What does “Working Genius” look like at the leadership level? In this episode, Keith and James explore which types of work leaders must personally own—and which they can delegate.

They make the case that leaders don’t need to excel at all six Working Genius areas, but they must take responsibility for three critical roles: creating space for wonder, driving discernment to clear decisions, and ensuring teams stay focused through galvanizing.

Along the way, they unpack common leadership pitfalls—like skipping strategic thinking, overvaluing personal ideas, or failing to maintain momentum after decisions are made—and offer practical ways to lead more intentionally based on your strengths.

A sharp, thought-provoking conversation for leaders looking to better understand their role in driving clarity, focus, and execution.

Rapid growth and acquisitions don’t strengthen organizations on their own—alignment does. In this episode, George Abatjoglou of EMSMC shares how the company transformed from a collection of regional EMS service providers into a unified national organization, and how organizational health became the foundation for navigating change, building trust, and creating lasting alignment across teams. From defining a purpose employees could genuinely connect to—“helping first responders answer the call”—to integrating teams across multiple acquisitions and countries, this conversation explores what it really takes to scale culture intentionally.

George also dives into the practical side of embedding organizational health into daily operations through leadership cascades, recognition systems, storytelling, and values-driven communication that moved beyond posters and mission statements. A must-listen for leaders managing growth, acquisitions, remote teams, or culture transformation while trying to keep people connected to meaningful work.

How do great leaders prepare for and run effective offsites? In this episode, Keith and James break down the principle of “Go first, Go last,” showing how leaders can set the tone with vulnerability and clarity, create space for real discussion, and step in at the end to drive decisions.

They share practical techniques for signaling decision confidence, encouraging honest dialogue, avoiding influencing the room too early, and balancing the dual role of participant and facilitator.

While centered on offsite preparation, these insights apply to any team setting—helping leaders build alignment, foster better conversations, and drive more decisive outcomes.