For the record: I didn’t set out to make the Mayor get emotional.

In this episode, I share a rapid-fire conversation with Grier Hopkins, the Mayor of the Fairbanks North Star Borough to talk about what it actually means to him to lead people well. 

Grier shares how growing up in Fairbanks shaped his perspective, why understanding people’s backgrounds matters more than having the “right” answers, and how leadership at any level starts with something surprisingly simple: being kind and helping people.

We also get into the realities of leading in a tight-knit community, the lessons that only come from “touching the hot stove,” and the humility required to keep learning in public.

But the moment that stuck with me most? When a question about modeling leadership to his daughter elicited some unexpected, but welcome, emotion.

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