Badass Softie

Most leaders think they’re self-aware — but they’re often just self-critical. The truth is, you can’t lead what you don’t feel. When emotions go unnamed, they run the show from behind the scenes, shaping decisions, reactions, and team dynamics.In this episode of Badass Softie, Dr. J.J. Peterson sits down with Tera Wages to unpack why emotional fluency is the missing link between burnout and breakthrough. Tera introduces the Core Emotion Wheel — a simple but transformative framework for identifying and naming emotions that can completely change how you lead, parent, and communicate. By learning to spot what’s really happening beneath the surface, you stop reacting out of fear or frustration and start responding with clarity, empathy, and control.It’s a tool that gives you language for what you feel so your emotions become data, not drama — and that shift changes everything about how you lead others and yourself.In this episode you’ll take away:-Why most leaders misread their emotions — and how to change that-How to use the Core Emotion Wheel to navigate tough conversations-The difference between “fixing” emotions and actually feeling them-How emotional clarity turns reaction into intentional leadership-Practical ways to bring calm, confidence, and connection into your dayGet the Core Emotion Wheel at ConnectionCodes.co/BadassSoftie — the exact tool Tera shares to help you name what you’re feeling before it turns into burnout or conflict.📺 Watch full episodes on YouTube @BadassSoftie🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts🎧 Listen on SpotifyWhen you stop running from emotion and start naming it, you unlock your ability to lead with both clarity and compassion — the essence of being a Badass Softie.www.BadassSoftie.com

Most leaders assume that working more hours means getting more done. But what if doing less actually produced better results—and a healthier, more loyal team?In this episode of Badass Softie, Dr. J.J. Peterson sits down with Hannah Lee, co-founder and CEO of Second Mile. Hannah helps organizations shift from a five-day to a four-day work week without losing productivity or profit. Hannah has led this transformation inside her own business and seen firsthand how redefining productivity changes everything.Together, J.J. and Hannah explore how rest, trust, and smarter systems can fuel creativity and focus. You’ll learn why “time” is the most overlooked leadership tool—and how reclaiming it can make both your business and your people thrive.Here’s what you’ll take away:-Why working fewer days can increase profit, focus, and retention-How to spot and eliminate wasted effort across your team-Why rest and recovery are the true drivers of long-term performance-How AI can give you hours back each week when used strategically-Practical steps to test and implement a four-day model without disruptionIf you’re ready to start reclaiming time and leading more effectively, explore these ideas mentioned in the episode:-It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work — Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson-Shorter and Rest by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang-Connect with Hannah at TheSecondMile.com or at LinkedIn.com/in/Hannah-R-Collins/📺 Watch full episodes on YouTube @BadassSoftie🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts🎧 Listen on SpotifyWhen you stop measuring success by how long you work and start focusing on what truly matters, you’ll build a business—and a life—that’s both productive and human. That’s the heart of being a Badass Softie. www.BadassSoftie.com

Most leaders feel caught between impossible expectations. Be driven, but stay humble. Strive for excellence, but give yourself grace. Speak with candor, but never lose kindness.If that tension sounds familiar, this episode will change how you lead.Dr. J.J. Peterson sits down with Tim Arnold — international keynote speaker, best-selling author, and leadership coach — to reveal how embracing tension instead of trying to solve it is the true mark of great leadership. Something Tim and J.J. have come to call “the dance.”You’ll learn how to stop chasing perfect balance and start managing life’s most critical leadership paradoxes — drive and grace, striving and accepting, candor and kindness — so you can lead with confidence and compassion.By the end, you’ll know how to create a culture where people feel both challenged and cared for — and where your leadership finally feels sustainable.Here’s what you’ll take away:-Why balance is a myth — and tension is the real goal-How to hold high expectations without losing grace-The difference between striving and accepting (and why you need both)-Why true confidence requires humility-How candor and kindness together build trust that lasts📺 Watch full episodes on YouTube @BadassSoftie🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts🎧 Listen on Spotify
When you stop trying to solve the tension and start learning to dance with it, you’ll discover a whole new way to lead — with both strength and softness. That’s the heart of being a Badass Softie. www.BadassSoftie.com

Have you ever worried that if you’re honest about your struggles, your team will lose respect for you? Many leaders default to fear and control to protect authority but that approach actually kills creativity and trust.
On this episode of Badass Softie, Dr. J.J. Peterson shows why being “safe” doesn’t mean being weak. True safety creates environments where teams can take risks, tell the truth, and do their best work. Skill may get you in the room, but character is what keeps you there.
This week J.J. is joined by Blaine Hogan — a creative director and storyteller who has worked with Nike, LeBron James, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and more. Blaine shares how panic attacks, failure, and rebuilding character shaped his leadership and why honesty and vulnerability became the very tools that made him stronger. His story shows you how to stop leading from fear, build the kind of trust that fuels creativity, and turn personal setbacks into the credibility your team needs to follow you.
You’ll take away:-Why “safe” doesn’t mean “soft” and how safety drives performance-How fear-based leadership destroys creativity and trust-Why character outlasts skill in every leadership role-How honesty and vulnerability strengthen your authority-Practical ways to build teams that take risks and deliver results
📺 Watch full episodes on YouTube @BadassSoftie🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts🎧 Listen on Spotify
When you stop leading from fear and start leading with courage and character, you’ll create the kind of culture where people and performance can truly thrive. That’s the essence of being a Badass Softie. www.BadassSoftie.com

If your business is just delivering “good service,” you may already be forgettable. Customers don’t talk about good — they remember extraordinary. Those are the moments that earn loyalty, spark word-of-mouth, and make your business unforgettable.In this episode of Badass Softie, Dr. J.J. Peterson unpacks lessons from Will Guidara’s Unreasonable Hospitality — the philosophy that turned 11 Madison Park into the #1 restaurant in the world. For J.J., this isn’t just about restaurants; it’s about how leaders in any industry can pair ambition with heart to create experiences people never forget.Here's what you'll take away from this episode:-Why “good service” is black and white, but true hospitality is in color-How small, intentional gestures create lasting loyalty-The three pillars of unreasonable hospitality: connection, generosity, and systems-Why hospitality is the ultimate competitive advantage in today’s world-Practical ways leaders can surprise, delight, and create impact people never forgetUnreasonable hospitality isn’t about grand gestures or massive budgets. It’s about slowing down, paying attention, and systematizing moments of care that make people feel seen and valued. When you lead this way, you don’t just stand out — you create a culture where both your team and your customers thrive.📺 Watch full episodes on YouTube @BadassSoftie🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts🎧 Listen on SpotifyStart creating the kind of unforgettable moments that win loyalty, spark growth, and redefine what leadership looks like. That’s the essence of being a Badass Softie. www.BadassSoftie.com

If you confuse, you lose. It’s the single biggest mistake leaders and businesses make — and it’s costing them influence, connection, and growth.In this episode of Badass Softie, Dr. J.J. Peterson breaks down the StoryBrand framework and shows why story is the most powerful tool for capturing attention and driving action. Most leaders put themselves at the center of the story, but your customers don’t need another hero — they need a guide.Here's what you'll take away from this episode:-Why customers always want to be the hero — and how to step into the guide role-How “if you confuse, you lose” explains why most leaders fail to inspire action-The 7 elements of a clear and compelling story (and how to apply them in leadership & marketing-How clarity in communication builds trust, motivates teams, and drives result-Practical steps to start using StoryBrand today to lead with impactThrough stories and lessons pulled directly from his work with leaders worldwide, J.J. shows how shifting from hero to guide changes everything — for your business, your team, and the people you serve.📺 Watch full episodes on YouTube @BadassSoftie🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts🎧 Listen on SpotifyIt’s time to stop confusing your audience — and start leading with the clarity, confidence, and compassion of a true Badass Softie. www.BadassSoftie.com

This choice defines your future. Every leader lives out four roles: victim, villain, hero, and guide. The question isn’t whether these roles will show up in your story — it’s which one you’ll choose next.In this episode of Badass Softie, Dr. J.J. Peterson unpacks Donald Miller’s Hero on a Mission framework and shows why your leadership story changes the moment you stop playing small. Through personal stories (including the time he auditioned for a Missy Elliott music video) and insights from leaders he’s worked with around the world, J.J. reveals how to step into a story of courage, growth, and impact.Here's what you'll take away:-Why living in the victim role keeps you stuck and powerless-How villains are created by unhealed pain — and why their story always collapses-The truth about heroes: they’re not fearless, they just keep going-Why the guide role creates the most meaningful life and lasting influence-How to recognize the role you’re playing right now and choose a better one📺 Watch full episodes on YouTube @BadassSoftie🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts🎧 Listen on SpotifyCheck out J.J. and Missy Elliot in their sweet DDR battle at https://youtu.be/Q33ujOhLV-E?t=95. It’s time to stop settling for either/or leadership — and start stepping fully into being ambitious, kind, powerful, and deeply human: a true Badass Softie. www.BadassSoftie.com

For too long, leadership has been framed as a false choice:Be loud and aggressive, or compassionate and empathetic.Be ambitious, or be likable.Be respected, or be real.In this premiere episode of Badass Softie, Dr. J.J. Peterson reflects on his own career and the leaders he’s worked alongside — and names the tension many of us feel. Too driven for the “soft” spaces, yet not cutthroat enough for the boardroom. For years, he believed you had to choose. But he’s discovered the opposite is true: the leaders who make the greatest impact are unapologetically ambitious and lead with heart.
This episode is your starting place for redefining leadership. J.J. shares stories and lessons from his own journey where you’ll learn:-The false choices that keep leaders stuck (strong OR compassionate, respected OR real)-Why choosing “either/or” in leadership always leads to frustration-How the most impactful leaders combine ambition with empathy-A new framework for leading with both strength and softness-Practical steps to begin stepping more fully into being a Badass Softie📺 Watch full episodes on YouTube @BadassSoftie🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts🎧 Listen on Spotify------It’s time to stop believing you have to choose — and start leading with both strength and softness, the very definition of a Badass Softie. www.BadassSoftie.com

Have you ever felt the tension of trying to imitate other leaders — tough and aggressive on one hand, all passion and heart on the other? Like you had to choose one lane or the other just to be taken seriously?
Dr. J.J. Peterson has dealt with that same struggle. But the most successful leaders who inspired him most didn’t pick. They were able to be unapologetically ambitious while still leading with heart.
That realization is at the heart of Badass Softie, a new podcast for ambitious leaders like you who want to chase big goals without losing what makes you human. Hosted by Dr. J.J. Peterson — professor, consultant, storyteller, and messaging expert — each episode brings insights from leaders and innovators, along with personal stories and lessons from J.J. himself.
In this sneak peek, J.J. shares how the StoryBrand framework transformed his own leadership journey — and how it can help you step more fully into being a Badass Softie.
👉 Subscribe and follow so you’re ready when the first full episode drops on September 22, 2025.
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You don’t have to play by someone else's outdated leadership rules anymore. Together, we will rewrite what it means to lead as Badass Softies.

Have you ever felt that to be a great leader you have to choose between being loud and aggressive or compassionate and empathetic? You're too driven for the “soft” spaces, yet not cutthroat enough for the boardroom. But here’s the truth: you don’t have to choose.
Badass Softie is a new podcast for leaders who are unapologetically ambitious and want to lead with heart. Hosted by Dr. J.J. Peterson — professor, nonprofit leader, Hollywood storyteller, and messaging expert — J.J. has seen firsthand that the most impactful leaders don’t sacrifice one for the other. They chase big goals while leading with courage, vulnerability, and heart.
Each episode brings you insights from leaders and innovators, along with personal stories and lessons from J.J. himself. The goal is always the same: to help you step more fully into being a Badass Softie — a leader who is ambitious, kind, powerful, and deeply human.
Badass Softie launches September 22, 2025. Subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts — and watch episodes on YouTube at @BadassSoftie. It’s time to step fully into the kind of leader you were made to be, without playing by the outdated rules you were told to follow. Become a Badass Softie starting September 22.