The 3x5 Leadership Podcast

The 3x5 Leadership Team
  • 5.0 (14)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Leaders can't pour from an empty cup. This show fills your cup by offering practical strategies so you can live, lead, and learn more intentionally.

  1. #47 The Case for Kindness

    2D AGO

    #47 The Case for Kindness

    Welcome to the 3x5 leadership podcast―a show dedicated to making more intentional leaders regardless of role, rank, or responsibility because we believe that better leaders and build a better world. The reality is, however, that you cannot successfully and sustainably pour into others from an empty cup. So, how do you keep your cup full as a leader? This show aims to help by filling your cup with simple, practical strategies so you can live, lead, and learn more intentionally. You can listen to the episode on Apple and Spotify! You’ve heard us say this across the 3x5 Leadership platform: No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care. Put into a single word, we’d call that kindness. But why focus on something that feels like a soft skill when you could be improving efficiency, refining management practices, or updating mission and vision statements? Because most people don’t fully hear—or believe—what you have to offer unless they know it’s for their benefit. At our core, we all want to feel seen, valued, and heard, and our first instinct usually isn’t to wonder whether the person speaking to us feels the same way. In this episode, we make the case for kindness by clarifying what kindness is—and what it is not—and by sharing simple ways you can show greater compassion toward the people on your team, including: Asking how someone is doing before asking them to do something Truly listening and remembering what matters to people Showing gratitude in small but meaningful ways Kindness may not top your leadership development goals this year, but we believe it’s foundational to how we interact with others and to the meaning we all draw from the time we spend at work. When we bring more compassion into the workplace, we create a more meaningful impact—not just on performance, but on the lives and careers of the people around us. Related Episodes Interested in learning more? Check out these related 3x5 Leadership podcast episodes. #16 How to Lead with Gratitude This Year #34 Seeing Candor Differently: Turning Toward People’s Bids for Connection #37 Leadership Worth Remembering: 10 Types of Moments the Leaders We Remember Create Things Referenced in the Episode Interactional Justice, Work and Family Researchers Network Books by Adam Grant, Give and Take and Think Again Book by Daniel Coyle, The Culture Code Book by Kim Scott, Radical Candor Discover More Like and Review the Show! If you found this episode valuable, we invite you to give the show a like and review. It builds our credibility, helping others discover the show and know it’s worth their time. Join Our Email List. When you do, you’ll get free, weekly insights sent straight to your inbox to help fill your cup as a leader. Subscribe and learn more at the Welcome page. Introducing our Leadership University coming in a few months! If you’re interested, you can learn more and sign up to be the first to know when it’s ready at our Leadership University page. Until next episode, friends, take care and lead well!

    22 min
  2. #46 What Happens When Leaders Ignore Management: Don’t Be Inspired but Ineffective

    MAR 1

    #46 What Happens When Leaders Ignore Management: Don’t Be Inspired but Ineffective

    Welcome to the 3x5 leadership podcast―a show dedicated to making more intentional leaders regardless of role, rank, or responsibility because we believe that better leaders and build a better world. The reality is, however, that you cannot successfully and sustainably pour into others from an empty cup. So, how do you keep your cup full as a leader? This show aims to help by filling your cup with simple, practical strategies so you can live, lead, and learn more intentionally. You can listen to the episode on Apple and Spotify! Leadership or management—this is an age-old question of which to embody, develop, or prioritize within an organization. Leadership is often celebrated as the pinnacle: we talk about leading studies, leading scientists, and world leaders. No one ever talks about managing studies, managing scientists, or world managers. But here’s the truth: management is vital to the success of every one of those “leading” organizations, efforts, and people. No leader can succeed without the systems and mechanics that make results possible. In this episode, we’ll show you why both leadership and management are essential to both your process and your outcomes. We’ll break down the key components of each practice, clarify how they differ, and show how they work together so you can: Define purpose while establishing effective processes Determine direction while coordinating execution Motivate people while monitoring performance Don’t rush past this conversation. Doing so risks overlooking gaps in your own leadership or management approach—both of which directly shape the results you see in your team and organization. While mastering both is a lifelong pursuit, this episode will help you take the first steps toward leading and managing well. Related Episodes Interested in learning more? Check out these related 3x5 Leadership podcast episodes. #5 Four Strategies to Schedule Your Self-Development Better #15 My Best New Management Practice for the Year #28 Balancing Stability and Stretch: Lead Your Team’s Routine…Then Its Growth Discover More Like and Review the Show! If you found this episode valuable, we invite you to give the show a like and review. It builds our credibility, helping others discover the show and know it’s worth their time. Join Our Email List. When you do, you’ll get free, weekly insights sent straight to your inbox to help fill your cup as a leader. Subscribe and learn more at the Welcome page. Introducing our Leadership University coming in a few months! If you’re interested, you can learn more and sign up to be the first to know when it’s ready at our Leadership University page. Until next episode, friends, take care and lead well!

