The H2 Leadership Podcast

Summer’s winding down, kids are heading back to school, and your weekly rhythm is about to look very different. In this episode of our H2 Leaders summer series, Jonathan and Alan define what true resilience looks like for a leader—and why it has nothing to do with “toughing it out” and everything to do with maintaining what matters most in your life.

You’ll learn Alan’s 3-C framework for navigating change (Change | Clarity | Communication), plus practical habits to build both proactive steadiness and responsive flexibility so you can lead with confidence through every season.

What You’ll Learn

• What Is Resilience?
  Why it’s not grit or forced optimism, but the ability to maintain your values, boundaries, and priorities when your world shifts.

• The 3-C Framework:

  1. Change is inevitable—embrace that it’s coming.

  2. Clarity lets you decide your next move, even in uncertainty.

  3. Communication (louder and clearer!) keeps your team trusting you through every pivot.

• Proactive vs. Responsive Practices:
  – Proactive: Routines that build your “resilience muscle” (sleep, exercise, Sabbath rhythms).
  – Responsive: Short breaks and mental shifts when the unexpected pops up (a tech failure, a new tariff, a sudden deadline).

• Why Reevaluation Matters:
  How and why you must regularly revisit your goals, metrics and projections as conditions evolve.

• Quick Tips for Staying Grounded:
  – Five daily habits Jonathan and Alan swear by.
  – The “stimulus → pause → response” window you can train for.

Key Takeaways

• Change never knocks—it busts in like the Kool-Aid Man.

• You can’t control every shift—but you can control how you prepare and respond.

• Communicate more (not less!) when things feel most uncertain.

• Clarity of next steps beats false hope: ask “Who can help me?” and “What 2–3 areas do I need to grow?”

• Stop chasing certainty—build your resilience through repeated small wins and honest conversations.

Action Challenge

1. Pause & Reflect: How do you typically respond when change hits?

2. Pick One Practice: Schedule one proactive habit this week (e.g. a 10-minute walk, dedicated Sabbath hour, or quick mindfulness break).

3. Reevaluate: Block off 15 minutes to update your top 3 priorities in light of any recent shifts.

Resources Mentioned

• Right Side Up Journal — Alan’s go-to tool for weekly audits and clarity

• Anti-Burnout — a coaching-powered guide to sustainable leadership

In today’s episode, Alan shares how a rare open Saturday—spent hiking into the Colorado mountains to fly-fish—quickly turned into another to-do list. He realized that our most life-giving pursuits (hobbies) are constantly at risk of becoming tasks we “have to” check off. In this conversation, Alan unpacks why hobbies are essential to flourishing, offers a framework for rediscovering them, and gives practical steps to reclaim joy, creativity, and rest in the midst of our busy “have-to” lives.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why Hobbies Matter: How leisure activities serve as mental rest, spark creativity, and renew passion for work and family.

• Focal Practices: The power of “idle,” present-moment activities that reconnect you to what truly matters.

• Benefits of Hobbies: From distraction of weighty issues to replenishment cycles that boost productivity.

• Rediscovery vs. Discovery: Tips for uncovering the hobbies you loved as a kid—or stumbling on new ones today.

• Practical Steps: How to schedule your first hobby session in two weeks—no guilt, no strings attached.

Key Takeaways:

• Hobbies are “get-to” activities in a “have-to” world.

• Even large organizations credit “white-space” time for breakthroughs.

• Simple focal practices (gardening, evening walks, hammocking) anchor joy and presence.

• Your work, relationships, and well-being depend on carving out hobby time.

Action Challenge:
Block off a 2-hour window in your calendar this week for your rediscovered hobby—whether it’s fly-fishing, woodworking, dancing, or simply sitting in a hammock—and notice how you feel afterward.

Resources Mentioned:

• Anti-Burnout: A Coaching Pathway

• The Sabbatical Journey Field Guide

Have questions or want to share your hobby rediscovery story? Drop us a note at hello@stayforth.com or leave a comment wherever you listen.

Halfway through summer and already feeling the rush of back-to-school and end-of-year deadlines? In this episode of the H₂ Leader Summer Series, Alan Briggs and Jonathan Collier challenge the “grind-only” mentality by uncovering the power of relational leadership over mere transactions. You’ll learn:

• The difference between transactional (BNI-style) and relational (Coharbor-style) approaches

• How a high-trust culture drives better engagement, retention, and results

• The 3 Cs every leader needs—Curiosity, Care, and Consistency—and how to practice them

• Real-world signs your organization is drifting into “just manage” mode

• Reflection questions to help you shift from “What can they do for me?” to “How can I serve them?”

Whether you lead a small team or a global enterprise, you’ll come away equipped to strengthen trust, spark engagement, and multiply your impact—one authentic connection at a time.

