• Home
  • Episodes
  • Books for Leaders
  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Contact Us
  • Our Sponsors
  • Blog
  • Our Newsletter
The Leadership Podcast

The Leadership Podcast

We Study Leaders

TLP509: Capitalism Without Ethics Is Just Chaos

April 29, 2026 Leave a Comment

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-509.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

TLP509: Capitalism Without Ethics Is Just Chaos
Dr. Bill Kline is a professor of business ethics and the Executive Director of the Academy on Capitalism. He argues that capitalism and ethics aren’t separate conversations. They’re the same system.
Without ethics, there are no property rights, no enforceable contracts, and no functioning markets. Strip that away and you don’t get capitalism. You get chaos with a price tag.
In this conversation, Bill discusses the difference between socialism’s ideals and capitalism’s outcomes. He also breaks down what leaders must do to rebuild trust with younger workers, and why one simple question keeps getting ignored: Do we actually understand what capitalism is?
If your organization is struggling to articulate why business and markets matter or you’re watching younger talent disengage from the mission, this episode gives you a clearer way to think about what’s really at stake.

TLP508: Your Scars Are Your Resume

April 22, 2026 1 Comment

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-508.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

Matt Cavanaugh is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, PhD, former Army Athlete of the Year, and author of “Best Scar Wins: How You Can Be More Than You Were Before.” Leaders often treat failures, setbacks, and scars as liabilities to hide. Matt Cavanaugh argues the opposite — that the scars you’ve earned, physical and…

TLP507: Disrupt or Be Buried: The Mindset That Changes Everything

April 15, 2026

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-507.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

Patrick Leddin is an army veteran, entrepreneur, and NYT and WSJ Bestselling Author. He is the co-author, with James Patterson, of “Disrupt Everything—and Win: Take Control of Your Future.” Most leaders treat disruption as something to survive. Patrick argues that’s exactly the wrong frame. The gap between leaders who thrive in uncertainty and those who…

TLP506: Retention Is Dead: The Workquake Reshaping Talent

April 8, 2026

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-506.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

TLP506: Retention Is Dead: The Workquake Reshaping Talent
Steve Cadigan is a global talent strategist, author of “Workquake: Embracing the Aftershocks of COVID-19 to Create a Better Model of Working,” and LinkedIn’s founding Chief HR Officer.
Steve believes the world of work is going through a “workquake” — a fundamental shift that’s breaking the old employer-employee contract. At the core of it is a false premise: the idea of long-term loyalty that neither side can reliably keep.
In this conversation, Steve explains why many of the world’s most successful companies have surprisingly short employee tenure, why the workforce isn’t disloyal but loyal to growth, and why leaders should focus less on retention and more on creating meaningful development while people are with them.
For leaders navigating turnover and rapid change, this episode offers a more honest way to think about talent and what it actually takes to build teams that perform.
Find episode 506 on The Leadership Podcast, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts!

TLP505: Why Leadership Coaching So Often Fails

April 1, 2026

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-505.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

TLP505: Why Leadership Coaching So Often Fails
Will Linssen is the CEO of Global Coach Group, and the author of “Triple Win Leadership Coaching: The Coach’s Guide to More Impact, More Coaching, and More Clients.”
In this conversation, Will challenges the traditional model of leadership coaching. Too often, coaching focuses on the leader while leaving the team out of the equation—one reason why team satisfaction frequently remains low even when leaders feel they’ve made progress.
Will explains how great coaches assess coachability before the work even begins, why ego is often the biggest barrier to meaningful change, and what leaders in global, multicultural environments consistently misunderstand about communication and feedback.
We also explore the impact of AI on leadership. Will argues that decades of accumulated expertise are losing their advantage. The leaders who will thrive going forward aren’t the ones with all the answers—they’re the ones who know how to ask the right questions.
If you’ve ever wondered why leadership development often fails to stick inside organizations, this conversation offers a candid look at what’s missing—and what needs to change.
Find episode 505 on The Leadership Podcast, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts!

