Leadership Clearly with Julie Wagner | Faith-Based Leadership & Communication for Christian Leaders — Podcast

The Faith That Cost Her Everything | Renée Bryan on the Morality of Money 31.08.2026 52min

Renée Bryan spent 35 years in financial services training advisors and brokerage houses across the country. She was very good at it. Then in 2012 she committed more deeply to her faith, and almost immediately her six figure income dropped to one sixth of what it had been. She did not walk away from God. She leaned in. What she learned in that season became a book. In this conversation, Renée and Julie get into the part of money nobody preaches on. Not budgeting. Fear. Renée draws a line most financial teachers will not draw, between the fear you are carrying and the money you are losing, and she is specific about what a fear based financial decision actually costs. She talks about the 3 a.m. moment at her dining room table during her divorce when she asked God where He was, and why she now believes she used that moment as permission to leave. She talks about the season she is in right now, watching a business she loves wind down, and what it looks like to grieve something while still walking forward. She also does not flinch on the hard parts. Renée names the institutions she believes profit off people's financial fear, walks through why she thinks Dave Ramsey's debt-free-first approach is a fear based rule rather than a universal one, and offers the test she uses on her own choices: if she is building a story in her head to justify a decision, that is usually the decision God does not want her making. Julie brings her own season into it. She was recently laid off from her corporate role, and this conversation happens in the middle of that, not after it. "If God puts a passion in our heart, God will make a way. Period. End of story." Renée E. Bryan is an author, educator, and the host of Fearless Finances. Her book, The Morality of Money: Remove Fear and Discover Financial Freedom Through Simple Economic Principles and Universal Truths, is available on Amazon. This is our first video episode. Watch it, or listen wherever you already get the show. Audio is not going anywhere. This conversation is financial education and personal testimony, not personalized financial advice. Talk to a professional who knows your situation before making decisions about debt, savings, or investments. ______________________________________________ CONNECT WITH RENÉE E. BRYAN Author website: reneelizbryan.info The Morality of Money on Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DFHBT1TY Money & Faith Study, for book clubs and church groups: www.reneelizbryan.info/money-faith-study-for-churches/ Fearless Finances on YouTube: youtube.com/@Fearless_Finances Instagram: @fearlessfinances4ever TikTok: @fearlessfinances4ever Facebook: Fearless Finances Read the first 30 pages free: reneelizbryan.info/the-morality-of-money-by-renee-e-bryan-sample.pdf Email: [email protected] Renée is also President and Primary Instructor at Bryan Ventures, Inc., insurance education: www.bryanventures.com CONNECT WITH JULIE Website: https://juliewagner.co Instagram: @leadershipclearly and @oh_hey_jules TikTok: @oh_hey_jules THE LEADERSHIP CLEARLY FOUNDATIONS COURSE Out today. Five days, one short lesson a day, and a one page Communication Plan you can lead from for years. www.juliewagner.co/the-leadership-clearly-foundations-course FREE: THE LEADERSHIP VOICE STYLE QUIZ Four minutes. Find out how you actually communicate as a leader. www.juliewagner.co/the-quiz This episode is financial education and personal testimony, not personalized financial advice.

Surrender Is Not Quitting | Hannah Kuykendall on Leading Through the Worst Year of Her Life 25.08.2026 34min

In one year, Hannah Kuykendall's eleven month old daughter was rushed to the ICU with no diagnosis and no promise she was coming home. Her husband's spine was crushed on a landscaping job, leaving him without feeling from the waist down and without the career he had spent ten years building. They lost their home. They moved to a new state with no family nearby. And overnight, Hannah became the only income for a family of five, on a teacher's salary. She did not step back from a single thing she was leading. Not the fifth grade classroom. Not chapel. Not the children's ministry at her church. Not her home. In this conversation, Hannah tells Julie what it actually looks like to lead people while your own world is coming apart, and why she believes surrender and quitting are opposites, not synonyms. She talks about feeling like a fraud in leadership roles while privately struggling with her own faith. She talks about sitting in a parking lot calling her papaw because she did not know how to feed her kids. And she talks about what changed the day she stopped trying to author the chapter she was in. "The chapter I was in was not in my control, but I knew the author who was writing it." Hannah is a fifth grade teacher, a chapel teacher, a children's ministry director, a wife, a mom of three, and the author of She Builds Her Home, built on Proverbs 14:1. This episode is for the leader who is holding everything together in public and coming apart in private, and who needs to hear that being honest about it will not cost her the room. A note on this episode: we recorded on video and the file never made it to the cloud. You will hear both of us reference video and "our viewers." The audio is fully intact. Next week's episode is our first video podcast. _____________________________________ CONNECT WITH HANNAH KUYKENDALL Website: www.mrshannah.com Book: She Builds Her Home https://a.co/d/04hTA1bB TikTok: @thehannahunfiltered YouTube: www.youtube.com/@Shebuildsco141 Email: [email protected] THE LEADERSHIP CLEARLY FOUNDATIONS COURSE Releases Monday, August 31st. Pre-order now. juliewagner.co/the-leadership-clearly-foundations-course FREE: THE LEADERSHIP VOICE STYLE QUIZ Four minutes. Find out how you actually communicate as a leader. juliewagner.co/the-quiz CONNECT WITH JULIE Website: juliewagner.co Email: [email protected] Instagram: @oh_hey_jules and @leadershipclearly TikTok: oh_hey_jules NEXT WEEK Renee E. Bryan, author of The Morality of Money, on removing fear and finding financial freedom. Our first video episode. If this episode found you at the right time, leave a review. It's how other leaders find the show.

