Episode 284: Damon Lembi, The Learn-It-All Leader

This week, we revisit our conversation with George Bradt. George has led the revolution in how people start new jobs - accelerating transitions so leaders and their teams reduce their rates of failure and fulfill potential. After Harvard and Wharton (MBA), he progressed through sales, marketing, and general management roles around the world at Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, and J.D. Power’s Power Information Network spin-off as chief executive. Now he is Chairman of PrimeGenesis, author of ten books on onboarding and leadership, including The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan. He has over 700 columns for Forbes, and eighteen plays and musicals (book, lyrics & music).    

  This week we revisit our interview with Steven Kwast, who is the CEO of SpaceBilt. He is a retired Air Force General who has spent his life understanding the art of peaceful International affairs and national security strategies. He was raised in a remote African tribe and is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy in astronautical engineering. He holds a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He has extensive experience in recruiting, educating, training, and developing the workforce for the US Air Force. He was the University President for the Air Force’s University (Air University) in Montgomery, Alabama. He is a combat-seasoned fighter pilot with extensive command experience at every level in the US Air Force. He authored the "Fast Space" study that puts forward a plan to develop the economic and national security power of Space for 21st-century challenges.

This week, we interviewed Daron Lembi. Darin has led Learnit, a global training company for nearly three decades. In that time, they have upskilled over 1.8 million individuals in the workplace. Through this journey, he has gained insights into what helps organizations grow, how great leaders learn, and why learn-it-all companies outpace their competitors every time. Coming to business from a career in baseball, he brings an athlete’s perspective on leadership and training to my informal mentoring of executives. He has distilled those hard-won insights into my bestselling book, The Learn-It-All Leader—Mindset, Traits, and Tools, and keynotes on leadership, entrepreneurship, and lifelong learning.   

This week, we revisited our conversation with Susan Templeton. Susan is a board member and served as Vice Chair of Sebold Capital Management, an investment advisory and financial planning firm serving high-net-worth individuals and families.  Susan is also on the board of directors for Claridges Trust Company where she sits on the investment and audit committee. In addition, she is on the advisory board of Seyen Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm. Susan has her BSBA from the University of Denver, MBA from the University of Chicago and is a graduate of the Board Governance Program- at Northwestern University. 

This week, we interviewed Dr. Denny Coates. Denny is the CEO of Grow Strong Leaders. For over 30 years he has published award-winning, brain-based assessment and learning programs used by millions of people worldwide, as well as hundreds of articles and a dozen books, the most recent of which is Grow Strong Character. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, he is a decorated combat veteran who retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel after 20 years of service. He earned a Ph.D. from Duke University and has served on the faculties of the United States Military Academy, the Armed Forces Staff College, the College of William and Mary, and the Center for Creative Leadership. 

This week, we interviewed Scott Laster. Scott is an award-winning entrepreneur with 20+ years of global medical device and digital health leadership. His time spent within an FTSE 100 and Top 4 Global Medical Device Manufacturer was focused on high-growth markets and transformational commercial business models. His roles drove deep knowledge of business structure, process excellence, and commercial execution – honed by leading teams for product launches (4 platform systems), acquisitions and corporate integrations (>$300M USD), and consistent commercial execution (10x market growth). Scott holds 5 patents and 4 provisional applications. He has also co-authored 4 peer-reviewed scientific posters and 3 peer-reviewed publications and has lectured globally at key industry events such as the International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty (ISTA) and International Congress for Joint Replacement (ICJR) , among others. As MiCare Path’s Chief Executive Officer, he oversees all functions across all aspects of the company.

This week, we interviewed Phil Olsen. Phil is the President of Know Your Strengths, he is a Certified DynaMetrics Professional (CDMP) with Professional DynaMetric Programs. CDMP is PDP’s highest attainable credential dealing with the recognition of human potential and its applications in human performance. He is also credentialed by the Society for Human Resource Management as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). In addition to a degree in business from Utah State University, Phil’s business skills and visionary talents have been shaped and developed through three decades of entrepreneurial business endeavors. His business experience includes management consulting, real estate development, brokerage, investments, mortgage banking, syndications, and automotive dealerships. Phil’s competitive drive was forged in the fire of athletic competition. He was a two-time football All-American at Utah State University, an NFL first-round draft choice, and a 9-year pro football veteran. Phil was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame in the State of Utah in 1985. He’s a member of the Sports Hall of Fame at Utah State University and is also a member of USU’s All Century Team. In 2000, Phil was selected by Sports Illustrated as one of the Top Fifty Athletes of the Century from the State of Utah. In 2003-2007 and again in 2011, he was selected to the final list of candidates for the NCAA College Football Hall of Fame. Phil’s character and values are easily seen in his dedication to his family, his clients and his friends, as well as through his personal commitment to assist others. Phil and his wife Connie have been married for 43 years. They have two happily married daughters and five grandchildren.

This week, we interviewed Karen Davis. Karen is a seasoned executive coach, speaker, and author with over 25 years of leadership experience in the B2B tech sector. She brings nearly two decades of coaching mastery to high-performing executives, entrepreneurs, and fellow coaches. Karen is the co-author of How to Get the Most Out of Coaching: A Client’s Guide for Optimizing the Coaching Experience, a go-to resource for making coaching more effective and transformational.  Known for her intuitive and heart-centered approach, Karen helps leaders uncover blind spots, reclaim clarity, and make bold, aligned decisions. She lives and works near Boulder, Colorado, drawing inspiration from nature, travel, andher vibrant family—including her life partner, adult children, and her beloved dogs, Jax and Pepper. Learn more at KarenDavisCoaching.com

This week, we interviewed Jeremy Laynor, the Senior Vice President of Sales at Providence Medical Technology. We discussed his book The Point Guard Approach. Jeremy offers some insight into what it takes to be a leader at work and at home. Jeremy has a strong track record of success in medical device sales leadership, with specific experience in the spinal implant market. He most recently served as Vice President of Sales at Paradigm Spine, where he was instrumental in growing their commercial effort since 2013. Jeremy held sales leadership positions at Medtronic and previously at Salient Surgical, where he helped the market development of their advanced energy platform to the standard of care for many common orthopedic and spine procedures. He began his healthcare career with Cardinal Health, where he specialized in cultivating national sales teams for new pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical technologies. Jeremy graduated from Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, where he played point guard for the men’s basketball team. He is a husband and proud father of four children, and the family currently lives in Dallas, Texas.

This week, we interviewed Nathan King. Nathan is a consultant who helps leadership teams achieve powerful execution for organizational growth. After leading a healthcare services business unit from $25M to $100M in revenue at Shearwater Health, Nathan launched a consulting practice dedicated to turning strategic intent into sustained organizational outcomes.  With over two decades of experience in high-growth publicly traded and PE-backed companies, Nathan specializes in two key areas: guiding organizational transformations and helping leaders build high-performing teams through executive coaching and facilitating leadership-team development. Nathan holds an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and resides in Nashville, TN.