Elevate Your Call To Service

Leading So Others Thrive: The Long View of Leadership

In this episode of Elevate Your Call to Service, we pause to reflect on the kind of leadership that truly lasts.
Leadership isn’t defined only by rank, results, or recognition—it’s revealed over time through patterns, consistency, and the way leaders invest in people. In this episode, Mike and Cathy explore what it means to take the long view of leadership and why everyday interactions often shape our greatest impact.
Prompted by recent moments of reflection and loss, this conversation looks honestly at how leaders influence others—sometimes in ways they never fully realize. Through real stories from law enforcement and public service, we unpack how trust is built, why belief from a leader matters, and how people-first leadership creates influence that continues long after a role or season ends.
You’ll hear why leadership impact is rarely about big moments—and almost always about presence, listening, consistency, and the courage to course-correct when needed.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why leadership is revealed over time, not in isolated moments
How small, intentional actions can have long-term influence
What people-first leadership looks like in high-pressure environments
Why it’s never too late to lead better and rebuild trust
How leadership at work carries into home, family, and community life
Whether you’re a seasoned leader, an emerging supervisor, or someone committed to serving others well, this episode offers a steady reminder: the way you lead today shapes how others grow tomorrow.
View our show notes at https://www.leleaders.com/elevate/leading-so-others-thrive-long-view-of-leadership

The 4 Communication Mistakes that Cripple a Leader's Impact

Effective communication can elevate a leader—or quietly sabotage their influence.In this episode of The Elevate Podcast, Mike and Cathy reveal the five communication mistakes that cripple leadership impact in law enforcement and public service. If your briefings go long, your messages get lost, or your team seems disengaged, the problem may not be motivation—it may be communication.
Drawing from Mike’s 40 years of experience in law enforcement and Cathy’s branding and human-behavior insight, this episode breaks down the patterns that confuse teams, derail trust, and cause leaders to misjudge who is ready for promotion. You’ll learn why clarity consistently outperforms complexity, how to avoid rambling or over-explaining, and how to communicate in a way that drives action—not frustration.
What You’ll Learn:
The #1 communication mistake that leads to 2-hour meetings with no results
Why “sounding clever” backfires and creates operational confusion
How unclear expectations undermine morale and performance
The difference between helpful leadership illustrations and self-focused storytelling
How to communicate with purpose, direction, and follow-through
Episode Promise:By the end of this conversation, you’ll be able to identify—and eliminate—the communication habits that weaken credibility and hinder performance. You’ll walk away with practical tools to bring more clarity, confidence, and consistency to your leadership, whether you supervise a team of three or an entire agency.
Perfect For:Law enforcement leaders, supervisors, aspiring leaders, public safety professionals, and anyone committed to building trust, clarity, and influence on their team.
View our show notes at https://www.leleaders.com/elevate/law-enforcement-leadership-communication-mistakes

Wellness & Resilience in Law Enforcement: How Officers Learn to Withstand, Recover, and Grow

Wellness & Resilience — Building Stronger Officers, Leaders, and Teams
Wellness and resilience are no longer “nice to have” in law enforcement—they are essential to protecting lives, families, and careers.
In this episode of Elevate Your Call to Service, we’re joined by Buddy Johnson and Vinny Greany, instructors in the FBI National Academy Associates Wellness and Resilience curriculum, for an honest and practical conversation about what resilience really looks like in law enforcement today.
Drawing from decades of service and leadership experience, Buddy and Vinny explain why resilience is not about “toughing it out,” but about learning how to withstand stress, recover intentionally, and grow stronger over time. They discuss the long-term cost of unresolved stress, the role of mindset and recovery, and why relationships and connection are critical to sustainable service.
You’ll also hear practical strategies that officers and leaders can begin using immediately—even in small or under-resourced agencies—including simple habits that shift culture, strengthen morale, and support mental, physical, and relational wellness.
Whether you’re an officer, supervisor, command staff member, or someone who supports a first responder, this episode offers grounded insight and actionable tools for navigating stress, building resilience, and leading well—on the job and at home.
Listen in for a thoughtful, experience-driven conversation that reframes strength, supports sustainability, and helps law enforcement professionals thrive beyond survival.
View our show notes at https://www.leleaders.com/elevate/law-enforcement-wellness-leadership

