Intentional Leader with Cal Walters

Cal Walters

Let's be honest. The hardest person you will ever have to lead is the person you look at in the mirror everyday. Self-leadership is the most important thing we do as leaders, but it's hard. And it hasn't gotten any easier in a world of smart phone addiction, social media comparison, global pandemics, and information overload (just to name a few obstacles). That's why Intentional Leader exists. We help leaders take the guesswork out of self-leadership, fight a reactionary lifestyle, accelerate their personal growth, and achieve their God-given potential at home, at work, and in their communities. This is why we get out of bed each morning. We love helping leaders on their personal growth journey! Because we know when the leader gets better everyone benefits. Organizations, communities, and families all thrive when the leader is thriving. We are a team of ordinary people with an extraordinary passion for personal growth and helping leaders thrive. Join this community to pursue personal growth and leadership excellence, to inspire others, and make a lasting impact on the world. Life is short, so let's make it count by living an intentional life. On this podcast, Cal Walters — a follower of Jesus, a husband, father, West Point graduate, former Infantry Officer, Army Ranger, combat veteran, lawyer, and Army JAG — passionately explores ways to live intentionally, make each day count, and lead with greater influence and impact. Cal firmly believes leadership matters, and this podcast will help you lead yourself and inspire others. Cal believes we each have a unique contribution to make to the world, and he wants to help you make yours! For show notes, visit https://www.calwalters.me/ Disclaimer: The views expressed on this podcast are those of the author and guests and do not reflect the official policy, position, or endorsement of the US Army JAG Corps, US Army, DoD, or the US Government. read less
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Episodes

104: Dr. Amy Edmondson — The Science of Failing Well
Feb 22 2024
104: Dr. Amy Edmondson — The Science of Failing Well
We used to think of failure as the opposite of success. Now, we’re often torn between two “failure cultures”: one that says to avoid failure at all costs, the other that says fail fast, fail often. The trouble is that both approaches lack the crucial distinctions to help us separate good failure from bad. As a result, we miss the opportunity to fail well. After decades of award-winning research, Amy Edmondson is here to upend our understanding of failure and make it work for us. In Right Kind of Wrong, Edmondson provides the framework to think, discuss, and practice failure wisely. Outlining the three archetypes of failure—basic, complex, and intelligent—Amy showcases how to minimize unproductive failure while maximizing what we gain from flubs of all stripes. She illustrates how we and our organizations can embrace our human fallibility, learn exactly when failure is our friend, and prevent most of it when it is not. This is the key to pursuing smart risks and preventing avoidable harm. With vivid, real-life stories from business, pop culture, history, and more, Edmondson gives us specifically tailored practices, skills, and mindsets to help us replace shame and blame with curiosity, vulnerability, and personal growth. You’ll never look at failure the same way again. Connect with Amy Edmondson: https://amycedmondson.com/ Follow Amy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycedmondson/ Learn more about Intentional Leader: https://calwalters.me/ Watch Intentional Leader on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@intentionalleader_calwalters Support this podcast:  https://www.patreon.com/calwalters
102: Brian Johnson — How to Activate Your Heroic Potential, Fight Negative Thinking, Create Better Habits, and Live with Areté
Nov 16 2023
102: Brian Johnson — How to Activate Your Heroic Potential, Fight Negative Thinking, Create Better Habits, and Live with Areté
The views expressed on this podcast and page are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or endorsement of the US Army, DoD, or the US Government. I'm so pumped to welcome Brian Johnson to the podcast! Check out Brian's brand new book:  Areté: Activate Your Heroic Potential Download the Heroic app for free: https://www.heroic.us/join Brian Johnson is the Founder & CEO of Heroic Public Benefit Corporation and the author of Areté: Activate Your Heroic Potential. He’s 50% Philosopher + 50% CEO and 101% committed to helping create a world in which 51% of humanity is flourishing by the year 2051. As a Founder/CEO he’s raised $25M+, made crowdfunding history, and built and sold two social platforms. As a Philosopher/teacher, he’s helped millions of people from around the world, trained 10,000+ Heroic Coaches from 100+ countries and created a protocol that science says changes lives. He lives in the country outside Austin, Texas, with his wife, Alexandra, and their two kids, Emerson and Eleanor. As a Founder/CEO, he’s raised $20M+ and built and sold two market-leading social platforms. As a Philosopher, he’s served tens of thousands of people from nearly every country in the world with his Heroic membership and trained over 3,500 people from 90+ countries with his Heroic Coach program—which has been demonstrated through research to change lives. His YouTube channel has 225,000+ subscribers and 20 million views while his podcast has another 14 million downloads. He was also featured in the documentary Finding Joe on Joseph Campbell and the modern hero’s journey alongside Deepak Chopra, Laird Hamilton, Tony Hawk and the late Sir Ken Robinson. His podcast Heroic with Brian Johnson, which launched as the #1 podcast on iTunes, has been featured as the #1 Health podcast and has over 15 million downloads. In March 2021, with the support of 2,500+ Founding Investors from 75+ countries around the world, Heroic Public Benefit Corporation made history as the first company to close a $5M Reg CF equity crowdfunding as part of their $11M Seed round.
