Navigating Leaders

Gabriel Griess
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The Navigating Leaders Podcast is for leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers ready to grow with purpose. It’s hosted by Gabriel Griess, a retired US Air Force officer, CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and founder of Navigating Leaders. Each episode explores what it takes to break through limiting beliefs, clarify your vision, and start really living. Grounded in faith and guided by hard-earned, real-world wisdom, Gabriel helps you identify what’s holding you back and take intentional steps toward lasting impact. Through authentic conversations and practical insights, you’ll gain the tools to lead from the inside out. It’s time to awaken your vision and live boldly.

  1. 2d ago

    Episode 32: The Lies That Are Controlling Your Life

    In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, Gabriel Griess sits down with entrepreneur, leadership expert, and faith-driven business leader Jeff Scheffelbein for a powerful and vulnerable conversation about the lies that quietly influence our decisions, relationships, leadership, and sense of purpose. From navigating unimaginable hardship to redefining success, Jeff shares why so many high achievers still feel empty and what it takes to build a life rooted in truth instead of fear, pride, or approval. This conversation will challenge the way you think about leadership, faith, identity, and what truly matters. If you've been chasing success but still feel like something is missing, this episode will encourage you to examine the stories you've believed and discover a different way to lead, live, and grow. ====================  RESOURCES 🌎Website: navigatingleaders.com 👀Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine 📖The Results Tree — A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want: TheResultsTree.com 🌎Undivided Life: Undivided.Life  🎙️The BeatiDUDES Podcast: TheBeatidudes.com ==================== CONNECT WITH JEFF 🗣️ LinkedIn: @schiefelbein 📸 Instagram: @beatidudes 👍 Facebook: @TheBeatiDudesPodcast ▶️ YouTube: The BeatiDudes ==================== ABOUT JEFF SCHIEFELBEIN Jeff Schiefelbein is an award-winning entrepreneur, leadership speaker, and culture-building expert dedicated to helping people and organizations thrive. As the founder of Undivided Life, he partners with businesses, nonprofits, and leadership teams to build high-performing cultures rooted in purpose, trust, and excellence. Jeff also serves as CEO of Howdy Homemade Ice Cream, an award-winning company known for creating meaningful employment opportunities for adults with special needs. A nationally recognized speaker, he has been honored for his work in leadership, innovation, workplace culture, and community impact. Jeff is the co-host of The BeatiDUDES, a faith-filled podcast for men, and lives in Dallas, Texas, with his wife, Amanda, and their seven children. CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders 📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

  2. Aug 11

    Episode 31: Why Trying Harder Isn't Fixing Your Relationships

    What if the biggest breakthrough in your relationships didn't require a dramatic conversation, but one small change in the way you show up every day? In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, Gabriel Griess continues his conversation with author and speaker Cristie Penn, exploring practical ways to strengthen communication, rebuild trust, and create healthier relationships. Together, they unpack why lasting change starts with humility, intentional action, and learning to honor the differences between men and women. Whether you're navigating marriage, family, leadership, or friendships, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on connection, purpose, and personal growth. If you've been trying harder but still feel stuck, this episode may reveal why lasting transformation begins with changing yourself first, not trying to change someone else. ====================  RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com 👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine 📖 The Results Tree — A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want: TheResultsTree.com 📖 Keys for Us: Discovering Masculine & Feminine Identity, God's Way: https://a.co/d/0beSegRv  ==================== CONNECT WITH CRISTIE 🌎 Website: keysforus.com  📸 Instagram: @cristiepenn 👍 Facebook: @cristiepenn 🎵 TikTok: @cristiepenn 🗣️ LinkedIn: @cristiepenn ==================== ABOUT CRISTIE Cristie Penn has spent more than 30 years helping people discover who they are through the lens of God's truth. She is an author, Certified John Maxwell Coach, speaker, relationship coach, and mentor who has taught at conferences, churches, retreats, and leadership events across the United States and internationally. After years of serving in ministry while quietly struggling in her own marriage, Cristie encountered God in a way that transformed her understanding of identity, relationships, and His design for men and women. What began as a deeply personal journey became a lifelong calling to help others experience the same freedom. Today, Cristie equips men and women to move beyond cultural confusion and embrace God's timeless design with clarity, confidence, and hope. Rather than offering quick fixes, she helps people experience lasting heart transformation by discovering who God is, who they are, and why His design still works. Learn more at KeysForUs.com. CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders 📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

