Leading Others: Building a Winning Culture Everywhere You Go

Welcome to the fourth and final installment of The Impossible Life Podcast Leadership Series. Throughout this series, we've explored how leadership starts by leading yourself, strengthens through leading your marriage, multiplies when leading your family, and culminates in your ability to effectively lead others.

Today we’re going deep into the essential skills you need to inspire teams, lead effectively in every environment, and create a powerful culture by design—not default.

Let’s dive in.

Leadership Is About Order, Not Position

Most people mistakenly think leadership is about a title, a big office, or the power to tell others what to do. At The Impossible Life Podcast, we see leadership differently. Leadership isn’t about climbing a ladder; it’s about creating order and driving growth.

Think of leadership as a design system. Your role as a leader is either adding chaos or subtracting it. If you're bringing clarity, vision, and order, you’re effectively leading others. If you're creating confusion or instability, you're not.

Ask yourself honestly:

“Am I adding order or chaos to my environment?”

Your answer determines the impact of your leadership.

Situational vs. Natural-Born Leaders

One of the biggest myths of leadership is that only certain “types” of people can lead. At The Impossible Life, we recognize two types of leaders:

• Natural-born leaders: Those who naturally inspire respect, carry clear vision, and step easily into leadership roles.

• Situational leaders: Those who lead because the situation demands it—like parents or team leaders appointed by circumstance.

You don’t have to be Winston Churchill or Steve Jobs to lead effectively. Whether you're naturally gifted or stepping into leadership out of necessity, you can—and should—lead powerfully in your current environment.

Your #1 Job as a Leader: Create Culture by Design

Pastor Keith Craft says:

“People become like the culture they live in. The number one job of a leader is to create a culture by design—not default.”

Culture is simply shared attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Every organization, team, or group has a culture. If you don't intentionally create one, you'll end up with a default culture—one filled with confusion, frustration, and mediocrity.

As a leader, your responsibility is to proactively shape your environment into one that encourages growth, excellence, and unity.

Action Step:

• Clearly define the culture you want. Set standards, communicate vision, and live them consistently.

Lead with “Teamability”: The Navy SEAL Principle

In Navy SEAL teams, there’s a unique concept known as teamability: the ability to fluidly shift from leading to following and back again. Effective teams depend on their members’ willingness and ability to lead or follow based on the situation.

Leadership isn't about hierarchy; it’s about function. Garrett, co-host of The Impossible Life Podcast, experienced this firsthand as a Navy SEAL. His team’s success wasn't dependent on one "star leader," but rather on each team member understanding their role and stepping up or stepping back as needed.

Your ability to embrace both leadership and followership will determine the success of your teams.

Belief: Leadership Is About Order and Stewardship

Your foundational belief as a leader should be this:

“Leadership is about order, stewardship, and creating environments that empower others to grow.”

You don’t have followers or employees—you have people you’re responsible for serving and empowering. Your role as a leader isn’t a privilege; it’s a stewardship entrusted to you. Serve your people well, and your influence will naturally expand.

Thought Process: Am I Adding Chaos or Order?

Each day, ask yourself:

• Am I reducing chaos?

• Am I creating clarity, vision, and positive tension?

• Am I empowering those around me to become their best?

You can't control every circumstance or person, but you can control how you lead in each situation. When you focus on creating order, your leadership thrives—even if you’re not at the top of the hierarchy.

Practical Action Steps for Leading Others

Here are powerful strategies to implement immediately:

1. Understand and Serve Your Team

• Identify each person's strengths and motivations. (Consider tools like StrengthsFinder.)

• Demonstrate genuine care through practical acts of service and acknowledgment.

2. Cultivate BIG Leadership (Inspired by Pastor Keith Craft)

• B – Raise the Bar: Set high standards and lead by example.

• I – Identify Gaps: Notice problems or opportunities for improvement.

• G – Generate Positive Tension: Cast vision to inspire people to grow toward a shared future.

3. Shift Rapidly Between Leading and Following

• Practice humility. Understand when to lead and when to support others’ leadership.

• Foster a team culture where leadership roles shift fluidly, maximizing everyone's strengths.

The Impact of Your Leadership: Creating Synergy

In elite teams like the Navy SEALs, synergy is the hallmark of great leadership. Aristotle said it best: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

When you lead with clarity, vision, and humility, your team operates at a higher level. 20 people can become as impactful as 100, multiplying their collective effectiveness exponentially. That's the kind of leadership that changes organizations, communities, and ultimately, the world.

Final Thought: Lead Others to Greatness

Leadership isn’t about you—it’s about who you empower, inspire, and elevate. Your greatest legacy as a leader isn’t the title you hold; it’s the culture you build and the people you impact.

This concludes our four-part leadership series:

1. Lead Yourself

2. Lead Your Marriage

3. Lead Your Family

4. Lead Others (You are here!)

Be sure to:

✅ Subscribe to the Mission Ready Mindset for weekly insights to grow in your personal and leadership journey.
✅ Follow on Instagram: @theimpossiblelife
✅ Listen and subscribe to The Impossible Life Podcast.

Leadership begins with you, strengthens through relationships, and ultimately transforms the world around you. Go out and lead powerfully!