The L3 Leadership Podcast with Doug Smith
The L3 Leadership Podcast is focused on leadership development and personal growth. We are obsessed with helping you grow to your maximum potential and maximizing the impact of your leadership. We release a new episode every week to help you grow and develop as a leader. You will hear a mix of personal lessons from our Founder, Doug Smith, and conversations Doug has with world-class leaders from around the world. Doug interviews leaders like Pittsburgh Steelers Coach, Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Penguins Coach, Mike Sullivan, Tony Horton, Liz Wiseman, Brian Tome, John Mark Comer, Mark Batterson, Ryan Hawk, Nona Jones, Claude Silver, Ken Coleman, Christy Wright, Rachel Cruze, Mark Cole, and many more. Our hope is that you will not only learn great leadership lessons but that you will catch great leadership from the lives of the leaders that we expose you to.
Episodes
450 episodes
Take Control of Your Health: A Leader's Guide to Finishing Strong
Only 2% of Christian leaders make it to their finish line with their families, faith, and calling intact — and Doug Smith believes your health is one of the biggest reasons why. In this powerful talk, Doug shares his personal journe...
Advice for the 60+ Crowd
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith shares a powerful message titled Advice for the 60+ Crowd: How to Make the Most of the Final Season of Your Life.After speaking to a group of seniors at a local church in ...
Most People Don’t Build a Great Life—They Accept One (Here’s How to Change That)
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith shares a powerful talk he gave for Keller Williams titled How to Build a Great Life.Doug walks through the principles that have shaped his own journey—from a difficult upb...
Why 90% of Leaders Plateau (And How to Break Out of It) | Chris Robinson
Most leaders think they’re growing—but in reality, they’re just repeating the same year over and over again.In this powerful conversation, Doug sits down with Chris Robinson, Executive Vice President of Maxwell Leadership, to unpack why ...
7 Leadership Lessons I Learned at the Most Powerful Memorial Service I’ve Ever Attended
What would people say about your life at your memorial service?In this deeply personal episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith shares the powerful leadership lessons he learned after attending the memorial service of legendary p...
How to Lead Generation Z: 9 Strategies Every Leader Needs to Know | Dr. Tim Elmore
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith sits down with Dr. Tim Elmore, founder of Growing Leaders and bestselling author of The Future Begins with Z: 9 Strategies to Lead Generation Z as They Disrupt the Workplace.After...
5 Hard Leadership Lessons 2025 Taught Me
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith shares Part 2 of his annual reflection series, unpacking the final ten lessons he learned in 2025 and how they are shaping his leadership moving into 2026. Drawing from real...
15 Leadership Lessons I Learned in 2025 (That Will Change How I Lead in 2026) Part I
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith kicks off part one of his annual reflection series, sharing the most significant lessons he learned in 2025 and how they’re shaping his leadership in 2026. Drawing from his year-end revie...
How to Build a Family That Rules for Generations | Jeremy Pryor
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, host Doug Smith sits down with returning guest Jeremy Pryor, founder of Family Teams, for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, family, faith, and legacy. Jeremy shares how viewing the family a...
How to Conduct a Year-End Review
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, host Doug Smith shares his year-end review process, which has been a cornerstone of his personal growth since 2004. Doug discusses the importance of reflecting on the year gone by to foster growth a...
🎁 Holiday Gift Guide 2025: What Every leader Should Give (and Get!)
Holiday Gift Guide LinkIn this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith delivers a reflective, prac...
Creating Spaces for Men to Thrive with Peter Ostapko
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith talks with Peter Ostapko, co-founder of Kinsman Journal and leader of the growing Kinsman community in Springfield, Missouri. Peter shares his journey from a career in banking to launchin...
Offering No-Cost Adoptions with Matt Higgins, CEO of Hope Children's Home
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug sits down with Matt Higgins, Executive Director of Hope Children’s Home in Tampa, Florida. Matt shares the powerful mission of providing a loving home and education to children from difficult c...
9 Ways to Develop Your Character
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith shares a personal lesson on 9 Ways to Develop Your Character. As Doug explains, character development is the most important development for any leader—because without integrity, everythin...
Rob Dube on How to Achieve True Entrepreneurial Freedom
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith interviews Rob Dube, author of Shine: How Looking Inward is the Key to Unlocking True Entrepreneurial Freedom, co-written with Gino Wickman. Rob shares powerful insights on how l...
Are Leaders Made or Born?
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, host Doug Smith flips roles as he is interviewed by Ron Moore on the Living Grounded Podcast. The conversation delves into a variety of leadership topics, including whether leaders are born or made,...
Reflections on Turning 40!
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, host Doug Smith shares personal reflections and insights gained from turning 40. From expressing gratitude for life, emphasizing the importance of personal growth, to highlighting the significance o...
Inside the NFL: Leadership Lessons from the Pittsburgh Steelers Chaplain
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith interviews Kent Chevalier, Chaplain of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kent discusses his journey from a campus pastor to serving in the NFL, emphasizing the unique role he and his wife play in ...
Giving Firm Feedback in a Fragile World with Jeff Hancher
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith interviews Jeff Hancher, author of 'Firm Feedback in a Fragile World.' Jeff shares his journey from growing up in poverty to a successful 24-year career, emphasizing the pivotal moments s...
How to Create a Life Plan that Drives Your Growth
In this episode, Doug Smith joins Nick Poole on the Calvary Leadership Podcast. Doug shares his journey from being unaware of personal development to becoming a champion of continuous growth is highlighted through his impactful story. Doug shar...
When Your Family Can't Compete with Standing Ovations with Ryan Leak
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith and guest Ryan Leak discuss Ryan's journey as a New York Times bestselling author and speaker. Ryan shares his extensive experience of speaking at over 120 events annually an...
Breaking the Cycle: Larry Hagner on Healing Father Wounds and Building an Epic Family Legacy
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith interviews Larry Hagner, founder of the Dad Edge, about his mission to create legendary marriages, epic relationships with kids, personal financial mastery, optimized health, and leadersh...
Running for Office While Raising a Family: Lessons from Team Mercuri
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith sits down with Rob and Kelsey Mercuri to discuss their experiences in politics, leadership, and parenting.Rob, a former State Representative and candidate for Congress, shares his ...
From Drug Dealer to Nonprofit Leader: Doug Smith's Remarkable Journey of Transformation
In this episode, Doug Smith, host of the L3 Leadership Podcast, joins the Lunch Break series of the Boss Juice Podcast to discuss his journey from a challenging childhood to becoming a successful podcaster and leader in the Pittsburgh community...
The Critical Impact of Fathers: Dr. Meg Meeker on Why Dads Matter More Than They Know
In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith interviews Dr. Meg Meeker, a pediatrician and author who focuses on the critical role of fathers in parenting. Dr. Meeker discusses the impact of fatherhood on children's men...
