Aim Higher: The podcast with purpose

Welcome to the season seven finale of Aim Higher! In this episode, host Skip Prichard reflects on the incredible journey of the past season, highlighting powerful stories and lessons learned from a diverse array of guests—from overcoming adversity and building resilience, to breaking old patterns and harnessing the human side of leadership, even as technology like AI transforms our world. You'll h...

Welcome to another engaging episode of Aim Higher! In another mailbag edition, host Skip Prichard gathers an exceptional panel—Tammi Spayde, Rebekah Knipp, and Nic Grimes—to tackle real leadership questions sent in by listeners. This episode dives deep into some of the most pressing challenges faced by managers and professionals today, such as overcoming burnout, giving tough feedback without dama...

In this episode, host Skip Prichard sits down with the renowned science educator and entertainer, Steve Spangler, whose influence has reached millions through his engaging YouTube videos and memorable television appearances. But today, the spotlight is on something new: Steve Spangler's latest book, The Engagement Effect. Skip and Steve dive into what it means to truly engage people—whether in the...

Welcome to another Mailbag edition of Aim Higher! In this episode, host Skip Prichard is joined by an amazing panel: Tammi Spayde, Rebekah Knipp, and newcomer Nic Grimes. Together, they dive into real questions from listeners—leaders and professionals who are navigating the ups and downs of the modern workplace. From tackling team burnout and motivating high performers to giving tough feedback and...

Kelly Siegel joins Skip Prichard on Aim Higher for a candid conversation about breaking destructive cycles and rebuilding a life with purpose. Kelly is the CEO of National Technology Management and author of Harder Than Life. He talks about growing up in poverty, battling addiction, and the turning points that changed everything. Kelly shares real stories, practical insights, and the mindset shift...

Welcome to this special episode of Aim Higher. Today, Skip Prichard sits down with country music superstar, acclaimed author, and inspiring speaker Jimmy Wayne. In this heartfelt conversation, Jimmy Wayne opens up about his challenging journey through foster care and homelessness, sharing the pivotal moments—and people—that shaped him into the resilient artist and advocate he is today.   From the...

How do leaders thrive when human intelligence and artificial intelligence work together. In this episode of Aim Higher, Skip Prichard brings together Tammi Spayde, Drew Bordas, and Bart Murphy to explore the rise of hybrid intelligence in the workplace. They break down how AI is changing decision making, team dynamics, and leadership habits. They talk through real examples of using AI tools while...

Welcome to another powerful episode of Aim Higher, where we dive deep into the stories and lessons that shape extraordinary leaders. In this episode, host Skip Prichard sits down with his friend and American hero, Captain Charlie Plumb. Captain Plumb’s remarkable journey includes flying 75 missions over Vietnam, being shot down and enduring nearly six years as a prisoner of war—experiencing tortur...

Leadership isn’t just about today’s results—it’s about who’s ready next. In this episode of Aim Higher, we look at the massive leadership transition reshaping workplaces as Baby Boomers retire and new generations rise. With his signature mix of optimism and real-world insight, Skip and his expert panel explore how great organizations design leadership pipelines that work—whether you’re running a g...

In this episode of Aim Higher, Skip Prichard sits down with Hall of Fame speaker Tim Gard, a global expert in using humor to build resilience and transform workplace culture. Tim shares how laughter became his antidote to burnout during his early career in high-stress human services—and how that same approach now helps leaders and organizations everywhere shift perspective, reduce stress, and reco...

Trust. It’s the invisible force that makes teams thrive, or fall apart. In this episode of Aim Higher, we explore why trust, transparency, and psychological safety are no longer “soft skills” but the foundation of every great team. Drawing from research by Google, Harvard, and the Edelman Trust Barometer, Skip shares how leaders earn trust in the small moments by listening longer, owning mistakes,...

As we wrap up this season of "Aim Higher," it reminds me of how much "summer" has come to be synonymous with "vacation," even decades after we move beyond school semesters and summer breaks. We think of summer and we think of fun, travel, family, and relaxation. And that's great! But many times we forget to really disconnect and recharge. As leaders, we need to care for ourselves. And that include...

