My Boss is the Problem | with Tom Gray

Send us Fan Mail Most leadership advice tells you how to lead down. Nobody prepares you for what happens when the difficult person is your boss.  In this episode, Pastor and ministry leader Tom Gray joins me to tackle one of the most uncomfortable tensions in leadership: how to stay submitted to authority, protect your team, and still use your voice when the person in charge is the source of the dysfunction. ⸻ ⏱️ Episode Highlights \[01:47] – Submission vs. Influence: Why the rules completely change when the difficult person is your boss. \[03:35] Poore Judgement: Top five signs your boss is a micromanager. \[09:12] – Meet Tom Gray: Senior Pastor of Mars Hill Community Church and president of This Stuff Matters ministry. \[12:06] – Working Under a Hard Boss: Tom's first coaching job and the volatile head coach who made every day unpredictable. \[14:06] – The Root of Micromanagement: Why insecurity is usually underneath the dysfunction. \[18:00] – Submission or Self-Preservation: How to tell the difference and the questions every leader needs to ask. \[19:06] – Influence Through Submission: Why modeling what you wish you were getting is still your responsibility. \[21:55] – There's a Boss Above the Boss: Why faith reframes everything when the authority above you is failing you. \[29:46] – What Hard Bosses Teach You: The heart-level questions you can only answer through your hardest leadership experiences. \[37:43] – Daniel in the Foreign Court: The oldest submission vs. influence lesson in Scripture — and what excellent spirit actually looks like. ⸻ Links and Resources Mentioned Discipled Leader Apprenticeship — https://prestonpoore.com/   Discipled Leader Book — https://prestonpoore.com/books-by-preston/   How is Greater Than What Book — https://prestonpoore.com/book/   About Preston — https://prestonpoore.com/about-preston\_poore/   This Stuff Matters (Tom Gray) — https://thisstuffmatters.net   Mars Hill Community Church (Tom Gray) — https://marshillcc.com   Connect With Me LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prestonpoore/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PoorePreston   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prestonpoore1/   ⸻ Closing Thoughts If today's episode hit home, share it with someone who needs to hear it. Like it, comment, leave a review, it helps more people find the show and quite honestly, it reminds me I'm not just talking to myself in here. Peace out. Be a rock star. About Preston Poore Preston Poore is a former Coca-Cola executive who practices what he preaches. He uses his wealth of hard-earned experience in the corporate arena to help emerging leaders and millennials reach their potential—all while staying true to his values, purpose, and goals. Preston is a Certified Maxwell Leadership Team Keynote Speaker, Facilitator, Trainer, and Executive Coach. Through his books, How Is Greater Than What, Discipled Leader (2022 Selah Awards Nonfiction Book of the Year) and 21 Days to Sound Decision Making, his blog, and podcast, he seeks to help people become redemptive influences in their workplaces and live more fulfilling lives. Learn more about Preston Poore & Associates: https://prestonpoore.com Work with Preston or invite him to speak: https://prestonpoore.com/leadership-development-services/ Sign up to receive the P³ Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/prestonpoore.com/thepulse LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/prestonpoore/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/prestonpoore1/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PoorePreston