Nic Bittle: Life and Leadership

Nic jokes with Tarina about having “abandonment issues.” She’s never abandoned an online shopping cart. Now Nic is the one shopping and bought a new pair of $15 shoes. Tarina told him, “I like those shoes. They don’t make you look fat.”

In this episode, they ask the question: What jobs will AI disrupt or replace?

One thing it’s irreplaceable is connection. It is already damaging human connection. The jobs AI is coming for are where we’ve already taken the human out of the work.

One conclusion Nic and Tarina make about AI is...

Tarina and Nic talk about Elle’s wedding—a truly beautiful life transforming event and how they had to pivot because of weather.

Nic is receiving a lot of requests for “sensitivity training.” As Nic jokes, “Kids today who never had to learn how to hold the flashlight for their dad.” Kids who never had the opportunity to take direction under pressure.

The question out there among a lot of seasoned leaders who are direct is, “Why is this generation so soft?” The problem is not that leaders are too hard. The problem is some of these leaders...

This episode features Mark Broadwater, VP Egan Company, leading Egan’s ATS Group: Building Automation, Technology Systems and Service. His 28 years in the industry sets Mark apart from many leaders as he supports the sales team and look for new opportunities to connect the dots inside Egan.

It was Mark’s grandfather, a furniture maker, who inspired him to learn a craft and it launched his career as a field technician after completing the Electrical Construction program at Albert Lea Technical College. Today, he has enjoyed working in a hands-on role.

Mark is famous for sayi...

This episode features Josh Bone, Executive Director of Electri International—what he describes as the research and development lab for the electrical contracting industry. It is at the forefront at navigating market impacts and look at where technology is going.

Josh has been a driving force in bringing cutting edge technology to the construction industry. In his early days he worked with mechanical design teams and has consistently championed innovation. His expertise is in bridging the gap between technology and real-world construction practices. He is a speaker and thought-leader and shares his insights with professionals nationwide.

...

Nic tricks his new son-in-law, Micah Graf, to join him on podcast. He opens the conversation with a question, “What are your intentions with my daughter?”

They talk about farming in western Oklahoma, which includes scaring up wild pigs. His favorite part of farmer is corn harvest. He also posts drone footage on Instagram @Oklahoma_Farming, capturing the seasons of farming. Check out the mile-long, 100 bushel corn harvest while a storm rolls in here.

Micah’s brother (Instagram: @That_Gun_Guy) got him started using thermals for rifle shooting and is on the Pulsar Pro Staff...

Tarina is grateful for a power nap before recording this episode. Nic compares her naps to people needing a Snickers Bar when they’re hangry. And Tarina appreciates how Nic compliments himself about how he regulates his emotions and knows things—no naps needed. (That’s some good Nic Bittle crap right there.)

They laugh about cold plunges, soft-sided tackle boxes, and losing sunglasses at the beach. Life is good at the Bittle ranch. 

Regarding the college or career question, Nic and Tarina received some good feedback. They review a few of these, continuing the convers...

Nic shares how he attended an event to showcase his Life-Ready Curriculum. He had a booth and two break-out sessions to talk about how and why he created the curriculum and how it’s been implemented.

The point of the curriculum is to help students come up with their own answers rather than a fill-in-the-blank right answer. It was designed as a journey of self-discovery. At first, students main question is, “Will this be graded?”

“If we’re going to build a successful next generation, we have to get them to think on their own,” says Nic.

Nic and Tarina talk about the struggle of choosing to go to college versus jumping into a career. As they prepare for Cruze to take his next step, they are wrestling with the value of higher education.

They discuss the various options available to craft a life and career that doesn’t require a college degree. Cruze has expressed wanting to do what Nic does for a living, so Nic breaks down what it’d take to become a speaker/trainer.

Cruze has also said he wants the “college experience.” What is that? Is it gaining...

Nic talks with Brett Russell on what he did and does to build a strong culture. In this episode, they discuss what destroys a culture. And they agree that life is life—and so work is both professional and personal. There’s no division.

Jumping in where they left off from Episode 68 (start there), Nic and Brett talk about the difficulties and opportunities to sow the right seeds to build strong leaders and a strong leadership culture. Brett identifies the importance of recognizing just how hard good leadership is.

The reality is a strong culture is t...

Nic talks with Brett Russell on what he did and does to build a strong culture. While Brett’s experience is in the fire service, he and Nic agree on how it applies to the trades. They discuss how to keep momentum, build a culture of high performers, and doing what you say you’re going to do.