97: Cassie Holmes, Ph.D. — How to Live a Happier Life
Oct 7 2022
97: Cassie Holmes, Ph.D. — How to Live a Happier Life
Download this free 12-page PDF to get 12 key ideas to make you a better leader today.   Cassie Mogilner Holmes is a Professor at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. Cassie is an expert on time and happiness. Her research examines such questions as how focusing on time (rather than money) increases happiness, how the meaning of happiness changes over the course of one’s lifetime, and how much happiness people enjoy from extraordinary versus ordinary experiences. Across these inquiries, her findings highlight the joy that stems from interpersonal connection and paying attention to the present moment. Cassie’s academic research on the role of time in cultivating well-being has been published in leading academic journals, including Psychological Science, the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, and the Journal of Consumer Research, and earned her the Early Career Award from both the Association of Consumer Research and the Society of Consumer Psychology. Cassie was identified by Poets & Quants as one of the best 40 business professors under 40, and popular accounts of her research have been featured on NPR and in such publications as The Economist, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, and Scientific American.  Professor Cassie Holmes is the author of Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most, which is based on her wildly popular MBA course, “Applying the Science of Happiness to Life Design.” Holmes is a faculty affiliate with The UCLA Bedari Kindness Institute, an interdisciplinary organization dedicated to the research, education, and practice of kindness. Previously, Holmes was a tenured faculty member and award-winning teacher at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She has a Ph.D. from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, and a B.A. from Columbia.
94: Ryan Gottfredson —  How to Elevate your Mind and Why Most Leader Development Programs Fail
Aug 26 2022
94: Ryan Gottfredson — How to Elevate your Mind and Why Most Leader Development Programs Fail
Ryan Gottfredson, Ph.D. is a cutting-edge mindset author, researcher, and consultant. He helps organizations vertically develop their leaders primarily through a focus on mindsets. He helps improve organizations, leaders, teams, and employees by improving their mindsets. Ryan is currently a leadership and management professor at the College of Business and Economics at California State University-Fullerton (CSUF). He holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Human Resources from Indiana University, and a B.A. from Brigham Young University Ryan is the author of “Success Mindsets: The Key to Unlocking Greater Success in Your Life, Work, & Leadership.” (Morgan James Publishing), and Wall Street Journal and USA Today Best Seller. He also works with organizations to develop their leaders and improve their culture (collective mindsets). He has worked with top leadership teams at CVS Health (top 130 leaders), Deutsche Telekom (500+ of their top 2,000 leaders), and dozens of other organizations. As a respected authority and researcher on topics related to leadership, management, and organizational behavior, Ryan has published over 15 articles across a variety of journals including: Journal of Management, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Business Horizons, Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, and Journal of Leadership Studies. His research has been cited over 2,000 times since 2014. Take the Mindset Assessment here: https://s.ryangottfredson.com/mindsetassessment Take the Vertical Development Assessment here: https://ryangottfredson.com/vertical-development-assessment
93: Garry Ridge —  How He Built an Incredible Culture of Purpose and Engagement at WD-40
Aug 12 2022
93: Garry Ridge — How He Built an Incredible Culture of Purpose and Engagement at WD-40
Garry Ridge has 25 years of experience as Chairman and CEO of WD-40 Company. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego, where he teaches the principles and practices of corporate culture in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership program. Garry’s philosophy on company culture is based on Aristotle’s quote – “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” Turning that into action, he believes that all leaders can create a workplace where you go to work each day, make a contribution to something bigger than yourself, learn something new, feel safe, are protected, and are provided freedom by a set of values and go home happy! He is passionate about the learning and empowering organizational culture he has helped establish at the WD-40 Company. In 2009, he co-authored a book with Ken Blanchard outlining his effective leadership techniques, titled “Helping People Win at Work: A Business Philosophy Called ‘Don’t Mark My Paper, Help Me Get an A.” A native of Australia, Mr. Ridge holds a certificate in Modern Retailing and a Master of Science in Executive Leadership from the University of San Diego. Learn more about Garry's work at https://thelearningmoment.net His top book recommendations: All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten  Infinite Game To Be Honest  Helping People Win at Work The Unexpected Learning Moment  Follow Garry on LinkedIn here!