In this episode, my panel of business experts and I discuss the importance of resilience. Not just for leadership—though we focus most of our time on that aspect—but to each of us within our business and personal lives. Nothing important was ever accomplished without making mistakes, without trial-and-error, without pushing through practice to get to performance. Weathering those storms successful...

There are so many traits of great leadership that aren’t, in my opinion, optional. Honesty, curiosity, integrity, drive, determination all come to mind. But you can certainly have many different types and styles of leaders who each embody all those characteristics. You can be an extrovert or an introvert. You can focus more on managing relationships or processes. You can favor creativity or analyt...

In this episode, Dan Rockwell and John David Mann join Skip to discuss their latest book collaboration, “The Vagrant: The Inner Journey of Leadership,” a parable that explores ideas of self and success in an intriguing, compelling way. The book begins with a seemingly simple incident—the main character trips over a homeless man. But this one moment leads to a journey of self-awareness and personal...

On this week’s episode, my expert panel and I talk about how to move from single, short-term goals to a focus on long-term, sustained success. Because sustained success isn’t just about a series of individual accomplishments. It’s about maintaining a core identity of what makes you successful today, combined with stimulating progress towards the future. How do you combat complacency when things ar...

For many people, hearing that a manager or peer wants to “provide feedback” brings negative expectations. “They just want to complain,” or “What did I do wrong now?” may come to mind. That’s because, in many cases, leaders don’t take a holistic, long-term, organized approach to feedback. Doing so is important, because great employee feedback lowers turnover and improves everything from process to...

In this panel discussion, my guests and I discuss the importance of listening. Obviously, it’s a skill we all need to improve—but it’s especially vital for leaders and those who aspire to leadership. I share 10 ways that listening can improve results for you and your team, and the panel reacts with their own insights and tips. If we don’t listen, we can’t learn, and great leaders never stop learni...

I joke with my friend Scott McKain that he needs to write more books, because that gives us an excuse to get together—and our conversations are always a good time. He’s truly a gifted writer and speaker, and in today’s “Aim Higher” interview we talk about his new book, “The Ultimate Customer Experience.” While many of Scott’s books are primarily aimed at business leaders, this one is for everyone—...

A colleague of mine once said, “If you don’t set measurable goals and you fail? You’ve lost any chance to learn. And if you succeed but don’t know why? It might as well have been luck.” We often mistake, as panelist Drew Bordas says, “activity for progress.” We’re doing stuff! We’re working hard! Things are happening! But are they the right things? If you haven’t set good, measurable goals, you ju...

We often use the word “love” when referring to our favorite sports team. But we don’t often hear it used by elite college coaches to describe their coaching style. Tom Ryan, though, isn’t your usual coach. He preaches—and practices—a leadership style rooted in truth, trust, and—most of all—love. As a Hall of Fame wrestling coach for OSU, Tom led his team to many victories because of a belief that...

As you know, I believe very strongly in the power of motivation, the importance of planning, and the role that a positive attitude plays in our success. So, if you—like so many people—start your Mondays with fear, loathing, and a sigh of resignation, guess what? It's time to cut that out. How you start your week will have a huge impact on how it ends. So, it’s time to give Mondays the love they de...

This week on "Aim Higher,” my panel and I talk about how to be successful during the critical, initial phase of a new job, new department, or new manager. Drew Bordas, Tammi Spayde, and Brian Berry bring up dozens of great pointers on the subject. Not only have they had to be the new person in some high-level roles, but they’ve managed many people through the process. If you want a crash course in...

I don’t know anyone who hasn’t thought about “reinventing” themselves. That desire can be pushed on us by an unexpected job loss, or we may want to proactively reach for a new dream. The bad news is that it’s hard to reinvent yourself without a plan. The good news is that my guest this week, Richard Bliss, can help you make that plan. Richard has worked in the military, in executive marketing role...

In previous episodes of “Aim Higher,” we discussed how to leave a job well, and how, as a manager, you can deal with someone who doesn’t. This week, based on a listener’s request (“for a friend...”), we’ll tackle the thorny problem of how to recover from a bad exit that you now regret. I share 7 tips that can get you through this difficult moment, using it to grow and rebuild trust. It’s always be...