The Dr. John Bedker Leadership Podcast

Michael Lewis’s new book Who is Government, The Untold Story of Public Service, is highlighted in this episode. One essay from Casey Cep called The Sentinel is focused on and read from. The essay highlights the good of public survival and public servants. Ronald E. Walters, the leader of the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) is highlighted. Ron Walters is an exemplary public servant. Ron Walt...

The first impression of the Trump administration’s effort to negotiate a peace between Ukraine and Russia was an abysmal failure. This makes getting the next steps, even more important. The Finnish President, Alexander Stubb, in an interview with the Atlantic Council’s Frederick Kempe at the Munich Security Conference, details three key points to advancing peace negotiations between Ukraine and Ru...

You never have a second chance to make a first impression. This is key in negotiations. This week President Trump began negotiations with senior representatives from the United States and Russia in Saudi Arabia. Absent were representatives from Ukraine. Also absent were representatives from Europe and the NATO alliance. This first impression and what President Trump has said has caused alarm aroun...

This first two weeks of the Trump Presidency 2.0 has been appalling. The words fealty and autocrat are commonly used to describe President Trump's actions and conduct during his first two weeks. Real estate transactions as American policy is anything but leadership. The many and varied attempts to remove people, services, offices, and entire agencies from the federal government are not what voters...

A call to action is an important and effective leadership tool, a tool essential for us all to engage as we enter 2025. Misinformation, disinformation, and lying must be challenged. Leaders from any and all political persuasions must speak the truth, be grounded in facts, and call out that which is simply not true. Leaders are not perfect, but seeking to do the right thing is their halcyon call. 2...

The 39th President of the United States will be laid to rest this week in Plains, Georgia. Jimmy Carter was a man of faith and resilience. Steadfast in his core values, his respect for others, and his lifelong quest to do the right thing are cornerstones for Jimmy Carter, the leader. He has been attributed to living a life of the beatitudes. It seems an appropriate and accurate description.  Jimmy...

Happy Holidays! As we close out 2024 I encourage everyone to think about this past year - where we’ve been, when we are, and to think about charting the course for the coming new year. This episode focuses on a Thought Leader, Paul Krugman, who has done just that. For the past 25 years, Paul Krugman has written opinion pieces for the New York Times. He is retiring. Today, we read his last column.

Innovation is the foundation of America’s success. From our very beginnings to today we have ridden innovation wave to innovation wave. We are now entering our sixth wave of innovation, the move from fossil fuels to green and sustainable technologies. Highlighted in this episode are two companies, Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation. Each seeks to bring electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles...

Donald Trump is the President-elect of the United States of America. He has won the Electoral College, the popular vote, The US Senate, and the US House of Representatives. He has literal control of the Supreme Court and is immune from prosecution in his presidential acts. He is in control.  Leadership could not be more important in these troubling times. This episode offers a brief response to wh...

With one week to go until the Presidential election in the United States, I thought it important to pause, and exhale from the barrage of media to seek votes and final campaign contributions. This episode celebrates an unknown, but truly exemplary leader, Thelma Mothershed Wair. She passed away this past week. She was a member of the Little Rock Nine, and the first black girl to integrate a previo...

The 2024 Nobel Prize for Economic Sciences was awarded to Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James Robinson. Their work “for studies of how institutions are formed and affect prosperity” is particularly timely as we approach election day in the United States. “Societies with a poor rule of law and institutions that exploit their population do not generate growth or change for the better.” A very t...

On September 18, 2024, the Federal Reserve of the United States cut interest by 50 basis points. This is a clear signal that it is time for monetary policy in the United States to be recalibrated. The dual mandates of the Fed to seek full employment and stable inflation brought about today’s long-awaited decision. An exemplary leadership moment by Jay Powell, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve.

Happy Labor Day 2024! This episode recognizes the worth and dignity of labor. Quotes on labor are given from Sophocles, Adam Smith, John D. Rockefeller, and Richard Freeman. The tension between capitalism and democracy, the tension between shareholders and workers, and the balancing act that leaders must navigate to strive to ensure that a rising tide does raise all boats, the challenge to do the...

Steve Kerr, the Coach of the Olympic Gold medal-winning U.S. men's basketball team is showcased. Following the Olympics, coach Kerr was asked to speak in Chicago at the Democratic National Convention. He spoke on leadership. It is important in this year's election and leadership is important in our lives. Steve Kerr raises five points for every leader to emulate.

This episode raises the spectre of the future of international relations.  Who prevails in the United States presidential election in November will define the value proposition of our role in diplomatic leadership.  Will we choose war or will we choose diplomacy?  Will we create, maintain, and fund alliances to defend those in need or will we not?  Our vote will determine the answer to these key l...

This episode showcases the ultimate mission of leadership- to do the right thing.  A Good example is President Biden passing the torch of leadership to a younger generation.  A Bad example is shown in Senator J.D. Vance's accepting his role and responsibilities to be Donald Trump's Vice-President pick.  Lastly, an Ugly example is demonstrated by the moral, ethical, and legal ineptitude of an Assoc...

This episode addresses the stark contrast between the two candidates for President of the United States. One seeking autocracy and autocratic rule.  The other seeking to advance democracy, but not seeing the opportunities to pass the torch to a younger and highly qualified group of leaders.  Leadership is about doing the right thing.  Both could learn from this simple, yet profound, axiom. The ele...

This episode showcases Kindness as a leadership core competency.  Kindness is free. It is uplifting and can have a ripple effect on others. Kindness is needed in our turbulent and troubled world and can play a consequential and strategic role in your leadership journey. Incorporate kindness in your leadership practice.

The economic competition between China and the West could not be more important.  There exists no central agency or authority to manage or lead this critical effort.  A coordinated approach with friends and allies is essential. This episode lays out a beginning framework for such an effort.  Defense and diplomacy are not enough.  We need economic leadership to prevail. 

Mr. Goh Choon Phong, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Singapore Airlines was awarded the 2024 Airline Transport World Excellence in Leadership Award. His leadership journey has been remarkable. His drive to be customer-centric, meaning both employees and travelers, has proven an important leadership benchmark for success; be process-driven rather than outcome-based. Service excellence, product...

Trust is based upon trustworthy behavior. Trust is an essential leadership core competency. What you say and what you do are the connecting dots to trustworthy behavior. For leadership to be effective it must be consistent. In this episode, Dr. Bedker looks back at two previous episodes and updates their continued untrustworthy behavior. The First Congressional District of Virginia and the Boeing...

The issue of homelessness is a far too frequent presence in our lives. Cities across our nation offer a disturbing display of a challenging and multivariate public health issue. From resource funding, to training, knowledge, and experience for public health leaders, to every one of us; we must be aware and sensitive to help those in need. The challenges are numerous and the time to mitigate homele...

Our world is troubled and it is turbulent. Leadership today is more needed and necessary than ever before. There is leadership strength in numbers. Each of us must speak up, speak out, and defend the truth, defend facts, and as we are all called to do: do the right thing. We know what the right thing is; the call to action for each of us is to do the right thing. 

This episode showcases an exemplary leader, Thurgood Marshall. The first African-American to serve as a Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. A believer in realism, not textualism. A believer in equal protection.  Justice Marshall was a notable supporter of human, individual, and civil rights. In doing this he personified the quest of this podcast: do the right thing.

In this episode Dr. Bedker goes back to the very reason for this podcast; the halcyon call for leaders to “do the right thing.” In our troubled and turbulent world, leaders may find difficulty in doing the right thing. The case is made that doing the right thing, even in the most difficult of times, is the ultimate responsibility of leaders. Tell the truth, do not operate from fear, and give hope...