CHIP SCHOLZ: SMALL DECISIONS CREATE BIG SHIFTS

What if changing your life does not require one enormous breakthrough—but a series of small, intentional decisions made every day?

In this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Chip Scholz, executive coach, speaker, author, woodturner, husband of 42 years, and proud father of three daughters. Chip shares lessons from nearly three decades of coaching leaders, working with family, recovering from a stroke, embracing creativity, and learning when leadership requires letting go.

After being laid off from a corporate position in California in 1998, Chip and his family moved to North Carolina. He knew he wanted to work for himself, but he arrived without an established network or local reputation. The first five years were difficult, yet one speaking opportunity at a Rotary Club introduced him to the warehousing and logistics industry.

That connection led to regional and national conferences, assessment work, leadership programs, and executive-coaching relationships around the world. Chip has now spent more than 20 years working within logistics and has led one client’s leadership program for 17 years.

Chip explains that careers rarely follow straight lines. His guiding phrase is “Semper Gumby”—always flexible. Plans change, opportunities disappear, and unexpected paths open. The key is remaining flexible enough to change direction without abandoning your values.

That flexibility became essential after Chip suffered a stroke in 2012. Although he does not want the stroke to define his story, it became a pivotal moment. His wife gave him a lathe for Christmas, introducing him to woodturning. Working with spinning wood demanded concentration, movement, patience, and creativity while helping him rebuild his cognitive abilities.

Recovery also required daily action. Chip initially could not walk around the block, but he began making the decision to put on his shoes and walk. Over two years, he walked approximately 3,500 miles and lost 110 pounds. The transformation did not come from one heroic act. It came from repeatedly choosing the next right action.

That philosophy inspired his book Small Decisions, Big Shifts. Chip reminds listeners that every decision leads toward an outcome. The routines of work, family, school, and responsibility can create a whirlwind that consumes our attention. Meaningful change begins when we intentionally make room for what matters most.

Uncle Dave and Chip also explore delegation, succession, and why many leaders hold on too long. Chip says fear is natural, but leaders must name it, understand it, and discuss it honestly. Delegation requires trust, humility, and the willingness to accept that another person may accomplish the goal differently.

Leadership eventually requires a shift from doing to being. Early in our careers, we are rewarded for personal performance. Once we lead others, our responsibility becomes developing people, communicating outcomes, and giving someone else the same opportunity once given to us.

Chip believes strong leaders do not need to be the smartest people in the room. They surround themselves with capable people, listen to different perspectives, and remain focused on results—as long as the methods remain legal, moral, and ethical.

In this episode, you will discover:

• Why small daily choices produce major transformations
• How Chip rebuilt his life after a stroke
• Why woodturning became part of his recovery
• What “Semper Gumby” teaches about flexibility
• Why delegation is fundamentally about trust
• How identity can prevent leaders from letting go
• Why leaders must move from doing to being
• How honest coaches and mentors expose blind spots
• Why curiosity helps us continue growing at every age
• How storytelling can transfer wisdom without controlling others

Chip also discusses his books Every Dog Has Its Day: Reflections on Life, Love, and the Lathe and Small Decisions, Big Shifts. His upcoming fiction book, Handoffs, explores an aging owner, his adult son, family-business succession, control, identity, and the difficult process of passing leadership to the next generation.

His message is clear: Get over yourself, remain curious, trust capable people, and make the small decisions that move you toward the life you want. You may not control every turn, but you can choose how you respond.

Connect with Chip:

Books: Small Decisions, Big Shifts
Every Dog Has Its Day: Reflections on Life, Love, and the Lathe
Upcoming Book: Handoffs

Bring peace and love into your life. When necessary, bring a bat, stay flexible, remain curious, and make the next right decision.

#PeaceLoveAndBringABat #UncleDave #ChipScholz #SmallDecisionsBigShifts #Leadership #ExecutiveCoaching #Delegation #StrokeRecovery #Woodturning #SemperGumby #Curiosity

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