

Deep Leadership
Jon S. Rennie
“Leadership is a People Business.” That's the philosophy of this leadership podcast from Jon Rennie. It's real-world, actionable advice from Jon as well as his expert guests. As a former Cold War Submarine Officer who spent 22 years leading businesses in Corporate America before starting his own manufacturing business, he knows that leadership matters!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 7, 2026 • 39min
#0415 – Real Leadership Isn’t Learned in a Classroom with Chris Hossfeld
Most leadership training happens in classrooms.Real leadership doesn’t.
In this episode, I’m joined by Chris Hossfeld, a 27-year U.S. Army veteran and founder of Barrel Strength Leadership, who develops leaders by taking them to historic battlefields like Gettysburg and Normandy.
We explore why pressure, emotion, and shared experience shape leaders far more than PowerPoint slides ever can. Chris explains how high-stakes environments force clarity, build trust, and reveal what leaders are truly made of—and how those lessons translate directly to business, manufacturing, and executive teams.
If you believe leadership is forged in real moments, not theoretical ones, this conversation is for you.
Learn more from Chris Hossfeld here:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/barrel-strength-leadership/
https://www.barrelstrengthleadership.org/
Subscribe for more powerful leadership conversations!
Sponsors:
Cadre of Men
Farrow Skin Care
Salty Sailor Coffee Company
Leader Connect
The Qualified Leadership Series
____
Get all of Jon Rennie's bestselling leadership books for 15% off the regular price today! HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 31, 2026 • 37min
#0414 – How Pressure Turns Good Leaders Into Bad Bosses with Sabina Nawaz
How Pressure Turns Good Leaders Into Bad Bosses
Most leaders don’t fail because they lack skill or good intentions.
They fail because pressure changes how they show up.
In this episode, executive coach Sabina Nawaz explains why pressure, not power, is the real force that corrupts leadership. Drawing from her work with senior leaders at Microsoft and Fortune 500 companies, Sabina breaks down how well-meaning managers slip into micromanaging, rescuing, and control—and how those habits quietly damage trust, performance, and culture.
You’ll learn:
Why pressure triggers the worst leadership behaviors
The “sole provider” trap many leaders fall into without realizing it
Why promotions are one of the riskiest moments in a leadership career
How to lead yourself first so pressure doesn’t lead for you
If you want to stay effective, human, and trusted as a leader—especially under pressure—this conversation is a must-listen.
Learn more from Sabina Nawaz here:
https://sabinanawaz.com/
https://growthroughpressure.substack.com/
Subscribe for more powerful leadership conversations!
Sponsors:
Cadre of Men
Farrow Skin Care
Salty Sailor Coffee Company
Leader Connect
The Qualified Leadership Series
____
Get all of Jon Rennie's bestselling leadership books for 15% off the regular price today! HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 24, 2026 • 34min
#0413 – Flexible Leadership: Why Rigid Leaders Fail in an Uncertain World with Kevin Eikenberry
Flexible Leadership: Why Rigid Leaders Fail in an Uncertain World
The world has changed. Leadership has to change with it.
In this episode, I’m joined by Kevin Eikenberry, one of the most influential leadership thinkers today and author of Flexible Leadership: Navigate Uncertainty and Lead with Confidence. We unpack why the leadership approaches that worked in the past often break down in today’s complex, fast-moving environment.
Kevin explains why great leaders must stay consistent in values but flexible in how they lead, and why treating every challenge as a crisis leads to bad decisions. We dive into real-world examples, including when command-and-control leadership works, when it fails, and how context should drive your leadership approach.
We also explore:
Why “leadership style” can become a trap
The difference between complicated, complex, and chaotic situations
How flexible leaders improve their odds without losing trust
Why mindset matters more than tools or techniques
How habits, not intentions, determine leadership effectiveness
If you’re leading people through uncertainty, change, or growth, this conversation will challenge how you think about leadership and give you a better way forward.
