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GA 608 | Leading Without Authority with Ricky Banks

Avatar photo By Jessica Bush Updated on November 27th, 2025

This week’s guest is Gemba Academy Senior Coach and Instructor Ricky Banks. Ron and Ricky discussed what it means to lead without authority, working with incarcerated individuals, the importance of building relationships, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here.

In this episode you’ll learn: 

  • Ricky’s background (3:17)
  • What “leading without authority” means to him (4:15)
  • Whether it’s more or less important today (6:10)
  • Building trust and credibility (7:47)
  • An example of a spectacular leader (10:49)
  • How it feels working with incarcerated individuals (15:02)
  • How these skills work in the coaching context (18:24)
  • The importance of relationships (22:27)
  • The role of likeability (23:32)

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Jessica Bush

Jessica is responsible for the editorial aspects of Gemba Academy’s content, focusing on course materials, podcast production, social media, and other copywriting efforts. An avid advocate of entrepreneurship, Jessica has worked with two technology startups as co-founder and head marketing strategist. Jessica received her BS in Business Administration from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, with a minor in Music.

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