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The Leadership Podcast

The Leadership Podcast

We Study Leaders

Latest Podcast

TLP502: Never Fire Anyone with Mark Morgenfruh

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TLP502: Never Fire Anyone with Mark Morgenfruh

March 11, 2026 Leave a Comment

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Mark Morgenfruh is the President and CEO of GetHRready and author of “Never Fire Anyone: A Leader’s Guide on how to Lead People not Companies.” He holds a Master of Human Resource Management from Rutgers University and built his no-nonsense, trust-first philosophy from the ground up.

In this episode, Mark dismantles the two most common leadership failures he calls “keyboard cowboys” (leading from behind a screen) and “happy talk” (avoiding the real conversation until it’s too late). He makes the case that trust isn’t built through programs or policies — it’s built by being a normal human being when you walk through the door.

Mark introduces his values-based leadership and disciplinary model — an alternative to PIPs and terminations. He explains why firing someone is more often a reflection of a bad hire or promotion decision than a performance problem. He also challenges HR to stop being the policy police and start being an enabler of real relationships between leaders and their people.

If you’ve ever avoided a hard conversation, put someone on a PIP, or wondered why your culture feels transactional — this episode is for you.

TLP501: Failure as Fuel: When to push through and when to quit

March 4, 2026 1 Comment

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Steve Taplin is the CEO of Sonatafy Technology, author of “Fail Hard, Win Big: 30 Ventures | 20 Failures | 10 Wins,” and host of the Software Leaders Uncensored podcast.  In this conversation, Steve reveals the partnership that almost destroyed him but vindicated him five years later; why he walked out of a meeting with…

TLP500: The Leadership Myths We Keep Getting Wrong with Admiral Bill McRaven

February 25, 2026

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Work–life balance sounds responsible. Admiral William (Bill) McRaven thinks it’s misleading at best—and often harmful. In our special 500th episode of The Leadership Podcast, McRaven strips away the language leaders hide behind and replaces it with judgment, clarity, and responsibility.  Instead of chasing balance, he offers a far more useful distinction: knowing which commitments are…

TLP499: You’re Charging for the Wrong Thing with Joe Pine

February 18, 2026

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Joe Pine is an internationally recognized author, speaker, and advisor, best known for The Experience Economy and his latest work, The Transformation Economy. In this episode, Joe explains why the market is finally ready—25 years later—for the shift to the transformation economy. He walks through the evolution of economic value, from commodities to goods, services,…

TLP498: Why Grit Isn’t Enough: Rethinking Resilience in Leadership

February 11, 2026

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Oli Raison, co-founder of Safarini Leadership, designs immersive leadership expeditions in Kenya that combine cultural exchange with Samburu elders, wilderness trekking, and deep reflective coaching. In this conversation, Oli challenges one of leadership’s most entrenched assumptions: that resilience is about individual grit and mental toughness. Drawing on the Samburu concept of naboisho—interdependence—he shows how real…

TLP497: Why Most Leaders Are Using AI Wrong—and How to Fix It

February 4, 2026

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Geoff Woods is founder of AI Leadership and #1 international bestselling author of The AI Driven Leader: Harnessing AI to Make Faster, Smarter Decisions.  In this episode, Geoff introduces the CRIT framework: “Context, Role, Interview, Task.” He also reveals why most leaders are still acting like industrial workers—showing up on time, following orders, doing repetitive…

TLP496: Why Faster Change Doesn’t Mean Faster Action

January 28, 2026

Mark van Rijmenam is a futurist, award-winning keynote speaker globally ranked as number one in his field. Salesforce recognizes him as a leading voice in AI. His latest book, Now What: How to Ride the Tsunami of Change, is available now, and he’s the founder of FutureWise. In this episode, Mark challenges the assumption that…

TLP495: The Accountability Paradox

January 21, 2026

Patrick Veroneau is CEO of Emery Leadership Group and author of The Leadership Bridge: How to engage your employees and drive organizational excellence and The Missing Piece: What Great Teams Do That Others Overlook.  In this episode, Patrick explains why organizations’ increasing focus on accountability systems over the past five years has coincided with employee…

TLP494: When Leadership Is About Who You Serve: Mark Steffe’s Story

January 14, 2026

Mark Steffe is President and CEO of First Command Financial Services, bringing over 30 years of financial services leadership. In this episode, Mark explains why he left his dream job working with ultra-high-net-worth families to serve military members who truly need financial guidance. He shares how military families face unique challenges including frequent relocations, spouse…

TLP493: “Sand People” – The Hidden Drag on Your Team’s Performance

January 7, 2026

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Jim and Jan tackle the uncomfortable truth about “sand people,” those team members who grind everything to a halt, and why even your best glue guy can’t overcome the friction they create. Drawing from their coaching experience, Jim and Jan reveal how to identify and deal with sand people before they destroy your team. They…

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Recent Posts

  • TLP502: Never Fire Anyone with Mark Morgenfruh
  • TLP501: Failure as Fuel: When to push through and when to quit
  • TLP500: The Leadership Myths We Keep Getting Wrong with Admiral Bill McRaven
  • TLP499: You’re Charging for the Wrong Thing with Joe Pine
  • TLP498: Why Grit Isn’t Enough: Rethinking Resilience in Leadership

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