Shows
Champion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersFrom Go-Getter to Leader: The Art of Delegation | Episode 19In this episode of Champion of the Underdog, John Graci tackles a common leadership trap: the high-performing “go-getter” who gets promoted, but struggles to let go.
Many leaders rise because they’re excellent at doing the work. The problem? Once promoted, their job shifts from doing the work to getting it done through others. When they keep stepping in, solving every problem, and taking over tasks, they burn out and unintentionally weaken their team.
John explains how over-involvement squashes initiative, limits development, and reveals a key difference between a true leader and a go-getter. A go-get...
2026-02-1805 minChampion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersI Wish I Knew Many Years Ago What I Know Today | Episode 18In this episode of Champion of the Underdog, John Graci shares a leadership lesson he wishes he’d learned earlier in his career: how to effectively voice your ideas to leaders with far more experience, especially in family businesses or long-tenured organizations.
John explains that before you earn the right to challenge ideas or influence decisions, you must first build credibility by being excellent at your job. Experience matters, and seasoned leaders often still see younger professionals through the lens of who they once were, not who they are today.
He emphasizes the importance of st...
2026-02-1104 minChampion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersAddressing Incompetence in Leadership | Episode 17In this episode of Champion of the Underdog, John Graci takes on a leadership issue that quietly destroys trust and morale: tolerated incompetence. When leaders know a manager isn’t doing their job, and do nothing about it, the damage spreads far beyond one person.
John explains the concept of sanctioned incompetence: when poor leadership behavior is allowed to continue because no one is willing to confront it. The result is cynicism, disengagement, and a culture where mediocrity feels acceptable. As John puts it, we get what we allow.
He also addresses the complexity of au...
2026-02-0505 minChampion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersResponsibility Without Authority Is a Setup for Failure | Episode 16In this episode of Champion of the Underdog, John Graci tackles a leadership issue that quietly destroys productivity: unclear authority. When leaders don’t know where their decision-making power starts and stops, teams stall, second-guessing increases, and frustration grows.
John explains that responsibility without authority is a setup for failure. Leaders shouldn’t be left wondering if their boss will second-guess every decision, nor should they have to guess when to act independently versus when to ask for approval. Clear boundaries; what’s in bounds, out of bounds, and when to communicate are essential for effective leadership.
...
2026-01-2804 minChampion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersOne Toxic Employee Can Destroy Your Team | Episode 15In this episode of Champion of the Underdog, John Graci addresses a hard leadership reality: toxic employees don’t just affect morale, they attract more toxic behavior. And when leaders tolerate it, they unintentionally help it spread.
John explains that culture isn’t defined by mission statements or values posted on the wall; it’s defined by what leaders allow. When one toxic employee is ignored, good employees notice. Trust erodes, accountability disappears, and disengagement grows. Nothing damages a team faster than watching a leader tolerate someone who clearly doesn’t care.
He challenges leaders to look...
2026-01-2204 minChampion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersWhy Guilt Keeps You from Delegating | Episode 014In Episode 14 of Champion of the Underdog, leadership expert John Graci tackles one of the most common and misunderstood barriers to delegation: guilt.
Many leaders hesitate to delegate because they don’t want to “dump work” on their team. John challenges that thinking head-on, explaining that this guilt often comes from past experiences, being the go-to employee who was overused, under-supported, and eventually burned out. That experience may have shaped a promise leaders make to themselves: “When I’m in charge, I won’t do that to my people.”
But here’s the truth: avoiding delegation doesn...
2026-01-1403 minChampion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersStop Telling, Start Asking | Episode 013In Episode 13 of Champion of the Underdog, leadership expert John Graci breaks down one of the fastest and most overlooked ways to build trust as a leader: stop telling and start asking. Especially for new leaders stepping into established teams, John explains why trust is earned through curiosity, humility, and genuine listening, not speeches or authority.
John challenges leaders to abandon the “new sheriff in town” mindset and instead approach leadership as a responsibility owed to their team. The only real difference between a leader and their team members is a job title, and effective leaders never forg...
2026-01-0705 minChampion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersWhy Employees Trust Strangers More Than Their Leaders | Episode 012In Episode 12 of Champion of the Underdog, leadership expert John Graci addresses a startling reality uncovered by Harvard Business Review: 58% of employees trust strangers more than their own leaders. John breaks down why this trust gap exists, and what leaders, HR professionals, and senior executives must do to close it.
