Why long-term success starts with self-leadership and how to align who you are with the business you’re building.

Why You Need to Listen:

Most entrepreneurs focus on tactics and hustle, but overlook the one thing that actually determines long-term success: self-leadership. In this episode, business coach and columnist Chris Wilkinson joins Sean Patton to break down why your inner game is the key to outer performance. If you're building a business but feel stuck, scattered, or unfulfilled, this conversation is your mirror and your momentum.

About the Guest:

Chris Wilkinson is a holistic business coach, five-time entrepreneur, and longtime leadership columnist. With 20+ years of business experience, Chris specializes in helping entrepreneurs develop self-leadership, clarity, and sustainable performance. He's also the co-owner of a senior care franchise, a former hockey captain, and a prolific contributor to business and leadership thought.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why self-leadership is the foundation of all business growth
• The “wheel of leadership” framework Chris uses with every client
• How to reframe failure using the “100 no’s” mindset
• Why most vision statements fall short and how to align your life and business
• The difference between confidence and worthiness
• How to get out of your own way by identifying your “brake pedal”
• What you're really willing to suffer for and why that matters

Episode Chapters:

0:00 – Why you need to hear this
2:30 – From hockey to holistic coaching: Chris’s story
6:00 – What is self-leadership and why it matters
9:15 – Clarity, energy, mindset, and the 8-factor leadership wheel
14:30 – Why entrepreneurs overestimate 1 year and underestimate 5
18:45 – The “100 no’s” method and the problem with chasing outcomes
24:20 – Locus of control: what’s in your hands vs. what’s not
30:45 – The gas and brake metaphor: what’s holding you back
35:50 – How to build resilience (and what you’re willing to suffer for)
41:00 – The power of purpose, giving, and intentional leadership
45:00 – Final mindset shift: from “I have to” → “I get to”

Connect with Chris:

Website: https://www.coachingwithchris.ca/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachingwithchris/

More from Sean & No Limit Leaders

Subscribe to the newsletter: www.nolimitleaders.com/growth

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www.nolimitleaders.com

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.

In this episode of No Limit Leadership, I sit down with Jim Stevenson—founder and CEO of the Bletchley Group, a global growth consultancy helping organizations align strategy, culture, and technology.

We dive into what most leaders get wrong about data, why OKRs (not KPIs) are the key to alignment, and how AI is transforming leadership in real time. Jim shares how to create psychological safety, drive clarity, and build teams that win.

If you’re a growth-minded leader who wants to future-proof your organization, this conversation is your blueprint.

What You’ll Learn:
• The difference between data and useful data
• Why OKRs are more than just goals—they shape culture
• How to build teams that adapt and execute at speed
• What limits real growth—and how to remove them
• How AI is reshaping leadership, communication, and trust
• Why psychological safety is a performance multiplier

Chapters:
00:00 – Intro & why this episode matters
01:05 – The origin of Bletchley Group & purposeful tech
04:00 – Breaking limits and AI’s next frontier
10:00 – Superintelligence, free will & leadership
17:03 – What makes data actually useful
23:00 – OKRs vs KPIs: what leaders get wrong
29:30 – The 70% rule: unlocking high performance
32:20 – Incentives: unleash or destroy greatness
36:00 – What elite teams do differently
37:33 – Culture: the real transformation
41:54 – Creating psychological safety
44:00 – Red team thinking & decision ownership
48:39 – Eliminate blockers. Uncover your strategy.

Guest: Jim Stevenson
Founder & CEO, Bletchley Group
🌐 Website: www.bletchleygroup.com
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimstevenson/

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.

What if the secret to great leadership isn’t more strategy—but more soul?

In this episode of No Limits Leadership, I’m joined by Valerie Sandjivy, a global leadership mentor and founder of EllipsUS. With over 20 years of experience across France, the U.S., and Asia, Valerie helps C-suite leaders and entrepreneurs master the inner and outer game of leadership by balancing structure and soul, logic and intuition, discipline and play.

We explore how to communicate across cultures, lead across five generations, and unlock your team’s full potential by combining emotional intelligence with visionary structure. Valerie’s insights on presence, neuroscience, and energetic balance offer a radically refreshing approach to what leadership looks like today.