📘 Learn more about Kevin’s book Flexible Leadership - https://amzn.to/4a8mOI9
🎁 Free chapter and resources available - https://kevineikenberry.com/flexible-leadership/
Subscribe for more powerful leadership conversations!
Sponsors:
Cadre of Men
Farrow Skin Care
Salty Sailor Coffee Company
Leader Connect
The Qualified Leadership Series
____
Get all of Jon Rennie's bestselling leadership books for 15% off the regular price today! HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 17, 2026 • 38min
#0412 – The Hidden Emotional Cost of Change Every Leader Overlooks with John Fisher
Most change initiatives fail for one reason: leaders ignore the emotional impact of change.
In this episode, I’m joined by John Fisher, creator of the Fisher Change Curve, to explain what employees actually experience during change—and what leaders must do to guide people through it.
We cover:
Why change feels like loss
The emotional stages of change at work
Why resistance happens and how to reduce it
Practical ways leaders can lead change without breaking trust
If you’re leading organizational change, managing resistance, or navigating constant disruption, this conversation will reshape how you think about change management.
Change isn’t just operational.It’s personal.
Connect with John:
John Fisher's website - https://c2d.co.uk/
John Fisher on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/c2dlimited/
Sponsors:
Cadre of Men
Farrow Skin Care
Salty Sailor Coffee Company
Leader Connect
The Qualified Leadership Series
____
Get all of Jon Rennie's bestselling leadership books for 15% off the regular price today! HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 10, 2026 • 41min
#0411 – How Great Leaders Turn Empathy into Power with Jess Baker
How Great Leaders Turn Empathy into Power
Empathy is praised in leadership—and often quietly punished.
In this episode, Jon Rennie is joined by Jess Baker, chartered business psychologist and author of The Super Helper Syndrome, to explore how great leaders turn empathy into real power without being overlooked or burned out.
Jess explains why highly empathic professionals are often passed over for leadership roles, even though they’re holding teams together behind the scenes. She shows how empathy, when used intentionally, becomes a strategic leadership advantage rather than a career liability.
In this conversation, you’ll learn:
Why empathic leaders get overlooked
The difference between empathy, compassion, and effective leadership
How to set boundaries without losing your values
How empathy can amplify results, energy, and momentum
What to do when empathy has helped your career—up to a point
Jess also shares practical tools, including leadership dials and the concept of empathic flow, to help leaders protect their energy while leading with confidence.
📘 About Jess BakerJess Baker is a chartered business psychologist with 20+ years of experience advising leaders and global organizations. She is the creator of the Empathy Powered Method and the award-winning author of The Super Helper Syndrome.
📌 Links to Jess’s resources:
Website - https://jessbaker.co.uk/
Free Quiz - https://jess-baker.involve.me/helper-quiz
Free Workbook - https://jessbakerconsulting.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/1147375
Book -https://amzn.to/3YyhdEs
If you believe leadership is a people business, this episode is for you.
Sponsors:
Cadre of Men
Farrow Skin Care
Salty Sailor Coffee Company
Leader Connect
The Qualified Leadership Series
____
Get all of Jon Rennie's bestselling leadership books for 15% off the regular price today! HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 3, 2026 • 38min
#0410 – Brave Leadership: How Courage, Not Comfort, Drives Results with Jill Schulman
Brave Leadership: How Courage, Not Comfort, Drives Results with Jill Schulman
Fear shows up quietly in leadership.
It delays decisions. Avoids hard conversations. Keeps talented people playing it safe.
In this episode of Deep Leadership, I’m joined by Jill Schulman, Marine Corps veteran, leadership consultant, and author of The Bravery Effect, to break down why courage—not comfort—is what actually drives results.
Jill shares how fear silently controls behavior at work, why avoiding discomfort makes leaders weaker (not happier), and how bravery can be trained like a muscle. Drawing from military leadership, positive psychology, and decades of executive work, she explains why doing hard things is essential for growth, confidence, and performance.