Leading Out of Rest, Not Hustle | How to Sustain the Calling Without Burning It to the Ground 17.08.2026 39min

Leading Out of Rest, Not Hustle | How to Sustain the Calling Without Burning It to the Ground "If I just work hard enough, long enough, I can hold it all together." That was Julie's whole operating system, until she hit the wall hustle always walks you into. In this finale of the identity arc, she reframes rest not as the reward you earn after you've proven yourself, but as the ground you lead from in the first place. In this episode: The lie of hustle, why more effort isn't the answer, and what it costs you and your team The one-word difference between leading FOR rest and leading FROM rest Why hustle culture is quietly built on a functional disbelief in God How God built rest into the very design of creation, and made it a gift, not a reward Four honest, doable ways to actually shift into leading from rest Scripture anchors: Psalm 127:1-2 and Mark 2:27 (NLT) Your one thing this week: practice one act of leading from rest. Take the real day off. Close the laptop with things unfinished and trust God overnight. Lead as though it doesn't all depend on you, because it doesn't. This is part 3 of 3, the finale of the identity arc: Calling → Confidence → Rest. New here? Start with Part 1, The Calling Question. Because clarity is an act of lov3. Connect & Go Deeper → 1:1 Coaching: Learn about working with Julie one-on-one at juliewagner.co → The Course: Check out the Leadership Clearly Foundations Course at https://juliewagner.co/the-leadership-clearly-course → Come On the Show: Interested in being a guest? Email [email protected] → Free Guide: Sign up for our newsletter and get your free guide, The 7 Pillars of Kingdom Leadership, at https://leadershipclearly.com/1-opt-in-page-page-4353 → Leadership Language Quiz: Find out how you communicate as a leader at https://juliewagner.co/the-quiz

The Confidence Gap | How to Lead With Confidence When the Self-Doubt Won't Quit 10.08.2026 29min

The Confidence Gap | How to Lead With Confidence When the Self-Doubt Won't Quit There's the version of you that's clear and capable in your own head, and the version that walks into the room and loses half her confidence somewhere between the doorway and the table. That distance, between what you're actually capable of and how confident you feel when it counts, is the confidence gap. And so many capable leaders live in it every day. Part two of the identity arc tackles what happens after you've said yes to the calling and the self-doubt still won't leave you alone. In this episode: Why the confidence most of us chase is a counterfeit that can never satisfy The better definition: confidence isn't the absence of doubt, it's acting well in its presence Where durable confidence actually comes from (and why competence is the wrong foundation) Why God commands courage to shaky leaders, and the reason He always attaches to it Four practical ways to close the gap and lead confidently while the feeling catches up Scripture anchors: Joshua 1:9 and 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT) Your one thing this week: catch yourself in the gap, that moment you're tempted to shrink, and do the brave thing anyway. You won't close the confidence gap by finally feeling ready. You'll close it by acting faithfully while unready. This is part 2 of 3 in an identity arc: Calling → Confidence → Rest. New here? Start with Part 1, The Calling Question. Because clarity is an act of love. Connect & Go Deeper → 1:1 Coaching: Learn about working with Julie one-on-one at juliewagner.co → The Course: Check out the Leadership Clearly Foundations Course at https://juliewagner.co/the-leadership-clearly-course → Come On the Show: Interested in being a guest? Email [email protected] → Free Guide: Sign up for our newsletter and get your free guide, The 7 Pillars of Kingdom Leadership, at https://leadershipclearly.com/1-opt-in-page-page-4353 → Leadership Language Quiz: Find out how you communicate as a leader at https://juliewagner.co/the-quiz

The Calling Question | How to Know You’re Called to Lead When You Feel Completely Unqualified 26.07.2026 27min

