Leadership Lessons That Stick: Insights from Past Leadercast Events

One of the best investments I’ve made in my leadership journey has been attending Leadercast events over the years. These gatherings bring together world-class leaders from diverse backgrounds, each offering insights that cannot be easily found in a book or a podcast. I’ve walked away from each session not just inspired, but challenged and equipped to lead more intentionally.

In today’s post, I’m sharing a few standout lessons that have stayed with me. These aren’t just quotes—they’re truths that have shaped the way I live and lead.

1. Liz Murray – From Survival to Significance

Liz Murray, author of Breaking Night, shared her journey from homelessness to Harvard, teaching us that your past doesn’t define your potential. What stood out most were her lessons about ownership, mindset, and the power of choice.

Key Takeaways from Liz Murray:

• “My life is my responsibility. No one owes me anything.”

• “What we look for depends on where our hearts are.”

• “We are not promised ‘laters.’”

• “Disempowered people blame the past. Empowered people move forward.”

• “Life is transformed by one empowered choice after another.”

Put It into Practice:

• Obstacle Exercise: Identify 3 self-created obstacles that are slowing you down. Write each one on a rock and place them on your desk—visual reminders to avoid letting excuses derail your purpose.

• Eliminate the ‘Laters’: Make a list of things you've been putting off—conversations, decisions, actions. Commit to arriving 30 minutes early for a week to tackle them one by one.

2. Al Weiss – Leading with Discipline and Intentionality

Al Weiss, former President of Worldwide Operations at Disney, reminded us that discipline, clarity, and servant leadership are cornerstones of sustainable impact.

Wisdom from Al Weiss:

• “My job as a leader is to empower others to reach their fullest potential.”

• “Servant leadership means caring about your development as much as I do my own.”

• “Being a servant leader doesn’t weaken your authority—it strengthens your influence.”

• “Discipline is the path to freedom. Undisciplined = out of shape.”

• “You can’t add hours to the day, but you can use your hours better.”

Action Step: Set your top 3 leadership priorities for the next season—and live by them. When you focus on what matters most, everything else falls into place.

3. Tony Blair – The Cost and Courage of Leadership

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair offered a refreshingly honest perspective on what it takes to lead through pressure, uncertainty, and opposition.

Highlights from Tony Blair’s Leadership Philosophy:

• “You must have the courage to lead—not just the desire to please.”

• “Leadership requires the willingness to decide and the strength to own the consequences.”

• “Leaders stand up when others step back.”

• “Reliability is the most important leadership trait.”

• “In times of challenge, honesty builds trust—but hope inspires action.”

• “Key traits: Self-belief, hard work, and the ability to rise from failure.”

My Favorite Reminder from Blair:

“If you assume a leadership role, you give up the right to self-pity. It’s impossible to lead and moan at the same time.”

4. John Maxwell – Owning Your Dream

John Maxwell reminded us that dreams don’t come to life by accident—they’re born of ownership, clarity, and commitment. If your dream is truly yours, you’ll pay the price to pursue it.

Key Leadership Questions from John Maxwell:

The Ownership Question:

“Is my dream really my dream?”

• Many of us grow up assuming someone else’s dreams for our lives.

• We try to fit other people’s expectations into our own story.

• But when your dream is truly yours, you’ll bet on yourself—you’ll invest time, energy, planning, and even money, believing it will one day pay off.

The Reality Question:

“Am I depending on factors within my control to achieve my dream?”

• A dream must be grounded in reality; otherwise, it will never be realized.

• Disappointment is the gap between what is expected and what actually occurs.

• Your greatest growth will always come from your giftedness—your strengths.

The Cost Question:

“Am I willing to pay the price for my dream?”

• Pursuing a dream costs more than you thought, sooner than you expected, and more often than you imagined.

• But if the dream is truly yours, the cost will be worth it.

5. Tim Sanders – The Power of Positivity at Work

Tim Sanders drove home the truth that positive emotion isn’t fluff—it’s fuel. A healthy workplace culture starts with healthy emotional energy.

Insights from Tim Sanders:

• Workers with a positive mood are more productive and more engaged.

• People learn more effectively when they are in a positive emotional state.

• Innovation increases when positivity is present.

• Want to lift your team’s mood? Give them a cause. — A social mission inspires more than a financial one.

• Want to give your people a life? — Focus on their environment, work-life balance, and sense of self-worth.

Leadership Insight: A positive team isn’t accidental. It’s created by leaders who give their people meaning, not just metrics.

6. Bill Strickland – A New Lens for Leading People

Bill Strickland’s story and philosophy reminded us that people rise—or fall—to the level of leadership they receive.

What you believe about people shapes how you treat them. And how you treat them shapes what they become.

Wisdom from Bill Strickland:

• “People are born into this world as assets, not liabilities.”

• “How you treat people drives their behavior.”

• “If you want to work with people who’ve been left behind, look like the solution—not the problem.”

• “People are a function of their environment and expectations.”

• “If you build world-class facilities, people begin to see themselves as world-class.” — But if you build prisons, don’t be surprised when people act like prisoners.

• “The only thing wrong with poor people is they don’t have any money.”

Leadership Insight: See people for their potential, not just their problems. When you create environments of excellence, people start to live up to the belief that they belong there.

Final Thoughts: Leadership Is a Daily Choice

These lessons aren’t just quotes to reflect on—they’re invitations to rise. Leadership isn't about the spotlight.

It’s about service, resilience, and responsibility. It’s about showing up—even when it’s hard, especially when it’s hard.

As you move through this week, let me challenge you with this:

Where do you need to trade blame for ownership, passivity for action, or fear for courage?

Choose one empowered decision today. Then another tomorrow. That’s how transformation begins.