Show Notes

1. Welcome & Summer Check-in

   • Mid-summer realities: schools shopping in July, transactional everywhere

   • Why relational leadership matters now

2. Two Networking Models

   • Transactional: “Get leads, hit quotas” (BNI-style)

   • Relational: “Get to know the person first” (Coharbor-style)

3. Why Trust Trumps Transactions

   • As goes the leader, so goes the culture

   • Real-life boardroom example: cold, closed vs. warm, open

4. Signals of Low-Trust vs. High-Trust Cultures

   • Do people feel safe to speak up?

   • Are values just on the wall, or lived daily?

   • Celebration vs. checkbox mentality

5. The 3 Cs of Relational Leadership

   1. Curiosity: Ask what’s really on people’s minds

   2. Care: Show genuine concern for the human, not just the role

   3. Consistency: Do your values and words match your actions—every day

6. Practical Steps to Shift

   • Check your own inbox: person or task?

   • Communicate context + clarity + candor

   • Use “three strikes” principle: when a tool or process fails repeatedly, pick up the phone

7. Reflection Questions

   • How relational is my current leadership?

   • Where am I defaulting to transactions over relationships?

   • Who needs more of my presence (not just my direction)?

Resources & Links

• Anti-Burnout ⇒ https://a.co/d/89z1Vrr

• The Sabbatical Journey ⇒ https://a.co/d/i5dXSLS

How to Subscribe & Review

If you enjoyed this episode, please:

1. Subscribe to “Stay Forth Leadership” on Apple Podcasts

2. Rate & Review—your five stars help others find the show!

3. Share with a friend or colleague who’s ready to lead from relationship, not just transaction

We’re living through a hurricane of distraction—constant pings, endless opportunities, and FOMO-fueled comparison. In Episode 5 of our H2 Leader Summer Series, Alan and Jonathan unpack why today’s leaders feel overwhelmed yet under-productive, and share a simple but counter-intuitive answer: do fewer things—better.

Press play to learn how to develop “healthy tunnel vision” in a scattered world, why prioritization and elimination go hand-in-hand, and how to stay accessible (not available) so you can protect your best work. If you find yourself grasping at tasks like kids in a wind-tunnel booth grabbing dollar bills, this episode will give you a clearer, calmer path forward.

Key Takeaways

We’re halfway through summer—and if you’re like most leaders, you’re both craving a break and wrestling with guilt, unfinished to-dos, and screen addiction. In Episode 6 of our H2 Leader Summer Series, Alan and Jonathan go deep on rest as a strategic, creative, and spiritual practice—not just “doing nothing.” Learn why resting well actually multiplies your impact, how to design your unique rest rhythm, and why trust (in God, yourself, your team) is the secret ingredient.

You’ll discover:

• Why rest requires trust—and how to build it in real time

• The 7 types of rest (creative, sensory, spiritual, and more) that recharge you

• Real stories from their June adventures (Grand Canyon epiphanies, half-day schedules, family trips)

• How to move from negative-one burnout mode to a place of abundance

• The power of “accessible vs. available” boundaries for sustainable rest

Press play, clear your mental clutter, and unlock the productive power of true rest.

Key Topics Covered

• Rest ≠ Inaction: Rest as a powerful, generative action—an investment, not waste

• Trust & Rest: Why letting go (half-day schedules, family getaways) is the first step

• 7 Types of Rest: Creative, sensory, spiritual, and more (from Sacred Rest by Sandra Dalton-Smith)

• Negative-One vs. Abundance: How to tell if you’re operating from a deficit—and how to climb back to zero

• Accessible vs. Available: Setting rest boundaries while remaining dependable

Reflect & Apply

Grab a journal or open your notes app. Spend 10–15 minutes exploring:

1. When was the last time I felt truly rested? (Six months ago? A year? More?)

2. Which form of rest does my mind/body/spirit need most right now? (Creative, sensory, physical, spiritual, social, etc.)

3. What’s my next single step to develop a healthy, repeatable rhythm of rest?

Links & Resources

The Sabbatical Journey Field Guide
→ https://a.co/d/haM9rSR

Right Side Up Journal (Weekly & Quarterly Audit)
→ https://a.co/d/fUaXcFh

Sacred Rest by Dr. Sandra Dalton-Smith (on the 7 Types of Rest)
→ [Search “Sacred Rest Dalton-Smith” on your favorite bookstore]

In this powerful—and at times convicting—fourth episode of our H2 Leader Summer Series, Jonathan and Alan tackle emotional presence in leadership. Far too often we slip into “performance mode,” juggling screens, tasks, and to-do lists at the expense of our families, teams, and even our own well-being.

Discover how a simple weekly audit in the Right Side Up Journal helps Alan pull back from the whirlwind, process his emotions, and plan ahead so he can truly be with the people he leads and loves. You’ll learn why:

• Leadership is about service, not performance.

• Emotional contagion means your mood sets the tone for every room you enter.

• Scheduled margin—micro-pauses, meeting buffers, and Sabbath—keeps you grounded.

