How to Lead with Clay Scroggins and Adam Tarnow

In this episode, Clay and Adam unpack how to thrive at work by understanding and adapting to your boss’s world, even if they’re less than perfect. They explore five key strategies: empathizing with your boss’s challenges, learning their communication style, being a low-maintenance problem solver, managing your expectations, and influencing without being manipulative. The episode challenges listene...

In this episode, Clay and Adam reveal the three best coaching questions every leader should ask to move beyond just giving advice and help their teams think more deeply. They explore how “And what else?”, “What advice would you give to someone in your situation?”, and “What’s the real challenge here for you?” can transform coaching conversations by uncovering real obstacles, tapping into people’s...

Giving feedback is one of the most challenging parts of leadership—especially when emotions run high. In this episode, we break down the ThreeIQ System , a simple yet powerful approach to making feedback conversations clear, direct, and constructive. You’ll learn to use the Intent, Incident, Impact, Question framework to keep emotions in check, build trust, and encourage open dialogue. Whether you...

Coaching doesn’t have to be complicated. In this episode, we break down LB/NT —a simple two-step framework that makes feedback clear, actionable, and actually helpful. Whether you’re leading a team, mentoring someone, or just want to help others improve, “Liked Best” and “Next Time” will change the way you coach. We’ll cover why most feedback fails, how to use this method in real conversations, an...

PushPay proudly sponsors this episode. They are hosting a webinar that you will not want to miss: "Reaching Your Neighbors: Strategies to Bring Local Guests Into Your Church" Monday, February 25 at 10 AM PT  Register for the Webinar (has to be this link) https://grow.pushpay.com/lp-wb-core-reaching-your-neighbors.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=clay-scroggins&utm_content=wb-core-reaching-...

Most people focus on managing their time, but what if managing your energy is the real key to a productive week? In this episode, Clay and Adam break down three simple strategies to help you maximize your time and energy: starting with clarity, designing around your natural rhythms, and regularly reflecting and recalibrating. Whether you’re a structured planner or a free spirit, these practical ti...

In this episode, we dive into "The Brand Inside" and explore why the key to organizational growth isn't just about your market presence—it's about your employment brand. Drawing on Gallup research and real-world experience, we discuss how effective people development is essential to attracting and retaining top talent. You'll learn three simple, actionable strategies to develop your team without o...

PushPay, the trusted leader in digital giving and engagement solutions for churches, sponsors this episode. With tools designed to simplify generosity, build connections, and grow communities, PushPay helps you focus on what truly matters—making an impact. Visit PushPay.com to learn more. ____________ Cynicism can creep into the workplace one comment at a time, eroding trust, morale, and collabora...

Bold Leadership Redefined: More Than Bravado Discover how bold leadership goes beyond bravado, focusing on subtle, impactful actions that truly inspire and drive change. About Clay Scroggins: Clay Scroggins is a sought-after ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠speaker and leadership coach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , known for his practical and engaging approach to leadership. He is the author of three books, most notably ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Jobs on the Rise: What the Fastest-Growing Roles Reveal About the Future of Work Join Clay and Adam as they unpack LinkedIn’s 'Jobs on the Rise 2025' report, exploring the fastest-growing careers in the U.S. and what they mean for the future of work. Here is a link to the article on LinkedIn . About Clay Scroggins: Clay Scroggins is a sought-after ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠speaker and leadership coach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

How to Learn From Your Year and Crush the Next The calendar has turned which means it's time to reflect on 2024 so you'll have an amazing 2025. About Clay Scroggins: Clay Scroggins is a sought-after ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠speaker and leadership coach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , known for his practical and engaging approach to leadership. He is the author of three books, most notably ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ How to Lead When You're...

Lessons Learned: Our Top 3 Podcast Mistakes This Year It was a good year here at How to Lead , but it could have been better. In this episode Clay and Adam highlight three things they wish they had done better in 2024. About Clay Scroggins: Clay Scroggins is a sought-after ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠speaker and leadership coach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , known for his practical and engaging approach to leadership. He is the...

How to Stay Grounded While Traveling In follow-up to the Performance by Design episode, Adam and David Morrison discuss how to stay squared away while traveling. About Clay Scroggins: Clay Scroggins is a sought-after ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠speaker and leadership coach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , known for his practical and engaging approach to leadership. He is the author of three books, most notably ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ How to Lead...

