TL;DR: What happens when an agency executive is dubbed the "Jiminy Cricket of the DOT"? You get 36 years of absolute integrity, systems-thinking victories, and a masterclass in workforce continuity. Lee Wilkinson strips away the "keynote speaker" polish to give us the raw operational blueprint for building a true learning organization. If you want to know how to protect your team, manage up without losing your soul, and embed continuous knowledge capture into everyday workflows, this is your episode.

Executive leadership polish is fine, but sometimes you just need to talk to a smart coworker who has spent 36 years stabilizing enterprise systems work.

This week, we sit down with former Iowa DOT executive Lee Wilkinson to unpack his concrete "rules of the road" for managing modern public sector workforces. Lee breaks down the critical mechanics of driving systemic changes, explaining why the Iowa DOT tied entire performance evaluations directly to core organizational values. He shares the direct operational logic behind mandating 10 hours of personal development for every single employee, why adult orientation needs to explicitly teach people how to learn, and what it actually means to have your team's back when taking measured operational risks.

It's a conversation packed with boots-on-the-ground builder energy, zero corporate fluff, and real talk on navigating organizational volatility with your moral compass intact. Hit play to learn why a learning organization is the only type of organization that survives.

TL;DR – BK Moody hooks up Space Invaders to defensive driving, revamps TxDOT safety programs, and spends his weekends dodging flying tires on the independent monster truck circuit. It’s a masterclass in high-stakes operations, real-world grit, and down-to-earth leadership.

What happens when your weekday safety instructor spends his Saturdays standing on the dirt floor of a stadium arena while 12,000-pound trucks fly through the air? You get incredible stories, no-nonsense leadership advice, and a completely different look at what it takes to keep people alive on the job.

This week on Between Two Cones, Trish and Amanda sit down with master-level safety instructor and motorsport announcer BK Moody. From a profound Navy aircraft carrier incident in 1994 to the actual metrics behind why TxDOT crews do a 12-exercise routine every morning, BK proves that keeping people safe is about changing habits, not filling out boring paperwork. We talk about the old-school grind of swapping massive stadium tires, using pit-crew backing techniques on public highways, and why a real safety mindset follows you straight home to the kitchen dishwasher.

It’s intelligent, a little feral, and completely unpolished. Perfect for your morning commute or your next warehouse shift. Press play and let's get into it.

"There’s a whole world happening behind the cones, cameras, and gantries we drive under every day."

Most of us treat toll roads like a "set it and forget it" utility. But for Fabiola Bowers, Traffic and Incident Manager at the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA), the highway is a living, breathing system that requires 24/7 tactical management.

In this episode, Fabiola pulls back the curtain on the "invisible" workforce of transportation. From her roots in police telecommunications to managing high-stakes highway incidents, she shares why infrastructure is actually a human-centered business.

In this episode, we dig into:

• The "Boss Level" of Incident Management: Why a smooth commute is actually a feat of constant coordination.

• From Dispatch to Data: How Fabiola’s background in emergency comms shaped her approach to toll operations.

• Leading with Empathy: How her work with Meals on Wheels and The Caring Place informs her perspective on public service.

• Breaking the Industry Silo: Why we need diverse perspectives from programs like Leadership Women America to solve "unsolvable" problems.

Connect with the Show:🌐 Website: between2cones.com