🔔 Upcoming Webinar with J.R. Briggs We're excited to host J.R. Briggs for a live webinar on May 14, where he'll be teaching on asking better questions—a critical skill for coaches and leaders. 👉 Register here: https://coachapproachministries.org/JR Episode Overview In this conversation, Brian Miller sits down with J.R. Briggs to explore the role of failure, leadership health, and congruence in the life of a leader. J.R. shares candid insights from his own experience and coaching work, helping leaders rethink success and embrace growth through vulnerability. Key Themes & Takeaways 1. Rethinking Failure Failure isn't final or fatal—it's formative. Defined as not meeting expectations (our own or others'). "Failure is the crucible of character formation." 2. Health Over Success True leadership success is better defined as health. Health = congruence (alignment between inner life and outer actions). Many leaders appear successful but are "dying inside." 3. The Danger of Incongruence When our inner and outer lives don't match, it leads to: Mask-wearing Risk aversion Emotional and spiritual unhealth 4. Naming the Lies A powerful coaching question: → "What lies are you tempted to believe right now?" Common lies: "I'm not enough," "I should be better," etc. Naming them reduces their power. 5. Creating Safe Spaces in Coaching Vulnerability always precedes growth. Coaches foster safety by: Modeling vulnerability ("go first") Asking thoughtful, non-reactive questions Expressing gratitude for honesty Tears are meaningful: "Tears are liquid prayers." 6. Learning Through Failure "Failure is a terrible thing to waste." Ask: "What are you learning?" Failure is a bruise, not a tattoo—it doesn't define you permanently. 7. Experimentation in Leadership Leaders must embrace risk and try new things. Shift language from "projects" to "experiments." If you're not failing, you may not be trying enough. 8. Identity and the Gospel Leaders often preach grace but don't apply it to themselves. True freedom: "Nothing to hide, nothing to lose, nothing to prove." Our identity is rooted in being loved by God—not performance. 9. The Beauty of Brokenness The Japanese art of kintsugi: repairing broken pottery with gold. A picture of the gospel—our "cracks" become places of beauty. Jesus' scars remain—our wounds can become part of our witness. Memorable Quotes "Failure is the crucible of character formation." "Health is congruence." "We preach a gospel we don't always apply to ourselves." "Failure is a bruise, not a tattoo." "If we don't transform our pain, we transfer it." "True freedom is having nothing to hide, nothing to lose, nothing to prove." About J.R. Briggs J.R. Briggs is the Director of Leadership and Congregational Formation for the Ecclesia Network. He is the author of Fail: Finding Hope and Grace in the Midst of Ministry Failure and host of: The Monday Morning Pastor Podcast The Resilient Leaders Podcast About Coach Approach Ministries Coach Approach Ministries (CAM) is a nonprofit coach training school with over 15 years of experience equipping thousands of coaches around the world. Learn more: https://coachapproachministries.org