    28 min
  3. #45: You Can’t Lead if You Can’t Communicate. Why Leaders Need to Write.

    FEB 22

    #45: You Can’t Lead if You Can’t Communicate. Why Leaders Need to Write.

    Welcome to the 3x5 leadership podcast―a show dedicated to making more intentional leaders regardless of role, rank, or responsibility because we believe that better leaders and build a better world. The reality is, however, that you cannot successfully and sustainably pour into others from an empty cup. So, how do you keep your cup full as a leader? This show aims to help by filling your cup with simple, practical strategies so you can live, lead, and learn more intentionally. You can listen to the episode on Apple and Spotify! Growing up, many of us were required to write—for grades, for applications, or for self-expression. Maybe your five-paragraph essays were critiqued for weak transitions, or maybe you kept a diary that would make you cringe if anyone ever read it. Either way, looking back on all those written or typed words might make you question their value in shaping who you are or how you lead today. This episode is an argument for those essays, journals, and diaries—just in a more updated and intentional form. We believe communication is so critical to leadership that the practice of writing directly shapes what you say, how you say it, and how clearly you think—whether you’re talking to yourself, your team, or the world. In this episode, we’ll explain why writing matters so much and help you start (or restart) a writing habit with practical considerations like: Writing things down as soon as they happen or cross your mind, because clarity and insight fade quickly Getting clear on why you want to write and how it will make you a better leader Creating a simple process and structure that builds accountability and protects space for focus and reflection You’re reading or listening to this episode because, at some point, reflection and writing became important to us. At 3x5 Leadership, we believe so strongly in its value that we wanted to share this framework with you—so you can develop yourself as both a communicator and a leader, even if the early stages of your writing feel a lot like that old childhood diary. Related Episodes Interested in learning more? Check out these related 3x5 Leadership podcast episodes. #11 Words Matter: 10 Ways to Be More Intentional with Your Words #26 The 12 Things I Wish I Knew 12 Years Ago #40 Don’t Let Your Books Die on the Shelf: Building a Reflection System for Leaders Discover More Like and Review the Show! If you found this episode valuable, we invite you to give the show a like and review. It builds our credibility, helping others discover the show and know it’s worth their time. Join Our Email List. When you do, you’ll get free, weekly insights sent straight to your inbox to help fill your cup as a leader. Subscribe and learn more at the Welcome page. Introducing our Leadership University coming in a few months! If you’re interested, you can learn more and sign up to be the first to know when it’s ready at our Leadership University page. Until next episode, friends, take care and lead well!

    25 min
  4. #44 Audacious Habits of Intentional Leaders (Against the Status Quo)

    FEB 15

    #44 Audacious Habits of Intentional Leaders (Against the Status Quo)

