the Learn-It-All™ podcast

From Command & Control to Systems Thinking: A New Approach to Leadership Effectiveness 

Are you tired of trying to change your team's mindset or "fix" people's attitudes? What if there was a more practical approach to creating lasting change in your organization? 

In this episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, Trevor Timbeck, co-author of "The Power of Systems," shares how shifting from psychological interpretations to systems thinking can transform leadership effectiveness. Drawing from his journey from computer science to leadership coaching, Trevor explains why focusing on concrete actions and systems rather than mindsets leads to better results. 

 This Episode Covers: 

• Why attempting to change people's mindsets often fails and what to do instead 
• How traditional "command and control" leadership actually demands obedience rather than inspiring change 
• The power of shifting from having answers to asking better questions as a leader 
• Why systems aren't just mechanical processes but can be organic and adaptive 
• How to create lasting organizational change without relying on willpower or self-discipline 
• The importance of building supporting systems rather than trying to maintain habits through force 
• Why there's nothing wrong with you or your team - it's about finding better systems 

Episode Highlights:  

00:01 – The Shift from Psychology to Systems Thinking – Why most self-improvement advice focuses on the individual rather than the systems around them. 

05:02 – Trevor’s Leadership Journey – How moving from computer science to sales to coaching changed his entire perspective on leadership. 

12:31 – The Power of Asking Questions – Why great leaders don’t need to have all the answers—just the right questions. 

19:45 – Breaking Free from the ‘Need to Be Right’ – How systems thinking helped Trevor improve his marriage, leadership, and approach to problem-solving. 

28:30 – How Systems Create Lasting Change – Why focusing on small, practical system changes works better than trying to change mindsets or habits directly. 

32:38 – Overcoming Barriers to Change – Why people struggle with sustaining new habits and how to design systems that support long-term success. 

46:06 – Applying Systems Thinking in Leadership – How leaders can foster accountability, adaptability, and problem-solving in their teams. 

About Trevor:  

Trevor Timbeck is a leadership coach and author who combines technical expertise with transformational leadership principles. After earning an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University, he built a diverse corporate career spanning IT, marketing, and sales at companies including TD Bank, 3M, BlackBerry, and Sun Microsystems. As SVP of Sales, he managed $40M in revenue before transitioning to Chief Talent Officer after experiencing the impact of professional coaching. He co-authored The Power of Systems with Steve Chandler and holds a Professional Certified Coach designation from the International Coaching Federation. Trevor specializes in helping leaders shift from command-and-control approaches to systems-based leadership, leveraging his unique blend of technical innovation (including a patent for mobile content distribution) and emotional intelligence. 

Resources Referenced: 

The Power of Systems: How to Create a Life That Works by Trevor Timbeck and Steve Chandler 

Trevor’s Website 

Trevor on LinkedIn 

Coaching Salespeople into Sales Champions: A Tactical Playbook for Managers and Executives by Keith Rosen 

The work of Humberto Maturana (referenced regarding objectivity and demanding obedience) 

Bob Newhart's "Stop It" therapy skit 

Podcast Contact Information 

Website: www.learnit.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates. 

Building a True Learning Culture: Moving Beyond Lip Service to Real Impact 

Is your organization struggling to maintain a genuine learning culture despite claiming to value employee development? Many companies say they prioritize learning, but few successfully embed it into their DNA. In this episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, Dr. Angela Stopper, Chief Learning Officer at UC Berkeley, shares how she transformed Berkeley's approach to learning and development, including implementing an innovative 80-hour professional development policy and reimagining performance evaluations to foster genuine growth and engagement. 

This Episode Covers: 

• How Berkeley implemented and tracked an 80-hour annual professional development policy, achieving 50% staff participation 
• Why traditional annual performance reviews often fail and how Berkeley shifted to a three-conversation model that yielded 88% employee satisfaction 
• The business case for learning culture: reducing turnover costs, improving retention, and enhancing workplace satisfaction 
• Practical ways to democratize coaching through peer relationships and communities of practice 
• How to gain buy-in from resistant managers by using data and inclusive pilot programs 
• The critical connection between workplace happiness and organizational success 
• Breaking down silos between leadership and frontline workers to create equitable learning opportunities 

Episode Highlights: 

00:01 – Defining a Learning Culture – Why true learning organizations embed growth into everyday work rather than treating it as an afterthought. 

