0:00 – 1:11

Dan introduces the podcast and guest Jeff Phillips. Light humor about aging and hair loss. Jeff’s known for being a stylish, non-suit-wearing banker.

1:31 – 2:49

Jeff introduces Landmark National Bank — a Kansas-based community bank with 30 locations across 25 markets. Focus on community impact, shared values, and catalyzing local progress.

2:50 – 4:01

Jeff explains his dual role:

• Market President (Kansas City): Leading regional growth.
• Chief Lending Officer: Oversees commercial teams, treasury management, consumer lending, and business strategy integration.

4:17 – 6:18 Discussion on "working on vs. in the business" — a major mindset shift. Jeff’s journey from day-to-day operations to strategic leadership.

6:24 – 9:23

How Jeff realized he needed to shift focus:

• Burnout signs like late-night emails and skipped meals.
• External coaching and feedback helped him see the need.
• He scheduled recurring strategic thinking blocks, redefined success by leadership impact, not task completion.

9:45 – 11:10

Transition challenges:

• Loss of casual data gathering from customer interactions.
• Reframing his role from operator to strategic coach.
• Encouraging team leaders to engage in deeper customer conversations.

11:14 – 12:24

"Coaching the coaches":

• Shifted from informal mentoring to intentional leadership coaching.
• Realized the need to provide clear expectations and structured support before allowing team members to improvise.

12:26 – 13:44

Team feedback:

• Jeff feared becoming an administrator, but his team encouraged him to be a “force multiplier,” not just a “force.”

14:00 – 14:59

Advice for other leaders:

• Accept that others won’t do things exactly like you—and that’s okay.
• 80% competency from others is often good enough.
• The shift starts with mindset.

15:00 – 18:51

On being an “intrapreneur” inside a larger organization:

• Building a “business within a business.”
• Creating a lab for innovation within the bank.
• Using experiments (“bullets before cannonballs”) to test initiatives before scaling.

19:08 – 20:53

Faith integration in business:

• Jeff shares how his Christian faith shapes his leadership, quoting 2 Corinthians.
• He strives to treat others with compassion and love, modeling the grace he’s received.

20:57 – 21:48

Closing thoughts and contact info:

• Jeff can be found on LinkedIn and at banklandmark.com.