In this episode of The Science of Leadership, hosts Tom Collins and Justin Hamrick dive into a deceptively simple principle that separates elite leaders from the rest: giving the credit and taking the blame. While many in leadership positions are quick to do the opposite, high-trust leaders understand that shining the spotlight outward during success and stepping forward during failure is a recipe for team excellence.

The discussion moves from the historical battlefields of D-Day to the modern medical workroom, exploring the psychological and strategic impact of ownership.

Key topics include:

• The Eisenhower Standard: A look at the two letters General Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote before the D-Day invasion—one praising the troops for success and another accepting sole responsibility for failure.
• The Science of Ownership: Why taking responsibility isn't just "noble"—it’s backed by research that shows it increases psychological safety, learning, and team adaptability.
• Trust and Motivation: Examining studies that prove leaders who acknowledge the contributions of others are rated as more trustworthy, ethical, and effective.
• Leadership in Practice: Tom shares a personal story of defending a trainee against a berating colleague, illustrating how "having the team's back" transforms culture.
• The Contagion of Behavior: How leadership habits propagate through an organization, either creating a "foxhole mentality" or a culture of self-protection.
• Strategic Humility: Why four-star generals and admirals view giving credit as a strategic tool to empower people and ensure they feel safe reporting small mistakes before they become disasters.

"What leaders tolerate becomes the culture, but what they celebrate defines the team." Learn four practical habits you can activate on Monday morning to shift your mindset from "me" to "we" and build a team that will walk through walls for you.

Also, I want to remind listeners about the release of my book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

Sharpen your leadership skills: Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app to ensure you don't miss an episode dedicated to helping you become a better leader.

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

References

Avolio, B. J., Gardner, W. L., Walumbwa, F. O., Luthans, F., & May, D. R. (2004). Unlocking the mask: A look at the process by which authentic leaders impact follower attitudes and behaviors. The Leadership Quarterly, 15(6), 801–823. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2004.09.003

Owens, B. P., & Hekman, D. R. (2012). Modeling how to grow: An inductive examination of humble leader behaviors, contingencies, and outcomes. Academy of Management Journal, 55(4), 787–818. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2010.0441

Silard, A., Miao, C., Rego, A., Akkan, E., Yoon, D. J., & Qian, S. (2025). Leader expressed humility: A meta-analysis and an agenda for future research. Personality and Individual Differences, 242, 113196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2025.113196 OUCI+1

National Archives Website

https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2004/summer/ike-two-d-day-messages?_ga=2.99698398.1527088957.1766662958-894264562.1766662958

In this high-stakes episode of The Science of Leadership, host Tom Collins sits down with Dr. Sofie Morgan, an emergency medicine physician and Associate Chief Medical Officer at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Drawing from her frontline experience in life-and-death scenarios—including managing the influx of victims from a mass shooting—Dr. Morgan reveals the critical communication strategies required when everything is on the line.

The conversation explores how leaders can cut through the "emotional contagion" of a crisis to provide clarity, steadiness, and a clear path forward for their teams.

Key topics include:

• The Anatomy of Crisis Communication: Why effective messaging must be clear, calm, and succinct to regulate the emotional temperature of the room.
• Command and Control vs. Trust: Understanding why directive leadership is essential in a crisis, and how it must be built on a foundation of pre-established trust and psychological safety.
• The "Individual Crisis": How leaders can identify when a team member has "frozen" in the moment and use validation and simple steps to move them back toward action.
• The Science of Stress: Examining research that shows clear communication can reduce time to intervention by 30% and why individuals instinctively seek authoritative cues under pressure.
• Practical Crisis Protocols: Concrete steps for leaders, including the "mini-pause," narrating your thought process, and closing the communication loop to ensure verification.
• The "Cake" Analogy: Why communication is not a "soft skill" or mere icing, but a core ingredient of effective leadership and medical care.

Whether you are leading a medical team, a corporate department, or a community organization, this episode provides a scientific and practical roadmap for maintaining order in the face of chaos.

Also, I want to remind listeners about the release of my book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

Sharpen your leadership skills: Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app to ensure you don't miss an episode dedicated to helping you become a better leader.

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

References

Leach, J., & Griffiths, A. (2014). Restriction in cognitive capacity in emergency responders during critical incidents. Ergonomics, 57(11), 1627–1642. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2014.939244

Mayer, R. C., Davis, J. H., & Schoorman, F. D. (1995). An integrative model of organizational trust. Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 709–734. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1995.9508080335

Street, M. H., Thomas, E. J., Patel, M. B., & Boyle, K. B. (2020). Association of rapid response team communication with time to clinical intervention and patient outcomes. JAMA Network Open, 3(11), e2028735. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.28735

In this episode of The Science of Leadership, host Tom Collins and co-host Justin Hamrick tackle one of the most challenging aspects of management: dealing with difficult personalities. From the "brilliant jerk" to the "energy vampire," difficult individuals can erode team cohesion and stall organizational progress.

