730: Leadership is a Verb, Not a Noun - Jack M. Cohen

What if leadership wasn’t a title, but a toolbelt? In this insightful and energizing episode, Denis sits down with Jack Cohen, founder of Dark Knight Ventures and former CEO of Cohen Financial, to unpack the deeper essence of leadership. Jack brings decades of wisdom across real estate, finance, and entrepreneurship, and a unique perspective shaped by Batman, bourbon, and his own “superhero complex.” Together, they explore why leadership must be seen as a verb, an active, evolving force, rather than a static noun. From redefining team success to challenging comfort-zone leadership, Jack offers powerful metaphors and hard-earned truths for leaders ready to stop reacting and start leading forward.Meet Jack Cohen: Investor, Operator, OptimizerFormer CEO of Cohen Financial, scaling it from $200M to $1BFounder of Dark Knight Ventures, a consultancy inspired by Batman’s utility beltAuthor of The Freedom Framework and lifelong student of leadership and curiosity Leadership Is a Verb, Not a NounMany leaders “arrive” at a title and stop evolving; leadership must stay activeTrue leadership means guiding, guarding, and propping others upIt’s about pulling others toward a shared future, not pushing them toward performance Curiosity and Context: The Leader’s SuperpowersJack’s childhood heroes: Curious George and Batman (yes, really)Leadership today is about creating a context that others want to step intoThe quote that changed everything: “Follow the one who makes you curious where they’re going.” Outcome Over Activity: Escaping the Tyranny of the PresentToo many teams are buried in busywork and tactical executionLeaders must rise above daily noise to see the long-term visionStrategy demands distance from the trenches, not deeper digging From Sports Teams to Shareholders: What Real Leadership Looks LikeWhy the triangle of traditional hierarchy should be flippedGreat leaders leave a legacy by building coaching trees, not kingdomsLessons from John Wooden, Bill Walsh, and even controversial figures like Hitler and Trump, studied not for approval, but for insight into influence Key Quotes: “Leadership is a verb, not a noun.” — Jack M. Cohen “Follow the person who makes you curious where they’re going.” — Jack M. Cohen Book a Strategy Call with Denis https://app.leadingchangepartners.com/widget/bookings/callwithdenisgianoutsos The 10 Proven Ways to Lead and Thrive in Today's World  Executive Guide Featuring 10 Key Themes and 42 Strategic Insights from Worldwide Leaders  https://crm.leadingchangepartners.com/10-ways-to-lead  Connect with Jack: Website: darkknightventures.net LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-m-cohen-9543269/ Connect with Denis: Email: denis@leadingchangepartners.com Website: <a href="http://www.leadingchangepartners.com" rel="noopener noreferrer"...