The UnlearnT Podcast

Send us Fan Mail We examine leadership through the lens of the 1989 film "Lean On Me," exploring how different organizational phases require different leadership styles and what makes a leader effective in each one. • Different organizational phases (startup, turnaround, realignment, acceleration, sustaining success) require different leadership approaches • Joe Clark's authoritaria...

Send us Fan Mail We must learn to recognize how environments change us and evaluate whether our transformations align with our true selves. The journey of Andy in The Devil Wears Prada illustrates the tension between ambition and purpose. • Ambition has a shadow side that can reveal unexpected aspects of ourselves • The tradeoffs required when trying to "have it all" necessitate hard cho...

Send us Fan Mail Drumline offers powerful leadership lessons through the journey of three key characters navigating conflict and change within a college marching band. • Dr. Lee represents tradition and structure, struggling to adapt to changing times while maintaining excellence • Sean demonstrates how middle-management leadership requires overcoming insecurity to develop talent rather than contr...

Send us Fan Mail We explore leadership lessons from Pixar's Toy Story in this episode of our Summer Movies series, examining how disruption and change affect team dynamics and leadership development. • Teams typically go through four developmental stages: forming, storming, norming, and performing • Disruption (like Buzz arriving) moves teams from norming back to storming - a necessary part o...

Send us Fan Mail We examine the six Infinity Stones from Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War and extract powerful leadership lessons from each one that can help us become more effective, balanced leaders. • The Power Stone demonstrates the difference between personality-driven leadership and team-centered leadership • The Space Stone warns against taking up too much room in your organization out...

Send us Fan Mail We explore leadership lessons from Disney's The Lion King, examining how this iconic film portrays the journey from youth to mature leadership through Simba's story. • The Circle of Life establishes leadership as a circle, not a ladder – emphasizing contribution over position • Young Simba focuses on benefits of kingship without understanding responsibilities, similar to...

Send us Fan Mail The Remember the Titans episode explores leadership themes, racial tensions, and community transformation through the lens of this iconic sports movie featuring Denzel Washington. • Sports movies powerfully utilize the underdog narrative to touch on deeper social issues • Coach Boone and Coach Yost represent different leadership styles—visionary versus pastoral • Leaders can'...

Send us Fan Mail When emerging from crisis, we must reorient ourselves to new environments with new mindsets, as the habits and perspectives that sustained us during difficult times may not serve us in seasons of abundance. • The storm truly ends when you change, not when your circumstances do • True forgiveness is an ongoing practice, not a one-time event • Crisis reveals what was truly rooted in...

Send us Fan Mail The second part of our storm series focuses on what to do during moments of crisis, offering practical guidance for navigating through life's most challenging seasons. We share wisdom on how to maintain your sense of self and purpose when everything around you seems to be falling apart. • Stop pretending about your situation and be honest about where you are • Give yourself t...

Send us Fan Mail We explore the essential components of a crisis toolkit for millennials and middle adults who are feeling squeezed by life's challenges and uncertainties. • Community is foundational—know who's around you and be aware of what gifts they bring to your life • Being rooted in the same values is different from simply being bonded to others • Financial preparation requires do...

Send us Fan Mail The Gardners join us to share their journey as a blended family, revealing how they built a strong foundation through commitment, communication, and adapting to unexpected changes. Ty and Ruth Abigail discuss how their relationship evolved from online dating to creating a unified family, demonstrating that love makes room for the unexpected. • Meeting on Facebook and moving from t...

Send us Fan Mail The whole Smith family gathers for an intimate, multigenerational discussion about parenting approaches, examining what needs to be preserved and what should be unlearned for the benefit of future generations. • Jacqueline Smith (mother) shares how "more is caught than taught" when it comes to parenting • Rev. Rufus Smith IV (father) reflects on giving his children what...

