Best Gary L Wise Podcasts (2025)

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415: The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald w/ John U. Bacon 55:04

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2d ago55:04

55:04

November 10, 1975, marked the fiftieth anniversary of the sinking of the freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald during a vicious Lake Superior storm. All 29 crew members were lost, a tragedy later memorialized in Gordon Lightfoot’s iconic song. My guest is bestselling author John U. Bacon, who shares details from his new book, "The Gales of November: The U…

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When The Goalposts Move: Choosing Family Over The Uniform 2:20:54

7d ago2:20:54

2:20:54

Send us a text Navy Senior Chief (Ret.) Mike Savant spent 23 years turning weather into warfare — from forecasting off Iraqi oil platforms to keeping a three-star calm while the flagship’s comms melted down on the flight deck. He made Chief at 11 years, Senior Chief at 14, consistently ranked #1 EP, and helped stand up new commands… only to watch t…

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414: The Martha Wise Murders w/ Rod Kackley 54:41

8d ago54:41

54:41

In the winter of 1924-1925, quiet Medina County, Ohio, was shaken to its core. Martha Wise, an ordinary farm widow with an extraordinary obsession, slipped arsenic into her family’s food and water. Three of her relatives were dead, dozens more gravely ill, and a rural community was gripped by fear. What followed was a murder investigation and trial…

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MoNo Encore: The Murder of President James Garfield w/ Candice Millard 59:28

13d ago59:28

59:28

Original Pub Date: 1/14/19 On July 2nd, 1881, a disappointed and mentally unstable office-seeker named Charles Guiteau shot President James A. Garfield in a Washington D.C. train station. Over the next weeks, Garfield would linger, bedridden, as infection set in, caused by poor medical treatment, and America would wait with bated breath over whethe…

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What Happens When “If The Gear’s Up, The Brow’s Down” Becomes A Life Philosophy 2:08:51

14d ago2:08:51

2:08:51

Send us a text What does it take to go from a San Diego kid sleeping on potential to a Master Chief ET shaping ship readiness across Seventh Fleet? Dom Taylor joins us to unpack a career built on grit, clear standards, and the kind of leadership that keeps gear up and teams together. From a Subway job behind bulletproof glass to freezing mornings i…

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413: Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday & Tombstone w/ Mark Lee Gardner 1:20:10

16d ago1:20:10

1:20:10

Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday were two complicated men whose steadfast friendship became one of the legendary relationships of the American West. Both were flawed, and often on uncertain moral ground, yet their bond carried them through the violent world of frontier justice, culminating in a deadly conflict with the Clanton-McLaury gang in Tombstone,…

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How A Bay Area Kid Became The Master Chief Everyone Called For 2:19:50

21d ago2:19:50

2:19:50

Send us a text A Bay Area kid keeps a promise to his mother and steps into a Navy that will test everything—grit, heart, and the courage to say “no” when “make it happen” would be easier. From recommissioning the battleship Wisconsin and learning the hard truths of old powder in big turrets, to swapping coasts, choosing Boatswain’s Mate, and owning…

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412: The Killing of William Woodward w/ Jerry Aylward 1:09:13

23d ago1:09:13

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In the early hours on a rainy autumn night in 1955, on a lavish country estate in Oyster Bay Cove, esteemed New York socialite Ann Woodward fired both barrels of her custom-made shotgun into the head of her husband, multimillionaire William J. “Billy” Woodward Jr., killing him. She mistook him for a notorious prowler who preyed on the privileged cl…

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How Service, Faith, And Family Turned A Dropout Into A Master Chief 49:05

26d ago49:05

49:05

Send us a text What does it take to turn a restless teenager into a leader who can steady a room in a crisis and still laugh with his team after? Gary opens up about ten reasons he’s deeply grateful for the Navy, starting with faith and flowing through family, community, and craft. From two sons born at naval medical centers—without the crush of me…

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From Small-Town Alabama To Master Chief 2:18:54

28d ago2:18:54

2:18:54

Send us a text What does it take to turn a “dirty ship” into the crew everyone else calls when things get tough? We sit down with Master Chief Jeffrey “JB” Brooks—raised in Fort Payne, Alabama by his grandparents, recruited by accident, forged on deckplates after 9/11—to unpack the real mechanics of culture change, readiness, and trust. JB planned …

