Building or Diminishing with Doug Crandall

Michael Parke is an Assistant Professor of Management and the Charles W. Evans Distinguished Faculty Scholar at the Wharton School, where he studies why people speak up at work, why they stay silent, and the role emotions play in both. A Michigan Ross graduate and former captain of the University of Michigan soccer team, he earned his PhD in organizational behavior before becoming a professor.Michael was Bubba’s MGMT 6100 professor during his first year at Wharton, and Bubba later worked with him as a leadership fellow. In this episode, Michael shares what captaining his college team taught him about leading peers, and how sports psychologist Greg Harden pushed him toward a PhD. He explains the two reasons people stay quiet at work, fear and futility, and why most leaders only deal with the first. They also talk about strategic silence and when waiting to speak up helps or hurts, how Pixar makes candor part of the job, how to close the loop when you can’t use someone’s idea, and his new research on naming your emotions when you raise a problem.Key takeaway: Making it safe to speak up is only half the job. If you want the truth, you have to ask for it, and then show people it was worth telling you.Chapters00:00 Introduction01:18 From Michigan to the Business School Classroom03:52 What Soccer Taught Him About Leading Peers08:06 Greg Harden and the Push Toward a PhD11:33 The PhD Grind and Why Support Matters18:41 Employee Voice: Fear and Futility25:00 Strategic Silence and the Three R’s30:11 When Strategic Silence Backfires33:25 Why the Weight Falls on Leaders38:09 Pixar’s Brain Trust43:59 Closing the Loop When You Can’t Use Every Idea51:13 Why He Keeps Coming Back to MGMT 610055:47 New Research: Naming Your Emotions1:02:00 If You Want the Truth, Ask for It1:04:20 Managing Your Own Emotions

Ebenezer Gyasi is a former active-duty Navy judge advocate, now serving as a JAG in the Navy Reserve, and a former federal law clerk. He grew up between New Jersey and Ghana, played football at Phillips Exeter and Williams College, and taught sixth-grade math in Baton Rouge with Teach For America before attending Penn Law and serving five years on active duty in the Navy JAG Corps.Bubba has known Eb since 2008, when Eb played football at Exeter with Bubba’s brother. In this episode, they talk about what a Ghanaian-American upbringing and the Harkness table taught Eb about community, and why past success never guarantees the next level. He explains why being right means little if the people you’re leading can’t hear you. He also shares what he learned defending young Sailors and advising commanders, what clerking for two federal judges taught him about mentorship, and how three trusted voices pointed him toward the JAG Corps.Key takeaway: Much of leadership happens without command authority. It comes through trust, clear communication, and honest counsel that helps decision-makers see their options and the risks. Along the way, a few words of confidence from the right person can change the direction of someone’s life.Find Ebenezer: Instagram @ebeneezy | LinkedIn: Ebenezer K. GyasiChapters00:00 Introduction01:36 Growing Up Between Ghana and New Jersey07:04 A Scholarship to Exeter and the Harkness Table11:54 Exeter Football and Finally Beating Andover14:56 Past Success Is No Guarantee18:16 How a Football Captain Planted the Teach For America Seed24:45 Being Right Isn’t Enough29:26 Three Nudges Toward the JAG Corps36:34 Defending Young Sailors: The Lawyer as Explainer43:59 Advising Commanders Without the Final Say48:09 OpenAI and Two Federal Clerkships54:24 What Great Mentors Have in Common56:51 “Anyone Who Ever Gave You Confidence, You Owe Them a Lot”59:40 Curiosity and Courage1:02:40 Where to Find Eb