05:55 – The 80-Hour Learning Policy at UC Berkeley – How this policy was developed, what it includes, and why it has been so successful. 

12:31 – Overcoming Barriers to Learning – How to address managers who hesitate to allow their teams to engage in professional development. 

19:45 – How Surveys Improve Learning Cultures – Why Berkeley tracks key data on employee engagement and how survey results have led to major improvements. 

28:30 – Scaling Learning Across Organizations – How UC campuses collaborate to expand training access without reinventing the wheel. 

32:38 – Rethinking Performance Evaluations – Moving from outdated annual reviews to frequent, meaningful feedback conversations. 

46:06 – The Role of Coachability in Leadership – Why leaders must be open to feedback and how organizations can foster peer coaching at every level. 



About Dr. Angela: 

Dr. Angela Stopper is Chief Learning Officer at UC Berkeley, where she leads enterprise-wide learning and development initiatives. A pioneering force in higher education administration, she spearheaded Berkeley's groundbreaking 80-hour professional development policy and transformed its performance evaluation system. Previously, she served as Director of Program Innovations at UC Davis Graduate School of Management, overseeing executive education and leadership development programs. Her expertise spans global talent development, organizational change, and educational innovation. Dr. Stopper holds a Ph.D. in Workforce Education and Development from Penn State University, where she maintains an appointment as Adjunct Assistant Professor. Her research focuses on global talent development, organizational assessment, and closing workforce capability gaps in enterprise organizations. 

Resources Referenced: 

Angela on LinkedIn 

UC Berkeley Greater Good Science Center 

Peer Coaching Made Simple: How to Do the 6 Things That Matter Most When Helping Someone Improve a Skill by Meredith M. Bell  

Zenger Folkman's research on coachability 

UC Berkeley's Next Opportunity at Work (NOW) Conference 

Better Up coaching platform 

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 #6 Problem-Solving 

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.    

Problem-Solving in a Fast-Paced World: Breaking Free from Old Solutions 

Is your team still applying yesterday's solutions to today's unprecedented challenges? In a McKinsey study, 75% of leaders reported their teams struggle with independent thinking and problem-solving. 

 This Learn-It-All Podcast episode features Learnit CEO Damon Lembi and Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins, LearnIt's top-ranked facilitator and leadership expert, discussing creative problem-solving strategies. Mickey introduces a practical framework called the "Five P's" that helps leaders and teams break free from conventional thinking patterns and develop innovative solutions that work in today's rapidly evolving business landscape. 

This Episode Covers: 

• The Five P's framework for reframing problems: Perspectives (how others view it), Pertinent info (relevant context), Position (relationship to the problem), Positive exceptions (when it's not a problem), and Playing favorites (avoiding default solutions) 
• Why teams often jump to solutions before properly defining the problem, leading to misaligned efforts and ineffective outcomes 
• How "rolestorming" - problem-solving from different perspectives by taking on various roles - unlocks creative solutions 
• The value of pre-mortems and post-mortems in increasing problem-solving success rates 
• Using divergent thinking (exploring multiple possibilities) and convergent thinking (narrowing to practical solutions) to develop better outcomes 

Episode Highlights  

00:01 – Why Problem-Solving Matters – How problem-solving impacts business success and why most teams struggle with it. 

05:55 – The Five P’s Framework for Reframing Problems – A step-by-step approach to identifying and solving the right problem. 

12:31 – Common Barriers to Problem-Solving – How fear of failure, risk aversion, and lack of accountability hold teams back. 

19:45 – How Creativity Fuels Problem-Solving – The importance of thinking big and small, and how asking the right questions leads to innovative solutions. 

28:30 – Lessons from COVID and Business Adaptation – Real-world examples of creative problem-solving and possibility spotting. 

