The Daily LEAD
by Brad Otto
Latest episode
Episode 618 The Meeting After The Meeting
Episode 618 The Meeting After The Meeting
About this podcast
A leadership podcast for any leader who is passionate about leadership development and self-care, and relationships. It consists of two segments a week: Mental Health Mondays, and Everyday Leaders on Thursdays.
Episodes
The newest 50 of 367 episodes
- Episode 618 The Meeting After The Meeting · 26 min · Season 6 Episode 618Everyone leaves the meeting smiling. Nobody argued. The agenda was completed, and everyone seemed to agree. Sounds like a successful meeting, right? But what happens when the…
- Episode 617 It's Not the Conflict—It's What Happens Next · 14 min · Season 6 Episode 617Just because an argument ends doesn't mean the relationship has been repaired. This week on Mental Health Monday Mini, we're exploring rupture and repair—why conflict can leave…
- Episode 616 Are We Asking The Right Questions · 26 min · Season 6 Episode 616Churches and nonprofits are often quick to search for answers. How do we increase attendance? How do we raise more money? How do we recruit more volunteers? But what if we're…
- Episode 615 Why Everything Feels Like Too Much: Understanding Your Window of Tolerance · 24 min · Season 6 Episode 615Why can we handle life's challenges one day, but feel completely overwhelmed by the smallest things the next? This Mental Health Monday Mini explores the **Window of Tolerance**…
- Episode 614 The Stories We Aren't Telling · 29 min · Season 6 Episode 614Disney and Pixar can make us cry over animated characters. Nonprofits can inspire generosity through one person's story. And some of the world's most successful companies know…
- Episode 613 Are We Counting The Right Things? · 28 min · Season 6 Episode 613What if your church is growing, but its impact isn't? Churches and nonprofits are really good at counting things—attendance, giving, participation, programs, and budgets. But are…
- Episode 612 The Guilt of Saying No: When Boundaries Feel Like Betrayal · 22 min · Season 6 Episode 612Have you ever felt guilty and assumed you did something wrong, or felt anxious and convinced yourself something bad was coming? This Mental Health Monday explores emotional…
- Episode 611 When What We Do Gets In the Way of Why We Exist · 24 min · Season 6 Episode 611What happens when a business becomes more purpose-driven than a church? Inspired by the book Make Your Mark: The Creative’s Guide to Building a Business with Impact and its…
- Episode 610 Why Being Unheard Hurts More Than It Should · 25 min · Season 6 Episode 610Why does being dismissed sometimes hurt so deeply? In Part Two, we explore how childhood invalidation can shape our reactions as adults, why old wounds resurface in everyday…
- Episode 609 Agreement Isn't Action · 24 min · Season 6 Episode 609Everyone agreed—so why didn’t anything change? In this episode we explore a reminder that general agreement doesn’t automatically create change; it takes substantial energy to…
- Episode 608 I Literally Just Said That: The Psychology of Feeling Unheard-Part 1 · 22 min · Season 6 Episode 608Ever share an idea that gets ignored—only to hear someone else say the exact same thing and suddenly everyone listens? This week, we're talking about credibility discounting, why…
- Episode 607 Everybody Should Be Able To Talk to Anybody · 24 min · Season 6 Episode 607What happens when the organizational chart starts determining not only who is responsible, but who is allowed to talk to whom? This episode explores why healthy churches and…
- Episode 606 Are We Okay? The Deeper Roots of Reassurance Seeking · 16 min · Season 6 Episode 606Why do some of us need reassurance again and again—even after we've already received it? This Mental Health Monday explores the deeper roots of reassurance-seeking, from anxiety…
- Episode 605 The High Cost of Getting It Right · 22 min · Season 6 Episode 605How much is your organization spending—through time, energy, bureaucracy, missed opportunities, and frustrated leaders—trying to make sure nobody ever makes a mistake? This…
- Episode 604 Worst-Case Scenario Thinking: Understanding Catastrophizing · 18 min · Season 6 Episode 604Ever turn one unanswered text, small mistake, or unexpected problem into a full-blown disaster in your head? This Mental Health Monday explores catastrophizing—why our brains…
- Episode 603 Make It Safe To Take The Risk · 28 min · Season 6 Episode 603What if your team doesn’t have an innovation problem—they have a safety problem? In this episode, we explore what taking risks means for those of us leading churches and…