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411: The Murder of Zoya Fyodorova w/ Chris Pouy 1:26:12

1M ago1:26:12

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My guest is Chris Pouy, who shares an astonishing true story of love, betrayal, and murder on this latest episode of Most Notorious. His grandmother, Zoya Fyodorova, was a celebrated Russian actress who fell in love with an American naval officer, Jackson Tate, in 1945. It was a forbidden romance that led to the birth of Chris’s mother, Victoria. Z…

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The Mysterious Death of Meriwether Lewis - Southern Gothic 36:31

1M ago36:31

36:31

Just off the old Natchez Trace, in the quiet woods of Tennessee, stands a broken marble column marking the grave of Meriwether Lewis. The monument was meant to honor one of America’s greatest explorers, but its shattered form also reflects a life cut short under circumstances that remain unsolved more than two centuries later. In 1804, Lewis and Cl…

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Leading Through Fire: Damage Control, Faith, And Family 1:45:21

1M ago1:45:21

1:45:21

Send us a text A single decision can redraw an entire life. Danielle Wiley walked into a recruiter’s office with a toddler at home and chose purpose over certainty. That step led from DCFN on USS Comstock to Chief Warrant Officer, from ER09 tag-outs and Halon head checks to carrier fire marshal authority, and finally to AIRPAC N7 where she now shap…

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410: The 1856 Dublin Railway Murder w/ Thomas Morris 1:13:12

1M ago1:13:12

1:13:12

In November 1856, Dublin was shaken by the murder of George Little, chief cashier at the Broadstone railway terminus. He was found in his office, beaten and with his throat cut, thousands of pounds worth of gold and silver left untouched and the door locked. The investigation gripped the public, filled with twists and unusual developments, includin…

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A Sailor loses his way, finds God, and leads with purpose 2:24:43

1M ago2:24:43

2:24:43

Send us a text A senior chief once looked a captain in the eye and saved a young sailor’s career. That moment—anchored in truth and courage—sits at the heart of this conversation with Tony Cook, a Chicago kid turned Navy chief whose life was forged by failure, faith, and the fire of real work. We walk through the knucklehead years, the undesignated…

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MoNo Encore: The Car Barn Murders w/ Karen Smith 1:12:08

1M ago1:12:08

1:12:08

(Orig pub date 8/15/23) In the early morning of January 21st, 1935 two employees of the Capital Transit Company in Chevy Chase, Maryland were cold-bloodedly gunned down. One of the men murdered was my guest's great-great uncle Emory Smith. As the police investigated the list of compelling suspects grew, but a powerful cover-up appeared to be in pla…

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Anchors, Aircrew, and Extreme Ownership: Mike Marler’s Journey from Wyoming to Guam 2:08:51

2M ago2:08:51

2:08:51

Send us a text A mechanic from Wyoming walks into a recruiter’s office and walks out on a path that leads to P-3 flight engineer, deployments over Bahrain and Diego Garcia, Chief in Hawaii, instructor in Jacksonville, test and research at Pax River, and ultimately the command seat in Guam during one of the toughest stretches the Navy’s seen. That a…

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409: The Scientist & the Serial Killer w/ Lise Olsen 1:29:46

2M ago1:29:46

1:29:46

In "The Scientist and the Serial Killer: The Search for Houston’s Lost Boys", investigative journalist Lise Olsen tells the gripping true-crime story behind the “Lost Boys” murders in 1970s Houston, when more than two dozen teenage boys were murdered at the hands of Dean Corll, nicknamed the “Candy Man”, and his young accomplices. Through years of …

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From Small-Town Missouri to Warships and Beyond: A Retired Senior Chief on grit, family, and finding purpose after the Navy 2:51:11

2M ago2:51:11

2:51:11

Send us a text Gary Wise and his guest retired US Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Harn sit down and trade a lifetime of lessons—funny, raw, and precise. We start in Honeywell, Missouri, where a town shrinks to a post office and a kid takes his first flight to boot camp. From there, the story punches straight through 9/11: a young yeoman lands …

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408: The Murder of Cecelia Gullivan w/ Jeffrey L. Amestoy 1:05:33

