In this Situational Awareness episode, three seemingly unrelated stories reveal a crucial truth: how you handle what you don't choose reveals your character—and character determines outcomes more than talent or intelligence. Nick and Kim connect Kirk Cousins' graceful response to being benched, the resilience themes in Angel Studios' Sketch , and alarming new research showing declining conscientiousness among younger generations. Key Topics: Why conscientiousness predicts career success better t...
Aug 18, 2025•45 min•Season 3Ep. 10
You're drowning in your own success. Your team comes to you for every decision. You stay late finishing work "only you can do." Sound familiar? In this episode, Nick and Kim Bogardus break down why the best leaders aren't afraid to delegate their most important work—and why your resistance to delegation might be sabotaging your team and your family. You'll discover: The biblical foundation for delegation (Moses, the disciples, and Jesus all did this) Why perfectionism, speed, and control are kil...
Jul 14, 2025•43 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Most Christian professionals have put significant effort into plans but lack compelling vision—and it's costing them clarity, unity, and resilience when circumstances change (and they inevitably do). Key takeaway: The quality of your life and leadership depends on the quality of your relationships—and the quality of your relationships depends on having shared vision for where you're going together. You'll discover: Why confusing goals with vision is a trap that keeps leaders stuck The 3 characte...
Jun 23, 2025•36 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Feedback doesn't have to be painful—when done right, it's one of the most powerful tools for building trust and driving growth. In this episode, Nick and Kim reveal the QBIQ method, a simple framework that makes feedback conversations productive whether you're leading a team or raising confident kids. You'll discover: Why most feedback fails (and the four fatal mistakes to avoid) The QBIQ method for giving feedback that actually works How to receive feedback without getting defensive Real exampl...
Jun 16, 2025•53 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Do you find yourself quickly offering solutions when team members or family members come to you with problems? While this approach may feel helpful, it often robs others of the opportunity to develop their own problem-solving abilities. In the latest episode of Lead Together, Nick and Kim Bogardus explore how coaching skills—typically associated with professional development—can transform your effectiveness in all relationships, from the boardroom to the living room. How you can support us: • Le...
May 05, 2025•55 min•Season 3Ep. 6
In this special episode, Nick and Kim Bogardus break from their usual leadership series to share insights from recent talks they delivered. Nick explores Luke 22, examining how individual responsibility, systemic issues, and spiritual warfare all contribute to organizational failure. Kim unpacks the powerful story of the demon-possessed man in Mark 5, revealing how encounters with Jesus transform us mentally, physically, and within community. Together, they demonstrate that true transformation h...
Apr 15, 2025•27 min•Season 3Ep. 5
In this episode, Nick and Kim Bogardus dive into the leadership skill of "extraction" - the art of drawing out deeper insights through reflection and thoughtful questioning. Whether you're leading a team at work or guiding your family at home, the ability to move beyond surface-level conversations is crucial for growth and alignment. Learn practical ways to create rhythms of reflection, ask better questions, and build feedback loops that transform both your professional and personal life. Discov...
Mar 31, 2025•27 min•Season 3Ep. 4
In this "Situational Awareness" episode of Lead Together, hosts Nick and Kim Bogardus tackle three timely topics that impact how we live and lead: The problem with lumping marriage and cohabitation together in research - and why the distinction matters for societal wellbeing Why "place" matters - exploring how physical locations, communities, and shared experiences shape us through the lens of recent California fires Eight essential readiness checks before giving kids phones - practical guidance...
Feb 17, 2025•35 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Struggling with miscommunications at work or home? Feeling like your team or family members don't feel heard? In this episode of Lead Together, hosts Nick and Kim Bogardus tackle two game-changing communication skills that can transform your relationships and leadership effectiveness: "Deblurring" - Learn how to eliminate costly misunderstandings by turning vague statements into clear expectations Validation - Master the art of making others feel truly heard while maintaining progress toward goa...
Feb 11, 2025•39 min•Season 3Ep. 2
In this kickoff to Season 3 of Lead Together, Nick and Kim explore why the most impactful leadership skills aren't grand strategies or secret formulas, but rather small, fundamental behaviors that can be learned and applied both at work and at home. Drawing from the Leader Lab book and their 17 years of marriage and leadership experience, they unpack two essential skills: curious questioning and playback. These foundational practices help leaders build trust, gain clarity faster, and develop str...