    Welcome to the 3x5 leadership podcast―a show dedicated to making more intentional leaders regardless of role, rank, or responsibility because we believe that better leaders and build a better world. The reality is, however, that you cannot successfully and sustainably pour into others from an empty cup. So, how do you keep your cup full as a leader? This show aims to help by filling your cup with simple, practical strategies so you can live, lead, and learn more intentionally. You can listen to the episode on Apple and Spotify! When asked why we became leaders, many of us can point to someone who once inspired us to lead. What was it about that person that made you want to be like them? For most of us, it wasn’t their title or accomplishments—it was who they were and how they treated us. In this episode, we introduce seven habits that intentional—and inspirational—leaders have the audacity to practice. We use the word audacity because these habits push against the status quo of productivity, efficiency, and comfort that our world naturally defaults to. We believe these seven habits interrupt the quiet “drift” toward norms that keep leaders from becoming truly inspirational. We’ll share practical recommendations that highlight the importance of things like: Fully devoting your attention to the person who walks into your office, regardless of what you’re doing Coaching and intentionally expressing gratitude on a regular basis Protecting your team’s attention from being pulled in too many directions This episode isn’t meant to convict you for moments when busyness has won your time and focus. Instead, it’s meant to reconnect you with why you became a leader in the first place—whether because you had a great leader or believed you could become one. We think you’ll walk away with ideas that help you become the reason someone else chooses to lead, too. Related Episodes Interested in learning more? Check out these related 3x5 Leadership podcast episodes. #16 How to Lead with Gratitude This Year #25 What Happens When Leaders Act Like Coaches #37 Leadership Worth Remembering: 10 Types of Moments the Leaders We Remember Create Discover More Like and Review the Show! If you found this episode valuable, we invite you to give the show a like and review. It builds our credibility, helping others discover the show and know it’s worth their time. Join Our Email List. When you do, you’ll get free, weekly insights sent straight to your inbox to help fill your cup as a leader. Subscribe and learn more at 3x5 Leadership. Introducing our Leadership University coming in a few months! If you’re interested, you can learn more and sign up to be the first to know when it’s ready at our Leadership University page. Until next episode, friends, take care and lead well!

    28 min
  5. #43 How to Ask Better Questions

    FEB 8

    #43 How to Ask Better Questions

    Welcome to the 3x5 leadership podcast―a show dedicated to making more intentional leaders regardless of role, rank, or responsibility because we believe that better leaders and build a better world. The reality is, however, that you cannot successfully and sustainably pour into others from an empty cup. So, how do you keep your cup full as a leader? This show aims to help by filling your cup with simple, practical strategies so you can live, lead, and learn more intentionally. You can listen to the episode on Apple and Spotify! At 3x5 Leadership, we talk a lot about the importance of listening—and for good reason. Better listening leads to better leadership. But as leaders, we can’t spend our days simply listening without direction. People rely on us to lead them, guide meetings and conversations, and drive discussions toward clarity and problem-solving. If you’re working on becoming a better listener, we commend you—there is always value in listening more and listening well. In this episode, however, we want to help you get even more out of what your team is already telling you by learning how to ask better questions, with the right intent behind them. Knowing the right words to ask is one thing. Asking questions with the right intent is something entirely different. We’ll start by exploring why the motivation behind your questions matters just as much as the phrasing, and then we’ll share practical ways to apply this skill, including: Using appropriate timing—and intentional silence—when asking questions Asking more by saying less Offering verbal and non-verbal feedback that shows you’re truly hearing what’s being shared This episode provides tools we believe you’ll use in every aspect of your work and life, and it complements everything we’ve already discussed about improving communication within your team. You’ll leave each day with a deeper understanding of your people—and they’ll leave feeling genuinely heard and understood. Related Episodes Interested in learning more? Check out these related 3x5 Leadership podcast episodes. #1 Three Powerful Questions to Think, Communicate, & Lead Better #32 Listening Like a Leader #35 The Anti-Humility Trap: When Leaders Talk Too Much Things Referenced in the Episode Book by Brendon Burchard, The Motivation Manifesto. Discover More Like and Review the Show! If you found this episode valuable, we invite you to give the show a like and review. It builds our credibility, helping others discover the show and know it’s worth their time. Join Our Email List. When you do, you’ll get free, weekly insights sent straight to your inbox to help fill your cup as a leader. Subscribe and learn more at 3x5 Leadership. Introducing our Leadership University coming in early 2026! If you’re interested, you can learn more and sign up to be the first to know when it’s ready at our Leadership University page. Until next episode, friends, take care and lead well!