Who am I to be doing this? If that question has ever whispered at you, or shouted at you at 2 a.m., this episode is for you. Because that exact feeling of "who am I" is not proof that you're not called. Very often, it's the fingerprint of the very people God tends to call. Julie opens a 3-part identity series with the question underneath all the other questions: am I even supposed to be leading, or am I just faking it until someone figures me out? In this episode: <ul> <li>Why feeling unqualified is not the same as being unqualified</li> <li>The most famous "I'm not good enough" conversation in the Bible, and what God's answer changes</li> <li>Why your calling was never based on your qualification, but on His presence</li> <li>How God chooses the unlikely on purpose, and why</li> <li>How to tell the difference between fear talking and genuine wisdom that a role isn't yours</li> </ul> Scripture anchors: Exodus 4:10-12 and 1 Corinthians 1:27 (NLT) Your one thing this week: stop answering the calling question by trying to convince yourself you're qualified. Answer it the way God answered Moses, the question was never whether you're enough. It's whether He's with you. This is part 1 of 3 in our identity series: Calling → Confidence → Rest. Because clarity is an act of love. Connect &amp; Go Deeper → 1:1 Coaching: Learn about working with Julie one-on-one at <a href="http://juliewagner.co" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">juliewagner.co</a> → The Course: Check out the Leadership Clearly Foundations Course at <a href="https://juliewagner.co/the-leadershi%EE%80%80p-clearly-course" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co/the-leadership-clearly-course</a> → Come On the Show: Interested in being a guest? Email <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">[email protected]</a> → Free Guide: Sign up for our newsletter and get your free guide, The 7 Pillars of Kingdom Leadership, at <a href="https://leadershipclearly.com/1-opt-in-page-8735" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://leadershipclearly.com/1-opt-in-page-8735</a> → Leadership Language Quiz: Find out how you communicate as a leader at <a href="https://juliewagner.co/the-quiz" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co/the-quiz</a>

Clarity Is Protection | Why Clear, Documented Communication Protects Your People, Your Team, and You 13.07.2026 26min

Clarity Is Protection | Why Clear, Documented Communication Protects Your People, Your Team, and You Documentation. The word that makes most heart-led leaders flinch. It sounds cold, corporate, the opposite of leading with love. By the end of this episode, Julie wants you to hear that word and think care, not cold. The finale of the Clear and Protected series reframes clear, documented communication as one of the deepest forms of protection a leader can offer, for the struggling employee, the faithful team, and the leader herself. In this episode: <ul> <li>The reframe: documentation is simply clarity made durable, the fair warning love insists on</li> <li>Who it actually protects, all three: the employee, the team, and you</li> <li>Why protecting the organization is faithful stewardship, not selfishness</li> <li>What Proverbs says about foresight and prudence (and why "winging it" isn't faith)</li> <li>A heart check: three questions to keep documentation from curdling into cold, defensive file-building</li> </ul> Scripture anchors: Proverbs 22:3 and Proverbs 13:4 (NLT) A note for leaders: this episode lives right up against employment law. Julie is a leadership coach, not a lawyer or HR professional. She handles the why and the heart, and sends you to your HR team or a qualified employment attorney for the how. Please don't build your documentation practices off a podcast. Your one thing this week: change your relationship with one word. After your next meaningful conversation with someone you lead, follow it with a short, kind, clear written summary. Not as a weapon. As a gift. This is part 3 of 3, the finale of the Clear and Protected series. New here? Start with Part 1, The Conversation You're Avoiding. Because clarity is an act of love. Connect &amp; Go Deeper → 1:1 Coaching: Learn about working with Julie one-on-one at juliewagner.co → The Course: Check out the Leadership Clearly Foundations Course at <a href="https://juliewagner.co/the-leadership-clearly-course" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co/the-leadership-clearly-course</a> → Come On the Show: Interested in being a guest? Email <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">[email protected]</a> → Free Guide: Sign up for our newsletter and get your free guide, The 7 Pillars of Kingdom Leadership, at <a href="https://leadershipclearly.com/1-opt-in-page-8735" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://leadershipclearly.com/1-opt-in-page-8735</a> → Leadership Language Quiz: Find out how you communicate as a leader at <a href="https://juliewagner.co/the-quiz" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co/the-quiz</a>

When They Push Back | Staying Clear and Calm With the Defensive, Unhappy, or Insubordinate Employee 06.07.2026 27min

