Leading With Vulnerability: A Conversation With Dave Ingram
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This episode features serial entrepreneur and facilitator Dave Ingram, who shares the pivotal moments that shaped his leadership—from his early landscaping business to building a 25-year executive search firm. Dave talks openly about the hard seasons, including the 2008 downturn, and how peer forums became his anchor for real talk and better decision-making.
We explore what makes forums work: experience sharing instead of advice, confidentiality that creates safety, and the discipline to be fully present. Dave also describes how these habits show up outside the boardroom, like helping runners of all backgrounds access coaches, shoes, support, and a welcoming community—leading to miles logged, new finish lines, and social barriers coming down.
Dave breaks down the craft of facilitation, why sharp questions outperform quick answers, and how frameworks like EOS stick when teams feel truly heard. He also shares how he uses AI as a thought partner without relying on it to replace human connection. If you care about leadership growth, peer learning, and building healthier organizations, this conversation gives you real tools and real hope.
Please visit www.internationalfacilitatorsorganization.com to learn more about Mo Fathelbab and International Facilitators Organization (IFO), a leading provider of facilitators and related group facilitation services, providing training, certification, marketing services, education, and community for peer group facilitators at all stages of their career.
Chapters
1. Leading With Vulnerability: A Conversation With Dave Ingram (00:00:00)
2. Welcome And Guest Introduction (00:00:10)
3. Early Ventures And The Birth Of Big Red (00:00:47)
4. Corporate Years And Skills Gained (00:01:18)
5. Launching An Executive Search Firm (00:01:53)
6. Surviving 2008 And Hard Decisions (00:02:36)
7. Why Recruiting And What Keeps Him Hooked (00:05:15)
8. Milestones: 25 Years And 1000 Placements (00:06:03)
9. Discovering The Virginia Council Of CEOs (00:06:42)
10. Forum Training And Jumping All In (00:08:04)
11. How Peer Forums Change Leadership (00:09:17)
12. A Deal Reconsidered And Better Decisions (00:11:00)
13. The Forum Effect And Lifelong Skills (00:12:24)
14. Community As An Oasis For CEOs (00:14:07)
15. Running Community: Connecting And Conquering (00:14:26)
16. Purpose, Service, And Strategic Planning (00:16:01)
17. Becoming A Facilitator And Loving The Work (00:17:18)
18. Gratitude And Impact In The Room (00:18:39)
19. Search Versus Facilitation: Different Rewards (00:19:21)
20. The Next Decade: AI Meets EQ (00:20:25)
21. Why AI Won’t Replace Facilitation (00:22:08)
22. Using AI As A Question Partner (00:23:26)
23. Vulnerability As The Currency Of Relationships (00:24:19)
24. Types Of Facilitation: People, Process, Sales (00:26:02)
25. Golf, Perspective, And Not Taking It Personally (00:27:38)
26. Books That Shaped Leadership (00:28:58)
27. A Billion People In Peer Groups (00:30:03)
28. Thanks, Experience Share, And Invitation (00:31:12)
29. IFO Retreat And Final Closing (00:31:47)
30. Reviews And Where To Find Episodes (00:38:32)
30 episodes