Lead Well

About Lead Well

Hosted by Brandon Holland the Lead Well podcast is for anyone who wants to be better. From leadership to life, if you want to better yourself this podcast is for you. Brandon also does motivational speaking and leadership training at the college/university level. Look out for The occasional motivational track to spark your fire to be great! More info at www.thecoachholland.com.

Publisher

Brandon Holland

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

26 May 2020

Latest episode

25 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

69 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   25 Sept 2026

   071 w Jude Leonard - Internship, Mapping, AI, Leadership

   Jude Leonard on Local Government, GIS, and Learning to Lead Well Brandon Holland sits down with Jude Leonard, a 21-year-old GIS graduate student who interned with the City of Newton, to talk about what local government looks like behind the scenes. The conversation covers how public processes really work, why communication matters in government and in school, and how technology and AI are changing the way people do map-based work.Jude also shares practical encouragement for students and a leadership lesson about using good questions to help others think differently and grow. Key Topics How Jude’s internship with the City of Newton changed his perspective on local government and community issues What happens during a rezoning process, from application to final decision Why citizens need to report infrastructure problems in their communities The importance of clear, confident communication in planning and public-facing work How updated GIS software can make local government workflows faster and more efficient The differences between ArcMap and ArcGIS How machine learning tools can assist with address-point creation Where useful AI support ends and overuse begins Why human judgment and visual hierarchy still matter in design Encouragement for students and professionals facing difficult seasons How leaders can use thoughtful questions to help others grow Why it is never too late to pursue a new interest or career path Timestamps00:00 Welcome to the Lead Well Podcast and introduction to Jude Leonard 01:16 Jude’s background in geography and GIS graduate study 02:02 How the internship changed Jude’s view of local government 04:01 The importance of communication in planning and public-facing work 06:25 How updated GIS software speeds up local government workflows 07:54 Machine learning tools for address-point creation 09:38 Jude’s perspective on when AI use goes too far 12:54 Visual hierarchy and why AI can miss design fundamentals 14:21 Encouragement for students under pressure 16:46 Leadership lessons from leading classroom discussions 19:18 Why it is never too late to start learning maps or try something new Notable Quotes “Everything’s a process.” “People aren’t dumb. They can tell when a response is AI.” “There’s always tomorrow.” “As a leader, it can be your job to insert that seed into people’s minds to get them thinking, to change, to grow.” About Jude Leonard Jude Leonard is a geography graduate and current master’s student in geographic information science and technology at NC State. After completing an internship with the City of Newton, Jude is continuing to build his career in GIS, mapping, and local government.Listeners interested in maps, GIS, and Jude’s work can search for Jude Leonard on LinkedIn . Resources Mentioned Shackerford Leadership Institute HyperX ArcMap ArcGIS QGIS GRASS GIS

2. 

   4 Sept 2026

   070 w Sylvia Baffour on Street EI, Public Speaking World Championship, Maya Angelou as a mentor

   Sylvia Baffour on Street EI, leadership, and the hidden work behind great communication Brandon Holland sits down with Sylvia Baffour, a globally recognized speaker who has worked with Fortune 500 companies and studied under the influence of Maya Angelou, to explore what she calls Street EI. The conversation centers on emotional intelligence in unscripted, real-world moments and why leaders need more than charm or agreeableness to truly connect.We discuss how self-awareness, curiosity, and cultural humility shape better leadership, speaking, and relationships. Sylvia also shares lessons from her upbringing across eight countries, her experience at the World Championship of Public Speaking, and the unforgettable mentorship moments that shaped her career. Key topics Sylvia explains Street EI as emotional intelligence for the unscripted moments of life, focused on practical behavior rather than theory. She shares the boarding school intervention in Zimbabwe that first showed her how others experienced her, becoming a turning point in her growth. In this episode, Sylvia breaks down the biggest misconception about emotional intelligence - that it means being nice, soft, or agreeable. She reframes emotional intelligence as a human skill that shows up in difficult conversations, accountability, and respectful disagreement. Brandon and Sylvia discuss how living in eight countries and speaking multiple languages taught her that no single worldview is universal. Sylvia shares why she leads with curiosity instead of judgment, because judgment finishes other people’s stories while curiosity opens space for understanding. She offers a practical method for improving self-awareness through reflection, noticing triggers, and asking for anonymous feedback from people in your life. Sylvia tells the story of meeting Maya Angelou while waiting tables in Washington, DC, and how that relationship shaped her confidence and standards. She shares Maya Angelou’s lesson that "easy reading is damn hard writing" and applies it to leadership, speaking, and relationships. Sylvia reflects on the World Championship of Public Speaking and how focusing on presence, preparation, and service mattered more than fixating on winning. Notable quotes "Emotional intelligence for the unscripted moments of your life." "When I lead with judgment, I get to finish your story for you. But when I lead with curiosity, I give you a chance to enlighten me about your world." "Easy reading is damn hard writing."

3. 

   27 Jul 2026

   069 w/ Taylor Lunin and Larry Long Jr

   Today's conversation features Larry Long Jr., one of the nation's leading motivational speakers, sales coaches, and customer experience experts, alongside Taylor Lunin, speaker strategist and co-founder of Business of Speaking. Together, they share practical insights on building a successful speaking business, creating lasting relationships, and turning your message into meaningful impact. Together they've created The Abundant Speaker community and this episode goes in-depth on why community is valuable.Larry Long Jr.🌐 Website: https://larrylongjr.com💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/longjr7📧 Email: larry@larrylongjr.comTaylor Lunin💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-lunin🌐 Learn more about Business of Speaking through her LinkedIn profile and professional network.Listen to More EpisodesIf you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to the Lead Well Podcast for inspiring conversations with leaders, entrepreneurs, authors, and changemakers who are making a difference in their communities and organizations.🎙️ Subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.KeywordsLeadership Podcast • Public Speaking • Professional Speaker • Speaker Business • Sales Leadership • Personal Branding • Business Growth • Motivation • Communication Skills • Executive Leadership • Storytelling • Lead Well Podcast • Larry Long Jr. • Taylor Lunin • Business of Speaking

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.6 / 5

14 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 15 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

9

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

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Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

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