Leaders First: What a VP of Ops Learned About Letting Go

Tom Priebe spent 20-plus years in med device operations — but he'll tell you the function is secondary. This conversation is really about what it means to identity as a leader first, why your career is built on failure, and what it actually looks like to give your people the space to grow. Tom brings a VP-level perspective without any of the polish that usually comes with it.Guest: Tom Priebe is VP of Global Operations at Bracco Medical Technologies, where he leads across functions he didn't start in — hired, as his boss put it, for his leadership.In this episode:[02:16] — Tom's career path: IBM disk drives to med devices, and why purpose pulled him away from manufacturing[07:03] — Redefining what a good day looks like: "Did I actually do anything today?" and why planting seeds counts as work[08:29] — The sandwich years: why first-level managers carry the full weight of the organization, managing both up and down simultaneously[13:18] — The hardest thing to let go — and why it wasn't the technical work[15:09] — How to decide which mistakes to let people make: fixed vs. growth mindset cultures, and the engineer Tom intentionally set up to fail[17:24] — Why leaders should start with themselves when something goes sideways — not the employee[28:25] — Ego vs. humility: why ego locks you in and humility keeps you growable (via Ryan Holiday's Ego Is the Enemy)[32:15] — What readiness for the next level actually looks like: fire in the belly, and why Tom would rather tame a tiger than prod a panda[40:54] — Advice for leaders preparing for a promotion: write your resume of the future, then work backwards[42:43] — Advice for day one at the new level: stop performing, start listening — and why pushing too fast damages your reputationResources mentioned:The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins — Amazon — Tom's go-to recommendation for new leadersEgo Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday — Amazon — referenced as the "Daily Stoic guy's" book on ego vs. humilityStrengthsFinder (now CliftonStrengths) — gallup.com/cliftonstrengths — the assessment that told Tom he might make a good leaderImprov as a leadership development tool — search for "improv leadership training" for programs near youLinks for today's show:Tom Priebe on LinkedIn Bracco Medical TechnologiesKent Kniebel on LinkedInThe Promoted Leader ToolkitMusic for this podcast comes from a live recording of the song Needle & Thread and is provided with permission by Pert' Near Sandstone. Check them out on pertnearsandstone.com and on all major streaming platforms.Enjoyed the episode? Leave a rating and review wherever you listen — it helps more leaders find the show.