Bred To Lead | With Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs
People aren’t born to lead; they’re bred to lead. Leadership isn’t some inherent quality coded into your DNA—it’s developed, honed, and forged through experiences, challenges, and intentional growth. Being “bred to lead” is about more than just having a title or natural charisma. It’s about embracing the grind, building resilience, and committing to the kind of personal development that molds someone into a true leader. Why “Bred to Lead” Matters More Than Being “Born to Lead”: When people say leaders are born, it implies that leadership is exclusive—something reserved for a select few. But “Bred to Lead” flips that notion on its head. It’s about recognizing that leadership potential is universal, but realizing it requires a process. No one simply wakes up one day as a great leader. Instead, it’s the intentional experiences—mentorship, adversity, education, and practice—that shape someone into a leader worth following. Think of it like this: a person might have natural talent, but talent alone doesn’t make a champion. Champions are bred through relentless training, countless hours of practice, and a mindset built for growth. Leadership is no different. It’s the result of a deliberate process, not a birthright. What It Really Means to Be “Bred to Lead”: Forged Through Adversity: Being “bred” suggests a process of refinement. It’s about going through setbacks, navigating crises, and coming out stronger. Great leaders aren’t the ones who never fail—they’re the ones who learn and evolve from every failure. Built by Purposeful Development: The “bred to lead” philosophy is rooted in the idea of intentional growth. This means placing people in environments that stretch them, giving them responsibilities that push their boundaries, and exposing them to the kind of guidance and mentorship that accelerates their development. Shaped by Experiences: Leaders aren’t made in a classroom or born with a skillset—they’re shaped in the field. Every tough decision, difficult conversation, and unexpected obstacle becomes part of the process that breeds someone into a leader. It’s not about being a “natural”—it’s about being someone who learns through doing. Driven by a Relentless Mindset: “Bred to Lead” also speaks to the mindset. It’s about a commitment to growth—never settling, never getting comfortable, and always striving to be better. It’s the mindset that says, “I wasn’t given this; I earned this.” The Beauty of “Bred to Lead”: The beauty of this concept is that it’s inclusive. It’s not about where you start—it’s about where you’re willing to go. Anyone, regardless of background, upbringing, or natural traits, can be bred to lead if they’re willing to go through the process. It’s a journey of growth that’s accessible to everyone who’s ready to put in the work and embrace the path. By emphasizing “Bred to Lead,” you’re making a powerful statement: leadership isn’t about who you are—it’s about who you’re becoming. It’s about dedication, resilience, and transformation. Being “bred to lead” means you’re shaped by every experience, and you carry the marks of every challenge you’ve faced. You’re not a leader by chance; you’re a leader by design. So, it’s not just that people aren’t born to lead—they don’t have to be. Because the real leaders are those who’ve been bred to rise up, forged in the fires of experience, and refined through continuous growth. And that’s a story that speaks to every aspiring leader, whether they’re just starting out or already on the path. It’s the ultimate equalizer in leadership: no matter where you begin, you can become Bred to Lead. Whether you’re a seasoned executive or a first-time manager, ”Bred to Lead” will help you unlock your full potential as a leader and build a culture of engagement, innovation, and purpose. Join Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs on this transformative journey and discover how putting your people first can lead to game-changing results. Bredtolead.com
Episodes
This episode exposes why hospitals break under pressure: not because of staffing shortages but because systems are built to survive, not scale. Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs walks through how to diagnose a facility’s "shaking point," the signs of survival infrastructure, and why slowing down strategically creates lasting speed.
He outlines a practical playbook—map failures, design for 150% capacity, pilot changes in parallel, standardize ...
In this episode Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs diagnoses a leadership famine in healthcare caused by promoting technical stars into roles they aren’t trained for. He explains the "clinical excellence trap," why clinical skill ≠ leadership capacity, and the systemic issues that keep organizations repeating the mistake.
The episode outlines five essential leadership skills—systems thinking, emotional intelligence, change management, a develo...
In episode 31 of Bread to Lead, Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs exposes the "trauma budget"—how hospitals fund emergency fixes while starving prevention. He explains why crisis spending masks hidden long-term costs, shares real-world examples, and outlines a prevention-focused budget framework that measures ROI, aligns funding with strategy, and builds sustainable systems. Leaders will learn practical steps to shift from firefighting to des...
Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs returns to tackle the leadership and staffing crisis in American hospitals, diagnosing how reliance on temporary staffing erodes culture, budgets, and patient care.
This episode outlines practical design principles—pipeline development, transparent compensation, strategic scheduling, and listening leadership—and challenges leaders to move from short-term fixes to sustainable system redesign.
