Leadership development for everyone in the blue collar workforce, those who support them, and those who lead them. Leadership is influence. Influence is built daily, not in a day. There are two types of influence: 1) Artificial influence which comes with a title, position, or rank and is reserved for those who have formal authority over others; and 2) Authentic influence which is based on a person's character and the relationships they build, and it's available to anyone with or without a…
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Here’s the TRUTH most are missing: While your INDUSTRY has a labor shortage, your ORGANIZATION is actually operating in an environment filled with an abundance of available talent. Everyone working for your competitors, every experienced tradesperson in your area, and every new graduate from high schools, trade schools and those exiting the military is potentially available to join your team. The…
In this interview, Paul Sanneman discusses: Why Most Contractors Struggle to Find Good Help (And How to Fix It) How to Building Winning Teams in Construction How to Stop Making Bad Hires The Real Secret to Hiring Reliable Tradespeople The Impact of AI on the Recruiting Process The Importance of Hiring Slow and Firing Fast In this episode of the Blue Collar Leadership Podcast, host Mack Story…
Albert Einstein said the significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking that created them. If you’re struggling with people, the real issue is usually your own character, not theirs. The solution isn’t in changing them; it’s in changing you. When you look in the mirror and accept responsibility instead of blaming others, everything starts getting better. Your influence…
If you’ve ever felt overlooked, passed up, or stuck despite your talent, this episode will challenge you to look in the mirror, take responsibility, and finally break through the wall that’s holding you back. In this eye-opening episode, Mack Story unpacks John C. Maxwell’s powerful truth: “Your character growth determines the height of your personal growth.” Drawing from real-world career stories…
Mack Story explains that good character is built piece by piece through thought, choice, courage, and determination—not given like talent. Drawing from Henry Cloud’s idea that character is the ability to meet the demands of reality, he shares raw stories from his many years in the trades, including the hard lessons from dealing with his son Eric, where his lack of patience—a clear character…
In this very special 500th episode of the Blue Collar Leadership Podcast, Mack Story reunites with Derek Brown—the man who inspired him to launch the Blue Collar Leadership podcast eight years ago. Derek shares the story of how he and Mack first connected, his own powerful personal growth journey, the professional path that shaped him, and what he’s doing today as National Sales Director at…
Practical, straightforward, and recorded for real blue-collar leaders, aspiring leaders, and workers who want to climb to the next level and beyond. In this special husband-and-wife episode, Mack and Ria Story give listeners a brief, practical overview of the eight core books in the Blue-Collar Leadership® Series—part of the 35 books they’ve published. They walk through the five 30-chapter/3 pages…
In this special tribute episode of Blue Collar Leadership, Mack Story honors the life and legacy of Bob Chapman, the legendary Chairman of Barry-Wehmiller who passed away on March 19, 2026. For over a decade, Mack has collected Bob’s most powerful quotes on leadership, culture, and what it truly means to put people before profits. In this episode, Mack shares 50 of those quotes—raw, practical, and…
Trust isn’t built through grand gestures—it’s earned (or lost) in the daily grind of promises kept or broken. This episode breaks down the core truth: what we think and say sets expectations, but only what we actually do defines our character. After we make a commitment, we’ll take one of three paths —follow through to make a trust deposit, ask to break the commitment and risk suspicion (depending…
At age 82, US Marine Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Wesley L. Fox still was still inspiring crowds with stories of the leaders who shaped him, none more than Corporal Myron J. Davis during the freezing nights of the Korean War. Facing demoralized troops eating frozen rations in the dark, USMC Corporal Davis invested in a Coleman stove and insisted on carrying it himself—not for personal gain,…
