In this compelling episode of The Science of Leadership, Tom Collins sits down with Admiral Jim Loy, former Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, to explore the profound impact of remaining calm and maintaining composure under pressure.

Admiral Loy shares a pivotal, "big screen worthy" story from his early days as a young ensign during a treacherous North Atlantic storm in 1965. He recounts a moment where his Captain, Jack Forrester, calmly corrected a critical error without a word, teaching an invaluable lesson in leadership, responsibility, and the power of composure in crisis. This experience cemented Admiral Loy's lifelong philosophy: Preparation Equals Performance.

The discussion delves into how extensive preparation, through practice and mental envisioning, builds both muscle memory and neural pathways that enable calm and effective performance in high-stakes situations. Admiral Loy further illustrates this by describing his time commanding a patrol boat during the Vietnam War, emphasizing the life-and-death responsibilities that underscored the importance of unwavering composure.

Tom Collins highlights the scientific backing for remaining calm, noting that it:

🔸Instills confidence and trust in those being led.

🔸Enhances rational and wise decision-making.

🔸Reduces team stress and anxiety, leading to better performance.

🔸Helps maintain clarity and a long-term perspective.

🔸Fosters a positive organizational culture.

Admiral Loy shares how he implemented "PEP Awards" (Preparation Equals Performance) to recognize and reinforce this vital behavior throughout the Coast Guard. The episode concludes with a powerful message: leadership is a lifelong learning process , and cultivating a prepared mindset allows leaders to "slice through the fog" when confronted with challenges.

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

References

Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2006). Transformational Leadership (2nd ed.). Psychology Press.

Covey, S. R. (2004). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. Free Press.

Goleman, D. (1998). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Bantam Books.

Goleman, D. (1998). "What Makes a Leader?" Harvard Business Review.

Heifetz, R. A., & Linsky, M. (2002). Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Leading. Harvard Business Review Press.

Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2017). The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations. Jossey-Bass.

Loy, J. M., & Phillips, D. T. (2013). The Architecture of Leadership: Preparation Equals Performance. Naval Institute Press.

McKee, A., Boyatzis, R., & Johnston, F. (2008). Becoming a Resonant Leader: Develop Your Emotional Intelligence, Renew Your Relationships, Sustain Your Effectiveness. Harvard Business Press.

Phillips, D. T., & Loy, J. M. (2003). Character in Action: The U.S. Coast Guard on Leadership. Naval Institute Press.

• Credibility: This goes beyond expertise to include trustworthiness, personality, and conveying confidence without arrogance.
• Framing for Common Ground: Leaders must connect their request or idea to what genuinely matters to the audience, whether it benefits individuals, the team, customers, or society.
• Compelling Arguments: Presenting well-thought-out claims supported by strong evidence, such as data, examples, and personal testimony.
• Connection: Creating an emotional link through a compelling narrative that addresses the audience's values and generates commitment to action.

In this episode of @TheScienceofLeadership , Tom Collins is joined by Dr. Denny Lund, former Chief Medical Officer of Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford and a seasoned pediatric surgeon. They delve into the crucial role of competence in leadership, especially in high-stakes environments where lives, careers, or missions are on the line.

Dr. Lund defines competence as having diverse experience and knowledge pertinent to running an orgaization, emphasizing the necessity of being a lifelong learner. The conversation highlights a common challenge: individuals often rise to leadership positions based on technical competence but lack the necessary leadership competence. Dr. Lund asserts that leadership is a learned behavior, not an intrinsic quality, and requires intentional pursuit of training and learning. He shares his own journey of seeking formal and informal leadership education while balancing a demanding medical career and family life.

Key takeaways from their discussion include:

• The Importance of Reading: Dr. Lund recommends Leadership by James MacGregor Burns and Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman as foundational texts for aspiring leaders.
• Understanding Your Impact: Effective leaders must understand the effect they have on others, a concept central to emotional intelligence.
• Managing High Stakes: The discussion covers how competence is vital in various "high-stakes" situations, not just life-or-death scenarios, from critical team conversations to championship moments.
• Leading by Empowerment: Dr. Lund emphasizes valuing team members and empowering rising leaders, allowing them to confidently perform their roles. He recounts a personal experience of stepping into a CEO role unexpectedly, relying on his learned leadership principles and trusted advisors.
• Avoiding Overconfidence: Both Dr. Lund and Tom Collins warn against the dangers of overconfidence, especially among highly trained professionals, and stress the importance of seeking wise counsel and continually re-evaluating skills. This ties into the Dunning-Kruger effect, where low-competence individuals overestimate their abilities and high-competence individuals underestimate theirs.
• Actionable Steps for Competence: The episode concludes with practical advice for leaders to improve competence, including reading, observing effective leaders, deliberate practice under pressure, developing decision-making frameworks (like the pre-mortem), and maintaining humility and self-awareness. The power of coaching and mentorship is also underscored.

