Welcome to Leadership Explored

Hosts: Ed Schaefer and Andy Siegmund

Episode: 01

Runtime: Approximately 20 minutes

Release Date: April 8, 2025

Website: leadershipexploredpod.com

Episode Description:

Welcome to the very first episode of Leadership Explored — a podcast for curious, thoughtful, and intentional leaders. In this inaugural episode, co-hosts Ed Schaefer and Andy Siegmund introduce themselves, share what inspired the creation of the show, and reflect on what they hope it brings to listeners.

You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at their leadership journeys, the kinds of conversations you can expect on future episodes, and the philosophy that underpins this podcast: leadership isn’t a fixed formula — it’s something we explore, question, and grow into.

Whether you're an experienced leader, a new manager, or someone aspiring to lead with more integrity and impact, this podcast is for you.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

🎙️ How Leadership Explored came to be — and why it's intentionally a work in progress.

🔍 Why leadership conversations often lack nuance — and how this podcast aims to change that.

🛠️ What makes leadership effective (hint: it’s not 10x productivity).

🎵 The surprising leadership lessons Andy learned from his background in music.

🤝 The value of reflection, curiosity, and honest disagreement in leadership development.

💬 Why this podcast is more “working session” than “expert interview.”

Episode Highlights:

⏳ [00:00] – Meet your hosts: Ed and Andy kick off the show and reflect on their leadership paths.⏳ [02:18] – Why Ed started the podcast — and why he invited Andy to join him.⏳ [04:31] – What we hope listeners take away from each episode: reflection, support, and small experiments.⏳ [06:59] – The tone and structure of the show — curiosity over certainty.⏳ [08:44] – Who this podcast is really for: from new managers to seasoned leaders seeking fresh perspectives.⏳ [11:02] – What sets Leadership Explored apart from other leadership podcasts.⏳ [12:57] – Personal stories that shaped how we think about leadership today.⏳ [17:16] – Topics we’re most excited about — from leadership ethics to comparison traps.⏳ [18:52] – Final thoughts and how to stay connected.

🔗 Visit leadershipexploredpod.com for detailed show notes and additional resources.

🎧 Follow Leadership Explored on your favorite podcast platform to stay updated with new episodes every other Tuesday.

💡 Have a topic you’d love us to explore? Send your suggestions to: leadershipexplored@gmail.com

Funk Game Loop Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/