Badass Softie

Dr. J.J. Peterson
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A Badass Softie is unapologetically ambitious and leads with heart. Ambitious and kind. Fun and driven. Powerful and deeply human. Badass Softie, hosted by Dr. J.J. Peterson, is a podcast that challenges the false choice leaders are too often given: be strong or be compassionate. The world doesn’t just need more leaders — it needs leaders bold enough to make an impact and compassionate enough to make it meaningful. Each episode pulls back the curtain on leaders, creators, and innovators who are rewriting the rules of what real leadership looks like. You’ll walk away with stories, insights, and practical takeaways that show you how to lead with both strength and softness — the very definition of being a Badass Softie. Subscribe and step fully into the kind of leader the world is waiting for. 

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    Permission to Try Something New

    Leaders carry growing responsibility. Bigger teams. Bigger decisions. Bigger stakes. But growth in responsibility doesn’t automatically mean growth in thinking. Dr. JJ Peterson explores a counterintuitive leadership truth: when leaders stop trying new things, their thinking gets smaller — even as their influence expands. The issue isn’t intelligence. It isn’t experience. It’s rigidity. The brain is designed to change. Novelty builds cognitive flexibility. Exposure to unfamiliar environments interrupts autopilot. Creative hobbies, new skills, and even small disruptions in routine reshape how the brain approaches ambiguity and problem-solving. Trying something new outside of work isn’t indulgent. It’s strategic. Learning stained glass doesn’t make someone a better marketer. Curling doesn’t automatically improve strategy. But putting yourself back into beginner mode rewires how you respond to uncertainty, failure, and complexity — and that changes leadership. Growth doesn’t always look impressive. Sometimes it looks like falling on the ice, laughing, and getting back up again. What You’ll Learn Why leadership fails when thinking becomes rigid How novelty strengthens cognitive flexibility The connection between environment shifts and creative problem-solving Why beginnerhood is a leadership practice, not a weakness Simple ways to disrupt autopilot and expand perspective Leadership requires adaptability, perspective, and the willingness to experiment before certainty arrives. If this resonates, consider sharing it with a leader who may need permission to try something new — not to master it, not to monetize it, but to stay mentally alive. Because ambition and humanity are not opposites. And the most strategic thing a leader can do might be to become a beginner again.

    21 min

  2. 9 FEB

    How to Lead When There Is No Script

    Before he ever worked with leaders on message and clarity, Dr. J.J. Peterson spent years performing improv comedy — an environment where nothing is scripted, mistakes are guaranteed, and collaboration determines whether a scene survives. What most people misunderstand about improv is that it isn’t chaos. It has rules. And those same rules quietly shape what effective leadership looks like when certainty is low and pressure is high. Drawing from his experience on stage and in leadership rooms, Dr. Peterson explores how leaders can create momentum, protect dignity, and keep people engaged — even when things feel messy, unfinished, or uncertain. What’s Covered Why strong leadership isn’t about control, but attention and trust How “Yes, and” keeps people contributing instead of shutting down Why leaders need a clear point of view — not vague optimism How to handle mistakes without creating fear or humiliation What it means to name reality instead of performing confidence Why leadership works best when leaders stop trying to win the room Most leadership happens without a script. The question isn’t whether things will wobble — it’s how leaders respond when they do. If this resonates, consider sharing it with another badass softie leader — someone ambitious, thoughtful, and deeply human — who’s navigating leadership without a script and trying to do it with heart.

    23 min

  3. 2 FEB

    The Stories That Shape How We Lead — with Tricia Rose Burt

    Most people think a story has to be a seismic, life-altering event to matter. Something dramatic. Something obvious. Something big enough to justify being told. But leadership is rarely shaped by moments that announce themselves. In this conversation, Dr. J.J. Peterson talks with storyteller and creativity guide Tricia Rose Burt about why the stories that shape how we lead are often the ones we overlook—and how creativity helps us recognize, shape, and share them. Together, they explore storytelling not as performance or branding, but as a leadership practice: a way of integrating lived experience, building trust, and making meaning in the work we do. This is a conversation for leaders who feel disconnected from their creativity, unsure whether their story “counts,” or curious about how story and imagination strengthen—not soften—leadership. What this explores Why most people underestimate the stories they’re already carrying How storytelling reveals why you lead the way you do The connection between creativity and effective leadership Why showing a story builds credibility faster than telling credentials How recognizing your story opens the door to inspiring others Creativity isn’t a detour from leadership. Storytelling isn’t a nice-to-have. They’re how leaders stay human, flexible, and meaningful—especially when the work gets hard.   To learn more about Tricia Rose Burt and her work, visit triciaroseburt.com.

    25 min

  4. 26 JAN

    Can Friendship at Work Actually Make You a Better Leader?

    Work is relational—whether we admit it or not. And yet many leaders are taught that professionalism means distance, separation, and emotional restraint. In this conversation, Dr. J.J. Peterson reflects on what actually happens when trust, friendship, and shared commitment exist inside a working relationship. Joined by longtime collaborator and friend Kristin Spiotto, they explore the tension between closeness and leadership—and why pretending work isn’t personal often creates more harm than clarity. Together, they challenge the myth that personal connection weakens leadership and instead unpack how safety, honesty, and intentional boundaries can lead to stronger teams, better work, and more resilient relationships. What This Explores Why separating personal and professional is often a false choice How trust changes the way feedback, conflict, and decisions land The difference between healthy closeness and blurred power dynamics What it means to be “for each other” without sacrificing excellence How leaders can create safety without making promises they can’t keep If you’ve ever felt torn between protecting your humanity and doing excellent work, you’re not alone. The goal isn’t perfect boundaries—it’s intentional ones that steady relationships instead of shrinking them.

