Brad Leeman on Leading at Home Through Presence, Play, and Preparation

What does leadership look like when the mission is your family and the stakes are emotional, not tactical?Brad Leeman is a retired U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel, combat aviator, and F-35 test pilot who spent nearly two decades leading in environments where preparation, clarity, and execution were non-negotiable. After transitioning out of the military, Brad became an entrepreneur and founder of SwingSesh, a company built around a simple belief: parents should not be spectators in their kids’ lives.This conversation explores how elite performance principles translate and sometimes fail to translate into fatherhood. Brad shares why presence matters, how small daily rituals create connection, and why modeling behavior shapes a child’s inner voice far more than lectures ever could.Brad walks through how he and his wife intentionally design family rhythms, why play is a serious leadership skill, and how dads can rethink fitness, work, and ambition.Brad shares how to:Build daily rituals that anchor presence and connection with kidsUse play as a tool for bonding, modeling health, and emotional regulationShape a child’s inner monologue through actions, not instructionsRecognize when to lead and when to follow inside a partnershipRethink comfort, resilience, and decision making during hard seasonsDig DeeperF-35U.S. Marine CorpsBall State UniversityHarvard Graduate School of DesignHow to Build Extreme Willpower | David Goggins & Dr. Andrew HubermanHood’s GardensPicture by Sheryl Crow and Kid RockFollow BradOn his website: https://www.swingsesh.comOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teamswingsesh/On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SwingSesh/Follow Gap to GigOn Instagram: instagram.com/gaptogigOn TikTok: tiktok.com/@gaptogigOn X: x.com/gaptogigOn YouTube: youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtgOn your podcast player of choice: https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/Sign up for the Gap to Gig newsletter: gaptogig.comFollow MichaelOn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/