Dr. Ron Camacho

Chief of Police, Criminal Justice PhD, and an Author & Speaker on Ego and Leadership

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Dr. Ron Camacho Podcast Episodes

An Evolving Man Podcast

Police Chief: From Ego to Emotional Intelligence: Dr. Ron Camacho on Leadership & Trauma | AEM #161

June 5, 2026

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About this episode

What happens when a leader confronts their own trauma?

In this fascinating conversation, Piers Cross sits down with Dr. Ron Kamacho, police chief, leadership consultant and author, to explore how emotional intelligence transformed his life and leadership.

Ron shares his journey from highly driven, ego-based leadership to a more compassionate, accountable and emotionally intelligent approach.

Together they discuss:

Childhood trauma and leadership The father wound and identity Emotional intelligence in policing Leadership under pressure Building healthy organisational culture Why ego destroys careers Self-awareness and introspection Compassion and accountability Mental health in law enforcement The future of leadership A deeply honest conversation about what it truly means to lead yourself before leading others.

Timestamps (1:03:25)00:00 Introduction to Dr. Ron Kamacho

02:05 Childhood trauma, policing and proving himself

07:30 Therapy, emotional intelligence and transformation

12:15 Leadership lessons from Afghanistan and Mexico

18:00 Humility, ego and personal growth

22:15 Leadership under pressure and SWAT experiences

28:10 Emotional regulation and self-awareness

33:20 Why leaders struggle with self-awareness

39:10 Growth mindset versus fixed mindset

43:45 Building culture through leadership

49:00 Ego kills careers

53:15 Accountability, compassion and leadership

57:30 Trauma, policing and mental health

01:01:00 Ron's book: Bringing Ego to the Forefront

01:03:25 Closing reflections

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Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems.

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man.

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community

Many blessings,

Piers Cross

http://piers-cross.com/

Dr. Ron Camacho Podcast Episodes

Interview with Dr. Ron Camacho

First Responder Wellness Podcast with Conrad Weaver

Jul 2026

Interview with Dr. Ron Camacho

Barriers and Boundaries Resilience Leadership

Jul 2026

Embracing Vulnerability: Dr. Ron Camacho's Journey to Transformative Leadership

Living the Dream with Curveball

Jul 2026

The Ego Audit: Leading with Self-Awareness from the Front Lines to the C-Suite with Dr. Ron Camacho

The Communicative Leader

Jul 2026

The Cost Of Being The Man You Think You Have To Be With Dr. Ron Camacho

Mens Anonymous

May 2026

Anger Was A Symptom

Law Enforcement Talk: True Crime and Trauma Stories

May 2026

S6 EP18: Ron's Story - Breaking Free from My Own Ego!

Well, That F*cked Me Up! Surviving Life Changing Events.

May 2026

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Latest video

Episode 98 - Interview with Ron Camacho

Latest episodes

Interview with Dr. Ron Camacho

First Responder Wellness Podcast with Conrad Weaver

Interview with Dr. Ron Camacho

Barriers and Boundaries Resilience Leadership

Embracing Vulnerability: Dr. Ron Camacho's Journey to Transformative Leadership

Living the Dream with Curveball

View all episodes →

Key topics

The habits that make men look strong are often the ones quietly wrecking their lives

Ron can speak to the way anger, defensiveness, control, and ego often get mistaken for strength in men, especially in high-pressure environments where vulnerability is seen as weakness and pressure is constant. Drawing from his own life and leadership experience, he can unpack how those patterns damage marriages, careers, judgment, and self-respect long before most men are willing to admit there is a problem. It’s a powerful conversation for audiences interested in masculinity, discipline, leadership, and personal responsibility because it reframes self-awareness not as softness, but as the skill that keeps a man from becoming ruled by his own blind spots.

Why high-stress professions reward the wrong mask and what it takes to change that culture

Ron discusses how high-pressure industries often confuse emotional shutdown with strength, and how that mindset can quietly erode leadership, trust, and performance. He can speak to the cultural habits these environments reinforce, why ego thrives in them, and what it takes to build teams where self-awareness improves judgment rather than being dismissed as weakness. With three decades in policing and firsthand experience leading culture change, Ron offers a conversation that speaks directly to listeners working in professions where the pressure is constant and the personal cost is often hidden.

Ego damages careers long before people realize that’s what’s happening

This conversation gives listeners a way to spot ego not as a cliché, but as a pattern that shows up in defensiveness, conflict, poor judgment, jealousy, overreaction, and stalled growth. Ron can speak to how those behaviors take hold in high-performance environments, why they are often rewarded before they become destructive, and what it actually takes to interrupt them. For hosts with audiences focused on career growth, workplace dynamics, and professional development, this topic turns a familiar word into something immediate and useful.

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