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The Leadership Podcast

The Leadership Podcast

We Study Leaders

TLP511: What 500 Top Leaders Taught Us — And Why It’s Not What You Think

May 13, 2026

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What happens when you spend 10 years interviewing some of the world’s top leaders? After 500 interviews with CEOs, generals, founders, bestselling authors, athletes, and elite performers, Jim Vaselopulos and Jan Rutherford discovered a surprising pattern. The most successful leaders were NOT the most polished, they were the most self-aware, adaptable, and relentlessly committed to…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: adaptive leadership, business leaders, Business Leadership, CEOs, emotional intelligence, entrepreneurship, Executive Coaching, executive leadership, high performance, Jan Rutherford, Jim Vaselopulos, leadership development, Leadership Lessons, leadership mindset, leadership myths, Leadership Podcast, leadership skills, Leadership Strategies, lessons from leaders, Personal Growth, self awareness, success mindset, Team Leadership, The Leadership Podcast, what makes a great leader

TLP504: Why Your Team Is Still Disengaged

March 25, 2026

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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!

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: belonging at work, emotional intelligence, employee burnout, Employee Engagement, Employee Motivation, employee well-being, flourishing teams, gallup engagement, hr leadership, human connection at work, hybrid work, lead from the heart, leadership, leadership development, Leadership Lessons, Leadership Podcast, manager accountability, mark c crowley, mark crowley, micromanagement, people management, power of employee well-being, remote work, team cohesion, team performance, we study leaders, work ethic, workplace belonging, workplace culture, workplace emotions

TLP481: The New Language of Leadership with Michael Ventura

October 15, 2025

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Michael Ventura is an entrepreneur, author of “Applied Empathy: The New Language of Leadership”, and advisor to leaders at organizations including the ACLU, Google, Nike, and the UN. He has taught emotionally intelligent leadership at Princeton, West Point, and Esalen. In this episode, Michael explores why our natural childhood empathy fades as adults due to…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Applied Empathy, business results, cognitive empathy, emotional intelligence, empathetic leadership, empathy training, Executive Coaching, GE case study, Jan Rutherford, Jim Vaselopulos, leadership archetypes, leadership development, leadership skills, Michael Ventura, Organizational Culture, patient experience, retention strategies, team development, The Leadership Podcast, West Point

TLP466: Story Is The Vehicle, Not The Cargo with Dan Manning

July 2, 2025

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Dan Manning is the Chief Story Architect at Build The Story, and a former fighter pilot and U.S. diplomat. Dan digs into the difference between storytelling that entertains and storytelling that leads to decisions.  Dan breaks down how he helps people choose the right story for the right moment and how every story should reflect…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: communication, Dan Manning, decision making, emotional intelligence, fighter pilot, leadership, podcast, sales, storytelling, The Leadership Podcast, Transformation, trust

TLP462: Overcome Your Fear of Being Seen with Linda Ugelow

May 28, 2025

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Linda Ugelow is the author of “Delight in the Limelight: Overcome Your Fear of Being Seen and Realize Your Dreams.”  In this episode, Linda shares how fear often stems from past experiences, and how leaders can reframe internal narratives to demonstrate more confidence.  She dives into the power of self-acceptance and how it shapes leadership…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: confidence, emotional intelligence, empowerment, Executive Coaching, fear of speaking, Growth Mindset, inner voice, leadership, personal development, public speaking, Self-awareness, self-expression, vulnerability

TLP461: Looking for Unicorns: The Hiring Dilemma with Jim and Jan

May 21, 2025

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In this episode, Jim and Jan dive into the critical aspects of leadership and talent development in today’s fast-changing work environment. They discuss how companies often seek “unicorn” candidates with unrealistic expectations—and why focusing on core traits like emotional intelligence, curiosity, and continuous learning is essential. Jim and Jan explore how hybrid work is reshaping…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: adaptability, age bias, career advice, Career Growth, career narrative, clear expectations, communication, continuous learning, cultural fit, Curiosity, emotional intelligence, employers, feedback, hiring challenges, hiring expectations, hiring process, hybrid work, job seekers, leadership, relationship-building, small cities, talent development, team development, tech industry, Topgrading, trust, unicorn candidates, work environment

TLP455: Break Free from Self-imposed Limitations with Kasey D’Amato

April 9, 2025

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Kasey D’Amato’s experience goes from launching a dermatology division and founding a global skincare brand to building a multi-seven-figure real estate portfolio. In this episode, Kasey shares her insights on how leaders can avoid burnout, overcome stagnation, and create a life that aligns with their true purpose.  She introduces her Holistic Leadership Mastery™ Framework, which…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: business growth, career transition, emotional intelligence, entrepreneurship, leadership, leadership coaching, resilience, self-improvement, time management, Work-life balance

