Gratitude and Grit: Leading Through Uncertainty (Holiday theme)

Gratitude and Grit: Leading Through Uncertainty (Holiday theme)

Author: Mission Ambition, LLC December 9, 2025 Duration: 1:26:36

Episode 25 - Chaplain Brian Webb: "Gratitude and Grit: Leading Through Uncertainty"

What if the weight you're carrying isn't crushing you—it's preparing you? When was the last time you felt genuinely grateful for the impossible burdens leadership demands of you?

This conversation will leave you with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Chaplain Brian Webb has mastered staying present in the most impossible moments—79 casualty notifications, over 40 suicide interventions, and leading Michigan's Walking with Warriors program. He reveals why validation saves lives, the critical difference between being in recovery versus recovered, and how to lead teams through work that breaks most people. If you're carrying impossible weight right now, barely holding yourself together while everyone depends on you—this episode will change how you lead.

CHAPTERS:

(00:01:00) Meet Chaplain Brian Webb

(00:02:00) The Role of a Military Chaplain

(00:06:00) Brian Webb's Journey to Chaplaincy

(00:12:00) Challenges and Rewards of the Chaplaincy

(00:31:00) Finding Your Voice and Earning the Right to Speak

(00:48:00) The Ministry of Presence and Crisis Response

(01:00:00) Community Training and Collaboration

(01:10:00) Future Plans and Defining Success

IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL DISCOVER:


  • Why validation is the first step in every crisis intervention—and how it applies to your Tuesday morning staff meeting
  • The three core responsibilities that define meaningful leadership: nurture the living, care for the wounded, honor the dead
  • How to earn the right to speak by mastering the ministry of presence
  • The difference between being in recovery and being recovered—and why it matters for leading others

FEATURED GUEST:

Chaplain Brian Webb leads Michigan's Walking with Warriors program through the Department of Health and Human Services, where he oversees a team serving veterans and military families with mental health and substance use challenges. With over two decades as a military chaplain, including 79 casualty notifications and 40+ suicide interventions, Brian has mastered the art of staying present in impossible moments. Connect with Walking with Warriors at Michigan.gov/MDHHS

NEXT WEEK: Episode 26 - "End-of-Year Reset: How to Execute The Coming Year Without Burning Out"


Your plan for the upcoming is solid. The question is: can you sustain it? Join Shelly as she tackles how to execute your vision without destroying yourself in the process.


RESOURCES:

Hardcore and At Ease Framework: https://www.OthersOverSelf.com | Personal Mission Statement Workshop: info@missionambition.org | Book a Strategy Session: info@missionambition.org

Affiliate Disclaimer: I only recommend products I genuinely use. Full disclosure: https://othersoverself.com/affiliate-disclaimer/


Get the Gear:

📚 The Nazarene by Sholem Asch (featured this episode): https://amzn.to/4pZmuR7

📚 Failing Forward by John C. Maxwell (featured this episode) https://amzn.to/4pU3Wld

📊 My Business Report: https://hardcore-and-at-ease.captivate.fm/biz-report

🎯 StoryBrand.ai: https://hardcore-and-at-ease.captivate.fm/storybrand-ai

📚 Business Made Simple: https://hardcore-and-at-ease.captivate.fm/bms

🚀 Flight School: https://hardcore-and-at-ease.captivate.fm/flight-school

📈 My Marketing Report: https://hardcore-and-at-ease.captivate.fm/marketing-report

SUBSCRIBE & CONNECT:

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | https://othersoverself.com

Connect: Instagram @TheShellyRood | Twitter/X @OthersOverSelf

Email: info@missionambition.org

Rate & Review: Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts

Work with Shelly: One-on-One Coaching | Personal Mission Statement Workshop | Team Training

Book discovery call: info@missionambition.org


Hardcore and At Ease-powered by Others Over Self® explores the quiet tension between relentless drive and sustainable peace. This isn't another leadership podcast about hustle culture or empty platitudes for work-life balance. Instead, it digs into a very specific, often unspoken dilemma: what happens when your innate intensity-your hardcore commitment to exceptional results-feels at odds with your well-being and the health of your team? You might recognize the feeling of operating from a constant state of urgency, wondering why success feels so arduous while others seem to navigate their careers and lives with more grace and less friction. The conversations here are built on the premise that you are not broken or lacking; the problem is that most conventional advice fails to address the core conflict of being both highly driven and genuinely at ease. Through candid interviews and reflective commentary, the podcast examines this intersection of business, culture, and personal philosophy. Listeners will hear practical frameworks and stories that challenge the either/or mindset, suggesting that profound achievement and profound calm aren't mutually exclusive. It’s for managers, founders, and anyone in a position of influence who is tired of the burnout narrative and seeks a more integrated, sustainable approach to ambition. Each episode aims to provide not just insight, but a tangible shift in perspective, helping you channel your deep care for results without sacrificing your sense of self or compassion for others. The dialogue is rooted in the principle that putting others over self isn't about martyrdom, but about building a foundation of trust and collective efficacy that, ironically, allows for greater individual focus and resilience. Tune in for a nuanced take on what it means to lead and live with both ferocious intent and genuine composure.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 44

Hardcore and At Ease - powered by Others Over Self®
Podcast Episodes
Why Your Hypervigilance Is Destroying You (And How to Fix It) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:54
Episode 23: Why Your Hypervigilance Is Destroying You (And How to Fix It)You're prepared. You've built the right team, put systems in place, thought through every contingency. But you're still lying awake at 3 AM running…
Stop Forcing the Fit: When High-Quality Work Doesn't Get Results [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:17
Episode 21 - Autumn Hartpence: "Stop Forcing the Fit: When High-Quality Work Doesn't Get Results"You've poured everything into a program that people won't use. You've created support systems that sit empty. You know you…
Trust the Process: When Letting Go Is Your Most Strategic Move [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:15
Episode 20: "Trust the Process: When Letting Go Is Your Most Strategic Move"Can't step away? Not even for a moment? Still convinced that if you take your foot off the gas, everything will crumble? Here's the truth: if yo…
How to Win Government Contracts Through Collaborative Excellence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:25
How to Win Government Contracts Through Collaborative Excellence - episode 19, Hardcore and At Ease - powered by Others Over Self®Looking to break into defense contracting but don't know where to start? What if the secre…
The Black Line: How to Expect Excellence Without Controlling Everyone [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:02
Episode 18: "The Black Line: How to Expect Excellence Without Controlling Everyone"Working with other strong personalities feels harder than it should. You maintain high standards, you're direct about what needs to happe…
How to Build a Defense Career Without Starting from Scratch [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:53
EPISODE 15 SHOW NOTESEpisode Title: How to Build a Defense Career Without Starting from ScratchGuest: John Gutierrez, Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired), Executive Director, Office of Defense & Aerospace Innovation | M…
The Myth of Work-Life Balance for Mission-Driven Leaders [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:02
"The Myth of Work-Life Balance for Mission-Driven Leaders"Episode 14 DescriptionIf you're frustrated by work-life balance advice that seems written for people who don't actually care about excellence, this episode is for…