Lead Well. Live Whole

What if we’re starting the conversation about citizenship too late? We often call children “future voters,” and they are. But Julie Dermody believes there’s something important they need to understand long before they’re old enough to cast a ballot: They already belong. In Part 2 of my conversation with Julie, we move from the election process to the next generation and explore the heart behind he...

Most of us experience an election in a matter of minutes. We walk into a polling place, check in, cast a ballot, grab the sticker, and go on with our day. But what happens before we ever walk through that door? In Part 1 of my conversation with longtime friend and Rogers County Election Board Secretary Julie Dermody, we go behind the ballot to explore the people, preparation, procedures, safeguard...

What does it actually mean to build a life worth living? Not simply a successful life. Not a busy life. But a life where our faith, relationships, work, curiosity, character, and the people we influence somehow fit together into something whole. In this episode of Lead Well. Live Whole., Michael Sirmon sits down with Brandon Summitt, host of the Charting Life podcast, for a wide-ranging conversati...

What will the person you become 10, 20, or 30 years from now inherit from the choices you're making today? Former GD Energy Products CEO Larry Kerr returns to Lead Well. Live Whole. for a deeply personal conversation about the cumulative effect of the small decisions we make throughout our lives. Larry and Michael explore the practices that have shaped Larry over decades—spending time in God's Wor...

Homesteading looks peaceful from the outside. Gardens. Chickens. Solar panels. A little land and a simpler way of life. But what happens when you actually have to live it? In this episode of Lead Well. Live Whole., Michael Sirmon sits down with Terry Jarrard of TnT Homesteading for a candid conversation about what nobody tells you before you start building an off-grid life. Terry and his wife, Tra...

If something has profoundly changed your life, do you have an obligation to share it? And if you do, how do you share it without becoming the person everyone tries to avoid? Michael Sirmon sits down with longtime friend and former colleague Randall Moss for a candid conversation about sharing Christian faith with wisdom, courage, discernment, and love. Michael and Randall have known each other for...

What if the best measure of success isn't how far you climbed, but who is better because you were here? In this special long-form episode of Lead Well. Live Whole., Michael sits down with longtime friend Tim Atchison for a conversation that begins with career transition and eventually becomes something much bigger. After 25 years with Gardner Denver, Ingersoll Rand, and GD Energy Products, includi...

What if the ordinary days aren't happening between the important parts of your life? What if they are your life? On a headstone, we see two dates, the year someone was born and the year they died. Between them is a tiny dash representing everything that happened in between: the people they loved, the work they did, the mistakes they made, the laughter, the heartbreak, the celebrations, and thousan...

What does it mean to truly see someone—not for what they do, what they accomplish, or the role they play, but for who they are? In this episode of Lead Well. Live Whole., Michael sits down with his wife, Tammy, for a warm and personal conversation inspired by something he recently watched her do with three of their grandchildren. Tammy spent one-on-one time with each of them and told them three si...

The first half of this conversation asked how we grow older without disappearing. Part 2 asks an equally important question: What are we going to do with the years still in front of us?   Dr. Susan Babbitt joins Michael and Tammy Sirmon again to talk about planning the next decade, redefining productivity, continuing to serve, leadership, faith, friendship, loss, and the wisdom that only comes fro...

At what point do you realize you're getting older—not because of the number on your birthday cake, but because the world begins treating you differently?   Dr. Susan Babbitt joins Michael and Tammy Sirmon for Part 1 of a special conversation about growing older without disappearing.   At 80, Susan speaks candidly about accepting help, changing family dynamics, physical limitations, downsizing, pos...

What does courage actually look like? We often picture courage as something heroic, a soldier facing danger, a firefighter running into a burning building, or the larger-than-life courage we see in superheroes. But what if some of the most courageous moments in life look much more ordinary? This episode was sparked by a conversation Michael and Tammy had with their 12-year-old granddaughter after...

We like to believe we know what influences us. We see the risks, understand the warning signs, and convince ourselves we’re strong enough to remain in control. But what happens when the thing we thought we were controlling begins influencing our direction? In this episode of Lead Well. Live Whole., Michael begins with the political calculation that helped Adolf Hitler become chancellor of Germany...