Jan 13, 2025•39 min•Season 3Ep. 1
As the year winds down, how can Christian couples leading at home and work take stock of their year and set a purposeful course for the next? In this episode, we: Discuss real-life challenges and growth moments from our own experiences this year. Share our top end-of-year reflection questions to strengthen your marriage, faith, and leadership. Give you a sneak peek of whats coming in Season 3 Offer practical insights on setting goals for the future. How you can support us: • Leave us a 5-star re...
Nov 25, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Are you applying the right solutions to your leadership challenges? In this episode, Nick and Kim Bogardus break down the crucial difference between technical and adaptive change. Learn how to identify which approach you need in various situations, from streamlining work processes to navigating family dynamics. Discover practical tips for implementing effective change and fostering growth in all areas of your life. Whether you're a busy professional, a parent, or both, this episode will equip yo...
Sep 03, 2024•39 min•Season 2Ep. 11
In this special episode of the Lead Together Podcast, Nick and Kim Bogardus are interviewed by Joe Crabb, outreach pastor at Woodside, for a thought-provoking discussion on the importance of place and transitions in life. Drawing from their personal experiences of moving from Mongolia to Seattle to California to Michigan, they explore how geography, culture, and community shape us and our families. The conversation delves into the theology of place, the challenges of navigating change, and pract...
Aug 05, 2024•52 min•Season 2Ep. 10
In this episode of Lead Together, Nick and Kim discuss seven crucial aspects of effective church leadership often overlooked. From the importance of leadership development and accountability to avoiding burnout and valuing women in ministry, they offer practical wisdom for pastors and church leaders. Whether you're in ministry or simply interested in church dynamics, this episode provides valuable insights on creating healthier, more impactful churches. How you can support us: • Leave us a 5-sta...
Jul 29, 2024•44 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Discover why setting goals isn't enough and learn how to create lasting change through powerful systems and habits. Nick and Kim Bogardus draw on James Clear's work in Atomic Habits to talk about the secrets of habit stacking, breaking bad behaviors, and leveraging accountability for growth. This episode is a must-listen for anyone ready to grow in their leadership and life. How you can support us: • Leave us a 5-star review on iTunes or Spotify • Share this episode with a friend • Send a questi...
Jul 08, 2024•38 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Why have crucial (hard) conversations? • Because your own growth likely involved them. • Because your own failures likely involved not having them. The bottom line is that having crucial conversations builds trust and drives growth. This episode provides a practical framework for approaching impactful conversations with empathy and solutions. Learn steps like stating issues clearly, active listening, proposing ways forward, and following up - skills for transforming challenging talks into cataly...
Jun 03, 2024•26 min•Season 2Ep. 7
In this podcast episode, we delve into the Harvard Business Review article titled "The Role of a Manager Has to Change in 5 Key Ways" . These five key shifts include going from Directive to Instructive, Restrictive to Expansive, Exclusive to Inclusive, Repetitive to Innovative, Problem Solver to Challenger, Employer to Entrepreneur. We apply these lessons to leading teams, strengthen marriages, and parenting. Check out the article here for more insights, and tune in to learn how these shifts can...
May 06, 2024•41 min•Season 2Ep. 6
In this "Leader's Corner" episode, we talk to David Bahnsen about his new book Full Time: work and the meaning of life. David oversees the management of over $5.3 billion in client assets, and prior to launching the Bahnsen Group, he spent eight years as a managing director at Morgan Stanley and six years as a vice president at UBS. He is consistently named one of the top financial advisors in America by Barron's, Forbes, and the Financial Times. He is a frequent guest on CNBC. Bloomberg, Fox Ne...
Apr 15, 2024•47 min•Season 2Ep. 5
On this episode of Lead Together we reflect on work and lessons from the first quarter of the year. Some of the key takeaways from the conversation: Leading by Example : Embrace a leadership style that mirrors Christian values, inspiring excellence and integrity in the workplace. Mentorship and Learning : The importance of seeking guidance and continuous improvement to navigate workplace dynamics effectively. Community Support : Leveraging the strength of community for support and encouragement ...
Apr 06, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 4
In an age where the intersection of faith and politics seems more like a battleground than a meeting ground, Joshua Ryan Butler offers a beacon of hope and clarity. As a pastor, author, and speaker based in Portland, Oregon, Butler is no stranger to the complexities of living out one's faith in a politically charged environment for leaders. His latest book, "The Party Crasher," explores the divisive nature of politics and presents a novel framework for understanding and engaging in the political...
