Authority, Ego & Followership in the Modern CEO With Joseph Incrocci

S6:E19 Having authority does not mean you have followers. Queue Up Episode This week on Small Business Stories, Dr. LL sits down with executive coach and M&A advisor Joseph Incrocci to explore how leadership expectations have shifted in founder-led and middle-market businesses. If people don't trust you, they won't follow you. If they don't believe you can take them somewhere better, they won't align. Joe brings decades of experience scaling companies, selling businesses, and coaching CEOs through ego resistance, succession challenges, and growth strategy. 👤 Guest Joseph Incrocci Incrocci Consulting Executive Coach | Author | M&A Specialist Core Problems • Ego blocking growth and succession • Authority mistaken for leadership • Employees demanding more access and context Practical Takeaways • Leadership is proven by voluntary followership • Profit growth reduces resistance to change • Courage to fail is foundational to scaling Timestamps 00:02 What defines real leadership 03:40 Why credibility determines followership 08:30 Ego as the CEO's biggest obstacle 12:00 Succession and building internal growth 19:00 Courage to fail and imperfect action Who This Episode Is For • CEOs of $50M–$500M companies • Founder-led firms preparing for succession • Entrepreneurs navigating generational workforce shifts Invisible brands don't make money. Invisible leadership erodes trust. Season 6 continues decoding the patterns that limit growth. Subscribe and share if this conversation resonates.   ✅ Subscribe for weekly conversations on entrepreneurship 🔁 Share this episode with someone who needs to be heard Follow STEERus on social media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Midlifesuccess Instagram: https://instagram.com/steerus Facebook: https://facebook.com/steerus LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/steerus Twitter: https://x.com/steerus_io