What if the best leaders aren't the ones with all the answers, but the ones who care enough to ask the right questions?
Leadership isn't about having a title. It's about how you show up for people every single day. In this annual catch-up conversation, Kellie sits down with returning guest, mentor, and friend Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Pelkowski for one of their most candid and practical leadership conversations yet. As the Air Force ROTC Detachment Commander at the University of Texas, Amanda is responsible for developing the next generation of military officers, but the lessons she shares apply to anyone stepping into leadership for the first time.
Together, Kellie and Amanda unpack the leadership advice they wish someone had given them earlier in their careers, from regulating your emotions and building trust to asking better questions, holding people accountable with compassion, and earning credibility long before you have experience. Whether you're a new manager, a young professional, a college student, or someone who hopes to lead one day, this episode is filled with practical strategies you can start using immediately. This conversation feels less like an interview and more like two friends catching up over happy hour, full of honest stories, lessons learned the hard way, plenty of laughs, and leadership advice that will stay with you long after the episode ends.
In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why "just freaking care" may be the most important leadership principle you'll ever hear.
• The leadership habits every young professional should develop early.
• How emotional intelligence separates good leaders from exceptional ones.
• Why asking thoughtful questions builds more respect than pretending to know everything.
• How to hold people accountable without losing their trust.
• Why mastering your own emotions is the foundation of leading others well.
• How reliability, preparation, and consistency help you stand out early in your career.
• Why your passions outside of work actually make you a stronger leader.
• Practical leadership lessons that apply whether you're in the military, corporate world, or anywhere in between.
If you're looking for actionable leadership advice, want to grow your confidence as a young leader, or simply become the kind of person others genuinely want to follow, this episode is for you.
Show Notes~
Amanda's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanda.pelkowski
What is ROTC? https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/what-rotc-programs-are-and-how-they-work
Start your Navy ROTC application here: https://www.netc.navy.mil/Commands/Naval-Service-Training-Command/NROTC/Program-Information/Navy-ROTC-Schools/
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