The Hardest Thing to Scale Is Talent

Season 4, Episode 256The Hardest Thing to Scale Is Talent (feat. Rubi Ho & Mike Sipple Jr.)Connect & ask your leadership question here: https://www.talentmagnet.com/contactusRubi Ho escaped Saigon as a child, built and sold a successful corporate career, then walked away from it to become what he calls a "company coach" -- and in this episode he and Mike Sipple Jr. dig into why the hardest thing any leader will ever try to scale isn't systems or processes, it's talent.In this episode:- Rubi's origin story -- fleeing Vietnam the day before the fall of Saigon, and the judge who refused to split up his eight siblings -- is the root of everything he teaches about confronting fear instead of managing it- An "elephant" is any limiting belief that keeps you smaller than who you actually are -- and you can't solve it by treating the symptom, only by going after the source- The hardest thing to scale in any organization is talent -- you can scale widgets, processes, and systems, but talent doesn't scale the same way- How to lead through VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity): before deciding whether to change, disrupt, transform, or stay the same, test the decision against all four- AI is a powerful tool, but it will always need a human "orchestrator" -- it's the conductor, not the other way around- Family-business CEOs, corporate successor CEOs, and founder CEOs each hit a different version of the same wall -- and each needs a different first question answered- You can't leave your "whole self" at home before work -- the job of leadership is managing that reality, not pretending it doesn't exist- Rubi's definition of unconventional leadership: speaking the truth without ego, regardless of what it costs you professionallyTimecodes:2:14 Rubi's origin story -- fleeing Vietnam the day before the fall of Saigon7:53 Why he wrote "Confronting My Elephants"11:06 What an "elephant" really is, and how confronting one differs from managing it32:05 Why he went back for an executive MBA at Xavier after already earning two master's degrees42:15 Leading through VUCA -- treating volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity as the new normal49:56 Three CEO personas -- family, corporate successor, and founder -- and where each gets stuck1:04:18 Why AI will always need a human "orchestrator"1:10:45 His definition of unconventional leadership: speaking truth without egoResources mentioned:- "Confronting My Elephants" by Rubi Ho- Connect with Rubi Ho: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubiho/___Subscribe & Listen to more content here:- Web: https://www.talentmagnet.com/podcast- YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGtiiP79wCZ2ALPztpr-7XWMl7uQUFRvB- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unconventional-leadership-podcast/id1378659047- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4O6tNE9H2cuWba5Ovnum8C___Connect with the Mike Sipple, Jr!LinkTree: https://www.linktr.ee/mikesipplejrLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesipplejr___Connect with the Talent Magnet Institute!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talentmagnetinstituteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talentmagnetinstitute___Connect with the Centennial on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/centennial-inc

Season 4, Episode 255Show Up and Be Credible (feat. DJ Hodge & Mike Sipple Jr.)Connect & ask your leadership question here: https://www.talentmagnet.com/contactusTake the FREE Self-Care Inventory Quiz: https://www.talentmagnet.com/quizDJ Hodge spent over 20 years running some of the biggest radio markets in the country before walking away from a safe, known role to help build the Cincinnati Crown Network from scratch. He tells Mike what changed the moment a mentor told him he was working too hard to establish credibility when he could just show up and be credible.In this episode:- Why "you're working so hard to establish credibility when you could just show up and be credible" changed how DJ leads- The pivot point of being a terrible leader at 27, managing a team older than himself, before he'd ever heard the term imposter syndrome- Why DJ tracks mentors, not mentees -- and the specific people (Joe Calabrese, Mike Wieder, Louis Kirkham) who altered his career path- The daily non-negotiables that keep his battery full: protecting sleep, being in the office by 6:30 a.m., and rehearsing hard conversations on a six-mile Saturday walk- How the Cincinnati Crown Network launched with 2.2 million social impressions in 4 hours against a goal of 500,000- Why DJ said no to two safer job offers within eight days of a reorg to build something new with Anthony Breen