Description

Ever notice how the worst bosses live in extremes?

One minute they’re bulldozers—steamrolling their people.

The next, they’re ghosts—ducking hard conversations and leaving their team exposed.

Both destroy trust. One leaves wreckage. The other leaves weakness.

But the best leaders? They walk the razor’s edge—

strong enough to push, wise enough to protect, confident enough to lead, and humble enough to learn.

In this episode, Chris Hunsicker dives into the next three beliefs from Dr. Robert Sutton’s Good Boss, Bad Boss—revealing how elite operators strike the perfect balance between power and protection.

Inside you’ll learn:

• Why both extremes—bulldozing and ghosting—kill trust and culture
• How elite leaders walk the leadership tightrope between pressure and protection
• The next three Core Beliefs of Great Bosses:

1. Balance Assertiveness.
2. → Great leaders know when to push—and when to pause. Assertiveness is like seasoning: too much and you scorch the team, too little and everything falls flat.
3. Be the Human Shield.
4. → Your job is to absorb chaos, filter the noise, and protect your people—sometimes even from your own moods and impulses.
5. Lead with Confident Humility.
6. → Be strong enough to steer the ship, humble enough to admit when it’s off course. Confidence without humility is arrogance; humility without confidence is insecurity.

• How the best bosses blend command and compassion to earn trust that lasts under fire
• Why people don’t need tyrants or ghosts—they need steady leaders who are both shield and sword

Execution Bridge: The Sword & Shield Check

At the end of each day, ask yourself three questions:

1. The Shield Question: Did I protect my team from one distraction, intrusion, or piece of idiocy—maybe even my own?
2. The Sword Question: Did I step in clearly today where standards mattered most?
3. The Balance Question: Did I admit one place where I was wrong—or at least open myself to the possibility?

Write down your answers. Be brutally honest.

This simple reflection builds steadiness, credibility, and influence—one day at a time.

Because your team doesn’t need a boss who’s a bulldozer or a ghost.

They need a leader who’s both shield and sword—strong enough to lead, humble enough to listen, and steady enough to protect.

Go out today, wield both wisely, and create some leadership fire. Love the show? like, rate, review and share

Step Into the War Room Community

Get Chris Hunsicker’s free leadership tools, frameworks, and daily execution challenges — plus access to a private community of dealership leaders who are building unstoppable teams, mastering execution, and winning the inner game of leadership.

📥 Join free here ➡️ https://info.chrishunsicker.com/private-podcst

Connect with Chris on Social

Daily leadership insights, dealership-specific execution tips, and behind-the-scenes coaching moments.

• LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hunsicker-3437205/
• Instagram ➡️ @christopherhunsicker
• Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575644134790

Watch, Learn, Apply — Anytime

YouTube Channel: Full episodes, highlight reels, and visual frameworks so you can train yourself and your managers anytime.

▶️ Subscribe here ➡️https://www.youtube.com/@chrishunsicker31

Recommended Next Steps for New Listeners

1. Pick your first battle. Scroll through past episodes and start with one that calls you out.
2. Make it your morning fire ritual. Seven minutes before the chaos begins — listen, learn, lead.
3. Bring your managers in. Share an episode and challenge them to take one daily action.
4. Track your wins. Stack 30 days of execution and see how fast the culture shifts.

Share the War Room

If this episode sparked something for you, share it with another leader today. Copy the link, drop it in a text, and tell them:

“You need to hear this — it’s only 7 minutes, and it will make you better today.”

Remember:

You don’t need a better market.

You don’t need better leads.

You don’t even need better people.

You need to become a bet