Brett emphasizes how he wants his guys to feel they are a part of something bigger than themselves. He wants everyone to feel like they are making an impact. It’s about doing all the little things well, even the th...

Nic and Tarina are going to the lake in a little bit. And Tarina is working on some home remedies. And Nic is still working on his audio books.

If you want to pilot Nic’s new online Leadership Academy, reach out and let him know. 

When you’re right on the edge of having a meltdown and you feel drained and about to give up. In the construction industry it’s called burnout—and you almost give up. This is what Nic also calls emotional fatigue.

Everything is getting done, but sometimes we just n...

Nic congratulates himself for killing weeds (he’s a pretty big deal, you know) and how Tarina’s dog rolled in a dead armadillo (true story).

“Everybody loves change, don’t they?” Nic says with a bit of sarcasm.

Think of a time when you struggled with change and it turned out not to be that big of a deal.

Nic shares how he resisted moving to Corn. He believed it’d be the end of his career—and how horrible the change would be in his life. He admits how he created a false narrat...

Nic and Tarina talk about her latest diagnosis: digital fatigue. Nic says it’s because of her eye strain from staring at her shopping cart on her phone. Of course, he tries to piece together how this developed. Because Tarina tries to shield him from seeing what she’s buying, it’s only in her right eye. Nic wants to buy her a pirate eye patch. Aarrgghh, Matey!

Cruze it out of school. Elle is home. And they have a busy summer planned—including Elle’s wedding.

Tarina points out that one of the biggest problems w...

Nic and Tarina share their experience attending to the German Feast at Corn Bible Academy and eating verenika—a steamed or fried pasta dumpling filled with a dry cottage cheese and usually covered in ham gravy.

Chapter 35 from Know This Do That is about doing the right thing. Building your character— regardless of the cost—is the struggle all good leaders face.

Nic identifies the three ways to build trust. The leader who stands in front of his/her crew and is honest and clear, paves the way to be highly trusted. 

Chapter 36: Give So...

Nic and Tarina open the episode talking about their trip to Aruba. Nic comments on how he got a little sunburned—even after applying sunscreen every hour. And Tarina cringed at how their swimsuits were too matchy-matchy.

Be sure to listen to the surprise Tarina found for Nic: An inflatable butt-mat. “Seat cushion,” Tarina corrects him. 

The question behind “What drives you?” is “Why do you do what you do?” 

Tarina became a nurse because she wanted to help people. Nic is a speaker because he wants to make a difference. 

Nic quotes his so...

Tarina asks Nic if he wears his compression socks when he flies. He replies, “I wear them with my shorts on one leg.” Scolding him, Tarina says, “You’re supposed to wear them on both legs.” So Nic answers, “I wore them on one leg of my flight.”

Tarina and Nic talk about what it means to become a leader. Nic starts the discussion with a quote from Arnold Schwarzenegger: “You can’t climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pocket.”

Having a position, authority, or title does not make you a leader. A great lead...

Nic and Tarina talk about how the grass is growing now in Corn. And Nic comments how his hair is growing like a Chia Pet. “It looks great!” says Tarina.

The feeling that you’re less-than or that you’re not enough is often called imposter syndrome. Tarina asks about the line between feeling not-enough and arrogance.

Feeling not-enough and arrogance are both negatives.

What Nic is talking about is the internal voice of judgment which beats us up whenever something doesn’t work out perfect. Tarina shares the pressure she feels on a daily ba...

Tarina and Nic spent time with Elle and Cruze over spring break. Nic comments on how expensive it is to feed his son, the carnivore. Not even the beans and rice at Chipotle. 

He then rants about how some people don’t know the rules of airline travel. Tarina’s water bottle—which does not leak—was placed in the overhead bin. You can guess what happened next. 

Together they discuss Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers and the 10,000-hour rule—and how you have to put in the time. The important example from the book are the Beatles...

They kick off talking about Tarina’s pajamas and Nic’s shaved head. Elle has told Nic to grow out his hair for the wedding. 

In this episode they dig into Chapter 27: Invest the Time from Know This Do That. 

Nic and Tarina talk about how good things—like a career or rearing kids—takes time and patience. The opposite is also true: too much time spent on the wrong things create a problem if we let it. Where you invest your time and how you invest your time determines your ultimate success.

Stay the co...

Nic sits down with Heather Anderson and Clint Bailey at the Bittle Ranch to discuss the dynamics of training the next generation of electrical apprentices.

You may remember Clint from a previous episode. She is a mom of one adult son and would tell you she’s engaged to an amazing life partner, Clint. The two of them just happened to drop in to the Studio for a conversation.

