#57 Leadership Insights from my Conversation with Preston Zeller

#57 Leadership Insights from my Conversation with Preston Zeller

5 Leadership Takeaways from Preston Zeller: Empathy, Trust, Storytelling, and Sustainable Growth Host Mark Cundiff welcomes listeners to Learning to Lead episode 57, reflecting on his prior conversation with Preston Zeller from episode 56, “The Art of Empathy in Leadership.” He highlights themes of empathy, resilience, grief, storytelling, trust, leadership, and business growth, including Preston’s journey after losing his brother and creating a daily painting for 365 days that became the documentary The Art of Grieving.  Cundiff emphasizes that people need leaders who listen and care, then shares five takeaways: empathy as a leadership superpower; small daily actions compounding into big results; using stories to inspire beyond facts; building trust through alignment between intentions and the employee experience; and recognizing that many growth problems are operational issues. He encourages listeners to watch the documentary, download leader notes, subscribe, and leave a rating. Free Learning To Lead Resources * Free Book: The Trust Gap [https://dl.bookfunnel.com/sair0nai5c] * The Learning To Lead Newsletter [https://www.markjcundiff.com/learning-to-lead-newsletter] * LeaderNotes [https://www.markjcundiff.com/leadernotes-register] 🔎 About LeaderNotes LeaderNotes [https://www.markjcundiff.com/leadernotes-register] is a quick-hit companion to each episode of The Learning to Lead Show. In just 5–10 minutes, Mark Cundiff recaps the top leadership insights, frameworks, and action steps from each interview, designed for busy, growth-minded leaders who want to review and apply the episode’s biggest takeaways on the go. It’s like the highlight reel + playbook—all in one. Contact Mark at: mark@markjcundiff.com

#56 The Art of Empathy in Leadership with Preston Zeller

Grief, Growth, Storytelling, Operations, and the Future of AI What happens when personal tragedy forces you to slow down, reflect, and rebuild? In this episode of The Learning to Lead Show, Mark Cundiff sits down with entrepreneur, consultant, filmmaker, and storyteller Preston Zeller to explore how one of the most painful seasons of his life transformed the way he leads, serves others, and helps organizations grow. After the loss of his brother, Preston embarked on an extraordinary journey—creating a painting every day for 365 days as a way to process grief. That experience eventually became the documentary The Art of Grieving and fundamentally changed his perspective on empathy, leadership, and human connection. The conversation also explores storytelling as a leadership skill, building trust inside organizations, operational excellence, AI adoption, and the habits that fuel long-term growth. Whether you're leading a team, growing a business, or navigating a difficult season of life, this episode offers practical wisdom and powerful reminders about what matters most. Listen now and discover how great leaders combine empathy, vision, trust, and execution to create lasting impact. Free Learning To Lead Resources * Free Book: The Trust Gap [https://dl.bookfunnel.com/sair0nai5c] * The Learning To Lead Newsletter [https://www.markjcundiff.com/learning-to-lead-newsletter] * LeaderNotes [https://www.markjcundiff.com/leadernotes-register] 🔎 About LeaderNotes LeaderNotes [https://www.markjcundiff.com/leadernotes-register] is a quick-hit companion to each episode of The Learning to Lead Show. In just 5–10 minutes, Mark Cundiff recaps the top leadership insights, frameworks, and action steps from each interview, designed for busy, growth-minded leaders who want to review and apply the episode’s biggest takeaways on the go. It’s like the highlight reel + playbook—all in one. Contact Mark at: mark@markjcundiff.com

#55 Leadership Insights from my Conversation with M. K. Palmore

What separates good leaders from truly great leaders? According to M.K. Palmore, it's not strategy, authority, or expertise. It's people. In this episode of The Learning to Lead Show, Mark Cundiff shares key leadership insights gained from his conversation with M.K. Palmore, Founder and CEO of Apogee Global RMS, former FBI executive, U.S. Marine Corps officer, U.S. Naval Academy graduate, and cybersecurity leader with Google Cloud and Palo Alto Networks. Drawing from more than three decades of leadership experience across the military, federal law enforcement, and corporate America, M.K. shares powerful lessons on trust, integrity, accountability, resilience, mentorship, and why leadership is ultimately about investing in people. M.K. explains why risk is fundamentally a leadership challenge, how great leaders build cultures of trust, and why the small moments of encouragement and mentorship often have the greatest impact. Whether you're leading a team of two or an organization of thousands, this conversation will challenge you to think differently about leadership and the lasting legacy you leave behind. In This Episode, You'll Learn: *  Why do the best leaders focus on people before mission  *  The leadership lessons M.K. learned at the U.S. Naval Academy, the Marine Corps, the FBI, and Silicon Valley  *  How mentors helped him beat the odds and build an extraordinary career  *  Why trust is built through integrity, transparency, and accountability  *  The hidden ways leaders unintentionally damage trust  *  How to rebuild trust after it's been broken  *  Why high-performing teams practice before pressure arrives  *  The role of reflection and self-awareness in leadership growth  *  How leaders can create cultures of psychological safety  *  Why every leader has a responsibility to develop future leaders  Free Learning To Lead Resources * Free Book: The Trust Gap [https://dl.bookfunnel.com/sair0nai5c] * The Learning To Lead Newsletter [https://www.markjcundiff.com/learning-to-lead-newsletter] * LeaderNotes [https://www.markjcundiff.com/leadernotes-register] 🔎 About LeaderNotes LeaderNotes [https://www.markjcundiff.com/leadernotes-register] is a quick-hit companion to each episode of The Learning to Lead Show. In just 5–10 minutes, Mark Cundiff recaps the top leadership insights, frameworks, and action steps from each interview, designed for busy, growth-minded leaders who want to review and apply the episode’s biggest takeaways on the go. It’s like the highlight reel + playbook—all in one. Contact Mark at: mark@markjcundiff.com