91: Sabrina Dalton — Leadership as a Mom & The MMoment II (An Event with Military Mentors)
Jul 8 2022
91: Sabrina Dalton — Leadership as a Mom & The MMoment II (An Event with Military Mentors)
Sign up here to attend the MMoment II on July 23, 2022 in Alexandria, VA!  The MMoment is an intentional, purposeful investment in you by us, your team at Military Mentors, or MM for short (the spelling of the MMoment is a play on our name). Our version of an immersive experience, it is an intense, 1-day experience twice a year for ~50 national security professionals, both civilian and military. The MMoment is not just a conference or set of TED talks, but rather a reflective and interactive experience to inspire transformative leadership. Sabrina Dalton is the Director of Programs for Military Mentors. Military Mentors mission is to elevate, educate and facilitate mentorship for the military and beyond. In her capacity as the Director of Programs, she oversees the eMMissary Program, a leader development fellowship, and the MMoment, a one-day, intensive leadership conference in the DC area. Sabrina is a graduate of the University of Colorado, Denver and is currently pursuing a Legal Assistant certificate through the University of Oklahoma Law Center. Most importantly, Sabrina is a military spouse, homeschooler and a mother. She is married to Tyler, a US Space Force Officer, and together they have 3 children that bring light and joy to their lives. On this episode, we discuss: the MMoment IIthe backstory to her joining Military Mentorsthe inspirational leadership of Dr. Chevy Cook (the Executive Director of Military Mentors)her decision to be a stay at home momsome of the tough (and controversial decisions) that carry guilt and shame as a momsome of her key principles for success as a mom If you want to learn more about Command Sergeant Major (Retired) Bill Thetford (mentioned during this episode), you can read his bio here.   If you’re interested in growing in your leadership practice and being inspired to think differently and unlock greater personal potential, we want to give you a gift. Just click the link below and tell us where to send you 12 Ideas That Will Make You A Better Leader In 2022.
[REPLAY] 49: Patrick Lencioni — Building Trust, Embracing Conflict, and the 6 Types of Working Genius
Jun 24 2022
[REPLAY] 49: Patrick Lencioni — Building Trust, Embracing Conflict, and the 6 Types of Working Genius
This episode with Patrick Lencioni is a great segue from the article released by Wes Cochrane last week titled, "Does Your Team Suck at Workplace Conflict?"  Read that article here.   Patrick Lencioni is one of the founders and president of The Table Group, a firm dedicated to providing organizations with ideas, products and services that improve teamwork, clarity and employee engagement. Patrick’s passion for organizations and teams is reflected in his writing, speaking and executive consulting. He is the author of 11 best-selling books, which have sold over 6 million copies and been translated more than 30 languages. His capstone book, The Advantage, is the pre-eminent source on organizational health. After sixteen years in print, his classic book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, remains a weekly fixture on national best-seller lists. Released in 2016, The Ideal Team Player is a much-anticipated follow-up to his team book and also a Wall Street Journal best-seller. The wide-spread appeal of Lencioni’s leadership models have yielded a diverse base of speaking and consulting clients, including a mix of Fortune 500 companies, professional sports organizations, the military, non-profits, schools and churches. Pat addresses thousands of leaders each year at world-class organizations and national conferences. Consistently the top rated keynote speaker at major events, Pat shares his insights and inspires his audiences through his accessibility, humor and story-telling. The Wall Street Journal said he is "one of the most in-demand business speakers." Named in Fortune magazine as one of the ‘ten new gurus you should know,’ Pat and his work have been featured in USA TODAY, Bloomberg Businessweek, and Harvard Business Review, to name a few. Prior to founding his firm, he worked as a corporate executive for Sybase, Oracle and Bain & Company. Pat lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and four sons. Pat is really excited about a brand new concept he and his team are launching this week called the 6 Types of Working Genius. This is an incredible tool that helps you and I identify what we are really good at and those parts of work that make us most frustrated.  Pat had me take the assessment and we discuss my results and his results.  We also dive into the organizational health movement, how to create what he calls “vulnerability-based trust” on your team, why the right kind of conflict on a team is a sign of health, and much more.  To do The 6 Types of Working Genius Assessment, click here
89: Cal Walters — Reflections on 3 Years of Podcasting, Setbacks, and Self-Leadership
May 25 2022
89: Cal Walters — Reflections on 3 Years of Podcasting, Setbacks, and Self-Leadership
We're celebrating 3 years of podcasting!   Thank you to all of you that listen to and support this show!   I want to specifically thank two groups of supporters, our Patreon members and those that have left a rating/review on Apple Pocasts or Spotify.  Your support goes a long way! Want to become a Patron of Intentional Leader?  You can support the podcast by donating $1, $2, $5 (or whatever you like!) on Patreon.  Sign up here! Want to help us continue to get great guests and grow this community?  Please leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts here or on Spotify here. Today I get the mic flipped on me by my good friend Wes Cochrane.  Wes joined me on Episode 84 when we interviewed his brother, Graham Cochrane, and as you’ll hear during this conversation, Wes was part of the reason I started this show in the first place.  So why am I doing this unique format today?  Well, three main reasons.  First, I’ve had many of you ask when I was going to get behind the mic like I did the first 20+ episodes and share what I’ve been learning.  Second, this is a natural point of transition for me as my family and I are packing up to move in the next month and I’ll be changing jobs.  It’s a natural moment of reflection.  And, third, we’re approaching the 3 year anniversary of this podcast starting, and it seemed appropriate to take a moment to celebrate and discuss highlights from the past 3 years.  On this episode, I get a bit vulnerable about some of my struggles over the past few years, some key lessons I’ve learned interviewing 65 or so leaders from all walks of life, I try to define what self-leadership means to me and how it’s different than self-help, I answer some listener questions at the end, and much more.  I hope you enjoy this.  Let me know what you think please!  And whether you want more episodes in this format.