32:38 – How Leaders Can Foster a Problem-Solving Culture – Why psychological safety and open-ended questionsare key to better decision-making. 

46:06 – Practical Tools for Problem-Solving – The power of pre-mortems, post-mortems, and role-storming to improve solutions. 

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 Solve Problems Creatively workshop (Next offered April 11, 2025 

07:00 AM – 09:00 AM PT) 

McKinsey study on leadership and problem-solving 

Upstream: The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen by Dan Heath  

Podcast Contact Information 

Website: www.learnit.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates. 

Breaking Free from the Leadership Trap: Moving from Burnout to Flow 

Are you caught in the endless cycle of hustle culture, wondering if there's a better way to lead? Many successful leaders find themselves trapped in outdated command-and-control systems that breed burnout and diminish effectiveness. But what if leadership could flow more naturally? 

In this enlightening episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, host Damon Pistulka speaks with Bodhi Aldridge, a leadership coach with over 20 years of experience working with executives globally. Aldridge shares profound insights on transforming leadership through the balance of masculine and feminine energies, the power of presence, and the shift from hustle to flow. Drawing from his work with countless leaders worldwide, he reveals practical strategies for breaking free from traditional leadership paradigms while maintaining high performance. 

This Episode Covers: 

• Why "busyness is laziness" and how leaders can shift from a culture of hustle to a state of flow 
• The two fundamental keys to leadership: connection and direction, and why most team dissatisfaction stems from failures in these areas 
• How the traditional organizational pyramid structure, designed for warfare, may be holding back modern businesses 
• The four pillars of future male leadership: connection, collaboration, compassion, and curiosity 
• The critical difference between masculine/feminine energies versus traits, and how understanding this distinction can transform organizational dynamics 
• Why 70% of organizational communication is spent correcting miscommunication, and how presence can solve this 
• The importance of reflection in leadership development and why even 5 minutes of daily quiet time can create significant change 

Episode Highlights: 

(00:00) Introduction to Bodhi Aldridge – Damon introduces Bodhi, highlighting his work in emotional intelligence and mindful leadership. 

(02:30) The Foundations of Emotional Intelligence – Bodhi explains how EQ serves as the cornerstone of effective leadership. 

(05:45) Mindfulness in Leadership – Bodhi discusses why being present is critical for leaders to connect authentically with their teams. 

(09:00) The Power of Vulnerability – Bodhi shares how embracing vulnerability fosters trust and drives team performance. 

(12:33) Balancing Ambition and Authenticity – Bodhi reflects on how leaders can remain ambitious without losing sight of their values and purpose. 

(17:00) Lessons from Coaching Leaders – Bodhi provides actionable advice for leaders based on his experiences coaching executives and teams. 

(21:30) Creating a Connected Culture – Bodhi emphasizes the importance of intentional communication and empathy in building stronger teams. 

(33:18) Final Thoughts on Mindful Leadership – Damon and Bodhi wrap up with a call to action for leaders to prioritize emotional intelligence and authenticity. 

About Bodhi:  

A former attorney turned global leadership coach; Bodhi Aldridge has spent over two decades transforming how leaders navigate the modern business landscape. After 20 years practicing law, he shifted to leadership development, working with executives and organizations worldwide to bridge the gap between commercial success and personal fulfillment. Aldridge specializes in helping leaders, particularly men, move beyond traditional command-and-control models to embrace a more balanced approach incorporating both masculine and feminine energies. A best-selling co-author of Visionary Male Leaders, he runs the "From Distraction to Presence" program and hosts the True Freedom podcast. His unique methodology combines pragmatic business acumen with deep insight into presence and authentic leadership, making him a trusted advisor to business leaders and entrepreneurs seeking sustainable success without sacrificing personal growth. Through his coaching practice, mastermind programs, and consulting work, Aldridge helps leaders find what he calls "true freedom" - the ability to achieve commercial success while maintaining personal fulfillment and authentic leadership presence. 

