In this episode of The Science of Leadership, host Tom Collins is joined by Dr. Ken Slaw, an organizational leadership expert and Executive Director of the Society for Vascular Surgery. Together, they explore a critical but often overlooked reality: much of an organization's most important work—from translating strategy to driving innovation—happens in the middle.

Dr. Slaw and Tom dismantle the myth that leadership is synonymous with being "at the top." They argue that "leading from the middle" is not secondary leadership, but a unique discipline requiring the ability to influence upward, downward, and across departments without the crutch of ultimate authority. Using the "crucible of innovation" as a metaphor, they discuss why middle leaders are the true "Catalysts in Chief" who turn raw talent into breakthrough results.

Key topics include:

• The Translation Challenge: Why middle leaders are the vital hinge point between grand executive visions and the immediate reality of the front line.
• Authority vs. Leadership: Understanding why position alone does not define a leader and why rising to the top often brings more constraints than control.
• The Crucible of Innovation: Why true ideation and breakthroughs almost always incubate in the center of the organization rather than at the peak.
• The Science of Middle Management: How research in management and implementation science confirms that middle leaders are the primary mechanism through which organizational strategy becomes real.
• Practical Effectiveness: Actionable strategies for middle leaders, including building credibility in all directions, refusing the "toxic" trap of cynicism, and maintaining strategic alignment.
• The Talent Core: Using a "strength up the middle" baseball analogy to explain why loading talent in the middle of an organization is a strategic imperative.

"Leading from the middle isn't leadership with an asterisk—it often requires the greatest legitimate leadership capability because you must influence without ultimate power." Tune in to learn how to master the "nexus" where different worlds collide to create organizational greatness.

Also, I want to remind listeners about the release of my book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

Sharpen your leadership skills: Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app to ensure you don't miss an episode dedicated to helping you become a better leader.

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

References

Birken, S. A., Clary, A. S., Tabriz, A. A., Turner, K., Meza, R., Zizzi, A., Larson, M., Walker, J., Charns, M., & Kemper, E. (2018). Middle managers’ role in implementing evidence-based practices in healthcare: A systematic review. Implementation Science, 13(1), 149. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-018-0843-6

Engle, R. L., Lopez, E. R., Gormley, K. E., Chan, J. A., Charns, M. P., Lucas, J. A., & Sales, A. E. (2017). What roles do middle managers play in implementation of innovative practices? Health Care Management Review, 42(1), 14–27. https://doi.org/10.1097/HMR.0000000000000095

Floyd, S. W., & Wooldridge, B. (1994). Recognizing middle management’s strategic role. Academy of Management Executive, 8(4), 47–57.

Fryer, A. K., Tucker, A. L., Singer, S. J., & Melfi, C. A. (2018). The impact of middle manager affective commitment on perceived implementation success and frontline employee commitment: A survey of nursing innovation implementation in hospitals. Health Care Management Review, 43(4), 291–301. https://doi.org/10.1097/HMR.0000000000000172

Guerrero, E. G., Fenwick, K., & Kong, Y. (2019). Advancing theory on the multilevel role of leadership in the implementation of evidence-based practice. Health Care Management Review, 44(2), 151–161. https://doi.org/10.1097/HMR.0000000000000209

Huy, Q. N. (2011). How middle managers’ group-focus emotions and social identities influence strategy implementation. Strategic Management Journal, 32(13), 1387–1410.

Wooldridge, B., & Floyd, S. W. (1990). The strategy process, middle management involvement, and organizational performance. Strategic Management Journal, 11(3), 231–241.

In this episode of The Science of Leadership, host Tom Collins sits down with retired Army Lieutenant General Doug Gabram, an Apache aviator who commanded troops from the captain level all the way to a three-star general. Together, they explore why trust is the "fuel for all of life" and the foundational ingredient for building championship teams.

Doug shares deeply personal stories from the battlefield in Iraq and Afghanistan, illustrating the life-and-death difference between implied trust—based on rank and title—and earned trust, which is forged through shared sacrifice and repetition. From the poignant "Bearcat 6" story to the critical decision to trust an international partner in a dangerous city, this conversation provides a raw look at how trust is built, tested, and remembered.

