What if the world has leadership completely backwards?

In this powerful new episode of The Chris Stefanick Show, I sit down with New York Times bestselling author Tommy Spaulding to talk about his book The Heart-Led Leader—and why the path to real success runs through your heart, not your ego.

Tommy's story floored me.

He was a severely dyslexic kid who was openly mocked by his classmates. He graduated at the bottom of his class. His own guidance counselor told him college wasn't for him.

Today, he's one of the most sought-after leadership voices in the country, training CEOs of some of the biggest companies in the world.

How did he get here? One word: love.

Tommy shares jaw-dropping stories in this episode—like the bank CEO who walked out into 100-degree Georgia heat and personally delivered a truckload of seafood so a stranger wouldn't lose his job. That same CEO grew his bank from $220 million to $2.6 billion…by leading with love.

We also talk about the daily practice Tommy calls his "influence audit"—a habit so powerful that I'm going to try it immediately.

And if you're a parent, don't miss the part where he explains why his kids actually want to hang out with him as adults. (Hint: it's not an accident.)

This one's packed with wisdom you can start applying tomorrow morning—whether you're running a company, raising kids, or just trying to be a better human.

HIGHLIGHTS
0:00 – Introduction
2:10 – How childhood wounds—severe dyslexia and the "resource room"—shaped Tommy's heart for leadership
4:20– The moment Ken Blanchard sent Tommy a surprise $25,000 check and changed his life forever
6:10 – "Up with People": the global movement that taught Tommy to love people who aren't like him
12:00 – The $2.6 billion bank story: how a servant leader in Georgia grew a small community bank 12x—with no acquisitions
21:30 – The Influence Audit: Tommy's daily practice of running toward people in pain (a spiritual practice you'll want to start tomorrow)
28:05 – Heart-led leadership isn't soft: how Cheryl Bachelder turned around Popeyes by being tough and full of love
32:44 – "It's not about you": the family values that produced three kids who chose to stay close—and how to build that in your home

Read Tommy's book The Heart-Led Leader: https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Led-Leader-Living-Leading-Organization/dp/055341903X
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