Dan Leonardi

Dan Leonardi Speaking Topics

• YOUR PLAYBOOK

  The PLAYBOOK is your custom-designed set of tools, values, strategies, and decisions that help you make consistent, intentional choices. It’s your internal compass—rooted in clarity, confidence, and commitment

  In "Be the CEO of Your Life," the PLAYBOOK is one of the foundational metaphors Dan Leonardi uses to guide readers toward intentional living, personal leadership, and long-term success. Just as a CEO uses a business playbook to align strategies, goals, and actions, individuals need a Personal Playbook to navigate life and career with purpose.

  Core Elements of the PLAYBOOK

  1. What are your Core Values - These principles guide how you live, work, and lead. The playbook helps you stay aligned with what truly matters.
  2. Your Vision & Goals - A clear, compelling future—what kind of life are you building? What legacy are you trying to leave?
  3. Decision-Making Framework - Like a coach calls plays under pressure, you need a strategy for making decisions when life gets hectic. The PLAYBOOK helps eliminate second-guessing.
  4. Your Personal Board of Directors - This is your go-to group of mentors, advisors, and truth-tellers who help you grow and course-correct.
  5. Life & Career Strategies - Your PLAYBOOK contains the repeatable methods and mindsets you’ve built (or borrowed) to succeed—like time management habits, goal setting techniques, or the 70/20/10 Rule.

  Why It Matters

  Without a PLAYBOOK, people react instead of lead. They chase success defined by others rather than create a life defined by their own values and vision. The PLAYBOOK is how you shift from drifting to driving.

  Ask yourself…

  • Vision – “WHY am I doing what I am doing?”
  • Strategy – “WHAT is it that I want to do to achieve my Vision?”
  • Tactics – “HOW am I going to do the things necessary to accomplish my strategic goals?”

• THE THREE STAGES OF LIFE

  Investing time to embrace “The Three Stages of Life”

  Stage 1: Knowledge Wealth - Ages 20-30

  – Invest in learning, mentorship, and real-world experience – Build your mindset, skills, and decision-making capacity

  Stage 2: Financial Wealth - Ages 30-40

  – Apply your knowledge to create value and generate income – Make intentional financial decisions, avoid lifestyle traps

  Stage 3: Compounding & Legacy - Ages 40+

  – Let your knowledge, habits, and money compound over time – Focus shifts from accumulation to impact and significance

  CEO Mindset: Wealth isn’t just what you earn—it’s what you multiply and leave behind.

• IT'S TIME

  The reason why you are feeling lost, or your career is stalled, is due to one or more of the following. Don't feel bad; you're not alone. As the CEO OF YOUR LIFE, it is time to turn YOUR LIFE around.

  1. Lack of Clarity or Direction - Many individuals struggle with defining what success actually means to them. Without a personal vision or roadmap, they drift—often working hard, but without intentionality.

  2. Beyond Education - Challenge the belief that success is guaranteed by degrees alone. A core theme is that 90% of meaningful learning happens after school, through experience and relationships. Early in his management career, Dan Leonardi was introduced to a concept developed by The Center for Creative Leadership, known as the 70:20:10 Rule, which focuses on the Three Levels of Learning. The rule set the stage for his personal growth by highlighting that EDUCATION is 10% learning, RELATIONSHIPS are 20% learning, and EXPERIENCES are 70% of learning. This rule instantly changed his life.  Having quit college after two years, this rule gave him the confidence and roadmap to learn beyond education… He found a new way to learn by building relations and listening to others.  He got out of his comfort zone and started to experience the practical work...winning sometimes, failing most of the time. He was suddenly learning beyond education, leveraging his strengths in a new, remarkable way!  Success came more easily when he applied his years of education and began to incorporate other approaches, such as relationships and experiences, to enhance his personal and career development.

