Why Leadership Books Keep Getting It Wrong

In this very short not-an-episode, Tony announces that the podcast will be taking a hiatus for 4–6 weeks while he moves across the country and adjusts to some new professional responsibilities. Listen in for Tony's explanation, along with a few more details. This isn't an end to the podcast—just a short break before new beginnings. Thank you all for tuning into the podcast and we plan to see you again sometime in October!

In some settings, just mentioning the phrase “professional ethics” makes the hairs on people’s arms stand up… but it shouldn’t. Part of the unease might stem from the fact that the term is often poorly defined or understood, leaving a nebulous gray area that makes people not only unsure of where they stand, but also where they should be standing. In this episode, Tony reviews a New York Post article on pilots who lied about medical conditions that would have disqualified them from flying and then demystifies the concept of professional ethics by offering some key metrics for standards of conduct in areas such as honesty, integrity, loyalty, and accountability, along with a set of definitions to identify those behaviors that meet or exceed the standard and those that don’t. Nobody’s perfect, but at least with clear definitions we can all shoot for a standard and know when we’re not meeting it. Even if—especially if—we’re the only ones measuring it or recognizing when we’ve fallen short.

In case you didn’t know, August 19th is National Aviation Day, when we honor the birthday of Orville Wright, whose name should be familiar to even the non-aviation listeners of the podcast. But for those less familiar with the history of aviation, Tony covers some of the historical milestones that showcase how the human spirit pushes through boundaries, breaking free of the limits of the past, shaping the possibilities of the present, and weaving the tapestry of our future. From that initial flight at Kitty Hawk through early transcontinental flights, military applications in both world wars, and eventually achieving spaceflight, we choose to celebrate the history of aviation because it remains the most potent example in the last century of ordinary human beings achieving truly extraordinary things.

Why are there so many books on “leadership” but almost none on “followership?” To answer that question, we first return to the cockpit recording from the midair helicopter collision over Reagan International this past spring. This scenario illustrates what can go wrong when people are unprepared for a reversal of the leader/follower roles they are used to. Tony uses this example to dive into the complex dynamics of these relationships and the critical skills that engaged followers should be learning from their leaders as they grow their team contribution and experience level. From big picture thinking to habit/routine creation to growing your relationship network, being an active follower builds all the foundational elements required to someday become a legendary leader.

Most of us face a certain amount of danger every single day, whether it’s while driving, walking our dog, stopping at the bank or the grocery store, or working on a home improvement project. Because the likelihood of catastrophe is so low, most of us will spend that time thinking about other things, maybe daydreaming or listening to an audiobook, a podcast, or some music. This tendency toward complacency in our routine tasks is where the danger—and potentially the death—hides. In this week’s episode, Tony draws lessons from four examples of pilots who were lulled into complacency as everything seemed completely routine—until it wasn’t. From missing checklist steps to weather alerts, sometimes thinking we know a process or environment inside and out can lead to critical errors and tragedy, a lesson that applies equally to even the most common activities.

In this episode on good leaders versus mere managers, Tony discusses three people whose leadership lessons made their mark on him and influenced his own path as a leader. These examples range from his time as a B-1 pilot to teaching military history at the US Air Force Academy and finally as the Director of Aviation for the US Forest Service, with a critical leader in each position leaving him with valuable lessons and insights into what makes a true leadership legacy. Tony shares what made these men great examples, what they taught him, and focuses on a few major points to improve both leadership and followership alike. 

The recent crash of Air India Flight 171—a tragedy that appears to have been caused by one of the pilots deliberately cutting fuel to the engines immediately after takeoff—reminds us once again of the importance of mental health support, not just for pilots but for all working professionals. Tony discusses a similar accident 10 years ago, when the pilot of Germanwings Flight 9525 deliberately crashed the airplane into a mountainside during an ongoing mental health crisis. Based on the evidence collected from Flight 171 thus far, it is very likely the pilot responsible was also suffering from personal mental health issues. And while some positive steps were made after Flight 9525 to better identify struggling pilots and help—rather than punish—them, more work still needs to be done to address mental health struggles across professions and in society. Tony closes by offering his own insight into additional steps that could be taken to help prevent more of these incidents in the future.

How many leadership books do you own—or have actually read? If your shelves look anything like mine, you probably have dozens. But here’s the question: Are they helping, or just collecting dust? In today’s episode, Dr. Tony Kern dives into why so many leadership books miss the mark. He’ll challenge the assumptions behind popular leadership advice, explore what real-world leaders actually do differently, and ask if there’s anything truly worth keeping from the leadership shelf.

As Tony—along with the rest of our nation—mourns the loss of life resulting from the Medina River floods in Kerr County, Texas, he also takes a moment to reflect on emergency preparedness and the all-too-human tendency to become complacent when vigilance is required. As a rancher living in the area, Tony shares local history, insights, and information about the current tragedy, but also examples of people who had evacuation plans formed as well as practiced, trusted their judgment on when to leave, and saved the lives of their families/groups with their preparation and foresight.

Have you ever wondered how you'd respond in a true life-or-death moment? In today’s episode, Dr. Tony Kern explores that question by diving into real-world case studies where the stakes couldn’t have been higher. Through these intense scenarios, he’ll uncover what drives human performance under extreme pressure—and what we can learn to better prepare ourselves for the unexpected.