How To Lead People Effectively: Understand Them First

In this episode of The Expert Method, Ian sits down with Jay Jacobson to explore what effective leadership actually looks like when pressure rises, emotions escalate, and there is no clear playbook to follow.

Drawing on 45 years in funeral service, Jay shares lessons from moments of real crisis—including his experience responding after the United Flight 232 disaster in Sioux City—and explains why strong leadership begins long before the crisis itself. At the center of his approach is a simple idea: you cannot lead people effectively if you do not first understand them.