John explains that this isn’t a soft-skills issue; it’s a business issue. When trust erodes, engagement drops, turnover rises, morale suffers, and organizations pay the price in lost productivity and wasted training costs. At the root of the problem is a lack of genuine connection betw...
2025-12-3107 min
NudgeThe top 9 tips from 55 Nudge episodes in 2025In today’s special end-of-year episode, you’ll hear the best insights from Nudge in 2025.
Hear from Prof. Gerd Gigerenzer, Richard Shotton, Bas Wouters, Philip Graves, Prof. Matt Johnson and a Behavioural Insights Team director.
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Today’s Sources:
Beilock, S. L., Bertenthal...
2025-12-2928 minChampion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersThe Willingness to be Unpopular | Episode 011In Episode 11 of Champion of the Underdog, leadership expert John Graci tackles a truth many leaders avoid: effective leadership often requires being unpopular. If you’re trying to be liked, you’re not leading - you’re managing perceptions.
John challenges leaders with a simple but uncomfortable question:
Are you prepared to be unpopular to do what’s right?
For real leaders, the answer must be yes.
Using examples from politics, business, sports, and his own leadership experience, John explains why criticism is not a sign of failure; it’s often a byproduct of courage...
2025-12-2405 minChampion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersI Don’t Have the Time | Episode 010In Episode 10, John Graci dismantles one of the most common and costly phrases leaders use:
“I don’t have the time.”
Whether you’re a supervisor, HR professional, or anyone influencing people, this episode reveals a truth many leaders avoid: “I don’t have time” is almost never about time; it’s about choice.
John opens by challenging leaders to reflect: Are you being impacted by your work environment, or are you impacting it? Every decision a leader makes, big or small, ripples across the team. Leadership is influence, and influence comes from the choices you...
2025-12-1705 minChampion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersWeaponized Incompetence | Episode 009In Episode 9, John Graci tackles a leadership challenge that is far more common than most leaders admit: weaponized incompetence. When employees intentionally underperform, delay, or “play dumb,” the leader steps in and does the work for them.
John opens the episode with a relatable home-life example: folding laundry poorly so your spouse takes over, or mowing the lawn with less care so someone else finishes the job. The same behavior shows up in the workplace, but with far greater consequences.
In this episode, John breaks down the real reason weaponized incompetence thrives.
Key less...
2025-12-1603 minChampion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersThe Most Dangerous Leader | Episode 008In Episode 8 of Champion of the Underdog, leadership expert John Graci breaks down one of the most dangerous obstacles inside any organization: leaders who cannot see themselves clearly. With 30 years of coaching and real-world leadership experience, John explains why self-delusion at the leadership level can sabotage performance, waste training investments, and undermine the very teams organizations depend on.
John shares a revealing coaching story about a leader with 10 years of experience, yet every answer he gave exposed major leadership blind spots. He dismissed employee concerns, avoided accountability, labeled people as “bad attitudes,” delegated around difficult conversations, and even...
2025-12-0407 minChampion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersWhen a Team Member Complains About a Coworker | Episode 007In this episode of Champion of the Underdog, leadership trainer and author John Graci digs into one of the most uncomfortable, but critical, parts of leading a team: what to do when employees complain about each other’s performance. Using memorable analogies, from cattle drives to buffalo running head-on into storms, John explains why effective leaders must lead from the front, not push from behind.
John reminds leaders that when a team member complains about a coworker, they’re often doing your job for you. But their opinion alone isn’t enough. You must verify, observe, and step i...
2025-11-2705 minChampion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersYou Have to Like People | Episode 006In this episode of Champion of the Underdog, leadership expert John Graci tackles a tough but honest question every leader must confront: Do you actually like people, and the problems that come with them? Drawing from 30 years of frontline leadership experience, John challenges managers to rethink how they view their teams, their responsibilities, and the true nature of leadership.
John shares a powerful story about a frustrated leader on a short flight who spent the entire trip complaining about her team, only to admit she wished she’d never been promoted. Through this real-world example, he reveals a common...
2025-11-2004 minChampion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersLeading People Older Than You | Episode 005In this episode of Champion of the Underdog, leadership expert John Graci tackles one of the most common challenges for emerging leaders: how to confidently lead people who’ve been on the job longer than you’ve been alive. Whether you’re a new manager in your 20s or 30s or stepping into leadership for the first time, this episode offers real-world advice for earning trust, building respect, and leading with authenticity.
