Lead With More: Character-Driven Leadership for Today's Leaders

Tom DeBell
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Business

Leadership isn't just about what you produce — it's about who you're becoming in the process. Lead With More is a practical leadership development podcast for today's emerging and established leaders who want to learn to lead with character and intention, while building a culture that people choose. Each episode — whether a solo teaching or a conversation with a guest leader, coach, or expert — delivers honest insight and actionable steps you can apply immediately at work, with your team, and in life. Because the best leadership always starts from the inside out.

  1. 1d ago

    Would You Rather Think or Know? Leading From Awareness with Steve Barton

    Episode 45 Would you rather think, or would you rather know? Executive coach Steve Barton says most leaders lead with thought, and that thought is what blocks their awareness. Steve Barton is an executive coach, author, and creator of The Game of Ten®, a powerful awareness-based framework helping leaders operate at their highest level of clarity, confidence, and performance. Steve has over 47 years of real-world business experience, having grown a company from $200K to $2 million in annual revenue. His work blends practical business strategy with deep insight into human awareness, decision-making, and emotional intelligence. Steve is the co-author of The Father, The Son, and The Aha Moment, and is currently writing his next book focused on helping leaders and professionals develop the mindset, emotional clarity, and inner alignment needed to succeed in both business and life. Through The Game of Ten®, Steve teaches that when we understand how the mind works and learn how to let go of limiting thought patterns, we unlock a level of effectiveness, fulfillment, and leadership that many people spend their entire lives searching for. Connect with Steve Barton: https://www.stevebartoncoaching.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:30 Welcome Steve Barton to Lead With More 02:07 Why Awareness Is Critical for Leadership 02:57 Would You Rather Think or Know? 05:01 Boundaries, Respect, and Love in Leadership 06:57 Overthinking vs. Intuition: Letting Go to Expand Awareness 09:39 Negativity, the News Cycle, and Our Addiction to Drama 12:32 You Are Not Your Thoughts: Ego and the Inner Child 14:56 Can You Convince Someone They Need Self-Awareness? 17:12 Overwhelm vs. "Whelm" and Why You Can't Think Your Way to Ten 18:36 Common Sense, Intuition, and Knowing Your Culture 21:11 The 1-10 Check: Happy, Healthy, Wealthy, Healed, and Whole 23:51 The Game of 10: Six Phrases 25:02 The Universal Quantity: "Enough" 27:39 Scarcity, Wealth, and the Awareness to Manage It 30:11 What Leaders Are Really Looking For: Inner Peace 32:04 Steve's Message: Common-Sense Spirituality in Business 34:07 "Tencare": Caring Without Attachment 36:05 Problems vs. Situations: Leading From Awareness 38:08 Committing to Happiness Through Tough Times 38:54 Growing Pains: Turning Fear Into Excitement 40:25 Keep the Conversation Open: Weed Your Garden of Thoughts 43:40 Closing Thoughts and Thanks ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell is the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer/Consultant, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. Learn more about Tom and Modern Leadership Solutions here: https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Podcast guests are managed through PodMatch. If you’re a podcast guest or host (or both!), I would encourage you to check it out: https://www.podmatch.com/member/tomdebell (affiliate link). #PodMatch ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻MUSIC & MEDIA⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ With permission from: Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic) from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)

  2. Sep 28

    I Coach This. I Still Fell For It

    Episode 44 In this episode, Tom shares two back-to-back moments that revealed his own comfort zone: unexplained stress over routine travel, and unease about a speaking topic outside his usual lane. One simple question cracked open the real answer: it was never the logistics. It was the comfort he didn't want to give up. Tom breaks down why avoidance rarely looks like avoidance — it looks like preference, prudence, or preparation — and why the small discomforts you sidestep today (a routine, an unfamiliar task) can train you to avoid the bigger ones tomorrow, including the difficult conversations your leadership can't afford to skip. A short, direct episode on catching your own blind spots before they compound. Timestamps: 00:00 I Coach This, I Still Fell For It 00:26 The Backstory: Two Stressful Events 00:54 Why the Travel Stress Didn't Add Up 01:30 The Speaking Opportunity Outside My Lane 01:58 The Question That Changed Everything 02:22 The Real Reason: I Didn't Want to Leave Home 03:00 Admitting I Broke My Own "No Pain, No Gain" Rule 03:57 How Small Discomforts Become Big Avoidance 04:32 What I Did Next: Moving Through It 05:20 The Payoff: What The Discomfort Revealed 05:42 What You Should Take Away 06:15 Closing Thoughts & What's Coming Next 06:42 Conclusion and Call to Action ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell is the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer/Consultant, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. Learn more about Tom and Modern Leadership Solutions here: https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Thumbnail created using ThumbnailCreator https://thumbnailcreator.com?atp=BXnO05 ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻MUSIC & MEDIA⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ With permission from: Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic) from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)

