The H2 Leadership Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Only the Hungry Change: From Frustration to Real Transformation, Why willpower isn’t enough, and how hungry leaders actually change their lives. Nov 27, 2025

Show notes

If you feel frustrated, disappointed, or stuck right now, you’re not broken – you’re human. The real question isn’t “What’s wrong with me?” It’s “What needs to change, and how do I actually change it?”

In this solo episode, Alan unpacks a simple but powerful idea: only the hungry change. You can’t force your kids to change, your team to change, or your friends to change. You can barely force yourself to change. But when hunger meets a clear process, transformation becomes possible.

Alan walks through a practical framework he calls the Wheel of Transformation – moving from new awareness, to new actions, to new rhythms. He shares personal stories about getting called out on weak hamstrings, losing steam on his goals, and how small, consistent steps have led to real change over time.

If you’ve ever felt like you’ve tried to fix the same thing a hundred times and you’re still stuck, this episode will give you language, hope, and a concrete path forward.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why frustration and disappointment are usually gaps in expectation, not signs that you’re failing
What it means that “only the hungry change” – and how to honestly assess your own hunger
How new awareness (internal or external feedback) is the first step toward real change
Why information alone is not enough – and what has to come after clarity
How to move from awareness to new actions through courage and small next right steps
Why the real transformation happens when new actions become new rhythms
Where most leaders stumble: trying to change without community, accountability, or a clear process
How coaching, tools, and simple calendars can help you build consistency instead of chasing quick fixes

Key ideas and phrases

“Only the hungry change. Hunger is the currency of change.”
“Information isn’t bad. It’s just not enough.”
“New awareness → new actions → new rhythms.”
“Great leaders aren’t the ones who take one big step; they’re the ones who keep taking their next right step.”

Resources and next steps

Wheel of Transformation Tool
Want a simple visual tool to help you walk through this process? Request the Wheel of Transformation and we’ll send it to you.
→ Visit h2leadership.com and use the contact form to ask for the Wheel of Transformation tool.
Breakthrough Coaching Session
If you feel stuck in one area of life or leadership and need clarity on your next right step, you can request a free 30-minute breakthrough coaching session with our team.
→ Learn more and reach out at www.h2leadership.com.

Culture by Design, Not Default: Building Healthy Teams with Jenni Catron Nov 20, 2025

Show notes

You can have a compelling mission and a sharp strategy, but if your culture is unhealthy or unclear, your team will stay stuck.

In this episode, Alan sits down with culture coach and author Jenni Catron to unpack why culture matters more than we think and how clarity becomes the foundation for trust, engagement, and healthy growth.

Jenni shares her own journey from the music industry into executive church leadership, and the jarring contrast between a life-giving culture and a toxic one. She explains why leaders can’t just “hope” for a great environment – they need a plan to build it with intention.

They talk about the signs your culture is drifting, why people often go quiet long before they quit, how to invite honest feedback without losing your voice as a leader, and why patience and persistence are essential when you start changing long-standing patterns on your team.

If you lead a staff, a volunteer team, or you’re trying to rebuild a culture you inherited, this conversation will give you language, practical steps, and hope.

In this episode you’ll learn:

Why great culture is really about clarity of who you are and how you work together
How the environment leaders create can make or break team engagement
The subtle warning signs your team has stopped believing their voice matters
How to ask for feedback when some decisions aren’t actually up for debate
Why culture change takes 6–12 months of patience and persistence
Simple rhythms (meetings, one-on-ones, shout-outs) that reinforce a healthy culture over time

Healthy and high-impact leadership doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens in cultures that are clear, honest, and aligned around the mission. This episode will help you take your next step in building that kind of environment.

Jenni is the author of several books including Clout: Discover and Unleash Your God-Given Influence and The 4 Dimensions of Extraordinary Leadership. She loves a fabulous cup of tea, great books, learning the game of tennis and hiking with her husband. Jenni can be found on social media at @jennicatron and at www.get4sight.com.

Grab a copy of Culture Matters

For more tools, coaching, and resources to help you become a healthy and high-impact leader, visit www.h2leadership.com.

And if this episode was helpful, please like, rate, review, and subscribe to the H2 Leadership Podcast. Every review helps other leaders discover the show.

