Dr. Don Barden is a recognized leader in leadership and decision-making psychology. With global influence, military honors, and a track record of leading billion-dollar organizations, he helps elite performers align purpose, power, and performance.
In this episode of MaxLife, we unpack what most people get wrong about passion, why high performers often feel isolated, and how true leadership is forged through sacrifice—not spotlight.
You’ll learn:
Why real passion always demands sacrifice
How to lead with strength in soft, uncertain times
The “two-minute decision” framework for clarity under pressure
How to break through when success still feels empty
Why legacy is about ripples, not recognition
It’s not louder leadership — it’s a different way forward.
Guest Bio
Dr. Don Barden is a classically trained economist, globally recognized as an expert in leadership and the decision-making process. With three decades of corporate leadership and production in employee benefits and organizational leadership, he has changed the landscape of several US and international firms.
Don was named one of the Top 30 Most “Transformational Leaders in North America” by John Maxwell and the 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. In 2019, the Department of Defense recognized him with honors from the 75th US Army Ranger Regiment, and he was named 2020 YMCA Volunteer of the Year.
He is certified in Cybersecurity Management from Harvard University and has a Ph.D. in Economics and Organizational Leadership from Columbia International University. He earned his M.B.A. in Global Technology Management and International Business with an undergraduate B.B.A. in Economics and Finance. He resides in Atlanta, Georgia.
Don’s work challenges and motivates organizations and leadership teams to think deeply about their beliefs to consistently achieve their communication, culture, sales, and management goals. His “unfair advantage” theories are revolutionary in today’s economy as he leads and builds companies in a way that exposes the myth of modern leadership and communication techniques. Don’s recent work, “Here Come the Girls,” celebrates women in leadership. The study aims to help frustrated organizations transform by awakening their creative energy, thereby paving the way for uncharted production through cultural change.
Conquering the highest levels of ethical performance with humor, intellectual capital, and time-tested systems, Don engages his teams with his highly personal style of steward leadership. His experience with cultural change and record-setting growth has drawn him to corporations that want to tap into his real-world expertise to move their organizations to higher levels of achievement. Don is well known in the financial industry, with sales averaging over $ 1 billion per year, and for his original book, The Perfect Plan, is available in 39 countries worldwide.
Don also serves as a Trustee and the past Chairman of the Summit Counseling Center in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a past board member of the Metro Atlanta YMCA and was responsible for designing their COVID response and post-COVID strategic initiatives. He is a past Board Member of the Sua Sponte Foundation. Additionally, he lectures at Wake Forest University, The Wharton School of Business, and Oxford University (U.K.) Dr. Barden is a frequent instructor at the US Army 1st and 3rd Ranger Battalion / 75 th Regiment’s Leadership and Professional Development Program.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/donwbarden/
Resources & Mentions
https://www.maxwellleadership.com/
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