- Episode 602 When Your Brain Won’t Let It Go: Understanding Rumination · 18 min · Season 6 Episode 602Ever replay a conversation long after it’s over? In this Mental Health Monday Mini, we’re talking about rumination—why our brains get stuck in thought loops, how it affects…
- Episode 601 The Hidden: You Don't Know What You Don't Know · 25 min · Season 6 Episode 601What if one of the greatest dangers in leadership is what you don’t know? As we begin a new season, we’re turning to the leadership lessons found inside one of the most creative…
- Episode 561 When The Church Gets In the Way · 39 min · Season 5 Episode 561What happens when the systems we build to support the mission of the church actually begin getting in the way of it? In this episode, Pastor Brad sits down with Pastor Ryan…
- Episode 560 Be a Goldfish: When Your Brain Won’t Let It Go · 17 min · Season 5 Episode 560Ever replay a five-minute conversation for the next five hours? Inspired by Ted Lasso’s advice to “be a goldfish,” this Mental Health Monday explores why our brains get stuck…
- Episode 559 The Leader Who Makes Others Matter · 25 min · Season 5 Episode 559What if the greatest measure of your leadership isn’t the impact you make, but the impact others discover they can make because of you? Inspired by a powerful insight from…
- Believe — Finding Hope When You Can’t See What Comes Next · 20 min · Season 5 Episode 558What do you hold on to when life hasn’t given you much reason to believe things will get better? Inspired by Ted Lasso’s simple message to “Believe,” this episode explores…
- Episode 557 Honoring Tradition While Innovating The Method · 16 min · Season 5 Episode 557How do we honor our history while still trying to reach a changing world? How do we preserve our mission without becoming captive to our methods? This episode explores why…
- Episode 556 Curiosity Creates Connection · 16 min · Season 5 Episode 556What if one question could change your relationships? This week, we're exploring the powerful quote, "Be curious, not judgmental," and how choosing curiosity over assumptions can…
- Episode 555 Leadership and Hard Conversations · 18 min · Season 5 Episode 555In this episode we explore having those difficult conversations. The ones we want to avoid. These conversations are never easy, but leaders owe people honesty, clarity, and…
- Episode 554 Back-to-School Anxiety Starts Earlier Than You Think · 26 min · Season 5 Episode 554School may not have started yet, but your brain already knows change is coming. In this episode, we explore why back-to-school anxiety often begins weeks before the first bell…
- Episode 553 Why Relationships Matter · 15 min · Season 5 Episode 553In this episode we continue to look at leadership lessons from Bob Iger and his book "The Ride of a Lifetime". Today we discuss the importance of relationships in leadership. For…
- Episode 552 Tired But Wired · 29 min · Season 5 Episode 552Insomnia is more than a sleep problem. In this episode, we explore how stress, mental health, an overactive nervous system, and hormonal shifts during perimenopause and menopause…
- Episode 551 Trust Your Instinct · 14 min · Season 5 Episode 551In the book "Ride of a Lifetime," author Bob Iger says that great leaders trust their instincts, but they also don't act impulsively. They gather information, they seek wise…
- Episode 550 Care Deeply, Carry Less · 24 min · Season 5 Episode 550When caring turns into carrying, emotional exhaustion is not far behind. This episode explores how helpers and leaders can stay compassionate, set healthy boundaries, and protect…
- Episode 549 Seeing Possibility, Not Just Problems · 12 min · Season 5 Episode 549Great leaders don't ignore risks, but neither do they allow every obstacle to overshadow every opportunity. In this episode we dive into why churches and non profits always…
- Episode 548 Breaking the Silence: How Culture Shapes Mental Health · 28 min · Season 5 Episode 548Culture influences how we think about mental health, but it doesn't have to determine whether we seek help. This episode explores stigma, barriers, and practical steps toward…
- Episode 547 Long Shots Aren't As Long As They Seem · 15 min · Season 5 Episode 547In this episode we explore one of the most powerful leadership lessons: Sometimes long shots aren't as long as they seem. Reflecting on Disney's pursuit of Pixar- a move many…
