102: When the Machine Consumes You: Leadership, Clarity & Reclaiming Your Life with Michael King

In this episode, Sean sits down with Michael King — an executive coach, keynote speaker, and founder of Teams.Coach, where he helps CEOs and senior leadership teams transform strategy into execution. Before coaching, Michael spent years as a recording artist, worship pastor, and executive pastor within some of the fastest-growing churches in the country. His background blends organizational leadership, systems design, emotional intelligence, and real-world business execution.

Michael opens up about building large-scale church systems, leading massive volunteer and staff teams, and eventually burning out inside the very machine he helped create. He shares how he walked away from full-time ministry to save his family and rebuild his life, what leadership clarity really means, how AI is impacting organizational culture, why saying “NOPE” is essential for purpose, and how shame—not failure—robs leaders of their ability to dream.

This is one of the most honest leadership conversations you’ll hear this year.

⏱️ Chapter Markers
00:00 — When the System You Built Starts Consuming You

00:46 — Who Is Michael King?

01:22 — From Recording Artist to Leadership Strategist

02:05 — Building One of the Fastest-Growing Churches in the U.S.

04:48 — “The Machine Ate Me Alive”

08:26 — Leadership Is Love & Emotional Proximity

11:05 — AI, Mass Layoffs & the Myth of Optimization

14:03 — Authentic Intelligence vs. Artificial Intelligence

18:26 — Scarcity vs. Abundance in Leadership

22:12 — The Power of NOPE

25:22 — Arby’s and the Deep-Fried Hamburger: A Lesson in Clarity

29:51 — Leadership, Discipline, and the Right Constructs

35:38 — Failure Doesn’t Steal Your Dream — Shame Does

38:26 — Losing Everything and Starting Again

41:12 — Living With the Residue of the Past While Building the Future

43:23 — Where to Find Michael King



📌 Resources & Links

Michael King: https://michaelkingjr.com
Teams.Coach — Leadership & Organizational Consulting
No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.