Learning Leadership: In Practice

There’s a quote from The Office that I have used more times than I can count: “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.” That is exactly how I feel when I look back on my time in the Presidential Leadership Scholars program. When I first applied, I knew I would love the intersection of presidential history and leadership development. I have alway...

In this episode of Learning Leadership in Practice , I close out the Five Fundamentals series from Learning Leadership by James Kouzes and Barry Posner with the fifth and final fundamental: Practice Deliberately . Leadership is not something we learn once, talk about once, or master once. It is something we practice in real moments, real conversations, and real seasons of uncertainty, transition,...

In this episode of Learning Leadership in Practice , David explores the next principle from Learning Leadership by James Kouzes and Barry Posner : Engage Support . Leadership is not a solo pursuit. Kouzes and Posner’s research makes it clear that the most effective leaders actively seek out the support, wisdom, and feedback of others. You cannot lead alone, and you cannot learn alone. In this epis...

In this third episode of The Five Fundamentals in Practice , we explore the next principle from Learning Leadership by James Kouzes and Barry Posner : Challenge Yourself . Leadership growth does not happen in comfort. It happens in moments of stretch, uncertainty, and adversity. Kouzes and Posner’s research shows that every example of leadership at its best includes challenge, making it not an obs...

I’m continuing the series on Learning Leadership In Practice, exploring the Five Fundamentals of Becoming an Exemplary Leader from Learning Leadership by James Kouzes and Barry Posner. This episode focuses on the second fundamental: Aspire to Excel . Exemplary leaders don’t drift into excellence; they choose it. Aspiring to excel means raising your personal standard and caring deeply about the mis...

I’m excited to kick off a brand-new series on Learning Leadership In Practice . After reflecting on the books I read in 2025 over the first seven episodes, we now turn to what I consider a foundational text for this podcast: Learning Leadership by James Kouzes and Barry Posner. Over the next five episodes, I’ll be walking through the Five Fundamentals of Becoming an Exemplary Leader, not just summ...

Some of the most formative leadership lessons I learned in 2025 did not come from leadership books. They came from stories. From reading about the building of Saturday Night Live in Lorne . From understanding the cultural development behind Broadway. From the grit-filled stories of everyday runners in the New York City Marathon in a Race Like No Other . From reflecting on the quiet power of moveme...

This episode sits with a question I found myself returning to again and again in 2025:What does leadership look like when the pressure is real and the noise is loud? This past year, I had the opportunity to participate in the Presidential Leadership Scholars program . It was a formative experience that brought together leaders from across industries, worldviews, and political perspectives to wrest...

There are seasons where strategy feels like the last thing you have the energy for. When you are navigating transition, uncertainty, or disorientation, it can feel like everything becomes tactical. What is right in front of you demands attention. Decisions feel heavy. Long-term thinking can feel indulgent or even unrealistic. And yet, this past year reminded me that strategy does not disappear in...

This episode sits in a very real place for me. 2025 was a disorienting year. Finding my footing felt harder than usual, and there were days when habits that once felt grounding started to feel like wasted energy. Discipline is much easier to sustain when you can clearly see what it is leading toward. It becomes far more challenging when the outcome is unclear. And yet, I knew I did not want to los...

In this episode of Learning Leadership, In Practice I explore what it looks like to lead while you are still learning. In a year of transition and change, I found myself wrestling with how to stay grounded in leadership truths while helping my team navigate unclear waters. These books helped shape how I thought about organizations, systems, and people, and reminded me that leadership is learned by...

In this episode of Learning Leadership In Practice , host David Reyes reflects on a season of deep growth shaped by both hardship and learning. Through a cluster of meaningful books he read in 2025, David explores how leadership is formed by presence, intentionality, and trust — especially when clarity is elusive. Books Featured in This Episode Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge — Mark B...

In this inaugural episode of Learning Leadership, In Practice , host David Reyes introduces the heart and purpose of this podcast: exploring what it truly means to lead as a learner. David shares why learning leadership — a concept inspired by the work of James Kouzes and Barry Posner — matters now more than ever, and how this podcast will lean into reflection, growth, and thoughtful practice over...