The Dirty Side of Leadership
Where leadership meets entertainment! This weekly podcast disrupts the status quo by discussing hot-button topics that most podcasters are afraid to touch. Ron and Kristin apply their combined 50+ years of real leadership experience and take both a humorous and raw look behind closed doors. Often sharing personal experiences both in the workplace and out, they answer listener questions and breakdown 'dirty lessons' from Ron's best selling book, "The Dirty Side of Leadership".
Episodes
No guest. No deep dives. Just Ron and Kristin in a relaxed, honest Christmas conversation. This special holiday episode blends fun, reflection, and the real “dirty side” of the season—family dynamics, expectations, boundaries, and gratitude.
What We Cover:
Fun and nostalgic Christmas questions
How the holidays reveal personality and stress patterns
The unspoken pressures of family and ex...
Ron and Kristin sit down with award-winning professor and betrayal expert Dr. Merissa Ferrara Elisei to break down one of the most emotionally charged topics: romantic betrayal.
From why people cheat to why it hurts so badly — and why some stay while others walk — Merissa explains the psychology, biology, and communication patterns behind heartbreak. The episode is entertaining, eye-opening, and surprisingly relatable.
...
In this episode, Ron and Kristin dig into a hidden leadership crisis: empathy burnout. When high-EQ leaders become everyone’s emotional outlet, they absorb problems that aren’t theirs — leading to exhaustion, resentment, and emotional overload.
You’ll learn why people emotionally dump on leaders, how empathy becomes codependency, and the practical boundaries every leader needs to stay healthy and effective.
In this special throwback episode, we get a deeper look into the lives of Ron and Kristin.
Co-hosts: Ron Ward and Kristin Sokoloff
Sponsor: 4Ward Operations
Producer: Stephen Ridley
Facebook Group Administrator: Cassy Roop
Where leadership meets entertainment! This weekly podcast takes both a humorous and intense look at leadership through impactful stories, answers to listener questions, and break...
In this episode, Ron and Kristin sit down with Greg Forest, former U.S. Marshal, former Chief U.S. Probation Officer, and now co-founder of Davis Forest Investigations. Greg shares a rare inside look at federal fugitive operations, the realities of high-risk leadership, and what it’s really like transitioning from government service to entrepreneurship.
Key Topics Covered
1. Greg’s Path Through Feder...
Ron and Kristin expose how manipulation operates in everyday workplaces — from charm tactics to control games — and how leaders can spot the warning signs.
Highlights:
- The Dark Triad at work: narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy.
- How confidence can blur into control.
- Creating psychological safety to shut down manipulation.
- The power of self-awareness — knowing your own shadow.
Dirty Lesson:
The most danger...
In this episode, Ron and Kristin expose one of leadership’s oldest power games — loyalty and betrayal. From ancient betrayals like Judas and Caesar to modern corporate sabotage, they reveal how leaders can spot a hidden opportunist before it’s too late. This episode blends psychology, real-world examples, and neuroscience to explain why betrayal usually comes from inside the circle — and how to test loyalty without br...
In this throwback episode, we're going back to episode 7 where Ron and Kristin discuss qualities of great leaders and how you can apply them to your own life.
Co-hosts: Ron Ward and Kristin Sokoloff
Sponsor: 4Ward Operations
Producer: Stephen Ridley
Facebook Group Administrator: Cassy Roop
Where leadership meets entertainment! This weekly podcast takes both a humorous and intense look at leade...
In this episode of The Dirty Side of Leadership, hosts Kristin Sokoloff and Ron Ward explore the tumultuous journey of John Alite — from organized crime enforcer to redemptive leader — and draw powerful parallels between the psychology of crime-leadership and mainstream organizational, corporate, and faith-based leadership.
Key Themes:
- The structure and raw mechanisms of power in the mafia world.
- The psycho...
