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The Leadership Podcast

The Leadership Podcast

We Study Leaders

TLP472: Embracing Uncertainty with Dr. Margaret Heffernan

August 13, 2025

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Dr. Margaret Heffernan has written six books including “Willful Blindness: Why We Ignore the Obvious at Our Peril” and “Uncharted: How to Navigate the Future,” both widely recognized as top business books. Dr. Heffernan returns to the Leadership Podcast with insights from her new book “Embracing Uncertainty: How writers, musicians and artists thrive in an…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: adaptive leadership, artists and business, board leadership, business books, Business Strategy, CEO insights, creative leadership, decision making, embracing uncertainty, Executive Coaching, experiential learning, failure and learning, innovation leadership, intuition in leadership, leadership development, Leadership Podcast, leadership retreat, Listening skills, live music and leadership, managing uncertainty, Margaret Heffernan, mindful leadership, organizational leadership, planning vs spontaneity, risk management, Strategic Planning, validation and leadership, Vulnerability in Leadership, wandering for insights

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You've been thinking about bravery all wrong. It's You've been thinking about bravery all wrong. It's not a trait you're born with. It's a skill you build. Jill Schulman is a Marine Corps veteran, keynote speaker, and bravery scientist with a master's in positive psychology from UPenn. This episode breaks down the myths holding you back, the science of the comfort trap, and the exact three-stage framework to push your team toward extraordinary performance. Discover what builds real courage. https://bit.ly/TLP-518?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersWatch it on YouTube - https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-518?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#bravery #leadershipdevelopment #personalgrowth #stoicism #positivepsychology #westudyleaders #theleadershippodcast #fearless #coachinglife #leadershiplessons
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
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
Your leadership team is waiting for you to solve e Your leadership team is waiting for you to solve everything.Jim Brown watched this pattern destroy ownership.A woman entrepreneur realized her team had stopped thinking. Everyone just looked to her for answers.So she tried something simple. Stop answering questions. Start asking them."What do you think we should do?"That one behavior change made her meetings louder. More ownership. Shared responsibility.If you're carrying the weight of all decisions, your team isn't really yours—they're dependent on you.See the full conversation on episode 517. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-517?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershipaccountability #teamownership #leadershipbehavior #organizationalhealth #leadershipdevelopment #theleadershippodcast #jimbrownorghealth #leadershipinsight
A lot of people talk about capitalism like it's ju A lot of people talk about capitalism like it's just an idea or a belief.Dr. Bill Kline brings it back to something more concrete. He explains that markets only work when there's trust, rules, and accountability behind them."Capitalism does not exist without ethics."No property rights. No enforceable contracts. No real market.Take ethics out of the system and what you're left with isn't capitalism. It's chaos with a price tag.Honestly one of the most grounded things said on this show in a while. Go listen to the full conversation. https://bit.ly/TLP-509?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#businessethics #capitalism #leadership #freemarkets #leadershippodcast #tlp509
Your instinct will be to take the ball. Resist it. Your instinct will be to take the ball.Resist it.When your team is struggling, when the pressure's on, your job isn't to score. Your job is to prepare them to score.Joth Ricci understood thisThe moment you solve it for them is the moment they stop growing.Learn the principle https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-516?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #coachingleadership #managementtips #leadershiplessons #teamdevelopment #executiveleadership #westudyleaders #theleadershippodcast
One of the biggest misconceptions about leadership One of the biggest misconceptions about leadership is that the people at the top somehow found a shortcut.After 500 conversations with CEOs, military leaders, entrepreneurs, and high performers, the opposite appears to be true.The leaders who create lasting impact usually make difficult tradeoffs that most people never see. They often trade off their:TimeComfortCertaintyConvenienceEgoNot because they are obsessed with work, but because meaningful growth almost always demands sustained commitment. And most conversations around leadership often skip over the cost.But mastery and long-term excellence rarely happen accidentally and without sacrifice.What do you think most people underestimate when pursuing meaningful success? https://bit.ly/TLP-511?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershippodcast #leadership #selfreliantleadership #noshortcuts #executivecoaching #leadershipdevelopment #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
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