Resources Referenced:  

Bodhi Aldridge on LinkedIn 

www.bodhialdridge.com  

From Distraction to Presence 

Visionary Male Leaders by Sarah Bellorini co-authors: Obi Abuchi, Dimi Cholakov, Andrew Priestley, Simon Hodges, Robert Kirby, Tassos J Stavropoulos, Phil Bartlett, Bodhi Aldridge, Rick Charlton, Leon Aarts, Jacob Aldridge, Curtis Harren, Jaime Galviz, Dan Isaak, Alan Wick 

True Freedom Podcast  

B Corp Movement  

Stephen M. R. Covey  

Joe Dispenza’s work on mind-body training 

Podcast Contact Information: 

Website: www.learnit.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates. 

Building Adaptable Organizations: The Key to Surviving Rapid Change 

Is your organization struggling to keep up with the accelerating pace of change? Consider this: The average lifespan of a company has shrunk from 75 years to just 6. Without constant reinvention, your business might not exist in three years. 

In this episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, change leadership expert Debora McLaughlin explores how organizations can build the critical capability of "changeability" - the mindset, energy, and capacity to not only lead change but to imagine opportunities within obstacles. Drawing from her extensive experience in corporate technology, psychology, and executive coaching, McLaughlin shares practical insights on how leaders can assess and develop adaptability at the individual, team, and organizational levels. 

This Episode Covers: 

• The three pillars of changeability: change leadership, adaptability (which can now be measured across 15 dimensions), and agility 
• Why understanding your leadership style (head, heart, or hands) is crucial for effectively communicating change to different personality types 
• How psychological safety and learning environments are essential for building adaptability 
• The distinction between "play to protect" and "play to win" mindsets, and why organizations need both 
• The importance of asking clarifying questions rather than just telling people what to do when implementing change 
• How environmental factors like stress levels and team support significantly impact an organization's ability to change 
• Why resilience should focus on "leaping forward" rather than just "bouncing back" 
• The critical skill of "unlearning" - letting go of previously successful approaches to embrace new ways of working 

Episode Highlights: 

(00:00) Introduction to Debora McLaughlin – Damon introduces Debora, highlighting her expertise in leadership, adaptability, and coaching. 

(01:15) What Is Changeability? – Debora explains the concept of changeability and how it empowers leaders to create their future. 

(05:30) The Three-Legged Stool – Debora introduces her framework: change leadership, adaptability, and agility, and how they support organizational success. 

(09:00) Understanding Leadership Styles – Debora shares how knowing whether you lead with your head, heart, or hands can transform communication and collaboration. 

(12:33) Adaptability as a Superpower – Debora emphasizes why adaptability is the most sought-after skill and how it impacts individuals, teams, and organizations. 

(17:00) Building Psychological Safety – Debora discusses the importance of creating environments where teams feel safe to learn, fail, and innovate. 

(21:30) Turning Resistance into Opportunity – Debora shares strategies for helping teams and individuals overcome resistance to change. 

(33:18) The Power of Unlearning – Debora highlights why unlearning outdated habits is just as important as acquiring new skills. 

(42:00) Final Thoughts on Changeability – Damon, Darren, and Debora wrap up with actionable insights for leading and thriving in a VUCA world. 

About Debora: 

Debora McLaughlin is the CEO of The Renegade Leader Coaching and Consulting Group and author of multiple books including the recently released Changeability. With over two decades of experience spanning Fortune 100 technology implementation, licensed psychology practice, and executive coaching, McLaughlin brings a unique combination of business acumen and behavioral expertise to organizational change. Her work focuses on measuring and building adaptability in leaders and teams, with documented success in improving customer satisfaction, employee retention, and digital transformation initiatives. A pioneer in quantifying organizational adaptability, McLaughlin's approach has delivered measurable ROI for clients, including a 162% return on investment in one strategic partnership project. Her insights have been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. 

