#437: Burn the Blueprint: Carlos Whittaker on Leadership, Grief, and Choosing Light Over Heat

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In this episode of the Follow 2 Lead Podcast, Tony Miltenberger sits down with Carlos Whitaker for a thoughtful and timely conversation about leadership, personal growth, and the ways life experiences—especially grief—shape how we lead. Carlos shares why leadership isn’t reserved for those with titles, but is something every person carries through influence and presence.

Throughout the conversation, Carlos reflects on the evolution of his own leadership journey, including how seasons of loss and reflection have reshaped his priorities, pace, and posture. Together, Tony and Carlos explore what it looks like to lead with steadiness in a world driven by noise, urgency, and reaction—choosing to bring light instead of heat.

The episode also touches on Carlos’s passion for supporting parents, the importance of balancing new hobbies with real-life responsibilities, and why stepping back can sometimes be the most powerful leadership move. Carlos introduces themes from his upcoming book, Burn the Blueprint, which challenges traditional definitions of success and invites leaders to rethink the scripts they’ve been handed.

This conversation is an encouragement for leaders who feel tired of striving, unsure of the next step, or quietly carrying influence without recognition. It’s a reminder that some of the most impactful leadership is steady, reflective, and rooted in authenticity.

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