What’s one way I can compete with yesterday’s version of me today? In this episode, Kevin welcomes Jake Thompson for a practical conversation on building influence from the inside out. They discuss how leading yourself first sets an example for others and highlight the difference between managing tasks and leading people. Jake offers actionable strategies for improvement, like the “Start, Stop, Continue” method for self-improvement and a three-question reflection model after meetings or conversations. Jake and Kevin also discuss common leadership challenges such as giving effective feedback, balancing management with emotional intelligence, and the difference between being nice and being kind.

Jake's Story: Jake Thompson is the author of Lead Better Now: A Practical Guide to Increase Your Influence as a Leader. He is a leadership performance coach and the Chief Encouragement Officer at Compete Every Day, a brand he started in 2011 by first selling t-shirts out of the trunk of his car. Jake has spent more than a decade working with leaders and organizations worldwide on how to get better results for themselves and their teams. He has been featured in Forbes, Inc. Magazine, hosts a podcast with over two million downloads, and has directly impacted over 85,000 ambitious leaders. Jake lives in Dallas/Fort Worth with his wife, Elena, and their “kids,” aka rescue dogs, Sugar, Donut, Snacks, & Pop-Tart.