If you're building high-performing teams in a fast-changing world—this conversation is your blueprint.

Topics & Timestamps:

• (00:15) Intro to Valerie Sandjivy: Global leadership experience + intuitive coaching
• (03:24) Why cross-cultural leadership is a communication superpower
• (07:50) How traveling sharpens leadership presence and awareness
• (10:40) Asking better questions and leading shoulder-to-shoulder
• (13:06) The challenge and opportunity of leading across five generations
• (18:42) What Gen Z wants from work—and how leadership must evolve
• (22:01) Beyond money: Why purpose, authenticity, and creation matter
• (26:17) The mindset shift from survival to innovation and play
• (30:33) Using neuroscience to rewire leadership habits and behavior
• (37:25) Masculine vs. feminine energy in leadership—and how to balance them
• (46:49) The most powerful leadership question you’re not asking

Guest Links:

Valerie Sandjivy's Website: www.ellips.us.com
Includes her free leadership assessment and additional resources.

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.

If you're a growth-minded executive, founder, or team leader looking to build a high-trust, high-performance culture—this episode is for you.

Ken Proctor is an executive coach and former CEO who helps organizations turn middle managers into culture carriers. In this conversation, we unpack how leaders can drive accountability, engagement, and retention not by giving better answers—but by asking better questions.

You’ll learn:

• Why most companies break in the middle—and how to fix it
• The “three-question rule” that will transform how you listen and lead
• How to onboard team members in a way that builds loyalty from day one
• A simple framework for managing up, down, and across your organization

Whether you're coaching a team, scaling a business, or developing leaders—you’ll walk away with practical tools to lead with more curiosity, clarity, and impact.

🔊 Listen now and learn how to lead smarter—not just harder.

Ken's Website: https://kennethproctor.com/

Ken's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/proctorken/

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.

What if your team could recite your mission without looking it up—and actually believe in it?

In this powerful episode, Sean sits down with retired Air Force Squadron Commander and leadership expert Alex Ramos to unpack one of the most underrated tools for building high-performance culture: a six-word mission that lives in your team’s hearts, not just your handbook.

They explore how Alex used this strategy—what he calls a VisMis—to align diverse teams, inspire belief, and create buy-in from the ground up. You’ll learn why simplicity scales, how belief beats compliance, and what it means to lead as the voice of your mission.

Sean and Alex also dive into:

• Why middle managers are the most overwhelmed and under-equipped layer in your org
• The three elements every leader needs to make high-stakes decisions
• How to transform safety, innovation, and morale through culture clarity
• The difference between communicating and connecting with your team
• Why leadership is more than a role—it’s a spiritual journey

If you're ready to create a culture that actually lives your values, this episode is your blueprint.

🎧 Listen now and discover the six words that can transform your leadership—and your team.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Leadership and Background
07:02 The Role of an Aerospace Physiologist
12:11 Challenges Faced by Middle Managers
20:29 Defining Leadership and Its Spiritual Journey
27:24 The Power of Simplicity in Leadership
34:41 The Dark Side of Meaningful Leadership
44:11 Excellence in High-Pressure Environments

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.

In this episode of No Limits Leadership, Sean Patton sits down with Tony Martignetti, bestselling author, leadership advisor, and founder of Inspired Purpose Coaching. With a unique background in biotech, finance, and executive coaching, Tony has helped high-performing leaders redefine success by reconnecting with their deeper purpose.

Together, Sean and Tony dive into the dangers of burnout, how to recognize the early signs of misalignment, and why leaders must make space to think, not just do. They explore how energy—not busyness—is a better compass for growth, and how courage, reflection, and honest conversations are the keys to building a meaningful legacy.