Heather completed the IBEW/NECA Limited Energy Technician apprenticeship program then spent 12 years in the field as a Limited Energy Technician and Technician Foreman

She w...

Nic and Tarina open this episode talking about his latest travels and how he shaved his head. “Everybody with a shaved head is really sexy,” Nic quotes Tarina. Of course, she denies it. (Time for a new podcast photo!)

Today’s discussion centers on a question Nic’s mentor Mark LeBlanc asked him a long time ago. The question is: What do you want? As Nic explains, this isn’t about wanting a new pair of sneakers. It’s about the life we want and how we want to live, not merely material things.

This question—Wha...

Carlin Day is a husband and father of five with a professional background in insurance sales and service. As the owner of Harms Insurance Agency, Inc., an independent insurance agency in Oklahoma, Carlin has built his career on the belief that people prefer doing business with people.

For years, he has led his agency to live out the simple motto of providing personal service. Early on, despite having the credentials and licenses to sell, Carlin realized he lacked the skills to consistently deliver the results that he and his clients expected.

This sparked a journey...

In this episode, Nic talks with James Ford, CEO Egan Company. James leads all lines of business with an emphasis in creating teams with a strategic focus on long-term success.

James shares how he started his career as an accountant with Eide Bailley then how he served as a leadership development advisor. He took on the Chief Financial Officer role at Egan Company after 20 years in accounting.

Today, as its Chief Executive Officer, he provides best practice strategies for optimizing operations and company performance. His curiosity and natural tendency to focus on the future motivates...

Nic and Tarina start off with a good laugh at themselves and one another. One because of Nic’s always hard nipples (seriously, you gotta listen to it). And Tarina’s gig work as a helper of Amazon and USPS delivery guys while wearing flip flops.

Nic goes into more detail about how he helps apprentices understand finding the right fit career. So, he expands on his “Three Circles” idea: 1) What are you passionate about? 2) What are your skills? 3) What will the market pay for?

Together they map Nic’s path for how got to where he i...

Nic is off the road for a week and feeling good. Tarina got to speak to students about anatomy and her career in nursing.

Figure out what you’re good at. Know your strengths. Know your weaknesses. This is how Nic summarizes what it means to know what makes you tick.

In this episode, Nic and Tarina discuss the importance of understanding yourself. Nic outlines a 3-part system for identifying a career. The mistake he sees most people make is choosing only what they’re passionate about—but it may not be something the market wants...

In this episode, Nic and Tarina talk about Nic’s travels—the good, the bad, and the very, very ugly. 

As Nic says, “My job finds me mostly in airports.” He shares the best places he’s gotten to stay as well as some scary places. 

It’s clear in this episode how committed Nic is to the work of developing men and women to be better leaders. It’s also clear how much he loves his family and lives by the values he teaches. 

It’s not a glamorous life being a professional speake...

Nic and Tarina kick off with advice for everyone to not move to Corn (wink, wink) and enjoy all its comforts and community.

And Tarina shares her “more this, less that” list as an alternative to goals for the new year or new year’s resolutions. It surprised Nic that Tarina didn’t have items for his goal and resolution list for the year.

Nic quotes Charlie Tremendous Jones: “You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you met and the books you read.”

To invest in...

“The fact is when we remember another’s name, they will automatically feel more valued and respected,” Nic writes at the beginning of Chapter 21 from Know This Do That.

Nic and Tarina discuss the power of connection and then immediately share their own failures at remembering people’s names.

One of the tips Nic uses is called word association. It’s a best practice he brings into Full Auto because knowing everyone’s name is a safety issue. Lanyards are a no-go.

When we choose to not remember someone’s name are we telling them...

Cruze Bittle joins his dad, Nic, in his own words, “Because I like food and a bed.” 

They talk about Cruze’s favorite sport (spoiler alert: it’s not football). And spend some time going through Cruze’s morning routine. 

Nic compliments his son as being one of the most disciplined people he knows. Cruze says he started his discipline journey when he decided to workout and get in shape. Getting six-pack abs became an obsession. And the ability to say no to Honey Buns is always hard, but if you want something bad enough then the dis...

Tarina shares a big family announcement and Nic is surprised (and a little offended 😉) when a young man uses this “Nic Bittle crap” against him. 

In this episode, they return to Know This Do That and how It’s all about the return on investment [CH19] and getting over yourself [CH20]. 

It’s wise to realize sooner rather than later that your work and your wages depend on you producing more value than what it costs. The return isn’t only about money—it could show up in better quality work, supporting your team, or getting things done...