• Non-transactional relationships (“friends who aren’t impressed by your title”) are vital.

• Private reflection unlocks public presence.

Press play and prepare to be challenged—but also to find freedom in leading from a place of presence, not pressure.

Key Topics Covered

• Performance vs. Presence: Why striving to “wow” hurts your authenticity

• The 3-Page Weekly Audit:

  1. Look Back: Wins, unfinished business, tough conversations, healthy choices, blessings

  2. Look Within: Emotional check-in—where you performed vs. where you were present

  3. Look Ahead: Intentional planning—block evening margin, “to-don’t” list, relational commitments

• Emotional Contagion: How the most anxious person wields the greatest influence

• Micro-Practices for Presence: 5–10 minute breathing breaks, buffer time between meetings

• Macro-Practices: A true Sabbath—one full day off to reset

Reflect & Apply

Set aside 10–15 minutes and journal through these prompts:

1. Emotional Presence Audit: How present am I, emotionally, with those I lead and love?

2. Avoidance Check: What emotions (fear, grief, frustration, etc.) have I been sidestepping?

3. Next-Right Step: What one boundary or buffer will I schedule this week to protect my presence?

Links & Resources

Right Side Up Journal (Alan’s weekly–and–quarterly personal audit tool)
→ https://a.co/d/fUaXcFh

In Episode 4 of our H2 Leader Summer Series, Alan and Jonathan hit on one of the most liberating leadership truths: “Who you are matters more than what you do.” In a world that obsessively equates titles, achievements, and performance metrics with worth, it’s easy to lose sight of the unshakeable identity and purpose beneath the surface.

Join them as they unpack:

• The difference between your role (what shows up on your org chart) and your identity (your character, values, and calling)

• Why chasing “praise, promotions, and posts” leaves you vulnerable to burnout and emptiness

• How to begin leading from who you are, not just from what you produce

• Practical first steps—daily rhythms, margin, and non­transactional relationships—that reinforce your true identity

If you’ve ever felt like you woke up and realized your career had swallowed your self-worth, this episode is for you. Press play, and start rooting your leadership in purpose, not performance.

Key Topics Covered

• Role vs. Identity: Why a job description can never define your lasting worth

• Performance Traps: How external accolades both feed and betray your soul

• Identity Anchors: The character traits, values, and deep “why” that outlast any project or title

• Practical Shifts:

  • Small daily practices to remind yourself of your true self

  • Building non-transactional friendships who “aren’t impressed” but love you anyway

  • Creating margin (walks, lunches, buffer time) to reconnect with your purpose

Reflect & Apply

Set aside 10–15 minutes with a journal or blank page, and explore these two questions:

1. Who am I becoming as a leader?

2. What core truths do I need to return to regularly?

Don’t rush—let these questions guide you toward leading from your identity, not just from your job description.

Originally released on Johnny Levy’s Workplace Delight podcast, this episode was too good not to share with our Stay Forth audience! Alan Briggs—leadership & sabbatical coach, “mountain guide for the leadership journey,” and co-host of the Stay Forth Leadership Podcast—joins Johnny to explore why intentional sabbaticals are the next frontier in workplace culture.

Whether you’re in HR, the C-suite, or you’ve built a startup from scratch, you’ll learn:

• How a sabbatical can release outdated mindsets and reset your priorities

• Why “get-tos” vs. “have-tos” reignite creativity, trust, and long-term retention

• The Harvard Business Review research proving sabbaticals drive innovation

• Practical “stress-test” pilots to evolve your policy without upheaval

• The two phases every leader experiences after sabbatical: Release & Reset

Press play for a healthy dose of adventure, abundance mindset, and people-first strategy—then return tomorrow for Episode 3 of our H2 Leader Summer Series!

Key Topics Covered

• Defining Sabbatical: From academic “research leave” to genuine life-giving renewal

• Personal Story: Alan’s first 10-week gift sabbatical—what he released & how he reset

• Abundance Mindset: “Get-tos” vs. “Have-tos,” and why rest is a human right

• Business Case: HBR findings, Big Tech sabbaticals, and the real ROI on renewal

• Implementation: Evolving vs. revolutionizing your policy—stress tests, pilots & partnerships

• Outcomes: Release old habits → Reset priorities → Reinvigorate individual & organizational performance

Reflect & Apply

1. Inventory Your “Get-Tos”: What creative or restorative activities have you shelved for “someday”?

2. Identify Roadblocks: Which of Fear, Pride, or Permission is blocking sabbatical at your company?

3. Pilot a Pilot: What small “stress-test” could you run this quarter—for example, extend someone’s vacation by one week?

Links & Resources

Watch the Full Interview on YouTube
https://youtu.be/EfHh61p0hPE?si=J3FHcHJR5wE5Opdp

Workplace Delight Substack (Johnny’s full show notes & takeaways)
https://workplacedelight.substack.com/