Most Problem Leaders Aren't Bad On Purpose

You've seen destructive leadership before:

  • The dominator who pushes aggressively, disregards input, and uses coercion.
  • The autocrat who demands results without buy-in and ignores collaboration.
  • The insensitive boss who speaks truth without tact, humiliates, and weaponizes honesty.
  • The overconfident manager who ignores feedback, blames, and justifies inappropriate behavior.
  • The cynic who assumes laziness or deceit, questions motives, and micromanages.

Believe it or not, leaders with these bad patterns, don't usually see the harm they cause. They have a story in their heads where they are the hero fighting for something good.

Paradox-aware leadership training with LPC gives leaders, trainers, coaches, and colleagues a new way to understand and engage problem leaders by asking what they're fighting FOR.

Good Intentions Dont Equal Good Results

Even Problem Leaders Can Become Part of the Solution

Paradox-aware training shows how most good things are in productive tension with another good thing.

  • Accountability vs. Relationship Building
  • Grit vs. Flexibility
  • Courage vs. Caution

Good leadership leans into the tension and most leadership problems come from neglecting one side of a paradox pair. LPC training builds trust by validating the good things leaders are fighting FOR and then finding breakthrough solutions that also honor the neglected virtue.

Curious to see how it works?

When Your Leaders Grow, Everything Gets Easier

The Leadership Progress Cycle: Structured Growth That Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All

LPC offers flexible services from our signature 12-week self-paced program to customized workshops. All of them include personalized reflection and real-time application. Each leader adapts the experience to their own goals, challenges, and leadership style—so learning sticks and results last.

Leadership Progress Cycle

About the Founder

Jared Oates is the creator of the Leadership Progress Cycle, a practical framework that helps leaders work with paradox to create lasting impact. A self-taught engineer with a background in English rhetoric, he’s spent over a decade designing learning experiences that go beyond surface-level training. As co-founder of Niche Academy, Jared has helped thousands of leaders in public and nonprofit sectors navigate real-world challenges. Known for blending practical tools with personal insight, he helps leaders see tension not as a threat—but as the energy source for innovation, trust, and growth.

 

Jared Oates (1)

Inside the 12-Week Leadership Progress Cycle

Each week of the signature LPC system follows a consistent rhythm that balances structure with personal relevance:

  • A focused leadership concept
  • Reflection prompts tied to real challenges
  • Actionable steps to apply with their team
  • Live peer discussions + expert coaching

Program Arc:

  • Week 1: Finding Your Purpose as a Leader
  • Weeks 2–5: Setting Goals and Priorities
  • Weeks 6–12: Building Team Culture
Program Trajectory

Trusted by Leaders Who Needed Real Change

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Good things are happening because I'm doing this training. It's helping me to look at the big picture.

Nancy Higgs

Director of Public Services
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The training changed how I see personal goals and team goals. The recordings and the tutorials help work with my schedule.

Therese Lyons

Administrative Services Manager
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The flipped format falls in a sweet spot for middle management

Laura Bradley

Project Coordinator

Leadership Grows Here

Give your people more than a title. Give them the tools, mindset, and support they need to lead with purpose.

Leadership Grows Here