  3. Sep 21

    Leadership Lessons Hidden in Tragedy

    Episode 43 What can a funeral director teach you about integrity? In this episode, Tom sits down with Jay Jacobson — business owner, consultant, author of Lead by Legendary Example — for a conversation that started as an extension of integrity and opened into something bigger. Jay shares how leading the response to the United Flight 232 crash in Sioux City, Iowa, and later testifying before the U.S. Senate on funeral ethics, shaped his understanding that integrity isn't a single trait — it's built in the small decisions nobody sees. The conversation moves from trust and presence to why the next generation struggles with eye contact, and why rest isn't optional for leaders who want to stay whole. Connect with Jay at JacobsonProStaff.com and find Lead by Legendary Example on Amazon and Apple Books, in print and audio. Timestamps: 00:27 Welcome & Meet Jay Jacobson 01:35 45 Years in Funeral Service: Disasters, Senate Testimony & Mentorship 03:35 Sioux City: Servant Leadership Under Pressure 04:43 Lead By Legendary Example: Stories Over Frameworks 06:27 The Six Pillars of Leadership 10:20 Testifying Before the Senate on Funeral Ethics 12:46 The Reagan Quote: Solving Problems Without Needing Credit 13:34 Why Integrity Isn't Static - It Grows 14:21 Integrity Doesn't Erode, It Leaks 16:56 From Integrity to Presence: Jay's Post-Sioux City Story 19:18 Rest, Burnout & Integrity 21:15 Why These Principles Transcend Every Industry 25:33 Presence in the Age of Screens (The Anxious Generation) 27:20 Eye Contact: The First Sign of Integrity 30:00 Connect with Jay & His Book 32:34 Final Takeaway: "Be Where Your Feet Are" ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell is the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. Learn more about Tom and Modern Leadership Solutions here: https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Podcast guests are managed through PodMatch. If you’re a podcast guest or host (or both!), I would encourage you to check it out: https://www.podmatch.com/member/tomdebell (affiliate link). #PodMatch ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻MUSIC & MEDIA⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ With permission from: Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic) from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)

  4. Sep 14

    Integrity Isn't One Thing — It's Three

    Episode 42 In this episode, Tom breaks down a word most leaders think they already understand — integrity — and shows why it's actually three separate qualities, not one: incorruptibility (telling the truth even when a lie would protect you), soundness (holding up under real, sustained pressure), and wholeness (being the same person in every room you walk into). Tom shares a personal story of catching himself shading the truth to protect his own reputation, plus a hard-earned lesson on structural integrity under pressure from his years managing hurricane recovery in the utility industry. This episode builds on the "who are you depending on the room" idea first explored in Episode 39 — link below. You'll walk away with one honest question to sit with this week, and one action step to actually close the gap. Link to Episode 39: https://youtu.be/xCVqKRBtPKw Timestamps: 00:00 The Blind Spot In Your Own Character 00:31 Welcome Back: What We're Unpacking Today 00:47 Definition 1 - True: Firm Adherence to a Moral Code 02:27 Definition 2 - Sound: An Unimpaired Condition 03:41 Storm-Tested: A Real Load Test of Leadership 04:18 Definition 3 - Whole: Complete and Undivided 05:25 Why Most Leaders Only Have One Working 06:12 The One Question That Finds Your Blind Spot 06:53 The One Action to Close The Gap ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell is the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer/Consultant, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. Learn more about Tom and Modern Leadership Solutions here: https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Thumbnail created using ThumbnailCreator https://thumbnailcreator.com?atp=BXnO05 ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻MUSIC & MEDIA⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ With permission from: Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic) from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)

  5. Sep 7

    Two Kinds of Alone — One Will Wreck You

    Episode 41 This episode of the Lead With More podcast breaks down the difference between healthy solitude and dangerous isolation. It matters because leaders can mistake being thoughtful and independent for being appropriately supported, when they may actually be drifting without anyone close enough to challenge their thinking. Tom shares a personal example of sitting on a high-stakes decision for days without calling anyone, then shows how a peer, mentor, or coach can interrupt that drift before it costs clarity and judgment. Timestamps: 00:00 The Decision I Sat On Alone 00:39 Welcome & Episode Intro 00:52 What Isolation Actually Costs 01:42 Solitude vs. Isolation: The Real Difference 02:26 Why It's Harder to Spot At The Top 03:12 Finding A Coach I Could Trust 04:13 The Fix: Peer, Mentor, Coach 05:11 Your Next Step ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell is the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer/Consultant, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. Learn more about Tom and Modern Leadership Solutions here: https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Thumbnail created using ThumbnailCreator https://thumbnailcreator.com?atp=BXnO05 ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻MUSIC & MEDIA⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ With permission from: Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic) from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)