We talk about:
Why fear is one of the biggest hidden problems in leadership
The science behind bravery and why it’s a skill anyone can build
How avoiding discomfort fuels anxiety and poor decision-making
Why action—not confidence—creates courage
How leaders can build braver teams and cultures
Why “doing hard things” leads to better results and greater fulfillment
If you’re a leader who wants stronger performance, better decisions, and a team that doesn’t crumble under pressure, this conversation will challenge how you think about fear, comfort, and courage.
🎧 Listen in and learn why brave leadership starts with running toward the hard things—not away from them.
Get The Bravery Effect today - https://amzn.to/4q4Evhe
🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations on leadership that actually matters
If you found value in this episode, please like, subscribe, and share. It helps us continue building a world with better leaders.
Sponsors:
Cadre of Men
Farrow Skin Care
Salty Sailor Coffee Company
Leader Connect
The Qualified Leadership Series
____
Get all of Jon Rennie's bestselling leadership books for 15% off the regular price today! HERE
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 27, 2025 • 37min
#0409 – Leadership at the Highest Level: Inside Camp David with Michael Giorgione
What does leadership look like at the absolute highest level?
In this episode of Deep Leadership, I’m joined by Michael Giorgione, a retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral who served as the Commander of Camp David, the secluded presidential retreat where some of the most important leadership decisions in history have taken place.
Michael takes us inside Camp David and shares what it’s really like to serve presidents up close. We talk about leadership under pressure, trust, humility, and what happens behind closed doors when world leaders step away from the spotlight. From hosting presidents and their families to supporting high-stakes diplomatic summits, Michael offers rare insights into how leaders think, build relationships, and rely on their teams when the stakes couldn’t be higher.
This conversation isn’t about politics. It’s about leadership, responsibility, and what it means to lead people well when there’s no room for failure.
If you’re interested in leadership, history, or how trust and character shape decision-making at the top, this episode is for you.
In this episode, we discuss:
What Camp David is really like behind the scenes
Leadership lessons learned from serving two U.S. presidents
Why trust and humility matter more than authority
How great leaders build relationships before a crisis hits
What leaders at every level can learn from Camp David
📘 Learn more about Michael’s book Inside Camp David
🌐 Visit his website for leadership speaking and coaching https://www.insidecampdavid.com/
🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations on leadership that actually matters
If you found value in this episode, please like, subscribe, and share. It helps us continue building a world with better leaders.
Sponsors:
Cadre of Men
Farrow Skin Care
Salty Sailor Coffee Company
Leader Connect
The Qualified Leadership Series
____
Get all of Jon Rennie's bestselling leadership books for 15% off the regular price today! HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 21, 2025 • 40min
#0408 – Presilience: A Leadership Framework for Thriving in Crisis and Uncertainty with Dr. Gavriel Schneider
Presilience: A Leadership Framework for Thriving in Crisis and Uncertainty with Dr. Gavriel Schneider
In today’s volatile and uncertain world, resilience is no longer enough. Leaders must learn how to thrive before a crisis hits.
In this episode of Deep Leadership, I’m joined by Dr. Gavriel Schneider, an internationally recognized expert in security, risk intelligence, and leadership under pressure. Gav is the creator of the Presilience framework, a proactive approach to leadership that helps individuals and organizations turn disruption into opportunity.
We explore why traditional risk management and compliance models fall short in today’s VUCA environment, and what leaders must do differently to sustain high performance during uncertainty, disruption, and crisis. Gav shares real-world lessons from decades of advising governments, critical infrastructure, and global organizations, along with insights from psychology, decision-making, and high-performance leadership.
If you’re leading a team, running a business, or navigating constant change, this conversation will challenge how you think about resilience, risk, and leadership.
In this episode, we discuss:
What presilience is and why it matters now
The difference between surviving disruption and thriving through it
How leaders make better decisions under pressure
Why resilient organizations require resilient people
Turning risk into opportunity in a complex, digital world
Leading with confidence when certainty is gone
About today’s guest:
Dr. Gavriel Schneider is the CEO of the Risk2 Solution Group, a former program director in the psychology of risk, and the author of Presilience: How to Navigate Risk, Embrace Opportunity, and Build Resilience. He has trained thousands of professionals worldwide in crisis leadership, risk intelligence, and decision-making.
