Dr. Garland Vance is a leadership expert, author, and co-founder of AdVance Leadership. With more than 25 years of experience developing leaders, Garland is passionate about helping organizations build environments where every person experiences great leadership. His book Gettin’ (un)Busy was named one of Forbes’ “7 Books Everyone on Your Team Should Read” and earned the 2020 Author Elite Award for Best Business Book.
Dorothy Wood Vance has spent over two decades empowering leaders to discover and maximize their strengths. As co-founder of AdVance Leadership, she has helped grow the company into one of the Top 20 Leadership Development Companies in America. Together, Dorothy and Garland equip leaders with practical tools to unlock potential, strengthen culture, and lead with authenticity.
SHOW SUMMARY
In this episode of the Selling from the Heart Podcast, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Dr. Garland Vance and Dorothy Wood Vance to explore the powerful concept of Unleashed Leadership. They discuss how leaders—and sales professionals—can become “leashed” when responsibilities outpace clarity, capacity, or alignment, and how addressing root leadership issues can unlock greater effectiveness and impact.
Drawing from their book Unleashed Leadership, Garland and Dorothy outline seven key areas that often hold leaders back: character, competence, capacity, clarity, community, culture, and consistency. The conversation highlights why clarity is one of the biggest challenges leaders face and emphasizes that salespeople are leaders too—guiding clients toward meaningful outcomes without traditional authority. Packed with real-life examples and practical leadership insights, this episode delivers actionable strategies for anyone looking to lead and sell with heart.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Leaders become “leashed” when expectations exceed clarity, capacity, or alignment.
Seven core leadership challenges: Character, Competence, Capacity, Clarity, Community, Culture, and Consistency.
Clarity is often the most common leadership gap—people need to know where they’re going and why.
Sales professionals are leaders because they guide clients toward a vision and better outcomes.
Money follows value and service—selling from the heart starts with helping others first.
Strong leadership combines a compelling vision with genuine care for people.
HIGHLIGHT QUOTES
“You will be a hero or a villain to every single person that you lead.”
“Money is a byproduct to the value and the service that I provide to someone.”
“The best leaders have two qualities: a vision much bigger than current reality, and they serve people to help achieve that vision.”
“Being a hero in sales has far more to do with meeting needs they might not even know they’re aware of.”
📌FOLLOW THE CONVERSATION
Connect with Dr. Garland Vance
➡️Dr. Garland's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garland-vance/
Get the Book: Unleashed Leadership
Ready to identify and overcome the seven issues holding you back from your greatest impact? Grab your copy of Unleashed Leadership: How to Solve the 7 Issues Holding You Back from Your Greatest Impact:
https://a.co/d/09HhqrIn
Learn more about Darrell and Larry:
➡️Darrell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/
➡️Larry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/
➡️Website: https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net/
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Discover Heart-Centered Leadership:
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