L3 Leadership Podcast

Brian Tome is the founding and senior pastor of Crossroads Church, 2017’s fastest-growing church in America. He has authored four books, including the bestselling The Five Marks of a Man, and hosts the Aggressive Life Podcast. He has opened several other nonprofits and started Man Camp, a primitive weekend camping experience that has helped tens of thousands of men reclaim the code of manhood. As an avid adventure motorcyclist, Brian rides over tens of thousands of miles and camps more than 30 nights each year. He has also released an adventure ride TV show called Phantom Lake, which is available on Amazon Prime. He is married with three children and lives in Cincinnati, OH.Today, Brian shares his story, and we discuss it in the context of our mentor Denny Pattyn, a previous guest on the show who brought Brian to Christ. Brian talks about his experience being adopted and shares his thoughts on leadership. He offers his insights on failure, discusses character development, and explains why it’s so important to

It's Thanksgiving week, and a lot of people are spending time thinking about what they're grateful for. As I reflect on my life, I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for the people who have made a difference in my life story.Today, I share that story, as well as the practical lessons that I've learned along the way to help you in leadership and life. I note the importance of giving voice to gratitude, and the power of inviting a person to be a part of something. I define real friendship, sharing my friend's observation that real friends don't just love you as you are; they love you enough not to let you stay where you are. I emphasize the weight your words hold, I invite you to let God write your story, and I call you to reach out to the people who have made a difference in your life. Throughout it all, I note the power of ordinary people's ordinary actions."The only way to change the world is when ordinary people do ordinary things that make an extraordinary difference."

Leah Lizarondo is the co-founder and CEO of 412 Food Rescue and the CEO of Food Rescue Hero, a technology platform that food rescue organizations like 412 use to facilitate food recovery. Today, Leah shares her story, explaining why food rescue is so important and why she’s passionate about it personally. She explains what the Food Rescue Hero app is and discusses the practical ways it helps combat food waste. She offers her advice for creating an effective app and discusses what she has learned about the art of entrepreneurship. She shares her tips for fundraising and notes the importance of enjoying the journey. She discusses her identity as an immigrant, explaining how it affects her mission, and she shares her tips on promoting diversity effectively and respectfully. She offers her insight on leadership in the Covid era, notes the potential of technology to be a force for good, and emphasizes the power of micro acts of kindness.“If you don’t ask, the default answer’s no.” - Leah Lizarondo“Enjoy the journe

After leading New Life Fellowship Church for 26 years, Pete Scazzero co-founded Emotionally Healthy Discipleship, a groundbreaking ministry that moves the church forward by slowing it down in order to multiply deeply changed leaders and disciples. He hosts the top-ranked Emotionally Healthy Leader Podcast and is also the author of a number of bestselling books, including The Emotionally Healthy Leader and Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. Pete and his wife Geri also developed the two-part Emotionally Healthy Discipleship Course, a powerful resource that helps move people from a shallow to a deep relationship with Jesus.Today, Pete joins me to talk about his journey to becoming an emotionally healthy leader and share how other leaders can take the same journey. He talks about the unbreakable link between emotional health and spiritual maturity and the power of experiencing grief and loss. He rebuts our culture’s unhealthy definition of success, offering his own biblical definition. He notes the meaning of marr

Dr. John Wallace is a kid from Homewood, the pastor at Bible Center Church, a professor and provost at the University of Pittsburgh, a husband, and a father of four. His mission is to help God's kingdom come and will be done on earth as it is in heaven, particularly in the realm of community development and interracial relationships.Today, John tells his story. He talks about how he got to where he is today, and he discusses the Lord's Prayer, asking what it looks like to have the kingdom of God on earth. He talks about the importance of the youth and shares what motivates us to act. We discuss the fact that the process of becoming a leader is gradual, and he distinguishes between quitting and pivoting. John explains why dismissing slavery as a thing of the past doesn't work, and he notes the difference between conciliation and reconciliation. We discuss what it means to have a kingdom worldview and how to be part of the solution. He explains why it's not fair to ask black people to educat

Greg McKeown is the host of the What’s Essential podcast and author of Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less and, more recently, Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most. His goal is to help successful people become very successful by avoiding the errors he’s found in his research that keep them from breaking through to their highest points of contribution.Today, we talk about his book Effortless. He talks about why he wrote the book and notes the importance of focusing on the essentials. He shares his philosophy on how to get more return out of the same amount of effort. He talks about the Big Rock analogy, and he notes the weight of holding grudges. He talks about the power of getting into an effortless state, and he discusses how to break the surviving/reacting cycle that many of us live our lives in. “Burnout is not a badge of honor.”- Greg McKeownKey Takeaways this week on the L3 Leadership Podcast:●       The power of focusing on the essentials●       ROE: Return on Effort●       The B

