In this concise interview, Professor Pete Alexander hosts leadership educator Blaine Bartlett on the Winning at Business and Life podcast. Bartlett describes himself as a teacher of life, business, and leadership, emphasizing that his role differs from traditional classroom teaching. He shares a recurring industry observation he calls “unique‑itis,” the tendency for professionals to view their challenges as singular and unprecedented, despite common human and organizational issues. Bartlett recommends a fictional Chapter 4 titled “Pros Don’t Compete,” arguing that true professionals focus on personal and organizational innovation rather than benchmarking against competitors. He stresses the centrality of consciousness and mindset in leadership, citing Max Planck and urging leaders to view external reality as a manifestation of internal awareness. Bartlett acknowledges fellow conscious‑business leader Peter Matthys of the Conscious Business Institute, suggesting him as a future guest. He recounts his first job skinning deer for his father’s rural Oregon grocery store, reflecting on early responsibility, mentorship, and the notion that small projects can launch larger life directions. The episode concludes with contact information: LinkedIn, Facebook, and his website blainebartlett.com.
Chapters
This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast, where business leaders share their insights. It is 6 questions in 7 minutes because successful business leaders are busy and rarely have more time to spare. So let's get to it. Question number 1. In a few sentences, please tell me who you are and what you do.
Well, who I am is a teacher, and that is essentially what I do. Not teacher in the sense that most people would think when they think of their third grade teacher. I teach life, I teach business, I teach leadership, and I'm actually quite good at it.
Well, Blaine, it is an absolute pleasure to have you on the show. Look forward to our discussion. Question number 2: What is something that makes you smile and/or laugh about working in your industry?
Oh, um, I love that question when I first read it. And I think the one that stands out for me is unique-itis. Everybody thinks that they've got a problem that nobody else has ever dealt with. And the names and faces have been changed to protect the innocent. And this isn't to minimize the experience that people have about, I don't know what to do with this. But it's— people are people. And in organizations, people are going to have people issues, you're going to have people problems. And what makes me smile about it is the fact that most people, and I say many people, think that the one, the, the issue I'm dealing with is so unique either to my company or my industry that nobody's seen it, and you've got to help me here.
I love that so much. And in fact, I have a, um, uh, a sign in my office that goes perfectly well with that. It says, always remember that you're unique Just like everyone else. So true, isn't it?
Yeah. Oh my gosh.
Question number 3. I have a fictitious book with all the answers for business. What chapter would you think most companies should read?
I would probably— Chapter 4, Pros Don't Compete.
And do you want to elaborate a little bit on that?
Yeah, the idea that in business that, uh, you know, the whole idea if it's a jungle out there, survival of the fittest, we have to compete to stay ahead— no, we don't. Competition— professionals don't compete with each other. There's a lot of data that suggests that this is absolutely the case. What they're interested in is developing themselves so that they can excel, and that excelling has to do with, you know, innovation. It has to do with reinvention. It doesn't have anything to do with benchmarking myself against a competitor. It has everything to do with tapping into what I think is important for who I am and what we are as an organization, and then finding ways to excel in the delivery of that. Those don't compete.
That's really insightful. Thank you so much for sharing that. Question number 4: other than the generic work harder, have a great attitude, and care for customers, what advice would you give to other business leaders?
I'm going to go back to Max Planck on this, the father of quantum physics. We can get behind everything except consciousness. We can't get behind consciousness. Consciousness is everything. And from a— you know, I teach leadership, so, um, the, the biggest advice that I've got here is, you know, really become a student of mindset. You know, what is it that I'm bringing to the table? Everything is consciousness. Uh, My external reality is, is basically just a manifestation of my internal consciousness, and that's what I want to pay attention to as a leader and as a business owner.
I like that a lot. And, you know, it's, it's interesting with that consciousness, if the, the leaders, if they prioritize that, I think that in my experience working with leaders as well, that they, that, that gets spread out to their organizations and it builds trust, it builds loyalty. Is that what you've experienced as well?
Absolutely, Pete. Um, I mean, yeah, there's an aphorism that I play with, and it's kind of tongue-in-cheek, but it's actually real in my experience. There's nobody out there but me. There's nothing out there but me. So if I've got an issue, if I've got a problem, the first place I'm going to look is back to my consciousness. What is it that I am actually dwelling on that is being manifested in, in my experience in life?
That's so true.
Yeah, get that right and everything else starts to change.
I like that. And that, you know, your, your consciousness is what you can control. You can't control anyone else. So it's a, it's a, it's a great, great advice. So thank you so much for that. Question number 5: What other business leader like yourself would you like to acknowledge and invite to be on my podcast?
Uh, my good friend Peter Matthys. He's the founder, CEO of the Conscious Business Institute. Wonderful gem of a guy. He's quite amazing and very articulate. You'll love it.
Sounds like a great person that I would love to interview, so appreciate that, uh, that referral. And our final question, question number 6: please tell me about your first job.
The very first job I had was skinning deer.
Did I hear that? Skinning beer?
Skinning deer. Oh, deer. No, beer I drink, deer I skin. I think I was about 10 years old. My dad had a grocery store, and part of this, you know, his, his, uh, way of doing things— he had a— he was a custom butcher. And during the hunting season, this is in rural Oregon, uh, he would— you know, people would bring the deer that they'd shot to the store for, you know, you know, for cutting up and that sort of thing. My job was— because these things weren't skinned, they were field dressed—
but that was it.
I got a a deer, skinning the deer. And that was the first sense I had about paying my own way. And, you know, and I remember Dad, you know, just, you know, he would just kind of stand there and watch me. And there was something about the way he watched me taking, uh, taking to that project. Yeah, and it was kind of a project for me. He taught me how to skin And, uh, and I've applied that, you know. I mean, there was admiration, there was respect, and there was also this, uh, thing that this is the first step to something else that you have no idea where it's going to lead.
I like that a lot. Yeah, it's just, it's just almost like a leap of faith, but you just know that it's going to lead you in a direction that you need to go. It's, it's, it's a great story for that. So thank you for sharing that. And Blaine, thank you so much for being on the show. How can people find you?
LinkedIn is probably the easiest. Uh, we've got a pretty good presence there. Uh, my Facebook, you know, official Blaine Bartlett, uh, is the, is the Facebook link. But, you know, more, I think more directly is my website, blainebartlett.com. Perfect.
This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Whittaker Business Life Podcast. Get hundreds of amazing business insights from previous guest episodes on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening.
