Unconditional Power: Steven Gaffney’s 3-State Framework For High-Performing Teams

Steven Gaffney is a leadership advisor and author who helps teams perform under pressure through honest communication, change management, and practical leadership tools. Having advised leaders across Fortune 500 companies as well as government and military teams, Steven has seen firsthand that strategy doesn’t fail because teams lack intelligence—it fails because they operate in the wrong “mood,” leave critical things unsaid, and confuse facts with the stories they tell themselves about those facts. His latest book, Unconditional Power, lays out a practical framework for moving teams from reaction mode to execution mode—especially when information is incomplete and the pressure to move fast is real.

In this conversation, Steven breaks down the three morale states that determine whether teams take action or stall, why hidden disagreement is more dangerous than open conflict, and how leaders can create real alignment after debate (without requiring artificial consensus). If you’re a founder, executive, or operator responsible for guiding strategy through uncertainty and human dynamics, this episode gives you a repeatable playbook for making better decisions, faster—with your team fully committed.


👉 Learn more about Steven and connect: https://stevengaffney.com/

👉 Connect with Steven on LinkedIn:   / stevengaffney  

👉 Contact for a free chapter of Unconditional Power: https://justbehonest.com


In this episode, you’ll learn:

•The three morale states—powerless, conditionally powerful, and unconditionally powerful—and how each one shapes execution.

•How to separate what you notice (facts) from what you imagine (assumptions) to prevent meetings from running on stories.

•A simple “T-chart” method to resolve disagreements quickly and move forward with clarity.

•Why “getting the unsaid said” is the fastest way to fix trust, alignment, and performance breakdowns.

•How great leaders build accountability through commitment—so teams stop complying and start owning the mission.00:00 Introduction to High-Performing Leadership
00:42 Welcome to the Strategy at Scale Podcast
01:23 Exploring Unconditional Power
04:04 The Importance of Mood in Team Performance
04:37 Three Moods of Morale
07:22 Taking Action in Uncertainty
13:44 Distinguishing Facts from Stories
19:08 Leadership Gravitational Pull
21:59 Leadership Team Dynamics
23:04 The Importance of Honest Communication
24:19 Getting the Unsaid Said
27:08 Balancing Authenticity and Organizational Goals
30:05 Facilitating Team Agreement
33:15 Creating Accountability and Commitment
36:26 Scaling Leadership Principles
38:44 Conclusion and Resources