In this episode of Becoming Unshakable, I’m joined by my longtime friend Leo Tokar, President of Lockton’s Colorado market, for a conversation about leadership, resilience, perspective, and what it takes to keep moving when things don’t go according to plan.
Leo talks openly about the importance of having people around us who can challenge our thinking, give honest feedback, and help us regain perspective when pressure clouds our judgment.
We also talk about the difference between being right and being effective. As leaders grow, technical expertise can only take them so far. Effectiveness often depends on how well we listen, how we respond to people, how we build trust, and whether we can adjust our approach to the situation in front of us.
Leo shares why growth often comes from discomfort. He has deliberately placed himself in roles and situations where he didn’t have all the answers because those experiences forced him to learn, adapt, and grow.
But we also talk about the other side of that equation. Leaders cannot live permanently in a state of strain. Recovery matters. Reflection matters. Creating space to think, pause, and reset matters if we want to lead well over the long term.
This conversation reminds us that becoming unshakable doesn’t mean never feeling pressure. It means learning how to steady yourself, draw on the people around you, and keep moving forward without losing sight of who you want to be as a leader.
What helps you stay grounded when the pressure starts to rise?
Leo Tokar serves as President, Colorado and partner with Lockton Companies, a consulting and brokerage firm that provides insurance, risk management, total rewards, employee benefits and retirement solutions. Lockton is the 9th largest risk and benefits management firm in the world and the largest firm that is private and independent.
Leo leads the strategy and financial performance of risk solutions (property & casualty) and people solutions (health & welfare, retirement, and executive benefits) practices. In addition, he oversees consulting teams for key accounts and manages employee benefits and total rewards strategy for public and private organizations in a variety of industries.
He has developed and restructured insurance operations in regulatory, indemnity and managed care organizations in both for-profit and non-profit environments and with national and local
organizations. Leo’s broad financial and market expertise in health care and insurance fields has
allowed him drive significant financial improvement and expansion for organizations he has worked with, and the opportunity to influence public policy, craft legislation and present testimony, and speak nationwide on varying health insurance and regulatory topics.
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About Heather R Younger, J.D., CSP
Heather R Younger, J.D., CSP is a highly sought-after speaker, 2x-TEDx speaker, diversity, equity and inclusion strategist, and contributor to leading news outlets. She is also the Founder and CEO of Employee Fanatix, a leading employee engagement and consulting firm. After over 25,000 employee engagement surveys and years of working with organizations to transform employee engagement, here’s what Heather has seen over and over: When you know how to listen, employees will tell you exactly what they need to bring their full selves to work. Book Heather to speak at your event or organization.
Visit heatheryounger.com or https://www.cmispeakers.com/heather-r-younger for more details.
