In Part 1 of this 2 part series, Mack Story begins to explore the 5 Traits of High Impact Team Leaders, starting with the foundational trait of relentless personal leadership development—continuously investing in character over mere competency (as influence stems 87% from who you are, per key studies)—to inspire voluntary followership, boost productivity by up to 40%, and unleash team potential in high-pressure, low-authority environments where change is resisted but results are demande

Crews can handle tough jobs, bad weather, tight deadlines, but they won’t tolerate a boss who acts like he’s above the rules he pushes on everyone else.

Good leaders keep it real: they own their mistakes, put the team first, and stay consistent no matter who’s watching.

Do that, and people will run through walls for you.

Blow it with hypocrisy, blame-shifting, or manipulation, and you’ll watch your best guys walk out the door—or worse, stay and just punch the clock until something better comes along.

Ria and Mack Story share how dealing with a boss you can't stand boils down to three core options:

1. Quit and Find a New Job and a New Boss: How you quit reveals A LOT about your character. Will you shine or whine?
2. Stay and Be Proactive: addressing issues head-on through open communication and personal development as you rise above the friction.
3. Stay and Be Reactive: moaning, groaning, and whining without building any trust or increasing your influence.

Proactive choices often earn respect, maintain relationships, and open doors, while reactive choices create friction, rupture relationships, and decrease your influence.

#careeradvice #careertips #careeradvancement #successtips

Kick off the new year with intention and clarity.

As we wave goodbye to 2025 and step boldly into 2026, Mack & Ria Story guide you through a reflective exercise designed to help you audit your habits, celebrate your wins, and set the stage for transformative change.

With a common sense approach, this episode breaks down five essential questions to help you declutter your life, amplify what works, and embrace new possibilities. This 30-minute session will provide you with a mental roadmap to help you get more out of the year ahead.

#motivation #inspiration #reflection #success #successtips

In this episode of the podcast, Mack Story delves into the transformative power of self-control and personal growth as outlined in his book Defining Influence: Increasing Your Influence Increases Your Options.

Drawing from his own life-changing encounter with Stephen R. Covey's principle—that between stimulus and response lies a space for choice—Mack shares how embracing this idea shifted his mindset, mended fractured relationships with his son and father, and laid the foundation for his leadership journey. He emphasizes that true influence begins with self-leadership, urging listeners to reflect on their own responses, motivate themselves through passion and purpose, and learn intentionally from experiences to avoid repeating mistakes.

Mack also explores the challenges of growth, including resistance from those around you who may prefer the status quo, and the necessity of moving forward even if it means leaving some people behind.

Through personal stories that enhance the book's insights, he illustrates how increasing one's influence expands options in life, encouraging reflection on Socrates' wisdom about the quality of questions we ask ourselves.

This episode inspires listeners to take responsibility for their development, apply leadership principles for better results, and extend their positive impact to others.

#leadership #leadershiptips #leadershippodcast #podcast #reflection #intentionalliving #bluecollarleadership #skilledtrades #construction #manufacturing #selfhelp #growthmindset #successtips

In this raw and real episode, Mack Story pulls no punches as he takes us back to his early 20s—long hours at work, chasing more stuff, and wasting every free minute hunting, fishing, partying, and coasting through life with a crew that was headed absolutely nowhere.

He thought he had it all together because he was paying the bills (sometimes) and having “fun.”

The truth?

He was clueless, surrounded by clueless people, and leading a pack straight into the land of wasted potential. With brutal honesty and his signature blue-collar style, Mack walks us through the wake-up call that finally hit: experience by itself teaches nothing—only evaluated experience does.

Drawing straight from his book Defining Influence: Increasing Your Influence Increases Your Options, Mack breaks down the game-changing difference between raw experience and reflection that actually moves you forward.

He shares how he shifted from a selfish “me” mindset to a “we” mindset, why your intent behind every action is what people really judge, and how character (not just competency) determines who you attract and who you become.

If you’ve ever felt stuck hanging with the same crowd, getting the same results, and wondering why nothing ever changes, this episode is your fork-in-the-road moment.

Stop coasting. Start evaluating. Because until you look backward on purpose, you’ll never move forward with purpose.

#leadership #leadershiptips #leadershippodcast #podcast #reflection #intentionalliving #bluecollarleadership #skilledtrades #construction #manufacturing #selfhelp #growthmindset #successtips

Discover simple, yet highly effective ways to methodically and intentionally enhance and/or transform your organizational culture.

Mack & Ria Story discuss the methods their most effective clients implement in-house to grow and develop the people within their organization.

For a deep dive into the methods they'll be discussing, visit BlueCollarLeadership.com/implement

Mack & Ria Story discuss the importance of discipline and the impact of making excuses.

Discipline is giving yourself a command and following through with it.

Excuses are exits off of the highway to success.