How are your values showing up in the way you lead and speak?

Summary 

In this episode of Entrepreneurs on Fire, leadership coach Brandon Allen flips the productivity script and explores why slowing down might be the most powerful leadership move you can make.

Rather than rushing into action, Brandon invites leaders to consider: What kind of leader do I want to be—and what’s really worth my energy?

He breaks down the two dominant leadership styles—connectors and taskers—and shares the real challenges each face when they ignore the other side of the leadership coin. This conversation is a bold call to integrate self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and credibility into how we lead—not just what we get done.

Whether you're building a team, shifting your leadership habits, or reevaluating your energy management, this episode offers a grounded, values-based lens for powerful personal growth.

Note: This summary is intended for educational purposes and to promote thoughtful discussion on leadership ethics and organizational culture.

Key Takeaways

1. Slow Down to Speed Up: Rushing into action often leads to burnout or misalignment. Brandon suggests that real progress starts with slowing down, asking better questions, and getting clear on what problem you're really solving.
   
2. Connector vs. Tasker—Know Your Default: You’re likely wired toward connection or productivity. Knowing your default style—and its blind spots—can help you lead with greater balance, clarity, and credibility.
3. Find the Sweet Spot: The most powerful leaders know when to connect and when to execute. Success lies in the middle: when you build relationships and follow through.
   
4. Notice What You Avoid: Are you dodging emotional connection? Avoiding structure and follow-through? Your growth lives in the habits you resist. Leadership starts with awareness, not fixing.
5. Credibility is Your Leadership Currency: Without follow-through, connectors lose influence. Without connection, taskers lose trust. Your ability to balance both builds true credibility.

Where to Listen

• EOFire.com: Listen Here 
• Spotify: Listen Here
• Apple Podcasts: Listen Here

Shared Resources

• Reflection Prompts
  • Noticing Your Default: "Do I tend to lead more through connection or task completion? Where has that served me—and where has it created friction or missed opportunities?"
    • Why this works: Helps you uncover patterns and build a more holistic leadership style.
      
  • Building Your Credibility Currency: "Think of a time I failed to follow through—or failed to connect. What impact did that have on my leadership, and what would I choose to do differently now?"
    • Why this works: Encourages grounded self-reflection that leads to immediate leadership refinement.
• Related Quotes on the Topic:
• "Credibility is your leadership currency. Earn it through connection and follow-through." -Brandon Allen

Additional Resources

• Leadership Workshop: "Resilient Leadership" (Harvard Business School Online)
  • This self-paced course explores how to lead with calm, clarity, and connection in uncertain or high-stress environments. You’ll learn how to strengthen team trust, navigate change with steadiness, and stay grounded in values—no matter the pressure.
    
• Recommended Books:
  • "Leadership, Mentorship and Knowing Yourself with Kristin Shane" (podcast: She Means Business)
  • “The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More, and Change the Way You Lead Forever” by Michael Bungay Stanier
    • A short, punchy read to help leaders stop over-talking and start asking better questions.
  • “The Management Playbook” by Brandon Allen
    • Offers a tactical yet human-centered approach to leadership that bridges the gap between execution and emotional intelligence—perfect for finding your sweet spot between connection and productivity.

Affiliate Links

• Audible Free Trial + “The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever"
• "The Management Playbook"

Using these links may support Powerhouses With Purpose at no additional cost to you.

Invitation to Integrate

Listening is the spark. Integration is the shift.

If you’re ready to stop defaulting to extremes—and start embodying your full leadership capacity—this is your moment.

Step into the Powerhouse Leadership Accelerator—where values meet clarity and credibility becomes second nature.

Feeling unclear about your next steps? Schedule a call with Sam Jump. Together, you’ll map out a personalized plan of action rooted in values, strategy, and bold self-trust.