Key References:

Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. Harper and Row.

Collins, R. T., Purington, N. & Roth, S. J. (2022). Physician understanding of and beliefs about leadership. Journal of Healthcare Management, 67(2), 120–136.

Connelly, M. S., Gilbert, J. A., Zaccaro, S. J., Threlfall, K. V., Marks, M. A. & Mumford, M. D. (2000). Exploring the relationship of leadership skills and knowledge to leader performance. The Leadership Quarterly, 11(1), 65–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1048-9843(99)00043-0

Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Bantam Books.

Grant, A. (2021). Think again: The power of knowing what you don’t know. Viking.

Kozminski, A. K., Baczyńska, A. K., Skoczeń, I. & Korzynski, P. (2022). Towards leadership effectiveness: the role of leadership individual competencies and constraints. Introduction of the Bounded Leadership Model. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 43(4), 596–611. https://doi.org/10.1108/lodj-04-2020-0157

Kruger, J. & Dunning, D. (1999). Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One’s Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77(6), 1121–1134. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.77.6.1121

Wisittigars, B. & Siengthai, S. (2019). Crisis leadership competencies: the facility management sector in Thailand. Facilities, 37(13/14), 881–896. https://doi.org/10.1108/f-10-2017-0100

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

In this episode of @TheScienceofLeadership , Tom Collins welcomes Dr. Kate Smith, Senior Associate Dean of Biology Education and Professor of Medical Science at Brown University, to delve into the powerful concept of Radical Candor.

Dr. Smith explains that Radical Candor, as defined by Kim Scott, is about "how to say what you mean without being mean". It requires both caring personally and challenging directly. The conversation explores the pitfalls of leadership communication when Radical Candor is absent, identifying three common traps:

🔸Obnoxious Aggression: Challenging directly without personal care, leading to feelings of attack and disregarded criticism.

🔸Manipulative Insincerity: Offering insincere praise or talking negatively behind someone's back, which creates toxic workplaces.

🔸Ruinous Empathy: Protecting short-term feelings by avoiding direct feedback, often leading to regrettable mistakes and unaddressed poor performance.

Dr. Smith shares a personal anecdote demonstrating the immediate and positive impact of Radical Candor, highlighting its real-time, direct, and empathetic nature. They discuss how setting clear expectations for communication within a team fosters a culture where feedback is received more effectively.

The episode also touches upon the scientific backing for Radical Candor's components, such as transparency fostering psychological safety and collaboration , and empathy leading to higher job satisfaction, innovation, and performance. Dr. Smith emphasizes that Radical Candor isn't just for criticism; it's equally vital for delivering genuine, in-the-moment praise.

Ultimately, the discussion underscores that practicing Radical Candor builds trust, deepens connections, and increases efficiency, contributing not only to better leadership but to a better life overall. Tom and Dr. Smith even introduce the complementary concept of "Radical Curiosity" as a way for leaders to gain deeper understanding before offering feedback.

To learn more about the science of leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

Note: Dr. Smith inadvertently referred to Kim Scott, the author of Radical Candor, as "Kristen Scott" several times during the podcast. She recognized her mistake later and is sorry for that.

References

Bennis, W., Goleman, D. & O’Toole, J. (2008). Transparency: How Leaders Create a Culture of Candor. Jossey-Bass.

Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999

Edmondson, A. C. (2018). The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth. John Wiley & Sons.

Kock, N., Mayfield, M., Mayfield, J., Sexton, S. & Garza, L. M. D. L. (2019). Empathetic Leadership: How Leader Emotional Support and Understanding Influences Follower Performance. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 26(2), 217–236. https://doi.org/10.1177/1548051818806290

Scott, K. (2015). Radical Candor: How to Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity. St. Martin’s Press.