When They Push Back | Staying Clear and Calm With the Defensive, Unhappy, or Insubordinate Employee What happens when you do everything right, you're clear, kind, and fair, and they push back anyway? They cross their arms. They say it's not fair. They go quiet and cold and then vent to half the team in the break room. This episode is about staying steady when the other person doesn't. Part two of the Clear and Protected series tackles the part nobody prepares you for: defensiveness, excuses, the unhappy employee who spreads discontent, and the line where push-back becomes insubordination. In this episode: <ul> <li>Why push-back is usually fear, not defiance, and why reading it right changes everything</li> <li>The single most important skill: becoming a non-anxious presence when the room heats up</li> <li>Soft tone, firm content: how to lower the temperature without surrendering the standard</li> <li>The watercooler problem, how one discontented person can taint a whole team</li> <li>The real difference between push-back and insubordination, and what changes at that line</li> <li>When a difficult conversation becomes a safety situation, and what to do</li> </ul> Scripture anchors: Proverbs 15:1 and Proverbs 26:20-21 (NLT) A note for leaders: this episode touches employee relations and workplace law, including protected employee discussions. Julie is a leadership coach, not a lawyer or HR professional, and flags throughout where to check with your HR team or an employment attorney. Your one thing this week: before any hard conversation, take 60 seconds to settle yourself first. Their reaction is not an emergency. This is part 2 of 3 in the Clear and Protected series. New here? Start with Part 1, The Conversation You're Avoiding. Because clarity is an act of love. Connect &amp; Go Deeper → 1:1 Coaching: Learn about working with Julie one-on-one at juliewagner.co → The Course: Check out the Leadership Clearly Foundations Course at <a href="https://juliewagner.co/the-leadership-clearly-course" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co/the-leadership-clearly-course</a> → Come On the Show: Interested in being a guest? Email <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">[email protected]</a> → Free Guide: Sign up for our newsletter and get your free guide, The 7 Pillars of Kingdom Leadership, at <a href="https://leadershipclearly.com/1-opt-in-page-8735" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://leadershipclearly.com/1-opt-in-page-8735</a> → Leadership Language Quiz: Find out how you communicate as a leader at <a href="https://juliewagner.co/the-quiz" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co/the-quiz</a>

The Conversation You’re Avoiding: How to Address an Underperforming Employee With Clarity Instead of Dread 28.06.2026 26min

You already know who it is. There's a name, a person whose performance you've been not-quite-looking-at, a conversation you've been carrying instead of having. This episode is about finally having it. Julie opens part one of the Clear and Protected series with an honest look at why we avoid the hard conversation (hint: it's rarely the noble reason we tell ourselves), what that avoidance actually costs, and how to walk in clear and kind instead of dreading it for another six months. In this episode: <ul> <li>The real reason we stay silent, and why "grace" is sometimes just fear in a nicer outfit</li> <li>The four hidden costs of avoidance: the underperformer, your best people, your culture, and you</li> <li>Why your tolerance of your lowest performer quietly sets the real standard for everyone</li> <li>Five practical moves for walking into the conversation with clarity instead of dread</li> <li>How to hold the standard and genuine curiosity at the same time</li> </ul> Scripture anchors: Proverbs 27:23, Proverbs 18:13, and Colossians 3:23 (NLT) A note for leaders: this series touches real workplace and employment topics. Julie is a leadership coach, not a lawyer or HR professional, and she flags throughout where you'll want to check with your own HR team or an employment attorney. Your one thing this week: write down the specifics. Get clear, on paper, on what the standard is and where the gap is. Most of the dread lives in the vagueness. This is part 1 of 3 in the Clear and Protected series. Next week: what to do when they push back. Ready to lead from your real voice instead of from fear of what people will think? Connect &amp; Go Deeper → 1:1 Coaching: Learn about working with Julie one-on-one at <a href="https://juliewagner.co/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">juliewagner.co</a> → The Course: Check out the Leadership Clearly Foundations Course at <a href="https://juliewagner.co/the-leadership-clearly-course" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co/the-leadership-clearly-course</a> → Come On the Show: Interested in being a guest? Email <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">[email protected]</a> → Free Guide: Sign up for our newsletter and get your free guide, The 7 Pillars of Kingdom Leadership, at <a href="https://leadershipclearly.com/1-opt-in-page-8735" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://leadershipclearly.com/1-opt-in-page-8735</a> → Leadership Language Quiz: Find out how you communicate as a leader at <a href="https://juliewagner.co/the-quiz" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co/the-quiz</a>

You Are Not the Hero of Your Team’s Story | What Donald Miller’s StoryBrand Gets Right About Leadership 22.06.2026 34min

What if the thing that makes you feel most important as a leader is the exact thing keeping your team small? In this episode, Julie unpacks Donald Miller's StoryBrand framework, the idea that you are not the hero of the story, you are the guide, and what happens when leaders get those two roles backwards. If you're the one solving every problem, answering every question, and quietly proud of how much your team needs you, this one is going to land. Julie gets honest about her own years as a "hero leader," the moment a team member went quiet because she'd trained her to, and the three real costs of refusing to leave the center of the picture. Then she takes it where a business book can't go, to Jesus, who had every right to be the hero of every story and chose the towel and the basin instead. In this episode: <ul> <li>Why being needed and being effective are almost opposites</li> <li>The three hidden costs of hero leadership (and the one that's quietly about you)</li> <li>What a guide actually does: four practical moves you can use this week</li> <li>Why servant leadership is the highest form of leadership, not the consolation prize</li> <li>How a settled identity frees you to finally get out of your team's way</li> </ul> Scripture anchors: Mark 10:42-45 (NLT) and Philippians 2:3-4 (NLT) Your one thing this week: find one place you've been the hero, and choose to be the guide instead. If this episode met you where you lead, share it with one leader who needs it, and come tell Julie on Instagram which role you've been playing, hero or guide. Ready to lead from your real voice instead of the performance? Leadership Clearly: The Foundations is a 5-day course built around the Leadership Clearly Method. Link below. → <a href="https://juliewagner.co/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">juliewagner.co</a> Because clarity is an act of love.