Resources Referenced: 

Debora McLaughlin on LinkedIn 

Changeability: How to Navigate Change with Clarity, Confidence & Certainty by Debora J McLaughlin  

The Renegade Leader: 9 Success Strategies Driven Leaders Use to Ignite People, Performance & Profits  by Debora J McLaughlin  

Do You Play to Win—or to Not Lose? Harvard Business Review article about complexity of mindset in play-to-protect versus play-to-win approaches 

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 #5 Critical Thinking 

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.    

Critical Thinking: Your Competitive Edge in the AI Era 

Are your teams making 35,000 daily decisions based on cognitive biases instead of clear analysis? In today's AI-driven workplace, the ability to think critically isn't just valuable—it's irreplaceable. Yet most organizations continue to rush through decisions without a framework for objective analysis. 

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 mastering critical thinking. Through real-world examples and practical frameworks, they explore how leaders can foster environments where teams move beyond cognitive biases to make better decisions. Mickey shares the CARE framework (Correlation vs. Causation, Alternative Explanations, Reliable Sources, Evidence) and explains why slowing down to think critically leads to faster, better results in the long run. 

This Episode Covers: 

• How one university dramatically increased enrollment by using critical thinking to discover that mental health and financial insecurity—not academic issues—were the real drivers of student attrition 
• Why the organizational pressure for speed often leads to dangerous cognitive shortcuts, and how intentionally slowing down actually accelerates better decision-making 
• The CARE framework for evaluating information and claims in an age of information overload 
• How leaders can model critical thinking by actively seeking opposing viewpoints and creating psychological safety for team members to challenge assumptions 
• Ways to use AI as a thought partner to challenge your thinking and identify potential blind spots in decision-making 
• The crucial connection between psychological safety and critical thinking—teams need to feel safe questioning the "bandwagon effect" 
• How the "Five Whys" technique from Toyota can quickly uncover root causes and deeper understanding 

Episode Highlights:   

00:00 – The Rising Importance of Critical Thinking – Why 93 percent of employers prioritize critical thinking over degrees and how AI makes this skill even more vital. 

04:58 – The CARE Framework for Critical Thinking – A structured approach to evaluating information and avoiding common decision-making pitfalls. 

09:04 – Real-World Application: Solving the Wrong Problem – A case study on how critical thinking helped uncover the true reasons behind student attrition. 

14:00 – Cognitive Biases That Sabotage Decision-Making – Why confirmation bias, the bandwagon effect, and resulting lead to poor choices. 

19:45 – Fostering Critical Thinking in Organizations – How leaders can create a culture that encourages better thinking and problem-solving. 

24:00 – Practical Takeaways from the Think Critically Workshop – Why the Five Whys method is a game-changer for uncovering root causes. 

26:45 – Using AI as a Thought Partner for Better Decision-Making – How generative AI can challenge assumptions and help leaders think more critically. 

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    

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman  

The AI-Driven Leader: Harnessing AI to Make Faster, Smarter Decisions by Geoff Woods  

Learnit's Think Critically workshop (Offered next on March 28, 2025 07:00 AM – 09:00 AM pacific) 

Geoff Woods' interview on The Learn-It-All Podcast 

Cornell University study on daily decision-making 

AACU report on the importance of critical thinking 

Annie Duke 

Podcast Contact Information 

Website: www.learnit.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates. 

Culture Matters: Building an Operating System for Organizational Success 

Is your company culture something that "just happens," or are you intentionally shaping it? Many leaders know culture is crucial but struggle to actively build it. 

In this episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, host Damon Lembi interviews Jenni Catron, author of Culture Matters, about creating systematic approaches to developing organizational culture. Drawing from her experience in corporate, nonprofit, and entrepreneurial environments, Jenni shares practical insights on building what she calls an "operating system" for culture—moving beyond perks and platitudes to create lasting behavioral change. 

This Episode Covers: 

• Why leaders often treat culture as an afterthought despite knowing its importance 
• The five-phase framework for intentionally building culture: assess, define, build, equip, and commit 
• How exit processes significantly impact organizational trust and culture 
• Why mid-level managers are increasingly critical to shaping culture and employee experience 
• The importance of clearly defining competing values and decision-making processes 
• How one director transformed her team's culture through consistent, simple practices 
• Why communication and feedback are foundational leadership skills for culture-building 

Episode Highlights: 

00:01 – Why Culture is Often an Afterthought – Jenni explains why leaders fail to prioritize culture and how it directly impacts business success. 

