In Episode 8, Brandon Denmon explores The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon and its 10 transformative rules for leading with energy, purpose, and clarity. Learn how to drive your “leadership bus,” invite the right people on board, remove energy vampires, and fuel your team with vision and enthusiasm.

Ever wonder why teams break down at the leadership level? It’s not about trust or conflict anymore — it’s about the uncomfortable truth: accountability.

Accountability might be the toughest — and most critical — piece of building a winning culture. In this episode of The Winning Culture Blueprint, Brandon Denmon shares lessons from Walmart’s origin story and ties them to Patrick Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team, focusing on the fourth dysfunction: fear of accountability.

You’ll learn why accountability breaks down at the senior leadership level, why it’s not just the CEO’s job, and practical ways to build accountability systems that drive performance. From weekly commitments to peer-to-peer accountability, this episode will help you create a culture where leaders call each other higher.

👉 The Winning Culture Blueprint is available wherever you listen to podcasts — Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, YouTube, and more.

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Summary

In this episode, Brandon Denmon discusses the attributes of high-performing teams, focusing on the five dysfunctions as outlined by Patrick Lencioni. He emphasizes the importance of trust, commitment, and clear communication within teams. The conversation explores how to address common issues such as lack of commitment, clarity in decision-making, and navigating change effectively. Denmon provides actionable takeaways for leaders to foster a cohesive team environment and ensure accountability among team members.


Takeaways

High performance starts with personal growth and energy management.
Functional mushrooms can enhance cognitive function and mood.
Trust is foundational for high-performing teams.
Fear of conflict leads to passive-aggressive behavior.
Lack of commitment is evident when team members don't follow through.
Clarity in meetings is essential for team alignment.
Early communication prevents confusion during changes.
Acknowledging pivots in strategy is important for team understanding.
Conclude meetings with clear decisions and responsibilities.
Leaders must foster an environment of trust and accountability.


Titles

Unlocking High Performance in Teams
The Power of Trust in Leadership


Sound bites

"Communicate early to avoid confusion."
"Change happens; we need to explain why."
"Lead at a high level and create trust."


Chapters

00:00 Introduction to High Performance and Functional Mushrooms
02:25 Understanding Team Dysfunctions: Trust and Conflict
03:50 Lack of Commitment in Teams
05:54 Addressing Clarity and Communication in Decision Making
10:32 Navigating Change and Communication
14:50 Ensuring Commitment and Accountability in Teams

Why Fear of Conflict Is Killing Your Team Culture | Winning Culture Blueprint Ep 5

In Episode 5 of The Winning Culture Blueprint, I’m fresh off a vacation in Cancun—feeling recharged, refocused, and ready to help you do the same.

This episode explores how building margin in your life and work opens the door to tackling the second dysfunction of a team: the fear of conflict.
You’ll learn:

• What fear of conflict looks like in real teams
• Why unresolved tension shows up as boring meetings
• How trust unlocks the real conversations that drive results
• Simple ways to reset, realign, and recommit to finishing 2025 strong

It’s time to create a culture where healthy conflict leads to commitment, clarity, and execution. Let’s get after it.

Full Episode on Youtube:

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