Tom Clifford is the founder of Without Limits, an accomplished endurance athlete, coach, and race director who has spent decades studying what it takes to perform at a high level.Tom’s relationship with running started early, shaped by his siblings, his father, and a competitive drive that eventually took him to collegiate running at Eastern Michigan. But over time, his understanding of performance changed. He learned that toughness is not simply about pushing harder, and that some of the most important gains come from knowing when to slow down, recover, and remain consistent over time. In this episode, Tom shares the story of building Without Limits from a handful of clients into a coaching and endurance-sports community, including the unlikely origins of the business and the creation of the Wilmington Marathon. He also takes us inside what it is like to coach athletes chasing Boston Marathon qualifying times and Olympic Trials standards, and explains why the best coaching goes far beyond writing a training plan. We talk about discipline, consistency, confidence, trust between coach and athlete, dealing with failure, controlling ego, and why long-term excellence often requires resisting the temptation to prove yourself every single day.Key Takeaway: Excellence is rarely built through one extraordinary effort. It comes from consistently doing the right work, recovering well, learning from failure, and having the patience to improve over time.Find out more about Without Limits at iamwithoutlimits.comChapters00:00 – Tom Clifford: The Relentless Pursuit of Excellence01:01 – Growing Up in Michigan and Finding Running05:24 – His Father’s Heart Attack and a Family Lifestyle Change08:46 – Learning Discipline and Giving Up Shortcuts13:58 – The Competitive Drive: “I Didn’t Want to Lose”16:13 – What Elite Running Training Actually Looks Like20:08 – What Tom Wishes He Knew as a College Athlete24:07 – How Access to Information Is Changing Endurance Sports28:51 – Moving to Wilmington and Starting From Scratch33:29 – The Birth of Without Limits35:50 – Building the Wilmington Marathon39:26 – When You’re Coaching the Best, How Do You Make Them Better?41:50 – Coaching Athletes Toward the Olympic Trials45:13 – Finding Three Minutes: The Fine Margins of Elite Performance49:49 – Why Great Coaching Is More Than a Training Plan54:07 – The Pressure to Reproduce Success58:40 – Consistency Over Intensity1:03:08 – Communication as the Foundation of Leadership1:06:34 – Where to Find Without Limits

Lang Barth is a Naval Academy graduate, former Navy surface warfare officer, product marketing leader at Intuit, and the founder of Civilian Compass, a platform designed to help veterans navigate one of the most difficult questions that comes with leaving the military: What do I actually want to do next?Lang's own transition began with a single conversation that turned into hundreds. He developed a systematic way to learn from veterans already working in different industries, track what interested him, test his assumptions, and ultimately find a career that fit the life he wanted. After more than 1,300 conversations with veterans, he began seeing the same challenges repeatedly and decided to build Civilian Compass so others would not have to navigate them alone. We talk about asking for help, turning networking into genuine curiosity, why veterans often default toward the careers that seem easiest to translate, and how conversations with people who have already walked the path can provide information no résumé workshop or recruiter can. Lang also explains how Civilian Compass uses technology, veteran mentorship, and a structured process to help service members explore careers, identify skill gaps, build relationships, and take ownership of what comes next. Key Takeaway: Your transition does not have to be a search for the first job willing to hire you. Approach it with curiosity, learn from people ahead of you, and deliberately build a career and life that fit who you want to become.Civilian Compass: civiliancompass.com Chapters:00:00 – Lang Barth and the Mission of Civilian Compass01:31 – Growing Up and Finding the Naval Academy04:06 – Founding the Naval Academy Investment Club06:26 – Learning to Lead as a Young Naval Officer09:19 – Leadership During COVID at Sea11:05 – Deciding to Leave the Navy13:30 – The Conversation That Changed Lang’s Transition17:04 – 300 Conversations and the “Vibe Check” System20:59 – Exploratory, Tactical, and Urgent Transitions28:35 – Why Veterans Default to the “Obvious” Career32:10 – Building Civilian Compass41:36 – Why Veterans Struggle to Find Their Next Identity46:25 – Getting Honest Feedback From Other Veterans52:46 – How Listeners Can Help Civilian Compass55:58 – Patience as a Leadership Trait

