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Intentional Leader with Cal Walters

Intentional Leader with Cal Walters

By: Cal Walters
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Summary

 Let's be honest. The hardest person you will ever have to lead is the person you look at in the mirror everyday. Self-leadership is the most important thing we do as leaders, but it's hard. And it hasn't gotten any easier in a world of smart phone addiction, social media comparison, global pandemics, and information overload (just to name a few obstacles). That's why Intentional Leader exists. We help leaders take the guesswork out of self-leadership, fight a reactionary lifestyle, accelerate their personal growth, and achieve their God-given potential at home, at work, and in their communities. This is why we get out of bed each morning. We love helping leaders on their personal growth journey! Because we know when the leader gets better everyone benefits. Organizations, communities, and families all thrive when the leader is thriving. We are a team of ordinary people with an extraordinary passion for personal growth and helping leaders thrive. Join this community to pursue personal growth and leadership excellence, to inspire others, and make a lasting impact on the world. Life is short, so let's make it count by living an intentional life. On this podcast, Cal Walters — a follower of Jesus, a husband, father, West Point graduate, former Infantry Officer, Army Ranger, combat veteran, lawyer, and Army JAG — passionately explores ways to live intentionally, make each day count, and lead with greater influence and impact. Cal firmly believes leadership matters, and this podcast will help you lead yourself and inspire others. Cal believes we each have a unique contribution to make to the world, and he wants to help you make yours! For show notes, visit https://www.calwalters.me/ Disclaimer: The views expressed on this podcast are those of the author and guests and do not reflect the official policy, position, or endorsement of the US Army JAG Corps, US Army, DoD, or the US Government. Economics Management Management & Leadership Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • 137: Jamie Winship — How Great Leaders Handle Fear, Conflict, and Difficult Conversations

    137: Jamie Winship — How Great Leaders Handle Fear, Conflict, and Difficult Conversations
    May 8 2026
    ➡️ Get my free weekly newsletter (The Intentional Letter): https://courses.calwalters.me/signup Email cal@calwalters.me if you're interested in learning more about the Intentional Leader Lab. Learn more about Jamie Winship and his work: https://www.identityexchange.com/ Get Jamie's new book, The War of Worldviews: https://www.identityexchange.com/books Jamie Winship returns to the Intentional Leader Podcast for a deep and honest conversation about fear, identity, conflict, truth-telling, and what it means to lead from love instead of self-protection. Jamie is a former CIA officer, conflict mediator, speaker, and author of Living Fearless and The War of Worldviews. In this conversation, Jamie shares vulnerably about his own fear of being a disappointment, how leaders often use self-protection and self-promotion to cover insecurity, and why truth-telling is one of the most powerful tools for resolving conflict. We also explore how leaders can help people in conflict, why anger is often connected to fear, and why leaders must model the freedom they want to create in others. Jamie is a Christian, and this conversation includes discussion of faith, prayer, Jesus, and Scripture. Whether or not you come from that faith background, this episode offers powerful insight into what it means to be human, to face fear honestly, and to lead with courage, love, and truth. In this episode, we discuss: Why fear is valuable but should not make decisions for usHow leaders self-protect and self-promote when they feel afraidWhy conflict is usually rooted in fearHow to tell the truth without weaponizing vulnerabilityWhy leaders must do their own inner work firstHow to help people in conflict reconnect as human beingsWhy love, not fear, is the better leadership motiveHow to stay grounded in high-stress situations 00:00 Introduction 01:37 Jamie's core fear: being a disappointment 04:47 How fear shows up in leadership 05:13 The decision to take his family to Iraq 07:33 When leadership decisions go wrong 08:29 Why truth-telling is the path through fear 10:16 Only truth can remove a lie 12:28 What Jamie says to himself when fear rises 12:50 Fear makes simple things complicated 15:13 Tracing fear back to an old wound 17:31 Asking God where He was in the painful moment 19:42 What happens when leaders don't process fear 20:17 Self-protection and self-promotion 21:31 Don't get your identity from the room 22:14 Can leaders be motivated by love instead of fear? 22:38 Every decision comes from fear or love 25:59 Jamie's definition of love 26:05 Serve and protect vs. enforce and control 30:32 How leaders should handle conflict on their team 32:16 Fear is what produces conflict 34:36 Underneath anger is usually fear 36:53 How identity changes conflict resolution 39:23 "I'm not qualified to do that" 40:12 Leaders must model the freedom they want to create 42:36 How two people in conflict can tell the truth 45:02 A CEO chooses humanity over HR process 47:13 Is truth-telling too vulnerable in conflict? 47:46 Truth-telling vs. vulnerability 49:03 A real-world conflict resolution example 53:25 Why present pain usually has a past root 56:25 What to do if you can't remember where the fear started 57:21 Habits for staying calm under pressure 57:49 Keep your brain in your own car 01:00:41 How the future helps us deal with fear 01:01:07 Getting the enemy out from behind you 01:03:34 Cal's biggest takeaways
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • 136: Jordan Montgomery — Why Even High Performers Need Encouragement (and How to Lead with It)

