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

Tom DeBell

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 grow with clarity, character, and purpose. 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. 6d ago

    Rest Isn't Recovery: For Great Leaders, It's Preparation

    Most leaders only rest when they're forced to — and that reactive pattern is quietly eroding their decision quality, their presence, and their leadership effectiveness. In this episode of Lead With More, Tom DeBell introduces a reframe that changes everything: resting from work is recovery, but working from rest is preparation. Drawing on what elite athletes have always known about peak performance, Tom breaks down three practical levels of intentional rest that every leader can build into their rhythm: Daily rest — workday boundaries that protect your energy and presenceWeekly sabbath — one full day off as a strategic leadership disciplineSeasonal rest — extended time away that clears the fog no short break can touchTom also addresses why leaders must model healthy rest themselves before they can build it into their team's culture — because personal leadership always precedes team leadership. If you're ready to stop collapsing into rest and start leading from a full place, this episode is your starting point. Timestamps: 00:00 Why Most Leaders Are Resting Wrong 00:54 Working From Rest vs. Resting From Work 01:57 What Elite Athletes Know About Rest That Leaders Don't 03:16 Way #1: Daily Boundaries That Protect Your Leadership Energy 05:04 Way #2: The Weekly Sabbath Every High-Performing Leader Needs 07:03 Way #3: Extended Rest That Clears The Leadership Fog 09:38 Why Leaders Must Model Rest Before They Can Teach It 10:40 3 Ways to Build a Rest Rhythm That Makes You a Better Leader ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻MUSIC & MEDIA⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ With permission from: Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic) from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)

    12 min

  2. Jun 1

    How To Grow Managers Into High-Performing Leaders

    What does it actually take to grow a manager into a leader? In this episode of Lead With More, Tom DeBell sits down with bestselling author, award-winning coach, and business owner Dr. Andy Neillie for an honest, experience-driven conversation about the gap between managing tasks and truly leading people. Dr. Neillie shares his four leadership necessities — conviction, competence, character, and covenant — and explains why leadership development is a continuous journey, not a one-time certification. The conversation covers why hard conversations are the truest test of leadership character, how self-awareness is the foundation of every high-performing leader, and what Dr. Neillie calls the leader's hour: a daily habit the best leaders he's worked with consistently practice. Dr. Neillie also introduces his Manager's Ascent program and the leadership principles behind his book, The Golden Principles. Learn More About Dr. Andy Neillie and his company, The Neillie Leadership Group, here: https://neillieleadershipgroup.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 How to Turn Mangers Into High-Performing Leaders 01:33 Why Bad Bosses Ignite a Leadership Calling 03:42 Managers vs. Leaders: What's the Real Difference? 04:37 The Four Leadership Necessities: Conviction, Competence, Character, and Covenant 09:39 Why Leadership Is A Journey, Not a Certification 09:59 The Hard Conversation That Taught Me Character 12:00 Why Social Media Is Redefining Influence the Wrong Way 13:16 The 5% of Decisions That Separate Real Leaders 15:41 How Strong Leaders Delegate What They Don't Know 16:53 The Golden Principles: Leadership Lessons From Rescue Dogs 20:06 The Redford Principle: Meet People Where They Are 22:22 Why Character Is Missing In Today's Leaders 25:04 How Great Leaders Keep Growing After Every Failure 28:09 Why Reading Isn't Enough: The Case for Leadership Coaching 29:15 Inside the Manager's Ascent Program 31:12 Real-World Experience vs. Certified on Paper 32:14 When Coaching Reveals Someone Isn't Ready to Lead 35:27 The Leader's Hour: How the Best Leaders Start Their Day ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Podcast guests 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/)

    38 min

  3. May 25

    You Can't Lead What You Can't See

    What does it really mean to lead with perspective? In this episode of Lead With More, Tom DeBell sits down with leadership consultant and former CPA firm CEO Dennis Sherrin to unpack one of the most overlooked — and most critical — skills in leadership: the ability to shift perspectives. Using a photography-based framework, Tom and Dennis explore three practical concepts every leader needs to develop: Lens-switching — moving between big-picture thinking and ground-level detailFilters — changing how you process and communicate information depending on your audience and contextCamera-switching — stepping completely outside your own vantage point to see what others seeTogether, Tom and Dennis share real-world stories from careers in engineering, accounting, and executive leadership — including what it cost them when they couldn't shift perspectives, and what changed when they finally did. Whether you lead a small team or a large organization, this episode will challenge you to examine the lens you're leading through — and give you practical tools to expand it. Timestamps: 00:00 Why Perspective Is the Most Overlooked Leadership Skill 01:31 Guest Host Introduction: Leadership Lessons From 40 Years In Business 06:02 How Leaders Build Team Buy-In Through Shared Perspective 07:43 Lens-Switching: How Leaders Shift Between Big Picture and Ground Level 14:51 Leadership Filters: Changing How You Process Information as a Leader 19:44 The Leadership Filter: Redefining Success Through Your Team, Not Yourself 23:35 Vulnerable Leadership: Why CEO's Need to Take the Filter Off 30:45 Direct Communication: When Strong Leaders Remove the Filter Entirely 33:27 Camera-Switching: See Your Leadership From a Completely Different Angle 41:33 How to Practice Perspective-Shifting and Grow From Leadership Failure 44:31 Character-Driven Leadership: Why Knowing Your Audience Changes Everything 47:35 Closing Thoughts: Leading With More by Seeing More ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻MUSIC & MEDIA⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ With permission from: Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic) from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)