Rest is NOT a reward: Overcoming Christian Leadership Burnout and Reclaiming Sabbath Rest 08.06.2026 23min

Christian leadership burnout is quietly draining some of the most faithful women in leadership, and the cause is not always your workload. In this episode of Leadership Clearly, Julie Wagner unpacks why rest is not a reward you earn after the work is done, but a command God built into how you were designed to lead. If you are a Christian woman leader, entrepreneur, or founder running on empty and calling it dedication, this conversation is your permission slip and your plan. Julie takes apart the lie that Sabbath rest is something you collect once the to-do list is finished, and replaces it with what Scripture actually says about working from rest instead of for it. Anchored in Matthew 11:28-30, this episode walks through the three real reasons high-capacity women struggle to rest, the four kinds of rest you may be starved for without realizing it, and why your relationship with rest is contagious to the team, family, and people you lead. It is a faith-based, practical look at burnout recovery, boundaries, and sustainable Christian leadership. In this episode: <ul> <li>Why rest is a command, not a reward, and where Scripture places it</li> <li>The hidden belief that makes rest feel like losing your worth</li> <li>Three reasons faithful, capable women do not rest, and how to spot yours</li> <li>The four types of rest, and how to aim your week at the one you need</li> <li>How leading from your true voice is less exhausting than performing one</li> </ul> Scripture anchor: Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT) Whether you are navigating leadership burnout, longing for rhythms of Sabbath rest, or learning to set boundaries without guilt, this episode meets you where you are. Ready to lead from rest instead of running on empty? Leadership Clearly: The Foundations is Julie's flagship five-day course built on the Leadership Clearly Method, and it starts by clearing the noise so you can lead from your real voice. Check out now at <a href="https://juliewagner.co/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">juliewagner.co.</a> Topics: Christian leadership, women in leadership, leadership burnout, Sabbath rest, burnout recovery, faith and work, Christian women entrepreneurs, boundaries, rest and renewal, sustainable leadership, Christian podcast for women.

What I Wish I’d Known About Leading Women 25.05.2026 25min

Nobody hands you a manual for this part of leadership. The part where you're suddenly responsible for women who used to be your peers. The part where being liked starts costing you the ability to lead. The part where you realize the dynamics on your team look a lot like the dynamics you've spent your whole life navigating in every other room you've been in. In this episode, I'm sharing the honest, sometimes uncomfortable lessons I've learned about leading other women. The likability tax and what it actually costs you. The dynamics that show up when women lead women that nobody names out loud. The shift that changes everything when it finally lands. And the four things I do differently now than I used to. This one's a conversation between friends. Pull up a chair. Mentioned in this episode: Psalm 139 <a href="https://juliewagner.co/the-clarity-code-bootcamp" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">The Clarity Code Bootcamp</a> (launching soon) Connect with Julie: <a href="https://juliewagner.co/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co</a> Clarity is an act of love.

The Nice Leader Lie: Why Being Kind and Being Clear Are Not Opposites 18.05.2026 31min

Somewhere along the way, a lot of us started confusing being nice with being good. We started believing that if our team was always happy with us, if no one was ever uncomfortable, if every conversation stayed warm and easy, that meant we were leading well. That belief is quietly costing leaders their teams, their authority, and their effectiveness, and most of them have no idea it is happening. In this episode, Julie Wagner pulls apart the idea that being a kind leader and being an effective leader are somehow opposites. They were never supposed to be. She walks through the four ways the nice leader lie shows up in real leadership, names the specific pressure women leaders face around likability, and shows what it actually looks like to be warm and clear at the same time. Then she lands where it matters most: Jesus was the most loving person who ever lived and the most direct, and those two things were never in conflict. If you have a conversation you have been avoiding, a standard that has been quietly sliding, or feedback you keep softening into nothing, this episode is for you. In this episode: <ul> <li>Where the nice leader lie comes from and why the pendulum swung too far</li> <li>The four patterns that reveal you are being nice instead of effective</li> <li>The specific likability trap women leaders get hit with harder</li> <li>What an effective AND deeply kind leader actually does differently</li> <li>Why discomfort is often the most loving thing you can give someone</li> <li>The three practical shifts to hold warmth and clarity at the same time</li> <li>The Proverbs 27:6 reframe that changes how you think about hard conversations</li> </ul> Key quote: "The kindness was in the directness all along." Scripture anchors: Proverbs 27:6, Ephesians 4:15 Mentioned in this episode: <ul> <li>The Clarity Code Bootcamp - <a href="https://juliewagner.co/the-clarity-code-bootcamp" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co/the-clarity-code-bootcamp</a></li> </ul> Connect with Julie: <ul> <li>Website: <a href="https://juliewagner.co" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co</a></li> <li>Instagram: @JulieThomasWagner</li> <li>Subscribe to the newsletter for weekly leadership insights, podcast updates, and first access to new offers</li> </ul> If this episode resonated, share it with a leader in your life who needs to hear it. Screenshot, tag, send a DM — that is how this podcast grows and how more leaders get the tools they need.

