The Manager's Mic With Paul Leon

Doctor Stephanie Duguid shares her inspiring leadership journey rooted in her mother's legacy, emphasizing authentic communication, boundaries, and cultural transformation. Discover practical frameworks and leadership tips to overcome burnout, empower women in leadership, and build trust. Key Topics Leadership foundations from childhood experiences The importance of authentic communication and con...

How do you build wealth without losing sight of what matters most? In this episode of The Manager’s Mic, Paul Leon sits down with entrepreneur, investor, and bestselling author Gino Barbaro to discuss money, legacy, leadership, faith, and family. Gino shares how he went from working in a family pizza restaurant to helping build a real estate portfolio with more than $300 million in assets under ma...

In this episode of The Manager’s Mic, I sit down with Melissa Coloton, a commercial leadership expert with 20 years of experience and more than $1 billion in new business generated throughout her career. Melissa shares how high performers, sales leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs can pursue success without burning out, abandoning themselves, or sacrificing their health, energy, and relationshi...

I sit down with Sean Patton, MBA ACC, a former U.S. Army Ranger and Special Forces Green Beret. Sean is also an executive performance coach, keynote speaker, author, and host of the popular podcast No Limit Leadership. His experience in building trust in teams, creating a compelling vision, and leading through uncertainty will empower you to lead better. Do you want to level up your leadership ski...

This leadership conversation features coaches Brian Powell and Tom Reynolds exploring how effective leadership, coaching, and intentional team development drive organizational effectiveness. They explain how to build high-performing teams through psychological safety, honest communication, and strong collaboration in real workplace conditions. About Bryan Powell Bryan Powell is the co-author of Th...

The ADDIE model helps managers, trainers, and content creators build training that is structured, useful, and easier to improve. In this video, Paul Leon walks through the five stages of ADDIE and explains the step that many teams underuse after launch. Many organizations analyze, design, develop, and implement training, but stop at rollout or at basic participant feedback, rather than measuring w...

Bad feedback can quietly damage team trust, even when a manager has good intentions. In this episode of The Manager’s Mic , Paul Leon shares lessons from managing 17 direct reports and explains how new managers can give feedback that builds rapport instead of breaking it. This conversation covers why self-awareness matters, how intention and impact are not the same, and why psychological safety is...

In my conversation with Dr. Heather Kidwell, she shared her expertise in strategic leadership. Her insights will help newer managers avoid burnout. Learn strategies to reconnect with your purpose to overcome a challenging work environment. Follow Dr. Heather Kidwell An Article to Overcome Burnout https://humanitydrivenleadership.substack.com/p/its-not-just-burnout-its-something Learn About The Bur...

Emily Green shares how she created a community for those seeking speaking opportunities. She shares her journey of owning a marketing agency, which she later sold. If you are a new manager looking to create engagement, this episode is for you. Follow Emily Green Website    https://emily-green.com/   Join The Love Means Business Community https://emily-s-site-eec1.thinkific.com/products/communities...

Can sales skills improve in just 13 days? In this episode of The Manager’s Mic, I break down practical sales training principles that help sales professionals improve communication, sharpen their value proposition, understand buyer psychology, build a stronger sales pipeline, handle rejection, and follow up with purpose. Follow me online for more sales management tips https://www.themanagersmic.co...

AI is changing how leaders are discovered, evaluated, and hired — and your personal brand may already be falling behind. In this episode of The Manager's Mic Podcast, personal branding expert Melanie Borden (founder of Borden Group) breaks down exactly how to build a personal brand strategy that AI can not erase. From searchable leadership to digital visibility tactics that get you found, this is...

Most sales managers inherit broken compensation plans and wonder why their best reps keep leaving. In this episode, compensation expert Scott Trumpolt breaks down exactly why most sales compensation plans fail and what you can do to fix it. Scott shares his experience in designing pay structures that actually motivate your team, reduce sales turnover, and create clear career pathways for your sale...