03:29 – Jenni’s Leadership Journey – From the record industry to nonprofit leadership, Jenni shares how her experiences shaped her understanding of culture. 

09:04 – The Five-Phase Framework for Shaping Culture – Jenni breaks down the key steps leaders must take to create an intentional culture. 

14:04 – Why Employee Exits Matter – The way leaders handle departures affects trust, morale, and the company’s long-term culture. 

21:31 – The Hardest Part: Defining Culture – Why leaders struggle with clarity and how to effectively articulate and implement cultural values. 

27:28 – Culture and Decision-Making – How a strong culture shapes decision-making, organizational structure, and leadership effectiveness. 

37:36 – A Leadership Transformation Story – How one middle manager reshaped her team’s culture through intentional leadership development. 

About Jenni: 

Jenni Catron is a leadership expert and CEO of The 4Sight Group, where she consults with organizations on leadership development and organizational health. Her career spans over 20 years across multiple sectors, beginning as Artist Development Director at EMI Music before transitioning to executive leadership roles at Cross Point Church and Menlo Church, where she led significant growth and multi-site expansion initiatives. 

As an author, Catron has published notable works including Clout: Discover and Unleash Your God-Given Influence, The 4 Dimensions of Extraordinary Leadership and the upcoming Culture Matters (published 2.11 2025). Recognized by Outreach Magazine as one of thirty emerging influencers reshaping church leadership, she speaks at conferences nationwide on leadership development and organizational strategy. Her expertise bridges both ministry and marketplace sectors, focusing on developing healthy leaders and thriving organizational cultures. 

Resources Referenced: 

Jenni’s Website 

Jenni on LinkedIn 

Culture Matters: A Framework for Helping Your Team Grow, Thrive, and Be Unstoppable by Jenni Catron 

The Four Dimensions of Extraordinary Leadership: The Power of Leading from Your Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength by Jenni Catron 

Clout: Discover and Unleash Your God-Given Influence by Jenni Catron 

The Lead Culture Podcast 

The Culture Solution: A Practical Guide to Building a Dynamic Culture so People Love Coming to Work and Accomplishing Great Things Together by Matthew Kelly  

EMI  Leadership Development Program 

Podcast Contact Information 

Website: www.learnit.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates. 

What if getting sued by a billion-dollar competitor was the best thing that could happen to your business? 

When Bennett Maxwell was hit with a lawsuit from cookie giant Crumbl, he didn't hide or play defense he turned it into rocket fuel for growth. In this fascinating conversation, Maxwell reveals how he turned a serious legal threat into a marketing opportunity that helped his cookie franchise company, Dirty Dough, explode from 60 to 290 locations in just six months. But this episode goes far beyond cookies and lawsuits. Maxwell shares profound insights about professional communication, time valuation, advisory board building, and maintaining perspective while scaling rapidly. His journey from door-to-door sales to running a fast-growing franchise empire while staying focused on mental health and what truly matters offers valuable lessons for any business leader navigating growth and adversity.

This Episode Covers: 

• How knocking on 10,000 doors taught Maxwell invaluable lessons about professional communication that he still uses to raise capital and close deals 
• His contrarian approach to getting high-profile advisors (including a $31B IPO veteran) by selling the vision and leveraging referrals 
• Why he believes every interaction is a sale and how to get better at identifying and solving problems through thoughtful questions 
• The counterintuitive advice from his advisor about taking investment money early to reduce stress, even if it means giving up equity 
• A systematic approach to calculating your hourly value to make better decisions about time allocation and outsourcing 
• His experience transitioning from solo entrepreneurship to building company culture at scale 
• Hard-won wisdom about balancing aggressive business growth with mental health and family priorities 

Episode Highlights: 

(00:00) Introduction to Bennett Maxwell – Damon introduces Bennett and his background in sales and entrepreneurship. 