What if one simple question could change the way you lead?In this episode of Lead with Bubba Scott, I sit down with West Point graduate, former Army officer, Stanford GSB MBA, educator, coach, and author Doug Crandall for a conversation about leadership, reflection, high standards, and the way our words affect the people we lead.Doug shares his unconventional journey through West Point—including leaving after his first year and ultimately finding his way back—and the lessons he carried from the Army into the classroom when he later returned to West Point to teach leadership.At the center of our conversation is Doug’s new book, Building or Diminishing, and the question behind it: In the way I’m leading this person right now, am I building them or diminishing them?Doug walks through four leadership archetypes—the Driver, Cheerleader, Belittler, and Builder—and explains why great leadership doesn’t require choosing between caring about people and demanding excellence. The goal is to do both.We also discuss why clarity of expectations can be more powerful than correction, how reflection develops self-awareness, why seemingly small interactions can have lasting effects on the people we lead, and how leaders can hold others accountable without stripping away their confidence or dignity.Finally, Doug shares the one trait he would encourage every aspiring leader to develop: integrity—and why choosing the harder right over the easier wrong remains foundational to leadership.In this episode:Doug’s four-generation connection to West PointWhy he left West Point—and what brought him backThe role of grace, second chances, and reflection in leadershipWhat Doug wishes he understood as a young Army officerWhy standards and humanity are not mutually exclusiveHow teaching leadership changed the way Doug understood leader developmentThe question behind Building or DiminishingThe Driver, Cheerleader, Belittler, and Builder archetypesWhy great leaders can be both demanding and positiveHow to move from being a Cheerleader or Driver toward becoming a BuilderWhy diminishing communication rarely improves performanceHow reflection creates greater self-awarenessWhy integrity remains the foundation of trustDoug’s book, Building or Diminishing, is available on Amazon and through BuildingOrDiminishing.com. Proceeds from the book are being donated to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.Chapters:00:00 – Welcome to Doug Crandall00:19 – Growing up in Washington and early influences02:37 – Four generations of West Point04:53 – Leaving West Point—and deciding to go back11:06 – Second chances, grace, and leadership13:14 – What Doug learned as a young Army officer16:19 – The problem with “Driver” leadership19:44 – Returning to West Point to teach leadership25:48 – Why reflection is essential to leader development31:01 – The origin of Building or Diminishing37:12 – Driver, Cheerleader, Belittler, and Builder42:44 – How to move from Cheerleader to Builder46:40 – What writing the book taught Doug about himself52:57 – Can you demand excellence without diminishing people?56:46 – The book, assessment, and BuildingOrDiminishing.com1:01:03 – The one leadership trait: Integrity

Patrick Nugent spent much of his life drawn to physical challenges. He grew up playing football, hockey, and lacrosse, played football at The Citadel, became its regimental commander, and ultimately achieved his goal of becoming a Marine infantry officer.Then, during a live-fire training exercise in Hawaii, Patrick was struck by a bullet and sustained life-changing injuries. At 26 years old, he was confronted with an uncertain prognosis, a long recovery at Walter Reed, and eventually the realization that the Marine Corps career he had envisioned was coming to an end. Patrick shares how he learned to break an overwhelming recovery into measurable steps, including a first mile that took 48 minutes, and how returning to sport eventually led him to the Invictus Games, where he earned a bronze medal in powerlifting and was selected to captain Team USA. For Patrick, that experience restored something bigger than athletic ability: the belief that he could still lead and contribute after leaving the uniform. We also break down Patrick’s G.R.I.T. framework for responding to adversity:Grow your gritRegulate your responseInsist on finishingTurn pain into serviceThroughout the conversation, Patrick returns to one simple phrase that carried him through some of his hardest moments: Find a way.Key takeaway: Resilience is not only something we discover after adversity arrives. It can be built beforehand through difficult experiences, deliberate action, reflection, and learning to focus on the next controllable step. Learn more about Patrick's story at https://www.patrickdnugent.comChapters00:00 — Patrick Nugent: Find a Way01:03 — Growing Up Through Sports, Teamwork, and Service06:07 — Leaving Football to Pursue the Marine Corps09:06 — Leading the Corps of Cadets at The Citadel11:55 — Leadership by Example13:59 — Becoming a Marine Infantry Officer16:25 — Deployment, Hawaii, and the Live-Fire Exercise18:47 — The Gunshot That Changed Everything21:09 — “I Have to Be Stronger”23:33 — The Prognosis and the Journey to Walter Reed27:41 — Beginning the Long Road to Recovery33:33 — Measuring Progress: The 48-Minute Mile38:24 — The Failed Surgery and Losing the Future He Expected42:40 — Rediscovering Purpose Through the Invictus Games44:42 — Becoming Captain of Team USA46:35 — The G.R.I.T. Framework51:13 — Regulating Your Response When Adversity Hits56:45 — Turning Pain Into Service1:01:15 — Patrick’s Definition of Resilience