Want to get acces...
Through the shocking case of Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, where leadership inaction led to preventable deaths, Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs reveals why even the smartest leaders become paralyzed when facing crucial decisions.
You'll discover:
In March 2014, North Adams Regional Hospital shut its doors with just three days' notice, leaving 37,000 residents without healthcare and hundreds jobless. In this gripping episode, Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs breaks down how critical mistakes in the first 90 days of leadership set the stage for a $60 million collapse.
In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs breaks down the shocking collapse of Steward Health Care - one of America's largest private hospital systems. Through this real-time case study of an $8 billion leadership failure, we explore how aggressive expansion and short-term thinking can destroy even the most prom...
Discover why true success isn't about rising to the occasion - it's about being prepared before the moment arrives. In this powerful episode, Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs reveals how to combine mental and physical preparation to create inevitable success.
You'll learn:
✓ Why visualization alone isn't enough
✓ How to build mental and physical practice routines
✓ Cre...
Why do some leaders create massive impact regardless of their title, while others with significant authority struggle to drive real change? In this powerful episode, Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs reveals the truth about building influence that transcends position.
You'll discover...
The growing disconnect between leadership and front-line teams is costing organizations more than they realize. In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs breaks down how leadership isolation develops, its true cost, and actionable strategies to bridge the gap.
Episode 23: Beyond Quick Fixes: The Truth About Transforming Organizations
What if everything you thought about organizational transformation was focused on the wrong things? In this compelling episode, Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs reveals why most transformation efforts fail and what really drives lasting change.
Using Coach Prime's Colorado transformation as a backdrop, Dr. Jake breaks down:
Why culture must come before metrics
The...
Are you still managing when you should be leading?
Discover why even the best managers struggle when stepping into executive roles – and how to avoid this common pitfall.
In this game-changing episode, Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs reveals:
The crucial difference between managing and overseeing day-to-day operations...
Why your greatest strengths as a manager might be your biggest weaknesses as an executi...
Ever wonder why some leaders seem to effortlessly scale their impact while others hit a ceiling? In this game-changing episode, Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs breaks down the four critical phases every leader must master to transform from technical expert to enterprise builder:
- Master Skills: Build the foundati...
🔥 HOT TAKE: "Your star surgeon or top CSP tech might be the worst choice to lead your department."
In this explosive episode of 'Bred to Lead', Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs, COO at SIPS Healthcare Solutions, challenges the status quo and reveals why puttin...
Is your healthcare organization caught in the endless cycle of temp staffing? Are you tired of putting out fires in your ER, Periop, and CSP departments? In this explosive episode of 'Bred to Lead,' Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs, renowned corporate fixer and COO of SIPS Healthcare Solutions, rips apart the band-aid approach to staffing and exposes the hidden costs eating away at your bottom line.
...Welcome back, Bridge Builders, to another hard-hitting episode of "Bread to Lead" with your host, Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs. Today, we're diving into a crucial topic: why faking it never makes it in leadership.
Drawing from his extensive experience as a corporate fixer, Dr. Jacobs exposes the damaging effects of leaders who pad resumes, write empty press releases, and hop from one opportunity to another in a bid to maintain an illusio...
Welcome back, Bridge Builders, to another hard-hitting episode of Bread to Lead. I'm your host, Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs, and today we're diving into the trenches of corporate turnarounds. As a corporate fixer, I'm the person companies call when they're in dire straits. We'll explore the realities of diagnosing problems, making tough decisions, and implementing strategies to turn things around.
In this episode, we peel back the curta...
Welcome back, Bridge Builders, to another enlightening episode of Bread to Lead. I'm your host, Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs, and today we delve into a vital topic for aspiring healthcare leaders: the power of patience in your leadership journey.
Before diving into our main topic, let's reflect on last week's episode on Next Step Leadership. Many listeners shared inspiring stories of implementing these principles in their organizations, ...
Welcome back to Bread to Lead, the podcast dedicated to empowering leaders across the globe, with a special focus on healthcare. I'm your host, Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs, and I'm thrilled to share another inspiring episode with you.
In today's episode, we introduce the concept of "Bridge Builders"—the vital role you play as a leader in connecting departments, ideas, and people to improve healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. We di...
Welcome back to Bread to Lead, the podcast dedicated to empowering you to unleash your leadership potential and make a lasting impact. Hosted by Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs, this episode dives into the critical issue affecting healthcare organizations across the nation: the true cost of neglecting team development and the transformative power of investing in your people.
In this episode, Dr. Jacobs peels back the layers to examine the r...
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