Send us Fan Mail We explore how what comes out of us under pressure directly reveals what we've been filling ourselves with, just as squeezing a lemon produces only lemon juice because that's what's inside it. • Taking inventory of what we consume through our eyes, ears, and bodies determines what will come out when life squeezes us • Our digital footprints provide a practical way t...

Send us Fan Mail Juanita shares her journey as a single mother parenting her now 18-year-old daughter from age four, offering wisdom on co-parenting, building resilience, and evolving from teacher to coach. • Transitioning from a two-parent household to single parenting requires choosing trust with both the co-parent and eventually the child • The shift from teaching to coaching should happen earl...

Send us Fan Mail Erica Ramsey joins RA to discuss the profound transition from career-focused independence to motherhood and how she's navigating this unexpected journey while maintaining her identity and business. • Success in business doesn't automatically translate to feeling prepared for parenthood • Becoming a mother in the first year of marriage required a complete mental shift • T...

Send us Fan Mail God is moving us from transactional mindsets to transformational encounters that prepare us not just to receive blessings but to become capable of holding and sharing them. The real test of faith comes not in waiting but in the moment God starts giving us what we've been asking for. • Distinguishing between transactional relationships with God versus transformational encounte...

Send us Fan Mail Settle in folks! Patrick and Shemika Harrington share their wisdom on navigating the challenging transition from parenting children to parenting adults, discussing the generational differences between Gen X parents and their Gen Z children in today's rapidly changing world. • The difference between commanding children and conversing with adult children • Understanding that &q...

Send us Fan Mail Freedom depends not on unlimited choices but on clear boundaries that enable focused attention and meaningful progress. • You cannot focus on something that isn't properly framed • Like picture frames, boundaries help eliminate distractions and highlight what's important • True freedom isn't chaotic—it's responsible, enjoyable and safe • Struggling to focus oft...

Send us Fan Mail Eric Ballentine, Executive Director of Streets Ministries in Memphis, shares his journey through fatherhood, marriage, and ministry as someone who "jumped off the porch" at age 12 before finding his faith at 25. His powerful story reveals how his past experiences shaped his approach to raising children in a blended family and the lessons he learned about authentic manhoo...

Send us Fan Mail The time has come to break free from limiting narratives that keep us trapped in cycles of stagnation and disappointment. We must dig deep to identify and extract the thoughts that make us believe nothing will ever change in our lives. • Stop building mental frameworks that support your old life • Understand that the way you speak about your desires shapes your reality • Actively...

Send us Fan Mail Hard work isn't enough to become a billionaire or reach your greatest potential - consistency and acquiring new knowledge are the true differentiators that create extraordinary success. • Billionaires don't become billionaires just by working hard - two other factors make the difference  • Consistency requires discipline and making decisions based on principles rather th...

Send us Fan Mail Gain courage to change your mind and experience more freedom as we explore unlearning what we thought we knew about the church. Our varied experiences reveal the importance of personal faith and community outside the church walls. • Emphasis on personal faith beyond church attendance  • Importance of community in living out one’s beliefs  • Unlearning the rigid structures of tradi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we explore the significance of dreams and the need to unlearn limiting beliefs that hold us back. By reigniting hope and leaning on faith, listeners are encouraged to revisit their aspirations and trust that with God, anything is possible. • Discussing the importance and value of dreams  • Examining limiting beliefs and how they hinder progress  • Reinstating hope...

Send us Fan Mail We welcome Megan back to the podcast for a crucial conversation centered around race. Through personal anecdotes and open dialogue, we explore the complexities and nuances of discussing race among friends from different backgrounds.  - The importance of courage in changing perspectives  - Creating safe spaces for honest discussions on race  - The role of relationships in fostering...

Send us Fan Mail This episode delves into the true nature of purpose and its often-misunderstood dimensions. We challenge listeners to distinguish their real purpose from people-pleasing, emphasizing that fulfilling one’s purpose can energize rather than drain. • The importance of purpose is often misunderstood  • Central purpose: glorifying God above all  • Confusion between people-pleasing and t...