People Development Podcast

Hosted by Harrison Tash

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Oct 2026

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About the show

This podcast is for leaders developing themselves and the people around them. We believe that when people matter the most, strategies are smarter, organizations are healthier, and the impact is greater. ]]>

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60 recent

November 4, 2026Episode 918 min

Episode 91: 5 Things ONLY The Leader Should Do

Stop Doing Their Job... As your business grows, are you spending your time on the things that matter most—or just staying busy? One of the biggest challenges leaders face isn't a lack of effort. It's spending too much time on work others could do while neglecting the responsibilities only they can own. In this episode, Harrison Tash of Living Water Consulting and author of Exit Without Leaving shares five critical areas leaders should focus on to grow their businesses without becoming the biggest bottleneck. You'll discover how to prioritize vision, develop healthy leaders, protect your company culture, make high-impact decisions, and build an organization that doesn't depend on you for everything. Because great leadership isn't about doing more. It's about focusing your time and energy where you can make the greatest difference. The question to consider: Are you doing what only you can do, or are you simply staying busy? 📈 Discover Your Next Stage of Growth As your business grows, what worked before eventually stops working. Take our FREE Growth Stage Assessment to discover: • Your current stage of growth • What's holding your business back • Where to focus next ➡️ https://www.consultlivingwater.com/assessment 🤝 Join Our Free Leadership Community Connect with other business owners and leaders learning how to build healthy leaders, create momentum, and implement the 8 to Great System™. ➡️ https://www.skool.com/living-water-group-4452/about #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #BusinessOwner #CEO #SmallBusiness

October 20, 2026Episode 907 min

Episode 90: Should I Hire Someone? 3 Signs Your Business Is Ready

Hiring too early can put pressure on your cash flow. Waiting too long can leave you as the bottleneck holding your business back. So how do you know when it's actually time to hire? In this episode, Harrison Tash shares 3 signs that your business may be ready for its next hire and how to make that decision with confidence. One busy week doesn't mean you need another employee. And feeling overwhelmed isn't always a sign that hiring is the answer. The key is understanding the problem you're trying to solve, recognizing when your workload is sustainable, and determining whether a new team member will create the capacity your business needs to grow. Hiring isn't just about relieving pressure. It's about building capacity for sustainable growth. Whether you're considering your first employee or expanding an existing team, this conversation will help you think more strategically about your next hire. RESOURCES: 📈 Discover Your Next Stage of Growth. As your business grows, what worked before eventually stops working. Take our FREE Growth Stage Assessment to discover: Your current stage of growth -- What's holding your business back -- Where to focus next. https://www.consultlivingwater.com/assessment 🤝 Join Our Free Leadership Community. Connect with business owners and leaders who are working to build Healthy Leaders, create momentum, and implement the 8 to Great System™. https://www.skool.com/living-water-group-4452/about 🌐 At Living Water Consulting, we help business owners build a business that thrives with you, but doesn't depend on you. Learn more at https://www.consultlivingwater.com . Have a question about hiring or growing your team? We'd love to hear from you. Reach out and let's continue the conversation. #BusinessGrowth #Hiring #Leadership #SmallBusiness #BusinessOwner