    17 min
  6. #42 Stop Chasing Harmony: Why (and How) Leaders Lean into Conflict

    FEB 1

    #42 Stop Chasing Harmony: Why (and How) Leaders Lean into Conflict

    Welcome to the 3x5 leadership podcast―a show dedicated to making more intentional leaders regardless of role, rank, or responsibility because we believe that better leaders and build a better world. The reality is, however, that you cannot successfully and sustainably pour into others from an empty cup. So, how do you keep your cup full as a leader? This show aims to help by filling your cup with simple, practical strategies so you can live, lead, and learn more intentionally. You can listen to the episode on Apple and Spotify! If you work with people, conflict is unavoidable. If you haven’t experienced it—or think you’ve managed to avoid it—you may want to keep reading to understand what you’re missing… or avoiding. Conflict is challenging, uncomfortable, and often stressful, and depending on how we respond to it (or don’t), it can create even more problems for both leaders and teams. If conflict could be predicted, prevented, or resolved on its own, we’d eliminate a significant source of stress in our workplaces. But when you understand the roots of conflict, the outcomes it can produce, and the opportunities it presents, you’ll begin to see why avoiding conflict often does more harm than good—and why leaning into it matters. In this episode, we take a deeper look at why conflict arises no matter where we work, the implications of how it’s handled, and the common mistakes leaders make when trying to navigate it. We’ll help you think through questions like: Why do some people seem to be involved in more conflict than others? As a leader, how does my view and treatment of conflict shape team dynamics? How can I classify, clarify, and resolve conflict in a way that’s productive—without damaging trust? Our hope is that this episode helps you recognize the opportunity embedded in every conflict—not just to resolve the issue at hand, but to establish a shared framework for how your team approaches conflict moving forward. This kind of shift doesn’t happen overnight, but with persistence, courage, and honest leadership, you can build a team that grows stronger—not weaker—each time conflict arises. Related Episodes Interested in learning more? Check out these related 3x5 Leadership podcast episodes. #14 Ten Lessons in Developing Culture #22 How to Deal with Conflict #34 Seeing Candor Differently: Turning Toward People’s Bids for Connection Discover More Like and Review the Show! If you found this episode valuable, we invite you to give the show a like and review. It builds our credibility, helping others discover the show and know it’s worth their time. Join Our Email List. When you do, you’ll get free, weekly insights sent straight to your inbox to help fill your cup as a leader. Subscribe and learn more at 3x5 Leadership. Introducing our Leadership University coming in early 2026! If you’re interested, you can learn more and sign up to be the first to know when it’s ready at our Leadership University page. Until next episode, friends, take care and lead well!