Why Success Is More Disorienting Than Failure. Roots, Fruits, and the REAL Cost of Winning Nov 13, 2025

Show notes

Most leaders expect failure to be hard — but no one warns us how disorienting success can be. In today’s episode, Alan Briggs takes us inside a live leadership session and unpacks the real, often hidden challenges that come with growth: fulfillment gaps, maturity barriers, identity drift, disorientation, burnout, and the pressure of everyone wanting a piece of your time.

But this conversation isn’t about fear. It’s about forming the kind of roots that can sustain real fruit.

Alan shares practical insights on:

Why success often feels emptier than we expect
The surprising truth that what got you here won’t get you there
How success multiplies options, noise, and expectations
Why leaders lose honest feedback when they gain influence
The difference between external fruit and internal roots
The identity dreams every healthy leader should define
How to build a life that matches the person you’re becoming
What it takes to grow without losing yourself, your family, or your soul

If you’re leading a team, building a company, or navigating a season of rapid growth, this episode gives you a framework to name what’s happening beneath the surface — and an invitation to design a healthier, more intentional way to live and lead.

Key Takeaways

Success reveals weaknesses success created.
Leaders need pre-made filters to protect their time and energy.
Roots = identity, health, and formation. Fruits = visible impact.
Without strong roots, success will topple you like a pine tree in a storm.
Identity dreams > traditional goals.
Investment always feels like loss before it feels like growth.
Healthy leaders design their lives on purpose — not in reaction.

Resources

Include these in your notes for authority + click-through:

Learn more about H2 Coaching: https://www.h2leadership.com
Get Alan’s book “Anti-Burnout”: https://a.co/d/9Xzn5mJ
Follow the H2 Leadership Podcast: https://www.h2leadershippodcast.com

If this episode resonated, share it with a leader who needs it — and leave a quick rating or review so more leaders can discover the show.

The Art of Asking Better Questions with J.R. Briggs Nov 06, 2025

Show notes

Great leaders don’t just give answers. They ask better questions. J.R. Briggs joins Alan to unpack how curiosity, coaching questions, and practical reflection rhythms build trust, unlock growth, and transform teams.

Episode Summary:
If you’ve ever left a conversation wishing you’d asked a better question, this episode is for you. J.R. Briggs shares the mindsets and mechanics behind powerful questions at work, at home, in faith, and why leaders who cultivate curiosity build healthier, higher-impact teams. We explore obstacles like expertise traps, speed, and “question deserts,” then get tactical with preparation prompts, in-the-moment practices, and post-conversation reflection.

You’ll Learn:
• The difference between clarity questions and connection questions
• Practical coaching prompts: trade-offs, the capital-C Challenge, and “what do you really want?”
• How one courageous question (Darryl Davis) can disarm hostility
• A repeatable rhythm to prepare, participate, and reflect after conversations
• How asking better questions reduces decision fatigue and builds trust

Key Quote:
“Questions are pre-made decisions that make the moment simple.”

Giveaway:
Ask J.R. your question and enter to win his new book. Email h2leadership.com

Email your question: hello@h2leadership.com

The Art of Asking Better Questions

From Intuitive to Intentional: How to Get What’s in Your Head Into the Hands of Your Team Oct 30, 2025

Show notes

Most leaders don’t fail because of a lack of ideas... they fail because those ideas never leave their heads.

In this episode, Alan Briggs helps leaders make the crucial shift from intuitive to intentional, showing how to build systems and filters that multiply impact and prevent burnout. If your team constantly depends on you for decisions, it’s time to get what’s in your head into theirs — so your organization can grow beyond your personal capacity.

Alan unpacks insights from the middle of his book, Anti-Burnout: A Lighter Way to Live and Lead in a Heavy World, and breaks down a practical process that will help you lead more effectively without carrying it all alone.

What You’ll Learn

Why your best ideas and decisions shouldn’t stay in your head
The three essentials for moving from intuitive to intentional: process, courage, and trust
How to clarify your vision, mission, and values so your team can act without hesitation
The four H filters every leader needs (humble, hungry, honest, high-capacity)
How to reduce decision fatigue and build simple, repeatable decision-making filters
Why slowing down, documenting, and delegating is an investment, not a setback
How releasing control can actually expand your influence and create new space for creativity

Key Quote

“Filters are pre-made decisions that make decision-making in the moment simple.”

