I'm Just Getting Started Podcast

I'm Just Getting Started

Welcome to I’m Just Getting Started — reflections on leadership, purpose, and the lessons found in everyday life. After decades with students and teams, I’ve learned growth isn’t linear. We’re all still learning, leading, and laughing as we go. imjustgettingstarted1.substack.com

  1. 1d ago

    Letting the Once-in-a-Career Employee Outgrow You

    Episode Show Notes Every so often, a leader gets the opportunity to work with someone exceptional. Not just a dependable employee or a strong performer, but the kind of person who absorbs everything, asks sharper questions, sees possibilities early, and takes feedback as fuel. Then comes the realization: They may eventually become better than you. That moment can feel exciting, uncomfortable, and deeply important. It is also one of the clearest tests of leadership. In this episode of I’m Just Getting Started, I explore what it means to mentor a once-in-a-career employee, how to resist the temptation to contain their growth, and why helping someone surpass you is not a loss of relevance. It is stewardship, legacy, and evidence that the work mattered. In This Episode * How to recognize a once-in-a-career employee * Why mentoring high-potential people requires a different approach * The discomfort leaders may feel when someone begins closing the gap * The difference between containing growth and cultivating it * Why exceptional performers must learn supervision, not just excellence * How to help fast-moving employees lead people who work differently * Why emerging leaders are always watching how you handle pressure, mistakes, and power * How to use your own imperfections as a teaching tool * Why discernment matters more than idolizing or dismissing a mentor * The importance of giving real responsibility with survivable consequences * How a leader’s role changes from teaching to coaching to simply being available * Why the goal is not to create a clone, but to help someone find their own leadership voice Key Takeaways * High-potential employees do not only need more assignments. They need context, judgment, responsibility, and room to practice. * A leader’s discomfort is normal. Limiting someone else’s growth because of that discomfort is a choice. * Great performers must learn to delegate, coach, tolerate imperfection, and measure success through the growth of others. * Leadership is translation, not duplication. Different people require different approaches. * Emerging leaders learn as much from how you handle your failures as they do from your successes. * Letting someone make a thoughtful decision you would not have made is an important form of leadership restraint. * Your role should change as people grow: from directing, to questioning, to observing, to being available. * Helping someone become better than you is not abdication. It is legacy. Quote from the Episode “The goal was never to be the ceiling. The goal was to help them find the sky.” Reflection Questions Who on your team may be capable of more than their current role allows? Are you giving them problems to solve, or only tasks to complete? Have you created enough room for them to disagree with you, practice leadership, and develop a voice of their own? And could you say to them, without hesitation: “I hope you become better at this than I ever was”? Closing Thought The quiet reward of mentoring an exceptional employee is not that they need you forever. It is that, for a while, they trust you enough to learn. Then one day they lead with confidence, navigate complexity with grace, develop people of their own, and make decisions you may not have been ready to make at their age. You may feel a little sadness when they move on. But you should also feel a great deal of pride. Because leaders who cling to being the smartest person in the room limit their teams. Leaders who make room for others to surpass them multiply leadership. Thanks for listening to I’m Just Getting Started. Until next time, keep learning, keep leading, and remember—we’re all just getting started. Get full access to I'm Just Getting Started at imjustgettingstarted1.substack.com/subscribe

    Letting the Once-in-a-Career Employee Outgrow You

  2. Jul 10

    Managing Interruptions Without Losing Your Mind

    Most productivity advice assumes a fantasy version of work: quiet rooms, clear priorities, long stretches of uninterrupted time, and very few surprises. For many of us, that is not reality. Real work happens in pieces — between meetings, emails, hallway questions, urgent needs, unexpected problems, and the famous “Do you have a second?” that rarely lasts a second. In this episode of *I’m Just Getting Started*, I explore how interruptions are not always the exception to work. For many of us, they are the environment. The goal is not to eliminate interruptions completely, but to manage them without allowing them to hijack the entire day. I also look at the leadership side of interruptions. Leaders often want their teams to be focused and productive, while also interrupting them with meetings, emails, quick questions, deadlines, and shifting priorities. That is not always avoidable, but it should be intentional. Good leaders understand that attention is precious, focus is fragile, and time returned builds trust. ## In This Episode * Why most productivity advice does not match real work * The difference between short-term and long-term interruptions * How to use quiet times for deeper work * Why batching similar tasks helps protect mental energy * How to match low-focus tasks to high-interruption times * The Boomerang Method for creating motion without forcing completion * Why dealing with small things once can save energy * How interruption blocks can contain chaos * Why leaders need to recognize when they are the interruption * How ending meetings early can shape culture * Why email urgency should be used carefully * How leaders can bundle requests and lower disruption for their teams * The importance of reset routines after interruptions ## Key Takeaways * Interruptions are not a sign that you are failing at work; they are often a sign that you are in it. * Not all interruptions are the same. Quick questions and full-day disruptions require different strategies. * Productivity in real life is often about progress in chunks, not perfect completion. * Leaders cannot avoid interrupting others, but they can interrupt with care. * Giving time back, lowering urgency, and acknowledging disruption all build trust. * The goal is not a perfectly protected day. The goal is a resilient one. ## Quote from the Episode “Interruptions are not the exception to work. For many of us, interruptions are the environment. The goal is not to eliminate them. The goal is to recover faster, protect your energy, and build a way of working that survives real life.” ## Reflection Question Where are interruptions costing you the most right now — and where might you be unintentionally creating interruptions for others? ## Closing Thought The workday will break in on us. People will need things. Priorities will shift. Emails will arrive. Meetings will move. Someone will ask for “just a second.” The question is not whether interruptions will happen. The question is whether we can build enough rhythm, awareness, and care to return to focus when they do. Thanks for listening to *I’m Just Getting Started.* Until next time, keep learning, keep leading, and remember — we’re all just getting started. Get full access to I'm Just Getting Started at imjustgettingstarted1.substack.com/subscribe

