229: Private Coaching Call Goes Public: What Every Leader Should Learn From It | Damon Lembi
Release Date:Β
October 15, 2025
Release Date: Oct 15
The highs, lows, and lessons of leadership arenβt just found in conference roomsβtheyβre lived every day in unexpected moments and hard conversations.
In this episode, Damon Lembi walks listeners through three unforgettable leadership stories: the good, the bad, and the ugly. From a surprise party text mishap to the transformation of a struggling salesperson, a cautionary tale about hiring toxic talent, and an executiveβs all-too-public coaching call blunderβeach vignette offers practical takeaways, frank advice, and actionable strategies for becoming a more coachable, courageous, and intentional leader. Whether youβre managing the pressures of performance reviews, navigating interview pitfalls, or worried about digital privacy, Damonβs stories will help you avoid the biggest mistakes and seize growth opportunities.
Packed with real-world examples, memorable anecdotes, and tangible challenges, this episode will give you the tools to have the tough conversations, foster coachability, and protect your culture. Plus, listeners get a special gift in the show notes, a free download of Damonβs bestselling book.
What Youβll Learn:
Why having direct, honest conversations is critical for leadersβand how it can transform an employeeβs career.
The essential mindset shift every employee needs to make when struggling: let go and become coachable.
The hidden dangers of hiring toxic high-performers, and why theyβre never worth the risk to your team culture.
Interview etiquette mistakes that kill trustβand how to avoid sabotaging your own reputation.
How multitasking and digital mistakes can destroy privacy, and the steps you must take when sharing sensitive information.
Simple challenges and intentional steps to help you grow as a leader or team member, starting today.
In This Episode:
00:00 β Intro: Why nobody fully prepares you for being a CEO
00:35 β The movie-inspired theme: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
01:05 β The Good: Freedom, impact, and designing your ideal week
01:40 β Damonβs personal favorite: Building culture from the top down
02:30 β The privilege of hiring, promoting, and celebrating people
03:15 β The Bad: Constant context-switching and decision fatigue
03:55 β Loneliness at the topβwhy fewer people tell you the truth
04:30 β Damonβs go-to strategies for staying grounded
05:10 β The Ugly: Letting people goβand how it never gets easier
06:00 β Firing a friend: Damonβs personal story
06:45 β How heβs learned to lead through pain without avoiding it
07:20 β What helps: A learning mindset, trusted advisors, and staying human
08:00 β Advice for aspiring CEOs: Itβs worth itβbut not easy
08:45 β Challenge to listeners: Ask your CEO one honest question
Damon Lembi is a 3x bestselling author, the host of The Learn-It-All Podcast, and CEO of Learnit β a live learning platform that has upskilled over 2 million people. Drawing from his prior baseball career, Damon brings an athleteβs perspective to leadership. Through his journey, he has gained invaluable insights into what helps organizations grow, how great leaders learn, and why learn-it-all companies outpace their competitors every time.