October 6, 2026Episode 899 min

Episode 89: The 4 Questions to Ask Before Promoting Anyone

Promoting someone is one of the most important decisions you'll make as a leader. Too often, promotions are based on one thing: performance. But being a great technician, salesperson, or manager doesn't automatically make someone a great leader. In this episode, Harrison Tash, podcast host and author of Exit Without Leaving, shares The 4 C's of Promotion —a practical leadership framework to help you identify future leaders, avoid costly promotion mistakes, and build a business that doesn't depend on you. You'll also learn about The Peter Principle , why so many promotions fail, and how to make better leadership decisions that strengthen your team for the future. In This Episode Why top performers don't always become great leaders The Peter Principle explained The 4 C's of Promotion: Competence, Character, Chemistry & Capacity How to identify leadership potential before promoting someone Why leadership—not performance—is what helps businesses scale Performance earns consideration. Leadership earns promotion. RESOURCES: 🚀 Take the FREE Growth Stage Assessment. Wondering what's holding your business back? Our free Growth Stage Assessment will help you identify where your business is today and what you should focus on next to build a healthier, more scalable business. https://www.consultlivingwater.com/assessment 🌊 Join the Living Water Community Connect with other business owners who are committed to building healthy leaders, strengthening their teams, and creating businesses that thrive without depending on the owner. https://www.skool.com/living-water-group-4452/about If you're ready to build a stronger leadership team and create a healthier business, follow the podcast for weekly episodes on: Leadership Development Business Strategy Organizational Growth Owner Dependency Executive Leadership Succession Planning Team Development Strategic Planning Learn more about Living Water Consulting and how to build a business that thrives with you, but doesn't depend on you at www.consultlivingwater.com . Have a question or takeaway from this episode? Join the conversation and connect with us—we'd love to hear from you. #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #BusinessStrategy #BusinessGrowth #SmallBusiness #BusinessOwner #Promotion #Management #ExecutiveLeadership #OwnerDependency

September 10, 2026Episode 8813 min

Episode 88: Mental Fitness: The Mind Killer & ARROW Frameworks | Episode Highlights with Chris Irwin

This special highlight edition of the People Development Podcast gets straight to the heart of our full conversation with former Navy SEAL Commander, Chris Irwin. We’ve edited the original episode to focus on the core of Chris’s framework—walking through the patterns that undermine our mental fitness and the practical tools we can use to respond differently. Chris explains why simply “sucking it up” isn’t a sustainable strategy for leaders. Instead, he introduces the Mind Killer Framework , five patterns that can quietly limit how we lead, think, and grow: Oblivion Storytelling Fear Suppression Stagnation But identifying the problem is only half the work. Chris also walks through the ARROW Framework —five practical antidotes designed to build mental fitness through small, consistent reps: Awareness Reframing Regulation Openness Wonder Together, these frameworks give leaders a practical way to recognize what’s happening internally, move from reactive to regulated, and continue growing rather than getting stuck. This episode is a condensed highlight of the full conversation , created to give you a focused walkthrough of Chris’s frameworks and the key lessons you can begin applying right away. At Living Water Consulting, we believe healthy businesses start with healthy leaders. Building the awareness and habits to lead yourself well is an important part of building a business that thrives with you, but doesn’t depend on you. Email us at connect@consultlivingwater.com to learn more. For more from Chris Irwin on mental fitness: raresense.com • thischrisirwin.com chris@raresense.com

July 22, 2026Episode 8745 min

Episode 87: What Lights You Up? With Author, Mary Olson-Menzel

What if the key to your next career move isn't working harder—but discovering the work that truly energizes you? In this episode of the People Development Podcast , Harrison sits down with Mary Olson-Menzel —executive coach, business advisor, founder and CEO of MVP Executive Development, and author of What Lights You Up? —to explore how identifying your strengths, passions, and unique value can lead to a more fulfilling and successful career. Mary shares practical strategies for uncovering the work that puts you in a state of flow, along with the questions everyone should ask themselves—and the people who know them best—to better understand where they create the greatest impact. In this conversation, you'll learn: Why discovering what energizes you can transform your career. The questions that reveal your greatest strengths and natural talents. How feedback from others can uncover your unique value. Mary’s framework of the 3 P's : Prospects, Pivots, and Passions. Practical advice for career advancement, career transitions, and entrepreneurial aspirations. Whether you're pursuing your next promotion, considering a career change, or exploring a business of your own, this episode offers actionable insights to help you build a career that's both meaningful and sustainable. Guest: Mary Olson-Menzel Learn more: maryolsonmenzel.com Presented by Living Water Consulting At Living Water Consulting, we help leaders build healthy organizations through intentional leadership, proven systems, and purpose-driven strategy—so you can build a business that thrives with you, but doesn't depend on you. Learn more and discover additional resources at consultlivingwater.com . Take our free Growth Assessment to see what growth stage your business is in and discover practical insights on taking the next right step forward www.consultlivingwater.com/assessment #Leadership #CareerDevelopment #ExecutiveCoaching #ProfessionalDevelopment #CareerGrowth #PeopleDevelopment #LivingWaterConsulting

