The John Eades Podcast

Four people told her she nailed it. The fifth person told her the truth, and that's the only one who actually helped her get better. Most leaders think they're getting honest feedback. They're not. Silence gets mistaken for agreement, and that mistake is costing you more than you realize. In this episode: Why praise feels good but constructive feedback is what actually builds skill The real numbers on how few employees get honest feedback, and what it costs when they don't Netflix's "farming for dissent" strategy, and why great leaders go hunt for disagreement instead of waiting for it A simple 3-part recipe you can use in your very next decision: who to ask, how to ask, and where to look first If you lead people or make decisions that affect others, this one's for you. Want this kind of thinking in your organization? Visit learnloft.com 📖 Grab your copy of The Optimistic Outlook: https://www.amazon.com/Optimistic-Outlook-Lessons-Important-Muscle/dp/B0G4R5VJH1/

John is 14 chapters into a book he's been writing for two years — and if he's honest, it should already be finished, printed, and in your hands. In this solo episode, he shares an uncomfortable confession: how a project he thinks about constantly has stayed stuck for two years, and the single line that forced him to stop making excuses.   "You either stop thinking about it or start doing it." John breaks down why there are really only two honest paths for anything left unfinished in your life — and why staying stuck in the middle, still thinking about it with no action, isn't patience. It's a slow kind of quitting. He shares a simple 3-question framework to figure out, right now, which path is actually yours: Do you still want it when no one's watching? What's the smallest next action — and have you taken it this week? Are you willing to say it out loud to someone who'll hold you accountable? Whether it's a business idea, a hard conversation you've been avoiding, a relationship that needs repair, or a goal you've quietly shelved — this episode will help you stop carrying the weight of "someday" and finally choose a direction. In this episode: Why unfinished goals cost you more than you think, even when you're not actively working on them The difference between patience and avoidance A 3-question framework for deciding whether to act or let go John's own commitment on where the book goes from here If something's been sitting unfinished in your head, this is your nudge to pick a path today.

Ryan Hawk has interviewed over 700 high-performing leaders on The Learning Leader Show. In his new book, The Price of Becoming, he breaks down what it actually costs to become the best version of yourself, and why the people who sustain excellence over time never let themselves feel like they've arrived. In this conversation, Ryan and John talk about: Why "you've never arrived, you're always becoming" changed how Ryan thinks about success The three questions Ryan asks himself every night to force real progress How Dave Matthews built one of the most enduring bands in music by refusing to be the most talented person in the room Why sustained excellence often comes at the cost of feeling fully content The power of "following your curiosity and obsessions with great rigor" How to celebrate wins at work without losing your edge Ryan's book, The Price of Becoming, is out now. 

Most leaders have been taught that comparison is the thief of joy. Stay in your lane. Don't look at what anyone else has. But what if that advice is only half right?   In this episode, John breaks down a coaching call where a client watched a colleague get promoted to vice president and felt the sting of "why not me." Instead of shutting that feeling down, John shows why comparison can actually be one of the most useful tools in a leader's toolkit, if you know the difference between letting it steal from you and letting it show you where the bar is. You'll learn: Why comparison isn't inherently bad, and how to tell when it's helping you versus hurting you The "ice cream cone" mindset shift that changes how you think about missed opportunities Why a goal without audacity is just a wish, and what it actually takes to close the gap If you've ever felt that flicker of "why not me" watching someone else win, this episode will change how you think about it. Register for the Free Ignite Leadership Summit https://www.ignitenextgen.com/

Early in my career, I taught a workshop using a tool I learned from the late Lou Holtz, the vision space tool. That story changed how I think about success, and I'm telling it in full here.   Because here's what I've learned. Everyone's dreams and definitions of success are different, often shaped by how they were raised or what they've experienced. So this episode isn't about landing on a common definition, or even confirming whether your dreams are big enough. They probably aren't. It's about something else. Whether you believe you're worthy of success. "There isn't a person on the planet who deserves my outsized definition of success more than me." Uncomfortable to say out loud. Weirdly empowering to believe. By the end of this episode, you'll have a simple exercise to define your own outsized success, and the belief to go claim it. If this hit home, you'll want the full book. 📖 Grab The Optimistic Outlook here: https://www.amazon.com/Optimistic-Outlook-Lessons-Important-Muscle/dp/B0G4R5VJH1/