Lead in 5 is a weekly leadership email delivering practical insights in under five minutes.

Find previous episodes of Lead in 5 below.

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  • on hesitation
    8/20/26

    on hesitation

    A surfing bank robber gave advice on hesitation, but it was only half-right. In this video we look at the two sides of hesitation (and only one of them is a problem).

  • Curiosity isn't a skill
    8/13/26

    Curiosity isn't a skill

    Joe Rogan isn't the smartest guy in the room, and he'd be the first to tell you that. What he brings instead is a real desire to understand, and it's built one of the biggest audiences on earth. This video: why Curiosity is the edge your best leaders share, and two ways to build it on purpose.

  • The Favor Effect
    8/6/26

    The Favor Effect

    Most new leaders think they have to prove they don't need help. Turns out, the opposite is likely true. This week: why asking someone for a favor, even a small one, can do more for a relationship than doing one. It's called the Ben Franklin Effect, and you can practice it today.

  • Leading with problems
    7/30/26

    Leading with problems

    The best leaders are usually great problem solvers, and that's exactly the trap. When you jump in and fix things fast, you rob your team of the chance to grow. This week reframes the problems that land on your desk as coaching moments in disguise.

  • Are they ready for the next step?
    7/16/26

    Are they ready for the next step?

    Growing up on a farm, I was continually put into situations that I "wasn't yet ready" for the responsibility. The environment required everyone to step up. As leaders supporting the growth of people, it can feel more complex than just finding people to get the work done. This week, we look at two traps leaders can fall into when it's time to hand someone the next challenge.

  • Getting in the ring
    7/2/26

    Getting in the ring

    Following personal tragedy, Theodore Roosevelt fled to the Dakota Badlands, worked cattle until his hands bled, and finally returned East. Not broken, but hardened. He went on to lead one of the most consequential lives in American history, and he left behind words that still resonate more than a hundred years later. This week, we look at what those words actually call you to do.

  • Leading when everything changes
    6/25/26

    Leading when everything changes

    In 1914, Ernest Shackleton set out to cross Antarctica on foot, but thanks to an unexpected turn of events, what happened next is one of the most studied leadership moments in history. Not because of what Shackleton achieved… but because of how he pivoted his leadership focus.

  • Give the problem
    6/18/26

    Give the problem

    Most leaders think they’re being helpful when they hand someone a plan. However, they may be handing over a smaller job than the one they meant to give. This week, a story from a bowling alley, and the one shift that changes how your people show up.

  • The path of least resistance
    6/11/26

    The path of least resistance

    There’s a pattern common in teams. It doesn’t show up on any report. But it’s there, and your best people feel it. This episode is about what happens when we keep going back to the same well, and what it quietly costs us.

  • Where are you looking?
    6/4/26

    Where are you looking?

    Motorcyclists learn early that where you look is where you go. Stare at the pothole and you’ll hit it. Focus on the deer in the ditch and you’ll meet it. This week we uncover the key skill leaders need with where they are looking right now.

  • A thankful leader
    5/28/26

    A thankful leader

    You’re busy. There’s always another fire, another decision, another deadline. And somewhere in all that, the people around you are doing good work... and waiting to hear that you noticed. This week, we're covering a practice that costs almost nothing and pays back in ways you won’t expect.

  • What's your story?
    5/21/26

    What's your story?

    Before memos. Before slide decks. Before the inbox with 300 unread messages... leaders taught through story. This week has a couple of moves that will make your stories stick longer (and one of them I learned in a national competition against a five-minute clock running out).

  • Replacing me
    5/14/26

    Replacing me

    Most leaders think developing people means coaching them up. But there's a harder question underneath that one: Are you actually building someone who could do your job?

  • Expect a Tantrum
    5/7/26

    Expect a Tantrum

    Every leader who authors real change will face a vocal minority who objects (maybe loudly). The mistake is being caught off guard by it, or worse, letting it steer you. This week we’ll explore how to read the room when your vision hits turbulence, and how to hold your line without going shutting down.

  • Change it up
    4/30/26

    Change it up

    Trust lives in consistency. But here's what can get missed: the same consistency that builds trust can also breed complacency. This week, let's look at how one small move can wake up a team (and the leader) without blowing things up.

  • the price of nice
    4/23/26

    the price of nice

    Most leaders aren’t withholding feedback because they don’t care, but not talking candidly has a price. This week I’m making the case that staying quiet or being "nice" isn’t the safe move. It’s the costly one.

  • Some people...
    4/16/26

    Some people...

    Leaders often think the hard part of managing people is figuring out who they’re dealing with. This week I want to suggest a different question: whether you’ve built the kind of relationship where that even matters.

  • That's embarrassing
    4/9/26

    That's embarrassing

    Every leader has a ceiling on their influence. Most of them built it themselves; one defensive moment, one excuse, one private attack at a time. This week, we look at where that ceiling comes from and how to raise it.

  • Is the team tuned out of the meeting?
    3/26/26

    Is the team tuned out of the meeting?

    You've probably sat through an update meeting that put you to sleep (and you may have even given one.) The content was right, but the delivery was flat. Here's the simple structure that can elevate the impact of your message.

  • Feeling behind
    3/19/26

    Feeling behind

    You’re a busy leader. Your calendar is full. Your team needs things. And somewhere in there, you’re supposed to be thinking about what’s coming next. This Lead in 5 is about the habits that separate leaders who feel in control from those who feel like they’re always a step behind.

  • Teams that learn, win.
    3/12/26

    Teams that learn, win.

    The way your team handles things going wrong is one of the clearest signals of your culture, and leaders often underestimate how their own tone sets the pattern. This Lead in 5 is about building a "healthy loss response" to create more resilient teams.

  • Three letters for better delegation.
    3/5/26

    Three letters for better delegation.

    Most delegation problems aren't about the work itself. They're about how much (or how little) you hand over with it. In this episode, I share a simple three-part framework that could change how you hand things off.

  • The weeds don't wait.
    2/26/26

    The weeds don't wait.

    The growth of an organization is ultimately limited by the development of its people. In this episode, we explore how, as leaders, we may need to adjust our thinking about our role in developing our team.