Content note: The conversation deals directly with death, military aviation loss, grief, and the long process of healing that follows. It is a heavy discussion, but it is also one about love, resilience, empathy, service, advocacy, and learning how to move forward while continuing to honor those we have lost.On June 8, 2022, Swift 1-1, an MV-22B Osprey, crashed in eastern California following a mechanical failure, taking the lives of five United States Marines. In this episode, Bubba sits down with Amber Sax, Gold Star widow of Captain John Sax and founder of the Capt Sax Foundation, to remember John as a husband, father, Marine, and lifelong aviator.Amber shares the ripple effects of a military aviation mishap, including the impact on surviving families, squadron members, first responders, and the aviators who must continue flying. She also reflects on the importance of giving people permission to grieve, releasing guilt without releasing love, and understanding that moving forward does not mean forgetting.The conversation concludes with Amber’s work through the Capt Sax Foundation, which provides scholarships to aspiring pilots, maintainers, engineers, air traffic controllers, transitioning service members, and others pursuing careers in aviation. The foundation has awarded more than $80,000 in scholarships and hopes to surpass $100,000 this year. Amber personally covers its operating expenses so that every donated dollar can go directly to scholarship recipients.Learn more about the Capt Sax Foundation or make a donation:CaptSaxFoundation.orgKey takeaway: One of the most meaningful ways we can honor those we have lost is by living fully, serving others, and carrying their legacy forward.Chapters00:00 — A Different Kind of ConversationA content note on military loss, grief, aviation mishaps, and healing.02:40 — Meet Amber Sax03:10 — How Amber and John Met04:59 — John’s Lifelong Dream of Flying09:35 — The Husband, Father, and Marine Behind the Pilot12:28 — Life Before and After Swift 1-116:56 — Remembering More Than the Final Moment22:13 — The Ripple Effects of an Aviation Mishap31:56 — Moving Forward Without Moving On35:46 — Finding Support in the Gold Star Community40:13 — Resilience, Empathy, and Permission to Heal44:22 — Building the Capt Sax Foundation51:41 — Advocacy and Learning to Use Your Voice1:00:21 — Leading with Empathy1:01:43 — How to Support the Capt Sax Foundation

