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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 Leave a Comment

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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

TLP489: Quitting – Knowing When to Walk Away

December 10, 2025

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Annie Duke is a three-time bestselling author, decision strategist, and former professional poker champion. She holds a PhD in cognitive psychology and is co-founder of the Alliance for Decision Education. Annie’s latest best-selling book is “Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away.” In this episode, Annie reveals why knowing when to walk away…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: accountability, annie duke, cognitive psychology, cost benefit analysis, decision making, Executive Coaching, Goal Setting, grit, innovation, Jan Rutherford, Jim Vaselopulos, kill criteria, leadership, mental time travel, opportunity cost, optimism bias, poker, psychological distance, Quit The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away, quitting, sunk cost fallacy, The Leadership Podcast, thinking in bets, uncertainty, venture capital

TLP482: The 100 Best Books for Work and Life

October 22, 2025

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Todd Sattersten brings over 20 years of experience in nonfiction book publishing, and is the author of “The 100 Best Books for Work and Life.” He’s also the publisher at Bard Press and has dedicated his career to helping leaders navigate the overwhelming world of business literature. In this episode, Todd reveals how he curated…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Atomic Habits, Badass, Bard Press, book publishing, business books, change, daily effort, Effective Executive, Good to Great, growth, habits, In Search of Excellence, Jan Rutherford, Jim Vaselopulos, leaders, leadership, lifelong learning, mindset, neuroscience, Peak, Personal Growth, Professional Development, reading habits, Reboot, self help, stoicism, The Leadership Podcast, The One Thing, Todd Sattersten, Ultimate Question, work and life, Your Brain at Work

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

TLP480: Number One Factor for Changing Team Behaviors with Tamara Myles

October 8, 2025

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Tamara Myles is a speaker, professor, and co-author of “Meaningful Work: How to Ignite Passion and Performance in Every Employee.” She specializes in the science of human flourishing at work and serves as faculty at Boston College and the University of Pennsylvania.  In this episode, Tamara challenges the biggest misconception leaders hold about purpose and…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Business Leadership, career development, career stages, challenge, community building, contribution, Employee Engagement, generational differences, human flourishing, Jan Rutherford, Jim Vaselopulos, leadership, leadership development, management skills, meaningful work, organizational psychology, performance management, productivity, psychological safety, purpose, role modeling, Tamara Myles, team management, The Leadership Podcast, Work-life balance, workplace culture, workplace motivation

TLP479: Make Work Fair with Siri Chilazi

October 1, 2025

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Siri Chilazi is a senior researcher at the Women in Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School, and co-author of “Make Work Fair: Data-Driven Design for Real Results.” She helps organizations bridge the gap between research and practice using evidence-based approaches to workplace fairness. In this episode, Siri explains why workplace fairness requires redesigning systems…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Behavioral Science, bias mitigation, business psychology, Career Advancement, data-driven design, diversity equity inclusion, Employee Development, evidence-based management, gender equality, Harvard Kennedy School, hiring processes, Jan Rutherford, Jim Vaselopulos, leadership development, Make Work Fair, management training, norm entrepreneurship, opt-out promotion systems, organizational psychology, performance evaluation, Siri Chilazi, structural change, systems thinking, talent management, The Leadership Podcast, unconscious bias training, Women in Public Policy Program, workforce analytics, workplace culture, workplace equity, workplace fairness

TLP478: The Consequences of Inaction with Nick Cooney

September 24, 2025

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Nick Cooney is the founder and managing partner of Lever VC, an early stage fund focused on food and ag tech innovation. He also founded the Lever Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing a humane and sustainable food system, and authored “What We Don’t Do: Inaction in the Face of Suffering and the Drive to…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: agricultural innovation, agtech, animal welfare, Business Ethics, charitable giving, decision making, effective altruism, ethical leadership, flat organizations, food security, food tech, global poverty, impact measurement, inaction vs action, Jan Rutherford, Jim Vaselopulos, leadership, Leadership Podcast, moral responsibility, nick cooney, organizational management, philanthropy, Resource Allocation, social entrepreneurship, social impact investing, startup investing, suffering reduction, team management, venture capital

TLP477: Myths About Intuition with Sara Sabin

September 17, 2025

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Sara Sabin is an executive leadership and intuition coach. In this episode, she shares her core philosophy that leadership starts with mastering your internal world. Sara describes how leaders can rewire thought patterns through simple daily exercises, explaining the neuroscience behind how small efforts compound for dramatic confidence improvements.  She tackles the biggest intuition myth…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: ai laziness, artificial intelligence, brain rewiring, critical thinking, Darley, emotional regulation, Executive Coaching, intuition, Jan Rutherford, Jim Vaselopulos, leadership development, neuroscience, sara sabin, self regulation, The Leadership Podcast