2M ago1:05:33

1:05:33

In November 1926, Cecelia Gullivan, treasurer of the Cone Automatic Machine company of Windsor, Vermont, was brutally killed in her home. Local police quickly arrested Cone Automatic machinist John Winters on suspicion of the crime, and the trial that followed was sensational and swift. Convicted of murder, Winters’ appeal brought in an unexpected …

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Leadership Lessons from the USS George Washington (CVN-73) 1:12:31

2M ago1:12:31

1:12:31

Send us a text When Gary Wise and Matt Klipfel served together aboard the USS George Washington forward-deployed in Japan, they faced what both describe as the most challenging tour of their military careers. Now, years later, they reconnect to share sea stories, leadership lessons, and the remarkable journey from military service to civilian succe…

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407: The Thames Torso Murders w/ Sarah Bax Horton 1:02:24

2M ago1:02:24

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Victorian London is often remembered for the Ripper murders, yet at the same time another equally chilling series of slayings unfolded. Between 1887 and 1889, the dismembered bodies of four women appeared along the Thames. The river itself became the killer’s cover, its tides and hidden corners serving as a macabre dumping ground. Overshadowed by t…

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Navigating a Naval Career Through Triumph and Challenge 2:01:35

2M ago2:01:35

2:01:35

Send us a text From working the frigid loading docks to commanding a warship, Captain Steve Wasson's 26-year naval journey showcases the power of persistence and authentic leadership. In this candid conversation, he opens up about his unconventional path through college, his unexpected entry into naval service, and the defining moments that shaped …

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406: The Murder of Jujube Heiress Ruth Quinn w/ Taylor Kiland 57:10

2M ago57:10

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The small Southern California island of Coronado rarely makes news for violent crime. But in the spring of 1975, World War II widow and retired librarian Ruth Quinn was murdered, execution-style, in her cottage. Her death sent a shock wave through the community. The granddaughter of Jujubes and Jujyfruits creator Henry Heide, Ruth was found fully c…

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MoNo Encore: The Murder of Dr. W.D. Broadhurst w/ Patrick Gallagher 1:15:56

3M ago1:15:56

1:15:56

(Orig pub date: 2/15/22) In October of 1946, a chiropractor and rancher named Willis "W.D." Broadhurst was beaten with a wrench and finished off with a shotgun on a lonely eastern Oregon road. Investigators would soon accuse his wife Gladys of plotting the doctor's murder with the help of his young cowhand and her lover, Alvin Williams. Stunning de…

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Bombs to Bees: The Unlikely Path of a Navy EOD Specialist 2:24:46

3M ago2:24:46

2:24:46

Send us a text Leadership isn't a position—it's the ability to transform challenges into opportunities and inspire others through authentic action. Dan Martin embodies this truth, tracing his extraordinary evolution from a self-described teenage troublemaker to an accomplished EOD Master Chief whose leadership was tested in the most dangerous envir…

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405: A History of Eugenics in America w/ Mark A. Torres 1:07:20

3M ago1:07:20

1:07:20

In the early twentieth century, eugenics captivated scientists and the public alike, giving researchers license to exploit the infirm, the mentally ill, prisoners, Native communities and many others considered "defective" or "feebleminded" under the guise of genetics. At its center stood the Eugenics Record Office in Cold Spring Harbor, directed by…

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404: Gunfighter Clay Allison w/ Donna Blake Birchell 1:04:47

3M ago1:04:47

1:04:47

Clay Allison was both liked and loathed in his lifetime, embodying the contradictions of the American frontier. He could show moments of kindness for the downtrodden, but also carried deep hatred for Northerners and Black people. Dangerously unpredictable, he was capable of generosity one moment and chilling violence the next, a quality that made h…

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Your career in the Navy is what you make of it, but leadership is forever. 2:14:13

3M ago2:14:13

2:14:13

Send us a text Leadership at sea demands resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to grow through adversity. Senior Chief Petty Officer PJ Ernst's 26-year Navy journey showcases this evolution perfectly, from his spontaneous enlistment in 1991 to his retirement as a respected leader in 2017. PJ takes us through the transformative experiences tha…

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Jesus' Leadership Parables: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Leaders 1:43:15

3M ago1:43:15

1:43:15

Send us a text What would happen if we stripped away the religious context from Jesus' parables and viewed them purely as leadership lessons? Gary and Chris take us on a fascinating journey through four powerful biblical stories that reveal timeless leadership principles still relevant in today's complex world. Starting with the Good Samaritan, the…

