Evoke Greatness Podcast

When Success Breaks You Open with Josh Kosnick (Pt. 2)

Send us a text🎧 Episode 195: When Success Breaks You Open with Josh Kosnick (Pt. 2)In Part 2 of this deeply reflective conversation, I welcome back leadership coach, speaker, and author Josh Kosnick to explore the bridges most leaders avoid until life forces their hand…legacy, alignment, energy, relationships, and the truth about how we actually want to be remembered.Building on the foundation of identity and faith from Part 1, this episode moves into the present-tense work of leadership. The kind that isn’t about titles, accolades, or someday success…but about the daily choices that either close the gap between who we are and who we’re becoming…or quietly widen it.Together, we unpack what it means to live with intention now, informed by Josh’s work with high-performing leaders and my own lived experience walking alongside people at the very end of life, where unfinished business becomes painfully clear.He offers insights on:• Why legacy is not something you leave behind, but something you leave in others • The two biggest myths leaders believe about legacy…and why both are dangerous • What people truly regret at the end of life…and what they don’t • Why “good” and “great” can become enemies of what’s actually possible • How energy leaks reveal misalignment before burnout ever shows up • Why work-life balance is a myth…and what maximization really looks like • How your calendar tells the truth about your priorities • Simple practices like clarity breaks and gratitude that restore perspective and presence🔑 Key takeaways:Legacy is built daily, not someday Alignment matters more than achievement Energy is an early warning system for misalignment Presence creates more impact than performance alone Living intentionally now prevents regret later💡 Quotes to remember:“Legacy isn’t what you leave behind…it’s what you leave in people.”“Good and great are often the enemies of what’s actually possible.”“If there’s a gap between how you want to be remembered and how you’re living, the work is closing that gap.”If you’ve checked the boxes but still feel an internal tension you can’t quite name… If you want success that feels whole, not hollow… If you’re ready to stop postponing meaning and start living aligned now…This episode will meet you where you are…and call you forward.Part 2 is where legacy becomes present tense and alignment becomes a daily practice.A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!Check out my website: www.evokegreatness.comFollow me on: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonnie-linebarger-899b9a52/ https://www.instagram.com/evoke.greatness/https://www.tiktok.com/@evoke.greatness http://www.youtube.com/@evokegreatness

When Success Breaks You Open with Josh Kosnick (Pt. 1)

Send us a text🎧 Episode 194: When Success Breaks You Open: Josh Kosnick on Identity, Faith, and Rebuilding from the Inside OutWhat happens when everything you’ve worked for disappears… and you’re forced to confront who you are without the title?In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Sonnie Linebarger sits down with leadership coach, speaker, and author Josh Kosnick to unpack the season that changed everything. After building and leading a multi-billion-dollar financial firm, Josh experienced an unexpected and painful exit that dismantled the identity he had built around achievement, ownership, and success.What followed was grief… a loss of identity… and ultimately, a deep internal reckoning that led to the creation of The Kairos Code and his transformational Five Bridges Framework.In this episode, Josh vulnerably shares:What it feels like to lose a business that once defined youWhy grief shows up after both “good” and “bad” exitsThe identity he had to dismantle when success was stripped awayWhy spirituality must come before performanceHow misaligned success leads to burnout, broken relationships, and regretWhy most leaders skip the inner work and rush to external fixesHow faith, identity, and purpose form the foundation for sustainable leadershipThis conversation is for the leader who looks successful on paper but feels restless, tired, or disconnected inside. It’s for the achiever who senses there has to be more than grinding, producing, and providing… and is ready to rebuild from the inside out.✨ If you’ve ever tied your worth to your role… ✨ If you’ve experienced loss, transition, or identity confusion… ✨ If you’re craving success that doesn’t cost you your health, faith, or family…This episode will meet you right where you are.🎧 Part 2 dives deeper into the remaining bridges, relationships, environment, and legacy… so be sure to subscribe and stay tuned.A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!Check out my website: www.evokegreatness.comFollow me on: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonnie-linebarger-899b9a52/ https://www.instagram.com/evoke.greatness/https://www.tiktok.com/@evoke.greatness http://www.youtube.com/@evokegreatness

Where Real Leadership Begins with Laurie Maddalena (Pt. 2)