The discussion moves beyond simple vent sessions to explore the psychological underpinnings of why certain people are difficult and, more importantly, how leaders can effectively manage them. Drawing on research and real-world experience, the hosts provide a framework for maintaining your own emotional stability while navigating interpersonal conflict.

Key topics include:

• The Anatomy of a Difficult Personality: Identifying the difference between a high-performer with a "rough edge" and a truly toxic individual who undermines the team.
• The Cost of Inaction: Why leaders often wait too long to address behavior issues and the devastating impact this has on team morale and productivity.
• The "Mirroring" Trap: Understanding how difficult people can trigger us into reacting in kind, and how to break the cycle by maintaining professional boundaries.
• Communication Strategies: Practical tools for having "hard conversations," including focusing on specific behaviors rather than personal attacks.
• When to Walk Away: Recognizing the point at which a relationship or a team member is beyond repair and the necessity of "getting the wrong people off the bus."
• Self-Care for Leaders: Strategies for protecting your own mental health and energy when dealing with chronic negativity.

Whether you are dealing with a defensive peer, a disruptive subordinate, or a challenging superior, this episode offers data-driven insights to help you lead through the friction and protect your team’s culture.

Also, I want to remind listeners about the release of my book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

Sharpen your leadership skills: Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app to ensure you don't miss an episode dedicated to helping you become a better leader.

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

REFERENCES

Andersson, L. M., & Pearson, C. M. (1999). Tit for tat? The spiraling effect of incivility in the workplace. Academy of Management Review, 24(3), 452–471. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1999.2202131

Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999

Edmondson, A. C. (2018). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. Wiley.

Tepper, B. J. (2000). Consequences of abusive supervision. Academy of Management Journal, 43(2), 178–190. https://doi.org/10.5465/1556375

Tepper, B. J., Simon, L., & Park, H. M. (2017). Abusive supervision. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4, 123–152. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-041015-062539

In this episode of The Science of Leadership, host Tom Collins sits down with MIT's Chris Dunphy to discuss the hidden dynamics of multidisciplinary team success. As systems become more complex, they often exceed the cognitive capacity of any single individual, making effective team cohesion a requirement for survival.

The conversation centers on the Allen Curve, a research-backed phenomenon showing that communication frequency drops exponentially once team members are separated by more than 30 meters. Chris explains how "the distance of a hallway" can be as detrimental to collaboration as being in different countries.

Key topics include:

• The Proximity Paradox: Why physical closeness remains the strongest predictor of relationship building and error catching.
• Social Identity Theory: The transition from individual professional identities (e.g., "I am an engineer") to a collective team identity ("We are the team solving this mission").
• The Role of the "Gatekeeper": Identifying the individuals who bridge the gap between internal technical teams and the external world.
• Defining Success: Why the ultimate measure of a project is the strength of the relationships that remain for the next challenge.

Dunphy argues that for a leader, success isn't just about finishing the task—it's about creating a culture where people feel supported, reducing burnout and enabling the team to "circle the wagons" when things go wrong.

Also, I want to remind listeners about the release of my book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

Sharpen your leadership skills: Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app to ensure you don't miss an episode dedicated to helping you become a better leader.

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

References

Brown, S.-A., Sparapani, R., Osinski, K., Zhang, J., Blessing, J., Cheng, F., Hamid, A., MohamadiPour, M. B., Lal, J. C., Kothari, A. N., Caraballo, P., Noseworthy, P., Johnson, R. H., Hansen, K., Sun, L. Y., Crotty, B., Cheng, Y. C., Echefu, G., Doshi, K., … Investigators, for the C.-O. A. I. I. P. (CAIP) R. T. (2023). Team principles for successful interdisciplinary research teams. American Heart Journal Plus: Cardiology Research and Practice, 32, 100306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahjo.2023.100306

Mitchell, R., & Boyle, B. (2015). Professional diversity, identity salience and team innovation: The moderating role of openmindedness norms. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36(6), 873–894. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2009

Patel, M. M., Moseley, T. W., Nia, E. S., Perez, F., Kapoor, M. M., & Whitman, G. J. (2021). Team Science: A Practical Approach to Starting Collaborative Projects. Journal of Breast Imaging, 3(6), 721–726. https://doi.org/10.1093/jbi/wbab034

Simons, M., Goossensen, A., & Nies, H. (2022). Interventions fostering interdisciplinary and inter-organizational collaboration in health and social care; an integrative literature review. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, 28, 100515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjep.2022.100515

In this episode of The Science of Leadership, host Dr. Tom Collins welcomes retired U.S. Coast Guard Captain Darcie Cunningham to explore the critical role of resilience in high-stakes leadership. Drawing from her 24-year military career, Captain Cunningham shares personal stories of professional setbacks and international challenges to illustrate how leaders can not only recover from adversity but adapt to prevent future failures.

