Contact Chris Miser: chris@go-northbound.com

Northbound Approach Community

Contact Matt Hallock: mattbhallock@gmail.com

DNA of a Man (Book on Amazon)

Man Warrior King Website

Man Warrior King Council

Staying On The Trail - Leading Well At Home And At Work

"We're like family here" sounds loyal and warm… until it quietly produces burnout, resentment, blurred boundaries, and leaders carrying emotional weight they were never meant to carry.

In this episode of the Northbound Podcast, Chris continues a conversation about popular leadership ideas that sound healthy but create long-term damage. Joined by Matt Hallock (author of DNA of a Man and founder of the Man Warrior King Project), they unpack why work is not family—and why treating it like it is often reveals something deeper: unmet emotional needs at home, unresolved tension in marriage, and leaders using work as an escape.

You'll hear a practical framework for examining your "inner world," leading yourself first, resetting your home leadership, and leading teams with clarity and purpose—without asking the workplace to carry what only family and faith can.

Bottom line: healthy teams aren't built on guilt and obligation. They're built on clarity, respect, growth, shared purpose—and clear boundaries that create safety.

• Why the phrase "we're like family" can create unhealthy expectations and hidden damage over time

• How blurred boundaries lead to burnout, resentment, misplaced loyalty, and heavier leadership

• The common root issue: when home life feels unhealthy, work becomes emotionally attractive

• "Inner world" self-examination:

  • Am I seeking identity, validation, belonging, respect primarily from work?

  • Am I emotionally neglecting my spouse/family because work feels safer or more affirming?

• A two-step leadership progression:

  1. Lead yourself (spiritual health, habits, vision, values, discipline)

  2. Lead your family (boundaries, direction, encouragement, example)

• The role of boundaries: boundaries aren't harsh—they can be loving and stabilizing

• The difference between peacekeeping vs peacemaking (real peace may require hard conversations)

• Practical "reset" steps: honesty, commitment, time with God, and a reset conversation with your spouse

• Work and home both improve when emotional weight returns to where it belongs: home first, work second

• Work is not family. Don't ask your job—or your team—to carry emotional needs meant for home.

• If you aren't anchored internally, you'll look for external anchors. Work often becomes that anchor.

• Leadership gets lighter when boundaries get clearer. Clarity reduces resentment and burnout.

• Lead yourself before you lead others. Your home leadership starts with your inner life and discipline.

• Boundaries are often love in action. They stop enabling destructive patterns and create safety.

• Peacemaking beats peacekeeping. Avoiding conflict doesn't create health—it delays it.

• Take ownership. Even if something isn't your fault, it may still be under your stewardship.