What separates a good leader from one people never forget? In this episode of The Leadership Toolkit, Mike Phillips is joined by two great friends of the show—Mike Ashie (Leadership With Mike) and Jim Burgoon (Lead With Jim)—for a powerful, real-world conversation on transformative leadership.

This isn’t about titles, authority, or short-term results. It’s about becoming the kind of leader who changes people at the identity level—not just their performance.

Together, they break down:

• The difference between positional, transactional, and transformative leadership
• Why changing belief matters more than changing behavior
• How culture is created through experience—not just intention
• The importance of courageous conversations and honest feedback
• Why resilience in leadership sets the tone for your entire team

Plus, Mike introduces his 4 Pillars of Transformative Leadership:

✔ Identity Before Activity

✔ Culture Over Control

✔ Courageous Conversations

✔ Resilience in Action

🧰 Tools of the Trade

1. Lead Identity First - Develop who your people are becoming, not just what they’re producing.
2. Define Culture Through Experience - Your team believes what they experience, not what you say.
3. Have the Conversation - Avoiding hard conversations delays growth—for everyone.
4. Model the Response - Your reaction to adversity becomes your team’s blueprint.
5. Build Belief, Not Just Behavior - Confidence and ownership create long-term transformation.

If you’re leading a team—or want to become a better leader—this episode will challenge you to look inward, take ownership, and grow the people around you.

Because at the end of the day…
Leadership is not about leaving a mark. It’s about leaving people better.

Special Guests:

Mike Ashie – Leadership With Mike
https://www.youtube.com/c/LeadershipwithMike

Jim Burgoon – Lead With Jim
https://www.youtube.com/c/LeadWithJim

Mike Phillips

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠mike@TheLeadshipToolkit.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin.com/in/LeadTheTeam⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠@LeadershipTLT⁠

YouTube: ⁠YouTube.com/@MikePhillips

Credits:

Hosted by Mike Phillips

Produced by The Leadership Toolkit Team

Guests: Mike Ashie & Jim Burgoon

Watch more episodes of The Leadership Toolkit at https://spotify.TheLeadershipToolkit.com

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