The Learning To Lead Show with Mark J. Cundiff
The Learning To Lead Show with Mark J. Cundiff
Podcast Description
The Learning to Lead Show with Mark J. Cundiff Helping Good Leaders Become Great—One Practical Insight at a TimeYou’re busy. The demands are real. But your desire to grow as a leader hasn’t gone anywhere.That’s why The Learning to Lead Show is designed for leaders like you—driven, growth-minded, and always on the go. Hosted by Executive Leadership Coach Mark J. Cundiff, this podcast delivers practical leadership insights you can use today, not someday.Each week, you’ll get:Short, focused teaching episodes packed with real-world lessons from decades of leadership experience, bestselling books, and proven frameworks.Authentic interviews with front-line leaders who share how they’re navigating challenges, building teams, and leading with purpose, right where they are.Whether you’re commuting, working out, or grabbing a few quiet minutes between meetings, this show helps you invest in your leadership without adding to your already busy schedule.Because great leadership isn’t about having more time—it’s about using the time you have to lead on purpose.This show is for growth-minded professionals who want more than titles and tactics. It’s for those who want to lead with purpose, develop a legacy, and make their future bigger than their past.So whether you're leading a team, a business, or yourself—tune in, take notes, and let’s grow together.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast emphasizes practical leadership insights, with themes revolving around influencing without authority, emotional intelligence, storytelling, and change management. Episodes include discussions on the importance of engaging frontline leaders and the use of frameworks like ADKAR and situational leadership to navigate leadership challenges effectively.
The Learning to Lead Show with Mark J. Cundiff
Helping Good Leaders Become Great—One Practical Insight at a Time
You’re busy. The demands are real. But your desire to grow as a leader hasn’t gone anywhere.
That’s why The Learning to Lead Show is designed for leaders like you—driven, growth-minded, and always on the go. Hosted by Executive Leadership Coach Mark J. Cundiff, this podcast delivers practical leadership insights you can use today, not someday.
Each week, you’ll get:
- Short, focused teaching episodes packed with real-world lessons from decades of leadership experience, bestselling books, and proven frameworks.
- Authentic interviews with front-line leaders who share how they’re navigating challenges, building teams, and leading with purpose, right where they are.
Whether you’re commuting, working out, or grabbing a few quiet minutes between meetings, this show helps you invest in your leadership without adding to your already busy schedule.
Because great leadership isn’t about having more time—it’s about using the time you have to lead on purpose.
This show is for growth-minded professionals who want more than titles and tactics. It’s for those who want to lead with purpose, develop a legacy, and make their future bigger than their past.
So whether you’re leading a team, a business, or yourself—tune in, take notes, and let’s grow together.
What would you change if life suddenly hit pause?
In this episode, I unpack key leadership insights from my conversation with Terry Weaver in Episode #84, ”Is This It?” A Leader's Reflection on Legacy, Time, and Purpose. This isn't really a story about a health scare. It's about choosing your story, living the life you were designed for, and refusing to wait for a crisis to clarify what matters most.
Terry is a strategist, speaker, and coach who helps visionary leaders build a real business, and he's the founder of The Thing, a gathering of entrepreneurs, creators, and change-makers. His path there was anything but traditional. He grew up in a broken home, was told he'd never amount to anything, and found his calling as a teenager, speaking to auditoriums full of kids. He went on to travel the country as a speaker, bringing along musicians who later became household names like MercyMe and Chris Tomlin.
Then last November, while hosting The Thing in Orlando, Terry went into septic shock. By the time he reached the ER, his odds of survival had dropped to roughly 25 percent. He spent almost two weeks in the hospital, and the conference he'd planned for months went on without him, carried by a community that had taken ownership of it.
At the heart of our conversation is one simple, powerful truth:
You can't be a victim and victorious at the same time.
What We Discussed
- Why leaders aren't people who have it all figured out, but people convinced it's possible to figure it out
- Choosing to become a success story instead of a statistic
- Living the life you were designed for rather than the one others designed for you
- The three forces attacking your leadership: fear, scarcity, and victimhood
- Building systems, values, and community that don't depend on you alone
Who This Episode Is For
- Leaders who want to stop letting past circumstances become present excuses
- Leaders who want to get clear on their purpose before a crisis forces the question
- Leaders who want to stop being the linchpin their business can't run without
- Leaders who want to protect their energy for the work and people that matter most
- Leaders who want to lead with generosity, kindness, and encouragement
5 Key Takeaways for Growth-Minded Leaders
1. Choose victorious over victim.
At 18, lying at the bottom of a staircase, Terry decided he could use his past as an excuse or as fuel.
”You can't be a victim and victorious at the same time. It's simply not possible.”
Leadership lesson: What happened to you may not be your fault, but what you do next is your choice.
2. Be the first version of yourself.
Too many leaders follow the path their parents, peers, or heroes laid out for them.
”None of us were born to be next. We're meant to be a first.”
Leadership lesson: Stop copying someone else's life. Your greatest impact comes from leading as you were designed to be.
3. Don't wait for the wake-up call.
Looking back, Terry realized the changes that mattered most needed to happen months, even years, earlier.
”What's happening in our life and our business is the result of what we were doing six, 18, and 24 months ago.”
Leadership lesson: Build the systems, the team, and the clarity now so your mission doesn't depend on you being in the room.
4. Find your North Star.
Terry sees himself as a navigator, helping people find the fixed point that keeps them on course when the waves hit.
”Your core values are what make you say no to money.”
Leadership lesson: Core values are as much about what you refuse to do as what you do. Without them, every wave will toss you around.
5. Make generosity your boundary.
After interviewing leaders like Seth Godin and John Maxwell, Terry noticed the most remarkable ones were also the most accessible.
”To the most remarkable among us, their boundaries are generosity and kindness and investing in other people.”
Leadership lesson: Kindness, community, encouragement, and service aren't rocket science. Because so few people practice them, they will make you stand out.
Reflection Questions
- Where are you still letting your past serve as an excuse instead of fuel?
- What decisions are you making today that will shape your life and business 6, 18, and 24 months from now?
- What would your core values lead you to say no to, even if it meant leaving money on the table?
Listen to the Full Conversation
If you haven't heard it yet, go back and listen to Episode #84: Is This It? A Leader's Reflection on Legacy, Time, and Purpose with Terry Weaver. Terry is a deep, reflective thinker, and the full conversation brings these takeaways to life.
Take the Next Step
📥 Download the LeaderNotesfor this episode. This conversation packs a lot, and the LeaderNotes will help you put it into practice.
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🔎 About LeaderNotes
LeaderNotes is a quick-hit companion to each episode of The Learning to Lead Show. In just 5–10 minutes, Mark Cundiff recaps the top leadership insights, frameworks, and action steps from each interview, designed for busy, growth-minded leaders who want to review and apply the episode’s biggest takeaways on the go. It’s like the highlight reel + playbook—all in one.
Contact Mark at: [email protected]
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