Ep 29 – The hidden communication crisis inside your leadership team, Ken Bogard

Ep 29 – The hidden communication crisis inside your leadership team, Ken Bogard

Ryan Castle sits down with Ken Bogard, nine-year EOS implementer and author of Know Honesty, to challenge everything you think you know about communication in business. Ken's core argument is deceptively simple, and most leadership teams are only doing half of it. He unpacks why honesty and openness are two completely different behaviours, why your scorecard is useless without courageous conversations around it, and how growing disconnection is quietly eroding trust on leadership teams even when everyone's technically "in the room." Ken delivers three powerful insights: why removing the exceptions to honesty is the boldest move you can make, how to use data as a unifying force rather than a weapon, and why openness, not honesty, is the real secret sauce to human connection and high-performance teams. Whether you're running weekly Level 10 meetings, trying to get your scorecard to actually mean something, or just wondering why your team still isn't clicking, this episode is your playbook. Useful links: Connect with Ken Bogard on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenbogard] Know Honesty website [https://knowhonesty.com] Pursuit of Honesty Assessment [https://assessment.knowhonesty.com/?company=levelten] Know Honesty Book [https://www.amazon.com/Know-Honesty-Eliminate-Masterful-Communicator/dp/1636803458/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VOUFSVhLVtXFIJ9b2Y1vgjdaBRjKkyL1DAPHAf3NIfTDnJ0yV8wVHw5TUdhsyrfxyOnlTVLqmZ1p-tkKvX-rbgjEtjJEr7aAFjyJKJohYtfH02spTB4CCaYhwMfoxBchr-O9cjuGWAYJrFgZLo0mccpREuW4yyKouaeZZ7eiiIgXIQ4MFZ0WQIJYOXdzpqLAu7xp-9h_xDWcO_Tzu3UCgUepUJujG731ZChVJg8g464.NJBq3zOCkvnoAzZW_v9wuuK7YTocnRVRd_C0jHpBKO0&qid=1779397494&sr=8-1] 👉 FREE Resource: level10.us/execution [https://lvl10.us/execution]- Execution Strength Diagnostic Discover if your managers are driving results or letting commitments drift. 👉 Got a Level 10 Leaders podcast tip? - Submit your tip at lvl10.us/submit-tip [https://lvl10.us/submit-tip] Where else you can find us Website: https://www.level10leaders.com/ [https://thebreakthrough.co/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/level10leaders/ [http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breakthrough-company]

Ep 28– Power tip: "The breakthrough mindset every leader needs," Justin Maust

This Level 10 Leaders Power Tip is from Justin Maust, expert EOS implementer, sharing three uphill mindsets every leader needs to break through ceilings faster and drive real team performance. Justin highlights that success demands discipline, that whatever you tolerate you endorse, and that the speed of your vulnerability determines the speed of your breakthrough. By combining all three, leaders gain a practical framework for addressing mediocrity, having courageous conversations, and accelerating growth: in their teams, their businesses, and their lives. Connect with Justin Maust: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmaust/] 👉 FREE Resource: level10.us/execution [https://lvl10.us/execution]- Execution Strength Diagnostic Discover if your managers are driving results or letting commitments drift. 👉 Got a Level 10 Leaders podcast tip? - Submit your tip at lvl10.us/submit-tip [https://lvl10.us/submit-tip] Where else you can find us Website: https://www.level10leaders.com/ [https://thebreakthrough.co/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/level10leaders/ [http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breakthrough-company]

Ep 27 - Hidden traps, career strategy and maximising your value with Darren Tompkins