Send us a text🎧 Episode 193: Where Real Leadership Begins with Laurie Maddalena (Pt. 2)In this powerful continuation of my conversation with leadership expert, executive coach, and author Laurie Maddalena, we move from insight to application. Part Two is where leadership gets practical.Laurie shares how leaders can break free from reactive cycles, lead through uncertainty with confidence, and create sustainable impact without burning themselves out. This episode dives deep into confident coaching, intentional focus, and the leadership behaviors that quietly determine whether teams merely function or truly flourish.She offers insights on:How to create space for constructive conflict without shutting it down Why lack of focus and lack of delegation quietly sabotage leadership effectiveness How leaders can move from reactive to intentional in demanding environments What confident coaching really looks like during uncertainty Why promoting technical skill over leadership readiness keeps organizations stuck🔑 Key takeaways:Constructive conflict strengthens teams when leaders normalize it Intentional focus is a leadership discipline, not a personality trait Delegation is essential to elevate both leaders and teams Coaching requires curiosity more than certainty Great leadership is sustainable when priorities are placed on purpose💡 Quotes to remember: “Leadership becomes unsustainable when everything feels urgent.” “Moving from fixer to facilitator can change your leadership and your life.”If you’re leading a team, a company, or a growing vision and feel pulled into constant reaction, this episode offers practical tools to help you lead with clarity, confidence, and intention.This episode builds directly on Part One and brings the conversation full circle.Connect with Laurie Maddalena: Website: https://www.lauriemaddalena.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriemaddalena/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriemaddalena/A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!Check out my website: www.evokegreatness.comFollow me on: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonnie-linebarger-899b9a52/ https://www.instagram.com/evoke.greatness/https://www.tiktok.com/@evoke.greatness http://www.youtube.com/@evokegreatness

Where Real Leadership Begins with Laurie Maddalena (Pt.1)

Send us a text🎧 Episode 192: Where Real Leadership Begins with Laurie Maddalena (Pt. 1)In this powerful episode of Evoke Greatness, I welcome leadership expert, executive coach, and author Laurie Maddalena. Laurie shares the pivotal moments in her own leadership journey that revealed why traditional leadership models often fall short and where the real work of leadership truly begins. Together, we explore what it means to move from fixing and managing to leading with intention, awareness, and influence.She offers insights on:Recognizing the moment when doing more no longer creates better results Why leaders default to fixing instead of facilitating growth The internal shifts required to elevate leadership effectiveness How intentional leadership begins internally before it ever shows up externally The quiet leadership saboteurs that limit even high-performing leaders🔑 Key takeaways:Leadership evolution begins with self-awareness, not control Fixing problems can unintentionally limit growth in others Intentional leadership requires slowing down to lead more effectively Sustainable influence starts with mindset before skillset Elevated leadership creates space for people to rise, not depend💡 Quotes to remember: “Leadership stops working when we rely solely on performance instead of presence.” “Elevated leadership isn’t about doing more. It’s about becoming more.”If you’ve ever felt successful on paper but stretched, reactive, or disconnected in practice, this episode will meet you where you are and invite you into a deeper way of leading.Part Two goes even deeper into confident coaching, navigating tough conversations, and elevating culture without burning out.Connect with Laurie Maddalena: Website: https://www.lauriemaddalena.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriemaddalena/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriemaddalena/A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!Check out my website: www.evokegreatness.comFollow me on: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonnie-linebarger-899b9a52/ https://www.instagram.com/evoke.greatness/https://www.tiktok.com/@evoke.greatness http://www.youtube.com/@evokegreatness

A Masterclass in Hard Conversations

Send us a text🎧Ep 191: A Masterclass in Hard Conversations & Why Clarity Is KindnessIn this leadership-deepening episode of Evoke Greatness, Sonnie breaks down one of the most avoided and most essential skills in leadership: how to navigate hard conversations with courage, compassion, and clarity.Sonnie shares why avoiding hard conversations doesn’t protect anyone… it actually deepens discomfort and robs people of the chance to grow. She takes listeners through a step-by-step framework for delivering honest feedback, redirecting defensiveness, creating psychological safety, and leading with confidence even when the moment feels uncomfortable. You’ll learn:Why the “feedback sandwich” weakens trust and confuses the messageHow to open tough conversations with honesty and congruenceWhat to do when someone gets defensive, minimizes, blames, or derailsHow to use silence as a powerful leadership toolHow to create psychological safety while keeping accountability highHow to close the conversation in a way that builds trust and clarity🔑 Key takeaways:Avoiding hard conversations deepens discomfort and erodes trustClarity is kindness… and ambiguity is crueltyThe feedback sandwich confuses people and signals fearSilence is a strategic tool that promotes reflection and accountabilitySafety doesn’t mean comfort — it means respectLeaders grow courage by having the conversation, not thinking about itTough conversations done well strengthen teams, trust, and leadership maturity💬 Quotes to remember:“Avoiding hard conversations is actually unkind.”“Clarity is kindness. Ambiguity is cruelty.”“Defensiveness isn’t disrespect — it’s protection.”“Hard conversations don’t get easier… you get stronger.”🚀 If you’re a leader craving clarity, courage, and the ability to have conversations that actually transform performance, this episode gives you the roadmap.Listener Challenge:Think of the one conversation you’ve been avoiding...the one that knots your stomach, the one you keep pushing off. Have that conversation within the next 24 hours.Then go to EvokeGreatness.com → Contact Me → Orange Button and leave a voicemail (anonymous or named). Sonnie wants to hear:What conversation you hadHow it wentWhat shifted afterwardYour courage builds the movement.A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!Check out my website: www.evokegreatness.comFollow me on: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonnie-linebarger-899b9a52/ https://www.instagram.com/evoke.greatness/https://www.tiktok.com/@evoke.greatness http://www.youtube.com/@evokegreatness