Leading Edge with John & Alain

What would your team say about you at your retirement party? What would your spouse say at your 30 year anniversary? What would your children say about you as a parent? In this episode of Leading Edge, John shares insights from a keynote by Dr. John Izzo that sparked deep reflection during a four and a half hour drive home. The challenge was simple but uncomfortable. Take 100 percent responsibilit...

In this episode of Leading Edge , John Zettler sits down with Samantha Ennist , a lifelong educator turned organizational development and talent leader. Together, they explore how trust, mindset, and real-time coaching shape the leaders we need today. Samantha shares her perspective on what’s keeping leaders up at night — from succession and critical roles to the time crunch that challenges every...

In this episode, John and Alain open up about their own struggles and wins in these areas. From overcommitting as volunteers, to realizing they can’t (and shouldn’t) do everything themselves, the conversation explores what effective delegation looks like in practice. Key takeaways: Why leaders often resist delegation—and the cost of holding on too long How to set guardrails while letting your team...

In the first-ever guest episode of Leading Edge, John sits down with entrepreneur, author, and leadership coach Jeff Sesol. Jeff shares the powerful skydiving story behind his company's name, "Pull the Chute," and how it serves as a metaphor for leaders feeling overwhelmed in today's fast-paced environment. They dive deep into the core themes of Jeff's book, The New Leadershi...

In this honest and vulnerable conversation, John Zettler and Alain Lefebvre dive into a topic that affects every workplace today: mental health. John opens up about his own recent struggles with stress and burnout, how it crept up over time, and what finally pushed him to take action. The discussion expands into the role of leaders in recognizing and supporting mental health—not just in themselves...

In this episode, John shares how coaching his son’s baseball team reignited his passion—and reminded him how closely youth sports mirror business leadership. Alain reflects on his years coaching high school teams, drawing parallels in relationship-centered leadership. Key Takeaways: Make it relational: Learn names, interests, and what matters to your team Keep it fun: Creating joy makes learning—a...

In this episode, John and Alain dive deep into one of the most avoided — but critical — aspects of leadership: having difficult conversations. Whether you're a seasoned leader or stepping into management for the first time, this discussion is packed with relatable stories, practical tools, and a step-by-step approach you can use right away. They explore: Why avoiding tough conversations usuall...

In this episode, John and Alain finally answer one of the most common questions they get: What exactly does Fairwinds do? From the WHY behind their work to the specific services they offer, they lay it all out—no jargon, no fluff. Whether you're curious about their leadership development programs, custom workplace training, strategic HR consulting, or help with recruiting the right talent, thi...

In this thought-provoking episode, John sits down with Fairwinds team member Laura to unpack a critical shift in the way organizations think about retaining talent. Together, they explore the question: Are we giving people the opportunity to be good—or just trying to keep them? Laura offers a bold reframe, challenging leaders to move beyond retention and start focusing on actualizing talent . From...

In this episode, we sit down for a real conversation about what we’ve been seeing in our coaching sessions lately. From time management to accountability to those tricky moments when leaders default to solving every problem themselves—we cover it all. We talk through stories from the field, where we’ve helped leaders set clearer expectations, hold people accountable, and stop giving away all the a...

In this first episode of Leading Edge with John & Alain , we dive into one of the biggest challenges facing businesses today—finding and keeping great people. John and Alain share their insights from working with leaders across industries, discussing why hiring the right person isn’t enough. From company culture to leadership impact, they break down what truly drives employee retention and why...