Ryan Castle sits down with Darren Tompkins, founder of the Vedra Ray Group, to unpack what really holds technical professionals back from making the leap into people leadership, and it has nothing to do with their qualifications. Drawing on years of experience placing candidates across engineering, construction, and manufacturing, Darren exposes the hidden traps in the hiring process, why cultural fit matters more than the job description, and why showing leadership intent throughout the year beats announcing it at an annual review. Darren shares three powerful insights: how to look beyond the job posting, why leveraging virtual support is a game-changer for reclaiming your time, and how to think strategically about maximising long-term value, not just your next pay rise. This episode is for engineers, project managers, and technical professionals ready to step into leadership. If you're job hunting, already in the seat, or simply wondering if management is the right move, Darren's honest, no-nonsense perspective delivers a practical roadmap. Oh, and stay till the end for the story behind a carrot-based hot sauce company with a pro-wrestling twist. Useful links: Connect with Darren Tompkins on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-tompkins-21b86814/] vaderrey.com [https://vaderrey.com/] Darren's carrot-based, wrestling-approved hot sauce. Fair warning: it creeps up on you. 🌶️ headlockhotsauce.com [https://headlockhotsauce.com/] 👉 FREE Resource: level10.us/execution [https://lvl10.us/execution]- Execution Strength Diagnostic Discover if your managers are driving results or letting commitments drift. 👉 Got a Level 10 Leaders podcast tip? - Submit your tip at lvl10.us/submit-tip [https://lvl10.us/submit-tip] Where else you can find us Website: https://www.level10leaders.com/ [https://thebreakthrough.co/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/level10leaders/ [http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breakthrough-company]

Ep 26 – Power tip: "Using headlines to bring core values to life," Adam Law

This Level 10 Leaders Power Tip is from Adam Law of SOS Care, sharing a simple yet powerful way to bring core values to life using the headlines segment of Level 10 Meetings. Instead of just recognizing tasks, Adam emphasizes calling out the specific core values demonstrated by team members. By consistently linking recognition to values, teams gain clarity on what those values actually look like in action. Over time, this approach reinforces culture, builds alignment, and transforms core values from words on a wall into everyday behaviors. Connect with Adam Law: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-law-241460336/] SOS Care [https://soscaresc.org/] 👉 FREE Resource: level10.us/execution [https://lvl10.us/execution]- Execution Strength Diagnostic Discover if your managers are driving results or letting commitments drift. 👉 Got a Level 10 Leaders podcast tip? - Submit your tip at lvl10.us/submit-tip [https://lvl10.us/submit-tip] Where else you can find us Website: https://www.level10leaders.com/ [https://thebreakthrough.co/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/level10leaders/ [http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breakthrough-company]

Ep 25 – Mind the gap: Why strategy fails in execution (and how leaders can fix it) with Dr Mike Ashby

Ryan Castle sits down with Mike to unpack a challenge most leadership teams quietly accept: the gap between strategy and execution. Drawing from real conversations with CEOs and operators, they explore why even well-crafted strategies consistently fall short, often by 10–20%, and how inertia, lack of visibility, and weak accountability allow that gap to persist. From poor communication of strategy to teams being consumed by day-to-day “busyness,” this episode highlights why intentions rarely translate into results without deliberate structure and focus.  They break down what it really takes to “mind the gap”, aligning daily activity with business outcomes, creating time for meaningful work, and building manager capability through consistent, habit-driven execution. The conversation also explores the evolving role of AI in leadership, the risk of mistaking outputs for real progress, and why great managers must develop both capability and judgment. If you’re leading a team and feel the frustration of missed targets despite clear plans, this episode offers practical insights to close the gap and drive real performance. Connect with Dr Mike Ashby on LinkedIn [https://nz.linkedin.com/in/drmikeashby] 👉 FREE Resource: level10.us/execution [https://lvl10.us/execution]- Execution Strength Diagnostic Discover if your managers are driving results or letting commitments drift. 👉 Got a Level 10 Leaders podcast tip? - Submit your tip at lvl10.us/submit-tip [https://lvl10.us/submit-tip] Where else you can find us Website: https://www.level10leaders.com/ [https://thebreakthrough.co/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/level10leaders/ [http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breakthrough-company]