of leadership: Character, Consistency, Commitment, Creativity, and Communication 
• A practical three-step framework for learning agility: What, So What, Now What 
• How to conduct regular leadership self-audits using specific questions that reveal blind spots 
• Why the gap between stated culture and experienced culture drives away top talent 

Episode Highlight:  

00:01 – The Leadership Wake-Up Call – How a conversation with an athlete sparked David’s mission to build better leaders. 

06:25 – The Four Hard Truths of Leadership – Why leadership is lonely, 24/7, uncertain, and never about you. 

12:18 – Why High Performers Struggle as Leaders – How technical excellence doesn’t always translate into leadership success. 

19:45 – The Five C’s of Leadership – The five qualities that separate great leaders from the rest. 

28:30 – Self-Awareness & Leadership Audits – How to audit your own leadership skills and create a culture of honest feedback. 

33:50 – The Importance of Learning Agility – Why leaders must adapt, evolve, and never stop learning. 

46:06 – Why Retention is the #1 Business Challenge Today – How leaders can improve engagement, culture, and reduce turnover. 

About David: 

David Kitchen is the founder and CEO of Edge Leadership Academy, where he leverages his unique background in Division 1 athletics and psychology to transform organizational leadership. Notable for becoming the youngest NCAA head coach at age 24, Kitchen transitioned from collegiate basketball coaching to pioneering innovative leadership development programs.  

He holds a Master's in Sport Psychology and is currently pursuing a PhD in Psychology. Kitchen is a three-time author, including the best-selling "The Pyramid: A System for Building Tomorrow's Leaders Today," and hosts a globally top-ranked podcast. His methodology focuses on practical execution and measurable results, serving both athletic and corporate clients. Kitchen's approach was shaped by identifying a critical gap between leadership expectations and actual leadership training in high-performance environments. 

Resources Referenced: 

Edge Leadership Academy 

Built Not Born Podcast 

Finish Friday newsletter 

Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves  

David on LinkedIn 

Dr. Paul Ekman 

Podcast Contact Information 

Website: www.learnit.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates. 

The Hidden Cost of Prioritizing Business Over Health: A Leader's Wake-Up Call 

Are you sacrificing your health on the altar of business success? What if the relentless pursuit of profit is actually undermining your ability to achieve your goals? 

In this compelling episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, host Damon Lembi engages in a candid conversation with Mark Samuel, a serial entrepreneur and wellness advocate with over 65,000 LinkedIn followers. Their discussion examines the critical intersection of physical health, mental wellbeing, and business success. Drawing from his extensive experience in the health and wellness industry and his own personal journey, Samuel shares raw insights about mental health struggles, the importance of discipline over motivation, and how prioritizing health became the foundation of his business success. 

This Episode Covers: 

• Why health must be the #1 priority before family and work - and how this seemingly selfish choice actually enables everything else 
• The critical difference between motivation and discipline in achieving fitness goals and business success 
• How vulnerability and authenticity in leadership, particularly around mental health challenges, can build stronger connections and opportunities 
• The profound impact of daily physical activity and nutrition on mental health and decision-making capabilities 
• Why entrepreneurial success often requires giving up the need to be in complete control 
• The value of building meaningful relationships through consistent, authentic content creation on LinkedIn 
• How becoming a parent can transform your perspective on business and success 
• The importance of patience in scaling businesses, particularly in the consumer products space 

Episode Highlights: 

00:01 – Why Health Should Be Every Leader’s Top Priority – Mark explains why physical and mental well-being must come before work and everything else. 

06:25 – Discipline vs. Motivation in Fitness and Life – Why motivation is fleeting and how discipline drives real, lasting change. 

12:18 – The Connection Between Fitness, Nutrition, and Mental Health – Mark shares how his workout and nutrition habits helped him manage anxiety and depression. 

19:45 – Self-Awareness and Accountability in Leadership – The importance of taking responsibility for your decisions and learning from mistakes. 

28:30 – The Power of Personal Branding and Authenticity – Why building relationships and showing up consistently matters in today’s professional world. 

33:50 – How Mark Uses LinkedIn to Build Meaningful Connections – The strategy behind his daily content and engagement. 

37:24 – How Fatherhood Changed His Perspective on Life and Success – Mark reflects on how becoming a dad gave him clarity and purpose. 

