It has been almost two years since I posted a “Podcast Favorites.” Not sure why. Time, probably. Or lack of it. But I want to get back into it. Largely because of why I started this blog in the first place, because I hate saying, “Where did I hear that?” and not being able to find it. Posting them monthly not only allows me to review what I’ve learned, it keeps them here, safe from an absent memory, ready for whenever I need them again.
Here are my favorites from the month of February, 2022:
First Thing, with Kevin Manno
Every morning, Kevin will distill all of the important headlines and trends into an easily digestible, 10 minute show.
Kevin is an old high school buddy of mine, so admittedly I’m a bit biased, but his show really is great. From production to information, it is a quick and calming way to start the morning. My daughter, who rides with me to work, also loves it.
Give What You Have with Mark Bustos, with Simon Sinek
When people want to do good they often get stuck because they don’t know what they can do. Mark Bustos figured out that to do good, all we need to do is what we are already good at, but to do it for someone else. Mark is a hairstylist turned humanitarian who will inspire anyone who hears his story to give more.
This one inspired a Friday Thought: Why We Thank our Crossing Guards
Leaders Can’t be Pleasers, with Patrick Lincioni
As a leader, it’s tempting to try and make sure everyone in your organization likes you and approves of you. However, good leaders know that this simply can’t happen, and that’s okay.
In a time where leaders are so easily accessible and everyone has an opinion on how we can do it better, this one was both convicting and encouraging.
Is it Safe to Speak Up at Work? with Adam Grant
Are you afraid to share bad news, ask for help, or admit you were wrong? These are signs of being in a psychologically unsafe work environment. Adam breaks down the importance of psychological safety in preventing errors and promoting innovation and inclusion, and examines what it takes to build a culture of voice rather than silence.
The Real Book, 99% Invisible
Since the mid-1970s, almost every jazz musician has owned a copy of the same book . . . But if you were going to music school in the 1970s, you couldn’t just buy a copy of the Real Book at the campus bookstore. Because the Real Book was illegal . . . The full story of how the Real Book came to be this bootleg bible of jazz is a complicated one. It’s a story about what happens when an insurgent, improvisational art form like jazz gets codified and becomes something that you can learn from a book.
I just love these kind of hidden stories. So fun. So interesting.
The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, Christianity Today
Founded in 1996, Seattle’s Mars Hill Church was poised to be an influential, undeniable force in evangelicalism—that is until its spiraling collapse in 2014. The church and its charismatic founder, Mark Driscoll, had a promising start. But the perils of power, conflict, and Christian celebrity eroded and eventually shipwrecked both the preacher and his multimillion-dollar platform.
It’s a 15 episode podcast, and although I am just under halfway completed, I am LOVING it. Not only is it done well, I believe it is done fairly. Mark Driscoll isn’t let off the hook or given any sort of pass, but he is fairly and appropriately put into context, and I appreciate that.
No matter if you are a church goer or believer in any way, this podcast is a great dissection and case study of when charismatic personalities advance faster than their character development.
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