John shares the biggest mistakes younger leaders make, like trying to prove they know everything, rushing to change things, or ignoring veteran employees’ wisdom, and shows wh...
2025-11-1506 minChampion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersHow to Handle Insubordination | Episode 004
In this episode of Champion of the Underdog, leadership expert John Graci tackles one of the toughest moments any leader faces: when a team member flat-out refuses to follow directions. Drawing from his 30 years of experience as a trainer, speaker, and author, John walks leaders through how to handle insubordination calmly, clearly, and effectively.
He explains that insubordination isn’t the root problem; it’s a symptom of deeper issues such as personal stress, feeling undervalued, or believing a task is beneath them. Using his trademark mix of humor and no-nonsense advice, John lays out practical steps leaders can take to addre...
2025-11-0607 min
Scandalous GamesPat Pulling and Bothered About Dungeons & Dragons, Part 3: Klaatu, barada, nightly newsHistorian Kevin Impellizeri shares a story of a video game controversy to his friends: Kate Lynch, Phil Thomas, and Matt Shoemaker, whose new book, Gathering of Gamers: Dungeons & Dragons and Other Games Through Gen Con, is available now through Play Story Press (https://playstorypress.org/books/gathering-of-gamers/). We continue our deep dive into anti-Dungeons & Dragons moral activist Patricia Pulling, founder of Bothered About Dungeons & Dragons (BADD), how she became an alleged expert on the occult, and the types of groups who were receptive to her declarations of the alleged hazardous effects of tabletop roleplaying games. To...
2025-11-0453 minChampion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersBalancing Compassion with Performance | Episode 003In this episode of Champion of the Underdog, leadership expert John Graci unpacks one of the most overlooked challenges in management: balancing compassion with performance. What got you promoted won’t necessarily help you lead, and John explains why the transition from “doing the work” to “leading others” requires an entirely new skill set.
Through real-world insight and humor, John explores the clash between the expectations of your team and upper management, and how those expectations, while similar on paper, can mean completely different things. Employees want trust, recognition, and respect. Management wants proficiency, productivity, and profitability. Effective leaders must learn to delive...
2025-10-3109 minChampion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersThe Real Reason Teams Miscommunicate (And How to Fix It) | Episode 002In this episode of Champion of the Underdog, leadership expert John Graci breaks down one of the most significant and costly issues in the workplace: miscommunication. With over 30 years of experience as a keynote speaker, trainer, and author, John shares why misunderstandings are rarely the team’s faultand how true leaders take ownership of clarity.
You’ll learn why every misunderstanding has one parent (the sender), and how simple communication fixes can prevent frustration, rework, and wasted payroll. John uses humor and relatable stories, from “drive-by assignments” to a hilarious Thanksgiving kitchen mix-up, to show how vague instructions...
2025-10-2608 minChampion of the Underdog: Simplifying the Complex for LeadersEmployees Who Won’t Stop Complaining | Episode 001In this episode, John Graci tackles one of the most common leadership challenges: employees who won’t stop complaining.
With over 30 years of experience as a keynote speaker, trainer, and author, John cuts through the fluff to deliver practical, real-world leadership advice. He explains why complaints aren’t always a bad thing; often, they’re a sign that employees still trust you to make a difference. The real danger is when they stop talking altogether.
Using insights from leaders like General Colin Powell and personal stories from seminars and the workplace, John highlights how dismissing or mocking complaints can lead to costl...
2025-10-1709 minNudgeThis single text made girls 45% more likely to get vaccinatedCan one text message save 100s of girls from cervical cancer? Today on Nudge, Niall Daly and Dr Giulia Tagliaferri discuss their county-wide study involving 55,000 girls. Their experiment had some eye-opening results, so I decided to copy it. I ran my own study on my listeners to see if I could increase my sales. Did it work? Listen to find out.
My study emails: https://ibb.co/HTdMDHxT
My study results: https://ibb.co/PGRp2d1y
Niall and Guilia’s paper: https://shorturl.at/3nlyH
Behavioural Insights Team...
2025-07-0722 min
Sticky LawyersBench Strength: From Judge to Judicial Misconduct Investigator and ProsecutorSend us a textRobert Graci has devoted most of his legal career to public service, first with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, where he argued cases in all of Pennsylvania’s appellate courts and before the U.S. Supreme Court. Governor Mark Schweiker later appointed Bob to serve as an appellate judge on the Pennsylvania Superior Court But then a new opportunity arose. Parlaying both his prosecutorial experience and his time on the bench, Bob served as Chief Counsel to the Judicial Conduct Board of Pennsylvania, investigating and pursuing allegations of judicial ethics viola...