TLP504: Why Your Team Is Still Disengaged

March 25, 2026

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-504.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

TLP504: Why Your Team Is Still Disengaged
Mark Crowley’s newest book is The Power of Employee Well-Being: Move Beyond Engagement to Build Flourishing Teams.
For more than a decade, organizations have chased employee engagement – through surveys, gamification, perks, and wellness apps – yet the results haven’t improved. Gallup now reports engagement at a ten-year low. Mark was one of the early voices questioning the engagement movement, and in this conversation he explains why the model itself is flawed.
We talk about what leaders have been measuring incorrectly, what employee well-being actually means, and why the strongest predictor of team performance isn’t compensation, perks, or pressure to produce. It’s belonging.
If you’re seeing burnout, quiet disengagement, or people simply going through the motions, this conversation offers a different lens on leadership—and practical insights you can start applying immediately.
Find episode 504 on The Leadership Podcast, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts!

TLP503: 7 Hidden Beliefs That Sabotage Leaders (And How to Break Them) – with Muriel M. Wilkins

March 18, 2026

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-503.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

TLP503: 7 Hidden Beliefs That Sabotage Leaders (And How to Break Them) – with Muriel M. Wilkins
Muriel M. Wilkins is the founder and CEO of Paravis Partners, host of the HBR podcast, Coaching Real Leaders, and author of “Leadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential.”

Muriel makes the case that lasting leadership change doesn’t come from better tactics. It comes from changing the hidden assumptions driving those tactics in the first place.

Drawing on research with over 300 coaching clients, Muriel introduces seven hidden blockers—simple, pervasive beliefs that quietly sabotage even the most capable leaders. She explains why high performers are especially vulnerable, why action bias becomes a liability at the top, and what “doing the inner work” actually looks like when you’re in the thick of real pressure and expectations.

This is one of the most practically grounded conversations we’ve had on self-awareness, sustainable change, and what it really takes to lead at the next level.

TLP502: Never Fire Anyone with Mark Morgenfruh

March 11, 2026

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-502.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

Mark Morgenfruh is the President and CEO of GetHRready and author of “Never Fire Anyone: A Leader’s Guide on how to Lead People not Companies.” He holds a Master of Human Resource Management from Rutgers University and built his no-nonsense, trust-first philosophy from the ground up.

In this episode, Mark dismantles the two most common leadership failures he calls “keyboard cowboys” (leading from behind a screen) and “happy talk” (avoiding the real conversation until it’s too late). He makes the case that trust isn’t built through programs or policies — it’s built by being a normal human being when you walk through the door.

Mark introduces his values-based leadership and disciplinary model — an alternative to PIPs and terminations. He explains why firing someone is more often a reflection of a bad hire or promotion decision than a performance problem. He also challenges HR to stop being the policy police and start being an enabler of real relationships between leaders and their people.

If you’ve ever avoided a hard conversation, put someone on a PIP, or wondered why your culture feels transactional — this episode is for you.

TLP501: Failure as Fuel: When to push through and when to quit

March 4, 2026

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-501.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

Steve Taplin is the CEO of Sonatafy Technology, author of “Fail Hard, Win Big: 30 Ventures | 20 Failures | 10 Wins,” and host of the Software Leaders Uncensored podcast.  In this conversation, Steve reveals the partnership that almost destroyed him but vindicated him five years later; why he walked out of a meeting with…

TLP500: The Leadership Myths We Keep Getting Wrong with Admiral Bill McRaven

February 25, 2026

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theleadershippodcast/TLP-500.mp3
Play in New WindowDownload

Work–life balance sounds responsible. Admiral William (Bill) McRaven thinks it’s misleading at best—and often harmful. In our special 500th episode of The Leadership Podcast, McRaven strips away the language leaders hide behind and replaces it with judgment, clarity, and responsibility.  Instead of chasing balance, he offers a far more useful distinction: knowing which commitments are…

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 52
  • ...Next Page
iTunes
Spotify
Audible
SoundCloud
iHeartRADIO

Instagram Feed

westudyleaders

#leadership #leadershiptraining #leader #westudyleaders

You think you know how you'll react under fire unt You think you know how you'll react under fire until the stuff actually hits the fan. Admiral McRaven says pressure doesn't build character, it reveals it. The good news? The more you face it, the better you get at not falling apart. Every chance to lead is a chance to find out who you really are, not who you think you are.