Key topics include:

• Implied vs. Earned Trust: Understanding the transition from trusting a position to trusting the person behind it.
• The "Audio and Video" Match: Why a leader’s actions must align with their words to maintain reliability.
• Distrust as a Force: How the absence of trust isn't neutral, but a driving force that actively erodes relationships and team performance.
• The Four Cs of Trust: How Character, Competence, Caring, and Communication serve as the pillars of reliable leadership.
• The Science of Perception: A look at the Mayer, Davis, and Schoorman model, which identifies Ability, Benevolence, and Integrity as the three keys to being trusted.
• Practical Trust-Building: Five concrete steps leaders can take today to foster a culture of reliability and honesty.

"Do the right thing, the right way, for the right reason—even when it costs you." Tune in to learn how to move your team from "good" to "great" by mastering the most important ingredient in leadership.

Also, I want to remind listeners about the release of my book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

Sharpen your leadership skills: Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app to ensure you don't miss an episode dedicated to helping you become a better leader.

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

References

• Boies, K., Fiset, J., & Gill, H. (2015). Communication and trust are key: Unlocking the relationship between leadership and team performance and creativity. The Leadership Quarterly, 26(6), 1080–1094.
• Cloud, H. (2023). Trust: Knowing when to give it, when to withhold it, how to earn it, and how to fix it when it gets broken in life and business. Worthy Books.
• Collins, T. (2025). The four stars of leadership: Scientifically-derived principles from America’s highest-ranking leaders. Four Star Leaders
• Covey, S.M.R. (2008). The speed of trust: The one thing that changes everything. Free Press.
• Dirks, K. T., & Ferrin, D. L. (2002). Trust in leadership: Meta-analytic findings and implications for research and practice. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(4), 611–628.
• Mayer, R. C., Davis, J. H., & Schoorman, F. D. (1995). An integrative model of organizational trust. Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 709–734.

In this episode of The Science of Leadership, host Tom Collins and co-host Justin Hamrick dismantle the myth that relationship-building is a "soft" or optional skill in professional environments.

They argue that leadership is fundamentally relational, and while authority can be granted by a title, true influence is earned through the "space between people."

The discussion explores the intentional effort required to build human connections that act as "self-healing concrete" during times of organizational stress. From the survival story of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance expedition to modern scientific theories like Leader-Member Exchange (LMX), this episode provides a roadmap for leaders who want to move beyond transactional management and toward true collective greatness.

Key topics include:

• Intentionality Over Accident: Why relationships must be built with the same planning and effort as a civil engineering structure.
• The "Extra" Factor: Why team members only provide discretionary effort when they feel known, valued, and cared for by their leader.
• The Math of Leadership: How building strong relationships allows a leader to access a wider distribution of capability, perspective, and energy.
• High-Quality Connections: The science behind how even brief, positive relational moments can improve team cooperation, learning, and resilience.
• Humility and the Difficult Person: Strategies for connecting with challenging team members by recognizing their intrinsic human value.
• The Relationship Bank: Why strong leaders make emotional deposits long before they need to make "withdrawals" during a crisis.

"You may get their job out of them, but you’ll never get the 'extra' without a relationship." Tune in to learn five practical steps you can take tomorrow to strengthen your team’s relational foundation.

Also, I want to remind listeners about the release of my book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

Sharpen your leadership skills: Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app to ensure you don't miss an episode dedicated to helping you become a better leader.

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

References

Dutton, J. E., & Heaphy, E. D. (2003). The power of high-quality connections. In K. S. Cameron, J. E. Dutton, & R. E. Quinn (Eds.), Positive organizational scholarship (pp. 263–278). Berrett-Koehler.

Lansing, A. (2014). Endurance: Shackleton’s incredible voyage. Basic Books.

Martin, R., Guillaume, Y., Thomas, G., Lee, A., & Epitropaki, O. (2016). Leader-member exchange (LMX) and performance: A meta-analytic review. Personnel Psychology, 69(1), 67–121. https://doi.org/10.1111/peps.12100

Ng, T. W. H., & Sorensen, K. L. (2008). Toward a further understanding of the relationships between perceptions of support and work attitudes: A meta-analysis. Group & Organization Management, 33(3), 243–268. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601107313307

Stephens, J. P., Heaphy, E., & Dutton, J. E. (2011). High-quality connections. Center for Positive Organizations, Stephen M. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan.

In this episode of The Science of Leadership, host Tom Collins is joined by Captain Butch Wilmore, a retired NASA astronaut and Navy test pilot, for a gripping discussion on leading when the original plan no longer fits reality. Capt. Wilmore shares his first-hand account of the Boeing Starliner’s first crewed flight, which transformed from an eight-day test mission into an unplanned eight-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS) after critical thruster failures mid-docking.