If you've listened to the past two episodes, you've heard my republished conversations with two great leaders who both passed recently: Tunch Ilkin and Jay Passavant. These interviews have had me reflecting on what it means to leave a legacy, particularly as a leader.Today, I talk about why it’s important to leave a legacy. I share some questions everyone should ask themselves, and I emphasize the importance of recognizing and accepting that you will die. I share a collection of Biblical and non-Biblical quotes on death, and I note that no one is promised tomorrow. I call you to stop taking life and leadership for granted, and I note that there are no do-overs in life. I stress the importance of living intentionally, and I note that people and relationships are what really matter in the end. I talk about how to create a life plan and the power of being honest with yourself, and I note that God’s plan for you is better than any plan you could come up with on your own."It's only when you rec

Jay Passavant was the founder of North Way Christian Community in Pittsburgh. The impact of his obedience to God’s call in his life to plant that church cannot be understated. He transformed our city, but his impact goes far beyond the walls of Pittsburgh as well. At Jay’s memorial service, my pastor said of him that he could have easily been a successful elected official or a CEO of a major corporation, and instead he chose to go all in on God’s call for him to start North Way, and that decision changed the world for so many people.Today, you’ll hear a throwback conversation I had with Jay in 2013. In it, we talk about life and leadership. He shares his story and discusses the lessons he has learned from it, emphasizing the importance of family and legacy. He defines leadership and notes what it means to have a natural talent for it, additionally explaining why everybody has what it takes to be a leader, to an extent. He talks about his experience as Student Body President in college and shares what he learn

Tunch Ilkin played football for the Pittsburgh Steelers for many seasons before becoming a broadcaster for the team for the rest of his career. He spent 35 years serving homeless men, women, and children of Pittsburgh at Light of Life Rescue Mission. He was also on staff at the Bible Chapel, where he made a significant impact on countless men’s lives by leading their men’s retreat. He also raised an incredible family. Tunch’s top priority in life was fulfilling the plan that God had for him. It was the center of everything that he did, and through this mission, he impacted thousands upon thousands of people with his life. He lived an extraordinary life and has left behind an incredible legacy. Once you met and interacted with Tunch Ilkin, your life was never the same.Today’s episode is a throwback to a conversation I had with Tunch in 2013. In it, Tunch shares his story, his thoughts on leadership, and a lot more. He talks about what it means to be a mentor and a servant leader and notes the role of humility

Like many leaders, you may think that you can get along fine without being part of a mastermind group. But the truth is, on your own, you’ll only last for so long. In this episode, I talk about why you need a mastermind group and what being in one can do for you.Today, I explain what mastermind groups are and share why they’re so powerful. I note that every leader needs to be in one, and I talk about what your life could look like after being in one for a year. I share the four ways that we at L3 Leadership work to gather and connect leaders, and I talk about how I learned about mastermind groups. I explain why our mastermind group will help you to be fully known, fully loved, and fully challenged. I share four reasons to join a mastermind group and talk about the results of being in one.“Sometimes it’s not the lesson that you need; it’s the lives of leaders that you need.”- Doug smithKey Takeaways this week on the L3 Leadership Podcast:●       Every leader needs to be in a mastermind group●       The purpose

Phil and Diane Comer are the parents of John Mark Comer, author of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. Together, they wrote Raising Passionate Jesus Followers, in which they share the practical parenting wisdom they have gained from raising four children, all of whom are looking for God and making a difference in the world. They have been married for 41 years and have been in ministry together for all of it.Today, Phil and Diane join me to talk about their book and share their best parenting lessons. They talk about the importance of beginning intentional parenting as early as possible and take me through the different stages of parenting a child as he or she grows. We discuss the importance of family in the kingdom of God. They note the importance of discipline and communication, and they make a distinction between discipline and punishment. They stress the importance of parenting your children as God parents us.“You want to raise your kids to know that following Jesus doesn’t mean everything is gonna go perf

Kim Scott is the author of several books including Radical Candor: Be a Kickass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity and Just Work: Get Sh*t Done, Fast & Fair. She has held management positions at both Apple and Twitter, and she is the co-founder of Radical Candor, LLC.Today, Kim joins me to talk about the power and meaning of just leadership. She notes the power of feedback and how to respond to it. She talks about the need to recognize failure and the power of the default. She defines just work and notes the difference between bias, prejudice, and bullying. She talks about the power of common language and shares how to write and use a code of conduct. She distinguishes between It, I, and You statements and explains when to use each. She shares some practical steps to address injustice in the workplace and offers her take on alcohol in the office. She also notes the need for boundaries between your work life and your non-work life.“Managing a restaurant or managing a small business, people are people.”- Kim

We live in a culture where people spend their health trying to make money, and then they spend all their money that they earned trying to buy back their health - and it’s not working. It’s hard to prioritize your health and fitness, but it’s necessary - not just for you but for all of the people who need your leadership.Today, I talk about the importance of health and fitness. I talk about why it matters and I share the story of my personal journey. I share the practical things that I’ve implemented in my life that I think you’ll find helpful. I share my definitions of health and fitness, I talk about the importance of focusing on what’s in your control (thereby reducing the risk of contracting health problems that are out of your control), and I offer four key takeaways.“If you don’t start where you are, you’re gonna stay where you are.” - Doug SmithKey Takeaways this week on the L3 Leadership Podcast:●       You have to get a personal vision for your health and fitness.●       You have to discover the price

