Welcome Back From the Other Side

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Transcript

Welcome back to the Leadership Drip, where we explore what it takes to lead with purpose, passion, and authenticity. I'm your host, Clay Green, and after a six-month hiatus, I'm thrilled to be back behind this microphone, ready to dive deep into the conversations that matter most for leaders at every level.

If you're a longtime listener, you might be wondering, "Where's Clay been?" Well, if you're new to the show, welcome to what I hope will become a weekly dose of leadership insight that helps you grow, lead better, and make meaningful impact in your sphere of influence. Today, I want to pull back the curtain and share what the last six months have looked like for me, because leadership isn't just about the highlights. It's about how we navigate the valleys, the transitions, and the moments that test our resolve.

So let's look back to January. I kicked off 2025 at PodFest, which is one of the premier podcasting conferences in our country. If you've never been to a podcasting conference, imagine hundreds of creators, storytellers, and entrepreneurs all gathered in one place, buzzing with energy about the power of audio content to change lives. Walking through those conference halls, attending sessions on everything from storytelling techniques to audience engagement, I was reminded why I fell in love with podcasting in the first place.

There's something magical about the intimacy of this medium - the fact that right now my voice is in your earbuds as you're commuting, you're working out, or maybe just taking a walk. We're having a one-on-one conversation, even though we may never meet in person. At PodFest, I was surrounded by people who understood that magic, who were using their voices to educate, inspire, and connect with audiences around the world. It reinvigorated my passion for the show, and it reminded me of the responsibility that comes with having this platform.

February brought a completely different kind of milestone. My wife and I celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary. Some of the most important leadership lessons I've learned have come from my marriage. Leadership at home requires the same emotional intelligence, the same commitment to growth, and the same willingness to put others before yourself that great organizational leadership demands.

My wife has been my partner through a lot of career changes, entrepreneurial ventures, and yes, even through the decision to start and stop and restart this podcast. She's seen me at my most confident and, of course, my most uncertain. If you want to know how someone leads under pressure, then you need to watch how they treat their spouse during the difficult seasons. Anniversary celebrations aren't just about looking back - they're about recommitting to the work of building something meaningful together.

Then March arrived with news that would reshape everything. I learned that 2,000 employees in my company, myself included, were being rebadged. For those unfamiliar with the corporate terminology, rebadging basically means that you're essentially transferred from your current employer over to a contracting company. Same job, same desk, same responsibilities, but a completely different employment structure.

This kind of news hits you in waves. First, there's the immediate shock - that "what does this mean for me?" moment. Then comes the practical concerns of benefits, job security, career trajectory. But as a leader, I found myself thinking about the broader implications. How do you maintain team morale when everyone's employment status is in flux? How do you continue to deliver results when the ground beneath you feels a little bit unstable?

This is where leadership really gets tested. It's easy to lead when everything is going according to plan. The real test comes when you're dealing with uncertainty, when you have to help others navigate change while you're figuring it out yourself. I spent March having conversations with my teammates and coworkers, being as transparent as I possibly could with what little information I had, what we knew and what we didn't know, and trying to model the kind of steady leadership that people need during transitions.

April marked the beginning of working with the new contracting company. So that meant new systems, new processes, new expectations. And if you've ever started a new job, you know that feeling of having to prove yourself all over again, even when you're doing the same work you've been doing for a number of years now. It's humbling and it's energizing at the same time.

What struck me during this transition was how much leadership is about adaptation. The best leaders I know aren't the ones who never face change, but they're the ones that can help their teams thrive despite the change. They create stability through their presence, their communication, and their commitment to the mission, even when the organizational structure shifts around them.

May was perhaps the most important month of this journey, though it might not seem like it from the outside. I spent May trying to get my mind back in a good place for podcasting. You see, creating content that serves others requires you to be in the right headspace. So when you're dealing with major life and career changes, it's easy to become inward-focused and lose sight of the bigger picture of how you can contribute to others' growth.

I spent some time reading, reflecting, and reconnecting with my own leadership philosophy. I asked myself hard questions: What unique perspective do I bring to leadership conversations? How have these recent experiences shaped my understanding of what it means to lead? What do I want to say that isn't already being said?

This process of mental preparation isn't just important for podcasters - it's crucial for any leader. Before you can effectively lead others, you need to be clear about your own values, your own vision, and your own sense of purpose. May was my month of recalibration.

And now here we are in June, back together again. The world needs great leaders in places of leadership, and if I can just help a few leaders rise up, then I've done my part to make this world a better place. That's not just a nice sentiment - it's my mission statement. And it's why I'm back behind this microphone every Wednesday, ready to have those conversations about what it takes to lead with integrity, courage, and compassion.

Over the next few months, we'll explore topics that really matter: leading through uncertainty, building resilient teams, communicating with authenticity, and creating cultures where people can do their best work. We'll talk to other leaders from various industries and backgrounds, each bringing their own perspective of what it means to lead effectively in today's complex world.

The Leadership Drip is back, and I couldn't be more excited about the conversations ahead. So I thank you for your patience during my hiatus, and thank you for being part of this community of leaders who are committed to growing and making a difference.

So until next Wednesday, all of you keep leading with purpose.

Thank you for joining us on this episode of the Leadership Drip. If you found today's discussion valuable, don't forget to like, subscribe, share, and please leave us a review. Stay tuned for more insightful conversations on leadership and business. Until next time, I'm Clay Green, and I'll catch you leaders in the next episode.