Hot Takes: What Starbucks Just Taught Us About Lazy Leadership

Reflection: Leading While Still Learning - Inside the Messy Middle of Building Well

Working at a company that eats its own dog food—is it as clean as it looks? Benj Miller [https://www.linkedin.com/in/benj-miller-business-growth-impact-framework-coach/] sits down with CTO Chris Ames [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisames/] for a rare behind-the-scenes look at leading through frameworks, navigating generational shifts (unlimited PTO, anyone?), and why growth means climbing the same mountain over and over. If you've ever wondered whether leadership coaches actually practice what they preach, this one's for you. Sessions is hosted by Benj Miller [https://www.linkedin.com/in/benj-miller-business-growth-impact-framework-coach/] and McKenzie Decker [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckenzie-reeves-decker-67a1b262/] The best businesses aren’t just built on strategy, they’re built on soul.  If delegation is something you’re wrestling with, the System & Soul network has more than 50 certified coaches across the country ready to help founders and teams delegate with clarity and confidence. 📅 Join us LIVE every Friday on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/systemandsoul/?viewAsMember=true] & YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@systemsoul9348] Your weekly leadership reminder. Visit https://www.systemandsoul.com/261 [https://www.systemandsoul.com/261] Follow Sessions With System & Soul on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/systemandsoul/?viewAsMember=true] & YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@systemsoul9348] Subscribe to our Newsletter [https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/sessions-with-system-soul-7326264933401153536/]! Sponsored by Fist Bump [https://getfistbumps.com/]

Hot Takes: What Starbucks Just Taught Us About Lazy Leadership

Starbucks scrapped merit-based raises for a flat 2% bump—and high performers are furious. Benj and McKenzie unpack why this “fair” move backfires, plus a hot take on when assigning KPIs actually hurts your team. If you're leading culture, systems, or performance, this one’s for you.  Sessions is hosted by Benj Miller [https://www.linkedin.com/in/benj-miller-business-growth-impact-framework-coach/] and McKenzie Decker [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckenzie-reeves-decker-67a1b262/] The best businesses aren’t just built on strategy, they’re built on soul.  If delegation is something you’re wrestling with, the System & Soul network has more than 50 certified coaches across the country ready to help founders and teams delegate with clarity and confidence. 📅 Join us LIVE every Friday on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/systemandsoul/?viewAsMember=true] & YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@systemsoul9348] Your weekly leadership reminder. Visit https://www.systemandsoul.com/261 [https://www.systemandsoul.com/261] Follow Sessions With System & Soul on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/systemandsoul/?viewAsMember=true] & YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@systemsoul9348] Subscribe to our Newsletter [https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/sessions-with-system-soul-7326264933401153536/]! Sponsored by Fist Bump [https://getfistbumps.com/]

Free Tools: What If You're Chasing the Wrong Kind of Growth?

What if the real reason you’re stuck isn’t your strategy… it’s your filter? In this Free Tools episode, Benj and McKenzie introduce a powerful 3-part framework that’s helping leadership teams across industries align their focus, filter decisions, and clarify what really drives their business forward. If you're a founder, COO, coach, or team leader—this episode delivers the clarity you’ve been craving. Listen now and grab the tool for yourself. Sessions is hosted by Benj Miller [https://www.linkedin.com/in/benj-miller-business-growth-impact-framework-coach/] and McKenzie Decker [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckenzie-reeves-decker-67a1b262/] The best businesses aren’t just built on strategy, they’re built on soul.  If delegation is something you’re wrestling with, the System & Soul network has more than 50 certified coaches across the country ready to help founders and teams delegate with clarity and confidence. 📅 Join us LIVE every Friday on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/systemandsoul/?viewAsMember=true] & YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@systemsoul9348] Your weekly leadership reminder. Visit https://www.systemandsoul.com/261 [https://www.systemandsoul.com/261] Follow Sessions With System & Soul on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/systemandsoul/?viewAsMember=true] & YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@systemsoul9348] Subscribe to our Newsletter [https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/sessions-with-system-soul-7326264933401153536/]! Sponsored by Fist Bump [https://getfistbumps.com/]

Reflection: We Chased Growth, and Lost Ourselves Doing It

We made a bold marketing move to accelerate growth. It backfired. In this episode, Benj and McKenzie break down a failed startup marketing strategy and what it exposed about leadership, values, and growth misalignment. It's a real-world case study in what happens when your strategy outpaces your identity. If you're a founder, COO, or scaling a business, you'll learn how to recover from a misstep, realign with your core values, and build a more resilient growth plan. Sessions is hosted by Benj Miller [https://www.linkedin.com/in/benj-miller-business-growth-impact-framework-coach/] and McKenzie Decker [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckenzie-reeves-decker-67a1b262/] The best businesses aren’t just built on strategy, they’re built on soul.  If delegation is something you’re wrestling with, the System & Soul network has more than 50 certified coaches across the country ready to help founders and teams delegate with clarity and confidence. 📅 Join us LIVE every Friday on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/systemandsoul/?viewAsMember=true] & YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@systemsoul9348] Your weekly leadership reminder. Visit https://www.systemandsoul.com/261 [https://www.systemandsoul.com/261] Follow Sessions With System & Soul on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/systemandsoul/?viewAsMember=true] & YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@systemsoul9348] Subscribe to our Newsletter [https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/sessions-with-system-soul-7326264933401153536/]! Sponsored by Fist Bump [https://getfistbumps.com/]

Soul Dive: You Can’t Lead Well Without Breathing Room

Most leaders don’t crash in a blaze of failure. They fade quietly, one decision at a time, as clarity drains and capacity shrinks.  In this episode of Sessions with System & Soul, Benj Miller and McKenzie Decker explore leadership capacity. Not just productivity, but the mental clarity, relational energy, and strategic focus that fuel scalable growth, high-performance teams, and sustainable leadership.  If you’re managing people, steering strategy, or feeling the friction of decision fatigue, this conversation is the reset you didn’t know you needed.  Sessions is hosted by Benj Miller [https://www.linkedin.com/in/benj-miller-business-growth-impact-framework-coach/] and McKenzie Decker [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckenzie-reeves-decker-67a1b262/] The best businesses aren’t just built on strategy, they’re built on soul.  If delegation is something you’re wrestling with, the System & Soul network has more than 50 certified coaches across the country ready to help founders and teams delegate with clarity and confidence. 📅 Join us LIVE every Friday on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/systemandsoul/?viewAsMember=true] & YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@systemsoul9348] Your weekly leadership reminder. Visit https://www.systemandsoul.com/261 [https://www.systemandsoul.com/261] Follow Sessions With System & Soul on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/systemandsoul/?viewAsMember=true] & YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@systemsoul9348] Subscribe to our Newsletter [https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/sessions-with-system-soul-7326264933401153536/]! Sponsored by Fist Bump [https://getfistbumps.com/]