    51 min

  4. May 18

    The Hardest Person I've Ever Had To Lead

    After 20+ episodes, I almost stopped. Not because something went wrong — but because leading yourself with no external accountability, no visible results, and an easier path available is genuinely hard. And nobody talks about that honestly enough. In this milestone 25th episode, I'm sharing what I've actually learned about leadership through this process — starting with the lesson that hit closest to home: self-leadership is the foundation of everything else. And it's the hardest thing I've ever had to build. In this episode: ✅ Why self-leadership breaks down the moment external accountability disappears ✅ The honest story of almost quitting after more than 20 episodes — and what pulled me through ✅ What practice, discomfort, and recording yourself actually do for your growth as a leader ✅ Why authenticity is a character commitment, not a content strategy ✅ What 25 episodes of podcasting taught me about growth, perspective, and showing up If you have something you've been putting off — a project, a habit, a platform — this episode is for you. 🎙️ Lead With More is a podcast for leaders who want to grow with clarity, character, and purpose. Timestamps: 00:00 Why Self-Leadership Is the Hardest Leadership Challenge 00:54 Lead With More - Character-Driven Leadership For Today's Leaders  01:23 How to Lead Yourself When No One Is Holding You Accountable 02:49 What Almost Quitting Taught Me About Leadership And Personal Growth 04:19 Why Growth Requires Discomfort - and the Leadership Reps Nobody Sees 05:58 Authentic Leadership - How to Stay True to Yourself Under Pressure 07:16 How Podcasting Builds Leadership Skills and Grows Your Network 08:32 How to Start Before You're Ready - Leadership Lessons for New and Emerging Leaders 09:47 Lead With More - Keep Growing With Clarity, Character, and Purpose ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻MUSIC & MEDIA⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ With permission from: Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic) from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)

    10 min

  5. May 11

    Why First-Time Managers Fail — And How to Fix It

    Most first-time managers don't fail because they lack talent — they fail due to a lack of clarity about identity, purpose, and execution. In this episode of Lead With More, Tom DeBell sits down with ICF-certified leadership coach and author Alicia Rius to unpack why the transition from individual contributor to manager is one of the most underestimated challenges in the workplace. Alicia helps new managers, founders, and executive teams fix the clarity gaps that quietly undermine performance during growth. Alicia shares her Four P's Leadership Framework — Personal, People, Purpose, and Process — a practical system designed to help new managers identify exactly where their leadership clarity is breaking down. The conversation covers why one-day team building workshops don't create lasting change, the critical difference between managing and leading, why mindset must come before frameworks, and how to have the hard conversations that most leaders avoid. Alicia also discusses her book, Lead with Clarity, and her free 90-second Clarity Scorecard at HiveTeamCoaching.com/book — a quick self-assessment that tells you exactly where to focus first. Timestamps: 00:00 Why Most First-Time Managers Fail - It's Not Talent 00:49 Meet Alicia Rius: International Leadership Coach and Author 03:11 The 4 P's Leadership Framework Explained 04:53 Why Most Leaders Only Seek Coaching After They've Already Failed 05:54 Why One-Day Team Building Doesn't Fix Leadership Problems 07:48 Individual vs. Team Coaching: Why Leaders Need Both 09:32 Long-Term Leadership Development vs. Short-Term Training 11:53 Managing vs. Leading: What Most People Get Wrong 13:02 The Mindset Shift Every First-Time Manager Must Make 15:12 Why Leadership Is a Lifelong Journey, Not a Destination 17:55 The Power of Self-Leadership and Why It Comes First 18:48 How Lead With Clarity Was Written, and Why Sofia's Story Matters 22:13 How to Use This Book as a First-Time Manager or Aspiring Leader 24:51 The Hidden Cost of Skipping Leadership Training in Year One 26:40 Why Hard Conversations Are a Skill, and How to Build It 27:22 Mindset Before Frameworks: The Step Most Coaches Skip 28:43 Why the Feedback Sandwich Doesn't Work 31:06 How to Identify Your Leadership Gap in 90 Seconds 32:17 Where to Find Alicia Rius and the Free Clarity Scorecard 33:47 Alicia's Final Challenge: Ask Yourself the Hard Questions ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Podcast guests managed through PodMatch. If you’re a podcast guest or host (or both!), I would encourage you to check it out: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/tomdebell (affiliate link). #PodMatch ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻MUSIC & MEDIA⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ With permission from: Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic) from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)