    22 min

  5. 19 JAN

    When Cynicism Feels Earned — and Why Leaders Can’t Afford to Live There

    Cynicism often starts as protection. It forms after systems fail, trust erodes, and disappointment stacks up. For many leaders, it feels reasonable—earned, even. But over time, that armor begins to cost more than it protects. Dr. J.J. Peterson reflects on how cynicism quietly reshapes leadership: how it changes tone, limits trust, narrows imagination, and distances us from the very people and possibilities that make leadership meaningful. This is a meditation on disciplined hope—not naïve optimism, not denial—but the courageous choice to remain open, curious, and human when closing off would be easier. What This Explores Why cynicism is often a wound response, not a personality trait The subtle ways cynicism erodes trust, creativity, and psychological safety How “emotional armor” can outlive its usefulness Why hope is a leadership discipline, not a temperament What it looks like to lead with tenderness without becoming brittle This reflection may resonate with leaders who are tired, thoughtful, and still deeply committed—even if they feel more guarded than they used to. If this stirred something for you, consider sharing it with someone who’s been carrying more armor than they’d like to admit.

    15 min

  6. 12 JAN

    The Best Leadership Lessons Come From Where You Least Expect

    Some of the most meaningful leadership lessons don’t come from business books, keynote stages, or boardrooms.   Sometimes, they come from places you don’t expect.   In this episode of Badass Softie, Dr. J.J. Peterson shares unexpected leadership insights inspired by a behind-the-scenes look at Taylor Swift and her record-breaking Eras Tour. What he expected was spectacle. What he didn’t expect was a masterclass in leadership with heart.   This episode explores what it looks like to lead at the highest level without becoming harder, colder, or smaller in the process.   You’ll hear reflections on: Emotional discipline and why leaders shouldn’t dump their stress downhill Showing up as a guide, not the hero How preparation creates freedom and confidence Why generosity and shared wins build loyalty What true belonging looks like on a team The power of owning your work, your voice, and your story If you’re tired of leadership advice that asks you to sacrifice your humanity for success, this conversation offers a better way.   If this episode resonated with you: Save it for the next time you need a reminder of the kind of leader you want to be. Share it with someone who feels tired of leading the “right” way and is ready for a better one. Or send it to a leader who needs fresh inspiration from an unexpected place. Because the world doesn’t need more polished leaders. It needs leaders who are prepared, generous, clear — and deeply human.   That’s what being a Badass Softie looks like.

    24 min

  7. 5 JAN

    Redefining Success Before the New Year Defines It for You

    As a new year begins, many leaders feel an unspoken pressure to measure themselves against impossible standards — more growth, more output, more proof that they’re “enough.” In this episode of Badass Softie, Dr. JJ Peterson invites listeners to pause and challenge the definition of success they’ve been handed. Drawing from his own experiences launching businesses, leading teams, publishing a bestselling book, and creating work that mattered long before it was visible, Dr. Peterson makes a compelling case for redefining success as alignment, not achievement. He introduces the concept of a Year of Enoughness — not as a lowering of ambition, but as a way to protect it. A definition of success that doesn’t demand burnout, self-abandonment, or the loss of creativity and joy. Listeners will explore: Why achievement without alignment can still feel like failure How leaders unknowingly hustle for worth instead of living from it The difference between performative success and sustainable leadership A simple three-question framework to redefine success from the inside out This episode is for leaders who are deeply driven — and quietly tired of measuring their lives by what looks impressive instead of what feels true. If this episode resonates, share it with someone you believe is a badass softie — a leader who is ambitious, values-driven, and ready to build success without losing their humanity.

    13 min

  8. 29/12/2025

    Why Leaders Need Celebration Before Things Feel “Ready”

    As leaders, we’re often taught that joy should wait its turn. That celebration is something you earn after the work is done, the chaos settles, and everything feels appropriate.   But what if that belief is quietly burning us out?   In this episode of Badass Softie, Dr. JJ Peterson invites leaders to rethink joy—not as a reward, but as a leadership practice. Through a simple, human story and research-backed insight, he explores why joy isn’t denial, irresponsibility, or distraction… it’s how emotionally intelligent leaders stay resilient, creative, and deeply human.   This conversation is especially for those who feel the tension between ambition and tenderness—who are carrying a lot, leading through uncertainty, and wondering if celebration is allowed when things still feel hard.   Because joy doesn’t erase the heavy parts of life. It carries us through them.   ✨ If this episode resonates, share it with someone you believe is a true Badass Softie—someone who leads with heart, carries responsibility with courage, and deserves permission to celebrate a little sooner than they think.

    10 min
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About

A Badass Softie is unapologetically ambitious and leads with heart. Ambitious and kind. Fun and driven. Powerful and deeply human. Badass Softie, hosted by Dr. J.J. Peterson, is a podcast that challenges the false choice leaders are too often given: be strong or be compassionate. The world doesn’t just need more leaders — it needs leaders bold enough to make an impact and compassionate enough to make it meaningful. Each episode pulls back the curtain on leaders, creators, and innovators who are rewriting the rules of what real leadership looks like. You’ll walk away with stories, insights, and practical takeaways that show you how to lead with both strength and softness — the very definition of being a Badass Softie. Subscribe and step fully into the kind of leader the world is waiting for. 

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. J.J. Peterson
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Badass Softie