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The Leadership Podcast

The Leadership Podcast

We Study Leaders

TLP419: Leadership Lessons from the Top 8 U.S. Presidents with Talmage Boston

July 24, 2024

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Talmage Boston is a lawyer, historian, and the author of the captivating new book “How the Best Did It: Leadership Lessons from Our Top Presidents.” For the past 15 years, Talmage has balanced his legal career with a fervent passion for history. By dedicating his mornings to historical research before donning his lawyer hat, he…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: American History, Historical Insights, Leadership Lessons, Leadership Strategies, One-on-One Interactions, Persuasion Techniques, Presidential Traits, public speaking, Self-awareness, Talmage Boston, US Presidents

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A good leader needs conviction. But conviction can A good leader needs conviction. But conviction can become a liability when it makes you stop listening.Ron Johnson learned this in very different ways at Apple and J.C. Penney.At Apple, he and Steve Jobs were willing to hit rewind after six months of work on the first Apple Store because they realized the concept was wrong. At J.C. Penney, Ron moved too quickly, relied too heavily on his own conviction, and later recognized that he needed to slow down, get more input, and bring people along.We also talk about kindness, and why Ron sees it not as softness, but as a way of creating the conditions for people to do their best work.That combination of conviction, humility, and kindness makes for an interesting way Ron approaches leadership.Link to the full episode in the comments.#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #LeadershipLessons #VisionaryLeadership #TheLeadershipPodcast
Kim Svoboda was on a plane 85% of the time. Chasin Kim Svoboda was on a plane 85% of the time. Chasing the job title she thought she wanted.Then a simple values exercise stopped her cold. Family was #1 on her list. She wasn't living anywhere near it.That gap is what most leaders never stop to check.Hear what broke her wide open. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-522?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#boldleadership #kimsvoboda #executiveburnout #leadershipvalues #worklifebalance #careertransition #leadershippodcast #intentionalleadership
What creates meaningful outcomes? Simon Bowen ill What creates meaningful outcomes?Simon Bowen illustrates how wisdom, character, and capability come together through presence. From there, they find expression in convergence, curated work, and relevance, ultimately shaping the outcomes we produce.It's a useful distinction for leaders. Having the right skills and knowledge is important, but what matters is how those qualities are brought together and applied to the work that needs to be done.The question isn't simply whether people are capable. It's whether their capabilities are being translated into work that is relevant and creates the outcomes that matter.Simon Bowen explores this way of thinking on The Leadership Podcast.🎧 Listen to the full conversation. Link in the first comment.#TheLeadershipPodcast #SimonBowen #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #OrganizationalEffectiveness
Complexity doesn't announce itself. There's no sig Complexity doesn't announce itself.There's no sign on the wall.David Craig ran Refinitiv through some of the toughest years in financial services, and he says the first warning sign isn't in the numbers.It's in the answers. Ask three people what the company does. If you get three different answers, you've found the problem.David walks through what he actually looks for when walking into a struggling organization.Full episode is live now https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-525?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #davidcraig #organizationalculture #businesstransformation #leadershippodcast #executivecoaching #companyculture #leadershipdevelopment
Slowing down does not mean stepping away from resp Slowing down does not mean stepping away from responsibility. Bouchra Danwra makes a more specific point: people need space to think, reflect, and allow new ideas to develop.When every hour is accounted for and every decision is driven by urgency, that space can disappear. Making time to think is part of the work, not a distraction from it.Listen to the full conversation on The Leadership Podcast. Find the episode on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.#Leadership #Creativity #LeadershipDevelopment #TheLeadershipPodcast
Innovation isn't always about having a new idea. S Innovation isn't always about having a new idea. Sometimes it's about recognizing that the idea you've already invested in isn't working the way it should.Ron Johnson shares how Steve Jobs was willing to rethink the Apple Store, even after months of work had already gone into it.The willingness to start over can be part of the innovation process, not a failure of it.#Innovation #Leadership #SteveJobs #RonJohnson #AppleStore #LeadershipLessons #InnovationLeadership #TheLeadershipPodcast
Patrick Emmons wasn't a great student. He'll tell Patrick Emmons wasn't a great student.He'll tell you that himself.But he's built and sold three companies over 25 years.His point: the hero story isn't the requirement people think it is.Hear Patrick's full story on episode 524. https://bit.ly/TLP-524?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #entrepreneurship #growthmindset #careeradvice
Leaders often focus on the problem people can name Leaders often focus on the problem people can name. The harder work is finding the problem they feel but haven't yet been able to articulate.Simon Bowen, founder of the Models Method, argues that great leaders look beneath the surface to find the underlying "ache." Fixing the visible issue may help in the short term, but understanding what's driving it can lead to a different kind of solution.The conversation explores how leaders uncover hidden problems, preserve the thinking that makes an organization distinctive, and create an environment where people can do their best work.🎧 Listen to Simon Bowen on The Leadership Podcast. Link in the first comment.#TheLeadershipPodcast #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #SimonBowen
Not every vision deserves to be protected forever. Not every vision deserves to be protected forever.Good leadership requires the judgment to recognize when persistence has become attachment, and the willingness to change direction when the evidence says it is time.Sometimes the most important leadership decision is not pushing harder. It is thinking differently.#Leadership #LeadershipLessons #LeadershipDevelopment #DecisionMaking #VisionaryLeadership #TheLeadershipPodcast