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403: The Madman of Crystal Beach w/ M.F. Gross 1:23:49

3M ago1:23:49

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In the sultry summer of 1949, a sleepy Florida beach town was rocked to its core. A brutal home invasion, a shocking murder, and a desperate, month-long manhunt captivated and terrified an entire region. At the center of the storm was John Calvin “Rastus” Russell, a cunning ex-con and former asylum patient who unleashed a wave of fear unlike anythi…

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402: The Reno Redfield Heist w/ Gavin Schmitt 1:03:40

3M ago1:03:40

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The 1952 burglary of eccentric multi-millionaire LaVere Redfield’s mansion in Reno, Nevada was the largest of its time, but also a comedy of errors. "Masterminded" by a French-Canadian woman with a questionable relationship to Redfield, it also included a failed safecracker and a crew of Italian-American hoodlums from the Milwaukee underworld. My g…

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Strength Through Struggle: From Coast Guard Rescue to Navy Deep Sea Diver 2:41:11

3M ago2:41:11

2:41:11

Send us a text What does it take to transform adversity into opportunity? Alex Wright's journey from Coast Guard rescue swimmer to Navy deep sea diver reveals the remarkable resilience needed to navigate life's unexpected turns. In this powerful conversation, Wright candidly shares his military odyssey – from his stubborn persistence to join the Co…

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The Courage to Continue: Leadership's Hardest Challenge 1:25:05

4M ago1:25:05

1:25:05

Send us a text What truly separates effective leaders from those who merely survive in today's chaotic environment? In this captivating discussion on perseverance and resilience, Gary Wise hosts leadership experts Chris Cahill and Jeremy Moore to unpack the crucial distinction between these complementary qualities. The conversation begins with a fa…

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401: The First Forensic Hanging w/ Summer Strevens 55:42

4M ago55:42

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The First Forensic Hanging: The Toxic Truth That Killed Mary Blandy by Summer Strevens tells the story of Mary Blandy, executed in 1752 for poisoning her father Frances Blandy with arsenic. Her trial was the first in Britain to use toxicology as evidence in an arsenic poisoning case, marking a turning point in forensic history. Drawing on period ne…

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From a Small Town in Puerto Rico to Navy Master Chief 2:09:49

4M ago2:09:49

2:09:49

Send us a text When a teenage clarinet player from Puerto Rico stepped forward to audition for the U.S. Navy Band in 1996, no one could have predicted the remarkable 29-year journey that would follow. Master Chief Luis LeBron's story is one of unexpected opportunities, overcoming language barriers, and finding leadership roles he never sought out. …

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MoNo Encore: The Bermondsey Horror w/ Gavin Whitehead 1:17:42

4M ago1:17:42

1:17:42

(Orig pub date: 2/3/24) On August 17th, 1849, London police officers made a grisly discovery at the home of George and Maria (born Marie de Roux) Manning. Her former beau, Patrick O'Connor, had been buried under the floor. A nationwide hunt for the couple would follow, and after that a trial and executions. The murder case would grip London so ferv…

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Stop Managing, Start Empowering: The Ownership Mindset 1:35:04

4M ago1:35:04

1:35:04

Send us a text The difference between good organizations and exceptional ones often comes down to a single factor: people taking true ownership of their roles. In this thought-provoking episode, Gary Wise and Jeremy Moore unpack the crucial distinction between basic accountability and genuine ownership, revealing why this shift transforms both indi…

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400: The Legend of Belle Starr w/ Michael Wallis 1:08:39

4M ago1:08:39

1:08:39

Myra Maibelle Shirley, better known as Belle Starr, was one of the most notorious female outlaws of the Old West (if you believe period newspapers, anyway). My guest, bestselling and award-winning author Michael Wallis, made it his mission to tell the true story of Belle Starr, and in the process dispels many of the myths that surround her. He shar…

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Six Years to Chief: The Fast-Track Sailor Who Never Slowed Down 1:28:20

4M ago1:28:20

1:28:20

Send us a text What does it mean to navigate a military career when life throws unexpected challenges your way? Gary sits down with James Thompson, a retired Navy Lieutenant with an unconventional journey that spans from the hallowed halls of MIT to the engine rooms of Navy warships. Thompson's story begins with a strong naval heritage as a fourth-…

