This special Best of Anatomy of Leadership episode curates highlights from some of the most impactful guest conversations of 2025—voices that challenged assumptions, sharpened leadership thinking, and offered practical frameworks leaders can apply immediately.

Across these conversations, a unifying theme emerges: leadership that lasts is built where purpose, systems, and humanity intersect.  From repairing broken trust to designing organizations that work, from navigating AI to guarding the inner life of leaders, these segments reflect wisdom drawn directly from previous guest appearances on the podcast.

Listeners are reminded that leadership is not about avoiding difficulty but engaging it with discipline, clarity, and care. Whether addressing fractured relationships, misaligned roles, operational bottlenecks, or the erosion of human connection at work, these guests offer language and structure for leaders who want to move from reaction to intention.

Together, these highlights serve as both a reflection on the past year and a leadership roadmap for the year ahead—grounded in real-world experience, timeless principles, and deeply human insight.  

Top Episodes Featured

Doug Bouey on Caring for Others via Fixing Fractures

Guest: Doug Bouey, Writer, Commentator, Coach, and accomplished author and facilitator of Fixing Fractures

Doug Bowie introduces a disciplined framework for repairing broken relationships, using the Japanese art of kintsugi as a guiding metaphor.  Rather than avoiding conflict, Doug shows leaders how structured reconciliation can turn fractures into sources of strength.  His work emphasizes that trust repair is not improvisation—it requires language, patience, and process.  Teams that practice repair don’t just heal; they become more resilient and quicker to surface issues before they escalate.

Biography
DougBouey.com 

Making the Organization with Tom Foster Part II

Guest: Tom Foster, President, Foster Learning Corporation

Tom Foster reframes hierarchy not as power, but as competence.  Drawing on Elliott Jaques’ research, he explains how leadership failure often comes from role mismatch rather than lack of talent.  By understanding time span of discretion and aligning people to the appropriate level of work, leaders stop burning out high performers and start building organizations that amplify capability, clarity, and accountability.

Biography

tfoster@fosterlearning.org
managementblog.org

Transforming Communities Through Leadership with Quint Studer

Guest: Quint Studer, Founder of Healthcare Plus Solutions Group

Quint Studer brings a deeply personal and purpose-driven lens to leadership, rooted in healthcare and community impact. He underscores curiosity as a leadership superpower and challenges leaders to invest intentionally in people development. His insight that healthcare is uniquely purpose-driven reframes leadership as stewardship—where excellence, humility, and care for people fuel sustainable performance.

Biography

Resource Books by Quint Studer

Meet Herbie: Your Organization's Million-Dollar Constraint

Guest: Dr. Lisa Lang, Theory of Constraints Speaker, Consultant, and Expert

Dr. Lisa Lang introduces the Theory of Constraints, helping leaders identify and focus on the single bottleneck limiting performance. Rather than chasing multiple priorities, she emphasizes clarity and leverage—directing improvement efforts where they matter most.  Her insights reveal that leaders don’t need more people or resources to improve outcomes; they need better flow, sharper focus, and disciplined problem-solving.

www.ScienceofBusiness.com

3-hour workshop on TOC – great place to start: 
Maximizing Profitability - HOW TO Theory Of Constraints

Other programs/courses: 
Online Theory of Constraints CPE Courses and Training

Theory of Constraints Video

A Whole New Mind with Daniel H. Pink

Guest: Daniel H. Pink, Author of the NY Times Bestselling Book "A Whole New Mind"

Daniel H. Pink connects leadership to the rapidly evolving AI landscape, arguing that while analytical rigor remains essential, it is no longer sufficient.  The future belongs to leaders who cultivate empathy, design thinking, judgment, and big-picture synthesis.  Pink challenges leaders to treat intuition as a testable hunch and reminds us that the most enduring leadership advantage lies in what machines cannot own: curiosity, moral courage, and human connection.

www.danpink.com
Ted Talk
Order Book

The Three Gifts with John Locke

Guest: John Locke, Executive Coach at Forvis Mazars

John Locke invites leaders to reflect on legacy over image. His conversation centers on defining impact through the lens of a life well lived—asking what we want others to say about us at our 90th birthday. By shifting focus from ladder-climbing to purpose, Locke challenges leaders to master how they show up, recognizing that small moments of presence and authenticity can change the trajectory of someone else’s life.

Biography
Contact John

The Future Of Work: Prioritizing Human Connection with Ryan Jenkins

Guest: Ryan Jenkins, Wall Street Journal Bestselling Leadership Author and Keynote Speaker

Ryan Jenkins makes a crucial distinction between communication and connection, showing how modern workplaces often confuse speed with intimacy.  He suggests that belonging is not a perk but a fundamental human need tied directly to performance, health, and retention.  Through simple yet powerful examples, Ryan demonstrates how relatability, curiosity, and micro-moments of presence create cultures where people truly connect.

Biography
www.ryanjenkins.com
Purchase Book

Winning at Work and Home with Randy Gravitt

Guest: Randy Gravitt, CEO (Chief Encouragement Officer) of Lead Every Day

Randy Gravitt closes the highlight reel with a compelling call to integrity—defined as a whole, integrated life.  Drawing from his work with organizations like Chick-fil-A and professional sports teams, he reminds leaders that success at work means little if it comes at the cost of relationships at home.  Leadership, he argues, begins with self-leadership, daily choices, and guarding one’s heart as the source of lasting influence.

Biography 

Contact Randy

Books
Winning Begins At Home
Lead Every Day

Podcast
Winning Begins At Home
The Lead Every Day Show

YouTube Channel
Lead Every Day

TCNtalks Host

 

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