instead- His framework for leading through setbacks: separate what's real from what's fear, then lean into what you can control- What "unconventional leadership" means to him: leading with your heart, not a textbook, and finding what motivates each individual personTimecodes:00:00 It is your attitude, not your aptitude, that determines your altitude01:05 Introducing DJ Hodge and his 20+ year media career04:00 The pivot point: a terrible first year as a leader at 2706:29 Accountability is not a punishment08:02 Launching the Cincinnati Crown Network12:30 The John Woodhouse quote that changed his mindset in 199518:41 Daily habits and non-negotiables that keep him grounded29:15 Leading a team through setbacks and hard seasons53:17 Inside the Crown Network launch: 2.2 million impressions in 4 hours1:00:03 What unconventional leadership means to DJResources mentioned:Cincinnati Crown NetworkCentennialTalent Magnet InstituteRocket Fuel by Gino WickmanLinks and Resources:- Connect with DJ Hodge: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dj-hodge-9666643/___Subscribe & Listen to more content here:Web: https://www.talentmagnet.com/podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGtiiP79wCZ2ALPztpr-7XWMl7uQUFRvBApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unconventional-leadership-podcast/id1378659047Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4O6tNE9H2cuWba5Ovnum8C___Connect with the Mike Sipple, Jr!LinkTree: https://www.linktr.ee/mikesipplejrLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesipplejr___Connect with the Talent Magnet Institute!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talentmagnetinstituteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talentmagnetinstitute___Connect with the Centennial on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/centennial-inc

Season 4, Episode 254Choosing Your Heart Through Retirement, Succession, and Loss (feat. Mary Miller & Mike Sipple Jr.)Connect & ask your leadership question here: https://www.talentmagnet.com/contactusMary Miller built JANCOA into the company behind the bestselling business parable The Dream Manager, then handed the CEO seat to her daughter and stepped fully into caregiving for her husband Tony through his dementia diagnosis -- this episode is about what it actually takes to let go, stay present, and choose your heart when the plan changes.In this episode:- How a consultant who quit on day one pushed Mary and Tony to stop asking "where do we find people" and start asking "what can we do to attract people"- The real story behind The Dream Manager -- how a chance conversation at a retreat turned JANCOA's turnover fix into a worldwide business parable- Why Mary became CEO because Tony told her "I hate being the CEO," and what that kind of honesty does for a leadership team- What actually made succession work: staying open about the plan early, using trusted advisors, and giving family members real ownership before handing over the title- How Strategic Coach's entrepreneurial time system -- 24 hours a day fully off from business -- protected their marriage and their business for three decades- Why Mary stepped away from public speaking and coaching in December 2024 to prioritize her time with Tony- The life lesson Mary repeats most since Tony's dementia diagnosis: don't wait for "later," because later isn't guaranteed- Her definition of an unconventional leader: someone who focuses on where they want to be, not where they are, and helps others do the sameTimecodes:03:45 - The shift from Dream Manager to Dream Engineering05:16 - The retirement conversation Mary never saw coming14:04 - How a bestselling author turned their turnover fix into The Dream Manager25:30 - What it took to prepare the business, and the family, for succession39:59 - Why "I'll enjoy it later" is the riskiest plan there is56:22 - The lesson Mary shares most since Tony's dementia diagnosis1:03:09 - Mary's definition of an unconventional leaderResources mentioned:- The Dream Manager (book, inspired by JANCOA)- Changing Direction: Ten Choices That Impact Your Dreams (book by Mary Miller)- Strategic Coach- Necessary Endings by Dr. Henry Cloud- The Goering Center for Family and Private Businesses, University of Cincinnati- Doing Business Differently podcast with Jesse Cole (Savannah Bananas)Links and Resources:- Connect with Mary Miller: https://dreamengineer.com/___Subscribe & Listen to more content here:Web: https://www.talentmagnet.com/podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGtiiP79wCZ2ALPztpr-7XWMl7uQUFRvBApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unconventional-leadership-podcast/id1378659047Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4O6tNE9H2cuWba5Ovnum8C

