What if a simple story about four dogs in Alaska could unlock your own leadership potential and help you teach complex ideas with ease?

In this episode, Platte and Jeff dig into how fables—those timeless stories with non-human characters—can simplify and embed deep truths about human behavior, leadership, and growth. Whether you’re trying to write your first book, train teams at the SEALs, or just want a fresh way to inject clarity into your coaching, the principles revealed here will reshape your approach.

You'll discover: how a fable can serve as a safe, impactful conversation starter about maturity, behavior, and effectiveness; the secret behind choosing character archetypes like dogs to reflect human temperaments; and how to craft stories that precisely mirror the real-world challenges you face in leadership and life.Why does this matter? Because in a noisy world full of complex models and research, stories cut through—making tough concepts memorable, relatable, and actionable. If you’ve ever wondered how to communicate high-performance behaviors without overwhelming your audience, this episode is your answer.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Fables and Parables

05:07 Dave Graf's Journey and Background

08:34 Understanding Temperament vs. Personality

11:06 The Inspiration Behind the Fable

12:26 Character Development in 'Who Do You Think You Are?'

19:18 Exploring the Canine Characters and Their Traits

24:35 Understanding Temperaments in Dogs and Humans

30:04 The Role of Team Dynamics in Survival

32:21 Leadership Lessons from the Fable

37:12 The Creative Process Behind the Fable

41:29 Encouragement for Aspiring Authors

A Carnegie Mellon professor named Randy Pausch was told he had pancreatic cancer and five months to live. He felt fine. So he taught one more class and called it The Last Lecture.

Shawn Moon thought about that lecture for years. Eventually he started asking everyone he could get on a call the same question: If you had one preeminent lesson to pass on to your loved ones, what would it be?

One hundred leaders later—Steve Young, Liz Wiseman, Danny Ainge, Dave Checketts, a former Nashville mayor, a Saudi parliament member, a CEO recently diagnosed with Parkinson's—he had a book.

What none of them said: learn to build a better spreadsheet. What almost all of them said sounded like a soft skill on first listen, and on second listen turned out to be the hardest possible thing.

This week Shawn—eight-time author, former EVP at FranklinCovey, current CEO of Zero Res—joins Platte and Jeff to talk about Roots, Relationships, and Results. The conversation moves through Bill Walsh asking his 49ers in 1987 whether they loved their teammates; an eighteen-year-old single mother whose new boss took her to a consignment store before her job interview; Paul Westphal interrupting a playoff collapse by asking for jokes; and the pattern underneath all of it—that the leaders who knew how to win refused to talk about winning without first talking about people.

For writers, there's a second story under the first one: how Shawn actually built the book. He calls it asking a question you don't know the answer to. Platte calls it the aggregator move. Either way, it's a working blueprint for anyone who has the expertise and can't locate the spine.

Roots, Relationships, and Results releases summer 2026.

Chapters

• 00:00 The Impactful Mentor
• 10:28 Imposter Syndrome and Leadership
• 24:25 The 11th Attribute: Contribution and Legacy
• 31:15 Dignity and Love as Leadership Attributes
• 36:25 The Challenge of Leading with Love
• 45:29 The ROI of Effective Leadership
• 53:06 Emotional Stability in Leadership

The conversation covers Luke Falk's journey from college to the NFL, highlighting his mindset, humility, and struggles. It delves into the importance of mental strength in athletics and the impact of identity on an athlete's journey. The discussion also explores the Falk Five, mental strength skills, and Luke Falk's transition to becoming an author, emphasizing the significance of failure and change in meaningful storytelling. The conversation covers Luke Falk's journey to writing, the concept of 'Easy, Easy' as a mind strength skill, and the impact and fulfillment derived from the book's content and coaching.

Takeaways

• The importance of mental strength in an athlete's journey
• The significance of failure and change in meaningful storytelling Journey to writing and self-discovery
• Easy, Easy as a mind strength skill
• Impact and fulfillment from the book's content and coaching

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to the Show and Guest Introduction
• 05:23 Luke Falk's Career Trajectory and Mindset
• 12:37 Luke Falk's Mindset and Motivation in College
• 20:31 Identity and External Journey vs. Internal Journey
• 25:59 The Importance of Inner Scoreboard and Identity
• 31:16 The Emphasis on Mental Strength in Athlete Coaching
• 36:23 Becoming an Author: Luke Falk's Writing Journey
• 47:20 Easy, Easy: A Mind Strength Skill
• 55:06 Impact and Fulfillment
  
  www.coachlukefalk.com

The conversation covers the role of an author strategist, the importance of marketing for authors, and the various options for publishing a book. It delves into the journey of an author strategist, the early focus on marketing, and the impact of marketing on an author's success. Additionally, it explores the different publishing options available to authors, including traditional, self-publishing, and hybrid models. The conversation delves into the game of becoming a bestseller, the appeal of bestseller status, Amazon bestseller badges and rankings, the process of becoming a bestseller, Zach's book 'Trust Me, I'm an Author', building trust as an author, webcasts and book launch experience, the value of an agent in book publishing, rookie mistakes in book publishing, JuxtaBook Press and mission-driven publishing, and connecting with Zach Kristensen.