The Vulnerability Trap: What Brené Brown Got Right (and What Most Leaders Get Wrong) 04.05.2026 33min

Vulnerability has been called a leadership superpower, and for good reason. Brené Brown's research changed how an entire generation of leaders thinks about being human at work. But there is a version of vulnerability happening in leadership right now that is not building trust, not creating connection, and quietly burning teams down. And most of the leaders caught in it have no idea. In this episode, Julie Wagner names three specific ways vulnerability goes sideways in leadership: oversharing that asks your team to carry your unprocessed emotion, using vulnerability as a beautifully decorated escape hatch from hard decisions, and bringing raw fear into the room before you have done the work on it. She gives Brené her flowers genuinely, then walks through what healthy vulnerability actually looks like in practice, and lands on the distinction that changes everything: the difference between leading from your testimony and leading from your trauma. If you have ever wondered whether being "real" with your team was actually serving them or quietly costing you, this episode is for you. In this episode: Why vulnerability is a leadership superpower AND why most leaders are misapplying the research The question to ask yourself before you share any hard thing with your team How to spot when vulnerability has become your exit ramp from making the hard call Why bringing unprocessed fear into a meeting can hijack your team's nervous system The three markers of healthy vulnerability in leadership How to be both close AND confident — the rare combination that builds long-term loyalty The 2 Corinthians 12:9 reframe that changes how you carry your weakness as a leader Key quote: "Lead from your testimony. Not your trauma." Scripture anchor: 2 Corinthians 12:9 Mentioned in this episode: The Clarity Code Bootcamp - <a href="https://juliewagner.co/the-clarity-code-bootcamp" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co/the-clarity-code-bootcamp</a> Brené Brown, Dare to Lead Connect with Julie: Website: <a href="http://www.juliewagner.co" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">www.juliewagner.co</a> Instagram: @JulieThomasWagner Subscribe to the newsletter for weekly leadership insights, podcast updates, and first access to new offers If this episode resonated, share it with a leader in your life who needs to hear it. Screenshot, tag, send a DM - that is how this podcast grows and how more leaders get the tools they need.

The Reason Your Team Keeps Miscommunicating 27.04.2026 14min

How much time did you spend last week dealing with communication that went sideways? A direction that didn't land. An expectation you had to re-set. A team dynamic that's been quietly tense for longer than you want to admit. Most leaders think the answer is to communicate more. More meetings. More emails. More repetition. But that's treating the symptom - not the cause. In this episode, Julie Wagner explains exactly why communication keeps breaking down on Christian leadership teams - and it's not what most leaders think. The real problem is a style mismatch: the gap between how you deliver information and how your team is actually wired to receive it. Once you can name that gap, you can close it. Julie walks through three of the most common clash dynamics she sees on real teams, introduces The Clarity Code framework, and makes the full case for why five focused days could change how your team functions. What You'll Learn <ul> <li>The difference between a communication problem and a clarity problem</li> <li>Why repeating yourself never actually works</li> <li>Three real team clash dynamics and what's actually driving them</li> <li>How The Clarity Code framework closes the gap</li> <li>What five days in The Clarity Code Bootcamp could do for your team</li> </ul> Scriptures Referenced Proverbs 11:14 | Romans 12:4-6 Key Quotes "You don't have a communication problem. You have a clarity problem. And those require completely different solutions." "Your team isn't resisting your leadership. They're waiting for you to speak their language." Links + Resources The Clarity Code Bootcamp: <a href="https://juliewagner.co/the-clarity-code-bootcamp" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">juliewagner.co/the-clarity-code-bootcamp</a> 5-day online leadership communication intensive. Launches April 30th. Early bird pricing available now. <a href="https://juliewagner.co/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">juliewagner.co</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/juliethomaswagner" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">@juliethomaswagner </a>(IG) Share This Episode Know a leader who's been stuck in the same team friction? Send them this episode. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - it helps more Christian leaders find this show.

