The Leadership Foundry Podcast

The best leaders "pull complexity up and push simplicity down." This episode featuring Frank Blake, former Chairman and CEO of The Home Depot is a true gift! Frank highlights how CEOs and senior teams need to understand the inverted pyramid (you're at the bottom, folks!). Communication does not cascade. He also talks about listening to your team and maintaining the mindset of a continuous learner....

Have you ever made a $2 million mistake at work? Today's guest did during his early days as CMO of Chick-fil-A. Listen in to this special edition of the podcast as Steve Robinson, author of Covert Cows and Chick-fil-A, shares what he learned and how it changed his career.  

We're taking it back to one of our favorites from the vault this week. In this episode, Brandon Smith sits down with Rick Gilkey, a member of the Emory University family as a professor for many years. The two discuss how,   if we better understand our brains, we better understand ourselves AND our relationships! Our brain creates 10,000 new neurons each day! But as Rick says, "use it or lose it!"

Keynote speaker and bestselling author Jennifer Kahnweiler has been a friend of the show for many years. We're excited to welcome her back later this spring for a brand new episode on her book, The Introverted Leader 3rd Edition! So to help us prepare, we're pulling one of Brandon's previous conversations with Jennifer from the vault for this week's release. Whether you lead with quiet influence o...

Embracing transformation takes courage, but just like spring, it's a chance to bloom into something new. So today, we're revisiting our conversation featuring Brandon Smith and Ashley Freeman on the topic of career purpose. 

Navid Ahdieh is Senior Managing Director and Partner at North Highland. In this special re-focus episode from the vault, Navid and Brandon explore the personal evolution of leadership, reflecting on how our histories shape self-awareness and leadership philosophies. They dive into the power of patience, the importance of authenticity, and the value of creating space for team members to share their...

As a leader, is patience one of your superpowers? If used at the right time and in the right context, having patience can actually give you better results. Listen in as co-founders Brandon Smith and Randy Hain explain in this important episode from the vault.

If you're looking to make a smooth and beneficial transition from CEO to board member, today's episode is for you. We're revisiting our conversation with Dave Stockert on The Leadership Foundry Podcast. Dave details the three T's of a good board member along with the markers of an effective board chair. 

We've talked a lot about virtues, leadership qualities and building trust in recent episodes of the podcast. Today's topic nicely aligns as we're revisiting our conversation with CEO Doran Oancia. Doran highlights an often under-represented practice: setting and leading with company values. Listen in for tips on how to select, promote and hire with those values.

Andrea Chilcote is CEO of Morningstar Ventures and author of the book What Leaders Need Now . For today's conversation, Andrea joins Brandon and Randy to discuss the book and her findings from the accompanying assessment. How do leaders assess their performance on compassion, courage and humility? What do their direct reports say? In which areas do leaders tend to struggle the most? Listen in! 

Randy Hain's new book, Practical Virtue , is now available! Today on the podcast, he and Brandon take a deep dive into the virtues early career professionals must embrace to become leaders others want to follow. Randy guides senior leaders on how to use the book to connect with those on their teams and foster mentor relationships.

Last week, we focused on building healthy teams, comprised of healthy individuals. Today on the Leadership Foundry Podcast, we're revisiting Brandon Smith's conversation with Chris Pacer, Vice President Group Executive at Motion Industries. Chris details how to align your people with their passions so you can lead at scale.    Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izkJ...

A high-performing leader doesn't guarantee a high-performing team, but you can't have a high-performing team without a strong leader. In this episode from the vault, Rusty Chadwick of WinShape Teams joins Brandon to discuss the power of teams. 

As leaders, how do we create a culture of accountability while effectively driving ownership within our teams? Co-founder, Brandon Smith, details the three-step process on this edition of the podcast.  

Whether you're leading change, building influence, or navigating uncertainty, trust is the foundation. None of these are possible without establishing trust first! On today's episode of the Leadership Foundry Podcast, we're breaking down the three essential ingredients for building trust with colleagues, team members, customers, and beyond.

The outcome of the meeting determines the need for a meeting.  So - should you have less meetings in 2025?  Check out today's episode from the vault as friend of the show and Inc. Columnist, Jeff Haden, details three ways leaders can set up their teams for success:  1 - Drive transparency around the promotion process.  2 - Match the proper managers and management styles to the context in which you...

January is a great reminder to refocus and shift our attention back to those we serve: our employees, our partners and our customers. Atlanta Community Food Bank founder, Bill Bolling highlights this in our "timeless leadership masterclass" on the Leadership Foundry Podcast.  Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Fgd_Fz_55Q

What are some of the most common leadership best practices that leaders need to revisit in 2025? As the workplace transforms and challenges shift, staying effective requires a fresh look at timeless principles. Brandon and Randy discuss seven focus areas on today's podcast. 

If one of your goals this year includes driving innovation and fostering the entrepreneurial culture inside your organization, today's refocus episode is for you. Louis K. Gump has literally written the book on how to effectively implement an intrapreneurship program. Drawing from firsthand experience, Louis offers valuable insights on talent acquisition, monitoring metrics to track progress and m...

The countdown to a new year is on! As we prepare to enter 2025, we're taking a look back at some leadership lessons learned over the years. From 360 interviews to managing stress and beyond, Brandon Smith and Randy Hain break down the "bad behaviors" stress can bring out of team members and how to help.

"Ti voglio bene" = "I want your good." Podcast guest Andreas Widmer challenges leaders to have the courage to ask: "What is the "end" you want for your team?" We're taking some time away from the mics this week, but hope you enjoy this special holiday edition of The Leadership Foundry Podcast. Co-hosts Brandon Smith and Randy Hain talk with Andreas about the leader's responsibility to the team, fl...

What would it look like if you were 20% braver in 2025? Inspired by the previous podcast conversation with co-host Randy Hain and a recent client engagement, Brandon Smith challenges leaders with this question as we approach a new year. 

As we reflect on 2024, Brandon and Randy examine the need for inspiration. Where does inspiration come from? How can we be more inspiring to others as leaders? Get ready to "breathe new life into" a new year as our co-founders offer tips for how to do this effectively and with excitement.   Watch the full show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW41Pa6HCJQ

'Tis the season of gratitude and giving! We're revisiting Episode 33 of The Leadership Foundry Podcast as we examine the unique challenges nonprofit leaders face. Cal Morgan, President and CEO of the Atlanta Humane Society, shares his insight on collaboration, communication and highlighting the mission.  Tomorrow is #GivingTuesday! Don't forget to show some love to your favorite nonprofits! Watch...

As we approach Thanksgiving this week, we're taking time to reflect on how to show gratitude to our teams in this special holiday edition of the podcast. Earlier this year, co-hosts Randy Hain and Brandon Smith had the opportunity to sit down with Chester Elton. He explained that the common thread for excellence of best-in-class companies is gratitude. Our team members want to be noticed and celeb...