    136: Jordan Montgomery — Why Even High Performers Need Encouragement (and How to Lead with It)
    Apr 24 2026

    ➡️ Get my free weekly newsletter (The Intentional Letter): https://courses.calwalters.me/signup

    Check out Jordan's work: https://www.montgomerycompanies.com/

    00:00 Intro + Why Encouragement Matters (Even for High Performers)

    01:09 Why Everyone Needs Encouragement (No Matter Their Success)

    02:35 What Elite Performers Have in Common (They All Have Coaches)

    04:16 The Paradox of Growth: The More You Learn, The More You Need Help

    06:25 How Jordan Coaches Leaders (2 Powerful Questions)

    07:44 "What Do You Want?" + "Who Are You Really?"

    10:01 Why Most Leaders Struggle with Self-Awareness

    11:47 Identity, Calling, and Becoming an Encourager

    13:27 Jordan's Failure Story (Losing His Career at 27)

    15:53 "You're Not Buried, You're Planted" (Valley Season Lessons)

    17:01 The Power of Self-Encouragement

    19:32 How to Rewire Your Thinking (Speak vs. Listen to Yourself)

    21:32 Practical Self-Talk (What It Actually Looks Like Daily)

    23:27 The Art of Authentic Encouragement

    23:56 Why Specific Encouragement Is More Powerful

    26:59 Final Takeaways + How to Encourage Others Better

    27:42 Practical Leadership Application (Cal's Closing Thoughts)

    What if encouragement isn't just "nice"… but essential for leadership?

    In this episode of the Intentional Leader Podcast, I sit down with Jordan Montgomery, bestselling author of The Art of Encouragement, to unpack:

    • Why even elite performers need encouragement
    • The surprising link between success and coaching
    • How to lead yourself when your mindset is off
    • Why most encouragement feels fake—and how to fix it
    • A simple framework to become a better encourager today

    This conversation is short—but packed with practical wisdom you can apply immediately in your leadership, your family, and your team.
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    29 mins
  • 135: Dr. Jeff Wetzler — Why People Don't Tell You the Truth (and the Questions That Change Everything)

    135: Dr. Jeff Wetzler — Why People Don't Tell You the Truth (and the Questions That Change Everything)
    Mar 5 2026

    ➡️ Get my free weekly newsletter (The Intentional Letter): https://courses.calwalters.me/signup

    Follow Jeff's work: https://www.jeffwetzler.com/

    Dr. Jeff Wetzler, author of Ask, joins Cal Walters to unpack a leadership blind spot: the crucial information your team has… but isn't telling you. Jeff explains the "left-hand column" (what people think and feel but don't say), the four reasons honesty gets filtered, and the ASK Approach—a practical framework for choosing curiosity, building psychological safety, asking better questions, and closing the loop when feedback is hard to act on.

    If you want better decisions, healthier relationships, and fewer surprises, this conversation will give you a playbook.

    Episode Outline / Timestamps

    00:00 The hidden information problem

    00:41 Guest intro + what you'll learn

    01:37 Chris Argyris + the "left-hand column" tool

    08:07 Four reasons people don't tell you the truth

    12:06 Why smart/successful leaders struggle to learn

    13:55 Jeff's near miss: one question that revealed the truth

    15:45 Psychological safety: why curiosity alone isn't enough

    21:35 Reactivity: the biggest predictor of future honesty

    22:18 Responding well to hard feedback

    25:00 The ASK Approach: Choose curiosity

    29:48 Curiosity killers + "When you're furious, get curious"

    32:29 Busy leaders: "Pay now or pay later"

    36:40 Quality questions vs. crummy questions

    40:04 Better questions for feedback and performance reviews

    44:07 Go-to questions for parties and relationships

    47:48 Questions as a gift: helping others gain clarity

    49:55 How to handle feedback you won't follow

    51:08 Reflect & reconnect: sift it, turn it, and close the loop

    53:13 Cal's takeaways and practical challenges

    Practical Challenges to Try This Week

    • Replace: "Do you have feedback for me?"

      With: "What's one thing I could do differently that would make your life easier?"

    • When you feel defensive, ask one question before making a statement.

    • When someone brings hard truth, try:

      "That's hard to hear—and I'm really glad you told me."
    Show More Show Less
    56 mins
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