TLP475: Democratic Leadership: Building Agency with Nicola Ilic

September 3, 2025

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Nicola Ilic is a social entrepreneur, activist, and adjunct professor of leadership at Georgetown University. He’s the founder of Changelab and applies lessons from grassroots movements to transform how leaders build agency in others. In this episode, Nikola defines democratic leadership as enabling people to exercise leadership regardless of title when facing uncertainty rather than…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: activism, agency development, basketball, business transformation, challenging environments, change management, circle of influence, coaching questions, collective intelligence, culture by design, delegation, democratic leadership, Democratic Leadership: Moving Beyond Authority to Build Agency, employee empowerment, experiential learning, Georgetown University, idea competition, Jan Rutherford, Jim Vaselopulos, leadership development, meritocracy, moral compass, nicola ilic, nonviolent resistance, office politics, organizational change, parenting lessons, purpose-driven work, reflection, Serbia, social entrepreneurship, social movements, startup methodology, strategic change, Team Dynamics, The Leadership Podcast, trust building, uncertainty management, workplace culture

TLP474: Four Barriers that Stop Leaders with Anne Marie Anderson

August 27, 2025

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Anne Marie Anderson is a three-time Emmy winner with 36 years in sports television, including a decade as a producer at ESPN working with elite athletes and executives. She’s the author of “Cultivating Audacity: Dismantle Doubt and Let Yourself Win” and has navigated multiple career pivots throughout her professional life.  In this episode, Anne Marie…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: adventure travel, Anne Marie Anderson, athletic performance, audacious living, career transformation, coaching mindset, comfort zone expansion, courage building, cultivating audacity, decision making, elite performance, Emmy awards, ESPN, failure as learning, front row concept, Goal Setting, inner critic management, Jan Rutherford, Jim Vaselopulos, keynote speaking, leadership development, legacy thinking, media career, mentorship, motivation psychology, optimism, Overcoming Fear, parenting wisdom, Personal Growth, professional reinvention, rejection desensitization, resilience, risk taking, Self-Reliance, shape shifting leadership, sports broadcasting, Team Engagement, Vulnerability in Leadership, Work-life balance