    36 min

  6. May 4

    Stop Building Success on the Wrong Foundation | Jim Sabellico

    What happens when you hit every financial goal — and still feel like you're losing? In this episode, Tom DeBell sits down with entrepreneur, coach, and author Jim Sabellico to unpack the defining moment that changed everything: coming home to a half-eaten birthday cake and realizing he'd been building success on the wrong foundation. Jim shares how high achievers tie their self-worth to financial results, why work-life balance is a myth, and what it actually looks like to lead with intention at work and at home. You'll also hear practical frameworks for capturing ideas, building productive routines, and using your personal story as a breakthrough tool — not a burden. In this episode: Why financial success without presence isn't success at allThe "picture of possibility" mindset shift that drives real changeHow to separate your identity from your performanceThe 200-line vision exercise for building faith and clarityJim Sabellico is an entrepreneur, marketing expert, and host of the No Half Cakes podcast. After building multiple 7- and 8-figure businesses, he realized success isn’t just about money—it’s about creating a life you won’t regret later. Now, he helps entrepreneurs redefine success, simplify their growth, and build businesses that align with their purpose. Through real stories and actionable insights, Jim empowers high achievers to take back control of their time, energy, and impact. 🔗 Connect with Jim: jimsabellico.com | nohalfcakes.com ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Podcast guests managed through PodMatch. If you’re a podcast guest or host (or both!), I would encourage you to check it out: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/tomdebell (affiliate link). #PodMatch ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻MUSIC & MEDIA⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ With permission from: Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic) from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/)

    39 min

  7. Apr 27

    The Difference Between a Leader People Respect and a Leader People Remember

    Most leaders aren't failing — and that's exactly the problem. In this episode of Lead With More, Tom DeBell unpacks the hidden plateau that keeps competent leaders from making a lasting impact. If you've been leading well but still feel like something is missing, this episode is for you. Tom explores the difference between transactional respect — which follows your title — and the relational influence that outlasts any role you'll ever hold. Drawing on John Maxwell's levels of leadership, he identifies why so many leaders stall at positional authority and what it actually costs them over time: depth, loyalty, and lasting influence. You'll learn why character development is the most overlooked investment a leader can make, what servant leadership looks like in practice, and how one honest question about your own growth edge can change the trajectory of your leadership. In this episode: Why competent leaders plateau without realizing itThe gap between being respected and being rememberedHow character shapes long-term leadership impactA practical first step toward intentional leadership growthReady to lead with more? Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review — it helps more leaders find this content. Timestamps: 00:00 Why Good Leaders Stop Growing (And Don't Know It) 01:02 What It Really Means To Lead With More 01:51 The Leaders Who Leave A Lasting Impact 03:13 The Hidden Cost of Positional Leadership 04:46 Respected vs. Remembered: The Leadership Gap That Matters 06:19 Why Character Is the Most Overlooked Leadership Skill 07:54 How to Start Growing As A Leader Right Now 09:26 The Quiet Work of Becoming a Leader Worth Following ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. 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/)

    10 min

  8. Apr 20

    FURTHER | Levels of Leadership: The Hidden Expiration Date on Your Influence

    Most leaders never question whether their influence is real — until the day it vanishes. In this FURTHER episode of Modern Leadership Solutions, host Tom DeBell returns to Episode 3: Influence Beyond Titles to introduce a concept that changes how leaders think about their impact: the difference between borrowed influence and built influence. Borrowed influence belongs to your title. Built influence belongs to you. Using Maxwell's Five Levels of Leadership as a framework, Tom reveals how leaders at every level — including Level 2 and Level 3 — can be carrying more borrowed influence than they realize, and what to do about it before a role change forces the answer. In this episode you'll learn: How to run the Resignation Test to measure your real influence right nowWhy borrowed influence disappears the moment your title doesOne practical step to start building influence no job change can take awayIf you want leadership influence that compounds over time and survives every transition, this episode is for you.

    12 min
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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 grow with clarity, character, and purpose. 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
    29
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Tom DeBell