What can basketball teach you about leadership? Nick Reich breaks down his People First Playbook — a proven framework for building trust, purpose, and high-performing teams." Follow Nick Reich People First Playbook https://www.peoplefirstplaybook.com/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-reich05/   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Leadership Philosophy 02:46 The Journey to Coaching and Leadersh...

Most new managers unknowingly fall into the hero complex, feeling like they have to have all the answers, fix every problem, and impress the team to earn respect. Marc Haine, author of Lights, Camera, Action, breaks down why that instinct is quietly destroying your credibility and what to do instead. Follow Marc Haine Marc’s Book Lights, Camera, Action - https://amzn.to/4rUE7lH Marc’s Website - ht...

What happens when your leadership strengths become your biggest blind spot? I sat down with Curtis Sprouse of Eureka Connect to walk through  My full behavioral assessment   and the results were uncomfortable,  eye-opening, and honestly... accurate. My discipline score? 96th percentile. My goodwill score? 3 out of 100. That gap explains a lot. If you're a driven, results-focused manager  who somet...

In this episode, Paul Leon interviews Keith Willis, an expert in transforming sales teams into high performers through effective management techniques. The conversation explores lessons business leaders can learn from military experience, particularly the concept of servant leadership. Keith shares insights on the importance of communication, accountability, and the common mistakes new managers ma...

In this episode, Travis Cormier shares powerful leadership lessons from cave diving on building a team culture that fosters independence. Travis Cormier, CEO of The 10X Travel Company, which helps consumers leverage their spending to get better travel experiences. 10X Travel has been around since 2014 and has built a community of 400,000+ people. Travis shares leadership lessons from cave diving,...

If your team is underperforming, the hard truth is that you might be the problem. In this episode of The Manager's Mic, I sit down with Barry Moline to discuss the one trait that separates average bosses from great leaders: Extreme Responsibility. Barry breaks down why "I want to be a leader" isn't enough. We dive into the psychology of ownership, why maturity is the secret weapon of management, a...

Scaling a service business past the $1M mark is where most leaders hit a wall. In this episode, business growth expert Michael Walsh reveals how to overcome these "pinch points" to design a company that gives you freedom, not just revenue. We dive deep into the concepts from his book 'Freedom by Design' and explore the "Intelligent Ecosystem" every manager needs to build. If you feel stuck as a bu...

In this episode of The Manager's Mic, I sit down with Mike Durnin, DMin, a leadership expert and former football coach, to uncover the secrets of leadership. Together, we break down his unique "Handful of L's" framework and the "1 and 0" concept to help navigate leadership development without losing an identity. We also discuss the Chris Norton Foundation, which emerged from a tragic moment during...

Paul Leon interviews Curtis Sprouse, a seasoned expert in health care, entrepreneurship, and CEO of Eureka Connect. Curtis shares insights on understanding behavioral profiles and the challenges of identifying key drivers in his industry. Pulling on his experience from healthcare technology, we discuss factors that influence team behavior and the importance of teaching rather than managing. Follow...

In this conversation, Christopher Carter shares his extensive experience in technology, particularly in SAP and AI. He discusses his journey from early computing to becoming a thought leader in AI and entrepreneurship. The conversation covers the evolution of technology, the importance of nurturing human skills in the age of AI, practical applications of AI in business, and the investment required...

Anya Cheng is the Founder and CEO of Taelor, a leading men's clothing subscription service that provides personal styling and curated rentals, powered by AI. A Girls in Tech 40 Under 40 honoree, she previously led eCommerce and digital innovation teams at Meta, eBay, Target, and McDonald's. Taelor’s mission is to help people dress up to achieve their goals, whether it is for a job interview, date...

Taking a moment to wish you and your family Merry Christmas.

Paul Leon shares the life lessons to have a success mindset when pursuing an MBA. The finish line in sight, April of 2026 is graduation, steal my life lessons toward better goal setting and stronger mental strength. Follow Paul Leon by clicking here Chapters 00:00 Overcoming Fear and Embracing Education 06:36 Confronting Fear and Emotional Challenges 15:08 Navigating Shame and Personal Growth 24:4...