Leadership requires authority. But authority alone Leadership requires authority. But authority alone isn't enough.Matt Edelman, Chairman, CEO, and President of Super League, describes the leadership model he calls a "benevolent monarchy": someone still has to make decisions and call the shots, but compassion needs to be at the heart of how they lead.The conversation explores what that balance looks like in practice, from being honest when decisions are difficult to learning from younger employees who have expertise you don't. Matt also considers how expectations, feedback, and the way people learn at work are changing.The challenge for leaders is not to give up authority. It's to use it in a way that earns trust and helps people do their best work.🎧 Listen to Matt Edelman on The Leadership Podcast. Link in the first comment.#TheLeadershipPodcast #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #MattEdelman
Hitting a wall doesn't always mean you have failed Hitting a wall doesn't always mean you have failed.Sometimes it tells you something about the limits of your current approach. The question is what you do next. Reconsider the vision, the people around you, the resources, or the path itself.Sometimes the wall is information.#Leadership #LeadershipMindset #LeadershipLessons #Adversity #Failure #DecisionMaking #TheLeadershipPodcast
We cannot always choose the circumstances we begin We cannot always choose the circumstances we begin with, but we can choose how we move forward.In her conversation with Jim Vaselopulos and Jan Rutherford, Bouchra Danwra reflects on personal agency, the choices that shape our lives, and the importance of taking ownership of our direction, even when we cannot control where we start.Her perspective is a reminder that our beginnings do not have to determine our destination.Listen to the full conversation on The Leadership Podcast. Find the episode on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.#TheLeadershipPodcast #BouchraDanwra #PersonalGrowth #Leadership #PersonalAgency #LeadershipDevelopment #Mindset #PurposefulLeadership
Everyone hits hard seasons. Not everyone responds Everyone hits hard seasons. Not everyone responds to them the same way.Lee Benson has survived health crises, financial setbacks, and a rough start most people never recover from.His reframe: every setback either builds you or defines you. You choose which.Hear how Lee turned his hardest years into his biggest advantage. #resilience #leadership #leebenson #mindset #growth #familyleadership #executivecoaching #podcast
David Gray calls it empathetic accountability. And David Gray calls it empathetic accountability.And it's the thing most leaders get wrong.You can hold people responsible. But only if you've connected with them first.Skip the connection? Accountability feels like harassment.David has spent 34 years learning this: exhausted people need to know they're valued before they'll respond to expectations.That doesn't mean lowering standards. It means raising empathy.Hear David's full philosophy on leadership in uncertain times. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-520?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#empathyatwork #leadership #leadershipphilosophy #podcast #davidgray #theleadershippodcast #managementskills #leadershipdevelopment
Experience is invaluable. Until it convinces you t Experience is invaluable. Until it convinces you that you don't need to question yourself.David Robson calls this the curse of expertise. The more experience we accumulate, the easier it can become to trust our instincts without looking for evidence that might prove us wrong.His advice is simple: listen to your intuition, but interrogate it like any other piece of data.Ask yourself: What would I need to know to disprove what I believe to be true?That question may be one of the most useful habits an experienced leader can develop.#leadership #leadershipdevelopment #decisionmaking #cognitivebias #executiveleadership #selfawareness #davidrobson #leadershippodcast
He was one of Kim Svoboda's best performers. He wa He was one of Kim Svoboda's best performers. He was also a bully.She tolerated it. The results were good. Then he quit in a rage.A week later, the truth came out. Team culture lifted almost overnight.Kim breaks down what tolerating bad behavior really costs a team.Ask yourself who's costing you culture. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-522?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#boldleadership #kimsvoboda #teamculture #toxicemployee #leadershipdevelopment #highperformingteams #leadershippodcast #accountability
Strong conviction can help a leader make bold deci Strong conviction can help a leader make bold decisions. But conviction can also make it harder to recognize when an idea needs to change.Ron Johnson reflects on his experience at J.C. Penney and acknowledges that he held too tightly to his original vision.Leadership isn't about being right every time. It also requires the humility to recognize when you were wrong and learn from it.#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #LeadershipLessons #LeadershipMindset #DecisionMaking #HumilityInLeadership #TheLeadershipPodcast
Chasing the next promotion isn't the same as chasi Chasing the next promotion isn't the same as chasing the next skill.David Craig watched talented people burn years climbing a ladder instead of building capability, and he says it's one of the costliest mistakes in a career.The shift is simple: choose the work that develops you, not just the title that impresses others.Hear David explain the lesson behind it in episode 525. https://bit.ly/TLP-525?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #davidcraig #careeradvice #leadershipdevelopment #leadershippodcast #careergrowth #executivecoaching #professionaldevelopment
One question. Ask it every day. Tom Rath says the One question. Ask it every day.Tom Rath says the best leaders track one thing: what conversation did I start today that helped someone grow?It sounds small but it builds a career of impact.And Tom's reminder hits hard. You don't always get tomorrow.Listen to the full episode with Tom Rath now. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-523?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#tomrath #leadershippodcast #leadershipmindset #dailyhabits #peopledevelopment #executivecoaching #purposeatwork #leadershipdevelopment
Steve Jobs is often remembered for his vision. Bu Steve Jobs is often remembered for his vision.But vision was not enough.After being pushed out of Apple, Jobs had to learn something he had not fully understood before: building a great product and building a successful business are two different things.He had to learn to listen to people who disagreed with him. To understand the market. To trust people with responsibilities outside his own expertise. And to recognize when persistence was becoming stubbornness.That period of failure and uncertainty may have been just as important to his leadership as the successes that came later.In this episode of The Leadership Podcast, Geoffrey Cain joins us to explore what Steve Jobs learned during those wilderness years, and why the lessons extend well beyond one famous leader.Sometimes the wall in front of us isn't failure. It's information about what needs to change.#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #SteveJobs #LeadershipLessons #VisionaryLeadership #LeadershipMindset #BusinessLeadership #Adversity #DecisionMaking #TheLeadershipPodcast
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