I’ve always believed that some of the best leadership lessons come from places you wouldn’t expect, and in this conversation, I got to explore that idea with retired deputy fire chief and author Frank Viscuso. We talked about what firefighters can teach us about fear, pressure, teamwork, and leadership and why staying calm in a crisis isn’t simply something you’re born with. Frank explains how training, preparation, urgency, and what he calls “ruthless repetitions” can help us make better decisions when everything starts falling apart.

We also dug into trust and empathy, why great leaders inspire people instead of demanding loyalty, and how spending real time with your team can build stronger relationships. We talked about conflict, workplace drama, unresolved tension, and why teams can fall apart even when talented people are involved. One lesson that really stuck with me was Frank’s advice to “stop expecting you from other people.” Different people respond differently, and great leadership starts with understanding that.

What happens when you stop avoiding the hard things and start moving toward them?

I sat down with retired Navy SEAL senior chief Kris "Herge" Hregdovic, and this conversation cracked me wide open in the best way.

We start with a story about my daughter and a moment on a train in Bangkok that taught me what it really means to fight the good fight

He breaks down why so many men wait until they're completely broken before asking for help. We also get into servant leadership, the lie that toughness is about looks or titles, and why knowing who you are internally matters more than anything you can lose externally.

Herge spent twenty years in the SEAL teams and six deployments learning this the hard way, and now he's teaching men how to lead with humility instead of ego.

What's one battlefield in your own life you've been afraid to walk back onto?

I sat down with Rich Keller, a former corporate branding executive who walked away from a thirty-year career on the spot to help people discover their identity in a single word.

Rich breaks down why so many of us stumble when someone asks "tell me about yourself," and how conflating what we do with who we are quietly steals our confidence, our resilience, and our sense of purpose.

We talk about Apple, Steve Jobs, and why iconic brands never waver from their core value, then bring it back to something deeply personal: grief, gratitude, and what it means to keep showing up when life reminds you that time is not guaranteed.

What's the one word you'd use to describe yourself?