This episode is sponsored by Xavier University's Executive MBA Program. To learn more, visit: https://unconventionalpodcast.com/embaSeason 4, Episode 253How This Woman Broke Into the C-Suite — And Refused to Stay Silent (feat. Teresa Tanner & Mike Sipple Jr.)Teresa Tanner spent 30 years making the toughest calls in rooms most leaders never enter — from a heroic boss who carried her through her daughter's cancer diagnosis, to leaving the C-suite at the top of her game to build something no one had built before. In this conversation, she and Mike Sipple Jr. unpack how to find your voice at work, why a culture of integrity is impossible without healthy conflict, and how leading from your values (not your fear of loss) changes everything. They dig into the people-first strategy that cut new-parent attrition by 25%, why every applicant is a potential customer, the rhythms of reflection that keep leaders healthy, and the trail Teresa blazed with Reserve Squad to keep great talent connected instead of walking out the door.Timecodes:00:00 - "Don't silence your voice"01:05 - Meet Teresa Tanner: 30 years in rooms few people enter02:44 - When her daughter Kayla was diagnosed with leukemia05:00 - The boss who said "now it's our turn"07:10 - Leading from your values when fear takes over09:10 - The entrepreneur bug and falling into HR10:01 - Why she pursued an Executive MBA at Xavier13:38 - The "People P&L": invest in people, make more money18:04 - Why chase the C-suite as a woman in business19:40 - "You won't run me off in 19 months"23:36 - Courageous leadership: never be afraid to be fired26:00 - Why there's no culture of integrity without conflict29:05 - How to find your voice (and not be a jerk)31:13 - The maternity concierge program born in a town hall35:49 - Every applicant is a possible customer38:21 - Walking away from the C-suite at the top42:08 - Retreats, rhythms, and reflection43:18 - A cancer diagnosis 90 days after leaving46:06 - "You're not too busy for a mammogram"48:18 - Launching Reserve Squad: a terrifying leap51:10 - Watching great talent walk out the door54:05 - Building a new lane on the employment highway59:27 - Starting a nonprofit: Web & Activated1:01:33 - Working alongside her daughter Kayla1:03:07 - What drives her to blaze new trails1:04:34 - What unconventional leadership means to her🔗 Links and Resources:- Connect with Teresa Tanner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresa-tanner- *Episode Sponsor* Xavier University Executive MBA Program: https://unconventionalpodcast.com/emba___Subscribe & Listen to more content here:➡️ Web: https://www.talentmagnet.com/podcast➡️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGtiiP79wCZ2ALPztpr-7XWMl7uQUFRvB➡️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unconventional-leadership-podcast/id1378659047➡️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4O6tNE9H2cuWba5Ovnum8C___Connect with the Mike Sipple, Jr!LinkTree: ➡ https://www.linktr.ee/mikesipplejrLinkedIn: ➡ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesipplejr___Connect with the Talent Magnet Institute!YouTube: ➡ https://www.youtube.com/@talentmagnetinstituteLinkedIn: ➡ https://www.linkedin.com/company/talentmagnetinstitute___Connect with the Centennial on LinkedIn:➡ https://www.linkedin.com/company/centennial-inc

Season 4, Episode 252It's Not Talent, It's Daily Habits (feat. Leighann Rechtin & Mike Sipple Jr.)Connect & ask your leadership question here: https://www.talentmagnet.com/contactusDr. Leighann Rechtin, Learning and and Engagement Officer at Talent Magnet Institute, joins Mike Sipple Jr. to unpack why the gap between great managers and average ones has nothing to do with talent -- and everything to do with daily habits -- previewing eight Leadership Labs topics TMI is rolling out. In this episode:- Why mid-level managers absorb the most tension in an organization -- they're relaying decisions they didn't make to people who don't trust the message- The one daily habit -- genuine check-ins, not micromanaging -- that separates great managers from average ones- Why most people are terrible at receiving positive feedback, and what that reveals about a leader's culture- How to build critical thinking in people who were only ever rewarded for executing without question- Why using AI to lead better means learning to verify its output, not fear or blindly trust it- The data behind the crisis: 21% global engagement, 73% of companies say they need to reinvent the manager role, and only 7% are actually doing it- Why belonging -- not fitting in -- is the real driver of employee engagement- The listening exercise (with a Bible trivia twist) that exposes how much information your brain skips when someone else is talkingTimecodes:06:15 Where