Growth Think Tank

Gene Hammett is a Speaker, Executive Coach, Inc Columnist, and Host of "Gr
  • 4.9 (172)
  • Management
  • Updated Semiweekly

Develop leadership skills and understand leadership development from expert interviews with transformational leaders. Leaders in the Trenches gives raw discussions that dive deep into new strategies to accelerate your company growth and your leadership abilities. Get interviews from Fortune 100 leaders to experts in various domains of marketing, sales, and leadership that allows you to explode your growth. Learn from their failures and discover the finer elements of significance that will impact your company. Guests include Daymond John, Les Brown, Michael Gerber, Jonah Berger, Bob Berg, Greg McKeown, and with the host Gene Hammett.

  1. 4d ago

    3 Leadership Mindset Shifts to Turn Problems Into Growth

    Every leader faces problems, and founders carry more than their share. In this episode of Growth Think Tank, Gene Hammett breaks down the leadership mindset shifts that separate leaders who get buried by their problems from those who grow because of them. The problem is rarely the real problem. The way you see it is. Gene shares three perspective shifts that change how you handle stress, setbacks, and the daily fires of running a company. You will learn why choosing growth over comfort builds the leader your business needs, how to move from victim to leader and take your power back from blame, and why letting go of control and empowering your team to take ownership is the real work of leadership. If you are a founder or CEO ready to turn your hardest problems into your next stage of growth, this conversation will change how you lead. Leadership is giving power away. This episode shows you how. Episode Highlights & Time Stamps 0:03 Problem Is About Perspective 1:21 Three Mindset Shifts 3:16 From Control to Empower 4:52 Coaching Creates Clarity 🎯Key Takeaways 1. Problems Are About Perspective - The way you view a challenge determines the options available to you. Expanding your perspective can reveal opportunities you might otherwise miss. 2. Shift from Victim to Leader- A victim mindset focuses on what's happening to you. A leadership mindset focuses on what you can do about it and how you can create positive outcomes. 3. Choose Growth Over Comfort - The easiest solution isn't always the best one. Growth often comes from embracing discomfort and doing the hard things that build resilience and capability. 4. Empower Instead of Control - Strong leaders resist the urge to solve every problem themselves. Empowering others to take ownership creates stronger teams and develops future leaders. 5. Coaching Creates Clarity - When you're emotionally attached to a problem, your perspective can become limited. An outside perspective can help you see new possibilities and move forward with confidence. 6. Leadership Growth Starts with Mindset. Before strategies, tactics, or solutions, effective leadership begins with how you think about challenges and the perspectives you choose to adopt. Remember: The next time you face a problem, pause before reacting. Ask yourself: "What perspective am I using, and what other perspectives might reveal a better path forward?" Ideal For: Founders, CEOs, executives, managers, and anyone committed to elevating their leadership capacity. Resources & Next Steps Ready to take your leadership energy to the next level? Explore free training and resources at training.coreelevation.com to help you identify energy leaks, strengthen your leadership presence, and elevate your team's performance. 📖 Free Book - Get Founder Freedom https://freebook.coreelevation.com/ 🌐 Explore More: https://training.coreelevation.com/ 🎧 Listen to the Full Episode: Growth Think Tank Podcast

    6 min
  2. You Might Also Like: Elton John Impact Awards

    4d ago ·  Bonus

    You Might Also Like: Elton John Impact Awards

    Introducing Honoree: Orville Peck (2026) from Elton John Impact Awards. Follow the show: Elton John Impact Awards Country artist Orville Peck talks with Elvis Duran about identity and the unexpected power of writing deeply personal songs behind his masked persona. Through his music and platform, Orville Peck continues to champion inclusivity and inspire others to show up boldly as themselves, creating space, visibility, and healing for the LGBTQ+ community. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

  3. Jun 1

    Why Your Team Won't Execute Without You (And How to Fix It)