Mar 18, 2024•49 min•Season 2Ep. 3
In this episode we talk about setting clear goals as a vital part of leadership both at home and work. Here is the roadmap: The problems of not setting goals How to write SMARTER goals What are OKRs Thank you for listening! How you can support us: • Leave us a 5-star review on iTunes or Spotify • Share this episode with a friend • Send a question for a future Office Hours episode You can work with us at Relational Leadership ....
Feb 19, 2024•48 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Welcome to Lead Together podcast’s “Office Hours”. This is the part of the show where we answer your questions about Nurturing a Strong Marriage, Faith and Leadership, Parenting in the Modern World, leading with strategic vision, and anything else on your mind. You can submit a question for a future episode at relationalleadership.co/leadtogether Question 1: As you were growing your church plant, how did you go about identifying potential leaders, helping them catch your vision, and training the...
Feb 05, 2024•48 min•Season 2Ep. 1
In this episode of Lead Together we close out 2023 by looking at the best advice we received, our favorite books of the year, what we're dreaming toward in '24, and what we see coming for leadership at work and home. We want to say "Thank you!" for your support by subscribing, listening, sharing, and supporting on Patreon. In our first year we landed in the top 50% of all podcasts on Buzzsprout (our hosting platform), had listeners from 13 countries, our top cities were Los Angeles, Dallas, and ...
Dec 30, 2023•45 min•Season 1Ep. 13
After giving a personal update, in this episode we talk about Vision as a vital part of leadership both at home and work. Using examples from Amazon, Southwest, Charity Water, and our own family, we look at: What Vision is (and is not) Examples of vision statements Tips on how to find yours PS. You can download our free New Years Workbook to help couple get aligned moving into the new year over at relationalleadership.co How you can support us: • Leave us a 5-star review on iTunes or Spotify • S...
Dec 18, 2023•42 min
In this episode we share some big news: we're moving! We thought it would be helpful to be transparent about our process because everyone listening will experience challenge and change at some point. We also wanted to share how we incorporated our family values, purpose, and vision into the decision and have been walking through it as a family. Here's the roadmap: How’d we get here? How are we navigating it? What is ahead? How you can support us: • Leave us a 5-star review on iTunes or Spotify •...
Nov 22, 2023•57 min
On this Leader's Corner episode, we talked to author and speaker Natalie Runion about her ministry and book, Raised to Stay . In this interview we get to dig into her story, the beauty and struggle of following Jesus, in the church, leadership and marriage. Natalie Runion is a pastor’s Kid turned Pastor. She just released her first book where she shares more of her story of the brutal beauty of being raised in the church and 42 years later still here, holding on to Jesus. Natalie has been a wors...
Oct 31, 2023•40 min
On this Leader's Corner episode we talk to Harrison Scott Key about his book How to Stay Married: The Most Insane Love Story Ever Told Harrison Scott Key is the author of How to Stay Married, Congratulations, Who Are You Again?, and The World's Largest Man, winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor. His first TEDx talk went viral among a certain demographic. He holds an M.F.A. in creative nonfiction and a Ph.D. in playwriting and has worked at SCAD for quite literally thousands of years, wh...
Oct 18, 2023•53 min
In this episode we talk about Purpose as a vital part of leadership both at home and work. Using examples from Bosch, Nike, Zappos, and our own family, we look at: What purpose is (and is not) Examples of purpose statements Tips on how to find yours How you can support us: • Leave us a 5-star review on iTunes or Spotify • Share this episode with a friend • Send a question for a future Office Hours episode You can work with us at Relational Leadership ....
Oct 09, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 7
This is our very first Situational Awareness episode. This is where we comment on current events, trends, and articles that we find interesting based around leadership and strategy and relationships. We have three articles to discuss with you on the topics of relationship, motherhood, and marriage. Harvard study on what makes a happy, healthy life. Barna's insights on the state of Motherhood. One leader's take on a new approach to weddings and marriage. How you can support us: • Leave us a 5-sta...
Sep 26, 2023•41 min•Season 1Ep. 7
On this Leader's Corner episode we talk to our friend David Zahl about leadership lessons he's learned in marriage and in building Mockingbird. A few quotable moments from David: (Read all of his points over at the blog ) "Just because something doesn't happen immediately doesn't mean it's not going to happen. Stick with it a little longer than you think you should." "You can get through almost anything if you feel like you've got a partner, someone who's got your back." "The demand is to be eve...
Sep 19, 2023•57 min
