Leading Leaders Podcast by StoryPowerAcademy.com Studio with Host and Exectuive Coach J Loren Norris

In this episode of StoryPower TV, J Loren Norris sits down with Concerned Citizen, Melanie Graft. This episode is part one of three. We discuss the motivations, events and disappointments which lead up to diving into the dark world of politics.

3/10/2026 THE PROBLEM YOU’RE TRYING TO SOLVE IS YOU EPISODE 1752 Idiopathic. It basically means we have no clue. Iatrogenic. It basically means the doctor did it. This is not an attack on the medical profession. It is a call to account for leaders of every level to step away from the dopamine rush of having all the answers and dive into the pool of accountability where humility awaits on the other...

3/9/2026 WOULD YOU RATHER - INFLUENCE OPINIONS OR TRANSFORM LIVES? EPISODE 1751 There are now millions of influencers on all social media platforms. Primarily they are significant as shapers of opinions, marketers of products and services or drivers of temporary (compulsive) behavior. You can pay them fractionally to agree with you, support you or persuade others to check you out. Your ad money bu...

3/6/2026 MISSION DRIFT, STORY CREEP AND IMPOSTER SYNDROME EPISODE 1750 The most common question asked when meeting new people is “So, what do you do?” That question has been answered, scripted, refined, rehearsed and repeated by tens of millions people in the last century. The answer seems to evolve as careers change, marital status changes, political seasons change, and the library of business ca...

3/4/2026 HOW WILL I KNOW IF I LEAD WELL? EPISODE 1749 The art, skill and obligation of leadership is to help others to be better. One of the 10 Key Areas of Leadership Development asks the question “Am I taking others higher?” If the influence you have over others doesn’t lead to them emulating the principles you espouse, that question becomes even more relevant. If you’re not helping to make thei...

3/3/2026 TIME TO GET OFF THE STRUGGLE BUS EPISODE 1748 You can only imagine how powerful your imagination is. Your deepest darkest nightmares and your wild dreams are bedfellows. If the amount of your time, energy and emotional strength expended on fruitless drama is equal to or greater than the amount invested in fruitful growth you’re in the path of the struggle bus. In fact, you might be in the...

3/2/2026 HOW DO I KNOW IF IT’S PETTY STUFF? EPISODE 1747 Don’t pet the sweaty stuff! Or is it don’t sweat the petty stuff?!? One of the hardest assignments of a leader is determining the fine line between intricate detail or critical importance and petty stuff. Relationships, protocol, timing, sequencing - these all have significant ramifications and consequences when ignored. Young and impetuous...

2/27/2026 HOW DID YOU DO THAT? EPISODE 1746 More often than not I fail to drive a straight nail. Most every project I have ever built lacked a right angle at the corners. I have bought a few, however I have never inspected a home  I am not confident I could locate the oil filter on a bull dozer. I know little nothing about stem cells or winning a political campaign. I don’t even play a lawyer or a...

2/20/2026 FORGET FOMO DON’T GET EXPLOITED BY A FOFO EPISODE 1745 Remember the fake out, the rope-a-dope, the shoulder shake, the ankle breaker, the faint and the head fake! All of these describe ways an opponent might take a player out of the play.  Whether guarding the hoop, the hype or the home plate there will always be a fake. Something, someone, some time which competes against your greatest...

2/19/2026 THOSE UNWILLING TO PAY THE PRICE SHOULD NOT EXPECT TO RISE EPISODE 1744 Sometimes a leader must pay a huge price to go to the next level. Perhaps by sacrifice, perhaps by effort, perhaps financially, perhaps an investment of time or contribution just know this, going to the next level will cost. Those unwilling to pay the price should not expect to rise. The growth and transformation eve...

2/18/2026 LEADERS ON THE WAY UP NEED TO BE LIKE LIQUID METAL EPISODE 1743 Rinsing leaders often fins themselves in a conundrum. One the one hand, they have skills, prowess, agility, ability and the energy to take on every monumental task they can come up with. On the other hand, they often lack the seasoning, experience, failure and recovery needed to navigate, negotiation and nurture. I remember...

2/17/2026 YOU LOOK SO DUMB RIGHT NOW EPISODE 1742 Mistakes are made. Wrong choices have consequences. Bad ideas seem to multiply like bunny rabbits and spread faster than dandelions. When a little mercy, understanding, grace and forgiveness would go a long way, most people see the faltering of a leader as their opportunity to get ahead. Trolls and Trojans both look for weaknesses to exploit. Can t...

2/16/2026 LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT CHEMISTRY NOT ALCHEMY EPISODE 1741 Creators create. Leaders lead. Nurses nurse. Painters paint. Simple right. Except, all of them require the right tools, skills and chemistry if they want to be truly successful. Also they all must be acutely aware of the components of their chemistry and the materials they are working with. Humans are like childhood chemistry sets al...