Leighann's passion for learning and development started11:14 The psychology of micro-expressions and why teams communicate more than they realize22:12 Topic 1 -- feedback that changes behavior, and why leaders struggle to give and receive it27:27 Topic 2 -- using AI to lead better without losing human judgment34:21 Topic 5 -- the daily habits that separate great managers from everyone else53:02 The engagement data: 21% disengaged, 73% know they need to change, only 7% are doing it58:31 Why 93% of employees say they'd stay if they felt actively invested inResources mentioned:- Talent Magnet Institute's Leadership Labs (8-part learning series)- Gallup employee engagement research- Talent Magnet's HR Mastermind programLinks and Resources:- Connect with Leighann Rechtin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leighann-rechtin-edd-09b80945/___Subscribe & Listen to more content here:Web: https://www.talentmagnet.com/podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGtiiP79wCZ2ALPztpr-7XWMl7uQUFRvBApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unconventional-leadership-podcast/id1378659047Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4O6tNE9H2cuWba5Ovnum8C___Connect with the Mike Sipple, Jr!LinkTree: https://www.linktr.ee/mikesipplejrLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesipplejr___Connect with the Talent Magnet Institute!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talentmagnetinstituteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talentmagnetinstitute___Connect with the Centennial on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/centennial-inc

Connect & ask your leadership question here: https://www.talentmagnet.com/contactusJohn Yockey has spent decades leading teams and now coaches C-suite executives as faculty at the Talent Magnet Institute -- and in this episode he and Mike Sipple Jr. tackle the question every accomplished leader eventually faces: when does being the most capable person in the room stop helping your team and start holding them back?In this episode:- Trust is the foundation before strategy -- without it, challenge feels like a personal attack, and even talented teams underperform- New leaders who skip relationships and jump straight to the technical work lose a window they never get back- The Airport Story: when people are in uncertainty, they will fill the silence with their own story -- communicate what you can, when you can, even without perfect information- During acquisitions and high-growth phases, the most powerful move is communicating proactively before communications go quiet- Trust is built through vulnerability, not efficiency -- treating relationships like a transaction is the fastest way to lose your team- The hardest leadership transition is becoming a multiplier -- if everything still flows through you, you're a bottleneck, not a leader- Resolve decisions at the lowest possible level; overriding every uncomfortable call destroys the empowerment you claim to want- Approachability is not a soft skill -- it's what gets people two levels down comfortable enough to tell you what's actually going onTimecodes:1:10 Introduction -- who is John Yockey and what he brings to leadership teams2:47 Lencioni's Five Dysfunctions of a Team as the foundation for trust4:03 Why curiosity is the starting point for building a leadership network5:17 The hidden cost of losing your network when you enter a new organization8:50 The Airport Story -- how to lead communication with incomplete information12:37 Communicating through acquisitions when you can't share everything16:25 Proactive communication -- say what you can before the blackout period hits20:29 Trust through vulnerability -- why being efficient with relationships doesn't work22:16 When high performers become bottlenecks -- the smartest person in the room problem23:09 Multiplier vs. individual contributor -- what it actually means to leadResources mentioned:- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni- Connect with John Yockey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-yockey-cpc/___Subscribe & Listen to more content here:- Web: https://www.talentmagnet.com/podcast- YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGtiiP79wCZ2ALPztpr-7XWMl7uQUFRvB- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unconventional-leadership-podcast/id1378659047- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4O6tNE9H2cuWba5Ovnum8C___Connect with the Mike Sipple, Jr!LinkTree: https://www.linktr.ee/mikesipplejrLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesipplejr___Connect with the Talent Magnet Institute!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talentmagnetinstituteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talentmagnetinstitute___Connect with the Centennial on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/centennial-inc

