Productivity Smarts Podcast with Dr. Josh McConkey

Productivity Smarts Podcast – BE THE WEIGHT BEHIND THE SPEAR with Dr. Josh McConkey

Productivity Smarts: Productivity Smarts 097 – BE THE WEIGHT BEHIND THE SPEAR with Dr. Josh McConkey

Leadership isn’t built in boardrooms—it’s forged in the ER, on combat missions, and in the quiet moments when no one’s watching.

In this high-impact episode of Productivity Smarts, host Gerald J. Leonard sits down with Dr. Josh McConkey—emergency physician, U.S. Army Colonel, and author of Be the Weight Behind the Spear. Drawing from 23 years of military leadership and frontline medicine, Dr. McConkey reveals how his “weight behind the spear” philosophy can transform passive contributors into high-performance leaders, even in chaotic environments.

From harrowing Iraq war stories to the ER’s opioid crisis frontline, Dr. McConkey shares riveting lessons on accountability, resilience, and adaptive leadership. Discover why NASA’s 26-year-old mission controller succeeded (and what today’s leaders can learn from it), how to replace micromanagement with ownership, and why “complacency kills” in business and life. Packed with raw anecdotes and actionable frameworks, this episode is a masterclass in leading with purpose—whether you’re steering a team, a family, or your own career.