Are you still teachable? Most of us would answer that question with a quick "yes." But what if the greatest obstacle to becoming the person you're capable of becoming isn't your circumstances at all? What if it's the quiet belief that you've already learned enough? In this episode of the Lead Well. Live Whole. Podcast, Michael Sirmon explores one of the most overlooked qualities of great leaders,...

They're Hearing More Than Your Words | S2 E20 Have you ever walked away from a conversation convinced everything went well, only to discover the other person had a completely different experience? Communication is about far more than the words we choose. Our tone of voice, facial expressions, posture, and even our silence communicate messages long before we ever speak. The people closest to us oft...

The Prison You Built for Yourself | S2 E19 Some prisons don't have bars. They exist in our hearts through bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness. In this episode of Lead Well. Live Whole., Michael Sirmon explores what Scripture teaches about forgiveness and why letting go is one of the most courageous decisions we'll ever make. This isn't a conversation about pretending the hurt never happened....

Season 2 | Episode 18 When Life Changes, Your Rhythms Change Finding Steady in the Seasons of Transition Why do even positive life changes leave us feeling exhausted? A promotion. A new job. Retirement. Moving. Starting a business. An empty nest. Sometimes nothing is wrong yet everything feels harder. In this episode of Lead Well. Live Whole., Michael Sirmon explores a powerful but often overlooke...

The Leadership Paradox: Why Everything About Modern Leadership Feels Backwards | S2 E17 What if the greatest leadership lessons aren't found in choosing one side of an argument but in learning to hold two seemingly opposite truths at the same time? In this episode of Lead Well. Live Whole., Michael Sirmon explores the paradoxes that define exceptional leadership. Why are the strongest leaders ofte...

The Anatomy of a World-Class Leader | S2 E16 Why Great Leadership Has Less to Do with Skill Than Security What separates truly exceptional leaders from everyone else? It isn't charisma. It isn't intelligence. It isn't position or authority. The world's greatest leaders share something much deeper, they lead from a place of security rather than insecurity. In this episode of Lead Well. Live Whole.,...

Season 2 | Episode 15 – Why Are You So Hard on Yourself? The Myth That Criticism Makes You Better What if the voice holding you back isn't your boss, your circumstances, or your past... What if it's your own? Many of us believe that being hard on ourselves is the key to growth. We replay mistakes, question our worth, and convince ourselves that self-criticism is simply another form of discipline....

The Mirror Is Lying to You | The Story You Believe About Yourself Is Shaping Your Life Every day, we look in the mirror, but what if the most important thing we see isn't our reflection? What if it's the story we've been telling ourselves? In this episode of Lead Well. Live Whole.®, Michael Sirmon explores one of the most overlooked obstacles to effective leadership and a fulfilling life: the beli...

Why Am I Always Overthinking? | Season 2, Episode 13 The Decision Trap: Why Smart People Can't Stop Overthinking Have you ever replayed a conversation for days... delayed making a decision... or felt mentally exhausted trying to predict every possible outcome? You're not alone. In this episode of Lead Well. Live Whole., Michael Sirmon explores why some of the smartest, most capable people are ofte...

Why Do I Still Feel Lost? | Season 2, Episode 12 Have you ever looked around at your life and thought, "I should be happier than this." You've worked hard. Built a career. Raised a family. Achieved goals you once dreamed about. From the outside, everything appears to be going well. So why do you still feel... lost? In this episode of Lead Well. Live Whole., Michael Sirmon explores the quiet questi...

The Conversation After the Conversation What You Do Next Matters Most The difficult conversation is over. Now what? In this episode of Lead Well. Live Whole.®, Michael Sirmon explores what many leaders overlook—the leadership that happens after the conversation ends. Whether you've addressed a performance issue, navigated conflict, or spoken a difficult truth, lasting change isn't created in a sin...

Constructive Confrontations | S2 E10 The Conversations That Build Trust Instead of Breaking It Most relationships don't fall apart because of one difficult conversation. They slowly erode because the conversation never happens. Whether you're leading a team, raising a family, serving in ministry, or navigating friendships, avoiding hard conversations often feels like the easier path. But silence h...