Season 4, Episode 250250 Episodes: What Leading Through the Mess Actually Teaches You (feat. Mike Sipple Jr.)Connect & ask your leadership question here: https://www.talentmagnet.com/contactusAfter 8 years and 250 episodes, Mike Sipple Jr. sits down alone to tell the truth: not about what went right, but about what it actually cost to keep going. This milestone isn't a highlight reel. It's an honest accounting of loss, painful pauses, and what the unconventional leadership journey has demanded of him personally, relationally, and professionally.The leaders who build something lasting, something generational, something that outlives the title on the card, are the ones who stopped trying to carry it alone. Episode 250 is Mike's reflection on what it took to get here, what it cost, and why he's more convicted than ever about what's coming next.In this episode:- Why Mike paused the podcast twice, once from business pressure and team burnout, once from the loss of his sister, and what brought him back both times- The specific loneliness of leadership: not "I don't have friends" lonely, but the particular isolation of holding a vision no one else can fully see- What 250 conversations taught him about leaders who build something lasting and the ones who let others carry it with them- The personal health and burnout reckoning he had mid-journey, and why he couldn't authentically podcast about leadership while running on empty- How going from audio to video took the show from tens of thousands to millions of impressions, and what that visibility has meant for the movement- Why there is no version of you at work that's disconnected from who you are at home and what it really means to lead holistically- What's ahead in Season 4: sponsors, a more independent brand, and a deepened commitment to walking alongside leaders for the long termTimecodes:00:02:18 -- Mike introduces episode 250 and why he chose to speak from the heart with no script00:10:44 -- The conviction he had starting the podcast and what 8 years proved right00:25:32 -- What building the podcast actually required: the time, relational, and personal cost he didn't anticipate00:29:07 -- The loss of his sister and the break that followed and how Josh Lewis and Brian Erickson helped him ramp back00:42:15 -- On asking for help: why leaders carrying everything alone is the wrong answer00:50:46 -- The loneliness of leadership -- holding the culture and vision when you can't fully unload on anyone around you01:00:13 -- What 250 episodes have taught him about leaders who build something that outlives the title on the cardPartners and Sponsors Mentioned: - The Living Room Cincinnati https://hellolivingroom.com/unconventional- Xavier University Executive MBA Program - https://talentmagnet.com/emba/- The Colorado Symphony - https://youtu.be/2MCLLIty6kQ?si=A9PYUzDaAKIDmLS3- Centennial Executive Search: https://www.centennialinc.com- Talent Magnet Institute: https://www.talentmagnet.com- Connect with Mike Sipple Jr.: https://www.linktr.ee/mikesipplejr___Subscribe & Listen to more content here:https://www.talentmagnet.com/podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGtiiP79wCZ2ALPztpr-7XWMl7uQUFRvBApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unconventional-leadership-podcast/id1378659047Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4O6tNE9H2cuWba5Ovnum8C___Connect with the Mike Sipple, Jr!LinkTree: https://www.linktr.ee/mikesipplejrLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesipplejr___Connect with the Talent Magnet Institute!YouTube: :https://www.youtube.com/@talentmagnetinstituteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talentmagnetinstitute___Connect with the Centennial on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/centennial-inc

Season 3, Episode 249The Father, The Founder, and 50 Years of Unconventional Leadership (feat. Mike Sipple, Sr. & Mike Sipple Jr.)Connect & ask your leadership question here: https://www.talentmagnet.com/contactusMike Sipple, Sr. walked into a Cincinnati recruiting firm in 1975 with no suit and no plan -- and spent the next 50 years building one of the region's most trusted executive search firms into a multigenerational legacy. This episode answers the question every leader avoids: what does it actually mean to build something that outlasts you?In this episode:- Mike Sr. answers the call to lead Centennial after founder Jim Morris's unexpected death in 1980 -- chosen not for experience, but for character and trust- Why leadership, in his words, has always started with two things: character and trust -- and why that hasn't changed in five decades- The "4C Recruiting Process®" framework (Character, Culture, Chemistry, Competence) that was born out of a post-9/11 strategic planning session and still defines how Centennial's client's hire today- How Mike Sr. spent years advising other business owners on succession planning before realizing he had never thought about his own- The role faith played at every inflection point -- from Jim Morris's death to the support of founding Talent Magnet Institute® to transitioning the keys to his son- What it looked like to bring Mike Jr. from computer-building intern to company CEO -- and the advisor who first asked, "Have you ever considered Michael as a recruiter?"