Scott Doggett spent 30 years in corporate America, first running hotel and resort operations, then leading learning and development teams up to vice president. He was, by every external measure, successful. Then came his first layoff at the end of 2023, six months of searching that led nowhere, and a panic attack on the exact anniversary of the day he was let go.

That night he prayed and, for the first time in his life, truly surrendered. The next morning, a LinkedIn job posting he almost didn't open led to a director role at a Christian nonprofit that matched everything he'd spent a decade building. Nine months later, he was laid off again.

On this episode of FINE is a 4-Letter Word, Scott tells Lori Saitz why the second layoff didn't feel like a setback, and what he built from it: National ALD, a movement to help leaders see their people as priceless human beings instead of resources to be managed.

What You'll Take Away

• Why most leaders spend their energy on the wrong third of their team
• How the language of management — 'resources,' 'assets' — quietly changes how leaders treat people
• The exact mental exercise Scott uses to change how he sees someone in the moment
• Why AI makes human connection the defining leadership skill of the next decade, not less important
• What the Ebenezer Scrooge workshop experience forces leaders to confront about their own legacy

Guest Bio

Scott Doggett has spent more than 30 years helping leaders understand a simple truth: people are not problems to solve, they're people to serve. He is the Founder and Chief Servant Leader of the National Academy of Leadership Development (National ALD), author of Priceless! See People Differently. Lead People Better., and leader of a growing national movement to rehumanize the workplace through people-first leadership. Alongside a growing faculty of leadership experts across the country, Scott helps organizations create cultures where people feel valued, trusted, and inspired to do their best work.

Chapters & Key Timestamps

01:33The label problem: why calling people 'resources' and 'assets' changes how we treat them

07:00The Gallup numbers: roughly 30% engaged, half apathetic, and a smaller group working against you

09:00Scott's fine-but-not-fine moment: VP title, the layoff, and the six-month wilderness journey

11:30The panic attack on the six-month anniversary, and the prayer that followed

12:00The LinkedIn email the next morning, and why he almost didn't open it

14:00What he saw at the nonprofit that he had never seen in 30 years of corporate life

19:00The mirror exercise: changing the label from 'resource' to 'priceless human being'

20:00The boat analogy: three rowing hard, five barely dipping oars, two rowing backwards

26:00AI, stress, and why the future of leadership is human connection

29:00The Ebenezer Scrooge experience: past, present, future — what do you want to be known for?

Resources Mentioned

• National ALD: nationalald.com — national workshop tour, executive retreats, and the book
• Book: Priceless! See People Differently. Lead People Better. by Scott Doggett
• Free Resource: Priceless Leadership Assessment — NationalALD.com/assessment
• Song: Lose Yourself by Eminem — youtube.com/watch?v=xFYQQPAOz7Y

Connect With Scott Doggett

Company: National Academy of Leadership Development (National ALD)

Website: nationalald.com

Free Resource: Priceless Leadership Assessment — NationalALD.com/assessment

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scottdoggett

Instagram: instagram.com/nationalald2025

X (Twitter): x.com/AcademyLD

Book: Priceless! See People Differently. Lead People Better.

Continue With Lori

Website: zenrabbit.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/

Email: Lori@ZenRabbit.com

Invitation From Lori

This episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Trust is the foundation of all great workplaces, and in today's hybrid, fast-moving work culture, it's built through consistent, clear, human communication.

Quarterly town halls, Slack messages, or team-building events are rarely enough to create the connection employees need. That's why forward-thinking companies are hiring Lori to create internal and private podcasts that bring leaders and employees together through authentic stories and real conversations.

Think of it as the old-school company newsletter reinvented for the modern workplace.

If your company wants to strengthen communication, connection, community, and culture, connect with Lori at Lori@ZenRabbit.com or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/

Related Conversation

Episode 237: Rob Scheer — on leadership without a title and building something out of a personal collapse.

Research & Sources

• Scott cites Gallup research showing roughly 30% of the workforce highly engaged, with the remainder split between disengaged and actively disengaged. Current Gallup global data (State of the Global Workplace, 2025-2026) puts worldwide engagement closer to 20-21%, with the roughly 30% figure more closely matching historical U.S.-specific Gallup reporting. Both figures point to the same underlying finding: a clear majority of the workforce is not fully engaged.

About FINE is a 4-Letter Word

FINE is a 4-Letter Word is the show for leaders who are tired of pretending everything is fine. We explore what it takes to lead with empathy, vulnerability, gratitude, and courage, especially during the seasons when life and leadership feel anything but fine. Listen for honest conversations about how human connection influences innovation, retention, leadership, and real impact. New episodes every week.

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