The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth22 Apr

249: The Leadership Gap We're Not Talking About (And How to Fix It) with Melissa Reade of Leader Valley

There's a leadership gap in our communities...and it's not what you think.

It's not about titles.
It's not about experience.
And it's definitely not about a lack of talent.

In this episode of The Found Podcast, I sit down with Melissa Reade, Executive Director of Leader Valley, to talk about the real gap we're seeing in schools, businesses, and communities—and how we can start to fix it.

From working with over 12,000 students to equipping current leaders in the workforce, Leader Valley is rethinking how leadership is developed at every stage of life.

This conversation is about more than leadership theory. It's about practical, everyday ways we build stronger people, stronger teams, and stronger communities.

If you've ever felt like something is missing in how we prepare people to lead…this episode will put language to it.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

What the "leadership gap" actually is (and why it's growing)
Why technical skills aren't enough anymore
How Leader Valley is building leaders from elementary school through adulthood
The role of emotional intelligence and communication in leadership
What schools are missing and how it impacts the workforce
Why community collaboration is the key to long-term change
The importance of leading yourself before leading others
Melissa's personal story of resilience and leadership through adversity

Resources & Links:

Leader Valley → https://www.leadervalley.org
Leader in Me → https://www.leaderinme.org
Connect with Melissa Reade → melissa@leadervalley.org

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