Nic and Tarina ring in the new year with a discussion on resolutions. They also express gratitude for being healthy after going a few rounds with colds. And Nic says he doesn’t make New Year’s Resolutions for himself—but knows that Tarina has a few for him.

Together they return to Nic’s book Know This Do That. Nic quotes Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, “Be humble. Be hungry. And always be the hardest worker in the room.”

Success is determined, Nic says, not by what you know or the power of your ideas but what you do...

Nic and his friend, Brett, talk about his work of creating a culture of leadership.

At the age of 20, Brett started a marble countertop store. He began his 26-year career in the fire department as a volunteer firefighter—and did it for 2 years before taking a paid position.

He talks about setting goals—even 20 year goals—and being undettered. Brett says he encourages people to look at the big picture and asks the key question, “Where do you want to end up?”

As Brett blends a strong faith into his tradecraft, what you hear is ho...

Tarina denies having robbed anyone despite wearing robber masks. And Nic defends his freedom to have a cold without criticism.

Because Christmas is a time for family and friends, Nic and Tarina talk about the five love languages. Together they go through the languages and the people in their lives who represent each.

In this episode, you experience the love and appreciation Nic and Tarina have for each other and for those they cherish. Their admiration for the people and their love language is clear and wonderful to hear.

Click the link to...

With Christmas just around the corner, Nic and Tarina talk about growing up in Corn and holiday traditions. When Nic brings up their first Christmas together, Tarina declines to tell the story.

Tarina shares about how her mom would sew—and her Dad would be the one to pick out the fabric. Nic would open presents Christmas morning, feed the cattle, then spend the day with grandparents in Stillwater.

He tells the story about how he and his older brother used a riding lawn mower to create a 5-mile trap line. Always the entrepreneurs, they cr...

In-person at the Nic Bittle Studio in Corn, Oklahoma and all the way from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is Patrick McGowan. Patrick is Nic's audio producer for the Life & Leadership Podcast.

They cover a range of topics including why it's important to show up on video like you care and how the goal of all communication is to connect with another human.

Patrick McGowan is the owner of Punchn Communications, an advisory firm committed to empowering more human connection. He is a leading expert on transforming people and teams through the way they talk.

In this episode, Nic and Tarina talk about the spark that led Nic to develop the Life Ready Curriculum. He shares how meaningful this project has been to work on and what he hopes young people will gain—namely, knowing and living by a set of core virtues.

Frequent listeners of the podcast already appreciate how Nic and Tarina discuss their values every week and provide insight into key life skills. This episode shows us more of their heart for readying people—especially young people—to live good and fulfilling lives.

The Life Ready Curriculum is a tr...

This the third and final episode in the 3-part series with Manley Feinberg: keynote speaker, former executive, jazz guitarist, and rock climber.

In this episode, Manley shares the story about rock climbing El Capitan in Yosemite National Park in California. It was the climb of a lifetime, and for one of the climbers, a real life or death situation.

It’s worth checking out Manley’s website (www.verticallessons.com). When you watch his 3-minute video you'll see the scale, grandeur, and danger of the climb. Then come back to listen to the episode. If you’...

In this episode, Manley picks up where he left off on his journey from corporate executive to professional speaker. Among other things, he shares how learned first hand the importance of exponential commitment and the need to command your momentum.

Manley is the founder of Vertical Lessons, Inc. He is an award-winning international keynote speaker, business leader and best-selling author. Leveraging more than thirty years of business, professional speaking and adventure experience, his insight and energy will inspire and equip you to step up and reach your next summit.

He is the author of Reaching...

From the Workplace Pro studio,  Nic has a conversation with Manley Feinberg. This is the first of a three-part series with Manley. 

Manley is the founder of Vertical Lessons, Inc. He is an award-winning international keynote speaker, business leader and best-selling author. Leveraging more than thirty years of business, professional speaking and adventure experience, his insight and energy will inspire and equip you to step up and reach your next summit.

He is the author of Reaching Your Next Summit! 9 Vertical Lessons for Leading with More Impact.

Manley’s 11 years of leadership influence cont...

In the flesh at the Nic Bittle Workplace Pro studio in Corn, Oklahoma, is Mark LeBlanc, Nic’s long-time friend, mentor, and business coach.

Mark LeBlanc, CSP, CPAE has been on his own virtually his entire adult life. He once had a job for six months and was inspired by the two words, “You’re fired!” At the ripe, young age of 21, he vowed he would do whatever it would take to make it on his own. And he has.

He recently celebrated his 40th anniversary in business! He has experienced the good, bad, ugly, and grea...