    24 min
  7. #41 The Three Enduring Priorities of a Leader

    JAN 25

    #41 The Three Enduring Priorities of a Leader

    Welcome to the 3x5 leadership podcast―a show dedicated to making more intentional leaders regardless of role, rank, or responsibility because we believe that better leaders and build a better world. The reality is, however, that you cannot successfully and sustainably pour into others from an empty cup. So, how do you keep your cup full as a leader? This show aims to help by filling your cup with simple, practical strategies so you can live, lead, and learn more intentionally.   You can listen to the episode on Apple and Spotify!  The Eisenhower Matrix is a well-known tool for determining what needs our attention. But what do we do when we’re overwhelmed, unsure of where to start, and everything on our mental to-do list feels equally important? And how can we be sure that we’re prioritizing the right tasks when our bosses and organization may have their own expectations?  In this episode, we’ll introduce you to three enduring priorities that will help guide your decision-making, work-related tasks, and even navigate conflicts. We all have limited capacity, and when it’s running low, it’s crucial to know what should come first—and what can wait for another time.  Once we unpack these enduring priorities, we’ll share the benefits of using this approach, along with wisdom from our own experiences, such as:  How putting others' priorities first can give you leverage to accomplish what matters most to you  Why focusing on your own priorities first might make others feel that you’re ignoring their needs  How this method improves efficiency and effectiveness, ensuring you’re always moving forward in a meaningful way  We believe this framework will bring clarity to your decisions as a leader and team member, allowing you to stay focused on what’s right and support your organization’s upward mobility. By applying this method consistently, you’ll build reliability and consistency—ultimately making space for you to do what is most important to you.  Related Episodes  Interested in learning more? Check out these related 3x5 Leadership podcast episodes.   #10 How to Make Ethical Decisions #19 Delegate Better #22 How to Deal with Conflict Things Referenced in the Episode  Introducing our Leadership University coming in early 2026! If you’re interested, you can learn more and sign up to be the first to know when it’s ready at our Leadership University page.  Find the 2x2 Eisenhower Matrix graphic here! Book by Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Book by Todd Henry, Herding Tigers Books by Jim Collins, Good to Great and Built to Last Discover More  Like and Review the Show! If you found this episode valuable, we invite you to give the show a like and review. It builds our credibility, helping others discover the show and know it’s worth their time.   Join Our Email List. When you do, you’ll get free, weekly insights sent straight to your inbox to help fill your cup as a leader. Subscribe and learn more at 3x5 Leadership today.  Until next episode, friends, take care and lead well!

    20 min
  8. #40 Don’t Let Your Books Die on the Shelf: Building a Reflection System for Leaders

    JAN 18

    #40 Don’t Let Your Books Die on the Shelf: Building a Reflection System for Leaders

    Welcome to the 3x5 leadership podcast―a show dedicated to making more intentional leaders regardless of role, rank, or responsibility because we believe that better leaders and build a better world. The reality is, however, that you cannot successfully and sustainably pour into others from an empty cup. So, how do you keep your cup full as a leader? This show aims to help by filling your cup with simple, practical strategies so you can live, lead, and learn more intentionally.   You can listen to the episode on Apple and Spotify!  A proactive leader isn’t just invested in the growth of their team—they’re also committed to their own personal development through continuous reading and learning. If you consider yourself a “lifelong learner,” you probably have a list of books you can easily recall and recommend, or at least keep written in a notebook somewhere. But here’s the question: how many of those books have truly had a profound impact on your leadership and life?  In this episode, we’ll focus on the self-improvement you’re already pursuing through reading—and show you how to make that learning more impactful, memorable, and relevant across all areas of your leadership.  We’ll introduce a system of five steps to help you get more out of your reading, learning, and reflection. This system is neither quick nor convenient, but it’s incredibly impactful and will deepen your appreciation for the lessons you’re learning. You may not read more books this way, but the quality of your retention and the attention you give to the content you consume will have a lasting effect, such as:  Building a portfolio that documents, consolidates, and synthesizes the ideas you gain through reading  Bringing together key insights from various sources, allowing bigger ideas to take root and grow in your life and leadership  If you’re someone who collects books like trophies for your library, this system may not be for you. But if you’re ready to remember and truly be transformed by the books you choose to read, then this episode is the perfect place to start.  Related Episodes  Interested in learning more? Check out these related 3x5 Leadership podcast episodes.   #13 You Can't Pour from an Empty Cup #15 My Best New Management Practice for the Year #32 Listening Like a Leader Things Referenced in the Episode  Introducing our Leadership University coming in early 2026! If you’re interested, you can learn more and sign up to be the first to know when it’s ready at our Leadership University page.  Discover More Like and Review the Show! If you found this episode valuable, we invite you to give the show a like and review. It builds our credibility, helping others discover the show and know it’s worth their time.   Join Our Email List. When you do, you’ll get free, weekly insights sent straight to your inbox to help fill your cup as a leader. Subscribe and learn more at 3x5 Leadership today.  Until next episode, friends, take care and lead well!

    24 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Leaders can't pour from an empty cup. This show fills your cup by offering practical strategies so you can live, lead, and learn more intentionally.

Information

  • Creator
    The 3x5 Leadership Team
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    47
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 2022 3x5 Leadership
  • Show Website
    The 3x5 Leadership Podcast

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