In this solo episode of Mission Driven You, Will Samson shares surprising insights from a new survey of 200 C-level executives—and issues a bold challenge to modern leadership culture: it’s time to call BS on leadership hacks. If you've ever felt tempted by quick fixes and productivity “cheat codes,” this episode will push you to rethink what real leadership looks like.

Will unpacks why shortcuts don’t work when it comes to human growth, why control is an illusion, and how outdated internal beliefs—not external obstacles—are the biggest barriers to leading well. He walks listeners through the first three layers of his Resilience Stack: rewriting internal narratives, practicing radical self-ownership, and embracing interdependence.

This isn’t self-help fluff. It’s a direct, field-tested framework to help you lead from a deeper place—especially when chaos hits.

In This Episode:

• Why hacks are for machines, not human systems
• The silent cost of “control addiction” in leadership
• How rewriting outdated internal scripts changes everything
• What it really means to practice radical self-ownership
• Why interdependence is strategic, not soft
• Three powerful questions every CEO should be asking right now

Key Quotes:

“Hacks are for code. Human systems don’t bend to shortcuts without consequences.”

“If you’re seeking certainty, you’re not ready for chaos.”

“Isolation is a hidden saboteur for high performers.”

Links & Resources:

• 🧠 Subscribe to Will’s weekly newsletter: drwillsamson.substack.com
• 🔗 Connect with Will on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwillsamson
• 🎙️ Catch past episodes of Mission Driven You on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

Journal Prompts from the Episode:

• Where am I overreaching right now? Where am I avoiding responsibility?
• What story am I running? Where did it come from? Why do I still believe it?
• Who could I invite in to hold this tension with me?

Join the Movement:

Remember—you don’t have to build something significant alone. You don’t have to lead from the surface. And you don’t have to settle for a quick fix when transformation is what’s truly required. Tune in and stay mission driven.

Mentioned in this episode:

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In this short but powerful advertisement, Thrive Remotely calls out to driven individuals who are tired of climbing ladders that lead nowhere and living lives that don't feel like their own. This ad sets the tone for a bold, values-aligned lifestyle shift and speaks directly to the heart of anyone craving purpose and autonomy. Key Themes - Purpose-Driven Living: Break away from corporate paths that don’t align with your deeper mission. - Remote Work with Meaning: Thrive Remotely offers a chance to do more than just work from anywhere — it’s about working on something that matters. - A Call to the Ambitious: It's an invitation to high-performers to redirect their ambition toward freedom, impact, and intentionality. Subscribe to Thrive Remotely: https://news.thriveremotely.io/subscribe?ref=dybzfKvBjp

Thrive Remotely

What happens when your life completely unravels—and you decide to rebuild it from the inside out?

In this powerful and deeply human episode of Mission Driven You, Will sits down with Ken Miller, a speaker, social impact entrepreneur, and author of Becoming Ken. Ken’s story defies easy narratives. From growing up in a fractured identity to experiencing homelessness and addiction, to a jail cell that became the unlikely beginning of his freedom—Ken takes us through the hard-earned lessons of recovery, resilience, and reinvention.

This episode explores what it means to become your truest self—not by escaping your past, but by integrating it. Ken shares how surrender became his greatest strength, how service saved his life, and why the greatest transformation doesn’t start with systems or strategies—but with telling the truth.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

• Why rock bottom was the beginning of Ken’s true identity
• The difference between sobriety and transformation
• How shame, secrets, and silence block authentic leadership
• The power of service as a path to healing
• How to lead from your scars, not your titles
• What it means to “become” the version of you that’s been waiting all along

💬 Memorable Quotes:

“I didn’t get arrested—I got rescued.”

“Addiction wasn’t the problem. It was the escape hatch.”

“When I stopped trying to manage the performance of my identity, I finally started healing.”

“Your mess is not the end of your story. It’s the place where the truth starts.”

“You can’t lead anyone until you’ve faced yourself.”

🔗 Resources & Links:

• 📘 Becoming Ken – The Book (Coming Soon)
• 💼 Ken on LinkedIn

🧭 Reflection Prompts:

• What truth are you avoiding that might actually set you free?
• Where in your life are you performing instead of being?
• What would it mean to lead from your story—not in spite of it, but because of it?

📣 Subscribe + Share:

Loved this episode? Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Share it with someone who needs to know that transformation is possible—no matter where they’re starting from.

💡 Final Takeaway:

Becoming the leader you were meant to be isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence, truth, and the courage to start again.

Empathy isn’t weakness. It’s strategy.

In this episode of Mission Driven You, Will Samson sits down with Maria Ross, brand strategist, speaker, and author of The Empathy Edge and The Empathy Dilemma, to reframe the role of empathy in leadership. As workplaces struggle with burnout, disconnection, and turnover, Maria makes the case that empathy is more than a “nice to have”—it’s a core competency for modern leaders.

Maria shares insights from her research and coaching, including the five traits of empathetic leaders, why empathy doesn’t mean “being soft,” and how it can actually sharpen your decision-making and elevate performance. You’ll learn how to balance compassion with accountability, how to build a culture that attracts and retains top talent, and how empathetic leadership drives ROI—not just emotional well-being.

If you’ve ever felt torn between being kind and being effective, this conversation offers a powerful new framework for doing both—and doing them better.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

• Why empathy is a strategic advantage—not a soft skill
• The five essential traits of empathetic leaders
• How empathy improves retention, performance, and innovation
• The difference between being nice and being truly empathetic
• How to lead with compassion without lowering the bar
• How to build a culture of trust without sacrificing high expectations

💬 Memorable Quotes:

“Empathy is not about letting people off the hook—it’s about meeting them where they are so they can rise.”

“You can be empathetic and hold the bar high. In fact, empathy helps you get people there.”

“The best leaders are truth-tellers with heart.”

“Empathy isn’t a buzzword. It’s a leadership imperative.”

🔗 Resources & Links:

• 🌐 Maria Ross’s Website
• 🎧 The Empathy Edge Podcast
• 💼 Connect with Maria on LinkedIn

🧭 Reflection Prompts:

1. Where in your leadership do you confuse empathy with passivity?
2. How could leading with more empathy actually improve outcomes for your team or organization?
3. What does it look like to be a truth-teller with heart in your workplace?

📣 Subscribe + Share:

Enjoyed this episode? Be sure to subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Share it with a leader in your life who’s ready to lead from the inside out. Leave a review—it really helps others discover the show!

💡 Final Takeaway:

Empathy isn’t the enemy of performance—it’s the engine behind it.

Mentioned in this episode:

Subscribe to Thrive Remotely

In this short but powerful advertisement, Thrive Remotely calls out to driven individuals who are tired of climbing ladders that lead nowhere and living lives that don't feel like their own. This ad sets the tone for a bold, values-aligned lifestyle shift and speaks directly to the heart of anyone craving purpose and autonomy. Key Themes - Purpose-Driven Living: Break away from corporate paths that don’t align with your deeper mission. - Remote Work with Meaning: Thrive Remotely offers a chance to do more than just work from anywhere — it’s about working on something that matters. - A Call to the Ambitious: It's an invitation to high-performers to redirect their ambition toward freedom, impact, and intentionality. Subscribe to Thrive Remotely: https://news.thriveremotely.io/subscribe?ref=dybzfKvBjp