Service-Driven Leadership — How Humility Transforms Law Enforcement Teams

In this episode of Elevate Your Call to Service, we explore what it truly means to lead through service—not rank, titles, or authority. Service-driven leadership is more than a style; it’s a mindset rooted in humility, purpose, and people-first conviction. And for many leaders, that mindset begins long before they ever step into public safety.
Mike shares a pivotal story from when he found himself responsible for teaching both senior and junior personnel. That experience—long before his 40-year career in law enforcement—ignited his passion for serving others, leading teams, and lifting people up from the inside out.
Together, we break down how service-driven leadership shapes trust, teamwork, and decision-making in law enforcement, first response, dispatch, and public-sector leadership. You’ll learn how humility strengthens influence, how service anchors purpose, and how our SERVE framework helps leaders stay grounded in values that matter.
Whether you’re a seasoned supervisor or building your leadership foundation, this episode will help you become a more service-minded, people-centered, purpose-driven leader.
Keywords & Topics: service-driven leadership, law enforcement leadership, police supervisor development, first responder leadership, Navy F-14 story, humility in leadership, servant leadership in public safety, leadership mindset, team trust, leadership purpose, how to lead with service, SERVE framework.
View our show notes at https://www.leleaders.com/elevate/47-service-driven-leadership-law-enforcement

Beyond Tactics: How Faith Strengthens Law Enforcement Resilience

In this heartfelt episode of Elevate Your Call to Service, Mike and Cathy get personal after a family scare—a jolting call about a car accident that reminds them of how quickly life can change. From that moment of fear and gratitude, they pivot into a deeper conversation on spiritual wellness and faith as essential elements of resilience in law enforcement and first responder life.
Mike shares key takeaways from his recent FBI National Academy Comprehensive Wellness and Resilience certification, reinforcing his long-held belief that true wellness extends beyond the physical and mental, deeply encompassing the spiritual. Together, the hosts explore faith as a vital dimension of wellness, discussing practical ways officers and their families can begin to explore who God is, what faith offers, and how curiosity itself can be a first step toward peace.
Listeners will learn:
Why spiritual health supports resilience for leaders, officers, and their familiesHow to take ten quiet minutes to reflect on what’s truly guiding your lifeWhy asking “Who or what is big enough to carry what I’m carrying?” can change everythingSimple first steps to explore faith, including reading the Book of John, Psalms, or ProverbsHow even small spiritual habits can align your purpose, calm your spirit, and renew your motivation to serve
Cathy closes the episode with an encouraging challenge: pause, reflect, and take that first step toward spirituality. You might just find that faith is the next layer of strength and wellness you didn’t know you needed.
View our show notes at www.leleaders.com/elevate

You’re Not Adapting—You’re Coasting on Old Wins: A Leadership Wake-Up Call

What does a shattered Tahoe window and leadership have in common? Both reveal when yesterday’s habits become today’s anchors—and what we have to unlearn.
Using a simple parking-lot mishap as a metaphor, Mike and Cathy explore:
Unlearning: When a once-useful habit becomes an anchor—and how to let it go.Curiosity over certainty: Why considering “What am I missing?” builds safer, smarter teams.Commander's intent: Keeping the mission and outcomes steady while the plan flexes.Trust and junior voices: Creating space where new ideas aren’t heard as criticism.
You’ll leave with a crisp, field-ready framework—LACE:
Listen: Get the full picture and the ground truth.Assess: Weigh risks, resources, legal factors, and community impact.Collaborate: Blend veteran judgment with fresh eyes and subject-matter expertise.Execute: Make the call, communicate the why, and set a quick review point.
If you’re tired of black-and-white thinking but don’t want chaos, this is your wake-up call. Adaptability isn’t trendy—it’s how leaders keep teams safer, decisions sharper, and outcomes better in a world that’s changing every day.
Time to lace it up.
View our show notes here:  https://leleaders.com/45-youre-not-adapting-coasting-on-old-wins-leadership-wake-up-call