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Purpose is one of the most talked about topics in Purpose is one of the most talked about topics in leadership right now and also one of the most misunderstood. Maria Brinck makes a distinction that reframes the whole conversation. She is not talking about finding purpose. She is talking about building it. And the difference between those two things changes everything about how you lead and how you live. Episode 510 of The Leadership Podcast is out now. This is one worth clearing your schedule for. https://bit.ly/TLP-510?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#Purpose #Leadership #TheLeadershipPodcast #LeadershipDevelopment #Podcast
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
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
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,
We spend so much time coaching the person at the t We spend so much time coaching the person at the top and zero time asking the people around them if anything actually changed. Will Linssen has data on 100,000 leaders that proves exactly why that doesn't work.Full conversation on TLP505. https://bit.ly/TLP-505?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #leadershipcoaching #leadershipdevelopment #westudyleaders #theleadershippodcast #executivecoaching #coaching
Most leaders treat firing as the final answer when Most leaders treat firing as the final answer when someone isn't working out. Mark Morgenfruh says the real question is why you put them there in the first place. 33 years in HR and this is still the conversation most organizations refuse to have.Listen here - https://bit.ly/TLP-502?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #hrleadership #neverfireanyone #leadershipdevelopment #accountability #theleadershippodcast
If you constantly tear down the system you're part If you constantly tear down the system you're part of, don't be surprised when people disconnect from it.That shows up inside teams too.Leaders set the tone. Not just through strategy, but through how they talk about the work, the mission, and the people around them. If everything sounds cynical or negative, that becomes the culture.And culture shapes who stays, who leaves, and how people show up every day.This one is worth the full listen. Go check out the whole episode of Dr. Bill Kline and tell us what hit you the hardest. https://bit.ly/TLP-509?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #leadershipdevelopment #teamculture #capitalism #businessleadership #tlp509
Steve Taplin has 20 failures and 10 wins across 30 Steve Taplin has 20 failures and 10 wins across 30 ventures. That's a .333 batting average, which in baseball is Hall of Fame territory. But here's the thing: those 20 failures taught him everything the 10 wins couldn't. Success makes you cocky. Failure makes you better. The question is whether you're willing to use it as fuel or let it stop you.Hear Steve's full story on episode 501. https://bit.ly/TLP-501?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#FailureIsLearning #EntrepreneurJourney #BusinessLessons #LeadershipWisdom #TheLeadershipPodcast
Remember when the internet was full of weird rabbi Remember when the internet was full of weird rabbit holes? Sara Sabin warns that AI's laser focus might be killing our curiosity. If all you see is what you already agree with, you're not stretching your mind, you're shrinking it. Sometimes, the best growth comes from what challenges us, not what comforts us.Catch the full conversation on https://bit.ly/TLP-477?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersWatch the full conversation https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-477?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#Leadership #CriticalThinking #AIandCreativity #Curiosity #TheLeadershipPodcast
Most leaders wait until the wheels have completely Most leaders wait until the wheels have completely fallen off before they say something. Mark Morgenfruh says if you actually have a real relationship with your people, you'd see it at waypoint two, not waypoint six. This is the conversation about compassion and performance that nobody wants to have but every leader needs. Full episode here - https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-502?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #leadershipdevelopment #employeeperformance #compassionateleadership #theleadershippodcast #neverfireanyone #leadershippodcast
We’re celebrating our Goodpods achievements! The L We’re celebrating our Goodpods achievements! The Leadership Podcast is ranked #2 in Sales Weekly and in the top 10 in several other categories. Thank you for being part of our community! #LeadershipPodcast #PodcastCharts #Sales #Management
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=westudyleadersYou 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
She was the number one manager in a 4000 branch ne She was the number one manager in a 4000 branch network. Three years running. And she had better offers on the table. She stayed for one reason her leader almost said no to. This story from Mark Crowley is a gut check for every leader who thinks compensation is the whole game.Full episode on The Leadership Podcast now. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-504?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #employeeretention #markcrowley #leadfromtheheart #westudyleaders #theleadershippodcast #leadershiplessons #workplacebelonging #peopleleadership #teamculture
Before Will Linssen coaches anyone he runs them th Before Will Linssen coaches anyone he runs them through this. Three simple questions that tell him almost immediately whether this person will be in the 95% who change or the ones who waste everyone's time. The answer has nothing to do with skill level or title. Full episode here - https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-505?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #aileadership #futureofleadership #leadershipdevelopment #westudyleaders #theleadershippodcast #shorts #executivecoaching
Storehouse and World of Coca-Cola. They're not jus Storehouse and World of Coca-Cola. They're not just selling products—they're inviting you to transform your identity.These companies charge admission fees and make millions by creating experiences that turn visitors into lifelong brand advocates. The transformation happens before you even realize it. You walk in a tourist, you walk out a Guinness drinker.This is invitational transformation, and it's rewriting the rules of marketing.From episode 499 of The Leadership Podcast. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-499?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#InvitationalTransformation #BrandExperience #Marketing #JoePine #BusinessStrategy #CustomerExperience #TransformationEconomy
When you're raising other people's money, integrit When you're raising other people's money, integrity isn't a nice-to-have. Steve Taplin's business partner called him stupid for walking away from $2 million. The numbers looked inflated, the deal felt wrong, so Steve said no. His partner did it anyway and spent five years rubbing the money in his face. Until the indictment came. Integrity is foundational, especially when it's not your money on the line.Full story on episode 501 of The Leadership Podcast. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-501?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#BusinessIntegrity #EntrepreneurEthics #RaisingMoney #TrustYourGut #LeadershipValues
We've been running engagement surveys for 13 years We've been running engagement surveys for 13 years. Gallup just reported it's at a 10 year low. Same numbers as when we started. Mark Crowley joined the conversation and said what a lot of leaders need to hear but aren't ready for. The problem was never the people. It was how we've been leading them. The full episode is live now. https://bit.ly/TLP-504?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersWatch the full episode on YouTube - https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-504?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#employeeengagement #leadership #employeewellbeing #leadfromtheheart #markcrowley #theleadershippodcast #westudyleaders #teamculture #belongingatwork #leadershipdevelopment
No sugarcoating it. Will Linssen has coached leade No sugarcoating it. Will Linssen has coached leaders across six continents and says ego is the single biggest reason people don't change, no matter how much potential they have.And the scary part? Most of them don't even know it's happening. He breaks down exactly how to spot it early and what to do about it. TLP505 here - https://bit.ly/TLP-505?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #leadershipcoaching #coachability #selfawareness #westudyleaders #theleadershippodcast #executivecoaching
Disruption is not always about blowing things up. Disruption is not always about blowing things up. Sometimes the most disruptive move in the room is refusing to follow the crowd. Patrick Leddin breaks this down in a way that actually reframes how you think about change and leadership.We went deep on this in Episode 507. Don't miss it. https://bit.ly/TLP-507?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #disruption #leadershiplessons #westudyleaders #disrupteverything #leadershipdevelopment #leadershipcoach #changeleadership #leadershippodcast
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=westudyleadersWatch 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
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  • TLP511: What 500 Top Leaders Taught Us — And Why It’s Not What You Think
  • TLP510: Why Your Organization Keeps Getting the Same Results (No Matter What You Change)
  • TLP509: Capitalism Without Ethics Is Just Chaos
  • TLP508: Your Scars Are Your Resume
  • TLP507: Disrupt or Be Buried: The Mindset That Changes Everything

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

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