The conversation delves into the concept of sensemaking—the ability to interpret incomplete information and update mental models in high-stakes environments . Butch explains the technical and psychological hurdles of losing four thrusters during rendezvous and how his decades of flight test experience and personal faith allowed him to remain "content" rather than "fretting" when certainty disappeared.

Key topics include:

• The Anatomy of a Crisis: A step-by-step breakdown of the Starliner docking challenges and the split-second decisions required to maintain control of the spacecraft.
• The Discipline of Sensemaking: How leaders must resist the urge to move too quickly or too slowly, instead relying on preparation to update their understanding of a changing reality.
• High-Reliability Organizations (HROs): Why successful teams defer to expertise over rank and stay alert to small warning signs before they become catastrophes.
• Emotional Regulation: The importance of maintaining a "calm that spreads" and how personal conviction can replace fear in life-threatening situations.
• The Origin of Decision-Making: Navigating the complex relationship between the crew on the controls and the "army of people" in Mission Control.
• Wings Up: A look back at how the rigor of Tennessee Tech University shaped the determination and "sponge-like" mind required for NASA and flight school.

"You can either shift the mindset or you can fret. And what does fretting do? Absolutely no good whatsoever." Tune in to learn how to operate successfully when the timeline is unclear and the consequences are real.

Also, I want to remind listeners about the release of my book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

Sharpen your leadership skills: Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app to ensure you don't miss an episode dedicated to helping you become a better leader.

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

References

• DeRue, D. S., & Ashford, S. J. (2010). Who will lead and who will follow? A social process of leadership identity construction in organizations. Academy of Management Review, 35(4), 627–647. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.35.4.zok627
• Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999
• Edmondson, A. C. (2018). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
• Klein, G. (1998). Sources of power: How people make decisions. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
• Klein, G. (2008). Naturalistic decision making. Human Factors, 50(3), 456–460. https://doi.org/10.1518/001872008X288385
• McChrystal, S. (2015). Team of teams: New rules of engagement for a complex world. New York, NY: Portfolio.
• Morgeson, F. P., DeRue, D. S., & Karam, E. P. (2010). Leadership in teams: A functional approach to understanding leadership structures and processes. Journal of Management, 36(1), 5–39. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206309347376
• Weick, K. E. (1995). Sensemaking in organizations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
• Weick, K. E., & Sutcliffe, K. M. (2007). Managing the unexpected: Resilient performance in an age of uncertainty (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

In this episode of The Science of Leadership, host Tom Collins sits down with General Gene Renuart, a retired U.S. Air Force four-star general and former commander of NORAD and NORTHCOM. Together, they tackle a provocative leadership principle that challenges modern organizational norms: Trying to create consensus on everything is doomed to mediocrity.

General Renuart argues that while seeking diverse input is essential, requiring total agreement often leads to "regression to the mean," where the best ideas are averaged down into safe, middle-of-the-road solutions. The discussion moves beyond military command to explore why consensus is so alluring—often serving as a way to diffuse responsibility and reduce personal risk—and how it can inadvertently breed "groupthink."

Key topics include:

• The Math of Mediocrity: Understanding why "averaging" opinions mathematically moves a team away from peak strategy toward the mean.
• Voice vs. Veto: The critical distinction between giving everyone a voice in the process and giving everyone the power to block progress.
• The Safety Lure: Why leaders often hide behind consensus to avoid being solely accountable for difficult decisions.
• Historical Perspectives: Insights from Alfred Sloan’s cabinet at General Motors and Abraham Lincoln’s leadership during the Civil War.
• The Science of Dissent: Why high-performing teams encourage disagreement before a decision is made and then align completely once a path is chosen.
• Practical Frameworks: Three principles to avoid the consensus trap, including insisting on intentional dissent and being explicit about decision rights.

"People don't need to agree with the decision to trust the leader; they need to believe the process was fair and the leader was competent." Tune in to learn how to foster an input-rich environment without sacrificing the boldness required for true success.

Also, I want to remind listeners about the release of my book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

Sharpen your leadership skills: Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app to ensure you don't miss an episode dedicated to helping you become a better leader.

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

REFERENCES

Janis, I. L. (1982). Groupthink: Psychological studies of policy decisions and fiascoes (2nd ed.). Houghton Mifflin.

Edmondson, A. C. (2018). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. Wiley.

Kerr, N. L., & Tindale, R. S. (2004). Group performance and decision making. Annual Review of Psychology, 55, 623–655.

Vroom, V. H., & Yetton, P. W. (1973). Leadership and decision-making. University of Pittsburgh Press.