- Why legacy isn't a building, a balance sheet, or a brand -- it's the leaders who say yes before the proof shows upTimecodes:00:01 -- Mike Sr. walks into Centennial in 1975 and why he stayed00:27 -- Jim Morris passes away; Mike Sr. is named president at 30 with no warning00:30 -- Defining leadership before he had the title: character and trust00:55 -- The compounding power of 50 years of client relationships01:04 -- Watching Mike Jr. grow up in the business and the question that changed everything01:10 -- The Goering Center succession process and why Mike Sr. insisted Mike Jr. choose freely01:30 -- What "unconventional leadership" actually means to someone who has practiced it for five decades01:37 -- What legacy means personally to Mike Sipple, Sr.The Living Room Cincinnati (episode sponsor): https://hellolivingroom.com/unconventional___Subscribe & Listen to more content here:Web: https://www.talentmagnet.com/podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGtiiP79wCZ2ALPztpr-7XWMl7uQUFRvBApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unconventional-leadership-podcast/id1378659047Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4O6tNE9H2cuWba5Ovnum8C___Connect with the Mike Sipple, Jr!LinkTree: https://www.linktr.ee/mikesipplejrLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesipplejr___Connect with the Talent Magnet Institute!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talentmagnetinstituteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talentmagnetinstitute___Connect with the Centennial on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/centennial-inc

Season 3, Episode 248Stop Trying to Retain Your People (feat. Travis Dommert & Mike Sipple Jr.)Connect & ask your leadership question here: https://www.talentmagnet.com/contactusTravis Dommert, Senior Client Executive, People & Performance, of One Digital has spent years sitting across from CEOs navigating the most personal transition in business: stepping into the top job. What he sees isn't a strategy problem -- it's an identity problem. The leaders who get it right stop trying to be who the role was and start figuring out who the role needs to become.Mike and Travis unpack the CEO's one non-delegatable job -- making meaning -- and trace how trust, clarity, accountability, and the way you handle someone's first and last day all compound into the culture that either activates your people or quietly burns them out.In this episode:- Why stepping into the CEO role is an identity crisis before it's a strategy question -- and what family business succession makes even more complicated- The one thing no CEO can delegate: making meaning out of every experience your people have at work- How the "marble jar" model explains why trust is built in moments, not gestures -- and why some people need a thousand of them- Why accountability without trust creates fear -- and what "positive accountability" looks like when it's actually working- Survey response rates as the loudest signal of organizational health: below 50% means half your people don't think their voice matters- Why Day One and Last Day are the two highest-leverage moments in any employee's tenure -- and what most leaders get completely wrong on the last one- The infinite talent strategy: grow people so well some of them leave -- and why most of them won't, and the ones who do build your alumni networkTimecodes:0:01:11 - Episode framing: CEO identity, role, and succession0:02:10 - Introducing Travis Dommert, One Digital0:03:29 - The CEO identity crisis: when role and person collide0:16:05 - The one non-delegatable CEO job: making meaning0:20:07 - Curiosity and listening strategies -- how to know if you're losing the room0:34:42 - Journey to Mastery: trust, clarity, accountability, and what goes first0:47:33 - Positive accountability: why it goes last, and how to build toward it0:58:05 - Day One as a top-ten life moment -- and why Last Day echoes forever1:01:29 - Travis defines unconventional leadershipResources mentioned:- One Digital (Travis's company: