About Jason
Hey, I'm Jason Kempf. I live in Greenwood, Indiana, and I spend my days helping leaders (and the people who work with them) carry more than they could carry alone.
Here's how I got here, and the one part of my story that shaped how I lead more than anything else.
Where I started
I've spent a good part of my life leading in churches and nonprofits. That meant ministry strategy, leadership development, and the daily work of leading staff and volunteers. It's where I first started asking two questions I still ask: how do you get a team to carry real responsibility, and what does a leader do that keeps them from doing it?
I've also run my own businesses, so I know how it feels when the whole thing leans on you.
What foster care and adoption taught me
My family has been through foster care and adoption. I'm not going to tell our kids' stories here. They belong to them. I can tell you what it did to me.
It showed me my limits, and it showed me quickly. I learned that being willing is not the same as being ready. I also learned that you do not need the capacity for the whole journey before you take the first faithful step. Capacity often grows through commitment, community, practice, and help.
And I saw how much of what our family carried was carried by other people: family, friends, professionals, teachers, medical teams, and churches. Taking that help was part of how it worked, not a sign that something had gone wrong. I think about that every time I sit across from a leader who believes they have to hold everything alone.
The work today
24 Hats Leadership
This is where I coach leaders and facilitate teams. I'm a GiANT Worldwide Certified Coach, and the work includes tools like 5 Voices, which helps a team understand how each person communicates and what they bring. 24 Hats Leadership grew from work previously offered through exANIMO Solutions. Visit 24 Hats Leadership.
The 24 Hats Leadership Podcast
This is the show for leaders who are carrying more than they were built to carry. Most episodes are me teaching on people-focused leadership and team culture, with an interview now and then. The show's line is "People focused leadership in a world of disruption." The earlier Leading Is Serving series is kept as Season 1. Listen to the 24 Hats Leadership Podcast.
6 String Creative
I also run a small marketing agency. I'm a marketer who tried to piece all of my own marketing together and hit a wall (it's on the 6 String Creative site too), so I know what that feels like. We build websites, Google visibility, reviews, and social media plans for small businesses and organizations. Visit 6 String Creative.
The Berean Files
I co-host this podcast with Zack Killey. We look at conspiracy theories, cryptids, UFOs, end-times claims, and other strange subjects, and we test them against Scripture. Looking into something is not the same as agreeing with it, and we try to say so out loud. Visit The Berean Files, or listen on Apple Podcasts or Podbean.
How I think about leading
A good leader is not the person who can carry everything. That person is usually about to break. A good leader knows what to carry, who to hand the rest to, and when to ask for help.
Or email Jason.