Lead With More: Character-Driven Leadership for Today's Leaders

The Hardest Person I've Ever Had To Lead

After 20+ episodes, I almost stopped. Not because something went wrong — but because leading yourself with no external accountability, no visible results, and an easier path available is genuinely hard. And nobody talks about that honestly enough. In this milestone 25th episode, I'm sharing what I've actually learned about leadership through this process — starting with the lesson that hit closest to home: self-leadership is the foundation of everything else. And it's the hardest thing I've ever had to build. In this episode: ✅ Why self-leadership breaks down the moment external accountability disappears ✅ The honest story of almost quitting after more than 20 episodes — and what pulled me through ✅ What practice, discomfort, and recording yourself actually do for your growth as a leader ✅ Why authenticity is a character commitment, not a content strategy ✅ What 25 episodes of podcasting taught me about growth, perspective, and showing up If you have something you've been putting off — a project, a habit, a platform — this episode is for you. 🎙️ Lead With More is a podcast for leaders who want to grow with clarity, character, and purpose. Timestamps: 00:00 Why Self-Leadership Is the Hardest Leadership Challenge 00:54 Lead With More - Character-Driven Leadership For Today's Leaders  01:23 How to Lead Yourself When No One Is Holding You Accountable 02:49 What Almost Quitting Taught Me About Leadership And Personal Growth 04:19 Why Growth Requires Discomfort - and the Leadership Reps Nobody Sees 05:58 Authentic Leadership - How to Stay True to Yourself Under Pressure 07:16 How Podcasting Builds Leadership Skills and Grows Your Network 08:32 How to Start Before You're Ready - Leadership Lessons for New and Emerging Leaders 09:47 Lead With More - Keep Growing With Clarity, Character, and Purpose ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com [https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com] ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻MUSIC & MEDIA⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ With permission from: Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic [https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic]) from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/ [https://pixabay.com/])

Why First-Time Managers Fail — And How to Fix It

Most first-time managers don't fail because they lack talent — they fail due to a lack of clarity about identity, purpose, and execution. In this episode of Lead With More, Tom DeBell sits down with ICF-certified leadership coach and author Alicia Rius to unpack why the transition from individual contributor to manager is one of the most underestimated challenges in the workplace. Alicia helps new managers, founders, and executive teams fix the clarity gaps that quietly undermine performance during growth. Alicia shares her Four P's Leadership Framework — Personal, People, Purpose, and Process — a practical system designed to help new managers identify exactly where their leadership clarity is breaking down. The conversation covers why one-day team building workshops don't create lasting change, the critical difference between managing and leading, why mindset must come before frameworks, and how to have the hard conversations that most leaders avoid. Alicia also discusses her book, Lead with Clarity, and her free 90-second Clarity Scorecard at HiveTeamCoaching.com/book [http://HiveTeamCoaching.com/book] — a quick self-assessment that tells you exactly where to focus first. Timestamps: 00:00 Why Most First-Time Managers Fail - It's Not Talent 00:49 Meet Alicia Rius: International Leadership Coach and Author 03:11 The 4 P's Leadership Framework Explained 04:53 Why Most Leaders Only Seek Coaching After They've Already Failed 05:54 Why One-Day Team Building Doesn't Fix Leadership Problems 07:48 Individual vs. Team Coaching: Why Leaders Need Both 09:32 Long-Term Leadership Development vs. Short-Term Training 11:53 Managing vs. Leading: What Most People Get Wrong 13:02 The Mindset Shift Every First-Time Manager Must Make 15:12 Why Leadership Is a Lifelong Journey, Not a Destination 17:55 The Power of Self-Leadership and Why It Comes First 18:48 How Lead With Clarity Was Written, and Why Sofia's Story Matters 22:13 How to Use This Book as a First-Time Manager or Aspiring Leader 24:51 The Hidden Cost of Skipping Leadership Training in Year One 26:40 Why Hard Conversations Are a Skill, and How to Build It 27:22 Mindset Before Frameworks: The Step Most Coaches Skip 28:43 Why the Feedback Sandwich Doesn't Work 31:06 How to Identify Your Leadership Gap in 90 Seconds 32:17 Where to Find Alicia Rius and the Free Clarity Scorecard 33:47 Alicia's Final Challenge: Ask Yourself the Hard Questions ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com [https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com] ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Podcast guests managed through PodMatch. If you’re a podcast guest or host (or both!), I would encourage you to check it out: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/tomdebell [https://www.joinpodmatch.com/tomdebell] (affiliate link). #PodMatch ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻MUSIC & MEDIA⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ With permission from: Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic [https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic]) from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/ [https://pixabay.com/])

