The Shepherd Leadership Podcast

Hosted by Nick Westbrook

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Latest episode

May 2026

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EN-US

About the show

On the first Friday of every month we will encourage and equip leaders to help those entrusted to them THRIVE and to be a leader that people will follow for LIFE! Podcast host, Nick Westbrook, has had people entrusted to his leadership for over 20 years as a former high school Head Football Coach, sales team leader, & ministry to now being the Owner/Operator of one of the highest volume Chick-fil-A restaurants in Georgia. Through engaging, inspirational, & fun 30 minute episodes, Nick will unpack Shepherd Leadership and engage with other shepherd leaders about how they are making an impact in their organizations.

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26 recent

May 1, 202642 min

Cultivating Culture at the Savannah Bananas with Tucker Brooks - Director of People & Culture Development

Send us Fan MailThe Savannah Bananas put on the greatest show in sports! They have created an amazing vision with a focus on Fans First in the world of sports entertainment through the show they put on with their baseball team. Their success speaks for itself. They have sold out every game they have ever played! There is a 5+ year waiting list for their season tickets! They started with 1 team and have grown to 6 teams in their organization & created their own form of baseball called Banana Ball! It takes an incredible culture to create what they have done. Listen in to my conversation with Tucker Brooks, the Director of People & Culture Development for the Savannah Bananas, to learn how they cultivate a culture in their organization that inspires their team to do the wild things they are able to do to accomplish their vision. You will get so much from this conversation. Nothing happens without a great culture. Find out how the Bananas have accomplished all they have through theirs.

April 3, 2026Episode 2523 min

Communicating for a Change - Guiding those entrusted to us!

Send us Fan MailThere is no such thing as a silent leader!! Leaders are always communicating something. We want it to be the things that help drive others towards their best and our best. Listen in as Nick gives some practical resources and principles for how shepherd leaders should communicate to guide those entrusted to them to thrive, and watch your team, organization, & family thrive.

March 6, 2026Episode 2453 min

A Shepherd to Shepherd Leaders - John Crosby

Send us Fan MailJohn Crosby is the founder & Executive Director of Priority Insight where he serves leaders as an Executive Coach and teacher. Priority Insight uniquely serves organizations by taking biblical principles and helping leaders apply those principles to their leadership. John and his wife Jo also are the founders of Five Stones Counseling in Savannah, Ga where they do couples counseling together. Find out more about John and his ministry at www.priorityinsight.com. You can contact him at john@priorityinsight.com. Be the first to email us at shepherdleadershippodcast@gmail.com to be sent a copy of one of John's books, Called to Lead, Called to Shepherd, or Called to Coach. John has also developed a personal planner for leaders to stay on track to lead those entrusted to them well. If you enjoy the podcast please rate us and subscribe so you never miss an episode!

February 6, 2026Episode 2320 min

The Foundational Commitment of Thriving Leaders of Thriving Teams

Send us Fan MailAfter a long pause due to a very unexpectedly demanding 2025, we are back in full strength posting episodes in 2026 to come alongside you as we grow to be thriving shepherd leaders that help those entrusted to us thrive. Did you know there is a secret commitment of all lifelong thriving leaders? There is one foundational rhythm and habit that all great leaders that are healthy & thriving do that those that are not healthy & thriving don't do? Nick dives into that commitment in this episode as we kick off a content packed 2026 season of growth in our leadership. If you commit to this one discipline as a shepherd leader, not only will you thrive in your leadership, but those entrusted to you will thrive, and you will be a leader they can follow for LIFE!!!

February 7, 202548 min

Know What You are FOR - with bestselling author Jeff Henderson

Send us Fan MailWhat do you want to be known FOR? What are you known FOR? In today’s culture many people make their stand on what they are AGAINST rather than what they are FOR. This month’s guest, author, speaker, & leader Jeff Henderson talks about the power of getting really clear as a leader on what you are FOR, what you want to be known FOR, and who you are FOR. Jeff wrote the bestselling book, Know What You are FOR: A Growth Strategy for Work, An Even Better Strategy for Life. . Jeff has been recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of the 20 speakers you shouldn’t miss. Jeff is a former church planter & pastor through North Point Ministries. He was the founder and pastor at Gwinnett Church & Buckhead Church, both in the Atlanta Metro Area in Atlanta, Ga. Jeff if currently the Executive Director of Leadership Innovation & Strategy at Chick-fil-A.Jeff is a tremendous leader and someone I have learned so much from. I hope you enjoy this episode with Jeff Henderson on The Shepherd Leadership Podcast.