  3. Jun 30

    Leadership and the Zombie Tasks Nobody Wants

    Episode Show Notes Leadership and the Zombie Tasks Nobody Wants Every organization has them. The report no one owns.The committee everyone avoids.The spreadsheet that's survived three software upgrades.The responsibility that somehow keeps shambling back onto the agenda despite everyone's best efforts to ignore it. I call them zombie tasks. In this episode of I'm Just Getting Started, I explore why these invisible, unglamorous responsibilities may actually be some of the greatest leadership opportunities you'll ever encounter. While most people chase high-profile projects and visible wins, the people who quietly step forward to contain organizational chaos often become the leaders their teams trust the most. The challenge isn't becoming "zombie food" by taking on every unwanted task—it's learning how to improve broken processes, create clarity, and make tomorrow a little easier than today. We also discuss how leaders can better recognize invisible work, avoid rewarding burnout, and create cultures where stewardship is valued just as much as achievement. In This Episode Why every organization has "zombie tasks" The difference between stewardship and martyrdom Why supervisors notice the people who quietly solve messy problems How invisible work builds trust and credibility Why leadership isn't always glamorous The importance of rewarding improvement instead of exhaustion Practical ways leaders can recognize and support employees who step into difficult work Why relief is often more valuable than brilliance Key Takeaways Zombie tasks survive because they're unowned, not because they're difficult. Leadership often reveals itself during the uncomfortable silence when no one volunteers. Trust is built through reliability more often than visibility. Great leaders don't simply absorb chaos—they improve the system so the next person doesn't have to. Recognition should celebrate contribution, not burnout. Quote from the Episode "Sometimes leadership doesn't come from slaying dragons. Sometimes it comes from grabbing a clipboard, sighing deeply, and saying, 'Fine... I'll take care of it.' Then making sure the zombie never bites anyone else again." Thank you for listening to I'm Just Getting Started. If this episode made you think of someone quietly carrying the invisible work on your team, share it with them. They may never ask for recognition—but they probably deserve it. Until next time... keep learning, keep leading, and remember... we're all just getting started. Get full access to I'm Just Getting Started at imjustgettingstarted1.substack.com/subscribe

  4. May 28

    “Patriots and Professional Soldiers”

    I’m Just Getting Started Episode: “Patriots and Professional Soldiers” Why do organizations often reward visible passion while quietly depending on disciplined professionalism? In this episode of I’m Just Getting Started, Dr. Anthony Donovan explores the difference between “patriots” and “professional soldiers” inside organizations — and why many leaders misunderstand the value of both. Patriots are the true believers. They energize culture, inspire others, and carry the emotional weight of the mission. But professional soldiers bring something organizations often undervalue: steadiness, competence, discipline, and reliability even when enthusiasm fades. This episode examines why organizations frequently chase belief when what they truly need is consistency, and why some of the strongest employees are often the quiet professionals who simply continue carrying the mission forward without fanfare. The conversation also explores how many professional soldiers are actually “closet patriots” — people who care deeply but have learned through experience to protect themselves emotionally from unstable leadership, shifting priorities, and organizational disappointment. Topics explored in this episode include: The difference between belief-driven employees and competence-driven employees Why organizations often mistake passion for reliability How professional soldiers stabilize teams during uncertainty and change The hidden strengths of Generation X in the modern workplace Why visionary leaders often overvalue emotional buy-in How organizations accidentally alienate dependable professionals The importance of acknowledging competence and discipline Why “every great soldier wants to follow a great general” The leadership damage caused when organizations abandon struggling people How professionalism can quietly evolve into deep loyalty when trust is earned Why great soldiers train to prevent conflict, not create it This episode challenges a modern leadership assumption: Visible enthusiasm is not always the strongest form of commitment. Sometimes the people most committed to the mission are simply the ones who keep showing up, carrying weight, protecting others, and doing the work well long after inspiration has faded. Memorable Lines from the Episode “Patriots ignite movements. Professional soldiers sustain them.” “Organizations chase belief when what they actually need is reliability.” “Competence is their language of commitment.” “Every great soldier wants to follow a great general.” “One of the fastest ways to lose a soldier is to tell them their fallen comrade is not worth rescuing.” “Many professional soldiers are actually disappointed patriots.” “Not everyone who serves the mission wears it on their sleeve.” About the Show I’m Just Getting Started is a podcast about leadership, culture, resilience, growth, and the complicated reality of leading people well. Hosted by Dr. Anthony Donovan, the show explores the human side of leadership — not through slogans or perfection, but through reflection, experience, and practical wisdom earned over time. Subscribe, share, and follow for more conversations about leadership, trust, organizational culture, and becoming the kind of leader people choose to follow when things get difficult. Get full access to I'm Just Getting Started at imjustgettingstarted1.substack.com/subscribe

