The best leaders don’t have all the answers — they ask better questions.

In this episode of Tell Me More, Joel Worthington sits down with franchise industry powerhouse Mary Thompson, CEO of BNI and former COO of Neighborly, for a masterclass on leadership, growth, culture, and influence. Drawing from decades of experience leading franchise organizations, scaling businesses, and developing high-performing teams, Mary shares the leadership lessons that transformed her from a tactical operator into a visionary CEO.

Together, Joel and Mary unpack why leadership is not about titles, authority, or having the quickest answer — it’s about creating clarity, asking compelling questions, listening deeply, and helping people grow into their potential. From “bottom line up front” leadership to building cultures rooted in accountability and trust, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom for leaders at every level.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why leadership is about influence, not position
• How asking better questions creates better leaders
• Why “Tell Me More” is one of the most powerful phrases in leadership
• The difference between tactical leadership and visionary leadership
• How great leaders build culture through values, curiosity, and accountability
• Why leaders must allow people to “fail forward” in order to grow
• How to create employee engagement by helping people see where they fit

Mary also shares hard-earned lessons from leading major franchise organizations, scaling teams through rapid growth, and learning how to slow down, listen, and lead with intentionality.

Because leadership isn’t about controlling people.
It’s about equipping them, inspiring them, and helping them become more than they thought possible.

Lean in — and tell me more.

Host:
Joel Worthington

Guest:
Mary Thompson — CEO of BNI, Former COO of Neighborly, Former Chair of the International Franchise Association

Show:
Tell Me More

Connect with Joel:
LinkedIn: Joel Worthington
Instagram: @joelworthington

Connect with Mary Thompson:
BNI: BNI.com

The biggest leadership failures rarely come from bad intentions. They come from leaders who stop asking questions.

In this episode of Tell Me More, Joel Worthington sits down with nationally recognized trial attorney and entrepreneur Parag Amin to unpack the deep connection between leadership, influence, trust, decision-making, and human psychology. After recovering more than $280 million for clients and building a highly successful law practice from scratch, Parag shares the leadership lessons he’s learned from the courtroom — and why they apply directly to business, culture, and organizational success.

From jury selection and persuasion to hiring, accountability, due diligence, and difficult conversations, Joel and Parag explore how great leaders build trust, influence teams, and avoid the blind spots that destroy businesses.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why great leaders ask hard questions — especially of themselves
• How poor due diligence destroys businesses and relationships
• The leadership danger of overconfidence and the Dunning-Kruger Effect
• Why trust, credibility, and integrity are everything in leadership
• How influence works in courtrooms, boardrooms, and team meetings
• Why employees and teams behave like juries
• How leaders lose people when they rely on authority instead of persuasion
• Why successful teams are built through belief, culture, and accountability

Parag also shares powerful lessons from growing his law firm, leading high-performing teams, and helping entrepreneurs avoid legal and leadership mistakes that can cost them everything.

Because leadership isn’t about forcing people to follow you.
It’s about earning trust, building credibility, and winning people over through authenticity and preparation.

Lean in — and tell me more.

Host:
Joel Worthington

Guest:
Parag Amin — Trial Attorney, Entrepreneur & Author of The Entrepreneur’s Legal Playbook

Show:
Tell Me More

Connect with Joel:
LinkedIn: Joel Worthington
Instagram: @joelworthington

Connect with Parag Amin:
Website: ParagAminLaw.com
Book: The Entrepreneur’s Legal Playbook

Most employees aren’t disengaged because they’re lazy. They’re disengaged because they don’t feel safe, valued, or connected.

In this episode of Tell Me More, Joel Worthington sits down with leadership strategist and workplace psychology expert Jess Lane to unpack the real reasons employee engagement is collapsing in modern workplaces — and what leaders can do to fix it.

After helping major brands like Porsche, Visa, Olay, Michelob Ultra, and multiple tech unicorns scale and grow, Jess experienced a life-changing layoff that forced her to rethink identity, purpose, leadership, and the future of work. That journey led her to pursue a master’s degree in psychology and launch The Four Cup Company, a business focused on helping people design more meaningful and purpose-driven careers.

Together, Joel and Jess explore the psychology behind workplace culture, employee motivation, leadership, and human-centered performance. From psychological safety and belonging to autonomy and meaning, this conversation delivers practical leadership strategies that every manager, entrepreneur, and executive needs to hear.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why psychological safety is essential for productivity and innovation
• How poor leadership destroys employee engagement and trust
• Why people perform better when they feel valued and connected
• The five workplace factors that drive happier, healthier teams
• How autonomy and flexibility increase motivation and ownership
• Why leaders must create meaning, not just manage tasks
• How human-centered leadership improves culture, retention, and profits

Jess also shares powerful insights on identity, layoffs, burnout, career reinvention, and why the future of leadership must balance technology with humanity.

Because people don’t thrive when they feel controlled.
They thrive when they feel safe, seen, and significant.

Lean in — and tell me more.

Connect with Joel:
LinkedIn: Joel Worthington
Instagram: @joelworthington

Connect with Jess Lane:
Website: FourCupCo.com
LinkedIn: Jess Lane

Great leaders don’t create dependence — they create ownership.

In this episode of Tell Me More, Joel Worthington sits down with entrepreneur, founder, and leadership coach Todd Hopkins, creator of Office Pride and founder of the Strategic Thinking Network. Together, they unpack what separates thriving leaders and businesses from the ones that stall out: the ability to equip people instead of rescuing them.