Stop Building Success on the Wrong Foundation | Jim Sabellico

What happens when you hit every financial goal — and still feel like you're losing? In this episode, Tom DeBell sits down with entrepreneur, coach, and author Jim Sabellico to unpack the defining moment that changed everything: coming home to a half-eaten birthday cake and realizing he'd been building success on the wrong foundation. Jim shares how high achievers tie their self-worth to financial results, why work-life balance is a myth, and what it actually looks like to lead with intention at work and at home. You'll also hear practical frameworks for capturing ideas, building productive routines, and using your personal story as a breakthrough tool — not a burden. In this episode: * Why financial success without presence isn't success at all * The "picture of possibility" mindset shift that drives real change * How to separate your identity from your performance * The 200-line vision exercise for building faith and clarity Jim Sabellico is an entrepreneur, marketing expert, and host of the No Half Cakes podcast. After building multiple 7- and 8-figure businesses, he realized success isn’t just about money—it’s about creating a life you won’t regret later. Now, he helps entrepreneurs redefine success, simplify their growth, and build businesses that align with their purpose. Through real stories and actionable insights, Jim empowers high achievers to take back control of their time, energy, and impact. 🔗 Connect with Jim: jimsabellico.com [http://jimsabellico.com] | nohalfcakes.com [http://nohalfcakes.com] ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com [https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com] ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Podcast guests managed through PodMatch. If you’re a podcast guest or host (or both!), I would encourage you to check it out: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/tomdebell [https://www.joinpodmatch.com/tomdebell] (affiliate link). #PodMatch ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻MUSIC & MEDIA⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ With permission from: Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic [https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic]) from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/ [https://pixabay.com/])

The Difference Between a Leader People Respect and a Leader People Remember

Most leaders aren't failing — and that's exactly the problem. In this episode of Lead With More, Tom DeBell unpacks the hidden plateau that keeps competent leaders from making a lasting impact. If you've been leading well but still feel like something is missing, this episode is for you. Tom explores the difference between transactional respect — which follows your title — and the relational influence that outlasts any role you'll ever hold. Drawing on John Maxwell's levels of leadership, he identifies why so many leaders stall at positional authority and what it actually costs them over time: depth, loyalty, and lasting influence. You'll learn why character development is the most overlooked investment a leader can make, what servant leadership looks like in practice, and how one honest question about your own growth edge can change the trajectory of your leadership. In this episode: * Why competent leaders plateau without realizing it * The gap between being respected and being remembered * How character shapes long-term leadership impact * A practical first step toward intentional leadership growth Ready to lead with more? Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review — it helps more leaders find this content. Timestamps: 00:00 Why Good Leaders Stop Growing (And Don't Know It) 01:02 What It Really Means To Lead With More 01:51 The Leaders Who Leave A Lasting Impact 03:13 The Hidden Cost of Positional Leadership 04:46 Respected vs. Remembered: The Leadership Gap That Matters 06:19 Why Character Is the Most Overlooked Leadership Skill 07:54 How to Start Growing As A Leader Right Now 09:26 The Quiet Work of Becoming a Leader Worth Following ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Tom DeBell, the founder and president of Modern Leadership Solutions, is a Certified Maxwell Coach/Speaker/Trainer, a Full Focus Certified Pro, and a Certified Facilitator in the Six Types of Working Genius. https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com [https://www.modernleadershipsolutions.com] ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ Thumbnail created using ThumbnailCreator  https://thumbnailcreator.com?atp=BXnO05 [https://thumbnailcreator.com?atp=BXnO05] ⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻MUSIC & MEDIA⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻⎻ With permission from: Music by HitsLab (https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic [https://www.youtube.com/@hitslabmusic]) from Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/ [https://pixabay.com/])

FURTHER | Levels of Leadership: The Hidden Expiration Date on Your Influence

Most leaders never question whether their influence is real — until the day it vanishes. In this FURTHER episode of Modern Leadership Solutions, host Tom DeBell returns to Episode 3: Influence Beyond Titles to introduce a concept that changes how leaders think about their impact: the difference between borrowed influence and built influence. Borrowed influence belongs to your title. Built influence belongs to you. Using Maxwell's Five Levels of Leadership as a framework, Tom reveals how leaders at every level — including Level 2 and Level 3 — can be carrying more borrowed influence than they realize, and what to do about it before a role change forces the answer. In this episode you'll learn: * How to run the Resignation Test to measure your real influence right now * Why borrowed influence disappears the moment your title does * One practical step to start building influence no job change can take away If you want leadership influence that compounds over time and survives every transition, this episode is for you.