Author Archives

Jeff Brown

The Read to Lead Podcast is hosted by 26-year radio industry veteran Jeff Brown. Jeff is a voracious reader with a passion for non-fiction, specifically personal development, leadership, business, marketing and entrepreneurship.

Jeff has seen from personal experience how intentional and consistent reading can play an integral part in honing one's leadership skills and aide greatly in advancing one's personal growth. Jeff is also a firm believer in the mantra, "Leaders Read and Readers Lead."

Finally, this podcast would not be possible without the inspiration and encouragement of Dan Miller, Michael Hyatt, Jon Acuff and John Lee Dumas.

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503: Leadership Lessons Drawn From the Wisdom of Mom with Valerie Cockerell

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Over 500 episodes in, and it’s still possible for there to be firsts. This episode brings with it a special milestone; one that includes having featured—for the first time—three members of the same family.

valerie cockerell

In previous episodes I’ve enjoyed having on Lee Cockerell and Dan Cockerell (father and son, respectively) to talk about their books.

Today, I’m pleased to welcome Lee’s daughter-in-law, and Dan’s wife, Valerie Cockerell.

Valerie’s new book is called Manage Like a Mother: Leadership Lessons Drawn From the Wisdom of Mom.

Leadership doesn’t have to be complicated, Valerie says. Mothers have known this all along as they practice their own no-nonsense form of leadership.

In Manage like a Mother, Valerie shares common-sense principles for anyone seeking to be an effective leader. She explains how raising children, nurturing their development, multitasking as only a mother does, managing conflicts, dealing with teenagers and being a great role model are some of the essential skills that leaders can easily apply to their professional working environments—with proven success. 

You don’t need to look much further than your own childhood to know what works and what doesn’t. Valerie’s book shows you how applying moms’ best practices can reap the best results for any organization.

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Valerie and her work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.

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502: Learning to Get Past Your Past with Jason VanRuler

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Today’s guest and I seem to have a lot in common, and I’m so glad I was given the chance to meet him and interview him about his book. I think it’s one you definitely need to read for yourself.

jason vanruler

His name is Jason VanRuler, and his book is called Get Past Your Past: How Facing the Broken Places Leads to True Connection.

Your brokenness, Jason Says, is not the end of the story. It’s time to heal.

Any of us can get stuck in our struggle. Jesus came to set us free and give us life–abundant life–but while we believe it for everyone else, it’s hard to accept his forgiveness and grace for ourselves. We continue in our old ways, living as one with no hope because we’re afraid of failing if we try to get better.

But what if brokenness–the array of behaviors and symptoms that show us that all is not as it should be with us–isn’t all there is? What if we can change?

As a licensed therapist and a man who’s dealt with his own problems–including childhood trauma, alcohol abuse, drug use, and bouts of depression–Jason VanRuler understands what you’re going through. In Get Past Your Past, he offers empathy, grace, and a hand to hold as he shares from his own places of brokenness and his professional knowledge

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Jason and his work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.

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501: Discover Who You Already Are, Who You Want to Be, and How to Ensure Others See You That Way with Aliza Licht

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Today’s guest, a former fashion executive, successfully turned her communications expertise into a multimedia brand and consultancy. And today, you and I have the privilege of learning from her years of experience.

Her name is Aliza Licht, and her latest book is called On Brand: Shape Your Narrative, Share Your Vision, Shift Their Perception.

How you show up in person, over email, and on social media, Aliza says, communicates your personal brand. That brand deserves thoughtful cultivation and crafting as you shape your narrative, build your network, grow your confidence, and plot your future.

This book is for the new graduate seeking their first job, the middle manager looking to level up, the executive who wants to become more notable, the entrepreneur building from scratch, the person who wants to pivot to a new career, the social media influencer who is their own brand—it’s for anyone who wants to affect the way people perceive them and feel proud when they hear the words “that’s so on brand for you.”

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Aliza and her work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.

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500: Listen to This or Die with Ray Edwards

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Today’s guest is special to me in so many ways. I’ve admired him for over a decade. The way he carries himself, the kindness he shows to other people, and his ability to appreciate that anyone who crosses his path might have something to teach him, are just some of his more admirable qualities.

ray edwards

Today’s episode is, at its core, about change. It’s about understanding that when things don’t go as planned, the right response might be to change your beliefs about the outcome and what it’s meant to teach you.

For Ray, this bared itself out in the form of a Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2011, something he kept secret for several years.

He eventually came to realize that a technique he uses to persuade people to make a decision to buy a product or service could be used to help us (and Ray) change how we view our circumstances, allowing us to live a far more fulfilling life in the process.

If you feel like there’s something missing in your life, this book may hold the answer.

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Ray and his work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.

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499: Decision-Making, Project Management, and Workplace Engagement with Gerald Leonard

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The topic of project management has been the focus of only two other episodes of Read to Lead that I can think of: Episode 101 with Cesar Abeid, and Episode 277 with Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez.

Gerald Leonard

Frankly, it’s a topic that doesn’t get covered nearly often enough. Today, I work to change that a bit.

Our featured book is by Gerald J. Leonard and is called, A Symphony of Choices: How Mentorship Taught a Manager Decision-Making, Project Management, and Workplace Engagement—and Saved a Concert Season.

The book delivers a fascinating narrative following one Jerry Hall, the new Symphony Orchestra manager at a prestigious symphony concerned about the challenging plans for an upcoming season. In the book, you’ll watch him connect with a former college professor and learn the skills necessary to successfully manage his way through these unprecedented times in his business and personal life.

Does he have all skills necessary for effective decision-making and managing a major symphony’s portfolio of projects? Will his fear of succumbing to daunting challenges prevent him from succeeding?

Of course, you’ll need to read Gerald’s book for the answers. I can assure you it is well worth your time.

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Gerald’s and his work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.

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