How do you transition from being a high-level CFO in the private sector to leading a state agency with 600 employees?

In this episode of Business, Brains & BS, we sit down with Doug Linehan, the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Tax Commission. Doug shares his incredible journey from international accounting and Fortune 500 finance roles in Omaha to a "retirement" that was cut short by a call to serve his home state.

Doug breaks down the fundamental differences between managing (focusing on widgets) and leading (focusing on people). We dive deep into his mission to turn a "sleepy" state agency into a high-performance team by prioritizing radical transparency, pushing decision-making power down to every level, and firing the "technical geniuses" who are workplace "jackasses."

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The essential leadership shift from "individual contributor" to "people motivator."
• Why Doug chooses "humanity" and "decency" over "fear and intimidation."
• How to build a culture where employees feel safe to make decisions.
• The "Price of Admission": Why technical skill is the bare minimum, but soft skills are the key to success.

#Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #Oklahoma #BusinessPodcast #ManagementTips #GovernmentReform #DougLinehan