Podcast Summary: The Art of Leadership – Build Trust Overnight with Jeff Hancher

Podcast: The Home Service Expert Podcast
Host: Tommy Mello
Guest: Jeff Hancher (Sales/Business Leadership Expert, Creator of Firm Feedback, Author, Speaker)
Date: November 10, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the true artistry of leadership, exploring how to build trust, deliver effective feedback, and transform team performance—particularly in the fast-paced home services industry. Jeff Hancher joins Tommy Mello to discuss why leadership is a skill that anyone can develop, how to cultivate influential leaders, and actionable frameworks for driving personal and organizational transformation. Real-world stories, practical strategies, and memorable analogies make this an essential listen for anyone serious about leadership or looking to shape a winning workplace culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Transformational Power of Leadership

[00:00–02:41]

• Leadership is not just about results—it can alter the course of lives and generations.
• Jeff shares his story, going from a troubled upbringing and army service to a 25-year Fortune 500 career, underscored by great mentors who pulled out his unseen potential.
• (Quote, Jeff – 00:01) "When we do [lead well], oh my gosh, that's when people start naming their kids after you kind of stuff."

2. Developing Leaders: Nature vs. Nurture

[03:40–05:48]

• Leadership is learned, not innate; passion for leading must come from within.
• Align leadership opportunities with people’s desire and ability to influence, not just tenure or technical competence.
• Succession planning should start immediately—great systems won’t compensate for poor leadership.

3. The First Step: Understanding the “Why” and Foundations of Feedback

[05:52–07:09]

• Begin leadership development by clarifying “why” someone wants to lead.
• The art of feedback is core: giving tough feedback so well people thank you for it.
• (Quote, Jeff – 07:02) "We are a product of either the feedback we've been given or the feedback that's been missing from our lives."

4. Earning the Right to Give Tough Feedback

[07:09–13:34]

• Leaders shouldn’t just aim to be liked but respected; the best leaders balance care and toughness.
• Establish a foundation (“set the table”) so feedback is welcome, not resented—illustrated with a memorable bad breath analogy.
• Feedback is effective when you’ve invested “T-I-M-E” and built rapport.
• (Quote, Jeff – 12:09) "The goal is not to be right, it’s to be effective. We have to earn the right."

5. Feedback Framework: Expectations, Feedback, Accountability

[15:02–32:13]

• Set clear, reasonable expectations—changing as circumstances shift, like speed limits.
• Regular, private one-on-one debriefs are vital (ideally weekly, but monthly at minimum).
• Use meetings to understand team members’ “why,” discuss goals and plans, and provide honest feedback.
• (Quote, Jeff – 15:02) "At the heart of every great company and every great culture is a great leader who’s multiplying themselves."

6. Delegation as Empowerment, Not Just Task Offloading

[26:11–29:14]

• True delegation frees up leaders but is primarily about equipping others to grow and fail safely (“fail fast, learn fast”).
• Encourage new leaders to report first, drive conversations, and learn ownership.
• (Quote, Jeff – 28:15) "Delegation shouldn’t be to lighten your load; it should be to empower."

7. Debrief Cadence & Scaling Leadership

[29:27–32:13; 44:14–49:45]

• Weekly 30-min one-on-ones are ideal; if unmanageable, increase leader headcount or develop “captain” layers.
• Invest time for real private check-ins, not just casual interactions.
• Leadership development must be intentional and systematic: recruit, equip, empower, and hold accountable.
• (Quote, Jeff – 32:13) "The people on your Mount Rushmore invested in you. They could tell you almost anything because you knew they cared."

8. Leading Through Personal Hardship

[35:50–39:38]

• Great leadership isn’t just business; it’s helping people through life’s trials.
• Jeff’s own transformative experience: his mentor held him to high standards amid personal tragedy, changing his life trajectory.
• (Quote, Jeff – 35:50) "We could create better humans and communities through the businesses that we're building."

9. Culture, Appearance, and Ownership in the Home Services Industry

[47:51–49:45]

• Appearance and professionalism matter, regardless of pay—cited examples like Chick-fil-A.
• Company values (“People First”) must show through intentional structures and leader behaviors.
• If you want a standard followed (dress, decorum), model it at the leadership level.

10. Core Metrics & Internal Net Promoter Score

[51:02–54:50]

• Internal Net Promoter Score (INPS) is valuable—happy, engaged employees are the best recruiters.
• But metrics alone don’t cultivate true leaders; still need qualitative measures: methods, results, culture.
• Blend promoting from within with occasional external hires to avoid stagnation.

Notable Quotes and Moments

• On Feedback and Trust:
  "The goal is not to be right, it's to be effective… We have to earn the right." (Jeff, 12:09)
• On Leadership Impact:
  "We have the ability as leaders not to just drive business results, but literally to change the trajectory not of just someone's life, but maybe a generation." (Jeff, 00:00)
• On Empowerment:
  "Delegation shouldn't be to lighten your load; it should be to empower." (Jeff, 28:15)
• On Building Culture:
  "As the leadership goes, so goes the culture." (Jeff, 49:45)
• On Coach vs. Leader:
  "Every coach that I've ever had... they cared about me just as much, if not more, outside of the game than they did in the game. And I think that's what you're talking about." (Tommy, 40:26)
• On Calling People Up:
  "You're not calling people out, you're calling them up." (Tommy, 56:35)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• [00:00–02:41]: Why leadership can change lives, Jeff’s personal story of transformation.
• [03:40–05:48]: Are leaders born or made? Importance of developing leaders now.
• [07:09–13:34]: The art and necessity of giving effective feedback; establishing trust.
• [15:02–18:09]: Framework for development: expectations, feedback, accountability.
• [26:11–29:14]: Delegation as empowerment, preparing emerging leaders.
• [29:27–32:13]: Effective cadence for one-on-ones and scaling through captains.
• [35:50–39:38]: Leading through personal hardship; real-life impact stories.
• [47:51–49:45]: Culture, standards, and the influence of leadership appearance in home services.
• [51:02–54:50]: The use and limits of internal net promoter score; why metrics are part of the picture.
• [56:35–59:29]: Final reflection on leadership calling, continuous improvement, and book recommendations.

Book Recommendations

1. Firm Feedback in a Fragile World – Jeff Hancher
2. The First 90 Days – Michael Watkins (especially for new roles)
3. The Five Levels of Leadership – John Maxwell
4. Good to Great – Jim Collins
5. Lead the Field – Earl Nightingale (personal transformation)

Final Thoughts

[59:29] Jeff:
"People are counting on us to lead well, and everybody deserves to be led well. The greatest investment that you can make is to be a great leader, to impact the lives of other people. There are people all around us that are counting on us to win, and not just on the W-2, but the families they go home to… Be thinking about what you consume and who you spend your time with. Those two things can transform the leader you become—and not just be a boss people report to, but be that leader people don’t want to let down."

This episode is a masterclass on leadership as a lifelong craft—a must-listen for anyone who wants to lead beyond just business results to real, lasting impact.