One registration for 3 free webinars in June!
Sign up for these live presentations to assist you in problem solving, employee advancement and improved operations.
JUNE 10, 2026 | 12:00 noon CST
The Technician Trap
Why Great Experts Often Struggle as People Leaders — and What to Do About It
JUNE 17, 2026 | 12:00 noon CST
Putting the Right People in the Right Seats
The Entepreneurial Operating System
The Presentation
Every organization faces problems every day—but not all problems are the same. Some are simple and obvious. Others require expert analysis. Some demand experimentation and innovation. And occasionally, organizations find themselves in pure chaos.
In this engaging and practical session, Jesse DePriest will introduce participants to the “world of problem solving”—a framework that helps leaders and teams understand the different types of problems they encounter and how to respond effectively. Participants will learn how to clearly define a problem as the gap between what is happening and what should be happening, and why standards and standard work are essential for identifying and improving performance.
Drawing on Lean thinking, the Cynefin framework, and decades of operational leadership experience, Jesse will walk through five types of problems—from simple troubleshooting to complex innovation and chaotic disruption—and introduce the leadership mindsets and methods best suited for each situation.
Attendees will leave with:
- A clearer definition of what a problem really is
- A practical understanding of the five types of problems organizations face
- Insight into which problem-solving methods work best for each type
- A mental model for navigating the “wild world” of problem solving
- New perspectives on how leadership behaviors shape effective problem solving
Whether you are leading a team, managing operations, or driving continuous improvement, this session will help you see problems differently—and equip you with a clearer roadmap for turning challenges into opportunities for improvement.
Jesse DePriest
Co-Founder, 5L Performance Group
Jesse is an accomplished Lean leadership coach and transformation consultant with over 30 years of senior leadership experience in a variety of industries. He is a lean black belt and holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering, MS of Operations Management, and an MBA. Jesse is an essentialist advisor and transformation sherpa, providing leadership coaching and consulting through the 5L Performance Group and Vistage.
The Presentation
When manufacturing and technical organizations promote their best individual contributors into leadership roles, something predictable happens: the expert who used to solve every problem becomes a bottleneck. They slip into "Hero Mode," redo their team's work, avoid giving feedback, and wonder why their people are disengaging.
It's not a character flaw. It's the Technician Trap.
In this 30-minute introductory webinar, Mike Wagner, Founder of White Rabbit Group, unpacks why technical minds often come back from traditional leadership training unchanged — and what actually works instead. You'll see why technical leaders don't need more inspiration; they need a process they can run on Monday morning.
What You'll Take Away:
- Spot the Trap. The three most common warning signs that a technical leader has fallen into the Technician Trap.
- Name the Root Cause. Why "Binary Operating System" thinking — the very habit that made them a great expert — works against them as a leader.
- See a Better Path. A first look at the Connected Leader framework and one practical step any technical leader can apply this week.
Mike Wagner
President & Lead Facilitator | White Rabbit Group
Before founding White Rabbit Group, Mike Wagner spent years helping technical teams at companies like Wells Fargo translate complex systems into outcomes their leadership team could act on. He came from the same world your leaders came from, the gap between technical excellence and people leadership.
He didn’t build Connected Leader from a textbook. He built it from two decades of watching brilliant technical people get promoted with no toolkit for the work that actually comes with the title.
White Rabbit Group has been serving technical organizations since 2004. When you work with us, you work with us – Mike leads every session, Aaron architects every engagement. No junior facilitators. No franchised curriculum. Just a system that works, delivered by the people who built it.
The Presentation
In this 30-minute session, you'll get a practical introduction to one of the most common and costly problems leadership teams face: having good people in the wrong seats. We'll walk through a simple framework for thinking about your business as a whole, then go deep on the People component, specifically how to assess whether the right people are in the right roles using two straightforward tools. You'll leave with a clear way to evaluate any seat on your team and a concrete next step you can take this week.
ALL ATTENDEES OF "Putting the Right People in the Right Seats"
will receive a free copy of the book, Traction by Gino Wickman
Katie Koester
Certified EOS Implementer
Professional EOS Implementer® at EOS Worldwide
I help entrepreneurs and their leadership teams solve root problems, lead more effectively, and gain Traction® in their businesses through a simple, proven operating system.
- 10+ Years of Experience Leading and Managing Teams
- Diverse Industry Experience
- Former Integrator with Extreme Ownership