    In this episode, we explore why teams sometimes struggle to execute without leadership involvement and why leaders may be too quick to blame execution itself. Often, the real challenge lies in unclear ownership, limited resources, competing priorities, or a lack of clear direction. We share a client example where repeated status checks and deadline pressure failed to solve the issue because responsibility had never been clearly defined. Along the way, we break down three essential delegation questions every leader should ask: What does success look like? When will it be completed? And will this person take ownership of the task through obstacles until it is finished? We also highlight how documenting expectations strengthens accountability, minimizes rework and repeated questions, and reduces the need for leaders to step in later. Episode Highlights & Time Stamps 0:07 Execution Starts Here 2:20 Name the Real Problem 3:20 Three Delegation Questions 4:40 Make Ownership Visible 5:57 Build Leaders, Not Dependents 🎯Key Takeaways ✔ Execution breakdowns are often not about effort or skill, but about unclear ownership and missing clarity from leadership.  ✔ It's easy for leaders to blame "execution," but real improvement starts by examining how instructions, expectations, and responsibility were communicated.  ✔ Many teams fail to act because ownership is assumed—not explicitly defined or confirmed.  ✔ A common hidden issue is that leaders believe they delegated clearly, but team members may still lack clarity on what success actually looks like.  ✔ Status checks and deadline pressure alone don't fix performance issues if responsibility was never truly assigned. Effective delegation requires three critical questions: ✔ What does good look like? ✔ When will it be done? ✔ Will you own it through obstacles until completion? ✔ Having team members articulate expectations back ensures alignment and reduces misunderstandings. Writing expectations down increases accountability, reduces rework, and minimizes the need for leaders to constantly follow up or intervene. Strong execution culture is built through clarity, not control. Ideal For: Founders, CEOs, executives, managers, and anyone committed to elevating their leadership capacity. Resources & Next Steps Ready to take your leadership energy to the next level? Explore free training and resources at training.coreelevation.com to help you identify energy leaks, strengthen your leadership presence, and elevate your team's performance. 🌐 Explore More: training.coreelevation.com 🎧 Listen to the Full Episode: Growth Think Tank Podcast

    7 min

  4. May 25

    The Leadership Challenges of Scaling Fast While Staying Mission-Driven with Matt Pierce

    In this interview, Matt Pierce, co-founder and CEO of Immediate, shares the story behind the company and its mission to give employees early access to wages they've already earned through a simple, flat-fee alternative to payday and title loans. He discusses Immediate's growth since 2019 to nearly 700 employees nationwide, and how the company is staying mission-driven while scaling in a competitive earned wage access market. Matt also talks about how they're building alignment through shared ownership and stock education, shifting toward strategic partnerships and larger clients, and learning from a past hiring mistake in sales. He closes by reflecting on his own leadership growth, especially around delegation, coaching, and developing stronger leaders across the organization. Episode Highlights & Time Stamps 3:10 Immediate's Earned Wage Access 4:38 Fighting Payday Loans 6:40 Growth With Purpose 11:31 Building True Ownership 15:48 Scaling Through Setbacks 20:30 Learning to Let Go Key Takeaways Fast growth only works when the mission is actively reinforced through stories, not just stated in strategy documents. At Immediate, customer impact stories (avoiding late fees, accessing earned wages) keep teams aligned and motivated. Ownership is strengthened by structure giving employees equity changes how they think, decide, and act. Rapid sales expansion without clear ICP or territories created inefficiency and overlap, requiring a strategic reset. The company shifted toward strategic partnerships to scale more efficiently and improve enterprise reach. Founder leadership must evolve from "doing the work" to "coaching the team" to avoid becoming a bottleneck. Trusting the team and stepping back is essential for sustainable scale. This episode is a must-listen for CEOs and executives looking to lead innovation with purpose, scale responsibly with AI, and build cultures where people feel empowered to think boldly and grow. About the Guest Matt Pierce is the co-founder of Immediate, an earned wage access company helping employees access wages they've already earned, offering a responsible alternative to payday lending. Under his leadership, Immediate has scaled rapidly while focusing on mission-driven growth and financial wellness for workers across the U.S. How to Connect with Matt Pierce: LinkedIn: Matt Pierce https://www.linkedin.com/in/piercmb/ Company Website: https://www.joinimmediate.com/ – to learn more about his work and platform Get In Touch with Matt: https://www.joinimmediate.com/contact-us Resources & Next Steps Ready to take your leadership energy to the next level? Explore free training and resources at https://training.coreelevation.com/ to help you identify energy leaks, strengthen your leadership presence, and elevate your team's performance. 🌐 Explore More: https://training.coreelevation.com/ 🎧 Listen to the Full Episode: Growth Think Tank Podcast https://growththinktank.com/

    25 min

  5. May 18

    Who Are You Becoming? The Mental Game Behind Leadership and High Performance with Joshua Lifrak, Author of Win Today