TLP453: Delegation Isn’t About Losing Control with Dr. Steven Stein

March 26, 2025

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Dr. Steven Stein, world-renowned clinical psychologist, best-selling author, and MHS founder, consults for military, corporate, and TV shows, specializing in psychological assessment and emotional intelligence. He also hosts the podcast Work Therapy. In this episode, Dr. Steven explores how EI has evolved since its early days and why some leaders still underestimate its impact. Steven…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Business Strategy, corporate culture, decision making, emotional intelligence, Executive Coaching, high-performance teams, leadership, leadership development, Military Leadership, Personal Growth, psychology, remote work, resilience, Self-awareness, team development, workplace culture

TLP451: Find More Joy, Meaning, and Opportunities in the Job You Already Have with Elizabeth Lotardo

March 12, 2025

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Elizabeth Lotardo, author of “Leading Yourself: Find More Joy, Meaning, and Opportunities in the Job You Already Have (Despite Imperfect Bosses, Weird Economies, Lethargic Coworkers, Annoying Systems, and Too Many Deliverables),” is also a LinkedIn Learning instructor. In this conversation, Elizabeth offers valuable insights on self-leadership, personal accountability, and employee engagement, emphasizing the importance of…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: career development, emotional intelligence, Employee Engagement, leadership skills, mindset shift, networking, Personal Growth, professional success, self-improvement, self-leadership, workplace success

TLP446: How Mental Health and Leadership are Deeply Connected with Dr. Marie Helene-Pelletier

February 5, 2025

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Dr. Marie Helene Peltier is a leadership psychologist, and author of “The Resilience Plan: A Strategic Approach to Optimizing Your Work Performance and Mental Health.” In this episode, she unpacks the science and practical strategies behind resilience, offering insights into how mental health and leadership are deeply interconnected. From creating personalized resilience plans to building…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: emotional intelligence, leadership, leadership development, mental health, resilience, Strategic Planning, stress management, Team Building, Work-life balance

