Intentional Leader with Cal Walters

➡️ Get my free weekly newsletter (The Intentional Letter): https://courses.calwalters.me/signup

📚 Get LTG (Ret.) Beagle's new book, When the Map Runs Out: https://www.amazon.com/When-Map-Runs-Out-Uncertain/dp/B0G1ZGH76J

As leaders rise, they often hear less and less truth. LTG (Ret.) Milford Beagle calls this the cone of silence—and he warns that it's one of the quietest ways leaders lose their true north.

In this episode, we explore how to lead when your "map" falls apart. General Beagle shares his journey from a stunned new platoon leader at Fort Polk to commanding the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center, and what he's learned about staying grounded, humble, and effective in uncertainty.

We dig into his new book, When the Map Runs Out: Values, Judgment, and Clarity in Uncertain Times, and talk about practical tools: a one-page "How to Handle Me" document, a journaling habit to process negative emotions, and how to invite real feedback without shutting people down.

If you're navigating change, promotion, or pressure to have all the answers, this conversation will help you lead with confidence and humility at the same time.

• Why the higher you go, the more you're at risk of a cone of silence.

• How leaders lose true north—not from incompetence, but distortion.

• The difference between maps (plans, strategies, frameworks) and the compass (your values and judgment).

• Two key disciplines of leadership: bearing (self-awareness) and calibration (inviting others to check your bearing).

• How introverts, extroverts, and ambiverts can all be authentic leaders without pretending to be someone else.

• A practical tool: the "How to Handle Me" document that accelerates trust and clarifies expectations.

• How to create a culture where honest feedback is normal—especially for senior leaders.

• Why even three-star generals feel imposter syndrome, and how to work through it.

• How to provide clarity without certainty using "signposts on the road."

• Simple habits for resilience: journaling, reframing failure, and "always quit tomorrow."

00:00 – The cone of silence: how leaders lose true north as they rise

01:56 – Cal's intro, the Intentional Leader Podcast, and LTG Beagle's background

03:15 – Fort Polk & the first platoon: "I felt like a leader… and not a very good one"

08:45 – From follower to leader: athletics, ROTC, and early moments when the map ran out

10:27 – Why When the Map Runs Out and the map/compass metaphor

12:36 – Frameworks, bearing, and calibration: why leaders need more than maps

16:54 – Authentic leadership for every personality type

22:57 – Designing a "How to Handle Me" one-pager for your team

26:27 – Examples: not liking details, humor, and getting quiet when processing

29:57 – Public speaking fear, reps & sets, and keeping the bar high

32:16 – Ego, promotion, and the cone of silence at senior levels

36:27 – Training your team to give you unvarnished feedback

40:24 – Feedback as the breakfast of champions (and why it stings)

42:09 – Imposter syndrome at the Combined Arms Center

46:01 – Clarity vs. certainty: the signpost town hall during organizational change

52:05 – True north and values: integrity, empathy, resilience, "quit tomorrow," loyalty

58:33 – The hurdles metaphor: falling, resilience, and running through obstacles

1:02:10 – Journaling to process emotion and see your own growth over time

1:07:17 – Time, priorities, and the cost of diluted focus

1:15:02 – Knowing your weaknesses and starting with them in interviews

1:16:15 – Where to find When the Map Runs Out and connect with LTG Beagle

1:17:53 – Cal's closing: four practical actions you can take this week

1. Create your own "How to Handle Me" document

   • One page, honest, and specific: quirks, tendencies, what you're working on, and how people can best work with you.

2. Start (or restart) a journaling habit

   • For the next 7 days, write at least one sentence about how you're feeling and what you're facing.

3. Ask for one piece of real feedback

   • Pick one person you trust. Ask, "What's one thing I could do differently that would make me a better leader for you?" Then thank them.

4. Practice clarity in uncertainty

   • In one messy situation this week, clearly state:

     • What we know

     • What we don't know

     • What we're going to do next

Connect with Joe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephpmccormack/

Learn more about The Brief Lab: https://thebrieflab.com/

How do you become the kind of leader who cuts through noise, communicates with clarity, and actually moves people to action?

In this episode of the Intentional Leader Podcast, Cal talks with Joe McCormack—founder of The Brief Lab and author of Brief, Noise, and Quiet Works. Joe has trained elite military units and Fortune 500 executives to be clear, concise, and intentional communicators, and to rediscover the quiet that makes powerful communication possible.

They explore:

• Why noise is the real villain in your leadership story

• The "sword and shield" of effective communication: brief (cut through clutter) and quiet (protect your attention)

• Why being brief actually requires more preparation, not less

• The 3 levels of detail and how to stop overwhelming people

• How to build quiet into your day so you think better and lead better

• Why thinking time is part of your job, not a luxury

• How to use small pockets of quiet before and after meetings

• Practical ways to manage your phone instead of being managed by it

• How AI + quiet work can become a leadership superpower

If you've ever felt frustrated by endless meetings, rambling updates, or your own distracted brain, this conversation will give you practical tools you can use this week.