You Can’t Lead Who You Haven’t Learned | Leadership Clarity and Christ Centered Leadership 13.04.2026 23min

Most leaders believe they face problems with their team’s motivation or commitment, but the real challenge often lies in leadership clarity and truly understanding the people you lead. In this episode, Julie Wagner explores the vital skill of recognizing your team members as whole individuals, not just performers. Drawing on her own leadership journey and the pastoral insights of Craig Groeschel, Julie dives into three crucial things every leader - especially women leaders - needs to know about their team to lead effectively. We discuss why casting vision clearly isn’t enough without clear communication styles tailored to your team, how to uncover what really motivates your people beneath the surface, and why hitting the "invisible wall" might mean you haven’t fully learned your team yet. Plus, discover one simple practice you can start this week to deepen your leadership clarity and strengthen your Christ centered leadership. Scripture Reference: 1 Samuel 16:7 Resources Mentioned: The Clarity Code Bootcamp: Five Days to Communicate Clearly and Lead Confidently- get on waitlist today! Launches in APRIL 2026! <a href="https://juliewagner.co/the-clarity-code-bootcamp" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co/the-clarity-code-bootcamp</a> 1:1 Coaching with Julie: Strategic leadership coaching for founders and executives seeking Christ-centered clarity. <a href="https://juliewagner.co" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co</a> Connect with Us: Subscribe: New episodes of Leadership Clearly drop every Monday. Review: If this episode helped you lead with more clarity, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Share: Send this episode to a Christian leader or entrepreneur navigating uncertainty right now.

Celebrating Holy Week 30.03.2026 4min

In this reflective episode of the Leadership Clearly Podcast, Julie Wagner pauses during Holy Week to delve into Jesus' entry into Jerusalem as described in Matthew 21. With a focus on christ centered leadership and leadership clarity, Julie invites listeners to consider the profound weight Jesus carried during this pivotal week. By exploring themes of surrender versus domination, this episode challenges leaders to reflect on their own leadership approach from a faith-based perspective. Tune in for a quiet yet powerful conversation that connects biblical insights with practical leadership lessons, reminding us all of the true heart of leadership during challenging times.

Should Christian Leaders Embrace AI? Insights on Faith and Leadership 30.03.2026 15min

AI is everywhere right now, and if you are leading a team, running a business, or building something with your faith at the center, you have probably already asked yourself: should I be using this? Is it okay? Where does it help, and where does it actually hurt? In this episode of Leadership Clearly, I am getting into all of it. We are talking about why Christian leaders are so divided on AI, what the real ethical and theological concerns are, and what happens to your leadership when you start leaning on tools more than discernment. Here is what I want you to walk away with: a grounded, faith-rooted framework for using AI without losing your voice, your values, or your responsibility as a leader. Because the goal was never to keep up with every trend. The goal is to lead clearly, and that does not change just because the tools do. If you are a Christian leader, founder, business owner, or executive who wants to communicate with more clarity and lead your team well in a world that keeps shifting, this one is for you. Resources Mentioned: The Clarity Code Bootcamp: Five Days to Communicate Clearly and Lead Confidently- get on waitlist today! Launches in APRIL 2026! https://juliewagner.co/the-clarity-code-bootcamp 1:1 Coaching with Julie: Strategic leadership coaching for founders and executives seeking Christ-centered clarity. <a href="https://juliewagner.co" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co</a> Connect with Us: Subscribe: New episodes of Leadership Clearly drop every Monday. Review: If this episode helped you lead with more clarity, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Share: Send this episode to a Christian leader or entrepreneur navigating uncertainty right now.

Building Scalable Teams with Systems and Leadership Clarity to Prevent Burnout 23.03.2026 20min

Don’t hire another person on your team until you do this. In this episode of Leadership, Clearly, Julie unpacks why hiring more people is not the solution if your systems, structure, and communication are already shaky. Instead of adding bodies to a broken foundation, she walks you through the one thing you must do first: create clear ownership and the systems that support it. You’ll learn: <ul> <li>The real difference between building a team and building a scalable team</li> <li>Why unclear roles and vague expectations quietly sabotage your growth</li> <li>How to use SOPs, rhythms, and structure to support healthy communication</li> <li>The leadership shifts you need to make before you bring on your next hire</li> <li>Practical steps to start strengthening your team’s foundation this week</li> </ul> If you’re a Christian leader, founder, CEO, or small business owner who feels the weight of growth and doesn’t want to burn out your people in the process, this episode will help you build a team that grows strong, not just fast. If communication is one of your biggest leadership challenges, Julie also shares how The Clarity Code, her 5-day communication bootcamp, can help you say what matters, lead with confidence, and align your team around what actually moves the mission forward. _______________________________________________________________________________________ Resources Mentioned: The Clarity Code Bootcamp: Five Days to Communicate Clearly and Lead Confidently- get on waitlist today! Launches in APRIL 2026! <a href="https://juliewagner.co/coming-soon" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co/the-clarity-code-bootcamp</a> 1:1 Coaching with Julie: Strategic leadership coaching for founders and executives seeking Christ-centered clarity. <a href="https://juliewagner.co" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co</a> Perplexity AI - <a href="http://www.perplexity.ai" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">www.perplexity.ai</a> Claude AI- <a href="http://www.claude.ai" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">www.claude.ai</a> Connect with Us: Subscribe: New episodes of Leadership Clearly drop every Monday. Review: If this episode helped you lead with more clarity, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Share: Send this episode to a Christian leader or entrepreneur navigating uncertainty right now.