2025-06-2645 min
Indieheads Podcast279: Oh And It’s the Same Fucking Song Again (ft. Jenna)
You could have heard this episode 48 hours early by supporting us on Patreon for as low as $1/month, where you’ll also gain access to our Discord server & get yourself an Indieheads Podcast sticker: https://www.patreon.com/IndieheadsPodcast
On this episode, Matty, Violet, Max and Jenna look at the same fucking song(s) again for the 2nd week in a row.
Follow Jenna on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jennalafleur.bsky.social
Listen to Matty’s appearance on 10/10 You’re Great: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-joyces-manor-two-joyce-manors-with-matty/id1735424836?i=1000692557651
Songs di...
2025-02-2500 minIndieheads PodcastBest New Pod: 2014 Part 3 – “Got The Pod Going Up On A Tuesday” (ft. Alexis from Hot Singles & Marcy Anime)
You could have heard this episode 48 hours early by supporting us on Patreon for as low as $1/month, where you’ll also gain access to our Discord server & get yourself an Indieheads Podcast sticker: https://www.patreon.com/IndieheadsPodcast
On this episode, Jackie, Rose and Matty are joined by special guests Alexis (from Hot Singles) & Marcy Anime as we finish out our (curated) look into the Pitchfork Best New Track selections of 2014.
Check out Alexis’ works: https://regresssion.carrd.co/
Follow Marcy on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Marcy_Anime
Songs discussed:
...
2024-11-1000 min
The Inner Landscape Travel AgencyEp. 2 - IJ Makan's Conversational PortraitIJ shares about.. - Embodying his beliefs, even when labeled a heretic by former communities- Identity and acceptance as part of the Tangkhul tribe in India: across faith and culture- Mourning a stillborn son and finding the sacred in martial arts and fatherhood- Learning to see beauty through painting- Whether clarity of thought can save relationshipsShow Notes16:21 - Josef Pieper’s Leisure: The Basis of Culture https://www.amazon.com/Leisure-Basis-Culture-Josef-Pieper/dp/158617256518:15 Abbaye de Saint-Benoît-du-Lac htt...
2024-09-133h 17
Overdrive RadioTrucker-songwriter Guy Archer's journeys with heavy loads, right back to NashvilleFrom a songwriting session in early 2019 with Nashville-based John Allan Miller, Airgas company driver Guy Archer, based in Dayton, Ohio, determined to get back to Music City to continue work in songwriting later that same year. Yet a back injury derailed that plan, then COVID happened in 2020, and getting back into his truck after unloading one night Archer happened to hear an advertisement early in 2021 for the Overdrive-Red Eye Radio Trucker Talent Search.
As many regular listeners will know, Archer went on to win the competition, and early in November, he was back in Nashville at the Jay’s Place re...
2021-12-1048 min
Flousen Talks - Zitate und Mindset Zeug20 Ideen, um tatsächlich glücklicher zu lebenGedanken für mehr happy in deinem Leben
Hier alle Zitate und Quellen:
The pleasantest things in the world are pleasant thoughts, and the great art of life is to have as many of them as possible.
Michel de Montaigne
Quelle: https://quotefancy.com/quote/1044083/Michel-de-Montaigne-The-pleasantest-things-in-the-world-are-pleasant-thoughts-and-the
Das Leben ist kurz, wenn man nur die Zeit des Glücks Leben heißt.
Jean de La Bruyère
Quelle: https://gutezitate.com/zitat/105567
Alles ist von Natur zur Umwandlung, zur Veränderung und zum Untergang bestimmt, damit anderes an seine Stelle rücke...
2021-10-1808 min
Big Stupid PodcastEpisode 96: The Wrestlemania SpecialIn this latest episode, our heroes sit down with Graci, a friend who is well-versed in the realm of WWE. With Wrestlemania 35 coming up this weekend, the boys talk wrasslin'. What is the first thing that pops into their heads when someone says "greatest moment in WWE history"? What is the story that got Graci into following wrestling? What got John so interested that he checked out of the show for a few minutes to check out Instagram? Tune in and find out! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
2019-04-051h 39
2014-05-1930 min