  5. May 13

    When the Lights Go Down:

    # I’m Just Getting Started ## Episode: “When the Lights Go Down: What Movie Theaters Teach Us About Culture, Focus, and Leadership” What if one of the best leadership lessons isn’t found in a boardroom… but in a movie theater? In this episode of I’m Just Getting Started, Dr. Anthony Donovan explores the surprising connection between movie theaters, shared attention, and organizational culture. Using the experience of sitting in a darkened theater as a metaphor for leadership, this episode examines why most teams don’t actually lack talent — they lack focus. From dimming distractions to creating meaningful shared experiences, this conversation unpacks how leaders can stop trying to manufacture engagement and instead create the conditions where people naturally lean forward and invest in the story unfolding around them. This episode explores: * Why shared attention is one of the most powerful forces in culture-building * How great leaders “dim the lights” to create clarity and focus * Why too many priorities quietly destroy engagement * The importance of naming the story your team is part of * How over-controlling leadership kills curiosity and ownership * Why healthy cultures feel more like participation than compliance * The role of shared wins, setbacks, and moments in building connection * What leaders can learn from pacing, silence, and audience trust If you’ve ever wondered why some teams feel electric while others feel exhausted, this episode offers a different lens: Maybe culture isn’t something you announce. Maybe it’s something people feel when everyone is leaning toward the same thing together. --- ### Memorable Lines from the Episode * “Most teams don’t lack talent. They lack focus.” * “Culture starts with subtraction.” * “People don’t always need louder leaders. Sometimes they need someone willing to clear the room so the story can finally come into focus.” * “Healthy culture feels less like compliance and more like participation.” * “Leaders don’t build culture by talking about values. They build culture by creating shared experiences people remember.” --- ### Connect with the Show Podcast: I’m Just Getting Started Hosted by Dr. Anthony Donovan Subscribe, share, and follow for more conversations about leadership, culture, resilience, growth, and the quiet work of becoming the kind of leader people trust when things get difficult. Get full access to I'm Just Getting Started at imjustgettingstarted1.substack.com/subscribe

  6. May 6

    You Don't Need Everyone

    What if one of the biggest leadership mistakes is believing everyone needs to buy in? In this episode of I’m Just Getting Started, we explore a quiet but exhausting trap visionary leaders fall into—the belief that if they communicate clearly enough, passionately enough, consistently enough… everyone will eventually care as deeply as they do. But most people don’t relate to work that way. And they don’t need to. This episode reframes what effective leadership actually requires—and why letting go of universal buy-in can lead to something far more sustainable, healthy, and real. Because leadership isn’t about creating copies of yourself. It’s about building systems where different people can contribute in different ways. 🧭 What You’ll Learn • Why visionary leaders overestimate buy-in • The difference between lived experience and communicated vision • Why most employees don’t connect to work like leaders do • The “10–15 core” principle for real organizational momentum • What a healthy performance distribution actually looks like • Why releasing control increases trust ⭐ Key Leadership Takeaways You don’t need everyone. You need: a small, committed core who carry the vision a strong group of competent professionals space for people at different stages of engagement Because leadership isn’t about intensity. It’s about sustainability. 🛠️ Practical Lens Instead of asking: 👉 “Why doesn’t everyone care?” Ask: 👉 “Do I have the right people carrying this well?” 🎧 Reflection Question Are you spending your energy trying to convince everyone— or investing in the people who are already ready? 🎙️ About the Podcast I’m Just Getting Started explores leadership, growth, and the long work of becoming—through real stories, practical frameworks, and reflective insight. 🔔 Follow + Share If this resonates: ⭐ Follow the show ⭐ Share with a leader who’s feeling the weight ⭐ Let go of the need to convince everyone Get full access to I'm Just Getting Started at imjustgettingstarted1.substack.com/subscribe