About Mark: 

Mark Samuel is a seasoned entrepreneur and executive who has successfully founded, scaled, and exited multiple companies in the health and wellness sector. As President and Board Member of Unbun Foods and Growth Executive at Siddhi Capital, he brings over two decades of expertise in building and growing consumer brands. Previously, Mark founded IWON Organics, a successful better-for-you snack company that was later licensed. Known for his authentic leadership style and dedication to health-focused innovation, he has built a highly engaged following of 65,000+ on LinkedIn through daily content creation. His expertise spans creative branding, strategic business planning, and operational management, with a particular focus on bringing healthier food options to market. A committed advocate for both physical and mental wellness in leadership, Mark combines his passion for health with sophisticated business acumen to drive growth in the wellness sector. 

Resources Referenced: 

Mark on LinkedIn 

City Capital Advisors 

Unbun Foods 

Podcast Contact Information 

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11 Skills AI Will Never Replace: Skill #7 Feedback 

Welcome to The Learn-It-All Podcast’s 11 Skills AI Will Never Replace-- our 11-part special series exploring the essential human skills that AI cannot replicate. With the start of the new year, we’re all facing unprecedented technological disruption and workplace transformation. To help you thrive in this new landscape, we’ve leveraged a study from MuchSkills that analyzed data from 28,000 professionals to identify the capabilities that will make you irreplaceable in an AI-enhanced workplace.     

Each week, dive deep into one critical skill, providing you with actionable strategies, expert insights, and Learnit’s proprietary frameworks to future-proof your career. This series isn't just about adapting to change – it's about mastering the unique human abilities that will define leadership success in the age of AI.    

The Art of Feedback: How Leaders Can Transform Performance Through Better Conversations 

Are your feedback conversations falling flat? Many leaders struggle to deliver feedback that drives real behavior change and improves performance. This episode reveals a proven framework for giving feedback that people will actually hear and act on. 

On this episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, Damon Lembi and guest Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins explore the critical skill of giving and receiving feedback effectively. Drawing from their extensive leadership experience, they break down the psychology behind feedback conversations and share practical techniques for making feedback more impactful, including how to avoid common pitfalls like the outdated "feedback sandwich" approach. 

This Episode Covers: 

• Why framing feedback conversations properly is crucial for reducing defensiveness and increasing receptivity 
• The importance of focusing on observable behaviors and specific examples rather than opinions or hearsay 
• How connecting feedback to organizational goals helps remove the perception of personal attacks 
• Why public praise isn't always effective and can backfire even with positive feedback 
• A simple three-step framework (Frame, Observe, Results) for structuring feedback conversations 
• How leaders can create psychological safety by modeling vulnerability when receiving feedback 
• The critical difference between giving feedback on job-related behaviors versus personal preferences 

Episode Highlights:

00:01 – Why Feedback is Essential for Growth – Understanding why feedback matters and the different types of feedback in personal and professional settings.

05:55 – How to Give Effective Feedback – Introducing the FOR Model (Framing, Observations, Results) as a simple, structured approach.

12:31 – The Right and Wrong Way to Give Feedback – Why context matters, how to frame feedback properly, and what happens when feedback is mishandled.

19:45 – Overcoming Defensiveness When Receiving Feedback – Mickey shares a personal story about the challenge of receiving unexpected feedback.

28:30 – The Feedback Sandwich Problem – Why the traditional positive-negative-positive approach is outdated and often counterproductive.

32:38 – Giving Feedback in Private vs. Public – Why leaders should be mindful about how and where they provide feedback to avoid creating mistrust.

46:06 – Building a Culture of Continuous Feedback – How organizations can encourage open dialogue and feedback at all levels to drive performance.

About Damon Lembi:    

Damon Lembi is a 2x 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.     

About Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins    

Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins is a dynamic leadership development expert who serves as a Leadership and Professional Development Facilitator at Learnit. With a PhD in Leadership in Higher Education from Northcentral University focusing on middle manager self-efficacy, her expertise spans performance management, program development, and equity initiatives, while her high-energy approach has proven effective in leading teams across educational institutions and technology companies.    

Resources Referenced: 

MuchSkills     

The Learn-It-All Leader: Mindset, Traits, and Tools by Damon Lembi    

Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade by Robert Cialdini Ph.D.  

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know by Adam Grant  

Tom Willis on the Learn-It-All Podcast 



Podcast Contact Information 

Website: www.learnit.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates.