Calm and Confident Leader Podcast

Why is this person so difficult to work with?
You've asked it. Every leader has. And the answer probably isn't what you think.
Most of us assume difficult people are just... difficult. Wrong personality. Bad fit. Too much drama. But what if the real problem is that you're trying to fix behavior when the actual issue is motivation? Those are two completely different problems, and they require two completely different solutions.
In this episode, Jason Stonehouse sits down with Joey Schewee, management consultant, executive coach, and longtime Enneagram expert, to talk about what's actually driving the friction on your team. Joey has spent 30 years helping leaders get past surface-level personality typing and into the harder, more useful question: why do people do what they do? Her new book, When Working Together Doesn't Work, is essentially a field manual for leaders who are tired of the same team problems showing up in different people.
In this conversation, Jason and Joey dig into why self-awareness has to come before team awareness, what it means to lead from your dominant center (doing, feeling, or thinking), why those high-action "motor" types rise quickly and sometimes crash hard, and the one practical thing you can do to stop reacting to behavior and start getting curious about motivation.
If you lead people, this one is worth your time.
Connect with Joey Schewee:LinkedIn: Joey ScheweeInstagram: @EnneagramParentsWebsite: wesolutions.life
Get the book: When Working Together Doesn't Work by Joey Schewee, available on Amazon.
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What if the person on your team who frustrates you the most isn’t the problem… but the clue?
In this episode of the Calm and Confident Leader Podcast, host Jason Stonehouse sits down with Dr. James Borishade, author of Connecting Across Differences, to unpack why so many leaders struggle with conflict and communication, and what they might be missing.
Dr. Borishade brings a fascinating perspective shaped by leading in high tension environments, serving as CEO of Circle Urban Ministries, becoming the first African American CEO in the challenge course and zip line industry, and helping organizations rethink how people work together.
Together, Jason and James explore a powerful idea. What if the behaviors that irritate us in others are actually rooted in their story, their experiences, and even their unique design?
In this conversation you’ll discover:
• Why many relational struggles begin with the belief that something is wrong with us
• The difference between God designed uniqueness and emotional immaturity
• How trauma and personal stories shape workplace behavior
• Why the silent tension in a team can be more dangerous than open conflict
• Practical ways leaders can create environments where people feel safe enough to be honest
• A powerful shift from employing people to deploying them into the roles where they thrive
This episode is packed with practical leadership wisdom about navigating differences, asking better questions, and building teams where diverse perspectives actually strengthen the organization instead of tearing it apart.
Links mentioned in this episode
Jason Stonehouse
https://jasonstonehouse.com
Dr. James Borishade
https://borishade.com
Circle Urban Ministries
https://circleurban.org

Book: Connecting Across Differences (available wherever books are sold, including Amazon)
If this episode encouraged you or helped you think about leadership in a new way, share it with a friend or a colleague who could benefit from the conversation. And be sure to subscribe to the Calm and Confident Leader Podcast so you don’t miss any of the great content coming your way.

Have you ever felt like you’re leading… while quietly wondering if you’re lost?
What do you do when you’re not where you used to be, not yet where you thought you’d be, and the map feels a little blurry?
In this episode of The Calm and Confident Leader, Jason Stonehouse sits down with writer, educator, and leadership developer Donna Barber, author of Enough for Today: 40 Reflections for Surviving the Wilderness. Together, they explore the leadership reality we don’t talk about enough, the wilderness seasons.
Not the dramatic collapse.
Not the highlight reel success.
But the in-between.
Donna shares what gets stripped away in the wilderness. The props. The image management. The illusion that leaders are somehow above the earthquake while everyone else feels the tremors. She offers a powerful reminder that leadership does not require superhuman strength. It requires honesty, humility, and the courage to admit we are in it too.
You’ll hear them unpack:
What wilderness seasons reveal about our fears, insecurities, and misplaced hopes

How to face fear instead of letting it quietly run the show

Why perception often fuels fear more than reality

How to rediscover God in ordinary moments, not just big spiritual events

The danger of victim thinking and the freedom that comes from owning your role in change

This conversation moves from fog to responsibility, from fear to agency, and from waiting on change to becoming it.
Because here’s the thing.
You are not just surviving your season.
You are being formed in it.
Hosted by Jason Stonehouse, leadership coach and counselor, with guest Donna Barber, writer, educator, co-founder of The Voices Project, and author of Enough for Today.
Resources mentioned:
voices-project.org
donnambarber.com

jasonstonehouse.com

If this episode resonated with you, share it with another leader who might be navigating their own wilderness. And be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode of The Calm and Confident Leader.

Ever walk into a meeting where everyone’s spiraling, and one calm voice changes everything? What if you could be that person?
In this episode of The Calm and Confident Leader, host Jason Stonehouse sits down with transformational executive coach and founder of Sawubona Leadership, Susan Inouye, to talk about how presence, authenticity, and emotional clarity can become your biggest leadership advantages.
With insights from coaching leaders in over 600 companies, Susan shares:
Why most leaders get change wrong and how to fix it

How to uncover the natural gifts in your team without using a test

The underrated power of observing people with curiosity

How one leadership team doubled profits by simply putting the right people in the right seats

You'll also hear why walking slowly outside might be the secret to becoming a better leader. Really.
To grab a free chapter of Susan’s book, get access to her resources, or book a discovery call, visit:
www.susaninouye.com/CCL
Hosted by Jason Stonehouse, this episode gives you simple, powerful ways to stay grounded while leading through uncertainty.
If you found this helpful, share the episode with a friend and subscribe so you don’t miss the next one.

Ever feel like your whole job is just reacting to other people’s bad decisions with a smile? Like you’re less of a leader and more of a glorified problem sponge?
In this episode, we’re flipping that script.
Host Jason Stonehouse sits down with leadership expert and former British military officer Jimmy Burroughes, who’s led in combat zones and corporate chaos and somehow lived to write a book about it. Together, we unpack how leaders get stuck in the hamster wheel of hyper-responsiveness and more importantly, how to get off without everything catching fire.
This one’s for the leaders who are tired of being everyone's backup plan.
Jason and Jimmy dig deep into why so many leaders spend their days putting out fires instead of moving anything forward and what to do about it. You’ll learn:
Why your constant availability might be the most expensive thing in your organization

How to diagnose whether you’re dealing with a skill, will, or blind spot problem on your team

The simple question that could save you hours of meeting time: “What do you suggest?”

Why doing $20 tasks when you’re paid to solve $500 problems is killing your momentum

Practical ways to cut through the noise, build trust, and lead with clarity even if your team isn’t “there” yet

And yes, we talk about why most people are promoted into leadership roles without ever being taught how to lead. Being the best at the job doesn’t mean you’re the best at leading others doing the job.
This episode will challenge your assumptions, simplify your strategy, and help you get your time, energy, and sanity back.
Links from the episode:
Jimmy’s website: www.jblhighperformance.com

Jimmy’s book: Beat Burnout Ignite Performance

Jason’s leadership tool: www.TotalPackagePlaybook.com

More from Jason: www.JasonStonehouse.com

Listen now. Share with a fellow leader. And make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes.
Because leadership is hard enough. You shouldn’t have to do it alone.