- Episode 546-When Memories Fade: The Hidden Mental Health Impact of Alzheimer's and Dementia · 18 min · Season 5 Episode 546June is Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month. In this episode, we explore the difference between Alzheimer's and dementia, what happens in the brain, the emotional impact on…
- Episode 545 Don't Take the Bait: Leading Through Criticism · 15 min · Season 5 Episode 545In this episode we explore one of the greatest challenges leaders face: bring misunderstood. Bob Iger writes about the temptation to get caught up in the rumors, criticism, and…
- Episode 544 Beyond Survival Mode: Understanding PTSD and CPTSD · 24 min · Season 5 Episode 544June is PTSD Awareness Month. In this episode, we explore the differences between PTSD and Complex PTSD, how trauma impacts the brain and nervous system, and why survival…
- Episode 543 When Good Enough Isn't Good Enough: Why Excellence Matters · 16 min · Season 5 Episode 543In this episode we explore a leadership principle that applies to every church and nonprofit organization: Excellence matters. Reflecting on Iger's belief that great…
- Episode 542 Financial Stress Is Real (And You’re Not Alone) · 29 min · Season 5 Episode 542Feeling stretched thin, stressed about bills, or wondering how everyone is making it work right now? In this episode, we’re talking about the mental and emotional weight of…
- Episode 541 If Everything Matters Nothing Does · 17 min · Season 5 Episode 541In this episode, we continue the series on The Ride of a Lifetime by Bob Iger, exploring one of the most critical leadership responsibilities: Clarifying priorities. Bob Iger…
- Episode 540 You’re Finally Off… So Why Are You Still Exhausted? · 25 min · Season 5 Episode 540Summer is here… so why are you still exhausted? In this episode, we explore why time off doesn’t always fix burnout, what happens when your nervous system finally slows down, and…
- Episode 539 Respect the Past Don't Worship It · 16 min · Season 5 Episode 539In this episode we unpack a powerful leadership lesson: How to honor the past without getting stuck in it. This episode explores why organizations resist change, how nostalgia…
- Episode 538 Why Criticism Feels Crushing · 29 min · Season 5 Episode 538What if rejection doesn’t just feel uncomfortable… but emotionally overwhelming? In this episode, we explore Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD), the connection to ADHD…
- Episode 537 The Power of Optimism: Why Tone Matters · 17 min · Season 5 Episode 537In this episode we continue our journey through Bob Iger's book: The Ride of a Lifetime. Today we explore an often overlooked leadership trait: Optimism. Today we define what…
- Episode 536 Strong, Grateful, and Emotionally Tired · 20 min · Season 5 Episode 536This time of year can hold so many emotions at once—gratitude, exhaustion, celebration, overwhelm, hope, and burnout. In this episode, we talk about the pressure to “just be…
- Episode 535 Leadership that Multiplies · 16 min · Season 5 Episode 535In this episode we continue our journey through Bob Iger's book: The Ride of a Lifetime. Today we focus on unpacking a powerful leadership truth: Great leadership isn't about…
- Episode 534 The War Within: Why Awareness Starts From Within · 28 min · Season 5 Episode 534Mental Health Awareness Month isn’t just about what we share—it’s about what we’re willing to notice within ourselves. In this episode, we explore “the war within”—the quiet…
- Episode 533 Trombone Oil: Why Focus is the Leader's Greatest Responsibility · 18 min · Season 5 Episode 533In this epsidoe, Pastor Brad continues the series on "The Ride of a Lifetime" by Bob Iger. Today we unpack a simple but powerful leadership metephor: Don't get into the business…
- Episode 532 Lead through Connection · 23 min · Season 5 Episode 532Strong leadership isn’t built on authority—it’s built on relationships. In this episode, we explore how connection, trust, and emotional safety shape the way we lead and impact…
- Episode 531 Know What You Don't Know · 17 min · Season 5 Episode 531In this episode, Pastor Brad continues the series on The Ride of a Lifetime by Bob Iger, exploring a powerful and often overlooked leadership principle: “Know what you don’t…
- Episode 530 It’s Not Laziness—It’s Executive Function · 23 min · Season 5 Episode 530If you’ve ever thought, “I know what to do, I just can’t do it,” this episode is for you. We’re talking executive function, mental overload, and why this struggle isn’t about…