  3. Aug 4

    Episode 30: Why You Keep Feeling Misunderstood in Your Relationships

    Why do people who love each other still struggle to truly understand one another? In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, Gabriel Griess sits down with author and speaker Cristie Penn to explore the hidden beliefs, expectations, and communication patterns that quietly shape our relationships. Whether you're navigating marriage, leadership, or family, this conversation challenges common assumptions about men and women while revealing why so many people feel unseen, unheard, and disconnected despite their best intentions. If you've ever wondered why your relationships feel harder than they should, this episode may help you see the problem from an entirely new perspective. ====================  RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com 👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine 📖 The Results Tree — A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want: TheResultsTree.com 📖 Keys for Us: Discovering Masculine & Feminine Identity, God's Way: https://a.co/d/0beSegRv  CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders 📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

  4. Jul 28

    Episode 29: Escaping the Scarcity Trap

    Why do so many of us live like there's never enough, even when we've been given so much? In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, Gabriel Griess explores how scarcity quietly shapes the way we lead, parent, work, and view the future. Many of the beliefs driving our decisions aren't ones we chose, they're stories we've inherited. What if the pressure, fear, and anxiety you carry aren't the only way to live? And what if choosing abundance could change far more than your finances? If you've ever felt like you're constantly trying to keep up, protect what you have, or prepare for what's next, this conversation will challenge you to see your life, your leadership, and the next generation through a different lens. ====================  RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com 👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine 📖 The Results Tree — A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want: TheResultsTree.com CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders 📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

  5. Jul 21

    Episode 28: Why Your Body Feels Stuck in Survival Mode

    What if the stress you feel isn't just in your mind, but in your body? In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, Gabriel Griess sits down with Rome Za, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt and holistic health coach, to explore why so many people feel exhausted, anxious, reactive, and disconnected, even when they're doing everything they think they should. From breathwork and movement to nervous system health and daily habits, this conversation challenges conventional thinking about what it really takes to heal, grow, and perform at your best. If you've been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or like your body is constantly fighting against you, this episode may help you see your health and your life from an entirely new perspective. ====================  RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com 👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine 📖 The Results Tree — A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want: TheResultsTree.com Hard Roll Jiu Jitsu: hardrolljiujitsu.com Hard Roll Jiu Jitsu YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@hardrolljiujitsu Know What's in Your Water: ewg.org/tapwater The OligoScan: theoligoscan.com ==================== ABOUT ROME ZA Rome Za is a first-degree Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt with more than 20 years of experience helping athletes, executives, and high performers build resilient bodies that perform for life. After being told he would never compete again because of severe neck injuries, Rome refused to accept the diagnosis. Through breathwork, holistic nutrition, fascia training, and nervous system optimization, he rebuilt his body and returned to doing what he loves. Today, he teaches a holistic approach to health and performance that combines strength, recovery, and resilience, empowering people to move better, recover faster, perform at a higher level, and live with greater freedom. CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders 📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

  6. Jul 14

    Episode 27: Why You Feel So Much Pressure to Provide

    Why does it feel like the weight of your future rests entirely on your shoulders? Whether you're worried about money, your career, your business, or simply trying to keep everything together, the pressure to provide can quietly become one of the greatest sources of fear, anxiety, and burnout. In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, Gabriel Griess challenges one of the biggest lies leaders believe about security, success, and control. Through biblical wisdom, practical leadership principles, and personal reflection, he reveals a mindset shift that can replace fear with freedom and help you lead with greater confidence and peace. If you've been feeling overwhelmed by financial pressure, uncertain about the future, or exhausted from believing everything depends on you, this conversation may completely change the way you think about provision, purpose, and the life you were created to live. ====================  RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com 👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine 📖 The Results Tree — A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want: TheResultsTree.com ==================== CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders 📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