Listen: https://bit.ly/TLP-500?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders

#Leadership #Pressure #AdmiralMcRaven #Character #TheLeadershipPodcast #NavySEAL #LeadershipDevelopment #Episode500
Steve Taplin has started 30 companies. 20 of them Steve Taplin has started 30 companies. 20 of them failed. And he's not ashamed to tell you about it.
His baseball buddy put it perfectly: "Taplin, you're batting .333. That's the Hall of Fame." Most leaders are terrified one failure will define them. Steve proves that's completely backward. The real problem? Refusing to learn from the wreckage.
In this episode, he breaks down the $2 million deal he walked away from, why he keeps journals from 25 years of failures, and the 24-hour rule that keeps him from spiraling. 

Listen to episode 501 now. https://bit.ly/TLP-501?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders
Watch it on YouTube - https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-501?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders

#LeadershipPodcast #Entrepreneurship #FailureIsData #StartupLife #BusinessLessons
Twenty-five years ago, Joe Pine predicted the Expe Twenty-five years ago, Joe Pine predicted the Experience Economy. Now he's back to tell us we're already behind again.
Joe breaks down why fostering human flourishing is actually the whole point of business, why almost every company can find itself in one of four transformation spheres, and why the companies that figure this out will leave everyone else scrambling.

Worth a listen if you're wondering why your pricing model feels stuck. https://bit.ly/TLP-499?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders
You can also watch the episode on YouTube - https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-499?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders

#Leadership #BusinessTransformation #TransformationEconomy #JoePine #Pricing #BusinessModel #TheLeadershipPodcast
We're drowning in Slack messages and Zoom calls bu We're drowning in Slack messages and Zoom calls but starving for actual connection. A nomadic tribe in northern Kenya figured out something about resilience that our corner offices are missing. It's not about mental toughness. It's about interdependence.

Full conversation in episode 498 - https://bit.ly/TLP-498?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders

#leadership #connection #resilience #communityovercompetition #leadershipdevelopment #workplaceculture
Every leader who has ever complained about people Every leader who has ever complained about people leaving should sit with that for a minute. 

It is not a generational problem. It is not an attitude problem. When you stop offering growth, you stop offering a reason to stay. The ones who left probably told you that on the way out. Most organizations just were not listening. 

The full conversation with Steve Cadigan on Episode 506 of The Leadership Podcast is worth your commute. https://bit.ly/TLP-506?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders

#Leadership #TalentStrategy #TheLeadershipPodcast #FutureOfWork #SteveCadigan
Think back to the biggest leap you ever took in yo Think back to the biggest leap you ever took in your career. Chances are someone pushed you into a role before you felt ready, and it turned out to be the moment that defined everything. 

The hiring system today is almost perfectly built to prevent that from happening. We screen for experience. We pass on talent. And then wonder why the best people aren't showing up. 

The full conversation goes even deeper on how to redesign work so you stop losing people at the worst possible moment. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-506?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders

#Leadership #CareerDevelopment #TheLeadershipPodcast #SteveCadigan #TalentStrategy #Coaching #HiringStrategy
We’re thrilled to announce that The Leadership Pod We’re thrilled to announce that The Leadership Podcast is #2 in the Top 100 Sales Weekly chart and ranked in the top 10 in multiple Goodpods categories! Thank you for listening and supporting us! #LeadershipPodcast #PodcastRankings #Sales #Goodpods
TLP502: Never Fire Anyone with Mark Morgenfruh Ou TLP502: Never Fire Anyone with Mark Morgenfruh 
Our latest episode with Mark Morgenfruh  https://bit.ly/TLP-502?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders&utm_content=TLP502%3A%20Never%20Fire%20Anyone%20with%20Mark%20Morgenfruh 
#leadership #leadership, #trustbasedleadership, #hrleadership, #neverfireanyone, #leadershipdevelopment, #theleadershippodcast, #leadershippodcast, #workplaceculture, #leadershipcoach, #performancemanagement, #accountability, #accountabilityleadership, #peoplemanagement, #valuesbasedleadership, #employeeperformance, #compassionateleadership, #leadershipandempathy, #difficultconversations,
TLP499: You’re Charging for the Wrong Thing with J TLP499: You’re Charging for the Wrong Thing with Joe Pine 
Our latest episode with Joe Pine  https://bit.ly/TLP-499?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders&utm_content=TLP499%3A%20You%27re%20Charging%20for%20the%20Wrong%20Thing%20with%20Joe%20Pine 
#leadership #JoePine #TransformationEconomy #ExperienceEconomy #BusinessModel #OutcomesBasedPricing #HumanFlourishing #ValueCreation #BusinessStrategy #EconomicValue #CustomerExperience #BusinessTransformation #leadership #LeadershipDevelopment
Steve Taplin doesn't dance around it. The world do Steve Taplin doesn't dance around it. The world doesn't owe you stability anymore. One company, one pension, one career path? That's gone. If you want real control over your future, you need to understand how businesses work and how to sell. Not as a job title, but as a survival skill. Everything else is just hoping someone else takes care of you.

Full conversation on The Leadership Podcast now. https://bit.ly/TLP-501?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders

#TakeControl #EntrepreneurMindset #SalesSkills #BusinessEducation #TheLeadershipPodcast
Anne Marie spent 36 years in sports TV constantly Anne Marie spent 36 years in sports TV constantly reinventing herself. Her secret? She doesn't just accept failure, she seeks it out. If you're succeeding at everything, you're probably playing it too safe.

Listen to Anne Marie's full story at https://bit.ly/TLP-474?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders
Watch the full episode here https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-474?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders

#Audacity #Failure #Leadership #Resilience #SportsMedia #PodcastLife #Leadership
TLP507: Disrupt or Be Buried: The Mindset That Cha TLP507: Disrupt or Be Buried: The Mindset That Changes Everything 
Our latest episode with Patrick Leddin  https://bit.ly/TLP-507?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders&utm_content=TLP507%3A%20Disrupt%20or%20Be%20Buried%3A%20The%20Mindset%20That%20Changes%20Everything 
#leadership #disruption #leadership #disrupteverything #patrickleddin #jamespattersonbooks #militaryleadership #entrepreneurship #changemanagement #resilience #selfawareness #leadershipdevelopment #positivedisruption #growthmindset #fearofchange #theleadershippodcast #westudyleaders
We just hit episode 500 with Admiral William (Bill We just hit episode 500 with Admiral William (Bill) McRaven, and honestly, the crystal ball analogy he shared completely changed how I think about priorities. He spent decades telling people there's no such thing as work-life balance, until a CEO told him about rubber balls versus crystal balls. 

Full conversation at https://bit.ly/TLP-500?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders
Watch the full conversation here - https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-500?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders

#Leadership #WorkLifeBalance #AdmiralMcRaven #Episode500 #TheLeadershipPodcast #MilitaryLeadership #LeadershipLessons
TLP504: Why Your Team Is Still Disengaged Our lat TLP504: Why Your Team Is Still Disengaged 
Our latest episode with Mark Crowley  https://bit.ly/TLP-504?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders&utm_content=TLP504%3A%20Why%20Your%20Team%20Is%20Still%20Disengaged 
#leadership #employeeengagement #employeewellbeing #leadership #markcrowley #leadfromtheheart #flourishingteams #belongingatwork #workplaceculture #teamperformance #remotework #hybridwork #micromanagement #employeeburntout #humanconnection #leadershipdevelopment #peoplemanagement #emotionalintelligence #workplacebelonging #manageraccountability #hrleadership #workethic #employeemotivation #leadershiplessons #westudyleaders #theleadershippodcast #gallup #workplaceemotions #teamcohesion #powersofemployeewellbeing
TLP508: Your Scars Are Your Resume Our latest epi TLP508: Your Scars Are Your Resume 
Our latest episode with Matt Cavanaugh  https://bit.ly/TLP-508?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders&utm_content=TLP508%3A%20Your%20Scars%20Are%20Your%20Resume 
#leadership #failure #resilience #personalgrowth #militaryleadership #army #leadershipdevelopment #scars #overcomingsetbacks #growthmindset #selfimprovement #missiondriven #leadershiplessons #mattcavanaugh #bestscarwins #retiredmilitary #learnfromfailure #purposedriven #leadershippodcast #servantleadership #judgment #emotionalgrowth #leadershiptips #mindset #growthjourney
Thank you to our listeners! The Leadership Podcast Thank you to our listeners! The Leadership Podcast is now #2 in Sales Weekly and ranked in the top 10 in multiple Goodpods charts. We appreciate your support! #Leadership #Podcast #Goodpods
You're a great dad, a loyal friend, a real person You're a great dad, a loyal friend, a real person on Saturday. Then Monday comes and somehow you turn into a different human. Mark Morgenfruh spent 33 years watching it happen and he's got a lot to say about why. 

Episode 502 is worth your commute. https://bit.ly/TLP-502?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders

#leadership #trustbasedleadership #workplaceculture #leadershippodcast #theleadershippodcast #neverfireanyone
You can't play it safe and expect your career to t You can't play it safe and expect your career to take off. Steve Taplin coaches people on one simple truth: if you don't take risks, you plateau. But here's the thing most people miss. It's not about being reckless. It's about being calculated while staying honest and ethical. The entrepreneurs who win aren't the biggest gamblers, they're the smartest risk takers.

More career wisdom on episode 501. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-501?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders

#CareerGrowth #TakeRisks #EntrepreneurMindset #SmartRisks #LeadershipAdvice
Joe Pine just gave away the single most powerful f Joe Pine just gave away the single most powerful framework for turning experiences into transformations. It's called encapsulation, and it has four parts: Preparation → Experience → Reflection → Integration.

Most companies stop at the experience. The magic happens in what comes before and after. Help people imagine beforehand. Help them reflect afterward. Help them integrate the change into their lives.

Do this right and your experiences become life-changing. Skip it and you're just entertainment.

Full breakdown in episode 499 of The Leadership Podcast. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-499?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders

#Encapsulation #TransformationFramework #CustomerExperience #JoePine #BusinessStrategy #ExperienceDesign #TransformationEconomy
Joe Pine just called out most of our business mode Joe Pine just called out most of our business models. If you're charging for time instead of results, you're leaving money (and impact) on the table. The shift from experience to transformation isn't coming, it's already here.

Full conversation with Joe on episode 499. https://bit.ly/TLP-499?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders

#TransformationEconomy #BusinessStrategy #JoePine #Leadership #OutcomesNotInputs #TheLeadershipPodcast
Follow on Instagram

Recent Posts

  • TLP509: Capitalism Without Ethics Is Just Chaos
  • TLP508: Your Scars Are Your Resume
  • TLP507: Disrupt or Be Buried: The Mindset That Changes Everything
  • TLP506: Retention Is Dead: The Workquake Reshaping Talent
  • TLP505: Why Leadership Coaching So Often Fails

Recent Comments

  • Anonymous on TLP508: Your Scars Are Your Resume
  • Anonymous on TLP505: Why Leadership Coaching So Often Fails
  • Anonymous on TLP504: Why Your Team Is Still Disengaged
  • Anonymous on TLP503: 7 Hidden Beliefs That Sabotage Leaders (And How to Break Them) – with Muriel M. Wilkins
  • Anonymous on TLP501: Failure as Fuel: When to push through and when to quit

Tags

adaptability assumptions athletics business change coaching communication corporate crucible culture Curiosity decision making education emotional intelligence entrepreneur financial history humor innovation interview Jan Rutherford Jim & Jan Jim Vaselopulos leader leadership leadership development Leadership Podcast military neuroscience Patagonia Personal Growth philosophy practitioner productivity relationships resilience speaker sports stories team development teamwork thought leader trust veterans workplace culture

Copyright © 2026 Rafti Advisors, LLC & Self-Reliant Leadership, LLC - All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy