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The Leadership Podcast

The Leadership Podcast

We Study Leaders

TLP471: How Fear Drives Behavior and Why Traditional Leadership Backfires with Kurt Gray

August 6, 2025

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Kurt Gray is a professor of psychology and neuroscience, and the author of “Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground.” In this episode,. Kurt explains why our workplaces have become battlegrounds of moral outrage. Kurt’s groundbreaking premise challenges the fundamental assumptions leaders make about motivation and conflict. While…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: communication, Conflict resolution, decision making, empathy, Employee Engagement, evolutionary psychology, human behavior, leadership, moral judgment, moral psychology, neuroscience, Organizational Culture, outrage culture, psychology, social media, Team Building, Team Dynamics, vulnerability, Workplace Conflict, workplace relationships

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

TLP383: The Surprising Science Behind How Gestures Shape Our Thoughts with Susan Goldin-Meadow

November 15, 2023

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Susan Goldin-Meadow, a professor at the University of Chicago and author of “Thinking with Your Hands: The Surprising Science Behind How Gestures Shape Our Thoughts,” has studied gestures’ role in communication for 47 years. She points out how gestures are vital for conveying information and understanding. Susan discusses how leaders can use gestures to gauge…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: communication, gestures, Language, learning, psychology

TLP375: Strategies to Counter Negativity with Catherine Sanderson

September 6, 2023

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Catherine Sanderson discusses her book, “The Positive Shift.” The conversation spans diverse topics such as raising rescue puppies, hotel maids’ mindset impacting well-being, the placebo effect’s role in healing and leadership, and mindset’s influence on workplace effectiveness. Strategies to counter negativity, balance work culture, and encourage open communication are explored. Catherine emphasizes the value of…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: happiness, health, leadership, mindset, psychology

TLP273: Overcoming Fatal Human Flaws

September 22, 2021

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In Provoke: How Leaders Shape the Future by Overcoming Fatal Human Flaws, renowned strategy consultant and best-selling author Geoff Tuff explains how people tend to act tentatively in the face of uncertainty, and shares the tools we need to do things differently. Key Takeaways [3:50] Geoff loves being in ironic situations and exploring the concept…

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: achievement, change, culture, humor, irony, leadership, psychology

