Lead Well

Leadership, Communication, and the Move from Manager to Guide with Matthew JohnsonOn this episode of the Lead Well Podcast, host Brendan Holland speaks with Matthew Johnson, a longtime local government leader, about what leadership looks like in practice—and how better communication can help leaders navigate difficult conversations.Matthew shares how nearly 25 years in local government shaped his approach to leadership, including a pivotal mistake at a public rezoning meeting and the mentor who helped him learn from it. He also explains why giving employees autonomy matters, how Exactly What to Say influenced his communication style, and what inspired his new venture focused on helping local government leaders handle high-stakes conversations.The conversation also touches on Matthew’s upcoming book, Effective Disagreement, and the need for more communication training in local government. Topics CoveredDefining leadership as helping others succeed Building leadership experience in local government Learning from mentors and early-career mistakes Navigating the transition from colleague to leader Giving employees autonomy and avoiding micromanagement Applying Exactly What to Say to workplace conversations Communicating with residents during public hearings Helping local government leaders manage high-stakes conversations Matthew’s upcoming book, Effective Disagreement Episode Timestamps00:00 Welcome to the Lead Well Podcast and introduction to Matthew Johnson 01:30 Matthew’s definition of leadership 02:27 Moving from a larger municipality to a smaller one 03:25 Learning leadership through broader responsibilities 05:51 The “buddy to boss” transition 07:39 A mentor who helped Matthew grow as a leader 08:05 A difficult rezoning meeting—and the lesson it taught 09:57 Treating employees like volunteers 10:47 Leadership books and Exactly What to Say 12:06 Practicing better communication at work 14:20 Matthew’s new venture serving local government 16:12 Improving high-stakes conversations 17:09 Effective Disagreement and where to find Matthew 18:40 The role of communication training in MPA programs 19:35 Closing thoughts and how to connect with Matthew About Matthew JohnsonMatthew Johnson is a local government executive with nearly 25 years of experience. He is developing a venture to help local government leaders communicate more effectively and is writing Effective Disagreement, a book about navigating disagreement in public service.Find Matthew on LinkedIn by searching for Matthew Johnson or Effective Disagreement. The episode also mentions his website, whatyousaynext.com.

The Ledger Never Lies: Leadership, Personal Standards, and Rebuilding After Setbacks with Bill StovallWhat does it take to stop drifting and start rebuilding? In this episode of the Lead Well Podcast, host Brandon Holland talks with Bill Stovall, a 40-year sales and leadership veteran and author of The Ledger Never Lies, about honesty, personal standards, grief, and the choices that shape a life.Bill shares how a chance encounter at a reunion inspired his book and explains the ledger metaphor: like a business, a life reflects the choices and actions entered over time. He describes how people can drift slowly through inaction or suddenly after a major setback—and why the next honest step matters more than guilt about the past.The conversation also explores how self-image shapes personal standards, how to rebuild after loss or financial hardship, and why lasting change begins with taking an honest look at where you are today. What you’ll learnWhy life can drift through either gradual neglect or major setbacks How personal standards and self-image influence daily choices Why goals alone may not be enough to create lasting change What Bill learned from grieving the loss of his wife How to begin rebuilding after financial hardship Why one honest action can help create momentum How to identify where you may be drifting and take a practical next step Key topics and timestamps00:00 — Introducing Bill Stovall and The Ledger Never Lies 01:03 — Bill’s background in Eastern North Carolina, sales, and employee benefits 02:32 — What the title means: life as a ledger of choices and consequences 04:18 — The reunion encounter that sparked the book 06:22 — Seeing another person’s drift as a warning for the next generation 07:45 — “Life is a lottery at 18, but the life you build at 60” 09:01 — Recognizing personal drift and choosing to change 11:17 — Two ways people drift: coasting or facing a storm 12:10 — Losing his wife to cancer and finding a way forward 13:45 — Why life drifts by permission, not accident 14:07 — Why standards matter more than goals 15:35 — How self-image sets the ceiling for personal standards 17:13 — Raising standards through an example from Deion Sanders 18:41 — Rebuilding after going negative in net worth 19:58 — Why the next entry matters more than guilt 21:52 — What to do when you feel like you’re drifting 23:31 — Cleaning the garage as a metaphor for progress 25:47 — Start with honesty and stop lying to the ledger 26:16 — Free worksheets to help readers assess where they are 27:44 — The book’s Amazon release and early response 28:39 — Final takeaway: you don’t rise to your goals; you fall to your standards Memorable quotesCopy “Life doesn’t drift by accident, it drifts by permission.” Copy “You can’t lie to the ledger.” Copy “You don’t rise to your goals, you fall to your standards.” Take actionTake an honest look at one area of your life where you may be drifting. Choose one practical action you can take today—a conversation, a call, a decision, or a habit reset. Focus on building standards you can sustain, not just setting goals. Track your progress and use each deliberate step to build momentum. About the guestBill Stovall is a sales and leadership veteran with four decades of experience and the author of The Ledger Never Lies. In this conversation, he shares the experiences behind the book’s message about honesty, personal standards, and taking responsibility for your next step.

