Discipline Is the Hard Part on the EOS Journey: Rich McLaughlin | EP 157

You know what to do. But doing it consistently—especially when it’s boring, uncomfortable, or emotionally risky—is where most leaders fall short.

In this episode of The Thunderstock Show, I sit down with Rich McLaughlin, longtime leadership coach and EOS Implementer, for a conversation that blends emotional wisdom, entrepreneurial battle scars, and real-world insights into human energy and company culture.

We dig into:

• Why emotional engagement—not just clarity—is the secret to getting buy-in
• The hardest leadership trade-off: short-term performance vs long-term cultural health
• How Rich transitioned from learning & development to EOS implementation
• What sports, fatherhood, and consulting all have in common
• Why discipline—not intelligence—is the limiting factor in execution

Rich reminds us that data drives direction, but how we make people feel determines if they actually follow.

“You can do the job. But do people trust you? Do they want to?”

Question FOR Rich: What do you need to change, that you haven’t changed yet?

Question FROM Rich: If you had to get a tattoo that expressed what matters most to you—what would it say?

Guest Bio:

Rich McLaughlin is a strategic facilitator, EOS Implementer, and leadership coach with decades of experience in organizational development, emotional intelligence, and performance management. A former learning and development leader turned EOS evangelist, Rich helps leadership teams align on vision, execute with discipline, and create healthy, high-trust company cultures.

He’s a sports-loving father who once dreamed of being a phys-ed teacher—and now finds himself coaching CEOs instead of athletes.