(02:00) Lessons from Knocking on Doors – Bennett shares how door-to-door sales shaped his communication skills and resilience. 

(05:30) Valuing Time and Outsourcing – Bennett explains the importance of knowing your worth and focusing on high-impact activities. 

(09:00) Founding Dirty Dough – Bennett recounts his journey from investing in a single cookie store to building a scalable franchise model. 

(12:33) Building an Advisory Board – Bennett discusses how he recruited experts to guide Dirty Dough’s growth. 

(17:00) Turning Lawsuits into Opportunities – Bennett reflects on how humor and transparency turned a legal battle into a marketing advantage. 

(21:30) Mental Health and Business – Bennett shares his journey of prioritizing mental health and finding balance as an entrepreneur. 

(33:18) Future of Dirty Dough – Bennett outlines the brand’s growth plans, including new product lines and innovations.

(42:00) Final Thoughts on Success – Bennett emphasizes the importance of setting authentic life goals and aligning actions with values. 

About Bennett: 

Bennett Maxwell is a serial entrepreneur who catapulted Dirty Dough Cookies from a single store to over 450 franchise locations  in just two years before successfully selling the company to Craveworthy Brands. His entrepreneurial track record includes building and scaling businesses across multiple sectors, including pest control, satellite TV, security systems, and solar energy. Now serving as Director of Franchise Development at Craveworthy Brands, Bennett continues to shape the franchise industry while also hosting "Deeper Than the Dough," a podcast focused on entrepreneurship and mental health. 

Resources Referenced: 

BennettMaxwell.com 

Bennett Maxwell on LinkedIn 

Deeper Than the Dough Podcast 

Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon 

Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosaki 

Dirty Dough Cookies 

Craveworthy Brands 

Podcast Contact Information: 

Website: www.learnit.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates. 

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.   

Building Trust in the AI Era 

Is your organization struggling with employee burnout, productivity, and engagement? Research shows these challenges can be solved by focusing on one fundamental element: trust. But in an era of increasing skepticism and AI-driven change, how do leaders build genuine trust? 

In this episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast’s 11 Skills AI Will Never Replace series, hosts Damon Lembi and Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins discuss the science and practice of building trust in modern organizations. Through personal stories and research-backed insights, they explore how trust serves as a competitive advantage and why it's more crucial than ever in an AI-accelerated workplace.   

This Episode Covers: 

• The three pillars of trust in the workplace: empathy, competence, and authenticity - with empathy serving as the foundation 
• How high-trust environments lead to 75% less stress, 40% less burnout, 50% higher productivity, and 13% fewer sick days 
• The "trust bank account" concept and why making regular deposits through consistent, dependable behavior is essential 
• Practical strategies for saying "no" professionally while maintaining trust and managing workload 
• Why advocating for team members is one of the most powerful ways leaders can demonstrate trust 
• How customer loyalty and brand engagement significantly increase when employees work in high-trust environments 
• The importance of being authentic and showing up as a "whole person" rather than just a title or role 

Episode Highlights 

00:00 – Introduction: Why Trust Matters – Damon and Mickey introduce the importance of trust and why it is a critical skill for career success. 

02:00 – Defining Trust in the Workplace – A breakdown of trust as predictability, dependability, and integrity. 

03:30 – A Personal Story of Trust Gone Wrong – Mickey shares a real-life leadership misstep that resulted in a trust breakdown and what she did to fix it. 

06:00 – The Three Pillars of Trust – Empathy, competence, and authenticity: the foundation of trust in professional relationships. 

10:00 – Practical Ways to Build Trust Out Loud – How to demonstrate trust through dependability, follow-through, and advocacy. 

12:00 – The Science of High-Trust Workplaces – Research-backed statistics on how trust reduces stress, boosts productivity, and enhances engagement. 

18:00 – Saying No Professionally to Maintain Trust – Why high performers need to set boundaries and how leaders can avoid overburdening top talent. 

