The Imago Leadership Podcast

This episode explores the often‑unspoken pain of leadership and invites listeners into a deeper, more honest way of leading through the practice of lament. Drawing from Jesus’ words, “Blessed are those who mourn,” it reframes mourning not as weakness but as a pathway to comfort, healing, and spiritual wholeness. Through warm storytelling and reflective teaching, the episode uncovers how lament softens leaders, strengthens teams, dismantles unhealthy stoicism, and creates cultures where people can be fully human together. It’s a gentle yet challenging call to embrace a language of discontent as a vital part of becoming more compassionate, grounded, and Christ‑shaped leaders.

In this episode of The Imago Leadership Podcast, we explore the often‑misunderstood terrain of power and how it quietly shapes our relationships, teams, and communities. Drawing from Scripture, spiritual formation, and our own lived experiences, we examine the difference between the world’s fear‑driven “power‑over” patterns and the generative, life‑giving power Jesus models. We reflect on how our words reveal the kingdom we’re living from, how fear distorts our use of influence, and how wisdom from above reshapes the way we speak, lead, and relate to others. Together, we look at biblical stories like Moses and Paul to see how God forms leaders who steward power with humility, courage, and love. We consider how our speech becomes a kind of liturgy that either cultivates flourishing or reinforces fear. Ultimately, this episode invites us to embrace the surprising blessing of being “poor in spirit,” discovering a kind of power that multiplies life rather than consuming it, and learning to lead in ways that reflect the creative, abundant heart of God.

This episode reframes leadership through the surprising lens of The Matrix and the radical wisdom of Jesus’ Beatitudes. We examine how modern leadership culture often mirrors the “blue‑pill” illusion—driven by control, image, and efficiency—while Jesus calls us to a “red‑pill” awakening that forms leaders who bless, listen, reconcile, and create belonging. It’s a fresh, challenging look at what it means to lead with integrity and humanity in a fractured world.

In this episode, we explore why so many modern leadership models fall short and how Jesus’ Beatitudes offer a radically different way forward. We talk about leadership as a language, the power of story, the role of emotional intelligence, and the deep longing many of us feel for a more human, more sacred way to lead. If you’re hungry for a leadership paradigm rooted in blessing, belonging, and the formation of people rather than the control of outcomes, this conversation is for you.

The Big 10 Culture Killers of Effective Leadership Teams, Part 4, dives into the final four dynamics that quietly unravel leadership teams from the inside out: the Sidedoor Strategy, Feeding the Cobra, the Wisdom Gap, Foggy Norms and Frayed Trust. This episode unpacks how bypassed authority erodes agency, how tolerated toxicity poisons team culture, how unchecked idealism blinds leaders to wise counsel, and how unclear expectations fracture trust and cohesion. Through story, reflection, and practical formation practices, the episode guides listeners toward transforming these destructive patterns into pathways for clarity, humility, accountability, and communal wisdom - essential ingredients for cultivating communitas and sustaining a lasting missional legacy.

What’s quietly killing the culture of your leadership team? In our latest episode of Leadership in Practice, we uncover four of the Big 10 Culture Killers that sabotage trust, growth, and mission: Conflict Without a Compass – when tough conversations turn toxic or get avoided altogether. The Stunted Mirror – when leaders stop growing and get trapped in self-deception. Lone Wolves in Shared Fields – when power runs unchecked without community accountability. The Compliance Cage – when HR policies overshadow people and flourishing. Through Scripture, literature, and real-world stories, we explore how these killers emerge and how teams can dismantle them to become reconciling, flourishing communities.

Why do so many leadership teams struggle to thrive even when the mission is clear? In this episode of the Imago Leadership Podcast, we unpack two silent saboteurs: The Soundproof Room and Stories That Burn. If you’ve ever felt unheard, misjudged, or stuck in a leadership echo chamber, this one’s for you. Discover how poor listening and harmful narratives erode trust and how appreciative inquiry and emotional intelligence can rebuild it. Tune in now and join the movement toward adaptive, relational leadership.

In this episode of the Imago Leadership Podcast, Dr. Lee Carter exposes the ten hidden dynamics that quietly sabotage leadership teams from within, what he calls the “Big 10 Culture Killers of Effective Leadership Teams.” Drawing from global experience in nonprofit and faith-based organizations, Lee unpacks how poor listening, toxic narratives, unclear norms, and mismanaged conflict erode trust and fracture mission. With theological depth and practical insight, he reframes leadership as a communal, Gospel-shaped journey rooted in discernment, repair, and shared purpose. Whether you're leading a team, planting a church, or shaping organizational culture, this episode offers a bold invitation to cultivate environments where transformation can truly take root.

What if the most transformative leadership doesn’t start with strategy, but with shared vulnerability? In this episode, Dr. Lee Carter explores how Jesus Communities—small, Christ-centered groups formed in the crucible of communitas—reshape culture through love, scripture, and mutual discernment. Discover why these communities are the heartbeat of missional leadership in a fractured world.

In this premiere episode, Lee Carter introduces Imago Leadership, grounded in the belief that every person bears God’s image and offers essential value to the team. He explores communitas, Jesus communities, and the ethics of hospitality, servantship, and peacemaking, framing leadership as a relational, Spirit-led response to God’s mission in a changing world.