“Leadership by its definition requires influence. Influence requires trust. You’re not going to lead anybody if they don’t trust you.” — Dr. James B. Avey

This was more than a conversation about the mechanics of leadership—it was about how to be the kind of human that lives intentionally, loves others well, and as a result, impacts the world for good.

Join me as I talk with my good friend, who also happens to be a highly respected researcher, distinguished professor, and sought after leadership expert, Dr. James Avey! Grab a pen, because this conversation is chock-full of wisdom for anyone who has influence on others—which is all of us.

We cover a lot in this episode, including:

• Counting the cost of leadership and prioritizing the things that matter most—especially those closest to you
• Clearly defining what it means to “win” by identifying your unique values
• Defining what leadership is and the difference between positional power and personal power
• Why trust is the foundation of leadership and the 3 components that lead to trust
• The connection between trust and vulnerability and how they influence each other
• How we’ve each experienced the generosity of benevolent leaders—and how it changed us
• The importance of clear vision, especially for leaders without positional power
• The power of calling people up and helping them see that they matter in order for a vision to become reality
• How feedback and recognition make people feel seen, valued, and heard—at very little cost to you.

James B. Avey holds a Ph.D. in Leadership, Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is currently a Distinguished Professor of Research and Professor of Management in the College of Business at Central Washington University and previously in engineering human resource management at The Boeing Company. He is one of the most prolifically cited scientists in his field. His work has appeared in top scientific outlets including Journal of Management, Journal of Business Ethics and Personnel Psychology as well as popular news outlets such as the Wall Street Journal and The Huffington Post. You can connect with him on LinkedIn.

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