June 11, 2026Episode 8656 min

Episode 86: Get Unstuck with Author, Frankie Capparelli

You may not be stuck because you’re failing. You may be stuck because the cycle became comfortable. In our conversation with Frankie Capparelli , author of Stuckness: Within the Stronghold , we unpacked how people unknowingly fall into repeating patterns that limit growth, behavior, and opportunity. Some signs of stuckness: You’re working hard but not progressing You’ve lost urgency and momentum Predictability feels safer than growth Your current identity is limiting your future possibilities Frankie shared a critical insight: ⚠️ Familiarity is not the same as safety. ⚠️ Comfort is not the same as progress. The path forward isn’t “try harder.” It starts with: ✔️ Awareness ✔️ Responsibility ✔️ Breaking the cycle intentionally Growth begins the moment you stop normalizing what’s holding you back. Provided by Living Water Consulting 🌐 consultlivingwater.com 📧 connect@consultlivingwater.com Featuring Frankie Capparelli , author of Stuckness . #LeadershipDevelopment #Growth #MindsetShift #SelfLeadership #PersonalDevelopment #LivingWaterConsulting

May 14, 2026Episode 8557 min

Episode 85: The Perfect Podcast for the Imperfect Leader with Fighter Pilot, Christian “Boo” Boucousis

What does it take to lead at the next level—without burning out trying to be perfect? In this episode of the People Development Podcast we sit down with Christian “Boo” Boucousis, former Royal Australian Air Force fighter pilot and high-performance business leader, to unpack the mindset shifts and execution frameworks that help leaders grow through discomfort instead of avoiding it. From the cockpit to the boardroom, Boo shares practical lessons on leadership, clarity, decision-making, and building momentum in high-pressure environments. Together, we explore why perfectionism keeps leaders stuck, how progress compounds over time, and what it means to lead people with both strategy and humanity. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why perfectionism creates overwhelm and burnout How small wins build momentum and confidence The 3 Layers of Leadership: Vision, Mission, and Values The Fighter Pilot Method for execution and accountability How to use the ORCA framework: Objective → Result → Cause → Action Why trust, credibility, and connection matter as much as strategy How to “start with the end in mind” and reverse engineer meaningful growth This conversation is packed with practical wisdom for leaders, business owners, and teams looking to build healthier organizations that thrive independently of any one person. Because at the end of the day: The cost of the next level is discomfort...but growth is worth it. Guest: Christian “Boo” Boucousis 🌐 callmeboo.com 🌐 afterburner.com Provided by Living Water Consulting Build a business that thrives with you, but doesn’t depend on you. Discover more leadership insights, business strategy resources, and our Free Organization Assessment at: 🌐 consultlivingwater.com Email us to be added to our online community, where we dive deeper with these conversations and more: 📧 connect@consultlivingwater.com #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #PeopleDevelopment #HighPerformance #LeadershipDevelopment #BusinessStrategy #Culture #Execution #SystemsThinking #LivingWaterConsulting #Podcast #Entrepreneurship #LeadershipPodcast