7 Warning Signs You’re Leading in Isolation (And Your Agency Is Paying For It)

In this episode of Elevate Your Call to Service, we unpack how leadership isolation quietly takes hold in law enforcement—and how it starts to cost your team, your agency, and your family. Mike and Cathy distinguish healthy solitude from destructive isolation, explore why good leaders drift into it (time pressure, insecurity, ego, “I’ll just do it myself”), and share a candid story of listening, apologizing, and rebuilding trust with a hurting patrol team.
7 warning signs you’re leading in isolation:
1. Two‑way dialogue has slipped into one‑way updates—people hear after decisions are made.2. Peer check‑ins are fading; the circle you used to consult has gone quiet.3. Surprise decisions are blindsiding other units—or your family at home.4. You’re more defensive toward questions or dissent; “my way or the highway” is creeping in.5. You feel decision fatigue, cynicism, or spiritual/emotional dryness.6. You’re skipping debriefs at home; irritability and stress are carrying over into the evening.7. In the name of efficiency, you’re choosing “I’ll handle it” over collaboration—and it’s becoming the norm.
Listener takeaways:
A clear line between solitude (restorative) and isolation (distorting)
Why comparison, insecurity, and pace push leaders toward “decision‑making in a vacuum”
How to course‑correct: own impact, listen fully, make changes, and keep your promise over time
 Be sure to view our show notes here: https://www.leleaders.com/44-leading-in-isolation-7-warning-signs-and-how-to-reconnect-fast

Beyond the Org Chart: How to Break Silos and Build Mission‑First, Trust‑Rich Teams in Law Enforcement

In this episode of Elevate Your Call to Service, we tackle a costly leadership problem in policing: quiet infighting among leaders that fractures collaboration, slows operations, and erodes public trust. 
Drawing from real command‑staff experiences, they unpack how “my division” thinking, surprise decisions, and ego-driven identities turn internal partners into competitors—and what it takes to rebuild an agency‑first culture.
You’ll hear candid stories from the command table and the kitchen table—including a quick “course correction” after the FBI National Academy that illustrates how easily people drift from “we” to “me,” and how intentional resets bring teams back to mission.
Listener takeaways:
A simple checklist to name drift, put the mission in the room, and make trust visible
How to create a 30‑day shared win with a cross‑unit case captain
Language swaps that shift identity from unit‑first to agency‑first
How to recognize and interrupt “kingdom building” early—before it costs your community.
View our show notes here: https://www.leleaders.com/43-beyond-the-org-chart-break-silos-build-mission-first-trust-rich-law-enforcement-teams

Why January Goal Setting Fails Law Enforcement Leaders

Are you tired of setting goals every January—only to watch them fade away as the year gets busy? You’re not alone. In this episode of the Elevate Your Call to Service Podcast, co-hosts Mike and Cathy McIntosh reveal the hidden flaws behind traditional goal setting in law enforcement and police leadership. Discover why waiting until January to set your goals can actually set you up to fail—and what high-performing police officers, sheriff’s deputies, and law enforcement leaders do differently to achieve real results.
Drawing on nearly 40 years of experience in law enforcement and leadership, Mike and Cathy break down a proven seven-part framework that helps you set, track, and crush your goals—no matter the time of year. Whether you’re a police officer, sheriff’s deputy, or aspiring leader, you’ll learn how to avoid the most common goal-setting mistakes, build unstoppable momentum, and create a leadership legacy that lasts.
Don’t let another year slip by. Tune in now to discover the strategies that top law enforcement professionals use to stay intentional, accountable, and ahead of the game. Plus, download our free baseball-themed goal focus worksheet at leleaders.com/elevate to start your journey today!
View our show notes: https://leleaders.com/elevate/42-why-january-goals-fail-police-leaders

Break the Cycle: How Law Enforcement Leaders Turn Old Habits into Powerful Legacies

What kind of legacy are you building as a law enforcement leader? In this candid episode, Mike—a 40-year law enforcement veteran—and Cathy—a 40-year law enforcement spouse—explore the real impact of leadership legacy in policing, both at work and at home.
Building on last episode’s heartfelt conversation with Mike’s father, they reflect on how leadership habits, values, and even mistakes are passed down through generations. Mike and Cathy share personal stories about the legacies they’ve inherited, the challenges of breaking negative cycles, and the power of being intentional about the mark you leave on your agency, your team, and your family.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
How legacy in law enforcement is shaped by both what you inherit and what you choose to pass on* Real examples of positive and negative leadership traits handed down through agencies* The shift in law enforcement culture toward valuing family and work-life balance* Why self-awareness and honest feedback are crucial for leaders who want to change course* Practical ways to become more intentional about your leadership legacy—starting today
Whether you’re a chief, supervisor, or aspiring leader, this episode will challenge you to reflect on your own journey and give you actionable ideas to build a legacy you—and those who follow you—can be proud of.
Don’t miss the closing challenge: one simple step you can take this week to strengthen your leadership legacy.
View our show notes:  www.leleaders.com/elevate/41-break-the-cycle-law-enforcement-leadership-legacy