You’ll learn:

• What the “Weekly Spark” is and how it can shift your entire trajectory
• How to lead holistically by seeing your team as full human beings
• Why vulnerability is a superpower—and how it unlocks connection and performance
• What it takes to help high-performing, often neurodiverse technical leaders transition into visionary leadership roles
• How to stop tolerating mediocrity and start building a culture of ownership

Whether you’re climbing the wrong mountain or just need a better view of the summit, this conversation will inspire you to realign, refocus, and rise.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Leadership and Purpose
01:46 Navigating Career Transitions
06:05 Identifying Purpose and Avoiding Burnout
09:59 The Role of Energy in Purpose
13:57 Defining and Aligning Purpose
18:05 Fostering Connection in Leadership
21:58 Leading with Vulnerability and Openness
24:13 Leading vs. Managing: The Key Differences
26:10 Understanding Outlier Leaders
28:01 Navigating Career Transitions
30:18 Adapting Roles to Individual Strengths
33:03 Balancing Professional Success and Personal Fulfillment
36:28 Cultivating Courage in Leadership
41:31 Creating a Legacy of Courage and Confrontation

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.

Talent might get you noticed.
But resilience is what keeps you in the game.

In this episode of No Limits Leadership, I sit down with Ryan Lavarnway—MLB veteran, Olympian, and leadership speaker—to unpack what it really takes to lead, grow, and thrive over the long haul.

Ryan shares stories of being cut 26 times in his pro baseball career, choosing purpose over prestige, and how to lead people based on who they are, not just what they do.

🎯 In this episode, we cover:

• Why resilience is the real X-factor in performance
• How to lead role players and top performers differently
• What great managers do when delivering hard news
• The power of mission, identity, and playing the long game
• Leadership insights from fatherhood and Olympic baseball

🧭 Want weekly leadership insights like this?
Subscribe to the No Limits Leadership newsletter:
👉 https://nolimitsleadership.beehiiv.com/subscribe

🔗 Connect with Ryan Lavarnway:
Website: https://www.ryanlavarnway.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanlavarnway

🎧 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more real conversations on leadership, mindset, and purpose.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Resilience and Leadership
01:51 Mindset: Embracing Failure as a Starting Point
04:08 Identifying Success and the Power of Belief
06:16 Balancing Goals with Present Reality
10:13 The Importance of Process Over Outcome
12:44 Leadership Lessons from High-Performance Environments
21:32 The Need for a Mission
23:31 Understanding Individual Motivations
26:53 The Importance of Team Roles
27:41 Peer Leadership and Authenticity
30:24 Experiences in the Olympics
34:41 Leadership Lessons from Fatherhood
36:01 Choosing Your Tribe
38:37 Defining Success Beyond Sports

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.

“74.9% of people think they’re great listeners. Only 12.8% of people feel truly heard. Someone’s lying—and it might be you.”

That gap is costing you trust, performance, innovation, and talent. In this powerful episode of No Limits Leadership, Sean Patton sits down with global listening expert and author of How to Listen, Oscar Trimboli, to uncover why most leaders are failing at one of the most essential leadership skills: deep listening.

Whether you’re a seasoned executive or a team leader, this conversation will challenge your assumptions, reveal your personal “listening villain,” and show you how to become the kind of leader who inspires loyalty, drives clarity, and unlocks the potential of your people—just by listening better.

🎯 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• (00:49) The Listening Quiz and Sean’s self-discovery as an “interrupting listener”
• (02:24) Why most people overestimate their listening skills
• (04:00) The 4 Listening Villains: Dramatic, Interrupting, Lost, and Shrewd
• (10:00) Simple language cues to better understand how others think
• (17:53) How age, seniority, and background influence listening patterns
• (22:00) Why nonverbal listening matters more than we realize
• (24:45) Why listening is the most overlooked leadership skill
• (25:20) The $1 million mistake a pharmaceutical company made by not listening to a frontline worker
• (31:21) Sean shares a combat story of how not listening nearly led to mission failure
• (33:39) A “purple smoke” moment—how deep listening on a Green Beret team sparked tactical innovation
• (39:13) How technology is changing the way we listen (and how to use it wisely)
• (44:31) How to take the Listening Quiz and get your custom report

🔗 Resources & Links

• Take the Listening Quiz: https://www.listeningquiz.com
• Learn more about Oscar Trimboli: https://www.oscartrimboli.com
• Subscribe to the No Limits Leadership Newsletter: https://nolimitsleadership.beehiiv.com/subscribe

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.