https://www.onedigital.com- Centennial Inc. (Mike's family business): https://centennialinc.com- "The Go-Giver" by Bob Burg and John David Mann- Brené Brown -- marble jar metaphor for trust- Simon Sinek -- The Infinite Game- Andy Stanley -- "Later is Longer"- Jim Lehrer (sports psychologist) -- research on self-deceptionLinks and Resources:- Connect with Travis Dommert: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travisdommert/___Subscribe & Listen to more content here:Web: https://www.talentmagnet.com/podcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGtiiP79wCZ2ALPztpr-7XWMl7uQUFRvBApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unconventional-leadership-podcast/id1378659047Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4O6tNE9H2cuWba5Ovnum8C___Connect with the Mike Sipple, Jr!LinkTree: https://www.linktr.ee/mikesipplejrLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesipplejr___Connect with the Talent Magnet Institute!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talentmagnetinstituteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talentmagnetinstitute___Connect with the Centennial on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/centennial-inc

Connect & ask your leadership question here: https://www.talentmagnet.com/contactusTake the FREE Self-Care Inventory Quiz: https://www.talentmagnet.com/quizSeason 3, Episode 247How Great Leaders Challenge the Status Quo (feat. Mark Fisher & Mike Sipple Jr.)What does it really take to create meaningful change inside an organization?In this episode of the Unconventional Leadership Podcast, Mike Sipple Jr. sits down with Mark Fisher, Chief Operating Officer of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, for a conversation about vision, courage, operational excellence, and what it means to lead with a willingness to challenge the status quo.Mark shares why inspiring teams takes more than a strategic plan, how leaders can create momentum through quick wins, and why some of the best ideas often come from the front lines. Together, Mike and Mark unpack what it looks like to break rules in the right way, build a culture that allows calculated failure, and stay relentless in pursuit of progress that benefits both the organization and the broader community.They also explore succession planning, sustainability, innovation, team development, and the kind of leadership energy required to move people from ideas into action.If you are a CEO, founder, HR leader, executive, or people manager trying to lead change, improve culture, and build a team that is willing to think differently, this conversation will challenge and encourage you. 🔗 Links and Resources:• Learn more about the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden: https://cincinnatizoo.org• Connect with Mark Fisher: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoodude• Learn more about the Cincinnati Zoo leadership team: https://cincinnatizoo.org/about-us/zoo-leadership/TIMECODES:00:00 - Why meaningful progress requires challenging the rules01:24 - Why strategy alone does not inspire people03:37 - Breaking the rules and challenging the status quo06:25 - The Cincinnati Zoo’s transformation over the last 20 years08:35 - How long-term vision became reality11:37 - Leadership stamina and casting vision over time14:32 - Sustainability, purpose, and operational excellence16:13 - The water bill that changed everything20:14 - Why frontline teams often see the real problems first22:47 - Leading sustainability through practicality and ROI28:01 - Relentless leadership and the stamina to keep going29:17 - Why great leaders invest in what is working33:02 - Creating a culture where people can fail forward37:05 - Succession planning and building the bench39:14 - Challenging everything without losing your values41:37 - Using feedback loops and quick wins to build momentum44:40 - Inspiring by doing, not just talking48:14 - Community impact, partnerships, and leading beyond your walls⸻Subscribe & Listen to more content here:➡️ Web: https://www.talentmagnet.com/podcast➡️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGtiiP79wCZ2ALPztpr-7XWMl7uQUFRvB➡️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unconventional-leadership-podcast/id1378659047➡️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4O6tNE9H2cuWba5Ovnum8C⸻Connect with the Mike Sipple, Jr!LinkTree: ➡ https://www.linktr.ee/mikesipplejrLinkedIn: ➡ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesipplejr⸻Connect with the Talent Magnet Institute!YouTube: ➡ https://www.youtube.com/@talentmagnetinstituteLinkedIn: ➡ https://www.linkedin.com/company/talentmagnetinstitute⸻Connect with the Centennial on LinkedIn:➡ https://www.linkedin.com/company/centennial-inc