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Over the last decade on The Leadership Podcast, Ji Over the last decade on The Leadership Podcast, Jim Vaselopulos and Jan Rutherford have spoken with CEOs, military leaders, entrepreneurs, bestselling authors, elite performers, and executives operating at the highest levels of responsibility.Across those conversations, several themes surfaced repeatedly:• Leaders aren't born. Leaders are learners.• Success always involves sacrifice.• Style without substance eventually gets exposed.• Adaptability matters as much as efficiency.• Great leadership begins with genuine interest in other people.One of the most striking observations across 500 plus episodes is that many of the leaders they respected were remarkably humble, reflective, and open about their mistakes. Not perfect, but intentional about growth.In Episode 511 of The Leadership Podcast, Jim and Jan reflect on what 500 conversations taught them about leadership, success, failure, relationships, and human behavior.Link to the full episode - https://bit.ly/TLP-511?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersLink to the YouTube episode - https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-511?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#Leadership #ExecutiveLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #LeadershipPodcast #BusinessLeadership #PersonalGrowth
Kevin Rice sold his company for nine figures. The Kevin Rice sold his company for nine figures.The deal closed. The wire hit. And he felt almost nothing.Not because the work was not real. It was. But he had been in robot mode for years. Performing at the highest level while suppressing every emotion just to keep functioning.When the victory arrived, there was nothing left to feel it with.He had been so focused on passion that he lost sight of purpose entirely.The rest of Kevin's story is the part most people never talk about. Go listen. https://bit.ly/TLP-512?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #leadershipdevelopment #entrepreneur #purpose #theleadershippodcast #fulfillment #CEOmindset #personalgrowth #worklifebalance #executiveleadership
Debate isn't about winning. It's about thinking cl Debate isn't about winning. It's about thinking clearly when it matters.Meet Murshad Chowdhury: founder of Tech Duels, LogiCoach AI, and the Veterans Technology Conference. He's spent years teaching brilliant people how to actually communicate.In this episode, you'll discover:Why structured debate builds communication skills faster than traditional trainingHow competition strengthens your ability to listen (not just talk)Why the future belongs to people who combine tech with human judgmentThe communication gap costing talented professionals their careersNew episode drops now. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-515?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersListen here - https://bit.ly/TLP-515?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershipdevelopment #communicationskills #debateskills #executivepresence #theleadershippodcast #criticalthinkingg #techleadership #aiandhumanskills
Kevin Rice built his agency straight out of colleg Kevin Rice built his agency straight out of college with no mentor and sold it 13 years later for nine figures. He says he felt almost nothing when it happened.On Episode 512 of The Leadership Podcast, he shares what it was like leading through a pandemic as a new single dad, growing a company by 100+ people, and going through an acquisition at the same time.He calls it "robot mode"—high performance, no emotion, just survival. It worked in business but cost him connection at home.He also shares what parenting taught him about leadership and why presence matters more than time.Listen to Episode 512 wherever you get your podcasts. https://bit.ly/TLP-512?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersWatch it on YouTube - https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-512?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #entrepreneur #parenting #worklifebalance #leadershipdevelopment #ceo #personalgrowth #success #fulfillment
Most people assume selling a company for nine figu Most people assume selling a company for nine figures would feel incredible.Kevin Rice was not most people.After years of leading through a pandemic as a single father, growing his team by over 100 people, and closing the biggest deal of his career, the victory arrived completely flat.He called it robot mode. Hear the full story on episode 512 of The Leadership Podcast. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-512?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #entrepreneur #robotmode #fulfillment #theleadershippodcast #CEOmindset #personalgrowth #executiveleadership #leadershipdevelopment #successmindset
Most people think burnout comes from working too h Most people think burnout comes from working too hard.Karen Doll says that is the wrong diagnosis.It comes from never learning how to recover.She is a licensed psychologist, author of Building Psychological Fitness, and chairs the Flourishing at Work initiative under Harvard's Flourishing program.In this episode she breaks down why resilience is not about powering through.The two personality patterns that derail even the most talented executives.And the core belief she had to break in herself before she could practice what she preached.The full conversation is up now. https://bit.ly/TLP-514?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersWatch it on YouTube https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-514?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershippodcast #leadership #podcast #psychologicalfitness #burnout #leadershipdevelopment #mentalhealth #selfreliantleadership #executivecoaching #resilience
You think you're either brave or you're not. Jill You think you're either brave or you're not. Jill Schulman, Marine Corps veteran and bravery expert, begs to differ. Here's what most people get wrong: bravery isn't a trait you inherit. It's a skill you train. That changes everything. If bravery is learnable, that means you have more control over your future than you think. Uncover the two myths. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-518?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#bravery #leadershipdevelopment #personalgrowth #stoicism #positivepsychology #fearless #leadershiplessons #psychology
Nobody announces that they are struggling. They j Nobody announces that they are struggling.They just go quiet.Pull back. Stop showing up the same way.And by the time anyone notices, it is already too late.Nick Black has lost too many people to this pattern — soldiers who survived everything — and he is not done talking about it.The full episode is up now. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-513?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershippodcast #leadership #mentalhealth #isolation #veteranmentalhealth #stopsolidersuicide #militaryleadership #podcast #leadershipdevelopment #shorts
Most leaders think the biggest threat to their tea Most leaders think the biggest threat to their team is performance.Missed targets. Wrong hires. Bad culture.Nick Black watched some of America's greatest warriors fall — not to the enemy, but to silence.Not because they were weak.Because no one was checking on them.Isolation is the enemy. And it does not announce itself.Listen to the full conversation. https://bit.ly/TLP-513?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders #leadershippodcast #leadership #mentalhealth #isolation #veteranleadership #leadershipquotes #podcast #selfreliantleadership #militaryleadership #leadershipdevelopment