Takeaways

• Author Strategist Role
• Marketing is Essential for Authors Bestseller status is appealing for authors and readers
• Understanding the nuances of book publishing is crucial for success

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage
• 06:20 The Importance of Marketing for Authors
• 13:04 Options for Publishing a Book
• 33:31 The Game of Becoming a Bestseller
• 38:39 Zach's Book: Trust Me, I'm an Author
• 49:46 Rookie Mistakes in Book Publishing
• 57:23 Connecting with Zach Kristensen

Links

https://www.juxtabook.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-stutz-20b21627/
https://platteclark.com/

Kristin Mackey, a writer and consultant, shares her journey into writing, her creative process, and the importance of frequency and energy in her work. She discusses the challenges of writing, the impact of clutter on creativity, and the significance of setting intentions and creating a conducive space for writing. The conversation delves into the creative process, personal transformation, and the impact of creative work on others. It explores the journey of writing, the importance of aligning with positive energy, and the significance of embracing one's unique creativity.

Takeaways

• Energy and frequency play a crucial role in creativity and writing.
• Creating a conducive space for writing and setting intentions are essential for the creative process. Creative energy and the process of writing involve receptivity, trust, and fearlessness.
• The journey of personal transformation and creative expression is shaped by loss, self-discovery, and alignment with positive energy.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Quantum Physics
• 14:14 The Creative Process
• 26:46 Seeking Help and Feedback
• 33:14 Personal and Professional Transformation
• 38:35 The Creative Journey and Presence
• 46:32 Embracing Creativity and Fearlessness
• 52:38 Journey of Change and Impact

This episode delves into Ben Ward's journey as an author and sales expert, exploring his transition from sales to leadership, the pivotal moments of change, and the challenges of starting and failing a company. It also highlights the importance of recognizing the 'wound' and the impact of personal identity on success. The conversation delves into the burden of men, a shift in perspective, the power of storytelling, overcoming challenges, the art of parables, the meaningful impact of stories, the journey of writing and publishing, and the challenge of marketing and selling. The closing remarks express gratitude for the guest's vulnerability and insights.

Takeaways

• Transitioning from sales to leadership requires a shift in mindset and skill set.
• Recognizing and owning personal failures and wounds can be a catalyst for change and growth. The power of storytelling in shifting perspectives
• The journey of writing and publishing a book

Chapters

• 00:00 The Journey of Authorship and Sales
• 05:16 Learning to Lead and Influence
• 10:23 The Pivot Moment of Change
• 19:47 The Journey of Starting and Failing a Company
• 27:12 The Burden of Men
• 33:49 Overcoming Challenges
• 40:06 The Meaningful Impact of Stories
• 47:55 The Journey of Writing and Publishing
• 01:02:25 Closing Remarks

The conversation explores shared work experiences and leadership thinking, career journey and pivotal moments, the introduction to the carbon-based learning model, understanding the carbon-based model, and practical tools for personal growth and development. The carbon-based learning model emphasizes common humanity, uniqueness, and connection to the world. The conversation delves into the accelerated journey of becoming an author, emphasizing the importance of building a team and connecting with the right people. It also explores the role of environment and proximity, the pivot to human-centric writing, financial investments and advice for aspiring authors, and the use of AI in the writing process.

Takeaways

• Leadership thinking and spin-off companies often emerge from shared work experiences.
• The carbon-based learning model emphasizes common humanity, uniqueness, and connection to the world. Building a team and connecting with the right people is crucial for accelerating the journey of becoming an author.
• Proximity and environment play a significant role in realizing and optimizing one's journey.

Chapters

• 00:00 Practical Tools for Personal Growth and Development
• 26:54 Accelerated Author Journey
• 36:14 Pivoting to Human-Centric Writing
• 42:29 Financial Investments and Advice for Aspiring Authors

The conversation delves into the intersection of AI and creativity, exploring the history of AI, ethical implications, AI's impact on human experience, engagement, and content creation. It provides insights into the evolving relationship between AI and creativity, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities presented by this dynamic interaction. The conversation delves into the transformative role of AI in creative collaboration and the shaping of meaning in writing. It explores the power of AI as a tool for creative collaboration and the journey of writing and AI collaboration. Additionally, it discusses the role of AI in shaping meaning and the philosophical implications of AI's evolving capabilities.

Takeaways

• AI and Creativity
• History of AI
• Ethical Implications of AI
• AI and Human Experience
• AI and Engagement
• AI and Content Creation AI as a Tool for Creative Collaboration
• The Role of AI in Shaping Meaning

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to AI and Creativity
• 09:21 Ethical Implications of AI
• 19:04 AI and Engagement
• 34:44 The Power of AI in Creative Collaboration
• 42:50 The Journey of Writing and AI Collaboration
• 49:17 The Role of AI in Shaping Meaning