Vich, M. & Kim, M. Y. (2016). Construction and Application of Radical Candor: Efficiency of Criticism at Work. Central European Business Review, 5(4), 11–22.

In this episode of The Science of Leadership, host Tom Collins welcomes Matt Abrahams, a strategic communication lecturer at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, author, and host of the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast. They dive deep into the concept of strategic communication, which Matt defines as the application of clear goals and purpose to our communication, whether handling a crisis or propagating a message throughout an organization.

Key ideas discussed include:

• Communication as Operationalized Leadership: Matt shares that communication is "operationalized leadership," meaning leaders lead through how they communicate.
• The Biggest Mistake in Strategic Communication: A critical mistake leaders often make is not involving communication early enough in their processes, viewing it as an afterthought rather than an integral part of problem-solving or opportunity seizing.
• Audience-Centric Communication: Effective communication is not about what you say, but "what they hear". It's crucial to understand your audience's position, orientation, and values, then tailor your message to ensure they receive the intended meaning.
• Improving Communication Skills: Matt provides practical tips for enhancing strategic communication, emphasizing three essential methods for improvement: repetition, reflection, and feedback.
• The "Must-Have" of Strategic Communication: Beyond understanding your audience, the second most important aspect is having a clear, goal-directed message. A clear goal has three parts:
  • What you want the audience to know (information).
  • How you want them to feel (emotion).
  • What you want them to do (action).
• The Value of Communication Training: Investing in formal communication training is vital for leadership success, a practice exemplified by top military leaders.

To learn more about Matt Abrahams' work, visit his website at https://www.fastersmarter.io/ and check out his podcast, Think Fast, Talk Smart. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn.

If you want to learn more about The Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

References

Abrahams, M. (2016). Speaking Up Without Freaking Out: 50 Techniques for Confident and Compelling Presenting, 3rd ed. Kendall Hunt Publishing.

Abrahams, M. (2023). Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You’re Put on the Spot. Simon Element.

Join Tom Collins on this episode of @TheScienceofLeadership as he welcomes Dr. David Ulrich, a leading authority on leadership and human resource development, and co-founder of the RBL Group.

Dr. Ulrich, author of over 30 books, including The Leadership Code, shares insights into the essential framework for leadership effectiveness, outlining its five key rules: strategy, execution, managing talent, building the future, and personal proficiency.

Discover how these timeless principles, from knowing where you're going and making progress to nurturing your people and investing in the next generation, form the "DNA code" of leadership. Dr. Ulrich and Tom delve into the importance of a leader's aspiration in an uncertain world, and how fostering an environment where individuals feel better about themselves after an interaction is a crucial test of leadership.

They explore the concept of "leadership brand," emphasizing the critical link between internal leadership actions and external customer promises, highlighting that true value creation extends beyond just shareholder returns to encompass all stakeholders.

This episode offers valuable takeaways for anyone seeking to cultivate not just effective leadership, but a truly meaningful life.

Key References:

Carnegie, D. (1948). How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. Simon & Schuster.

Carnegie, D. (1937). How to Win Friends and Influence People. Simon & Schuster.

Ulrich, D., & Smallwood, N. (2007). Leadership Brand: Developing Customer-Focused Leaders to Drive Performance and Build Lasting Value. Harvard Business Review Press.

Ulrich, D., Smallwood, N., & Sweetman, K. (2008). The Leadership Code: Five Rules to Lead By. Harvard Business Press.

Ulrich, D., & Ulrich, W. (2010). The Why of Work. McGraw Hill.

To dive deeper into the science behind exceptional leadership and gain more valuable insights, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/ today!

In this episode of @TheScienceofLeadership , host Tom Collins is joined by Amanda Riegel, founder and CEO of Excelle, to explore the critical role of transparency in leadership.

This intriguing conversation delves into the nuances of transparent leadership and its essential connection to trust and effective decision-making. Amanda shares her journey from education to founding Excelle, a company dedicated to empowering women leaders, and discusses how transparency and predictable processes build trust within organizations.

Throughout the episode, Amanda and Tom reveal key insights into the interaction between transparency and authenticity and its impact on organizational stability. They discuss effective strategies for fostering transparency, such as maintaining open dialogues, encouraging two-way communication, and leading with vulnerability.