The Most Underused Leadership Quote of All Time How's that for raising the bar? About Clay Scroggins: Clay Scroggins is a sought-after ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠speaker and leadership coach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , known for his practical and engaging approach to leadership. He is the author of three books, most notably ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ How to Lead When You're Not In Charge ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . With a passion for helping leaders thrive in a...

Performance by Design The key to better performance at work might be changing what you do when you are not at work. About Clay Scroggins: Clay Scroggins is a sought-after ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠speaker and leadership coach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , known for his practical and engaging approach to leadership. He is the author of three books, most notably ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ How to Lead When You're Not In Charge ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . With a pas...

How We Think About Writing Clay and Adam discuss their approach to writing. Resources mentioned: How to Write a Winning Book Proposal Rob Bell's "Something to Write" Stephen King's "On Writing" About Clay Scroggins: Clay Scroggins is a sought-after ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠speaker and leadership coach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , known for his practical and engaging approach to leadership. He is the author of three books, most not...

Many people think of generosity only in terms of money, but Molly Matthews believes it goes much deeper. Building a culture of generosity not only enhances workplace culture but also drives strong business results. As CEO of Pushpay, a digital platform that empowers churches and nonprofits to manage donations and connect with their communities, Molly has seen firsthand the impact of generosity on...

Why You Resist Change Clay and Adam discuss some helpful research from the authors of The Practice of Adaptive Leadership. About Clay Scroggins: Clay Scroggins is a sought-after ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠speaker and leadership coach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , known for his practical and engaging approach to leadership. He is the author of three books, most notably ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ How to Lead When You're Not In Charge ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . With a pass...

Avoiding Miscommunication on Your Team Clay and Adam discuss five ways to avoid miscommunication on your team. About Clay Scroggins: Clay Scroggins is a sought-after ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠speaker and leadership coach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , known for his practical and engaging approach to leadership. He is the author of three books, most notably ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ How to Lead When You're Not In Charge ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . With a passion for helping...

One Tool Every Team Needs to Use Clay and Adam encourage teams to use a simple and effective tool to improve performance and harmony. Mizzen+Main Use the code HOWTOLEAD to get 15% off your first purchase at https://www.mizzenandmain.com/ About Clay Scroggins: Clay Scroggins is a sought-after ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠speaker and leadership coach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , known for his practical and engaging approach to leadership. He...

The Secret to Effective Vision Casting Clay and Adam simplify what it means to "cast vision." This is not a task reserved only for the tall, gregarious, and charismatic. Any leader can cast vision, regardless of their style. About Clay Scroggins: Clay Scroggins is a sought-after ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠speaker and leadership coach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , known for his practical and engaging approach to leadership. He is the author o...

What is a leader, anyway? Clay and Adam dive into a philosophical deep end and come back with some interesting and useful tidbits for your leadership journey. About Clay Scroggins: Clay Scroggins is a sought-after ⁠⁠⁠⁠speaker and leadership coach⁠⁠⁠⁠ , known for his practical and engaging approach to leadership. He is the author of three books, most notably ⁠⁠⁠ How to Lead When You're Not In C...

This episode is brought to you by the maker of the most comfortable clothing on the planet, Mizzen+Main . Use the code HOWTOLEAD at checkout to get 15% off your first order. _____________ Do you want a promotion at work? If so, this episode will remove all mystery from what it takes to take your career to the next level. _____________ About Clay Scroggins: Clay Scroggins is a sought-after ⁠⁠⁠speak...

Clay and Adam recently partnered with their friends at ⁠RightNow Media @ Work⁠ to host a webinar on coaching Millennials and Gen Z. This episode is the second part of that webinar. __________ About Clay Scroggins: Clay Scroggins is a sought-after ⁠⁠speaker and leadership coach⁠⁠ , known for his practical and engaging approach to leadership. He is the author of three books, most notably ⁠ How to Le...

THIS EPISODE IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY THE UNSTUCK GROUP __________ Clay and Adam recently partnered with their friends at RightNow Media @ Work to host a webinar on coaching Millennials and Gen Z. This episode is the first part of that webinar. __________ People problems are uniquely challenging on a ministry team. Leading your staff through them is hard .  When you know something is off related to...