# 292. The Ancient Leadership Principle That The Top 1% Leaders Know | DJ Vanas

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-learn-it-all-podcast-6700797/292-the-ancient-leadership-principle-that-the-top-1-leaders-know-dj-vanas
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-learn-it-all-podcast-6700797/292-the-ancient-leadership-principle-that-the-top-1-leaders-know-dj-vanas.md
Podcast: [the Learn-It-All™ podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-learn-it-all-podcast-6700797)
Published: 2026-05-05T16:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.learnit.com/podcast
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/b8237449-741d-47ba-8360-9253ea69a4b4.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-learn-it-all-podcast-6700797/episodes/292-the-ancient-leadership-principle-that-the-top-1-leaders-know-dj-vanas
Duration seconds: 3745

## Resource

What if the strongest leaders aren’t the ones who fight alone, but the ones who know how to serve, protect, and build a tribe around them? In this episode of The Learn-It-All™ Podcast, Damon sits down with internationally acclaimed speaker and bestselling author, DJ Vanas, to unpack an ancient leadership principle that still separates top leaders from average managers: real warriors are contributors, protectors, and servants who develop themselves so they can serve others at a higher level. DJ reframes the warrior through a Native American tribal lens, far away from the Hollywood version of toughness. He explains why great leadership is about building your tribe by design, earning respect rather than chasing approval, giving honest feedback with care, and building trust through small, high-quality interactions where people feel seen, heard, and supported. Damon and DJ also explore resilience, self-awareness, humility, lifelong learning, and why leaders cannot serve well if they are falling apart themselves. From DJ’s Air Force experience to the wisdom of elders and his own personal challenges, this conversation is packed with practical leadership lessons for anyone who wants to lead with courage, serve with purpose, and become the kind of person others can count on. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why “if I want it done right, I’ll do it myself” is the fastest path to burnout and how great leaders learn to delegate and develop others instead. How to build your “tribe by design” by surrounding yourself with people who protect your dreams, challenge your thinking, and help you grow. The self-awareness question DJ uses during tough moments: “What story am I telling myself right now?” and how that story shapes your outcome. Why failure should expand your perspective, not sh…

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