  7. Apr 22

    From Doing to Making Do

    Most leaders don’t fail because they lack ability. They struggle because they were promoted for the wrong reason. In this episode of I’m Just Getting Started, we explore one of the most common—and misunderstood—transitions in leadership: The move from doing the work to making work happen through others. High performers are often promoted because they consistently deliver results. But leadership isn’t advanced doing—it’s a different discipline entirely. This episode breaks down why that transition feels so difficult, what “making do” really means, and how leaders and organizations can better prepare people for the shift. Because the goal of leadership isn’t to get more done yourself. It’s to build people who can get things done without you. 🧭 What You’ll Learn • Why promoting high performers often creates leadership challenges • The difference between “doing” and “making do” • Why delegation feels uncomfortable—but is essential • How leadership growth often feels like loss before gain • The two meanings of “making do” (empowerment + adaptability) • How to prepare emerging leaders before promotion ⭐ Key Leadership Takeaways Leadership is not a personality trait—it’s a practiced shift. Great leaders: create conditions for others to succeed coach instead of rescue operate with imperfect information adapt rather than control measure success through team output—not personal effort Because doing scales effort. Making do scales people. 🛠️ Practical Tools from This Episode 1. Name the Transition Tell new leaders: 👉 “Your job is different now.” 2. Let Them Test Drive Leadership Give emerging leaders small opportunities to lead before promotion. 3. Co-Lead Before They Lead Alone Sit in the “passenger seat” while they navigate real decisions. 4. Pair Leaders for Growth Let promising leaders work together to reveal strengths and gaps. 5. Teach Through Teaching Ask them to train others—clarity comes through instruction. 6. Practice in Parallel Have them solve adjacent problems and compare approaches with you. 🎧 Reflection Question Are you still measuring your leadership by what you get done— or by what your team can do without you? 🎙️ About the Podcast I’m Just Getting Started explores leadership, growth, and the long work of becoming—through real stories, practical frameworks, and reflective insight. 🔔 Follow + Share If this episode resonates: ⭐ Follow the podcast ⭐ Share with an emerging leader ⭐ Start building people—not just results Get full access to I'm Just Getting Started at imjustgettingstarted1.substack.com/subscribe

  8. Apr 17

    Leadership Deserves Pallet Training Too

    Most leadership mistakes don’t happen in theory. They happen live—in real conversations,with real people,where trust, confidence, and relationships are on the line. In this episode of I’m Just Getting Started, we explore a simple but overlooked idea: We train operators.We simulate performance.We create practice environments. But when it comes to leadership…we expect people to figure it out in real time. Using the concept of pallet training from operations and logistics, this episode challenges the way organizations prepare new supervisors—and offers a better approach. Because leadership isn’t a personality trait. It’s a skill. And skills deserve practice before they carry consequences. 🧭 What You’ll Learn • Why most leadership training happens too late• The hidden cost of learning leadership “live”• Why promoting high performers doesn’t equal leadership readiness• What “pallet training” looks like for supervisors• How to create safe practice environments for difficult conversations• Why repetition—not instinct—builds leadership confidence ⭐ Key Leadership Takeaways Leadership is a practiced craft, not a natural trait. Organizations that develop strong leaders: create rehearsal space before real consequences normalize practicing hard conversations coach in the moment, not just after mistakes allow leaders to fail safely Because mistakes in leadership don’t break systems. They break trust. 🎧 Reflection Question Before you put someone in charge of people: Have they practiced the conversationsthat will define their leadership? 🛠️ Practical Tools from This Episode 1. Practice Before It Matters Create simulated conversations: performance feedback conflict resolution expectation setting 2. Normalize Role-Play Make it part of leadership development—not something awkward or optional. 3. Focus on Repetition Confidence comes from reps—not theory. 4. Coach in Real Time Don’t wait for failure to teach.Build feedback into the practice itself. 🎙️ About the Podcast I’m Just Getting Started explores leadership, growth, and the long work of becoming—through real stories, practical frameworks, and reflective insight. 🔔 Follow + Share If this episode resonates: ⭐ Follow the podcast⭐ Share with a leader developing others⭐ Start building practice—not just expectations Get full access to I'm Just Getting Started at imjustgettingstarted1.substack.com/subscribe

See All (37)

About

Welcome to I’m Just Getting Started — reflections on leadership, purpose, and the lessons found in everyday life. After decades with students and teams, I’ve learned growth isn’t linear. We’re all still learning, leading, and laughing as we go. imjustgettingstarted1.substack.com

Information