Benjamin Hardy lives in Orlando with his wife and six kids, three of whom are adopted. He is an organizational psychologist with a Ph.D. in the subject from Clemson University. Benjamin writes on psychological self-improvement and entrepreneurial-related topics. Among his books are Will Power Doesn’t Work, Personality Isn’t Permanent, and Who Not How (co-written with Dan Sullivan).Today, Benjamin joins me to share his story. He talks about how he got started writing and tells all about the process. He shares what publishers are looking for and gives his tips for the writing process. He shares the three things you have to be clear on before sitting down to write a book, and he notes the importance of investing in yourself. He also shares his reflections on fostering, adopting, and raising children.“Your identity is your story, your narrative about yourself, and really, it’s up to all of us to decide what...our narrative is.”- Benjamin HardyKey Takeaways this week on the L3 Leadership Podcast:●       The power

L3L280 L3 Leadership How to Overcome the Wounds in Your Leadership JourneyHave you ever been wounded in your leadership journey? Did it hold you back from what you should have been going for in that season? How long did it hold you back?These are important questions to ask and important questions to answer. Today, I offer some insight on beginning to address them, giving you eight practical tips for acknowledging, healing from, and moving past your wounds.“If we don’t learn how to properly address our wounds, we will never be able to move into the future that God has for us.”- Doug SmithKey Takeaways this week on the L3 Leadership Podcast: ●      If you’ve been wounded, you’re not alone●      Your future’s not over, even if it seems like it is●      You are not who other people have said that you are●      You don’t have to carry the pain that comes with your wounds everywhere that you go for the rest of your life●      Your wounds can be healed●      Your wounds can become a part of your story and your testi

In the latest episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Doug Smith speaks with Ryan Hawk about his advice in the corporate world, experience in football, his recent book, Welcome To Management: How To Grow From Top Performer To Excellent Leader, his show, The Learning Leader Show, and more. Check it out on any major podcasting platform!Key Take-Aways From Episode 279:While you have to be excellent at your current job, on the side, you have to be working on developing the skills to be excellent at the next job.Develop a relationship with those who are in decision-making roles early on in your career.Leaders are about people choosing to commit to you rather than committing to someone else.Commitment is a choice.The excellent leaders in the world are the ones who live in a way where they inspire others to choose to commit to them versus complying to whatever they say because they don’t want to get fired.Ryan Hawk shares his definition of a good day and operating framework:Fuel your intake engineBe a doer; experiment

In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, you’ll hear Doug share a lesson entitled, “Life at 36.” Each year, around his birthday, Doug spends some time reflecting on where he is and what he’s learning at that age and then he shares his takeaways with you. Regardless of your ages, we’d encourage you to do the same exercise. Remember, the best experience isn’t experience, it’s evaluated experience. ABOUT DOUG SMITH:Doug is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step by step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast and he is a sought after public speaker.  He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as the Head of Manufacturing at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.CONNECT WITH DOUG:FacebookTwitterYouTubeLinkedInKey Take-Aways From Ep

In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith interviews Daniel Harkavy, best-selling author and Founder & CEO of Building Champions, an international life and leadership coaching company that serves some of the world's greatest organizations.About Daniel Harkavy:As a coach to some of the country's highest-profile executives, Daniel Harkavy has witnessed the transformation--both professional and personal--that comes when leaders utilize coaching to turn their paycheck-driven teams into vibrant and successful growth cultures. Since founding his company in 1996, Harkavy and his team have coached thousands and shared their knowledge by certifying coaching leaders across the country. Now, in this strategic and thought-provoking guide, he shares his proven strategy for improving your team's performance while raising quality of life inside and outside of the office. You'll learn the core four foundations to every coaching strategy, the most powerful leadership tools you can and sh

In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith shares how he and Laura are leading their family team. ABOUT DOUG SMITH:Doug is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step by step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, he is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and he is sought after public speaker.  He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.CONNECT WITH DOUG:FacebookTwitterYouTubeLinkedIn 6 Key Take-Aways From Episode 276.Doug shares the concept of the Family Team. We Find our identity in our family team first. Everything we do contributes to the family team. We’re a family team on Mission… we want to have generations of Family Teams that live for God and make a differenc

Episode SummaryIn this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith interviews John Mark Comer, Author of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry and pastor of Bridgetown Church in Portland, Oregon. In the episode, you’ll hear Doug and John Mark discuss the importance of the sabbath, how to work from rest, and having a proper view of success. 6 Key Takes From Episode 275John Mark discusses “pleasure-stacking” on the Sabbath and his journey toward making the weekly sabbath a lifestyle.Comer talks about how painful it was for him to live the life of hurry.The levels of belief:What we say we believeWhat we think we believeWhat we really believe (Our true/core beliefs)Proper decision-making: Don’t make decisions from exhaustion, but with much rest and waiting. Comer also discuss how decisions should be made in community.John Mark shares his thoughts on success - what it looks like.In the digital age, we have to take digital Sabbath very seriously.About John Mark ComerAuthor John Mark Comer lives, works, and writes