Lead Without Ego: Brad Wallace on Leadership

It wasn’t a boardroom that reshaped Brad Wallace’s leadership. It was a baseball field.

In this episode of Inner Work, Brad Wallace, Partner at LKCM Headwater Investments, reveals the moment he received feedback that cut deep and changed everything. What followed was a quiet transformation that would go on to influence how he builds companies, leads people, and defines success.

This is a conversation for any leader who’s ever wrestled with self-doubt, over-identified with performance, or felt alone at the top. Brad shows us what it looks like to lead without ego and win with integrity.

The Disruption: When the Feedback Hurts, But You Listen Anyway

As a college athlete with professional aspirations, Brad thought he was on track until his coach pulled him aside with a message from pro scouts. They weren’t sure he had the emotional maturity to lead at the next level.

Not because of his skills. But because he wore his frustration too visibly.

“Everybody in the crowd knows when Brad Wallace is upset.”

That moment didn’t just shake him. It changed him. He made a decision that day: emotional discipline would become a strength, not a liability.

The Inner Work: Emotional Mastery Is a Leadership Skill

Brad didn’t respond with ego or defiance. He went inward.

He started managing his emotions, not just for performance, but for the people around him. He began leading with steadiness and self-awareness, a style his colleagues now describe as calm, empowering, and direct without ever being cutting.

“I’m still competitive. I want to win. But if you can’t regulate yourself, you can’t build a team.”

The Rebuild: Creating a People-First Culture in Private Equity

At LKCM Headwater, Brad and his team are proving that high performance and high integrity can coexist. Their model favors long-term value over short-term exits and aligns investors, operators, and leaders around a shared mission.

The result? A firm where CEOs want to keep investing even after they’ve cashed out. A culture where athletes thrive. A team that knows what it means to win together.

“It’s amazing what you can accomplish when no one cares who gets the credit.”

What I Know Now: Trust Over Ego Wins Every Time

Brad still resists the label “leader.” He prefers “teammate.” But his influence is unmistakable. He’s the kind of person who makes others better, not louder. More consistent, not more controlling.

In a world of megaphones and headlines, his story is a reminder: the most transformative leadership is often the quietest.

Takeaways You’ll Remember

• “Feedback is a gift, even when it stings.” 
• “If you want to win, you have to show up. And you have to lift others.”
• “You can’t scale ego. You can scale trust.”
• “Emotional regulation builds safety, and safety builds high performance.”
• “Real leadership is about example, not control.” 

🎧 Listen to the full episode now!