The Daily Leader

Dr. Ben Redmond, executive coach, speaker, author, and COO of Five Capitals , shares joins hosts Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup to share skills that unlock the next level of leadership. He explains how it begins with self-leadership, the importance of discerning the difference between urgent and important, and why the most important question for a leader is "when?"  Beyond tactics, Ben...

In this episode of The Daily Leader, hosts Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup welcome back Tim Urmston, CEO of Five Capitals and author of a brand new book, The 7 Essentials of Business. With only 40% of businesses being profitable in the US, the stakes for effective leadership have never been higher. Tim challenges leaders to choose vulnerability, remain transparent, and never underestimate the impa...

In this episode of The Daily Leader, Brad McDonald unpacks what it means to go pro in your leadership. Drawing from Steven Pressfield's book Turning Pro , he discusses the difference between amateur and professional identity and the radical commitment required to leave behind excuses and self-sabotage. Whether with work, relationships, or personal growth, this conversation challenges listeners...

Leaders don't fail because of lack of talent or vision—they fail because no one knows what the vision means or what to do next. In this episode of The Daily Leader, hosts Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup explore how to create a culture of clarity and challenge leaders to close the gap between what they think they're communicating and what their teams actually understand. RECOMMENDED RESOURC...

In this episode of The Daily Leader, Dr. Garland and Dorothy Vance, co-authors of Unleashed Leadership: How to Solve the 7 Issues Holding You Back from Your Greatest Impact , share the hard truth that every problem in business starts as a leadership problem. But the good news is that means every solution starts with that leader. They discuss the critical importance of clarity, along with why estab...

In this episode of The Daily Leader, hosts Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup begin a conversation about the intersection of faith and leadership, starting with the observation that none of us are values-neutral. Regardless of our belief system we all bring our values to work. From questioning underlying assumptions to having deeper conversations with coworkers, this episode challenges leaders to sho...

In this episode of The Daily Leader , Taylor Jessup shares the top three things he's been learning since transitioning into his new role with YoungLife at ASU Downtown : why most of what we want to do in any organization is simple—just not easy, the process of figuring out what's sustainable in a role, and learning grit, especially when you feel worn out. Whether you're navigating a ne...

Jon Alwinson, author of ⁠ Relentless Sales: The Skills, Mentality, & Faith Needed to be Great in Sales , joins hosts Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup to share what makes or breaks a career in sales. Whether you're leading a team through a grind-it-out season or casting a vision built on values, this conversation offers insights on leading with a relentless spirit while staying rooted in you...

What if the problems in your organization aren't actually people problems—but system problems? In this episode, Brad McDonald shares a framework from Barry Oshry's book Seeing Systems: Unlocking the Mysteries of Organizational Life , discussing how "system blindness" costs us dearly in our lives, families, and organizations.  From confusing position with personality to fighting t...

Is it possible for multi-generational leadership to be less of a challenge and more of an opportunity? In this episode, hosts Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup explore the realities of leading across generations—from the rising number of workers ages 60 years and older staying in the labor force longer to Gen Z's shifting priorities around balance, learning, and meaning. They discuss why younger...

Whether you're excited or anxious about it, AI is reshaping how we work and live. So how do we navigate this shift well? In this episode, hosts Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup candidly discuss the unknowns, realities, and opportunities of leading through rapid technological change. They explore why AI is often framed as a threat, how to lead people who are anxious about losing their jobs, and...

Today's episode of The Daily Leader unpacks the problem of positivity—how saying yes to the wrong things and leaning too heavily into "can" without enough "no" fuels burnout, depression, and boredom. Hosts Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup explore insights from Byung-Chul Han's book The Burnout Society , examining why creating boundaries more frequently is essential for s...

An organization is only as healthy as it's honest. In this episode, hosts Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup tackle the hidden dynamics that undermine organizational health—the undiscussables, the meetings after the meetings, and the difficult conversations we avoid to attempt to protect our egos and status. Drawing insights from Chris Argyris's book Overcoming Organizational Defenses , they...

In the final part of the influence vs. authority series, hosts Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup continue to explore how leadership, influence and authority relate to each other. Walking through Timothy Clark's ⁠ 4 Stages of Psychological Safety ⁠ , they discuss actionable frameworks for creating environments where people feel they belong and can contribute their best work. ⁠Influence vs. Author...

In the previous episode, we explored the tension between influence and authority in leadership. In part two, hosts Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup dive deeper with tangible tools for building healthy influence, explore what sabotages leaders who rely too heavily on influence, and discuss why self-awareness and awareness of others are crucial for striking the right balance between earning trust and...

What’s more important for leadership: influence or authority? Join The Daily Leader hosts Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup as they discuss the tension between influence and authority and explore how leaders can leverage both.  RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Looking to transform your life and leadership? Reach out to taylorjessup@gmail.com or brad@patterntalent.co to learn more about Embark, our new leadersh...

Lounge episodes of The Daily Leader feature hosts Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup discussing practical applications that can be implemented to lead more effectively. Today, hear how leaders can embrace their team members’ strengths and encourage them to lead up, because great leaders know there are other great leaders lurking beneath them.  RECOMMENDED RESOURCES If you want to invest in the next g...

Are you waiting around for your career ah ha moment? In this episode of The Daily Leader, hosts Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup discuss navigating career changes with Ryan Nelson, a leadership coach and culture strategist. He shares what organizations can do to raise up leaders from within, and how to approach promotions versus a new career direction.  RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Ryan Nelson on LinkedIn...

What does it take not just to be a successful leader, but a good one? Join The Daily Leader hosts Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup for a conversation with Charlie Lovell, an executive leadership coach, writer, and speaker. Charlie shares what his career working with Gen Z has taught him about balancing risk-aversion with taking action, and why abundance without effort won’t lead to the Good Life. R...

Whether you meet with a leadership coach or are a coach yourself, you’ll benefit from this conversation with The Daily Leader host Brad McDonald and Elise Moore, founder of BRDGE Coaching. Hear about the importance of establishing micro-disciplines and choosing what to focus on in coaching, and get a behind-the-scenes listen at an executive coaching session.  RECOMMENDED RESOURCES  @honestlyelisem...

What are you curious about? Join The Daily Leader host Brad McDonald and Brent Lavin, an executive leader in the Medtech industry, for a conversation about building a culture of innovation. Brent shares what he’s learned about cross-team engagement throughout his career, including at General Electric, and why it’s crucial for leaders to stay open to feedback. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES  Brent Lavin, MB...

Can you define great leadership in one word? What’s the most overrated leadership buzzword? Should you lead with your head or heart? Listen in to hear The Daily Leader hosts Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup discuss these questions and more.  RECOMMENDED RESOURCES The Healthy Competitor Pt. 1–Shane Kuyper  Looking to transform your life and leadership? Reach out to taylorjessup@gmail.com or brad@pat...

Why do we fear disagreements? Join The Daily Leader hosts Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup as they discuss why our sense of identity affects the way we react to disagreements, and how relational conflicts can prompt us to explore what’s true.  RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:  How Leaders Build Trust – Dr. Cory Sheer The Healthy Competitor Pt. 1–Shane Kuyper  Developing Authentic and Inspirational Core Value...

Looking for more energy? You won’t find it within yourself. In today’s episode of The Daily Leader, Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup explore the connection between energy and duty, offering insights into how leaders can renew their energy through a commitment to serving others.  RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:  The Energy Equation: Finding the Balance of Rest and Energy – Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup The...

It happens: leaders fail. But the next step forward is what counts. Today on The Daily Leader, hosts Brad McDonald and Taylor Jessup share their stories of failure and the life change those failures made possible.  RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:  Performance and Leadership–Dr. Josiah Igono The Healthy Competitor Pt. 1–Shane Kuyper  Developing Authentic and Inspirational Core Values–Shane Kuyper   Looking...