    In this episode, Joshua Lifrak shares how leadership and performance are shaped by mental preparation, self-awareness, and the choices we make in everyday moments. Drawing on his background in sports psychology, he discusses the importance of setting daily intentions, mentally preparing before important conversations, and returning to "mile zero" so that past experiences don't negatively influence the next interaction. Joshua also emphasizes the value of being "present, not perfect," explaining how greater awareness of our thoughts and emotions creates space between stimulus and response, leading to more intentional leadership and better decision-making. He also explores visualization as a practical tool for building confidence, sharpening focus, and improving execution in both sports and business environments. Episode Highlights & Time Stamps 6:43 Rapid Change Happens 9:27 Define Your Story 13:48 Begin Before It Begins 17:23 Be Present, Not Perfect 19:27 The Power of Visualization 25:02 Where to Find the Book Key Takeaways ✔️ Leadership starts with mindset before action. ✔️ Intentional daily focus can dramatically shift performance. ✔️ Rapid transformation is possible when people choose who they want to become. ✔️ Presence and self-awareness create better decision-making under pressure. ✔️ Visualization strengthens confidence, focus, and execution. ✔️ Preparation before important moments creates separation in performance. ✔️ Leaders do not have to carry past failures into future opportunities. This episode is a must-listen for CEOs and executives looking to lead innovation with purpose, scale responsibly with AI, and build cultures where people feel empowered to think boldly and grow. About Joshua Lifrak Joshua Lifrak is a sports psychology expert, speaker, and author of Win Today. Over the past 20 years, he has worked with elite athletes and organizations, including the Chicago Cubs during their championship era, Olympic medalists, Wimbledon finalists, and professional athletes across multiple sports. Joshua specializes in helping individuals improve performance through mindset, mental preparation, visualization, and intentional leadership practices that translate from sports into business and everyday life. How to Connect with Joshua Lifrak: LinkedIn: Joshua Lifrak https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-lifrak-59ab5442/ Company Website: joshualifrak.com – to learn more about his work and platform Resources & Next Steps Ready to take your leadership energy to the next level? Explore free training and resources at https://training.coreelevation.com/ to help you identify energy leaks, strengthen your leadership presence, and elevate your team's performance.

    27 min

  6. May 11

    The Hidden Price of Open Door Leadership: Your Best Work Never Gets Done

    In this episode, we explore the hidden downsides of open-door leadership and how it can quietly impact productivity, focus, and team performance. While the intention is to create accessibility and strong communication, constant interruptions can derail priorities and create unintended bottlenecks. Drawing on research from UC Irvine, I share how frequent disruptions affect deep work, along with a real case study of a CEO who found himself overwhelmed by team dependencies. You'll hear how he restructured his leadership approach by setting clearer boundaries, empowering independent thinking, and implementing focused one-on-one meetings. The result was more time, stronger team confidence, and improved overall performance. If you're a leader looking to support your team without sacrificing focus, this episode will help you rethink how accessibility and accountability can work together. Episode Highlights & Time Stamps 1:07 The Reality of Open Door Policies 2:47 Hidden Costs of Open Door Leadership 4:52 Strategies for Better Leadership 7:01 Conclusion and Key Takeaways 🎯Key Takeaways ✔️Interruptions are costly; it can take 23 minutes to fully refocus after each one. ✔️Open-door policies can unintentionally reduce productivity and create constant distractions. ✔️Leaders often become bottlenecks when teams rely on them for decisions they could make themselves. ✔️Without structure, leaders lose time for high-value strategic work and end up overworking. ✔️Scheduled one-on-ones and intentional check-ins reduce interruptions and improve communication. ✔️Empowered teams make better decisions and increase overall performance. ✔️Protecting focus is a leadership responsibility, not a limitation. Ideal For: Founders, CEOs, executives, managers, and anyone committed to elevating their leadership capacity. Resources & Next Steps Ready to take your leadership energy to the next level? Explore free training and resources at https://training.coreelevation.com/ to help you identify energy leaks, strengthen your leadership presence, and elevate your team's performance. 🌐 Explore More: https://training.coreelevation.com/ 🎧 Listen to the Full Episode: Growth Think Tank Podcast