Resources Mentioned

Book: Anti-Burnout: A Lighter Way to Live and Lead in a Heavy World by Alan Briggs
Learn more about H2 Leadership: www.h2leadership.com
Schedule a Breakthrough Coaching Session: h2leadership.com/#breakthrough

Join the Conversation

If this episode helped you rethink how you lead, leave a review or share it with a leader who’s carrying too much alone.

Follow the H2 Leadership Podcast for more practical, human conversations that help you live and lead Healthy + High Impact.

How High-Impact Leaders Get Unstuck: A 3-Step Framework to take action on the work that matters most Oct 23, 2025

Show notes

Every leader has that project...The one that’s been sitting on your list for months (or years) because you don’t know where to start. In today’s episode, Alan breaks down a simple but powerful 3-step framework to help you get unstuck and finally take action on the work that matters most.

Whether you’re writing a book, launching a new initiative, creating a new offering, or trying to push a big idea across the finish line, this episode gives you a proven path forward rooted in clarity, momentum, and healthy leadership practices.

This teaching comes directly from the H2 coaching process and aligns with the principles in Alan’s book Anti-Burnout: A Lighter Way to Live and Lead in a Heavy World.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Why feeling stuck is not a leadership flaw—it’s a signal
The first mindset shift required to create movement
The exact 3 questions you must ask to break through resistance
How healthy leaders use who and how to move faster—with less stress
A practical way to break down overwhelming projects into actionable next steps

Three Questions to Get You Unstuck

Who can help me?
How can I do this more lightly (not harder)?
What smaller chunks can I break this into?

Resources Mentioned

Anti-Burnout: A Lighter Way to Live and Lead in a Heavy World by Alan Briggs
Coaching with H2 Leadership – Learn more at H2Leadership.com

Subscribe & Review

If this episode helped you get clarity, share it with a leader who needs momentum. Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps more leaders discover tools for health and high impact.

Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Why every leader gets stuck
02:40 – The difference between feeling stuck and being stuck
04:15 – Step 1: Naming the project
05:30 – Question #1: Who can help me?
07:45 – Question #2: How can I do this more lightly?
09:50 – Question #3: Break it into chunks
12:00 – Final leadership challenge & call to action

Legacy in Motion: Lessons from Hobby Lobby’s David Green and Legacy Stone's Bill High Oct 16, 2025

Show notes

Legacy isn’t what you leave—it’s what you set in motion.
In this conversation, David Green (Founder & CEO of Hobby Lobby) and Bill High (CEO of Legacy Stone) share insights from their new book, Legacy Life: Leading Your Family to Make a Difference for Eternity.

Together they unpack how to think beyond success and retirement to build something that outlives you—faith, family, and purpose that multiplies through generations.

What You’ll Learn

What inspired Legacy Life and why legacy is a system, not a season
The key difference between legacy and generosity
Why retirement isn’t the finish line for leaders of faith
How to clarify your identity, calling, and assignment
The practical process to write your family vision, mission, and values
Why storytelling is vital for passing down faith and wisdom
A simple model for repairing conflict and celebrating progress
The mindset of a 100-year leader and how to start now

Episode Chapters

01:06 – The story behind Legacy Life
03:34 – Rethinking retirement: calling never expires
07:36 – Legacy vs. generosity: why generosity is a symptom
10:21 – Inheritance vs. legacy: passing on what truly lasts
12:15 – Creating family vision, mission, and values
17:27 – Setting legacy in motion (not leaving it behind)
22:09 – Simple steps to start your family legacy plan
26:22 – Why storytelling keeps generations connected
29:58 – Repairing the past and celebrating progress
32:26 – The 100-year family mindset
36:20 – Final takeaways: eternal impact through intentional living

Guests

David Green — Founder & CEO, Hobby Lobby
Bill High — CEO, Legacy Stone; co-author of Legacy Life: Leading Your Family to Make a Difference for Eternity

Resources & Links

📘 Legacy Life — [https://a.co/d/1vS943R]
Legacy Stone — https://www.legacystone.com/about
Hobby Lobby — [hobbylobby.com]
Learn more at [h2leadership.com]

If this episode challenged or encouraged you, share it with one person you respect—and take 20 minutes this week to write down your family’s top five values. Legacy begins there.

Realigning Your Life, Leadership & Team Oct 09, 2025

Show notes

Misalignment sneaks up slowly—and it’s expensive. When your life, work, or team drifts out of alignment, you start feeling it: fatigue, frustration, disconnection, and eventually burnout. In this episode, Alan unpacks how to spot misalignment early and realign your wiring, your purpose, and your team before things break down.

You’ll hear:

The story of a coaching client who ignored the “alignment rumble” too long
Why wiring, purpose, and team are the three biggest alignment zones
How to use the Working Genius Assessment to clarify your design
The Drains & Fills exercise to reclaim energy and focus
A simple Pacing Check to make sure your speed matches your team’s capacity
Two reflection questions to realign your work this week

“You will hit potholes. You will need realignment. It’s not if—it’s when.”

Reflection Questions

How can you align your work more closely to your wiring?
What change can you make to align more closely with your team?

Tools Mentioned

www.h2leadership.com for more tools and resources.

Chapters

00:00 – What is an H2 Leader? Health and high impact in harmony
02:15 – The need for new brakes and better alignment
03:30 – What misalignment looks and feels like
05:00 – The story of “Tim”: when wiring, purpose, and team fall out of sync
07:00 – The cost of misalignment in leadership and culture
09:20 – The great disengagement: how misalignment kills engagement
10:00 – Tools for realignment: Working Genius, Drains & Fills, Pacing Check
11:45 – Reflection questions and next steps

Subscribe and follow the H2 Leadership Podcast for more episodes. Share this episode with another leader who might be feeling “out of alignment.”

Goodbye, Stay Forth. Hello H2 Leadership. Oct 02, 2025

Show notes

We said goodbye to Stay Forth—and hello to H2 Leadership.
Same mission, sharper clarity. This episode is our official announcement and a roadmap for where we’re heading: helping leaders become healthy and high impact (H2).

From a beach pop-up studio in Delray Beach, we unpack:

Why the name change (clarity over clever): people loved our work but didn’t always “get” the name.
What H2 Leadership means: health (heart, soul, mind, body, relationships) + sustainable impact.
Energy > time: lead by ROE—Return on Energy, not just calendars and hustle.
The core shift: moving from reactive to proactive leadership.
Priorities → elimination: clarity creates riverbanks; a to-don’t list protects what matters.
Who we serve: business, nonprofit, and ministry leaders—any catalyst who wants to lead well.

You’ll learn

A simple way to audit the 5 domains of health
How to tune tension (like a guitar string) between health and impact
Practical steps to reclaim focus and build momentum with your team
What’s changing (brand, clarity, systems) and what’s not (our mission + coaching)

Chapters
00:00 Welcome & context
01:05 Why we’re rebranding
04:10 What “healthy + high impact” looks like
06:20 The five domains of health
09:20 What’s changing vs. what stays
11:25 ROE: Return on Energy
12:15 From reactive to proactive
13:55 Priorities, riverbanks & elimination
17:40 Who we serve (catalysts)
20:05 What’s next + how to connect

Links

Start here: https://www.h2leadership.com
The H2 Leadership Podcast hub: https://www.h2leadership.com/podcast

Stay connected

YouTube: @H2Leadership
Instagram: @h2leaders
LinkedIn: H2 Leadership

Call to Action
If this helped, follow the show and share it with a leader you care about. Want personal coaching or team support? Tap the link above and let’s begin your H2 journey.

How Grounded Leaders Create Focused, Healthy & High Impact Teams Sep 25, 2025

Show notes

Ineffective leaders create dysfunction around them, but grounded, effective leaders create life, clarity, and vitality. Work is meant to bring dignity and meaning—not constant stress and confusion.

In this episode, Jonathan and Alan unpack why grounded leaders are desperately needed right now and how they shape healthier, more focused, and high-impact teams. You’ll hear:

The difference between being efficient with tasks and being effective with people
Why grounded leaders produce both internal fulfillment and external impact
Practical ways to shift from scattered to grounded leadership
The markers of a healthy, focused team versus a stressed, reactive one
How to stop doing in the name of efficiency and start doing in the name of effectiveness

If you’re feeling the weight of distraction, burnout, or constant urgency, this episode will help you re-center on what matters most and lead in a way that protects both your health and your team’s impact.

👉 Don’t miss the other episodes in this leadership series:

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