Most leaders think the problem at home is time. K Most leaders think the problem at home is time.Kevin Rice thought the same, until he realized he was physically present every night and still completely absent.Bedtime. Stories. Routines. All of it while mentally rehearsing the next sales meeting.He was not managing time poorly. He was losing connection without even knowing it.Hear the full conversation on episode 512 of The Leadership Podcast. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-512?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #parenting #presence #connection #theleadershippodcast #CEOmindset #worklifebalance #leadershiplessons #entrepreneur #mindfulleadership
One of the hardest things Nick Black ever faced ha One of the hardest things Nick Black ever faced had nothing to do with combat.One week after one of the most intense firefights of the deployment, one of those men took his own life.And a year later, Nick read something that broke him open completely.More servicemen and women were dying by suicide than in combat.He still does not fully know what to do with that.But it changed the entire direction of his life.What do you think leaders most often miss when it comes to the people right in front of them?The full episode is up now. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-513?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershippodcast #leadership #stopsolidersuicide #veteranmentalhealth #militaryleadership #podcast #mentalhealth #service #leadershipdevelopment #shorts
Most companies reward CEOs for riding good markets Most companies reward CEOs for riding good markets and punish them for bad timing. Patrick Ryan says that's backwards. If the boom isn't your doing, the credit isn't yours. If the crash isn't your fault, the blame isn't either. Judge leaders on what they actually controlled. On the value they built. Not on the luck they rode. That changes how you hire, promote, and evaluate performance.Hear the full conversation. https://bit.ly/TLP-519?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #ethics #performance #accountability #executiveleadership #moralcapitalism #leadershippodcast #businessethics
Most people overcomplicate leadership. Nick Black Most people overcomplicate leadership.Nick Black has six words he still reaches for every time he does not know what to do next."When in doubt, lead the way." That is his whole leadership philosophy.Not a framework. Not a model.Just something that has never steered him wrong — through combat, through loss, through building companies from scratch.When you don't know what to do next, you already know what to do.Hear the full conversation. https://bit.ly/TLP-513?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders #leadershippodcast #leadership #leadershipquotes #militaryleadership #podcast #service #selfreliantleadership #leadershipdevelopment #veteran #rangerschool
Most leaders treat growth like a race. Joth Ricci Most leaders treat growth like a race.Joth Ricci treats it like a marathon.When you scale too fast, something breaks. The question isn't IF—it's WHAT.He managed Dutch Bros from 27 locations to 92 in three years without losing the culture. Here's the principle that made it possible.See how he scaled: https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-516?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#scaling #leadership #organizationalculture #businessgrowth #leadershiplessons #dutchbros #westudyleaders #theleadershippodcast
TLP509: Capitalism Without Ethics Is Just Chaos O TLP509: Capitalism Without Ethics Is Just Chaos Our latest episode with Dr. Bill Kline https://bit.ly/TLP-509?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders&utm_content=TLP509%3A%20Capitalism%20Without%20Ethics%20Is%20Just%20Chaos #leadership #capitalism #businessethics #freemarkets #leadership #ethicalleadership #capitalism101 #economicfreedom #leadershipdevelopment #marketeconomy #virtuouscapitalism #youngprofessionals #businessleadership #capitalismvssocialism #propertyright #academyoncapitalism
Every high performer has been told some version of Every high performer has been told some version of the same lie.Push harder. Stay longer. Sleep when you're dead.Until they can't.What actually separates leaders who last is not toughness. It is the ability to recover before the tank hits empty.Full conversation withKaren Doll on The Leadership Podcast. https://bit.ly/TLP-514?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershippodcast #leadership #resilience #burnout #leadershipdevelopment #mentalhealth #psychologicalfitness #podcast
Matt Cavanaugh wasn't running 620 miles through ex Matt Cavanaugh wasn't running 620 miles through extreme deserts for himself.He was running to prove that life after kidney donation is full. That someone watching from Montana might decide to climb onto a transplant table themselves. That his daughters would see their dad do something everyone told him was impossible.And in the middle of a sandstorm in the Atacama Desert, beat up and eating chili pistachios because he was too tired to cook, he got a message from a stranger named Bryce in Montana saying he signed up to donate.That's what a real mission looks like.This one's worth blocking out time for. https://bit.ly/TLP-508?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #missiondriven #purposedriven #militaryleadership #leadershipdevelopment #theleadershippodcast #mattcavanaugh #bestscarwins #servantleadership #selfimprovement
After hundreds of conversations with some of the m After hundreds of conversations with some of the most decorated leaders in the world, Jim and Jan finally turned the question on themselves. What is leadership actually? And what they landed on will probably sit with you longer than any definition you have read in a book. It is not a destination. It is not a title.It is a state you manage every single day and the moment you think you have it figured out, something shifts and you are back at it. The full conversation is up now. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-511?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershippodcast #leadership #podcast #whatisleadership #selfreliantleadership #executivecoaching #leadershipdevelopment
TLP511: What 500 Top Leaders Taught Us — And Why I TLP511: What 500 Top Leaders Taught Us — And Why It’s Not What You Think Our latest episode with Jim Vaselopulos and Jan Rutherford https://bit.ly/TLP-511?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders&utm_content=TLP511%3A%20What%20500%20Top%20Leaders%20Taught%20Us%20-%20And%20Why%20It%27s%20Not%20What%20You%20Think #leadership #leadershippodcast #leadershipdevelopment #leadershipskills #management #executiveleadership #businessleadership #leadershipgrowth #leadershipmindset #leadershipcoaching #leadershiplessons #modernleadership #purpose #careergrowth #personaldevelopment #podcast #podcastlife #podcastrecommendation #milestone #learning #growth #success
Karen Doll has assessed hundreds of executives. An Karen Doll has assessed hundreds of executives. And the same two patterns keep ending careers early.Not lack of skill. Not lack of drive.Defensiveness. And a victim mindset.The first one she will not even give feedback on directly. Because the moment you tell someone they are defensive they prove your point.These are not just hiring red flags. They show up in how people lead every single day.Full episode with Karen is up now. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-514?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershippodcast #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #executivecoaching #accountability #podcast #mentalhealth #psychologicalfitness
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