Disruption is everywhere. AI, careers, leadership, nothing stays the same. My guest today, Patrick Leddin, a leadership expert, former Army captain, and Vanderbilt professor, encountered that reality in a powerful way while sitting in a classroom listening to James Patterson share a deeply personal story. After losing his fiancée to cancer, Patterson transformed profound loss into a platform for impact. That moment reshaped Patrick’s thinking and eventually led to their collaboration on Disrupt Everything. In this episode, Patrick joins me to show why disruption isn’t a threat, but an opportunity. He breaks down how people respond when certainty disappears. He shares how that single classroom experience sparked years of research into what he calls “positive disruptors,” individuals who do not collapse under change, but channel it to create meaningful progress.

We analyze how disruption reveals personal agency, why resistance is a natural response, and what separates those who get stuck from those who move forward with intention. Patrick also opens up about co-authoring Disrupt Everything and Win, leaving a prestigious academic role, and building a movement centered on purpose-driven leadership.

Whether you’re navigating a career shift, organizational upheaval, or personal uncertainty, this episode will challenge how you think about disruption and show you how to use it instead of fearing it.

In this episode, we discuss:

[01:06] Disruption and why most people resist it

[01:39] Meet Patrick Leddin

[02:59] Patrick’s disruption journey

[04:43] How James Patterson’s guest lecture changed everything

[07:03] Co-authoring a book with James Patterson

[09:51] Purpose vs. mission vs. vision

[11:23] What Patrick learned from Patterson

[18:39] The outlining lesson

[21:20] Defining disruption

[23:33] Why disruption is fertile ground

[24:51] First step when disruption hits

[26:16] Stories of positive disruptors: Josie Natori & Tom D’Eri

[30:15] Disruption, agency, and organizational mindset

[32:16] The 27 positive disruptor moves

[35:45] Most impactful disruptor moves

[42:41] Framework for positive disruption

[44:48] Redefining extraordinary and the power of focus

[47:22] Summing Up Disruption

Notable Quotes

[01:12] “ Most people think about disruption in a way that they resist. It doesn't feel like an opportunity. They actually feel like they're losing control.” - Billy

[03:17] “ Sometimes the low spots in life disruptions can have some pretty negative ramifications, but even when they're negative, there's often a high point that comes after it.” - Patrick

[09:05] “ Crisis is not the time to start making introductions.” - Doug Parker (quoted by Patrick)

[25:27] “Sometimes saying no is the most disruptive thing you can do.” - Patrick

[47:20] “Disruption doesn’t destroy things, it’s fertile ground for something new and better.” – Patrick[48:27] “You’re wired to disrupt, you have a big brain, experiences that build resilience, and resources no generation has had before.” – Patrick

⁠Resources and Links

Patrick Leddin

Website: https://www.patrickleddin.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/patrickleddin
Book: Disrupt Everything and Win (co-authored with James Patterson)

Billy Samoa Saleebey

LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/in/billysamoa
Email: ⁠billy@podify.com⁠ and ⁠saleebey@gmail.com⁠

Insight Out

Website: ⁠https://www.insightoutshow.com/

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Disruption Isn’t a Threat, It’s Your Secret Weapon - Patrick Leddin