Based on the Show Notes Creation Prompt from project knowledge, here are the complete show notes for Episode 17:

Episode 17 - Carrie Mead: "How to Lead 8,000 People Without Becoming the Bottleneck"

Hook Opening

Sound familiar? You're working harder than ever, carrying more responsibility than anyone else on your team, and convinced you're the only one who really cares about getting it right. What if the real problem isn't that you need to work harder—it's that you've become the bottleneck?

Episode Description

Most high-achieving leaders plateau not because they lack skill or work ethic, but because they stop collaborating and start operating in silos. They protect information instead of sharing it strategically. They try to do more themselves instead of multiplying through others. And then they wonder why everything falls apart when they step away.

In this episode, Carrie Mead—one of only seven civilians in the entire Army to hold a garrison manager position typically reserved for a colonel—reveals how she managed 8,000 people at Detroit Arsenal without becoming the bottleneck. You'll discover why career advancement comes from network expansion rather than ladder climbing, the one question that transforms information hoarding into collaborative momentum, and how to build leadership systems that prove their strength when you're not in the room.

This is Generate Momentum in action—one of the core principles of the Hardcore and At Ease Framework. It's about building collaborative systems that multiply exponentially instead of creating bottlenecks that depend on your constant presence.

Carrie never served in the military, yet she built a 20-year career serving military families and leading defense communities. From Red Cross caseworker to managing a cornerstone of America's defense industry, her path demonstrates what happens when you prioritize collaboration over control and network expansion over ladder climbing.

Key Topics & Timestamps

(00:00) - Introduction and Show Overview

Why high achievers plateau and what it takes to break through

(00:35) - Meet Carrie Mead: Breaking Career Plateaus

One of seven civilians holding a colonel-level position in the Army

(01:12) - A Personal Connection: Shelly's Story

From breakfast meetings to water glasses—what authentic leadership really looks like

(03:19) - Generating Collaborative Momentum

The Hardcore and At Ease Framework's Generate Momentum principle: transforming individual excellence into team excellence

(05:29) - Carrie's Journey in the Defense Industry

From Red Cross caseworker to managing America's ground combat vehicle hub

(09:11) - Leadership and Community Involvement

Women in Defense, Fisher House Michigan, and multiplying impact beyond the day job

(33:12) - Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Breaking through by asking "who else needs to know?"

In This Episode You'll Discover:

✓ Why asking "who else needs to know?" instead of "who has need to know" transforms information silos into collaborative momentum that multiplies across organizations

✓ The career progression strategy that prioritizes network expansion over ladder climbing—and why each role should expand connections that create unexpected opportunities

✓ How to build leadership systems that continue without your constant presence (if everything stops when you step away, you've built a bottleneck, not momentum)

✓ The counterintuitive truth about work-life balance that rejects equal distribution—and why you need to pass through the balance point more often instead of trying to freeze there

✓ What authentic leadership at scale actually looks like: managing 8,000 people while still handing out water glasses at galas

Featured Guest

Carrie Mead - Former Garrison Manager, Detroit Arsenal | Currently: U.S. Army War College

Carrie is one of only seven civilians in the Army to hold a garrison manager position typically reserved for a colonel. She spent over 20 years serving military families and leading defense communities, managing 8,000 people at one of America's most critical defense installations. She's also served as President of Women in Defense Michigan and on the Fisher House Michigan board. Her career demonstrates how network expansion and collaborative momentum create opportunities that traditional ladder climbing never could.

Connect with Carrie:

• Women in Defense Michigan: https://wid-mi.org/

Next Episode Preview

Coming Up Next Week: Episode 18 - "Expect Excellence: How to Raise Standards Without Intimidating Your Team"

In this solo episode, we tackle the challenge every high-achieving leader faces: how do you maintain your standards without becoming the person everyone's afraid to approach? You'll discover the framework for expecting excellence in a way that inspires rather than intimidates.

Resources & Links

Framework Resources:

• Learn more about the Hardcore and At Ease Framework: https://othersoverself.com
• Book a Strategy Session with Shelly: https://missionambition.com

Get the Gear

Affiliate Disclaimer:

I only recommend products and services I genuinely use and believe will help you. Full disclosure: https://othersoverself.com/affiliate-disclaimer/

Recommended Resources:

📊 My Business Report

Understand your numbers, make better decisions.

https://hardcore-and-at-ease.captivate.fm/biz-report

🎯 StoryBrand.ai

Clarify your message and grow your business.

https://hardcore-and-at-ease.captivate.fm/storybrand

🎙️ Riverside.fm

Professional podcast recording made simple.

https://hardcore-and-at-ease.captivate.fm/riverside

About Your Host

Shelly Rood is a broadcast marketing executive, military veteran, and leadership coach who helps mission-driven leaders keep their edge without going over the edge. With cross-industry experience in high-pressure environments, she developed the Hardcore and At Ease Framework to help ambitious leaders transform individual excellence into sustainable team excellence.

Shelly brings strategic precision from her military intelligence background and practical implementation from years managing broadcast operations. She's not a retired expert theorizing about leadership—she's a current leader solving today's problems alongside clients across tech, healthcare, nonprofit, and corporate sectors.

Connect with Shelly:

• Instagram: @OthersOverSelf | @TheShellyRood
• Website: https://othersoverself.com
• LinkedIn: [Shelly Rood]

Subscribe to Hardcore and At Ease

New episodes drop every Tuesday. Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube
• Or wherever you listen to podcasts

Support the Show

This podcast takes time, effort, and resources to produce every week. Between the frame-by-frame recaps, one-on-one guest interviews, and quality control, we're committed to delivering frameworks that actually work.

We're asking for $5 a month, but you can contribute as much or as little as you like. Your support helps us keep training your brain every Tuesday.

Become a Show Ambassador: Support Hardcore and At Ease - powered by Others Over Self®

Join the Conversation

Tag us in your stories: @OthersOverSelf • @TheShellyRood

Use the hashtag: #HardcoreAndAtEase

Share your biggest takeaway from this episode or tell us what resonated most about Carrie's story.

Copyright 2025 Mission Ambition, LLC

From Others Over Self, it's Hardcore and At Ease—a show about people who are keeping their edge without going over the edge.