20:00 – How High-Trust Organizations Outperform Competitors – The business case for trust, from employee retention to customer loyalty. 

23:00 – Final Takeaways & Next Steps – Key behavior changes for developing trust and where to learn more. 

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   

Paul Zak's research on trust and workplace performance 

The Trust Tax (article by Damon Lembi) 

Ethan Evans episode on The Learn-It-All Podcast 

Learnit's Build Trust with Your Team workshop 

Podcast Contact Information 

Website: www.learnit.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates. 

Leadership Lessons from a Veteran-Led Business: Building High-Performance Teams Through Military Principles 

Are you struggling to build a culture of accountability and excellence in your organization? What if the solution lies in learning from those who've led in the most demanding circumstances imaginable? 

In this compelling episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, John Berry, founder of an eight-figure law firm and author of Veteran-Led, shares how military leadership principles can transform business performance. Drawing from his experience as both a military commander and successful business leader, Berry explains why veterans are "America's greatest resource" and how their leadership capabilities can create competitive advantages in any organization. He provides practical insights on building accountability, fostering healthy competition, and developing resilient teams while maintaining humanity and care for people. 

This Episode Covers: 

• Why hiring veterans gives organizations a competitive edge through their innate understanding of leadership, accountability, and high standards 
• How to use objective "scoreboards" and metrics to drive performance while maintaining team morale 
• The importance of situational awareness in leadership and reading your environment to make better decisions 
• Why "feedback is a gift" - especially when it hurts - and how to use it for growth 
• The balance between being highly competitive and deeply caring for your team members 
• Why safety is an illusion and how pushing people toward excellence actually protects them 
• The right way to part ways with underperforming team members while preserving dignity 
• How to scale an organization by having leaders build more leaders 

Episode Highlights: 

(00:00) Introduction to John Berry – Damon introduces John, highlighting his military background, legal expertise, and passion for leadership. 

(01:30) Why Veterans Are America’s Greatest Resource – John explains the leadership, resilience, and mission focus veterans bring to the workplace. 

(05:30) Lessons from Military Leadership – John shares how his Army experiences shaped his leadership philosophy and his book, Veteran Led. 

(09:00) The Power of Feedback – John discusses why feedback is a gift and how leaders can embrace it to improve themselves and their teams. 

(12:33) Building a Scoreboard – John explains how transparent scoreboards foster accountability and inspire teams to excel. 

(17:00) Fostering a Culture of Leadership – John shares practical strategies for building a team that thrives on collaboration and high standards. 

(33:18) Embracing Failure as a Leader – John reflects on how his failures shaped his leadership style and taught him invaluable lessons. 

(45:00) Advice for Hiring Veterans – John offers tips on finding and integrating veterans into your organization to drive success. 

About John: 

John Berry is a decorated military veteran and successful business leader who has transformed his father's law practice into a thriving eight-figure enterprise with over 140 employees. After serving 20 years in the military, including deployments to Bosnia and Iraq as an infantry officer and company commander, Berry leveraged his military leadership experience to build Berry Law into one of America's fastest-growing companies, earning a spot on the Inc. 5000 list for seven consecutive years. His firm, which specializes in veterans' disability appeals, personal injury, and criminal defense, has secured over $350 million in backpay awards for veterans. A thought leader on veteran employment and military-style leadership in business, Berry maintains a 35% veteran workforce including former high-ranking officers in key positions. He hosts the "Veteran Led" podcast and recently published a book of the same name sharing his leadership philosophy.  

Resources Referenced: 

John Berry on LinkedIn 

Berry Law  

PTSD Lawyers  

Veteran Led: Military Leadership Lessons to Help Your Team Survive, Thrive, and Dominate by John S. Berry  

Veteran Led Podcast 

Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable by Tim S. Grover  

CEO Circle program (sponsored by JP Morgan Chase and Syracuse University's IVMF) 

Daniello Institute at Syracuse University 

Warrior Rising 

JDog Franchises 

American Legion 

DAV (Disabled American Veterans) 

VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) 

Podcast Contact Information: 

Website: www.learnit.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates.