Every interaction leaves a mark.

When people walk away from an interaction with you, do they feel more capable—or less?

Dr. Wayne Pernell sits down with leadership educator and author Doug Crandall to explore the central idea behind Doug’s book, Building or Diminishing: almost every interaction either strengthens another person’s capacity or quietly diminishes it.

Drawing on nearly three decades of leadership development experience, including teaching at West Point and developing corporate executives, Doug reveals how expectations, trust, dignity, and presence shape the people we lead.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why there may be no neutral interaction
  • How the Pygmalion Effect influences performance
  • Why leaders should assume positive intent
  • The difference between being kind and merely being nice
  • How to challenge people without diminishing them
  • The four leadership archetypes: Builder, Driver, Cheerleader, and Belittler
  • Why trust makes difficult feedback more powerful
  • How quickly a leader can reshape someone’s confidence
  • Why a phone on the table can weaken human connection
  • The question every leader should ask: “What does this person need to hear?”
  • Why reflection—not experience alone—creates growth

Doug also shares a formative lesson from fellow West Point instructor Everett Spain, who challenged him to “never meet a bad cadet.” That shift in expectations transformed how Doug taught, coached, and led.

The conversation offers a practical challenge for leaders, parents, coaches, educators, and anyone whose words affect others:

Am I building—or diminishing?

ABOUT DOUG CRANDALL

Doug Crandall is a West Point graduate, former West Point faculty member, Stanford MBA, leadership educator, and Head of Teaching at The Referent Group. He has designed leadership-development experiences for thousands of leaders and is the author and co-author of multiple leadership books, including Building or Diminishing.

CONNECT WITH DOUG

BuildingOrDiminishing.com
Doug Crandall on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/doug-crandall-585a4

ABOUT THE SHOW

One Sharp Sword, hosted by Dr. Wayne Pernell, cuts through to what matters most in leadership, personal growth, relationships, and high performance.

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