Speak Up. Show Up. Lead. Podcast: The Resilience Leadership Podcast with JJ Hardy

JJ Hardy
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

“Speak Up. Show Up. Lead.” is a raw, real, and unapologetic podcast about building resilience and leading with purpose. Hosted by retired Army veteran, leadership coach, and author Jeremiah Hardy, this podcast brings together solo episodes and real-talk interviews with leaders, veterans, entrepreneurs, and high performers who’ve battled through adversity and kept going. If you’ve ever felt burnt out, lost, or felt the weight of leadership — this is your reminder to get back up, speak your truth, and lead from the front!

  1. 3d ago

    Determining Strength of Character

    What really reveals a person's character? Is it what they say? Or is it what they consistently do when no one is watching? In this episode of The Growth Forge, JJ Hardy and Vic (aka Lil Saint) explore one of the most important leadership questions you'll ever ask: How do you determine the true strength of someone's character? We'll discuss: ✅ Why pressure reveals character rather than creates it ✅ The difference between reputation and integrity ✅ Why consistent actions matter more than good intentions ✅ How values shape decisions under pressure ✅ What makes someone trustworthy in leadership and life If you're a leader, entrepreneur, or someone committed to personal growth, this conversation will challenge the way you evaluate both yourself and the people around you. 💬 Join the conversation in the comments: What do you believe is the greatest test of a person's character? 🎙️ The Growth Forge Hosts: JJ Hardy & Vic (aka Lil Saint) #TheGrowthForge #Leadership #Character #LeadershipDevelopment #Integrity #PersonalGrowth #LeadershipPodcast #Communication #SelfLeadership #Entrepreneur #GrowthMindset #EmotionalIntelligence #LeadershipSkills

  2. Jul 15

    Self-Leadership: The Foundation of Every Great Leader

    Everyone wants to lead others. But the leaders who make the biggest impact learn to lead themselves first. Join JJ Hardy as he sits down with Kade Jungkurth, high-performance fitness coach, athlete, and self-leadership expert, for a conversation about the discipline, mindset, and daily habits required to become the kind of leader others want to follow. With more than a decade of coaching experience and over 1,000 professionals transformed, Kade has helped busy, ambitious high performers strengthen both their bodies and their minds. Holding a Bachelor of Science in Sports Conditioning from Texas A&M University, and having competed at a high level in both powerlifting and bodybuilding, Kade understands that lasting success starts long before you ever lead a team. In this episode, we'll discuss: ✅ Why self-leadership is the foundation of effective leadership ✅ Building discipline when motivation disappears ✅ The connection between physical fitness and mental resilience ✅ Daily habits that create high-performing leaders ✅ Taking ownership of your standards and your future ✅ How to develop the mindset needed to lead under pressure Whether you're a business owner, manager, entrepreneur, veteran, or someone committed to becoming your best, this conversation will challenge you to stop waiting for change—and start leading yourself first. 📍 Watch LIVE on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook 🎧 Replay available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, and iHeartRadio. Hosted by JJ Hardy Founder, Victory Leadership Coaching Author of Speak Up. Show Up. Lead. 🔥 Follow @VictoryLeadershipCoaching for real, raw leadership conversations that help you lead with courage, ownership, and purpose. #SelfLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #Leadership #Discipline #MentalToughness #PersonalGrowth #HighPerformance #Mindset #Fitness #Resilience #Ownership #Entrepreneur #Veterans #SpeakUpShowUpLead #VictoryLeadershipCoaching

  3. Jun 29

    The Power of the After Action Review (AAR) | Leadership LIVE

    Why do smart teams keep making the same mistakes? Because most organizations move from one task, project, or crisis to the next without stopping to learn. In this episode of Leadership LIVE, JJ Hardy and Chris Pienkowski break down one of the most powerful leadership and operational tools ever developed: the After Action Review (AAR). Used by the military and high-performing organizations worldwide, the AAR helps teams identify what worked, what didn't, and how to improve future performance. We'll discuss: ✅ The 4 core questions of an effective AAR ✅ Why most teams fail to learn from experience ✅ How to conduct reviews without creating a blame culture ✅ Identifying root causes instead of symptoms ✅ Capturing lessons learned and best practices ✅ Building accountability and continuous improvement IMPORTANT: This is a pre-recorded Leadership LIVE episode premiering on Saturday, June 27 at 7:00 AM Central Time. While the episode itself is pre-recorded, JJ will be live in the chat during the premiere to answer your questions, engage in discussion, and continue the conversation in real time. Bring your questions, experiences, and leadership challenges. 🎙️ Subscribe and join us for the premiere. #Leadership #AfterActionReview #AAR #LeadershipDevelopment #OperationalLeadership #ContinuousImprovement #TeamLeadership #Accountability #LeadershipLIVE #SpeakUpShowUpLead

  4. Jun 18

    The Masks We Wear: Self-Leadership Beyond the Image

    Are you leading authentically—or simply playing a role?In this episode of The Growth Forge, hosts JJ Hardy and Vic (aka Lil Saint) explore the masks people wear to gain approval, avoid rejection, protect insecurities, and maintain their image.Inspired by concepts from Robert Greene's The Laws of Human Nature, this conversation dives into self-awareness, authentic leadership, confidence, vulnerability, and the difference between who we are and who we want others to believe we are.In This Episode:• Why people wear masks• Confidence vs performance• The leadership mask• How insecurity influences behavior• Reading beyond words and appearances• Building authentic influence and trustJoin the Conversation:What mask have you worn in your life?Share in the comments:➡️ What was the mask?➡️ Why did you wear it?➡️ What changed when you let it go?The Growth Forge is a leadership and communication development community for entrepreneurs, emerging leaders, and growth-minded people who want to become stronger communicators, better leaders, and more disciplined thinkers.#TheGrowthForge #Leadership #SelfLeadership #AuthenticLeadership #PersonalGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment #CommunicationSkills #EmotionalIntelligence #RobertGreene #TheLawsOfHumanNature #LeadershipPodcast #SelfAwareness #Mindset #GrowthMindset #Entrepreneurship