#54 "Never Tell Me the Odds" Leadership Lessons from the Naval Academy, Marine Corps, FBI, and Silicon Valley with M. K. Palmore

What separates good leaders from truly great leaders? According to M.K. Palmore, it's not strategy, authority, or expertise. It's people. In this episode of The Learning to Lead Show, Mark Cundiff sits down with M.K. Palmore, Founder and CEO of Apogee Global RMS, former FBI executive, U.S. Marine Corps officer, U.S. Naval Academy graduate, and cybersecurity leader with Google Cloud and Palo Alto Networks. Drawing from more than three decades of leadership experience across the military, federal law enforcement, and corporate America, M.K. shares powerful lessons on trust, integrity, accountability, resilience, mentorship, and why leadership is ultimately about investing in people. M.K. explains why risk is fundamentally a leadership challenge, how great leaders build cultures of trust, and why the small moments of encouragement and mentorship often have the greatest impact. Whether you're leading a team of two or an organization of thousands, this conversation will challenge you to think differently about leadership and the lasting legacy you leave behind. In This Episode, You'll Learn: *  Why do the best leaders focus on people before mission  *  The leadership lessons M.K. learned at the U.S. Naval Academy, the Marine Corps, the FBI, and Silicon Valley  *  How mentors helped him beat the odds and build an extraordinary career  *  Why trust is built through integrity, transparency, and accountability  *  The hidden ways leaders unintentionally damage trust  *  How to rebuild trust after it's been broken  *  Why high-performing teams practice before pressure arrives  *  The role of reflection and self-awareness in leadership growth  *  How leaders can create cultures of psychological safety  *  Why every leader has a responsibility to develop future leaders Connect with M.K. Palmore *  Website [https://mkpalmore.io] *  Apogee Global RMS [https://apogeeglobalrms.io] *  LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkpalmore/] Free Learning To Lead Resources * Free Book: The Trust Gap [https://dl.bookfunnel.com/sair0nai5c] * The Learning To Lead Newsletter [https://www.markjcundiff.com/learning-to-lead-newsletter] * LeaderNotes [https://www.markjcundiff.com/leadernotes-register] 🔎 About LeaderNotes LeaderNotes [https://www.markjcundiff.com/leadernotes-register] is a quick-hit companion to each episode of The Learning to Lead Show. In just 5–10 minutes, Mark Cundiff recaps the top leadership insights, frameworks, and action steps from each interview, designed for busy, growth-minded leaders who want to review and apply the episode’s biggest takeaways on the go. It’s like the highlight reel + playbook—all in one. Contact Mark at: mark@markjcundiff.com

#53 Leadership Insights from my Conversation with Patrick Erwin

In episode 53 of Learning to Lead, host Mark Cundiff recaps his conversation with Patrick Erwin, author of I Love This Place, Director of Content and Training at the Maxwell Leadership Foundation, and a former Hillgrove High School band director who built a nationally respected program.  🔑 5 Key Takeaways for Growth-Minded Leaders 1. Leadership Is More Than Skills 2. Your Response Shapes Your Culture 3. The Best Leaders Are Both Tough and Tender 4. Younger Generations Need Filters More Than Funnels 5. Culture Is Built Through Small Moments Free Learning To Lead Resources * Free Book: The Trust Gap [https://dl.bookfunnel.com/sair0nai5c] * The Learning To Lead Newsletter [https://www.markjcundiff.com/learning-to-lead-newsletter] * LeaderNotes [https://www.markjcundiff.com/leadernotes-register] 🔎 About LeaderNotes LeaderNotes [https://www.markjcundiff.com/leadernotes-register] is a quick-hit companion to each episode of The Learning to Lead Show. In just 5–10 minutes, Mark Cundiff recaps the top leadership insights, frameworks, and action steps from each interview, designed for busy, growth-minded leaders who want to review and apply the episode’s biggest takeaways on the go. It’s like the highlight reel + playbook—all in one. Contact Mark at: mark@markjcundiff.com