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399: The Life & Crimes of Robert Spears w/ Jerry Jamison 1:46:18

4M ago1:46:18

1:46:18

"Doctor" Robert Spears was arguably one of the greatest con artists of the twentieth century, and very likely a mass murderer. In thirty nine years of grift, he had 25 aliases, 28 arrests in 20 cities, and was imprisoned close to a dozen times. He performed, without any medical degree, abortions on countless women, and in 1959 tricked his best frie…

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From Jersey to Japan: One Sailor's Extraordinary Career 2:04:49

4M ago2:04:49

2:04:49

Send us a text What does three decades of Navy service really look like? Through typhoons, volcanic evacuations, nuclear disasters, and war deployments, Master Chief Mike Piazza lived a career most can only imagine. From his early days dreaming of Navy service as a 13-year-old in small-town New Jersey to becoming a respected senior enlisted leader …

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The Investigation That Almost Broke Me 1:19:59

4M ago1:19:59

1:19:59

Send us a text Leadership's darkest moments rarely make it into motivational speeches or training manuals. For this former Command Master Chief of Naval Base Guam, what began as a stellar career culminated in a 10-month nightmare that pushed him to the brink. After successfully navigating COVID-19 challenges as the only operating base in the Pacifi…

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Row Baby Row: Military Veterans Tackle Today's Workplace Culture 1:23:34

4M ago1:23:34

1:23:34

Send us a text What happens when three military veterans with over 75 years of combined experience tackle one of today's most polarizing topics? In this explosive conversation, Gary Wise, Chris Cahill, and Enrique flip the script on DEI, reframing it as an IED—Inclusion, Equity, Diversity—examining how these concepts can become landmines when misha…

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398: John Wilkes Booth & the Last Year of the Civil War w/ Scott Ellsworth 59:24

5M ago59:24

59:24

My guest this week is Scott Ellsworth, author of Midnight on the Potomac: The Last Year of the Civil War, the Lincoln Assassination, and the Rebirth of America. He talks about President Lincoln's turbulent last year in office, the Confederate secret service's attempts to create chaos in the north, and John Wilkes Booth's ties to the Confederacy's s…

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397: The Hazel Drew Murder Revisited w/ Jerry C. Drake 1:26:27

5M ago1:26:27

1:26:27

In July of 1908 the body of twenty-year-old Hazel Drew was found floating in a mill pond in Upstate New York. Her death captured headlines across the nation and around the world, but after a whirlwind investigation lasting less than thirty days (despite a myriad of suspects), the District Attorney abruptly closed the case. Joining me is Jerry Drake…

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Fighting From Where You Stand 1:52:58

5M ago1:52:58

1:52:58

Send us a text From the hills of Kentucky to the depths of nuclear submarines to commanding Naval Base Guam during an unprecedented global crisis, Captain Jeffrey Grimes' journey through naval leadership offers profound wisdom for anyone navigating challenging environments. The conversation opens with Grimes' unlikely path to military service, wher…

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Earning Trust Through Ownership 1:06:31

5M ago1:06:31

1:06:31

Send us a text Accountability forms the bedrock of effective leadership, yet many struggle to embrace it fully. In this thought-provoking conversation, Gary and Jeremy explore the complex dynamics of taking ownership in professional environments. Drawing from their extensive military backgrounds, they dissect why certain individuals resist accounta…

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MoNo Encore: The 1912 Murder of Ella Barham w/ Nita Gould 1:23:09

5M ago1:23:09

1:23:09

(Original pub date: 6/16/21) In November of 1912, a young woman named Ella Barham journeyed home, on her horse, to her family farm in Boone County, Arkansas, but never arrived. After her body was discovered, murdered and dismembered, suspicions quickly centered on a neighbor, Odus Davidson, who was rumored to have been in love with Ella, a love nev…

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What Are You Telling Yourself When No One's Listening? 50:32

5M ago50:32

50:32

Send us a text Unlocking the secret language of true leadership begins with mastering the conversation you have with yourself. Gary Wise pulls back the curtain on his journey from high school dropout to Command Master Chief in the Navy to reveal how authentic communication transformed his leadership impact. This episode explores the critical differ…