Jude Leonard on Local Government, GIS, and Learning to Lead Well Brandon Holland sits down with Jude Leonard, a 21-year-old GIS graduate student who interned with the City of Newton, to talk about what local government looks like behind the scenes. The conversation covers how public processes really work, why communication matters in government and in school, and how technology and AI are changing the way people do map-based work.Jude also shares practical encouragement for students and a leadership lesson about using good questions to help others think differently and grow. Key Topics How Jude’s internship with the City of Newton changed his perspective on local government and community issues What happens during a rezoning process, from application to final decision Why citizens need to report infrastructure problems in their communities The importance of clear, confident communication in planning and public-facing work How updated GIS software can make local government workflows faster and more efficient The differences between ArcMap and ArcGIS How machine learning tools can assist with address-point creation Where useful AI support ends and overuse begins Why human judgment and visual hierarchy still matter in design Encouragement for students and professionals facing difficult seasons How leaders can use thoughtful questions to help others grow Why it is never too late to pursue a new interest or career path Timestamps00:00 Welcome to the Lead Well Podcast and introduction to Jude Leonard 01:16 Jude’s background in geography and GIS graduate study 02:02 How the internship changed Jude’s view of local government 04:01 The importance of communication in planning and public-facing work 06:25 How updated GIS software speeds up local government workflows 07:54 Machine learning tools for address-point creation 09:38 Jude’s perspective on when AI use goes too far 12:54 Visual hierarchy and why AI can miss design fundamentals 14:21 Encouragement for students under pressure 16:46 Leadership lessons from leading classroom discussions 19:18 Why it is never too late to start learning maps or try something new Notable Quotes “Everything’s a process.” “People aren’t dumb. They can tell when a response is AI.” “There’s always tomorrow.” “As a leader, it can be your job to insert that seed into people’s minds to get them thinking, to change, to grow.” About Jude Leonard Jude Leonard is a geography graduate and current master’s student in geographic information science and technology at NC State. After completing an internship with the City of Newton, Jude is continuing to build his career in GIS, mapping, and local government.Listeners interested in maps, GIS, and Jude’s work can search for Jude Leonard on LinkedIn . Resources Mentioned Shackerford Leadership Institute HyperX ArcMap ArcGIS QGIS GRASS GIS

Sylvia Baffour on Street EI, leadership, and the hidden work behind great communication Brandon Holland sits down with Sylvia Baffour, a globally recognized speaker who has worked with Fortune 500 companies and studied under the influence of Maya Angelou, to explore what she calls Street EI. The conversation centers on emotional intelligence in unscripted, real-world moments and why leaders need more than charm or agreeableness to truly connect.We discuss how self-awareness, curiosity, and cultural humility shape better leadership, speaking, and relationships. Sylvia also shares lessons from her upbringing across eight countries, her experience at the World Championship of Public Speaking, and the unforgettable mentorship moments that shaped her career. Key topics Sylvia explains Street EI as emotional intelligence for the unscripted moments of life, focused on practical behavior rather than theory. She shares the boarding school intervention in Zimbabwe that first showed her how others experienced her, becoming a turning point in her growth. In this episode, Sylvia breaks down the biggest misconception about emotional intelligence - that it means being nice, soft, or agreeable. She reframes emotional intelligence as a human skill that shows up in difficult conversations, accountability, and respectful disagreement. Brandon and Sylvia discuss how living in eight countries and speaking multiple languages taught her that no single worldview is universal. Sylvia shares why she leads with curiosity instead of judgment, because judgment finishes other people’s stories while curiosity opens space for understanding. She offers a practical method for improving self-awareness through reflection, noticing triggers, and asking for anonymous feedback from people in your life. Sylvia tells the story of meeting Maya Angelou while waiting tables in Washington, DC, and how that relationship shaped her confidence and standards. She shares Maya Angelou’s lesson that "easy reading is damn hard writing" and applies it to leadership, speaking, and relationships. Sylvia reflects on the World Championship of Public Speaking and how focusing on presence, preparation, and service mattered more than fixating on winning. Notable quotes "Emotional intelligence for the unscripted moments of your life." "When I lead with judgment, I get to finish your story for you. But when I lead with curiosity, I give you a chance to enlighten me about your world." "Easy reading is damn hard writing."

Today's conversation features Larry Long Jr., one of the nation's leading motivational speakers, sales coaches, and customer experience experts, alongside Taylor Lunin, speaker strategist and co-founder of Business of Speaking. Together, they share practical insights on building a successful speaking business, creating lasting relationships, and turning your message into meaningful impact. Together they've created The Abundant Speaker community and this episode goes in-depth on why community is valuable.Larry Long Jr.🌐 Website: https://larrylongjr.com💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/longjr7📧 Email: [email protected] Lunin💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-lunin🌐 Learn more about Business of Speaking through her LinkedIn profile and professional network.Listen to More EpisodesIf you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to the Lead Well Podcast for inspiring conversations with leaders, entrepreneurs, authors, and changemakers who are making a difference in their communities and organizations.🎙️ Subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.KeywordsLeadership Podcast • Public Speaking • Professional Speaker • Speaker Business • Sales Leadership • Personal Branding • Business Growth • Motivation • Communication Skills • Executive Leadership • Storytelling • Lead Well Podcast • Larry Long Jr. • Taylor Lunin • Business of Speaking