January 10, 2025Episode 2143 min

Highlight Reel - The Best of the 2024 Shepherd Leadership Podcast

Send us Fan MailIn this first episode of 2025 I wanted to recap all of the amazing things we learned in 2024. We had our BEST YEAR, receiving over 10,000 downloads of the podcast. I am so grateful to everyone that has invested your time in this content. My prayer is that it is valuable to you and your leadership growth and that not only you benefit as a leader, but that those you lead benefit as you become a better Shepherd Leader to those entrusted to you. We are all on the journey to be the very best Shepherd Leader we can be for those entrusted to us and we are growing together. So in this episode I am going to take a small highlight from the most listened to episodes of 2024. We were so fortunate to spend some time with some amazing Guests this year that really helped us dive into the aspects of Knowing, Guiding, Protecting, & Providing for those entrusted to us so that they can THRIVE. We are going to hear highlights from Alex Vann, who has produced 13 Chick-fil-A Operators out of his organization, nationally syndicated show host & authors Ken Coleman & Dr. John Deloney, authors Joel Manby & Randy Gravitt, & retired Chick-fil-A President Tim Tassopolous So this is our 2024 Highlight Reel! If you hear a clip that really excites you or interests you, I encourage you to go back and listen to that full episode. It was a lot of fun to go back and listen to all that we learned together in 2024. I hope this encourages you and brings so much value to your leadership.

October 4, 2024Episode 2035 min

Leadership Lessons Part 2 with retired Chick-fil-A President Tim Tassopolous

Send us Fan MailListen in to Part 2 of my conversation with retired Chick-fil-A President, Tim Tassopolous, who enjoyed a 46 year career with the brand spanning 6 different decades, & led Chick-fil-A through some it's most robust growth seasons. Tim's wisdom and calm leadership style help us realize that anyone can be a leader others would follow for life by making the leadership decisions of character and care that define a Shepherd Leader.

September 6, 2024Episode 1943 min

Leadership Lessons Part 1 with retired Chick-fil-A President Tim Tassopoulos

Send us Fan MailWhat if you had the opportunity to take some one on one basketball lessons from Michael Jordan, or some vocal performance lessons from Adele, or quarterback camp with Tom Brady, or acting lessons from Meryl Streep? Incredible right?! That's what it felt like to sit with my friend Tim Tassopoulos, retired President & Chief Operating Officer at Chick-fil-A, Inc. In a 46 year career that spanned 6 different decades and countless innovations, challenges, awards, and changes in the industry and company, Tim left a legacy of faithful stewardship of the leadership responsibilities he was offered that is characterized as humble, strong, confident, resolute, and loving. In this 2 part series, Tim shares leadership lessons he's learned from his career and his relationship with Founder, Truett Cathy, his predecessor, Jimmy Collins, & his former Operator and first boss, Gary Bettis - while working with and collaborating with some incredible leaders along the way. Get out a notebook because we are about to get a Masterclass in leadership from the best leader I have ever personally known.

August 2, 2024Episode 1849 min

Love Works with author Joel Manby

Send us Fan MailFormer CEO of Saab, Sea World, & Herschend Family Entertainment, Joel Manby says that leading with love is the greatest strategic advantage any organization can have. In his book, Love Works - 7 Timeless Principles for Effective Leaders, Joel talks about his history of leadership and how he found the greatest strategy for effective leadership through a very familiar biblical passage & the everyday life of the Herschend Family Entertainment owners Jack & Peter Herschend. In this fun conversation Joel talks about what he learned from his leadership experiences and encourages and challenges us to lead with love to shepherd those entrusted to us thrive and be a leader they can follow for LIFE!

July 5, 2024Episode 1757 min

Winning Begins At Home with Randy Gravitt

Send us Fan MailIf you win at work but lose at home, you still lose. Join leadership author and coach Randy Gravitt and I as we discuss what it looks like to build a foundation of winning at home first and to encourage those entrusted to you to win at home first. Randy and his team at Lead Every Day have a dream and a vision of a "world well led". He says that begins with fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, making the commitment to win at home first and create healthy, thriving homes where "those that know us best love us most."