  5. Jun 15

    Employees: When to Develop and When to Fire

    One of the toughest decisions a leader will ever make is deciding whether an employee needs more development—or whether it's time to let them go. How long should you coach? When does patience become enabling? And how do you know if the problem is the employee, the leadership, or the system? Join JJ Hardy and Chris Pienkowski as they tackle one of the most challenging realities of leadership: balancing development, accountability, performance, and culture. In this episode, we'll discuss: ✅ Performance vs. potential ✅ When coaching works—and when it doesn't ✅ The cost of keeping the wrong employee too long ✅ How poor performance impacts team culture ✅ Leadership mistakes that create performance problems ✅ Making tough decisions with integrity and clarity Whether you're a business owner, manager, supervisor, or team leader, this conversation will give you practical tools for handling one of leadership's hardest responsibilities. #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #Management #EmployeeDevelopment #TeamLeadership #Accountability #WorkplaceCulture #BusinessLeadership #LeadershipLIVE #SpeakUpShowUpLead

  6. Jun 8

    Self Love, Empathy & Narcissism | Growth Forge Edition with JJ Hardy & Vic "Lil Saint"

    What happens when self-love becomes self-absorption? Where is the line between healthy confidence and narcissism? And how does empathy change the way we lead, communicate, and build relationships? In this episode of Speak Up. Show Up. Lead. – Growth Forge Edition, JJ Hardy and Vic "Lil Saint" break down the key lessons from Chapter 2 of The Concise Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene: Transform Self-Love into Empathy. Together, they explore the narcissism spectrum, the difference between healthy and unhealthy self-love, why empathy is one of the most powerful leadership skills, and how understanding people can improve your relationships, influence, and personal growth. Whether you're a leader, entrepreneur, veteran, coach, or someone committed to self-mastery, this conversation will challenge the way you think about yourself and the people around you. In This Episode: The narcissism spectrum explained Healthy vs. toxic self-love Why empathy is a leadership superpower Recognizing narcissistic behaviors Understanding people without judging them Emotional intelligence and self-awareness Personal growth and self-mastery lessons Leadership insights from Robert Greene Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, ownership, communication, emotional intelligence, and personal development. #SpeakUpShowUpLead #GrowthForge #JJHardy #LilSaint #Leadership #Empathy #Narcissism #SelfLove #EmotionalIntelligence #RobertGreene #HumanNature #PersonalGrowth #SelfMastery #LeadershipDevelopment #CommunicationSkills #Ownership #Mindset #VeteranEntrepreneur #LeadershipPodcast #PersonalDevelopmentPodcast

  7. Jun 4

    From Battlefields to Breakthroughs: Real Leadership. Real Healing.

    What happens when military leadership, trauma, resilience, and purpose collide? On this powerful episode of Speak Up. Show Up. Lead., JJ Hardy sits down with retired U.S. Army SFC William “Stevo” Stephens Jr. — combat veteran, award-winning author, leadership mentor, and host of the Crawl Walk Run Podcast. This conversation goes deep into: ⚔️ Military leadership vs corporate leadership ⚔️ PTSD, trauma, and rebuilding purpose ⚔️ Transitioning from the military to civilian life ⚔️ Why real leaders coach, teach, and mentor ⚔️ Mental health, resilience, and accountability ⚔️ The power of storytelling and authentic leadership Stevo shares raw truths from combat, Walter Reed recovery, government service, fatherhood, mentorship, and the lessons behind his award-winning Reflection Series books. No fluff. No fake motivation. Just real conversations for leaders fighting battles nobody else sees. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible & iHeartRadio 🔥 Follow @VictoryLeadershipCoaching for more raw leadership conversations. #Leadership #MilitaryTransition #Veterans #MentalHealth #Resilience #ArmyVeteran #PTSDRecovery #LeadershipDevelopment #SpeakUpShowUpLead #Podcast #PersonalGrowth #TraumaRecovery #VeteranLeadership #CrawlWalkRunPodcast #JJHardy

  8. Jun 1

    Why Everything Falls Apart When You Leave

    If your team can’t function without you for one day, that’s not leadership — that’s dependency. Too many leaders become the single point of failure in their business or organization. Every decision, every problem, every fire runs through them. Eventually, the team stops thinking, systems break down, and operations become fragile. This week on Leadership LIVE, we’re breaking down why everything falls apart when leaders step away — and how to fix it. 🔥 We’re talking about: • Single points of failure • Operational fragility • Building systems people can actually follow • Cross-training teams for consistency • Accountability without micromanagement • Measuring the real health of your operation If you’re constantly saying: “I’m the only one who can do it right,” this conversation is for you. Real leadership isn’t about being needed for everything. It’s about building a team and operation strong enough to execute without constant supervision. 📲 Follow @victoryleadershipcoaching for real, raw leadership truth. #Leadership #OperationalLeadership #Execution #BusinessSystems #Delegation #LeadershipDevelopment #TeamLeadership #Accountability #EntrepreneurMindset #VeteranLeadership

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“Speak Up. Show Up. Lead.” is a raw, real, and unapologetic podcast about building resilience and leading with purpose. Hosted by retired Army veteran, leadership coach, and author Jeremiah Hardy, this podcast brings together solo episodes and real-talk interviews with leaders, veterans, entrepreneurs, and high performers who’ve battled through adversity and kept going. If you’ve ever felt burnt out, lost, or felt the weight of leadership — this is your reminder to get back up, speak your truth, and lead from the front!

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