Jump Every Day: Courage, Curiosity, and Connection, with Dr. James Smith Jr.

In this episode of the Spirituality in Leadership podcast, host Andrew Cohn welcomes his longtime friend and colleague Dr. James Smith Jr., an award-winning speaker, presentation coach, and expert in authenticity and leadership. Known for his electrifying presence and motivational wisdom, Dr. Smith shares deeply personal stories from raising his son to jumping out of a plane that illustrate what it means to live authentically and lead with vulnerability.Together, Andrew and James explore how spirituality, listening, and curiosity open doors to connection across cultures, generations, and organizations. They discuss the metaphor of “front seat, back seat, and trunk” as a lens for understanding what truly matters to people, why possibility thinking is a spiritual practice, and how leaders can invite trust by sharing their own stories first.Whether you’re a seasoned executive, a new manager, or simply someone who wants to live more courageously, this conversation will inspire you to “jump every day” into the opportunities life presents.Key TakeawaysLeadership Is Not a Beauty Contest: True leadership requires vulnerability, listening, and the willingness to get messy.Possibility Thinking as a Spiritual Practice: Where others see problems, great leaders see possibilities.The Front Seat Metaphor: Trust grows when leaders understand what matters most to people their “front seat” priorities.Fear and Authenticity: Many leaders hold back out of fear, but authenticity builds stronger teams and relationships.Jump Every Day: Whether skydiving or starting a tough conversation, growth comes from taking leaps that scare us.In This Episode:[00:00] Introduction and possibility thinking[05:06] Personal journey and spiritual foundation[07:09] Parenting and spiritual shifts[08:55] Navigating spirituality across cultures[10:31] Curiosity and cross-cultural connection[13:06] Childlike curiosity vs. adult inhibition[16:29] Authenticity, fear, and imposter syndrome[17:02] Goal-oriented vs. personality-driven leadership[19:25] People-pleasing and generational shifts[21:24] Meaning, advocacy, and shared goals[22:13] Openness to conversations on meaning[24:24] Leadership as inviting conversation[28:01] Spirituality’s place in the workplace[29:14] Choice, accountability, and personal maps[30:32] Access, connection, and remote work[32:10] Non-technological ways to connect[38:15] Conversations as relationship-building[41:51] Skydiving as a metaphor for growth[43:59] Closing and contact informationResources and LinksSpirituality in Leadership Podcasthttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spirituality-in-leadership/id1713365406Dr. James Smith, Jr.Website: https://www.drjamessmithjr.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjamessmithjr/Andrew CohnWebsite: https://www.spiritualityinleadership.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcohnusa/Music: Kodiak: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4rURKtnJr3jeHvZ0IVRQCe