April 10, 2026Episode 8456 min

Episode 84: The Cognitive (AI) Leader with Tech Expert, Ricardo Arcia

What does it really mean to lead in the age of AI? In this episode, we sit down with Ricardo Arcia—CEO, software innovator & tech expert, and author of The Cognitive Leader —to explore a powerful shift in leadership thinking: Cognitive leadership = intelligent collaboration between humans and machines. Many leaders hesitate when it comes to AI. They wait for certainty, overanalyze the risks, or fear replacement. But Ricardo offers a different perspective—one grounded in action, structure, and responsibility. This conversation isn’t about hype. It’s about how real leaders are thoughtfully integrating AI into their organizations today. Here’s what you’ll learn: Why starting now with AI matters more than waiting for clarity How to create guardrails and frameworks for responsible AI use Ways to train and energize your team around AI tools The critical role humans play in validating and guiding AI outputs How intentional leadership prevents wasted experimentation Why leaders must shift from doing to designing systems of collaboration AI can execute—but leaders still architect, orchestrate, and evaluate. That’s where the future of leadership in an AI driven world is headed. At Living Water Consulting, we believe in helping businesses build systems that last— so they can thrive with you, but not depend on you. 🎧 Tune in, reflect, and consider: how are you structuring AI in your organization today? Explore more insights and tools at www.consultlivingwater.com , or reach out—we’d love to hear how you're approaching AI leadership in your business. Guest: Ricardo Arcia Author of The Cognitive Leader rarcia@teravisiontech.com https://www.teravisiontech.com/

March 5, 2026Episode 8349 min

Episode 83: Putting the Human Back into Human Capital | Featuring Mitch McDermott

Hiring is one of the most important — and most misunderstood — decisions a leader makes. In this episode of the People Development Podcast, we sit down with Mitch McDermott, founder of Talent Ascension Group, to explore how a human-centered approach to hiring transforms the search, team building, and long-term organizational success. Rather than focusing only on resumes and job descriptions, Mitch shares how leaders can uncover what truly matters: alignment between a person’s goals, values, and the role they’re stepping into. When leaders create space for real conversation, they move beyond rehearsed answers and begin to see the signals that actually predict success. In this episode, we discuss: Why interviews fail when they become scripted performances How asking candidates about themselves reveals whether they want a job or a career The importance of aligning personal goals with role expectations early in the process How unexpected, unscripted questions uncover authentic responses Why the interviewer sets the tone for honesty and transparency The risk of premature promotions and internal bottlenecks that stall growth Why sometimes the best leadership decision is giving ideas time to breathe Mitch also breaks down the three variables of hiring every leader must balance: Quality • Experience • Budget You can’t maximize all three at the same time. Great leaders succeed by making intentional trade-offs. At Living Water Consulting, we believe businesses grow strongest when leaders build systems, culture, and teams that thrive with them—but don’t depend on them. Guest: Mitch McDermott Founder, Talent Ascension Group LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mitch-mcdermott Website: talentascension.com Discover more leadership insights and resources at www.consultlivingwater.com , and explore how we help organizations strengthen leadership, strategy, and systems to build self-sustaining businesses.

February 5, 2026Episode 821 hr 12 min

Episode 82: AI Can’t Replace This with Author, Joey Coleman

What if the biggest competitive advantage in your business isn’t technology—but how well you treat people? In this episode of the People Development Podcast , we’re joined by Joey Coleman , Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Never Lose a Customer Again and Never Lose an Employee Again , for a powerful conversation on employee experience, and why human connection still drives the best outcomes. Joey shares practical insights on: Why people need to feel heard and valued to stay engaged How empathy gaps erode trust with employees and customers The hidden cost of prioritizing AI over human skills Why leadership requires consistent practice, not one-time effort You’ll also hear Joey unpack his 8 Phases of the Employee Journey , a framework that helps leaders intentionally guide employees from first impression to long-term advocacy. Bottom line: AI can assist your systems—but only people can build trust, loyalty, and culture. 🎧 If this episode resonates, please like, share, and leave a review to help other leaders find the show. 🤝 Join our online community to continue the conversation and grow alongside purpose-driven leaders (click "Let's Talk" on our website). 🌊 Visit www.consultlivingwater.com to discover how we help executives build businesses that thrive with them—but don’t depend on them. Guest: Joey Coleman 🌐 joeycoleman.com #LeadershipDevelopment #PeopleFirst #EmployeeRetention #Culture #Empathy #BusinessSystems #PeopleDevelopmentPodcast