In Part Two of Leadership & Parenting, Ron and Kristin welcome Troy Robison, a faith-centered leader, husband, and father who serves as Head of Sales at AI Vector, the parent company of today’s sponsor, Kovo Home. Together, they explore how leadership and technology intersect in modern parenting.
From setting healthy digital boundaries to navigating online influences, Troy offers an inside look at how inn...
In this episode of The Dirty Side of Leadership, Ron and Kristin explore how leadership begins at home. From building trust through daily connection to guiding kids toward strength, kindness, and resilience, this episode reframes parenting as the ultimate test of leadership.
They share practical, real-world lessons — including how to model integrity, manage friendships, teach emotional literacy, and help kids fail safe...
In this episode, Kristin and Ron break down two major stories:
- President Trump’s unprecedented call for hundreds of generals and admirals to meet at Quantico.
- The mass exodus of over 100,000 federal employees.
What looks like crisis is really about leadership, accountability, and culture. From the cost of pulling leaders together, to the fallout of raising workplace standards, we explore the dirty side of leader...
In this episode, Ron and Kristin reflect on the life and leadership of Charlie Kirk, Who was assassinated on September 10, 2025. He was the founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA). From his Illinois roots to building one of the nation’s most influential youth organizations, Kirk’s journey offers powerful lessons for leaders in any field.
The conversation explores:
- Starting Young: Courage over credentials.
- Move...
In this episode, we sit down with John Whitt, a chess champion, business strategist, and author of Checkmate!: Translating Ideas Into Money. With over four decades of experience guiding organizations—ranging from large corporations to small businesses—John brings a unique perspective on strategy, clarity, and transformation.
John reveals how the game of chess can be used as a powerful metaphor for leadership and busine...
Welcome back to The Dirty Side of Leadership, where leadership meets entertainment. In this episode, Ron and Kristin tackle one of the hottest topics in leadership today: Gen Z entering—and reshaping—the modern workforce.
From their unique expectations around work-life balance to their comfort with technology, Gen Z is forcing leaders to rethink how organizations recruit, motivate, and retain top talent. But ...
In this episode, Kristin and Ron compare leadership lessons shaped by culture, language, and tradition in two very different regions of the U.S.: the Northwest and the South. From coded phrases like “Bless your heart” to subtle Northwest expressions like “That’s interesting,” listeners will discover how cultural communication styles can either clarify or complicate leadership.
Key Topics Covered
- How region...
Jealousy — it’s the quiet poison of the workplace. From backhanded compliments and gossip to outright sabotage, envy can destroy trust, cripple collaboration, and, in rare cases, even lead to tragedy.
In this episode, Ron and Kristin unpack the psychology of jealousy at work, share personal stories, and examine extreme cases where envy spiraled out of control. More importantly, they explore how leaders can re...
In this episode, co-hosts Ron Ward and Kristin Sokoloff sit down with Tom Blomquist, an award-winning screenwriter, producer, director, and author whose work has shaped some of television’s most iconic shows. From Walker Texas Ranger and The A-Team to Hunter, Farscape, Swamp Thing, and Christy, Tom has had a hand in creating stories that millions of viewers know and love.
Beyond television, Tom has directed music video...
In this eye-opening episode, Ron and Kristin dive deep into the dirty side of self-sabotage by taking the Saboteur Assessment from Positive Intelligence. Get ready for a raw, honest conversation about the inner voices that derail leaders—even the high performers.
From Hyper-Achiever to Avoider, Stickler to Pleaser, these hidden saboteurs shape how we lead, connect, and even how we fail. Kristin and Ron reveal...
In this gripping episode of The Dirty Side of Leadership, co-hosts Ron Ward and Kristin Sokoloff sit down with Discovery Channel’s ultimate survivalist, Jeff Zausch. With more survival days under his belt than any contestant in "Naked and Afraid" history, Jeff shares what it takes to thrive in the world’s harshest environments - and how those same traits apply to real-world leadership, mindset, creativity, a...
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