324: The BIG Leadership Mistake That's Quietly Destroying Your Team | Joe Machicote
Joe Machicote, Founder and CEO of Transformational Leadership Solutions Group, organizational culture engineer, retired CHRO, and #1 bestselling author of Own Thy Stuff!, shares why the gap between what leaders say and what they actually do can quietly destroy trust, engagement, and retention. In this episode, host Damon Lembi and Joe explore why culture starts at the top, how leaders can take ownership without always needing to be right, and why shifting from blame to shared accountability can transform a team. Through candid stories from the boardroom and his own life, Joe reveals how humility, self-awareness, and consistent behavior build cultures where people actually want to show up.
Read the full breakdown of Joe Machicote’s episode on Learnit.
Key Leadership Lessons from Joe Machicote’s Journey:
Close the Gap Between What You Say and What You Do – Learn why as much as 50% of turnover can stem from leaders whose behaviors don't match the values they promote—and why consistency is essential for building trust.
Turn “You” Problems Into “We” Problems – Discover how changing one word can move teams away from blame and toward collective ownership, problem-solving, and accountability.
Owning Mistakes Builds Credibility – Understand why quickly saying “my bad” can strengthen trust more than trying to protect your image or prove you're always right.
Connect with Joe Machicote:
Joe Machicote on LinkedIn
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Background on trust & self-esteem)
Southwest Airlines & Herb Kelleher (More on culture leadership)
Joe Machicote is a Founder and CEO, organizational culture engineer, retired CHRO, and #1 bestselling author of Own Thy Stuff!, a practical framework for turning self-awareness and accountability into visible leadership behavior. He works with CEOs, executive teams, and organizations to transform culture into an operating system that strengthens execution, retention, and trust. His approach challenges leaders to model the behaviors they expect from others, embrace straight talk, and take responsibility for the impact they have on the people around them.
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