In this episode of Lead with Bubba Scott, I sit down with my good friend and Naval Academy classmate Isaac Seals, a former Marine officer whose career took him from leading Assault Amphibian Marines, to the Silent Drill Platoon, to serving as a White House Social Aide.We talk about Isaac’s upbringing in Decatur, Georgia, his path to the Naval Academy, walking onto the Division I track team, and the legendary videos he made with classmates that became part of Academy lore. Isaac also shares his unique path to becoming a Marine officer, lessons from leading Marines, stories from 8th & I and the White House, and what it has meant to build a meaningful life after service.This is a fun, honest, and insightful conversation about identity, transition, purpose, service, teamwork, and why leaders should never forget to bring who they are to the table.Chapters00:00 Introduction01:03 Welcome to Isaac Seals01:35 Growing Up in Decatur, Georgia03:17 African Wild Dogs and Lessons in Teamwork04:05 Family, Expectations, and Getting to College06:39 Naval Academy, NAPS, and Division I Athletics08:06 Getting Cut from Lacrosse and Walking Onto Track11:33 How the Track Team Changed His Life14:28 Going from “The Guy” to Finding a New Role17:40 Viral Academy Videos and Creative Outlets21:06 Why Isaac Chose the Marine Corps22:58 His Grandfather’s Final Wish and a Complicated Decision24:48 The Challenge to Earn Marine Corps28:11 The Marine Corps Board29:50 Service Selection and Becoming a Marine32:01 Assault Amphibian Officer and Leading AAV Marines35:59 A Hard Leadership Lesson as a Young Officer42:31 Silent Drill Platoon and “Remember What You Represent”44:50 White House Social Aide46:18 Stories from the White House48:44 Transitioning Out of the Marine Corps52:23 Finding Purpose After Service57:34 Advice for Navigating Transition01:00:10 Bring Who You Are to the Table01:01:12 Closing Reflections01:01:38 Outro

In this episode of Lead with Bubba Scott, I sit down with Colonel Kyle Phillips, an active duty Marine officer whose career has spanned the infantry, law, command, teaching, national security work, and military justice.We talk about his early lessons in leadership, his transition from infantry officer to Marine lawyer, advising commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan, working national security cases at the Department of Justice, and leading Marines and civilians in command.Kyle also shares lessons from endurance sports, command philosophy, accountability, and why leadership by example is necessary, but not sufficient.This is a great conversation about judgment, service, responsibility, standards, and leading in law.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer01:09 Welcome to Colonel Kyle Phillips01:48 Growing Up on the Jersey Shore05:28 Villanova, NROTC, and the Path to the Marine Corps08:17 Becoming an Infantry Officer09:46 Leadership by Example Is Necessary, but Not Sufficient12:26 Transitioning from Infantry to Law16:04 Deploying as a Marine Lawyer19:34 Advising Commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan23:00 Rules of Engagement and Preparing Marines to Make Decisions26:48 Department of Justice and National Security Law30:05 Confidence, Competence, and Self-Study32:40 Teaching Leadership at the Naval Academy37:55 Command Philosophy: Proud Professionals, Mission Focused, Inspire Others43:38 Second Command Philosophy: Support Each Other, Support Warfighting, Support the Mission47:38 Endurance Sports, Discipline, and the Group Effect53:49 Last Man Standing and the Power of a Support Team55:29 Accountability and Advice to His Younger Self58:36 Personal Accountability in Adventure Racing01:01:27 The Marine Corps Leadership Traits01:03:22 Closing Reflections01:04:18 Outro

In this episode of Lead with Bubba Scott, I sit down with Dr. Jim Womack, one of the most influential voices in modern manufacturing, management, and Lean Thinking. Dr. Womack is the founder of the Lean Enterprise Institute and helped translate the Toyota Production System into what the world now knows as Lean. We talk about his early curiosity, what he learned from studying General Motors and Toyota, and why Lean is much more than tools, buzzwords, or cost-cutting.This conversation is really about leadership: how leaders see work, define value, support people, and build better systems. Dr. Womack explains the importance of Gemba, going to the place where value is created, and why leaders need to ask better questions, show respect for the people doing the work, and focus on solving problems at the source.Chapters:00:00 Introduction00:50 Dr. Jim Womack’s Early Curiosity and Background05:01 From India to Japan: Seeing Systems Differently07:56 General Motors, the Cadillac Plant, and the Problem with Modern Management15:03 Studying Toyota and Translating Lean for the West22:50 The Machine That Changed the World and the Core Ideas of Lean33:40 Gemba: Going to Where Value Is Created38:21 Kaizen on Top of Chaos Is Chaos44:09 From Answer Man to Question Man: Leadership Through Better Questions55:25 Final Advice: Start with the Work