Emphasizing the importance of understanding cultural dynamics in leadership, Amanda introduces practical methods for balancing transparency with discretion. Tom and Amanda also unpack the importance of transparency in both normal operations and high-pressure situations, discussing its scientific backing and its integral role in successful leadership models.

Key Takeaways:

🔸Transparency in leadership fosters trust, enhances decision-making, and contributes to team cohesion and organizational stability.

🔸Authenticity and transparency, although interconnected, are distinct concepts that support leaders in aligning personal values with their professional environment.

🔸Understanding cultural dynamics within an organization can guide leaders in maintaining the right balance between transparency and necessary discretion.

🔸Building relationships and knowing your team are crucial in determining when and how to be transparent.

🔸Promoting a transparent and open work environment can boost psychological safety, trust, and innovation among team members.

For more information about Amanda or Excelle, visit: https://www.excelle.me/

References:

Allender, D. B. (2008). Leading With a Limp. WaterBrook.

Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383.

Edmondson, A. C. (2018). The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth. John Wiley & Sons.

In this episode of @TheScienceofLeadership , host Tom Collins explores the profound connection between sleep and leadership with eminent sleep researcher Dr. Phil Gehrman. The conversation delves into how proper rest influences decision-making, innovation, and the overall well-being of leaders. With fascinating anecdotes and empirical studies, this episode reveals what most leaders overlook — the critical role sleep plays in sustaining effective leadership.

Dr. Phil Gehrman unpacks the science of sleep and its underestimated importance in cognitive function, emotional regulation, and leadership skills. Throughout the discussion, Dr. Gehrman challenges the misconception that sleep is a passive state, emphasizing instead that it is a highly active process crucial for mental health and performance.

The episode highlights topics such as the ideal amount of sleep, the distinction between sleep quantity and quality, and the vital importance of rest periods for leaders. By leveraging groundbreaking studies and personal experiences, listeners gain valuable insights into the practical steps necessary for maximizing sleep quality.

Key Takeaways:

🔸Active Sleep Process: Sleep is an active, restorative process, not a passive one — essential for cognitive recovery and long-term memory consolidation.

🔸Individual Sleep Needs: The average adult needs 7-8 hours of sleep, but individual needs may vary; quality of sleep is as crucial as quantity.

🔸Impact on Leadership: Insufficient sleep adversely affects executive functions crucial for leadership, like decision-making and impulse control.

🔸Importance of Consistency: Routine sleep schedules, coupled with intentional rest periods during the day, significantly enhance sleep quality and leadership efficacy.

🔸Sleep Deprivation Study: Lack of sleep contributes to impaired performance over time and hinders an individual's ability to assess their own cognitive degeneration.

Key References:

Bian, W., Biswas, R. K., Ahmadi, M. N., et al. (2025). Dose-response associations of device-measured sleep regularity and duration with incident dementia in 82391 UK adults. BMC Public Health, 25(1), 516.

Carney, C. E., Manber, R., & Bootzin, R. (2009). Quiet your mind and get to sleep: Solutions to insomnia for those with depression, anxiety, or chronic pain. New Harbinger.

Gottesman, R. F., Lutsey, P. L., Benveniste, H., et al. (2024). Impact of sleep disorders and disturbed sleep on brain health: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Stroke, 55(3), e61-e76.

Howard, C., Mukadam, N., Hui, E. K., & Livingston, G. (2024). The effects of sleep duration on the risk of dementia incidence in short and long follow-up studies: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine, 124, 522-530.

Mayer, G., Frohnhofen, H., Jokisch, M., Hermann, D. M., & Gronewold, J. (2024). Associations of sleep disorders with all-cause McI/dementia and different types of dementia: Clinical evidence, potential pathomechanisms, and treatment options: A narrative review. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 18, 1372326.

Olsen, O. K., Pallesen, S., Torsheim, T. & Espevik, R. (2016). The effect of sleep deprivation on leadership behaviour in military officers: an experimental study. Journal of Sleep Research, 25(6), 683–689.

Palpatzis, E., Bass, N., Jones, R., & Mukadam, N. (2022). Longitudinal association of apolipoprotein E and sleep with incident dementia. Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, 18(5), 888-898.

Sen, A., & Tai, X. Y. (2023). Sleep duration and executive function in adults. Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports, 23(11), 801-813.