What Can the 12-Step Recovery Model Teach Us About Leadership?

In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I sit down with Brad Anderson, executive at IMA and proud leader in long-term recovery, to explore how the wisdom of recovery can transform workplace culture.

Brad opens up about breaking through bias, navigating the paradox of anonymity, and showing how qualities like humility, accountability, and service to others are just as essential in boardrooms as they are in recovery rooms.

The conversation digs into the leadership lessons embedded in the 12-Step model.

Step 1—surrender—teaches leaders to recognize their limits and ask for help, a powerful reminder that no one can (or should) shoulder the weight of an organization alone.
Steps 4, 5, and 10, centered on accountability, integrity, and moral inventory, highlight the value of honest self-reflection, an often-overlooked tool that keeps leaders grounded, self-aware, and credible.
And Step 12—service—reminds us that the best leaders serve their teams, creating cultures where helping others and fostering peer support are the real measures of success.

For Brad, the spiritual principles of recovery -- acceptance, courage, honesty, humility, and service -- mirror the most effective values of leadership. They offer a framework not just for personal healing, but for transforming how executives lead their organizations.

He also explores the healing features of the 12-Step model and their surprising parallels to leadership:

Community Building: creating “come as you are” spaces where everyone has a seat at the table.
Accountability: regular check-ins and peer support that keep people—and teams—on track.
Step-by-Step Framework: a clear roadmap for growth and resilience, rather than ad-hoc fixes.
Service to Others: shifting focus from self-interest to shared purpose.
Spiritual Connection: cultivating humility and aligning with something bigger than one’s ego.
Consistency: showing up daily, building trust and stability over time.
Ego Deflation + Identity Reinvention: letting go of titles and old roles to embrace authentic leadership.

Through Brad’s lens, it’s clear: the wisdom of recovery isn’t only about healing individuals, it’s a playbook for building healthier, more resilient workplaces.

Two Main Takeaways:

Experience recovery – Go where the miracles are happening:
Get to know people in recovery and ask them about their journey.

About Brad Anderson

Brad Anderson represents IMA in commercial insurance, specializing in construction, real estate, and hospitality. Passionate about combating suicide and promoting mental wellness in construction, Brad merges personal and professional missions to create systemic change.

Beyond the office, Brad is a family man married to Valerie, with six children. He recently walked his oldest daughter down the wedding aisle and celebrated another daughter’s college graduation. Recognized as DFW CFMA’s Executive of the Year, Brad is also an Avett Brothers fan, a Royals baseball loyalist, and an avid golfer.

Follow Brad

Questions We Discuss:

What is the paradox of anonymity in 12-Step recovery, and how can leaders balance privacy with visibility in the workplace?
How do the 12 Steps promote healing through community, accountability, service, humility, and consistency?
What can executives learn from the principles of recovery about radical responsibility and psychological safety?
How can business leaders integrate recovery-based practices like second chances into corporate culture?
How does being connected to a larger mission help leaders create healthier and more resilient teams?
What lessons from Brad Anderson’s recovery journey are most applicable to executives leading through crisis and change?
How do recovery principles intersect with modern leadership values like self-awareness, service, and cultural transformation?
Why is peer support so powerful in both recovery groups and corporate teams, and how can leaders foster it?
What strategies can executives use to move beyond theory and create actionable, recovery-informed leadership practices?
How can leaders reframe vulnerability and humility as strengths rather than weaknesses in the workplace?
What are the benefits of designing leadership strategies grounded in lived experience rather than abstract theory?
Why should executives consider weaving recovery principles into their leadership playbook for long-term cultural change?