The conversation bridges the gap between the science of materials—defining resilience as the ability to return to an original state after stress—and the practical application of leadership, where resilience must be followed by meaningful adaptation. Together, they break down data-driven strategies for fostering resilience, including internal strengths like optimism and external supports like mentorship.

• Redefining Resilience: Moving beyond the "material science" definition to a process-oriented leadership model that integrates both recovery and adaptability.
• The Power of "Being in the Room": Captain Cunningham discusses a pivotal career lesson on building confidence, speaking up even when you might be wrong, and why leaders shouldn't be "potted plants."
• The Coast Guard: Captain Cunningham reflects on being passed over for a promotion and how she leveraged that moment to demonstrate value through extra initiative.
• The Ironman: Dr. Collins shares a harrowing story of life-threatening dehydration during a Texas Ironman and how that moment redefined his own capacity for grit.
• The Scientific Impact: Exploring how resilient leaders create positive psychological climates that buffer teams against burnout and increase follower trust.

Practical Tools for Growth: Data-driven recommendations for cultivating resilience, from improving problem-solving skills to the transformative practice of "listening without seeking to respond."

Also, I want to remind listeners about the release of my book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

Sharpen your leadership skills: Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app to ensure you don't miss an episode dedicated to helping you become a better leader.

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

References

Harland, L., Harrison, W., Jones, J. R., & Reiter-Palmon, R. (2005). Leadership Behaviors and Subordinate Resilience. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 11(2), 2–14. https://doi.org/10.1177/107179190501100202

Luthans, F., Norman, S. M., Avolio, B. J., & Avey, J. B. (2008). The mediating role of psychological capital in the supportive organizational climate—employee performance relationship. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 29(2), 219–238. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.507

Luthans, F., Vogelgesang, G. R., & Lester, P. B. (2006). Developing the Psychological Capital of Resiliency. Human Resource Development Review, 5(1), 25–44. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484305285335

Norman, S., Luthans, B., & Luthans, K. (2005). The Proposed Contagion Effect of Hopeful Leaders on the Resiliency of Employees and Organizations. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 12(2), 55–64.

In this episode of The Science of Leadership, host Tom Collins and co-host Justin Hamrick dive deep into the imperative concept of team cohesion. Using a unique analogy from chemistry, they distinguish between adhesion—where one leader tries to hold a team together—and true cohesion, where team members are joined through mutual interaction and strong relationships.

The discussion explores why "team chemistry" isn't just a sports cliche but a fundamental survival factor in high-stakes fields like medicine and the military. They break down the three pillars that create a unified team and the three consistent patterns that destroy it.

Key topics include:

• The Drivers of Cohesion: Building a team around shared purpose, shared identity, and shared goals.
• The "Culture Killers": How ambiguity, lack of communication, and low relational investment dissolve team bonds.
• The Science of Identity: Exploring Social Identity Theory and how team performance skyrockets when individuals see the team's success as part of their own identity.
• The Proximity Factor: Why physical presence and in-person rituals are essential for building trust and preventing the "zoom disconnect."

The episode concludes with five practical tools leaders can use to cultivate cohesion, ranging from establishing shared rituals to modeling vulnerability and aligning incentives for collective success.

Also, I want to remind listeners about the release of my book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

Sharpen your leadership skills: Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app to ensure you don't miss an episode dedicated to helping you become a better leader.

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

You can find out more about Colonel Ellis at his website, www.leadingwithhonor.com as well as find his blog at https://www.leadingwithhonor.com/blog/

Key References

Beal, D. J., Cohen, R. R., Burke, M. J., & McLendon, C. L. (2003). Cohesion and Performance in Groups: A Meta-Analytic Clarification of Construct Relations. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(6), 989–1004. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.88.6.989

Hobson, N. M., Schroeder, J., Risen, J. L., Xygalatas, D., & Inzlicht, M. (2018). The Psychology of Rituals: An Integrative Review and Process-Based Framework. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 22(3), 260–284. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868317734944

Kim, T., Sezer, O., Schroeder, J., Risen, J., Gino, F., & Norton, M. I. (2021). Work group rituals enhance the meaning of work. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 165, 197–212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2021.05.005

Li, A., Early, S. F., Mahrer, N. E., Klaristenfeld, J. L., & Gold, J. I. (2014). Group Cohesion and Organizational Commitment: Protective Factors for Nurse Residents’ Job Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue, Compassion Satisfaction, and Burnout. Journal of Professional Nursing, 30(1), 89–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2013.04.004

Mullen, B., & Copper, C. (1994). The Relation Between Group Cohesiveness and Performance: An Integration. Psychological Bulletin, 115(2), 210–227. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.115.2.210

Onağ, Z., & Tepeci, M. (2014). Team Effectiveness in Sport Teams: The Effects of Team Cohesion, Intra Team Communication and Team Norms on Team Member Satisfaction and Intent to Remain. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 150, 420–428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.09.042

In this profound episode of The Science of Leadership, host Tom Collins is joined by Colonel Lee Ellis (Ret. U.S. Air Force, former Vietnam POW, and author of Leading with Honor). Colonel Ellis spent five years, four months, and two weeks enduring the crucible of adversity in the Hanoi Hilton, forging indelible lessons about character, trust, and honor.

