Learning Leadership: In Practice

Episode 9: The Five Fundamentals of Leadership in Practice (#2)

I’m continuing the series on Learning Leadership In Practice, exploring the Five Fundamentals of Becoming an Exemplary Leader from Learning Leadership by James Kouzes and Barry Posner.This episode focuses on the second fundamental: Aspire to Excel.Exemplary leaders don’t drift into excellence; they choose it. Aspiring to excel means raising your personal standard and caring deeply about the mission and the people you serve. In this episode, I reflect on how pursuing my doctorate reshaped my mindset around perseverance and growth, and how aspiring to excel today means continuing to learn long after formal education ends.Kouzes and Posner remind us that excellence is not just about achievement; it’s about aligning with your values and committing to continual growth.As you listen, consider:Am I raising my own standard, or drifting toward comfort?Here are some leadership podcasts I would recommend: * Practical Wisdom for Leaders with Scott Allen * Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast * At the Table with Patrick Lencioni * Rethinking with Adam Grant * Andy Stanley Leadership PodcastThanks for learning alongside of me. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit davidreyes.substack.com

Episode 8: The Five Fundamentals of Leadership In Practice (#1)

I’m excited to kick off a brand-new series on Learning Leadership In Practice.After reflecting on the books I read in 2025 over the first seven episodes, we now turn to what I consider a foundational text for this podcast: Learning Leadership by James Kouzes and Barry Posner.Over the next five episodes, I’ll be walking through the Five Fundamentals of Becoming an Exemplary Leader, not just summarizing them, but exploring what they look like in practice.We begin with the first fundamental: Believe You Can Learn to Lead.Too often, our leadership growth is limited not by opportunity, but by belief. Kouzes and Posner argue that leadership is learnable and that the best leaders are the best learners. In this episode, I share a personal story of stepping into leadership over former peers, wrestling with imposter syndrome, and learning that leadership development is ultimately self-development.If leadership is learnable, then growth is always available.I’d love for you to listen, reflect, and consider:Where might limiting beliefs be holding back your leadership growth?Thanks for learning alongside of me. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit davidreyes.substack.com

Episode 7: Everyday Spaces Shape the Leader You Are Becoming

Some of the most formative leadership lessons I learned in 2025 did not come from leadership books.They came from stories.From reading about the building of Saturday Night Live in Lorne. From understanding the cultural development behind Broadway. From the grit-filled stories of everyday runners in the New York City Marathon in a Race Like No Other. From reflecting on the quiet power of movement in A Philosophy of Walking.None of these books was written as a leadership manual. And yet, each one shaped how I think about leadership.This episode is about that idea.Leadership is building blocks. It rarely starts with a polished blueprint. It begins with a vision, a disorienting moment, or simply a step taken forward when clarity is limited. Over time, those steps form something more substantial than we could see in the moment.In seasons that felt hazy this past year, I had to remind myself that I was still laying blocks. Even if I couldn’t see the full structure forming. Even if the next step felt small. Sometimes the most important work is simply taking the block that is closest to you and placing it well.Stories helped me see that more clearly.They reminded me that environments shape us. That culture is built intentionally. That grit is often quiet. That reflection often happens in motion. And that leadership is formed in everyday spaces long before it is recognized publicly.This episode is an invitation to read differently. To pay attention to value systems in stories. To notice how characters respond to adversity. To observe how systems are built and sustained. To allow even a “fun” book to shape your leadership imagination.If you are navigating a disorienting season, perhaps the next step is not about gaining more clarity for yourself. Perhaps it is about serving someone else. Encouraging someone. Mentoring someone. Showing up faithfully in the space you are already in.Leadership is not paused during transition. It is practiced differently.As always, thank you for learning alongside me.Books Referenced in This Episode* Lorne by Susan Morrison* Broadway by Fran Leadon* A Race Like No Other by Liz Robbins* A Philosophy of Walking by Frédéric Gros This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit davidreyes.substack.com

Episode 6: Leadership Under Pressure, Character, and Decision-Making

This episode sits with a question I found myself returning to again and again in 2025:What does leadership look like when the pressure is real and the noise is loud?This past year, I had the opportunity to participate in the Presidential Leadership Scholars program. It was a formative experience that brought together leaders from across industries, worldviews, and political perspectives to wrestle with how leadership shows up in moments that matter most. Much of my reading during this season centered on presidential leadership, not on policy or accomplishments, but on character.Here is the list of books that I referenced in this episode: 1776 — David McCulloughAnd There Was Light — Jon MeachamDestiny and Power — Jon MeachamCharacter Matters — Jean BeckerMake Your Mark — Mark UpdegroveConfronting the Presidents — Bill O’ReillyWhat stood out to me was how often, under pressure, leadership was less about speaking boldly and more about listening deeply. Less about certainty and more about humility. Time and again, the leaders we studied demonstrated that the strength of a decision was often shaped by the advisors around them, the dialogue they invited, and the values they refused to compromise.This episode reflects on what it means to lead with character when clarity is limited. How authenticity and values set the tone for teams. How leaders can move people forward even when the “why” remains unanswered by anchoring themselves and others in the “what” and the “who.”I also share how the diversity of thought within the PLS community itself became a living example of character-driven leadership. Differences did not divide the group. Shared values, humility, and a willingness to learn from one another created trust, deep relationships, and meaningful dialogue across perspectives.In a world that often rewards volume, speed, and visibility, this episode is an invitation to return to something quieter and more enduring. Leadership rooted in character. Leadership that listens before it speaks. Leadership that understands influence as stewardship rather than spotlight.If you feel discouraged by the current leadership landscape or unsure how to lead well amid pressure and polarization, my hope is that this episode reminds you that character still matters. And that it still has the power to bring people together, shape decisions, and create lasting impact.As always, thanks for learning alongside me. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit davidreyes.substack.com

Episode 5: Strategy, Creativity, and Seeing the Bigger Picture

There are seasons where strategy feels like the last thing you have the energy for.When you are navigating transition, uncertainty, or disorientation, it can feel like everything becomes tactical. What is right in front of you demands attention. Decisions feel heavy. Long-term thinking can feel indulgent or even unrealistic.And yet, this past year reminded me that strategy does not disappear in disorienting seasons. It simply changes form.In Episode 5 of Learning Leadership In Practice, I reflect on how my understanding of strategy evolved in 2025. Less as a rigid plan that gets you from point A to point B, and more as a framework that shapes how you think, how you relate to time and energy, and how you stay open to possibility.A pivotal influence in this episode is the book Range by David Epstein. For the first time, I felt free to name something I had long experienced. That being a generalist in a specialized world is not a liability. It can be a strength.This episode explores what it looks like to trust a non-linear path, to stop apologizing for a resume that does not fit a single mold, and to see strategy as connection rather than control. I reflect on how partnerships, curiosity, and a learning mindset can create momentum even when clarity feels delayed.If you have ever looked at your path and wondered if it makes sense, or felt boxed in by expectations of specialization, my hope is that this conversation gives you permission to zoom out. To see the bigger picture. And to trust that the framework you are building will carry you forward, even when the next step is not fully clear.As always, thank you for learning alongside me.Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn.Subscribe to Learning Leadership, In Practice on Apple Podcasts.Thanks for listening to Learning Leadership, In Practice! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit davidreyes.substack.com