2/12/2026 PAIN IS A PRICE TO PAY FOR NEXT LEVEL EPISODE 1740 One of the saddest things I see in society is the number of people suffering from their own comfort. Gary Brecka says “Aging is the relentless pursuit of comfort.” I coach leaders, trainers, speakers and many other coaches who are baffled by this human phenomena. It is truly painful to see someone so close to a breakthrough who just won’...

2/11/2026 DID MEDIA MAKE MUSH OF MINDS AND MENTAL ABILITY? EPISODE 1739 Mind numbing activity literally effectuates the process it describes and prescribes. Whether binge watching a favorite program on your streaming device or doom scrolling on your favorite platform with your mobile device, the result is both measurable and predictable.  The resistance to cease the escapism and the effort require...

2/10/2026  BOLO - LOST DOG POSTERS AND DATING SHARE A POWERFUL LEADERSHIP HACK EPISODE 1738 Here’s a truth no one can deny: if you don’t know what you’re looking for, finding it is significantly more complicated. Lost your dog but don’t know what he looks like? Good luck.  Can’t decide the type of person you want to date? It’s gonna be a longer dry season. I would love to see your comments as to t...

Summer 2026 StoryPower Academy Retreat Unlock the StoryPower of Storytelling with J Loren Norris Join us for a transformational 3 DAY LIVE AND IN PERSON Retreat where J Loren will guide you through the StoryPower art of storytelling. Don't miss out on this opportunity to experience radical transformation! StoryPower Academy Retreat includes private lodging at the Inn on Lake Granbury in Granbu...

2/9/2026 YOU SHOULD LEARN SOMETHING NEW FROM AN OLD BOOK EPISODE 1737  In case you haven’t heard, each new iteration of artificial intelligence seems to suffer from more hallucinations. Ironically, the faster and more data inundated it gets, the more errors, omissions and gaslighting we humans experience.  Funny thing to me is this - whilst some of the conjecture of old books has been debunked, th...

2/5/2026 ONE SURE FIRED WAY TO GUARANTEE OBSTACLES ARISE EPISODE 1736 It seems to me the universe is aware of leaders who rock the boat. Murphy’s law catches a ton of blame. “Something bad is going to happen at the least opportune time.” If my theory is accurate, the one sure fired way to insure obstacle arise is well… watch the video.  When everything is going well expect something to go wrong. I...

2/4/2026 I STAND CORRECTED EPISODE 1735 One of the hardest things to do in leadership is to admit fault. Acknowledging mistakes, errors, bad judgment leading to wrong decisions seems like weakness and defeat. A leader must be strong. Others must be willing to accept responsibility for negative outcomes. Leaders need to maintain their air of superiority.  Your coming competition is an arrogant mach...

2/3/2026 THE HARDEST LEADER TO COACH BRUSHES MY TEETH EPISODE 1734 Coaching a team of people can be difficult. It’s more difficult to coach a team of people when the leader of that team is not coachable. Perhaps they have it all figured out.  Perhaps they are unwilling to be lead by new ideas, new feelings, new beliefs. Perhaps they have blind spots, blame shifting and a bad attitude as common pra...

2/2/2026 WHEN LEADERS GET IN OVER THEIR HEAD EPISODE 1733 Too often leaders fail because they do not realize they are drifting into the deep end. Generally speaking these are leaders young in age. However, it can happen to leaders new to an industry, a role or a process. Changes in policies internally or laws externally can become a veritable quagmire.  All the money expended, team members deploye...

1/30/26 A GREAT COACH KNOWS HOW TO DISCOVER AND DISPEL DISTRACTIONS EPISODE 1732  “Delays, detours and disappointments become distractions from our vision of the future, robbing us of hope, passions and ambition. A great coach knows how to discover these distractions and plan a better strategy to get you motivated you with a balance of mercy and momentum. Let me say that another way - tell better...

1/28/26 LOSS OF MOMENTUM CAN BE HEARTBREAKING EPISODE 1731.5 Awwww MAN! We were on a roll! Who would have thought a few days of cold weather could derail your progress, squelch your momentum, stop your traction from moving forward. Well here I am three days out of the studio. Seems like perhaps I was on a roll, perhaps I was delusional. I know my frustration is at a maximum, gut wrenching, heart b...

1/23/26 WHY WOULD A LEADER NEED A MENTOR? EPISODE 1731 No one I know has it all figured out. Accomplished, successful, financially independent, leaders in all categories live with challenges. Some of those challenges are vocational: hiring, firing, training, and professional development. Some of those challenges are relationships at home, relationships at work, relationships internally or even spi...