
#331 Kevin Eikenberry: How Great Leaders Flex Without Losing Themselves — Part One
About this episode
Kevin Eikenberry didn’t start in a leadership lab—he started on a farm where animals had to be fed no matter what else was happening. In Part 1, he shares how early lessons in discipline and systems thinking carried into his leadership work decades later. From his unexpected pivot from fertilizer sales to corporate training, to founding the Kevin Eikenberry Group, Kevin talks about the mistakes, pivots, and realities that shaped his approach to helping others lead better.
Key Highlights of Our Interview:
Feeding Hogs, Learning Discipline
“No matter what else was happening, you had to feed the animals. Non-negotiable.”
From Agriculture to Human Systems
“I studied mechanical and biological systems. Now I work with human ones.”
An Accidental Pivot into Training
“I volunteered once at Chevron—and ended up reshaping my whole career.”
The Easy Exit, the Harder Lesson
“Leaving with projects lined up made it easier—but delayed learning how to market myself.”
Keeping the Business Alive
“You can’t just be good at the work. You have to keep finding the next work.”
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Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Kevin Eikenberry
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