What’s really holding leaders back from their greatest impact? In this episode, Bryan Buckley sits down with Dr. Garland Vance and his wife and co-author Dorothy Vance for a candid, high-energy conversation about the seven leadership issues that keep even the most talented professionals stuck. Drawing from 25 years of research and their book Unleashed Leadership, Garland and Dorothy bring both depth and practicality to a conversation that’s as much about people skills as it is about leadership development. Whether you’re in leadership right now or aspiring to get there, this one is for you. Here’s what they unpack:
- The Seven C’s — Character, Competence, Capacity, Clarity, Community, Culture, and Consistency — the seven issues that account for 95% of what holds leaders back, and how to turn each one from a problem into a strength
- From Individual Contributor to Leader — The three questions every newly promoted sales leader must slow down and ask before doing anything else — or risk using yesterday’s skills to solve tomorrow’s problems
- The Four Questions Every Team Is Asking — Where are we going? How are we getting there? What’s my role? And why does it matter? — and why most leaders only answer one or two of them consistently
- Building Community That Lasts — Why remembering names, knowing who people’s people are, and building trust between team members — not just with the leader — is what actually breaks down silos
- The Connect, Don’t Sell Culture — How to build a team culture where connection behaviors are celebrated alongside results, and why what gets recognized gets repeated
- Decide, Discern, Deliver — The three-phase framework for getting unleashed, and why jumping straight to action before naming the real problem is one of the most expensive mistakes a leader can make
Episode Timestamps
0:00 – Seven Root Causes Teaser
0:26 – Show Welcome And Host Promise
1:13 – Guests And Unleashed Leadership Overview
5:54 – A Clear Definition Of Leadership
7:25 – The Seven C’s Framework Explained
10:24 – Character In Sales Leadership
14:45 – Competence After Promotion To Manager
17:16 – Capacity And Modeling Healthy Boundaries
20:05 – Clarity Through Four Team Questions
23:51 – Community Built In Small Moments
28:01 – Culture As Values Lived Out
32:47 – Which C’s Trip People-Facing Leaders
34:50 – Decide Discern Deliver To Get Unleashed
38:05 – Consistency And Naming The Real Problem
39:53 – Rapid Fire On Communication Habits
47:14 – Free Audiobook Offer And Community
49:26 – Closing Message And Subscribe Prompt
Featured Guests
Dr. Garland Vance & Dorothy Vance — Authors, leadership coaches, and co-founders of Advanced Leadership. With 25 years of research and experience working with leaders across North America, they help professionals get unleashed from the gap between their abilities and their responsibilities.
Referenced Book
Unleashed Leadership by Dr. Garland Vance and Dorothy Vance — A practical, intentionally concise leadership guide built around seven common issues that hold leaders back and a three-phase framework for getting unleashed; available on Amazon and as a free audiobook with bonus material.
Cheat Sheet
This free cheat sheet is the companion resource to Episode 025. It breaks down all 10 mistakes across both categories — the 5 Setup Failures and the 5 Engagement Failures — with a deep dive on each one, the fix, and a real-world example phrase you can use immediately. Also includes 3 action items, carry forward questions, and the science behind why these mistakes cost you more than you think.
Podcast Resources
30 Connection Questions for Stronger Business Conversations
A curated set of questions designed to elevate the quality of your conversations and help establish stronger connections within the first five minutes.
The System Elite Connectors Use to Remember Names
A practical, step by step approach for improving name recall and strengthening your ability to build relationships in professional environments.
The Book
This book presents the complete framework for creating powerful first impressions and developing meaningful connections from the very beginning of a conversation. It expands on the strategies discussed in this episode and offers practical techniques that can be applied in networking, business, and everyday interactions.