Drawing from more than 30 years of building one of the most respected franchise organizations in America, Todd shares hard-earned lessons on leadership, franchising, employee engagement, personal growth, and faith-driven business. From scaling a company that started as a college paper to helping entrepreneurs align leadership with purpose, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom for leaders at every level.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why leaders should equip people instead of “helping” them
• How ownership and accountability drive long-term success
• Why employee buy-in matters more than authority or titles
• The leadership mistake that causes teams to stop taking responsibility
• How great leaders reconnect people to their “why”
• Why personal growth determines organizational growth
• The difference between strategic thinking, critical thinking, and eternal thinking

Joel and Todd also explore how faith, vision, and leadership intersect — and why the most impactful leaders continue growing long after they’ve achieved success.

Because leadership isn’t about controlling people.
It’s about developing people who can thrive without you.

Lean in — and tell me more.

Connect with Joel:
LinkedIn: Joel Worthington
Instagram: @joelworthington

Connect with Todd Hopkins:
Strategic Thinking Network
Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Services

Great leaders don’t push people — they guide them.

In this episode of Tell Me More, Joel Worthington sits down with Zach Smith, founder of Anywhere.com, to explore a powerful leadership truth: leading a team is no different than guiding someone through a life-changing journey. Whether you’re building a business or planning a trip across the world, success comes down to trust, communication, and creating an experience people want to be part of.

Zach shares how his company helps travelers move from anxiety to confidence by deeply understanding their desires and building trust at every step — and Joel connects those same principles directly to leadership inside organizations. When leaders act as guides instead of bosses, they unlock energy, engagement, and buy-in that most teams never reach.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why leadership is about guiding people toward a destination, not managing tasks
• How trust and psychological safety eliminate fear and unlock performance
• Why asking better questions leads to stronger buy-in from your team
• How great leaders “sell the journey” by casting a compelling vision
• Why culture and experience drive referrals, retention, and engagement

If you want your team to stop showing up for a paycheck and start showing up with passion, you have to create a journey worth following.

Because when people see themselves in the vision, they don’t need to be pushed — they choose to go.

Lean in — and tell me more.

Connect with Joel:
LinkedIn: Joel Worthington
Instagram: @joelworthington

Connect with Zach Smith:
Website: Anywhere.com

People don’t follow titles — they follow competence.

In this episode of Tell Me More, leadership consultant Joel Worthington sits down with real estate coach, speaker, and author Josh Cadillac to explore a powerful leadership truth: trust is built through competence. Whether you’re leading employees or influencing customers, people need to believe you know what you’re doing before they’re willing to follow your lead.

Through stories from real estate, business leadership, and even ballroom dancing, Joel and Josh break down how expertise, empathy, and communication work together to build credibility. When leaders deeply understand their craft — and the people they serve — they create confidence, safety, and influence that drives results.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why competence is one of the two pillars of trust in leadership
• How great leaders influence people without forcing decisions
• The difference between technical skill and soft-skill leadership
• Why empathy and respect create stronger buy-in from teams and customers
• How mastering your craft elevates every conversation you have

If you want people to trust your leadership, start by proving you’re worthy of it.

Because when leaders combine character, competence, and empathy, people don’t have to be pushed — they want to follow.

Lean in — and tell me more.

Connect with Joel:
LinkedIn: Joel Worthington
Instagram: @joelworthington

Connect with Josh Cadillac:
Podcast: Know Your Sh*t

Your team doesn’t act on strategy, they act on what they believe.

In this episode of Tell Me More, leadership consultant Joel Worthington breaks down a foundational principle every high-performing leader must understand: belief is the basis for behavior. If your employees aren’t engaged, energized, or bought in, it’s not a motivation problem — it’s a belief problem.

Joel unpacks the psychology behind self-efficacy, employee engagement, trust in leadership, and emotional buy-in — and shows you how to turn passive employees into passionate contributors. You’ll learn how belief fuels energy, how energy drives action, and how great leaders intentionally create belief in three critical areas: in themselves, in the leader, and in the mission.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why employee engagement starts with belief, not bonuses
• How to build trust through character and competence
• Why storytelling is your most powerful leadership tool
• How to present new initiatives so your team actually buys in
• Why emotional connection must come before data and KPIs

If you want more energy, more ownership, and better results from your team, stop leading with spreadsheets and start leading with belief.

Because when belief goes up, passion rises.
When passion rises, action follows.
And when action follows, results compound.

Lean in — and tell me more.

Connect with Joel:
LinkedIn: Joel Worthington
Instagram: @joelworthington

Most leaders don’t have a strategy problem — they have an energy problem.

In the very first episode of Tell Me More, host Joel Worthington breaks down what leadership actually requires and why so many teams feel disengaged, disconnected, and stuck in neutral. Drawing on decades of experience leading large organizations, Joel explains how communication, trust, and emotional alignment determine whether people show up motivated or just collect a paycheck.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why leadership without followers isn’t leadership at all
• How poor communication creates chaos — and great communication creates harmony
• Why “Tell Me More” is the simplest phrase that unlocks trust, energy, and results

If you’re ready to move your team from obligation to ownership, this conversation is where it starts. Pull up a seat — and tell me more.

Connect with Joel:
LinkedIn: Joel Worthington
Instagram: @joelworthington