Jeff Lamb, CEO of Lionheart Children's Academy, Episode 281
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From the racquetball courts of junior college to the C-suite at Southwest Airlines—and now as CEO of Lionheart Children’s Academy - Jeff Lamb’s journey is a masterclass in unexpected opportunity, bold conviction, and servant leadership. In this episode, Jeff recounts pivotal moments that shaped his career—from working in the mailroom at Mesa Petroleum under T. Boone Pickens, to being mentored by Roger Staubach, and eventually leading people operations at one of America’s most beloved airlines.
Jeff unpacks how the intentionality behind career choices, culture building, and investing in people created lasting impact across companies. He also shares how his current role at Lionheart Academy brings together business excellence and faith-based mission—creating a scalable model for transformational early childhood education in partnership with churches.
Whether you're leading a team, thinking through your next big move, or looking to build a values-driven organization, Jeff’s story will inspire you to think differently about leadership, influence, and legacy.
“Boone Pickens told me, ‘You can coach in the corporate world.’ That changed my life.” - Jeff Lamb
“If everyone’s telling you the same thing, you don’t need seven of them. The ability to respectfully disagree is a mark of real leadership.” - Jeff Lamb
“At Southwest, when it came down to choosing between the customer and the employee—we chose the employee. And the financial results followed.” - Jeff Lamb
This Week on The Wow Factor:
How a failed attempt at junior college football redirected Jeff’s path toward business
Lessons learned working under T. Boone Pickens at Mesa Petroleum
What it was like being mentored by Roger Staubach—and playing flag football with him
Jeff’s rise to Chief People Officer at Southwest Airlines and his time with Herb Kelleher and Colleen Barrett
The power of presence, handwritten notes, and servant leadership in building culture
Why Lionheart Academy is merging business and ministry to reshape early childhood education
The challenge of regulated expansion across states—and why focus beats speed in scaling impact
Jeff Lamb’s Word of Wisdom:
Pick a word. Pick a focus. Communicate clarity around it. For Jeff, that word this year is Unity—rooted in Philippians 2:1–2. In leadership and in life, clarity breeds direction. When everything’s important, nothing is. Choose wisely.
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