  3. Fear of Failure or Rejection - Fear often prevents people from taking risks or stepping outside their comfort zones, whether it's starting a business, changing careers, or speaking up. This is why Dan is energized by the entrepreneurial spirit he witnesses every day at the New Venture Accelerator at Auburn University. Auburn University entrepreneurs have no fear of failure; in fact, they thrive and embrace failure as an EXPERIENCE TO LEARN!
  4. Paralysis by Perfection - Many wait for the “perfect” time, plan, or conditions before taking action. This perfectionism delays progress and can become a mask for fear or self-doubt.  In his book, "Be the CEO of Your Life," he speaks about CREATING YOUR OWN LUCK.  Luck happens without any effort, without any reason.  Yet, when you take calculated risks and step outside your comfort zone, magic happens!
  5. Isolation or Going It Alone - People often try to navigate life solo. Successful people surround themselves with those who are trusted, challenge them, and make them better. The title of Dan's book, "Be the CEO of Your Life," is an ideal metaphor to create your Personal Board of Directors—trusted advisors who help you stay grounded, grow, and make better decisions.
  6. Not Knowing How to Start - For many, the biggest hurdle is simply beginning. At Leonardi Personal Development, goal-setting tools, action plans, and real-life stories are designed to help individuals take that critical first step. LPD helps bridge years of EDUCATION into the PRACTICAL WORLD through proven techniques and concepts Dan has used to revitalize and reinvigorate various companies into high-performance business units while enhancing individual performance.
  7. Lack of Real-World Preparation – Beyond years of education, people often find themselves unprepared for the demands of real-life challenges—career changes, financial responsibility, interpersonal dynamics, etc. This is why Dan started LPD. His goal is to give individuals Access to Mentorship or Guidance, so they have someone to turn to for wisdom.  Perhaps he is like some of your audience when he says, “I wish someone shared these types of techniques and concepts when I was starting my career!"

• GIVERS & TAKERS

  In "Be the CEO of Your Life," Dan Leonardi has dedicated an entire chapter explicitly titled “Givers and Takers.” The spirit of that distinction is deeply woven into the philosophy that frames key attributes in leadership, mentorship, relationships, and legacy building.

  Givers: The Builders, Mentors, and Multipliers

  • Mentor others selflessly, just as Dan tries to do with Auburn students
  • Share wisdom and experiences that “I wish someone had shared with me”
  • Add value without expectation, often planting seeds that bear fruit later
  • Contribute to the Personal Board of Directors of others’ lives

  Lead from a place of service, authenticity, and growth… being genuine.

  EXAMPLE: Dan often reflects on the people who have helped him along the way—associates, bosses, mentors, teammates, and even students, all who have given him perspective or support. Think of it this way… “What kind of dinner conversation will someone have about you tonight after a day of working with you?” Will they say you were a “GIVER” or a “TAKER?”

  Takers: The Extractors, Drainers, and Opportunists

  • Often consume more than they contribute, in both relationships and organizations
  • Operate with a scarcity mindset—fearing that helping others somehow limits their own success
  • Can disrupt team culture by focusing on short-term gain over long-term impact
  • Rarely invest in mentorship or shared success

  Where It Connects to the CEO's Mindset

  As “CEO of Your Life,” you’re responsible not only for what you build, but how you build it—and who you build it with.

  • Givers elevate teams.
  • Takers erode trust.

  Your legacy is defined by what you gave away, not what you hoarded.

• THREE PHASES OF LIFE - DEPENDENT, INDEPENDENT, INTERDEPENDENT

  Dependent Phase

  • Characterized by relying on others—parents, teachers, coaches —for direction, support, and validation.
  • Common in early life, but many people stay stuck here far too long.
  • Decisions are often reactive, with limited self-awareness or long-term strategy.

  The goal in this phase is to recognize that it’s OK to be INFLUENCED by others.

  Independent Phase

  Theme: "I’ll figure it out on my own."

  • Individuals take control, often with pride, to “do it myself.”
  • This phase is where ambition drives action, but it can also lead to burnout and isolation.
  • Many professionals and entrepreneurs get stuck here, believing independence is the final goal.

  The key is learning that independence isn’t the destination—it’s a bridge.

  Interdependent Phase

  Theme: "Together, we go further.“ It’s “WE” not “I/ME.”

  • The highest stage of growth, where collaboration, humility, and mentorship take root.
  • Leaders at this level understand the power of community and connection.
  • They build Personal Boards of Directors, seek feedback, and give back to others.

  This is where legacy is built—by using your strength to elevate others.

  The Moral of Interdependence

  Building a Legacy

  • Dependence keeps us stuck
  • Independence moves us forward,
  • Interdependence multiplies our impact, strengthens our resilience, and helps us build a meaningful Legacy.