Unpacked with Ron Harvey

Ron Harvey explores people-first leadership with advisor and entrepreneur Diana Barbiani, tracing her journey from Croatia to San Diego and the lessons that shaped her approach to business, trust, and community. She shares why relationships—not tools—fuel team performance and customer loyalty, and offers practical guidance for founders: leveraging SBDCs, anticipating business phases, hiring for values, coaching to standards, and bu...

In this episode of Unpacked with Ron Harvey, Ron sits down with Bency Beals, founder of Ignite Leadership Solutions, for an honest and energizing conversation about what it truly means to lead — starting with yourself. Bency breaks down why self-awareness is the foundation of every leadership role, whether you're in corporate America, running your own business, or serving your community.

They dive deep into the entrepreneurship...

We talk with Brad about shifting from command and control to caring, values‑driven leadership that scales through relationships, mentors, and clear expectations. From cloud migrations and crisis drills to vendor turnarounds and weekly check‑ins, the tools are simple and the results are durable.

• career path from Accenture partner to higher‑ed CIO
• relationships and mentoring as the engine of change
• moving from ...

We explore how integrity, empathy, and accountability turn promotions into real leadership. Jim shares his six pillars, the nightly question that keeps him honest, and tactics that earn trust at work and at home.

• moving from contributor to leader without a roadmap
• why integrity is non negotiable and how to live it
• direct truth paired with compassion in feedback
• authoritarian past versus collaborative pr...

We explore why teams stall when they judge new ideas through old failures and how leaders turn resistance into ownership with role clarity, questions, and communication. We share practical ways to scale beyond hero culture, use AI for insight, and lead through ambiguity without losing the team.

• naming the trap of forward-looking through the past
• reframing change vs transition to lower friction
• diagnosing iden...

We explore how leadership is a disposition, not a position, and show practical ways to build trust, empower teams, and use AI without losing judgment. Ash shares tools for developing new leaders, designing inclusive meetings, and growing through small daily risks.

• redefining leadership beyond titles and org charts
• everyday habits for trust through clean agreements
• empowering with curiosity over quick answers<...

We explore how leadership lives beyond titles and why stoic principles like amor fati help convert setbacks into action. Becky shares practical tools to build trust, define integrity, and value process over short-term wins while keeping communication clear and useful.

• Leadership as a lifestyle not a title
• Difference between authority, power and leadership
• Amor fati as action under pressure
• SAFE framewor...

We explore how character and competence turn titles into true leadership, why trust is built on observable behaviors, and how humility accelerates growth across five generations at work. Todd Davis shares practical ways to measure integrity, make feedback safe, and lead for results without clinging to old rules.

• leadership as a choice grounded in character and competence
• four cores of credibility and how to show in...

We explore how AI can shift leaders from reacting to burnout to preventing it, using clear data that makes coaching measurable and culture more humane. Oli Johnson shares a candid burnout story, then breaks down practical tools that help leaders protect performance.

• AI’s impact on preventative health and performance 
• The real cost of burnout to teams and the bottom line 
• Early warning signs leaders often miss...

We explore how modern leaders balance high expectations with genuine care to drive results without losing people. Kory Kogan of FranklinCovey shares practical tools to build, extend, and restore trust, plus how one-on-ones and feedback retain talent.

• generational shifts and development-first expectations
• retention as the new recruitment
• expect a lot, care a lot leadership mindset
• trust as a performance ...

We unpack the illusion of authenticity at work and offer a practical, humane path to showing up as your best self while building a resilient team identity. Elaine shares research, stories, and tools that connect identity, culture, and performance in a world moving fast.

• redefining authenticity as impact-aware presence 
• mapping identities to values and operating principles 
• practicing the pause and asking for ...

We sit down with Lexington Health VP Lara Lotmore to unpack the real work of leadership: presence over perfection, influence over control, and culture over slogans. From mentorship and conflict to AI and talent pipelines, Lara shares practical ways to build trust and keep teams strong.

• choosing organizational leadership for real-world impact
• leading through fatigue with presence and grace
• mentors and sponsors...

We talk with retired superintendent JR Green about turning a “graveyard for superintendents” into a destination district by putting culture, courage, and accountability first. We unpack faith over fear, family support, collaboration over competition, and the difference between authority and leadership.

• JR Green’s path from assistant superintendent to 12-year superintendent tenure
• Why “scared money can’t win” and ho...

What if the core of effective leadership isn’t what you know, but how deeply you care? In this episode, we sit down with Janisha Thomas, Chief Human Resources Officer at The Ritedose Corporation, to explore a practical, people-centered blueprint for leading through growth, maintaining high standards with empathy, and anchoring decisions in values when pressure mounts.

• founding insight that people follow care before knowl...

In this episode, Ron talks with entrepreneur and Vistage chair Jim Bramlett about the mindset shifts modern leaders need—moving from command-and-control to coaching, embracing vulnerability, and leaning on peer support instead of leading alone. Jim shares lessons from seven startups, emphasizing the importance of being coachable, hiring for culture over skill, and listening across generations to build trust and accountability. They...

We explore why values outlast achievements and how to lead under pressure without compromising integrity. Andy Crocker shares lessons from aerospace, the five core values in his book The Unconditionals, and practical ways to grow through failure, mentor well, and adopt AI responsibly.

• defining success as values alignment not outcomes
• integrity in data, decisions and trust
• love at work as respect, kindness and...

We explore how letting go of people pleasing, building systems, and setting boundaries can transform a small aviation business and a leader’s life. James shares how coaching, health habits, and honest standards turned burnout into momentum and growth.

• shifting from technician to leader
• ending people pleasing and setting boundaries
• delegation with solution-first expectations
• installing simple, measurable...

We explore what it takes to build durable businesses across franchises, real estate and investing, and why humility, people and discipline beat ego every time. Marcél Clark shares how sacrifice fuels momentum, how leaders stay accountable and how to build teams that win.

• people first leadership and culture
• startup sacrifice and the myth of balance
• going all in versus part-time mindset
• learning the scien...

We explore what separates real leadership from title-driven management, why connection is the engine of trust, and how fair recognition fuels performance. William Davis shares lessons from four decades in corporate roles, mentorship stories, and a candid blueprint for humane, high-performing teams.

• defining leader vs manager vs boss
• building trust through consistent connection
• rejecting forced rankings and un...