Patrick Ryan names the practice most leaders never Patrick Ryan names the practice most leaders never do. Before you decide. Before you send that email. Before you justify it to yourself. Take a step back. Ask: What would a knowledgeable, impartial observer think of this? That's the impartial spectator. It's not philosophy. It's a daily tool. One question. Applied consistently. It changes everything.Watch the full episode. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-519?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #ethics #decisionmaking #adamsmith #leadershippodcast #corporateethics #executiveleadership #virtuouscapitalism
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 leaders frame failure as the opposite of winn Most leaders frame failure as the opposite of winning. Matt Cavanaugh says that framing is the whole problem.Win, learn, or die. No other outcomes exist. And that one shift changes how you look at every setback you've been carrying around.The leader who avoids failure avoids judgment.You'll want to hear him say this in his own words. https://bit.ly/tlpyt508?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #failure #growthmindset #militaryleadership #leadershipdevelopment #mattcavanaugh #bestscarwins #theleadershippodcast #mindset #resilience
After 9/11. After watching kids in his high school After 9/11. After watching kids in his high school cry not knowing if their parents at the CIA were alive. After his father disappeared into the agency for two weeks.Nick Black went to war. Survived 27 months of combat. Brought his soldiers home.Then lost one to suicide a week after returning.That moment revealed something no battlefield ever did.The most dangerous enemy is not always in front of you.Sometimes it is the silence you let someone disappear into.The full conversation is up now. https://bit.ly/TLP-513?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersWatch it on YouTube - https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-513?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershippodcast #leadership #podcast #militaryleadership #stopsolidersuicide #selfreliantleadership #leadershipdevelopment #mentalhealth #veteranleadership #service
They have interviewed four-star generals, Fortune They have interviewed four-star generals, Fortune 500 CEOs, and Olympic athletes. And after all of it, Jan keeps coming back to the same thing. The leaders who left the biggest mark on him were not the ones with the most impressive titles or the most polished answers. They were the ones who walked in curious about Jim and Jan. The ones who asked questions instead of just answering them. Be interested. Care about people. Be nice. It really is that simple and that rare. Clear 40 minutes and give this one your full attention. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-511?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershippodcast #leadership #podcast #selfreliantleadership #leadershipdevelopment #executivecoaching #leadyourself
Murshad Chowdhury just exposed what most leaders g Murshad Chowdhury just exposed what most leaders get wrong.They think communication is about being heard.It's actually about hearing.The biggest conflicts in teams? Someone didn't listen to what the other person meant to say.Not what they said. What they meant.That's the gap that costs leaders their credibility.Watch how to master this: https://bit.ly/TLP-515?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#communicationskills #leadershipdevelopment #listeningskills #theleadershippodcast #executiveleadership #teambuidling #leadershiplessons #conflictresolution
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 people treat disruption like a storm they jus Most people treat disruption like a storm they just have to survive. Patrick Leddin spent years studying the people who don't. And what he found is that the gap between leaders who get buried by change and leaders who use it has nothing to do with talent or timing. It starts with one question: are you willing to pause long enough to see what's actually in front of you?Episode 507 is out now. Go give it a listen. https://bit.ly/TLP-507?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleadersThe full conversation will change how you think about this. Episode 507 is out now. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-507?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #disruption #disrupteverything #patrickleddin #leadershipdevelopment #militaryleadership #theleadershippodcast #westudyleaders #growthmindset #changemanagement
As a leader, how you respond to disruption sets th As a leader, how you respond to disruption sets the tone for everyone around you. Your team is watching whether you treat change like a threat or an opening. Patrick Leddin puts a name to both responses and explains why the most disruptive thing you can sometimes do is refuse to follow the crowd. There's a lot more where this came from. Go watch the full episode. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-507?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #disruption #leadershipdevelopment #westudyleaders #disrupteverything #leadershipcoach #changeleadership #growthmindset #leadershippodcast #shorts
Needing to be the smartest person in the room is s Needing to be the smartest person in the room is something most leaders would never admit to. But Maria Brinck says it is one of the most common and most limiting habits she sees in leadership today. She names it plainly and explains why letting go of it is where real collaboration actually begins. If this clip made you pause, Episode 510 of The Leadership Podcast is the full conversation you have been looking for. Head over and give it a listen. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-510?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #TheLeadershipPodcast #ExecutiveCoaching #Collaboration #Podcast
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