Colonel Ellis defines the honor code as telling the truth, keeping commitments, being ethical, and acting responsibly. He explains that courage is the centerpiece of honor—the willingness to suffer pain and punishment to sustain one's values.

The conversation dives into:

• The Temptation to Compromise: Colonel Ellis identifies the areas where leaders are most likely to fall short on honor: politics, money, and avoiding exposure of mistakes.
• The Power of Debriefing: He highlights the fighter pilot culture of intense debriefs (like those of the Thunderbirds) where leaders must "tell it like it is" and critique themselves and others to correct back quickly.
• Trust and Coherence: Tom Collins shares the science showing that honor restores coherence and builds the psychological safety essential for team performance.
• The Secure Leader: Colonel Ellis shares his model of moving from an anchor of insecurity (fear, shame, guilt) to a state of being secure through courage, commitment, and self-belief.

Colonel Ellis shares gripping personal accounts of torture and resilience in captivity, underscoring the lesson that while living with honor may involve suffering, it ultimately leads to healthier, more successful lives.

Also, I want to remind listeners about the release of my book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

Sharpen your leadership skills: Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app to ensure you don't miss an episode dedicated to helping you become a better leader.

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

You can find out more about Colonel Ellis at his website, www.leadingwithhonor.com as well as find his blog at https://www.leadingwithhonor.com/blog/

References

Brown, M. E., Treviño, L. K., & Harrison, D. A. (2005). Ethical leadership: A social learning perspective for construct development and testing. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 97(2), 117–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2005.03.002

Ellis, L. (2016). Engage with Honor: Building a Culture of Courageous Accountability. FreedomStar Media.

Ellis, L. (2012). Leading with Honor: Leadership Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton. Greenleaf Book Group.

Jin, S., Romano, A., Vignoles, V. L., Kirchner-Häusler, A., Rodríguez-Bailón, R., Cross, S. E., Yalçın, M. G., Harb, C., Husnu, S., Ishii, K., Karamaouna, P., Kafetsios, K., Kateri, E., Matamoros-Lima, J., Miniesy, R., Na, J., Pagliaro, S., Psaltis, C., Rabie, D., … Uskul, A. K. (2025). Honour, competition and cooperation across 13 societies. Nature Human Behaviour, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-025-02308-0

In this episode of The Science of Leadership, host Tom Collins is joined by retired U.S. Air Force General Ellen Pawlikowski (Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, former Commander of Air Force Materiel Command) to dissect the often-misunderstood component of Caring For Your People.

General Pawlikowski explains that true leadership Caring For is not "soft" or "sentimental" but rather a strategic necessity integrated into Courage, Competence, Commitment, and Compassion. She states, "I don't succeed if you don't succeed."

The conversation highlights that a leader's core responsibility is to be the Chief Obstacle Remover. General Pawlikowski shares a powerful example from Air Force Materiel Command, where aging IT infrastructure threatened to leave $60 billion unspent and required her to intervene personally with the Chief of Staff.

Key Takeaways:

• Caring is Preventative Maintenance: Leaders must invest in basic needs, tools, and training, as ignoring small problems (like unit confusion or outdated software) can lead to catastrophic failures.
• Understanding the Whole Person: Compassion means acknowledging that people have lives outside of work (family, elders, personal issues). Failure to allow time for these distractions leads to reduced cognitive energy and increased mistakes.
• Science of Care: Research confirms that when leaders care tangibly and structurally, morale, trust, and productivity all increase.

The General shares practical steps and an essential four-question framework for leaders to ask their teams to identify hidden obstacles and leverage existing expertise.

Also, I want to remind listeners about the release of my book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

Sharpen your leadership skills: Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app to ensure you don't miss an episode dedicated to helping you become a better leader.

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

• Covey, S. M. R. (2006). The speed of trust: The one thing that changes everything. Simon & Schuster.
• Owens, B. P., & Hekman, D. R. (2016). How does leader humility influence team performance? The Leadership Quarterly, 27(5), 787–798.
• Kelloway, E. K., & Barling, J. (2010). Leadership development as an intervention in occupational health psychology. Work & Stress, 24(3), 260–279.
• McGregor, D. (1960). The Human Side of Enterprise. New York: McGraw-Hill.