    8 min

  7. May 4

    The Future of AI-driven Leadership with Mark Hughes at Solidroad

    In this episode, I sit down with Mark Hughes, co-founder and CEO of Solidroad, for a real conversation about how AI is reshaping customer experience and what that means for leaders today. We explore how tools like the Claude coworking system are changing team communication and improving transparency, and why Mark sees radical transparency as a key to building trust and ownership across an organization. We also get into how leadership evolves as companies scale, why hiring specialists matters, how your role shifts as a leader, and what it takes to step into a more strategic mindset. Mark shares his own journey through that transition, along with the lessons he's learned along the way. We wrap up by looking at how embracing AI isn't just about efficiency, but about fostering a culture of continuous learning, adaptability, and growth. Episode Highlights & Time Stamps 6:34 The Power of AI in Customer Experience 8:41 Managing Team Burnout 10:02 Core Leadership Principles 11:34 The Importance of Ownership 13:52 Defining Radical Transparency 17:17 Future of AI-Driven Leadership 23:34 Evolving Leadership Practices About Mark Hughes Mark Hughes is the co-founder and CEO of Solidroad, a company focused on using AI to improve how customer-facing teams train, perform, and deliver support. His work centers on building AI agents that help companies coach their teams, analyze conversations, and raise the overall quality of customer experience at scale. Before launching Solidroad, Mark founded Gradguide, a mentorship and coaching platform for recent graduates, where he raised funding, built a team, and successfully exited the company. He also brings deep experience from roles in sales, support, and customer success leadership, previously leading EMEA teams at Chargify (now Maxio) and working as an early sales hire at Intercom. Through Solidroad, Mark is helping organizations rethink how teams learn and improve, combining AI-driven insights with real-world training to accelerate onboarding, boost performance, and create more consistent customer experiences. How to Connect with Mark Hughes: LinkedIn: Mark Hughes https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-hughes-a36915a7 Company Website: Solidroad https://www.solidroad.com/ Resources & Next Steps Ready to take your leadership energy to the next level? Explore free training and resources at https://training.coreelevation.com/ to help you identify energy leaks, strengthen your leadership presence, and elevate your team's performance. 🌐 Explore More: https://training.coreelevation.com/ 🎧 Listen to the Full Episode: Growth Think Tank Podcast

    27 min

  8. Apr 27

    Black Belt Lessons: How Competing Against a World Champion Taught Me What Great Leadership Teams Do

    In this episode, I share how competing against a two-time world champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu shaped my understanding of leadership and personal growth. I highlight the significance of hard work and preparation, drawing parallels between competition and leadership challenges in business. I discuss overcoming fears, resilience, and the continuous journey of growth, likening the path to success to the pursuit of a black belt. I outline three key lessons: growth knows no limits, preparation is vital, and the most significant battles occur within our minds. I hope to inspire listeners to embrace their leadership journeys with courage and resilience. Episode Highlights & Time Stamps 3:26 Lessons from Competing 6:32 Facing Fear and Doubt 8:14 Key Takeaways for Leaders 9:41 Creating Better Leadership Teams 🎯Key Takeaways ✅Growth never stops; success is just the next starting point. ✅Fear is normal, don't lead from it. ✅Reframe the challenge to focus on what you can control. ✅Preparation builds confidence and reduces doubt. ✅The biggest battle is in your mind. ✅Competing at higher levels makes you better. ✅Great leadership requires courage under pressure. Ideal For: Founders, CEOs, executives, managers, and anyone committed to elevating their leadership capacity. Resources & Next Steps Ready to take your leadership energy to the next level? Explore free training and resources at https://training.coreelevation.com/ to help you identify energy leaks, strengthen your leadership presence, and elevate your team's performance.

    10 min
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4.9
out of 5
172 Ratings

About

Develop leadership skills and understand leadership development from expert interviews with transformational leaders. Leaders in the Trenches gives raw discussions that dive deep into new strategies to accelerate your company growth and your leadership abilities. Get interviews from Fortune 100 leaders to experts in various domains of marketing, sales, and leadership that allows you to explode your growth. Learn from their failures and discover the finer elements of significance that will impact your company. Guests include Daymond John, Les Brown, Michael Gerber, Jonah Berger, Bob Berg, Greg McKeown, and with the host Gene Hammett.

Information

  • Creator
    Gene Hammett is a Speaker, Executive Coach, Inc Columnist, and Host of "Gr
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.2K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2014-2021
  • Show Website
    Growth Think Tank

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