📘 Learn more about Presilience:
Links to Gav’s book, website, and resources are below.
https://risk2solution.com/
https://amzn.to/3Y6AHzS
🎧 Subscribe to Deep Leadership for weekly conversations with experts who help leaders think clearly, lead confidently, and build organizations that thrive—especially when things get hard.
Sponsors:
Cadre of Men
Farrow Skin Care
Salty Sailor Coffee Company
Leader Connect
The Qualified Leadership Series
____
Get all of Jon Rennie's bestselling leadership books for 15% off the regular price today! HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 14, 2025 • 35min
#0407 – How to Build Real Influence as a Leader with Brad Englert
How to Build Real Influence as a Leader with Brad Englert
How do leaders build real influence that lasts, not just connections that fade?
In this episode of Deep Leadership, I’m joined by Brad Englert, author of Spheres of Influence and former CIO at the University of Texas at Austin. Brad shares decades of leadership experience on how authentic relationships, not transactional networking, are the true foundation of influence, trust, and long-term success.
We talk about why most networking events fail, how leaders should think about their internal and external spheres of influence, and why trust must be built before a crisis hits. Brad also explains how getting out of your office, meeting people where they are, and genuinely caring about their success can transform your leadership and your career.
This conversation is packed with practical leadership lessons, real-world stories, and a simple message every leader needs to hear: real influence is earned through consistency, humility, and relationships that endure.
In this episode, we cover:
What real influence looks like in leadership
Internal vs. external spheres of influence
Why traditional networking doesn’t work
How trust and reciprocity are built over time
Leading with authenticity, care, and intention
You can learn more about Brad Englert, get a free sample of his book Spheres of Influence, and explore his work - https://bradenglert.com/podcast
If you found this episode valuable, subscribe and share so we can continue to build a world with better bosses.
Sponsors:
Cadre of Men
Farrow Skin Care
Salty Sailor Coffee Company
Leader Connect
The Qualified Leadership Series
____
Get all of Jon Rennie's bestselling leadership books for 15% off the regular price today! HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 6, 2025 • 38min
#0406 – Unlocking Hidden Potential: The Leadership Shift That Transforms Teams with Ernesto Gomez
Unlocking Hidden Potential: The Leadership Shift That Transforms Teams
In this episode, Jon Rennie sits down with executive leader, entrepreneur, and author Ernesto Gomez to uncover why so many organizations operate far below their true capacity — and what leaders can do to change that. Drawing from 30+ years of experience in the food service and consumer goods industries, Ernesto shares practical insights on culture, mindset, and talent development that help unlock the hidden potential inside teams.
If you lead people, coach leaders, or want to build a high-performance culture, this conversation is full of ideas you can apply immediately.
You’ll learn:
• Why most teams only operate at about 50% of their potential
• The leadership shift from push to pull motivation
• How culture and mindset drive innovation and engagement
• What “talent density” means and why it matters
• Four keys to building high-performance teams
• How young leaders can grow and stand out in their careers
Ernesto’s new book Regrowth breaks down how organizations can overcome stalling by unlocking their people. It’s a powerful framework for leaders who want more creativity, ownership, and results from their teams.
📖 Get Ernesto’s book: Regrowth - https://amzn.to/44IpetS
🌐 Connect with Ernesto - https://aspenmindset1.com/
LinkedIn: Ernesto Gomez - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ernesto-g%C3%B3mez-arzapalo-8783ab43/
If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and share it. It helps us build a world with better bosses.
Sponsors:
Cadre of Men
Farrow Skin Care
Salty Sailor Coffee Company
Leader Connect
The Qualified Leadership Series
____
Get all of Jon Rennie's bestselling leadership books for 15% off the regular price today! HERE
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


