Maxwell Leadership Executive Podcast: Soul Leadership with Steve Robinson and Jared Cagle

Episode #B2 | January 23, 2026

Episode Overview

This special bonus episode features Steve Robinson, longtime partner of the Maxwell Leadership team and author of Soul Leadership. Hosted by executive vice president Jared Cagle, the conversation explores Robinson’s personal story, his extensive research on trauma in leadership, and practical strategies for leaders to foster inner health—thereby cultivating healthier, higher-performing organizations. The episode underlines the critical interplay between a leader’s inner life and their external impact, offering hope, science, and actionable steps for transformation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Origin of "Soul Leadership" (02:36–05:24)

• Steve Robinson describes the inspiration for his book—a blend of theology, therapy, neuroscience, leadership, and personal experience.
• Key Insight: The content began as Robinson's doctoral dissertation on trauma in leadership, supported by a national study of 750 leaders from various sectors.
• Quote:
  “The book is a blend of theology, therapy, neuroscience, leadership, and my own personal story... you’ll see all the interlacing.”
  —Steve Robinson (04:07)

2. Inner Health and Organizational Culture (05:53–08:41)

• Idea: The emotional and psychological state of a leader deeply influences organizational culture.
• Neuroscientific Principle: “Mirror neurons” cause people to subconsciously emulate the leader’s emotional regulation or dysregulation.
• Quote:
  “If you’re dysregulated as a CEO, guess what—you’re going to produce a dysregulated organization.”
  —Steve Robinson (07:07)

3. Personal Story: Trauma, Burnout, and Recovery (09:16–14:37)

• Steve Robinson recounts how cumulative trauma—Hurricane Katrina, a major building project, and the 2008 financial crash—led to his breakdown.
• Key Takeaway: Trauma is not just acute (from a single event) but also cumulative, affecting brain function and leadership capacity.
• Quote:
  “Unprocessed pain… it’s going to pop up.”
  —Steve Robinson (13:07)
• Framework: Trauma affects the prefrontal cortex (thinking), limbic system (emotion/memory), and brain stem (survival functions); it reorganizes the brain under stress.

4. Trauma Trigger Effect & The Soul Leadership Cycle (15:19–21:45)

• Explained:
  • Trauma Trigger Effect: How stress or past trauma overwhelms the rational brain and activates the emotional brain, leading to disproportionate reactions and poor decisions.
  • Awareness is the first step—recognizing heightened reactivity, avoidance, or numbing behaviors.
  • Processing safely with trusted people, and “rescripting” (rewiring) both brain and mind toward health.
• Quote:
  “Your brain is a physical organ… Your mind is not. You rewire the brain, but you renew the mind.”
  —Steve Robinson (19:35)

5. Regulation Techniques for Leaders (22:29–25:53)

• Practical Tools:
  • Tactical/box breathing (used by Navy SEALs) to calm the nervous system.
  • The power of a simple pause—stepping back rather than reacting in emotionally charged moments.
  • Integration vs. fragmentation: Healthy leaders possess “soothing skills” for assessing and responding calmly.
• Quote:
  “The goal of a parent is to teach a child how to self-regulate. If you didn't learn those soothing skills…you get into leadership and you’re brilliant…but you get triggered, you get activated.”
  —Steve Robinson (22:47)

6. Encouragement to Do the Work (25:53–30:32)

• Breaking the Silence: Robinson urges leaders to model vulnerability, seek professional help—particularly from trauma-informed therapists—and lean into community.
• Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG): More than just recovering, leaders can become wiser, empathetic, and more effective on the other side of trauma.
• Quote:
  “You’re not damaged goods… You become very effective, very acute in your assessment, your analysis, and very caring.”
  —Steve Robinson (28:30)
• Illustration: Robinson’s own evolution from barely holding onto a lectern (due to trauma) to standing confidently and teaching others.

7. Becoming a Healthy Leader & Creating Healthy Culture (31:33–35:58)

• Healthy Brain, Healthy Leadership: Moving towards “homeostasis”—balance of emotion and logic—and learning to respond, not react.
• Steps:
  • Admit issues and seek help from trauma-informed professionals.
  • Build community: create safe, trustworthy relationships.
  • Normalize growth and vulnerability within teams.
  • Slow down for enhanced productivity and impact.
• Quote:
  “If I slow down, I’ll actually be more productive…You can’t live adrenalized. Your thinking is not as sharp.”
  —Steve Robinson (34:52)

8. Final Words: The Promise of Healthy Soul Leadership (37:02–38:15)

• Vision for Leaders:
  • “Healthy leaders create psychological safety…model vulnerability, normalize growth, and give people permission to bring their whole selves to the table.”
    —Steve Robinson (37:29)
• Cultural Transformation: Such leadership produces not toxicity, but healthy, thriving cultures.

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• “You took a very complex topic and made it very simple and relatable for the average person.”
  —John Maxwell (Reported by Steve Robinson, 03:11)
• “A calm leader produces a calm organization. A dysregulated leader produces a dysregulated organization.”
  —Steve Robinson (07:19)
• “Trauma is not in the event. It’s in your brain and body.”
  —Steve Robinson (21:53)
• “What you don’t work out, you’re going to act out.”
  —Steve Robinson (30:29)
• “Healthy leaders create psychological safety…model vulnerability, normalize growth, and give people permission to bring their whole selves to the table.”
  —Steve Robinson (37:29)

Important Timestamps

• Origin of the Book & Research: 02:36–05:24
• Inner Health & Culture: 05:53–08:41
• Personal Story & Trauma: 09:16–14:37
• Trauma Trigger Effect/Soul Leadership Cycle: 15:19–21:45
• In-the-Moment Regulation: 22:29–25:53
• PTG & Doing the Hard Work: 25:53–35:58
• Vision of Healthy Leadership: 37:02–38:15

Tone & Style

The conversation is authentic, empathetic, and practical. Robinson leverages science, faith, and personal vulnerability to impart wisdom, offering hope and real steps for leaders longing for deeper influence and healthier organizations.

Key Takeaways

• A leader’s internal state inevitably shapes organizational health and effectiveness.
• Trauma is both acute and cumulative—and unprocessed trauma leads to poor decisions, burnout, and toxicity.
• Through awareness, processing (with safe people and professionals), and rescripting, leaders can transform pain into strength (post-traumatic growth).
• Healthy leaders are marked by self-regulation, vulnerability, and the capacity to create psychological safety and growth-minded cultures.

Soul Leadership by Steve Robinson is available January 27, 2026. Robinson’s insights remind leaders that growth and deep health are not just possible—they are the catalyst for remarkable organizational results.