The Difference Between Building a Team and Building a Scalable Team 16.03.2026 21min

What is the difference between building a team and building a scalable team? In this episode of Leadership, Clearly, Julie breaks down what leaders, founders, business owners, and executive teams need to understand before they hire, expand, and scale. If you want to grow your business, strengthen your leadership, and build a healthy team culture, this episode will help you see why adding more people is not enough. We dive into the leadership strategies behind scaling a team, including clear communication, role clarity, accountability, team structure, delegation, and the systems that support sustainable growth. Julie shares practical insight on why so many leaders struggle with team growth, how weak points in communication and leadership get exposed during expansion, and what it really takes to build a team that can grow without chaos. This episode is for Christian leaders, CEOs, founders, entrepreneurs, small business owners, and anyone responsible for leading people well. If you are trying to improve leadership communication, create a scalable business, strengthen team performance, or build a stronger culture, this conversation will give you practical next steps. You will also hear why identifying the weak points in your team matters now, whether your organization is large or small, and why healthy growth starts with honesty, awareness, and strong leadership systems. If communication is one of your biggest leadership challenges, check out The Clarity Code, Julie’s coaching resource designed to help leaders communicate clearly, lead confidently, and build stronger teams. In this episode, we cover: <ul> <li>The difference between building a team and building a scalable team</li> <li>How to scale a business without creating confusion and burnout</li> <li>Why communication is essential for team growth and leadership development</li> <li>The weak points leaders must identify before they scale</li> <li>Why systems, structure, and accountability matter in growing organizations</li> <li>What leaders need to focus on before hiring and expanding</li> </ul> Leadership, Clearly is a podcast for leaders who want to grow with clarity, strengthen communication, and build teams that last through Christ-centered leadership, practical strategy, and real-world insight.\ Resources Mentioned: The Clarity Code Bootcamp: Five Days to Communicate Clearly and Lead Confidently- get on waitlist today! Launches in APRIL 2026! <a href="https://juliewagner.co/the-clarity-code-bootcamp" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co/the-clarity-code-bootcamp</a> 1:1 Coaching with Julie: Strategic leadership coaching for founders and executives seeking Christ-centered clarity. <a href="https://juliewagner.co" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co</a> Connect with Us: Subscribe: New episodes of Leadership Clearly drop every Monday. Review: If this episode helped you lead with more clarity, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Share: Send this episode to a Christian leader or entrepreneur navigating uncertainty right now.

How to Get People to Listen: Christ-Centered Leadership & Communication Styles 09.03.2026 14min

Why do leaders feel like no one is really listening to them? In this episode of the Leadership Clearly Podcast, we explore one of the most common frustrations in leadership communication: getting people to actually hear and understand what you’re saying. The truth is, you cannot force people to listen. But you can create an environment that invites them to. In today’s conversation, Julie Wagner breaks down the leadership principles behind influence, communication styles, and why people often resist leaders who speak before they truly listen. Through a real leadership story from her experience leading in the tech industry and biblical leadership wisdom from scripture, you’ll learn how trust, listening, and clarity work together to create stronger communication and healthier teams. If you want to grow in Christ centered leadership, strengthen your communication as a leader, and build teams that respect and trust your voice, this episode will give you practical tools you can start using immediately. In this episode you’ll learn: • Why you cannot make people listen but you can invite them to • The leadership mistake that causes teams to tune out • How listening first increases influence and trust • A practical communication framework you can use with your team today • The biblical leadership model Jesus demonstrated when communicating with people Leadership is not just about having answers. It’s about creating clarity that people are willing to follow. New episodes of the Leadership Clearly Podcast drop every Monday so you can start your week with wisdom, clarity, and stronger leadership foundations. Resources Mentioned: The Clarity Code Bootcamp: Five Days to Communicate Clearly and Lead Confidently- get on waitlist today! Launches in APRIL 2026! <a href="https://juliewagner.co/coming-soon" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co/the-clarity-code-bootcamp</a> 1:1 Coaching with Julie: Strategic leadership coaching for founders and executives seeking Christ-centered clarity. <a href="https://juliewagner.co" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://juliewagner.co</a> Connect with Us: Subscribe: New episodes of Leadership Clearly drop every Monday. Review: If this episode helped you lead with more clarity, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Share: Send this episode to a Christian leader or entrepreneur navigating uncertainty right now.