  7. Jul 7

    Episode 26: Why Winning Starts Before Anyone Is Watching

    Why do some leaders thrive under pressure while others lose momentum when life gets hard? In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, Gabriel Griess sits down with championship-winning coach Corey M. Henderson Sr. to explore what it really takes to build a winning culture, lead through adversity, and stay committed when success doesn't come overnight. From losing his corporate career to building one of the top basketball programs in Texas, Corey's journey is filled with hard-earned lessons on leadership, resilience, discipline, accountability, faith, and long-term vision. If you're feeling stuck, facing setbacks, leading a team, or pursuing a goal that feels out of reach, this conversation will challenge the way you think about success and reveal what separates champions from everyone else. ====================  RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com 👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine 📖 The Results Tree — A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want: TheResultsTree.com 📖 Invictus by William Ernest Henley ==================== ABOUT COREY HENDERSON SR. Corey M. Henderson Sr. is the head boys basketball coach and an admissions officer at the Episcopal School of Dallas, where he has served for over 23 years. A 4-year letterman at Texas A&M University, Corey played professionally in Perth, Australia before transitioning into coaching. He built the ESD basketball program from the ground up, earning three consecutive state championships and developing players who went on to compete at the collegiate and professional levels, including Phil Pressy of the Boston Celtics. Corey also served on staff at Kobe Bryant Academy for approximately six years. He leads the Campfire Program at ESD, a mentorship and guidance initiative for student athletes.  📸 Instagram: @cmhe_32  👍 Facebook: @coreymichael.henderson CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders 📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

  8. Jun 30

    Episode 25: The Missing Link Between Knowing and Growing

    You know what you should do, so why do you still feel stuck? Most people don't struggle because they lack information. They struggle because they never turn what they know into consistent action. In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, Gabriel Griess sits down with growth coach Brandon Smeltzer, founder of Undefeated Growth, to explore why some people make meaningful progress while others stay trapped in the same patterns year after year. Together, they unpack the surprising lessons Brandon learned while coaching undefeated sports teams, struggling leaders, executives, parents, and people fighting to save their marriages. The conversation reveals why accountability matters, how small actions create massive change over time, and what separates growth-minded people from everyone else. If you've been feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, stuck, or frustrated by the gap between where you are and where you want to be, this episode will challenge the way you think about growth and give you a practical path forward. Because lasting transformation doesn't start with knowing more. It starts with taking the next step. ==================== RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com 👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine 📖 The Results Tree—A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want: TheResultsTree.com  Undefeated Growth Website: undefeatedgrowth.com Undefeated Growth Instagram: @undefeatedgrowth Undefeated Growth LinkedIn: @undefeatedgrowth Season of Life—A Football Star, a Boy, a Journey to Manhood: Season of Life Book ==================== ABOUT BRANDON SMELTZER Coach Brandon brings more than twenty-five years of experience in coaching and leadership development. A championship winning sports coach, Brandon can help you and your organization break through walls; functional, relational, or spiritual. He has a unique gift of seeing the big picture and knowing how to map the route forward. Brandon is a certified John Maxwell Team coach and communicator as well as the designer of the Undefeated Growth process. He and his wife have seven kids and are active servant-leaders at their local church. CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders 📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

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5
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About

The Navigating Leaders Podcast is for leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers ready to grow with purpose. It’s hosted by Gabriel Griess, a retired US Air Force officer, CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and founder of Navigating Leaders. Each episode explores what it takes to break through limiting beliefs, clarify your vision, and start really living. Grounded in faith and guided by hard-earned, real-world wisdom, Gabriel helps you identify what’s holding you back and take intentional steps toward lasting impact. Through authentic conversations and practical insights, you’ll gain the tools to lead from the inside out. It’s time to awaken your vision and live boldly.

Information

  • Creator
    Gabriel Griess
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    33
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Navigating Leaders
  • Show Website
    Navigating Leaders