32| When Crisis Strikes, Hold on to Your Purpose [with Isaac Mitchell]
Apply for the Nov 2025 (limited spots remaining) or May 2026 Japan Leadership Experiencehttps://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ Is your organization stuck in a constant state of crisis, where everything feels like an urgent, must-fix-now situation?As a leader, cutting through that noise is key to prioritizing and aligning your team’s efforts to focus on what really matters.In this episode, Isaac Mitchell, VP of Operational Excellence at Ballad Health System, shares his experience leading through Hurricane Helene and how he's fostering an organizational culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.Isaac shares how his leadership journey—from engineer at Toyota to executive in healthcare—shaped his approach to real crises. He discusses how understanding purpose—his own, his team’s, and the organization’s—helps him distinguish between what’s urgent and what’s truly important.By focusing on what matters, you can create the impact you’re striving for. To me, that’s what living with intention is—knowing your purpose and aligning your actions to make it happen.YOU’LL LEARN:How to distinguish between true crises and perceived urgencyThe importance of aligning organizational and personal purpose to drive strategic successA framework for where to spend your time as a leader to build a high-performing organizationHow to demonstrate respect for people by encouraging a personal understanding of purpose and owning the thinking process, not the answersPractical tips for building a people-centered culture that drives sustainable growthIn our conversation about intention and goals, Isaac asks about my next big goal—listen for the big reveal, never shared publicly until now! I’d love to hear your thoughts.ABOUT MY GUEST:Isaac Mitchell is an experienced strategy deployment executive and is currently a Vice President at Ballad Health and a guest lecturer at the University of Tennessee’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. IMPORTANT LINKS:Full episode show notes: ChainOfLearning.com/32Connect with Isaac Mitchell: linkedin.com/in/isaacmitchellJoin Isaac’s Book Clubs: Lean Book Club and Lean Coffee Club Check out my website for resources and working together: KBJAnderson.comFollow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjandersonJoin me on my Japan Study Trip leadership program: KBJAnderson.com/JapanTripLearn about the warp and weft metaphor in my book: Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn and companion workbookTIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE: 3:08 Navigating crises during Hurricane Helene through community and shared purpose9:00 True crises vs. perceived urgency 10:58 Avoid falling into the "expert trap" during crises14:10 Respecting people’s development and using Gemba16:19 How to use daruma dolls in goal setting20:57 Katie’s BIG new goal reveal22:25 Using a hanko when coaching for problem solving30:36 Isaac’s North Star for the year and Japan Study Trip lessons32:11 How Gemba helps leaders prioritize what's essential36:23 Setting big goals and using them to push for growth 41:34 Value of cultural and business learning45:54 The warp and weft metaphor for goal settingSpaces still available for the May 2025 Japan Study Trip - apply now! Apply for the Nov 2025 or May 2026 Japan Leadership Experiencehttps://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/