• Noise as the villain – How constant distractions, disruptions, and devices are eroding our ability to think and communicate.

• The brief & quiet toolkit – Brief is the sword that cuts through clutter; quiet is the shield that protects your attention so you can prepare.

• Why we overtalk – Insecurity, lack of preparation, ego, and a poor understanding of attention spans.

• The 3 levels of detail – Level 1 (headline), Level 2 (support), Level 3 (full detail). Most leadership moments only need Levels 1–2.

• Clarity like comedy – Sequence and timing matter. If it takes too long to get to the punchline, you lose people—even if the content is good.

• Quiet as an appointment – Why you should literally block quiet time on your calendar and not treat it like a "snow day."

• Quiet before collaboration – Simple practices like two minutes of silence at the start of meetings can transform outcomes.

• Redefining work in the AI age – Undistracted thinking is becoming a rare and valuable skill; AI works best when you can sit still and think.

• Your phone works for you – Reframing your phone as a tool, not a master.

• Take 3 minutes before your next meeting or email to decide: What's my headline?

• Use Joe's 3 levels of detail filter: Am I giving a headline, a trailer, or the entire movie?

• Block 15 minutes of quiet in the morning and afternoon, and connect it directly to upcoming or recent communication.

• Start your next team meeting with 2 minutes of silence for everyone to think about what they want to say and what they hope to get out of the meeting.

• Put your phone in another room for your quiet block and remind yourself: My phone works for me; I don't work for it.

Apply to work with me 1-1: https://courses.calwalters.me/coaching

Join the Intentional Leader Lab waitlist: https://courses.calwalters.me/intentional-leader-lab

Learn more about Zach: https://www.zachmercurio.com/

In this conversation, Dr. Zach Mercurio discusses the importance of creating a sense of purpose and mattering within teams. He emphasizes that feeling valued is a basic human instinct and that leaders play a crucial role in fostering an environment where everyone feels significant. The discussion covers the psychological impacts of not feeling like one matters, the barriers leaders face in demonstrating care, and practical strategies for enhancing team dynamics through small, intentional interactions. The conversation ultimately highlights the shift from traditional command-and-control leadership to a more trust-based approach that prioritizes relationships and emotional intelligence.

00:00 Creating a Sense of Purpose in Teams

02:10 Understanding the Cost of Not Mattering

04:28 The Role of Leaders in Mattering

07:56 The Importance of Mattering in Work and Life

11:41 Barriers to Caring in Leadership

16:10 The Shift from Command and Control to Trust-Based Leadership

19:35 Leading Indicators vs. Lagging Indicators

23:28 The Power of Small Interactions

28:59 Practical Actions for Leaders to Show Mattering

44:26 Noticing, Affirming, and Needing in Leadership

➡️ Learn about the Intentional Leader Lab: https://intentionalleaderlab.com

Book a call: https://tally.so/r/w8X6dz

Apply today: https://tally.so/r/nr40XM

Please visit my website to get more information: https://calwalters.me/

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Gottfredson returns to discuss the concepts of trauma, vertical development, and the distinction between 'being' and 'doing' in leadership. He emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and healing one's internal operating system to achieve true personal transformation. The conversation explores how mindsets shape our experiences and the role of emotional intelligence in effective leadership. Ryan shares his personal journey of transformation and the impact of trauma on leadership effectiveness, providing insights into how leaders can grow both personally and professionally.

00:00 Introduction to the Intentional Leader Lab

01:12 Deep Dive with Dr. Ryan Gottfredson

02:35 Exploring Mindsets and Personal Transformation

04:49 The Importance of Vertical Development

11:13 Understanding Self-Protective Fears

16:12 The Doing Side vs. The Being Side

22:42 The Impact of Trauma on Leadership

29:58 Emotional Intelligence and Its Connection to Being

38:47 The Neuroscience of Emotional Intelligence

44:23 Ryan's Personal Journey of Transformation

50:40 Final Thoughts on Becoming Better

Takeaways

- The Intentional Leader Lab offers a six-month leadership experience

- Dr. Ryan Gottfredson emphasizes the importance of vertical development

- Mindsets are crucial for personal transformation

- Self-protective fears can hinder leadership growth

- The distinction between doing and being is vital for leaders

- Emotional intelligence is primarily a being side ability

- Trauma can significantly impact leadership effectiveness

- Awareness is the first step towards transformation

- Expanding your window of tolerance is essential for growth

- Healing one's internal operating system is key to becoming better

#leadership #leader #leadershipdevelopment #emotionalintelligence #podcast #personalgrowth #growth #growthmindset #growthjourney #trauma #traumahealing #selfimprovement #selfcare #selflove #selfgrowth #intentionalliving #fear #fearless #team #teamwork #neuroscience #science