"Control your controlables."

In this episode, Dan interviews leadership development consultant Adam Tarnow, partner at People Works International, former CPA and ministry leader, and author of the forthcoming book The Fog of Work (April 14). Tarnow shares that quitting alcohol became a “keystone habit” that improved sleep, health, emotional regulation, finances, and family life, sparked by a 30-day abstinence challenge and a book explaining alcohol’s effects.

He explains his passion for middle managers from personal experience in both corporate and church settings, describing middle management as a “valley” with tricky terrain and unpredictable “VUCA” weather. Tarno emphasizes “control your controllables” using an “I don’t control…, but I do control…, so I will…” framework, warns against blame and “awkward-phobia,” and advocates for respectful self-advocacy, view-voice-vote development, and seeing managers as leaders who take initiative for others.

00:00 Meet Adam Tarnow

00:57 Quitting Alcohol

02:38 Sober Curious Shift

05:45 Why Middle Managers

08:13 Stuck in the Middle

10:49 Valley of Leadership

14:22 Control Your Controllables

16:52 Standing Out All In

21:56 Developing Middle Leaders

24:19 View Voice Vote

28:54 Ambition and Awkwardphobia

31:02 Advocate With Facts

36:38 Confronting Your Boss

39:19 Managers Who Lead

41:38 Transactional Vs Relational

45:34 Middle Managers Are Glue

50:36 Generational Health Stories

54:12 Control Your Controllables

55:42 Where To Find Adam

56:23 Final Sendoff

Thank you Adam Tarnow for being a guest on Delay The Decay!

Find Adam on social media:

- Adam on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamtarnow/

- Adam on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AdamTarnow

- Adam's books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Adam-Tarnow/author/B0B9ZF24MQ?ref=ap_rdr&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Delay the Decay is a podcast for unashamedly ambitious people who want to live longer, better and deeper by prioritizing what’s really important in life.

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Dan Harty is a coach, entrepreneur, and former pastor, who helps people build resilience in body, mind and spirit by emphasizing faith, fitness, and fighting the natural decay with daily habits rooted in biblical truths. Find Dan on social media:

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