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Most leaders delay hard conversations. They hope t Most leaders delay hard conversations.They hope the problem fixes itself.Patrick Emmons says that hope is the mistake.Waiting doesn't soften the issue, it just adds interest.Listen to the full episode for Patrick's approach to difficult conversations. https://bit.ly/TLP-524?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #difficultconversations #executivecoaching #leadershipdevelopment #directcommunication #teamculture #accountability #patrickemmons
This is the line that separates coaches from probl This is the line that separates coaches from problem-solvers.Most leaders take the ball when it matters most. When the stakes are high, they jump in and solve it themselves.But Joth Ricci teaches. He shows. He develops capacity in his people instead of creating dependency on himself.That's why he's mentored 12 people who are now CEOs.Discover the coaching framework: https://bit.ly/TLP-516?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #coachingleadership #talentdevelopment #leadershiplessons #personaldevelopment #westudyleaders #theleadershippodcast #jothricci
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 reframes the entire capitalism conver Patrick Ryan reframes the entire capitalism conversation in one sentence. Most leaders see ethics as a constraint. A tax on profit. But that's the opposite of how markets actually work. Without moral foundation, there's no trust. No enforceable contracts. No real market. Just extraction dressed up as business. This changes how you think about your next decision.Listen to Episode 519. https://bit.ly/TLP-519?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#capitalism #ethics #leadership #adamsmith #businessethics #moralcapitalism #leadershippodcast #virtuouscapitalism
It's easy to chase the next title. Harder to ask w It's easy to chase the next title. Harder to ask what you're actually building once you get there.Kim's closing message reframes leadership away from status — and toward legacy and impact.Dive into the full conversation now. https://bit.ly/TLP-522?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#boldleadership #kimsvoboda #leadershiplegacy #intentionalleadership #executivecoaching #leadershipmindset #leadershippodcast #whatmatters
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
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
You have more technically qualified people enterin You have more technically qualified people entering the workforce than ever.You also have fewer people who know how to have a real conversation.This gap is costing you. It's costing every organization. It's being missed in every leadership development program.The most expensive credential in 2026 is something no degree can teach: the ability to actually connect with another human.Find what's missing: https://bit.ly/TLP-516?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #leadershipdevelopment #talentdevelopment #workforcedevelopment #peopleskills #teambuilding #westudyleaders #theleadershippodcast
Everyone rushes to answer. That's why their answe Everyone rushes to answer.That's why their answers fall flat.Here's what Murshad Chowdhury teaches in his debate and communication training: pause."Let me think about that for a few seconds."That's not a weakness. That's clarity.It's the difference between a half-thought answer and a fully formed response.Master this in interviews, presentations, and conversations. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-515?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#publicspeeking #interviewtips #communicationskills #presentationskills #executivepresence #theleadershippodcast #careertips #leadershipskills
You're not bad at networking. You just haven't lea You're not bad at networking. You just haven't learned the skill yet.Murshad Chowdhury, founder of Tech Duels, breaks it down simply: most people think you need to be naturally outgoing. You don't.Introverts, extroverts, ambiverts — doesn't matter. This is trainable.The barrier isn't your personality. It's knowing how to do it.Once you learn the framework, everything changes. Opportunities expand. Careers transform.Your biggest career breakthroughs are waiting on the other side of this skill.Full episode: https://bit.ly/TLP-515?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#networkingskills #careerdevelopment #leadershipdevelopment #personalgrowth #theleadershippodcast #careeradvice #professionalnetworking #skillsbuilding
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
Jim Brown spent 30 years with CEOs. Here's what he Jim Brown spent 30 years with CEOs. Here's what he keeps seeing:Leaders got promoted because they were great at doing. Now they're stuck trying to do everything.You can't scale yourself. You scale by equipping others.The shift from doer to leader isn't about working harder. It's about working differently.Listen to Jim Brown on episode 517. https://bit.ly/TLP-517?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershipmindset #leadershipdevelopment #leadershipaccountability #organizationalhealth #executiveleadership #theleadershippodcast #ceoinsights #westudyleaders
Karen Doll helps executives rebuild their psycholo Karen Doll helps executives rebuild their psychological fitness for a living. And for years she was quietly running herself into the ground.The belief buried so deep she did not know it was there.Self care is selfish.What finally broke it was not a book or a breakthrough. It was looking at her daughters and deciding she did not want to pass that on.Familiarity is one of the hardest things to walk away from.Full conversation with Karen on The Leadership Podcast. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-514?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershippodcast #leadership #burnout #selfcare #leadershipdevelopment #mentalhealth #psychologicalfitness #podcast #womenleaders
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
Jim Brown watches this play out in every organizat Jim Brown watches this play out in every organization.Leaders who have all the answers don't develop leaders. They develop followers.Your job isn't to be the hero. It's to build heroes.The moment your team stops thinking for themselves, you've become a bottleneck, not a leader.Watch episode 517 for the full story. https://bit.ly/TLP-517?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadershipaccountability #leadershipdevelopment #organizationalhealth #teamleadership #leadershipcoaching #executiveleadership #theleadershippodcast #westudyleaders
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
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
Picture a sideline full of parents yelling instruc Picture a sideline full of parents yelling instructions nobody can follow.Now picture your last team meeting.Patrick Emmons says it's the same problem.Bosses talk, but only 3% of the room actually understands what was said.He learned to fix it by coaching kids, not running companies.Watch the full episode to hear how Patrick builds a vernacular his team actually understands. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-524?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #teamcommunication #coaching #executivecoaching #leadershipdevelopment #teambuilding #businessleadership #patrickemmons
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
Ever wonder why founders can't step away? Patrick Ever wonder why founders can't step away?Patrick Emmons has an answer.He built and sold three companies, and the pattern was always the same.Businesses fail to scale when there's no bench.No corporals, no sergeants, just one general running to the front.Watch the full episode to hear Patrick break down what leadership at every level actually looks like. https://bit.ly/TLP-YT-524?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=westudyleaders#leadership #leadershipdevelopment #entrepreneurship #teambuilding #scalingbusiness #executiveleadership #businessgrowth #patrickemmons
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