The People Playbook with Jason Taylor
Better People Decisions. Stronger Teams. Scalable Results.
The People Playbook is your weekly guide to building high-performing teams and cultures that scale. Hosted by leadership coach and executive advisor Jason Taylor, this podcast features raw, insightful conversations with CEOs, founders, and culture builders who know what it really takes to lead in today’s world.
From mindset to execution, every episode unpacks the strategies, missteps, and breakthroughs behind exceptional leadership - and how to align your people, purpose, and performance for lasting impact.
Whether you're a CEO scaling fast, a senior leader navigating change, or a builder at heart - this is your playbook for becoming the leader your team needs.
🎯 New episodes weekly
🔥 Real talk. No fluff.
🧠 Actionable insights you can use today
Because growth doesn’t start with strategy - it starts with people.
Join the People Playbook Circle for exclusive leadership tools & community: jetcoaching.app.clientclub.net
The People Playbook with Jason Taylor
Jeff Clark, Food Industry Consultant - People-First Leadership That Scales
What makes a culture durable - and a team unstoppable? Jason sits down with Jeff Clark (ex-President, Kitchen Partners; now President & CEO, Jeff Clark Consulting) to unpack four decades of building high-performing teams in food manufacturing and multi-unit restaurant supply. Jeff shares the “get the best people” play, how to coach A-players and strugglers, leading through COVID, and why purpose, values, and clear metrics turn “people-first” into performance.
You’ll learn:
- Hiring to a bar, not a vacancy
- Coaching the top 10% to move the middle
- Communicating under pressure (even when you don’t have all the answers)
- Embedding purpose/values so growth strengthens culture
- Keeping innovation alive with “always improving” habits
00:00 — Jason: Welcome + Jeff intro (40+ years leading teams across food, beverage, and kitchens).
00:29 — Jeff: Gratitude and setting the stage—leaders, mentors, and lessons.
01:02 — Jason: On Jeff’s career span and impact.
01:18 — Jeff: Mosaic/quilt of leadership—learn from great (and not-so-great) leaders.
02:37 — Jason: Across four decades, what leadership principle has stayed constant?
02:50 — Jeff: It’s people. Story of a mentor: #1, #2, #3—“go get the very best people.”
04:43 — Jason: Strategy → results runs through people; coaching individuals differently.
04:55 — Jeff: People-first ≠ soft. High performers love clarity, metrics, and accountability.
05:46 — Jason: When pressure is high, how do you keep different personalities aligned?
06:20 — Jeff: Over-communicate, decide fast, define success, “we’re in this together.”
07:04 — Jason: How do you develop those trailing the high-performing team?
07:29 — Jeff: Coach everyone, be transparent, define success; sometimes role changes are right.
09:02 — Jason: High performers want coaching too—how do you balance that focus?
09:44 — Jeff: Spend disproportionate time with A-players; the middle follows what leaders reward.
11:14 — Jason: Big enterprise vs. entrepreneurial—what shifted in your leadership?
11:18–12:53 — Jeff: Smaller orgs demand hands-on, faster decisions, bigger direct impact.
13:45 — Jason: A moment when culture carried you through a tough challenge?
13:58–15:47 — Jeff: COVID shutdowns; cared for people, relentless comms, values in action.
16:24 — Jeff: Communicate even without all answers; authenticity builds trust.
17:04 — Jason: Comm’s power; what habit do you wish you’d adopted earlier?
17:56–18:34 — Jeff: Be tougher, sooner—help underperformers find a better fit.
19:05 — Jason: How do you balance results with serving people first?
19:10–22:27 — Jeff: Purpose (“help customers serve great food experiences”), clear values, metrics; people-first drives performance.
22:27–23:20 — Jason & Jeff: People want clarity, contribution, and safe ownership.
23:20 — Jason: How do you keep innovation alive in mature businesses?
23:42–24:53 — Jeff: Core value: “always improving”; ask customers great questions; seek stimuli.
24:53–26:12 — Jason & Jeff: Listen, then act. Day-one win: get the team sharp knives → instant credibility.
26:48–27:44 — Jeff: Monthly BIG (Business Improvement Group) meetings—prioritize three wins, report back.
27:44 — Jason: How do you sustain culture through growth and change?
27:54–29:53 — Jeff: Purpose-vision-values embedded; hire to values; culture is an “amoeba”—alive and moving.
30:28 — Jason: What’s chapter two for you?
30:56–32:51 — Jeff: Select consulting/coaching; long-term partnerships; embed purpose/values to unlock performance.
32:51–33:49 — Wrap-up and mutual appreciation.
