This episode wraps up my very first season as a podcaster, and the first 18 episodes of Permission Slips! After four months of producing an episode every week, I've learned a lot about the process—and about myself. Listen in for my reflections on 7 things I've learned on this podcasting journey, which I hope will also encourage you in whatever new thing you're beginning, too!

Thanks for listening to Permission Slips, friends. I'm taking the summer to rest and dream, but I'm already looking forward to being back with you here again in the fall! Until then, may we all give ourselves permission to rest, so that we might be restored, refueled, and re-energized for what's ahead!

“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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Stay connected:

• Connect with Jillian on Instagram or Facebook or sign up for the monthly Permission Slips email newsletter!
• Want to book Jillian to speak or work with her as your coach? Learn more on her website.
• Subscribe to Permission Slips so you never miss an episode, and please share or review this podcast to help others find it!

“We have to be the resilient ones. We are the ones who have to be resilient in order to fight through the obstacles on behalf of our next generation.” -Dr. Tanita Maddox

Gen Z is navigating a landscape that is vastly different than the one most of us grew up in. These "digital natives" live in an online world with cultural norms and language they speak fluently—one that many older folks often struggle to learn.

Whether you’re a parent, teacher, employer, or anyone else interacting with young people born between the years 1997 to 2012, this episode is for you! My good friend, Dr. Tanita Maddox, lets us into her research on the questions Gen Z is asking about life and faith. What she shared brought us both to tears at different points—because Gen Z needs us to show up for them, no matter how uncomfortable we feel.

As Tanita shared in this episode, “If it’s hard, it doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It’s just hard, period.” I hope this episode equips and inspires you to fight for connection with a generation that needs us, just as much as we need them. Listen in as we talk about things like:

• What sets Gen Z apart from previous generations, especially in their relationship with technology
• The 7 big questions this generation is asking, and what's underneath each one
• What Gen Z wants to know about life and faith—and why it's important to admit we don't have all the answers
• Why mental health isn’t about feeling good and happy all the time
• How our listening needs to change if we want to communicate with digital natives effectively
• Questions we can ask to connect with our kids in a way that makes them feel heard
• Why we need to be the resilient ones to fight on behalf of our next generation

Born and raised in Arizona, Tanita now serves with Young Life as the Interim Spokane director and as the national director for generational impact. Since 1998, she has worked directly with adolescents and young adults, still serving as a volunteer Young Life leader. She completed a Masters of Christian Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary and Doctorate of Ministry at Phoenix Seminary, where her doctoral thesis was in sharing the gospel with Generation Z. She has been married to W. Ashley since 2005, and they have two sons. Their family enjoys watching major league baseball, and their favorite team is the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Pre-order What Gen Z Really Wants to Know About God: Seven Questions About Life and Faith
• Connect with Dr. Tanita Maddox at tanitamaddox.com or on Instagram @drtanitamaddox
• The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathon Haidt
• The Emotional Lives of Teenagers by Lisa Demour, Ph.D.

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Stay connected:

• Connect with Jillian on Instagram or Facebook or sign up for the monthly Permission Slips email newsletter!
• Want to book Jillian to speak or work with her as your coach? Learn more on her website.
• Subscribe to Permission Slips so you never miss an episode, and please share or review this podcast to help others find it!