  6. Aug 31

    The 3-Step Protocol I Use When Life Falls Apart

    Sudden, disruptive change doesn't always call for a fast decision — and treating it like one can cost you clarity when you need it most. In this episode, Tom breaks down the difference between tactical emergencies that demand immediate action and identity-level disruption — a layoff, a business shift, a life event — that calls for something else entirely: solitude. Tom walks through the exact three-step protocol he uses when life falls apart: getting truly alone (a half-day minimum, a full day as his real standard), running a foundations audit across identity, purpose, and focus, and refusing to leave that space without at least one concrete next step. He shares a real, still-unfolding example of applying this protocol to a recent business opportunity that forced him to rethink his direction — including where a quick tactical response and the longer solitude process worked together. This episode isn't a replacement for professional counseling, especially where health is involved — it's a practical protocol for the disruptive changes many leaders face in work and life. For more information on my planning processes, see these episodes: Episode 5: https://youtu.be/pUDaCm_QxI0 Episode 34: https://youtu.be/F6pm5-qCRts Timestamps: 00:00 The Story That Started This Episode 00:40 Two Kinds of "Sudden" - And Why This Isn't Counseling 02:17 Step 1: Get Alone - For Real 03:30 Step 2: The Foundations Audit 05:12 Step 3: Don't Leave Without a Next Step 06:17 A Real Example: A Business Shift Still in Progress 08:32 Why This Leans on Your Focus Framework 08:54 Get Quiet Before You React ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell is the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer/Consultant, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. Learn more about Tom and Modern Leadership Solutions here: https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Thumbnail created using ThumbnailCreator https://thumbnailcreator.com?atp=BXnO05 ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻MUSIC & MEDIA⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ With permission from: Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic) from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)

  7. Aug 24

    FURTHER | The Leadership Shadow - The Value You Didn’t Know You Had

    Episode 39 Most leaders can name their stated values without hesitation. But there's one value running underneath all of them that rarely gets named — and left unchecked, it can quietly override everything else you claim to stand for: valuing what other people think of you. In this Further episode, Tom returns to the conversation from Episode 6 to name that hidden value directly — and to draw a hard line between adapting to genuinely connect with people and shape-shifting so they'll approve of you. The two can look identical from the outside. The difference is what's actually driving it, and why watching your behavior — not your motives — is the only reliable way to catch it in yourself. Tom also shares a personal example of how to stay authentic in a room where your experience doesn't naturally fit, without faking connection or staying away. This Further episode builds on Episode 6: The Leadership Shadow (with John Miner) — listen here first: https://youtu.be/SB-jv8EQ4t4 Timestamps: 00:00 The Hidden Value Leaders Never Name 01:14 Naming the Hidden Value: Wanting to Be Liked 01:56 Why This Value Hides From You 02:48 Adapting to Connect vs. Shape-Shifting for Approval 04:06 The Problem With Self-Diagnosing Motive 04:57 Back to Episode 6: Character as Alignment 05:19 What Healthy Adaptation Actually Looks Like 06:21 This Week's Action Step 06:56 Closing Thoughts & What's Next ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell is the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer/Consultant, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. Learn more about Tom and Modern Leadership Solutions here: https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻MUSIC & MEDIA⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ With permission from: Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic) from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)

  8. Aug 17

    BTS: Why I Stopped Trusting AI With My Voice

    Episode 37: In this episode of Lead With More, I give a behind-the-scenes view of my process for building this podcast — and the moment that changed it entirely. After recording an episode using an AI-generated script almost word-for-word, I found I couldn't bring myself to publish it. The content was accurate, but it didn't sound like me. That experience led me to rebuild how I use AI in my content creation. I share the difference between technically correct writing and authentic communication, the checkpoints I now use to keep my own voice in every episode, and the production checklists that make the process repeatable rather than accidental. This conversation goes beyond podcasting. Whether you're using AI for emails, presentations, or reports, my core lesson applies: the tools can help you move faster, but the judgment about what represents you has to stay yours. Timestamps: 00:00 Why I Couldn't Watch My Own Podcast 00:52 Welcome Back to Lead With More 01:07 The AI Script I Almost Published 02:04 Correct Isn't the Same as Sounding Like You 03:06 How I Rebuilt My AI-Assisted Process 05:25 Editing AI Drafts to Match My Voice 05:56 My Pre- and Post-Production Checklists 06:45 Scrapping This Episode 07:05 The Real Lesson: Don't Outsource Judgement 07:52 Final Thoughts ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell is the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. Learn more about Tom and Modern Leadership Solutions here: https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻MUSIC & MEDIA⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ With permission from: Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic) from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)

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About

Leadership isn't just about what you produce — it's about who you're becoming in the process. Lead With More is a practical leadership development podcast for today's emerging and established leaders who want to learn to lead with character and intention, while building a culture that people choose. Each episode — whether a solo teaching or a conversation with a guest leader, coach, or expert — delivers honest insight and actionable steps you can apply immediately at work, with your team, and in life. Because the best leadership always starts from the inside out.

Information

  • Creator
    Tom DeBell
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Tom DeBell